Lately, people have been backing out of interviews I arranged for them, cancelling coaching sessions we have scheduled, turned down job offers over a difference of a few dollars, skipped free networking group meetings, etc. Were I the only one noticing this, my blog entry would not be focused on this topic today. Several coaches, recruiters, and HR professionals I know all are seeing the same thing. For some strange reason, people who definitely need jobs are pretty much working against themselves.
Heading out of state to warmer environs for 3 months with no income coming in will not make things better, just prolong your period of inactivity. Neither will taking a week off from your job search to plan a Super Bowl party! For that matter, while very admirable, letting volunteer work overtake your search practices is not healthy either.
Before posting your resumes on search engines, calling staffing firms for assistance, joining networking groups or contacting career coaches, you must be absolutely committed to your cause. Getting people involved in your search efforts then 'flying south' for a while is a recipe for disaster! If this piece bares resemblance to the rantings of a mad man, blame it on the antibiotics taken for an ugly sinus infection though I am pretty sure it would have sounded just about the same otherwise as well!
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Picking a President
Unless you have just emerged from under a rock without any internet or cable access, you know that we have big choices to make in 2012 which will shape our landscape for the next 4 years. It is our privilege and responsibility to select a President for our nation and I hope you will all exercise your right to vote.
Before doing so, I believe we are all obligated to do our due diligence to become as educated about the choices available, starting with primary elections, as possible. In the forefront this year will obviously be how each candidate plans to stimulate job growth to get our economy back in gear. Each one will undoubtedly promise to rectify everything that is currently going wrong but some will offer more detailed plans than others.
Whatever your political beliefs may be, I urge all of you (myself included) to look at past voting records, public interviews, professional backgrounds, etc. of each candidate and decide if he/she will be capable of producing the results you wish to see. Personally, I wish I could find someone who has a ton of very creative business building experience along with a large dose of humility and compassion. Remember, beauty is only skin deep and we need to figure out who is best suited to get the United States back on track.
Before doing so, I believe we are all obligated to do our due diligence to become as educated about the choices available, starting with primary elections, as possible. In the forefront this year will obviously be how each candidate plans to stimulate job growth to get our economy back in gear. Each one will undoubtedly promise to rectify everything that is currently going wrong but some will offer more detailed plans than others.
Whatever your political beliefs may be, I urge all of you (myself included) to look at past voting records, public interviews, professional backgrounds, etc. of each candidate and decide if he/she will be capable of producing the results you wish to see. Personally, I wish I could find someone who has a ton of very creative business building experience along with a large dose of humility and compassion. Remember, beauty is only skin deep and we need to figure out who is best suited to get the United States back on track.
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Choosing a College Major
Do you know someone getting ready for college? Here is a New York Times report which might be of interest!
http://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/01/18/what-the-top-1-of-earners-majored-in/?ref=business
http://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/01/18/what-the-top-1-of-earners-majored-in/?ref=business
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Why Aren't You Getting Calls?
The following article is a presentation which I recently delivered to a job seekers support group at the National Council of Jewish Women's Center for Women in Livingston, NJ:
If you are frustrated because you send out dozens of resumes each week and rarely receive responses, let alone invitations for interviews, rest assured that you are not alone. In my roles, both as a recruiter and as a career coach, people contact me frequently, concerned because they feel like something is wrong with them or their resume. Before you throw in the towel, something you obviously cannot afford to do, let’s take a look at your efforts and see if we could make things a little bit better!
The first place to look is your resume.
~Do you list a phone number? Is it the number you most frequently use? Is there an answering system attached to it? Do you check this number at least 2-3 times daily for messages? Do you respond to all messages within 12-24 hours?If the answer to any of these questions is ‘No’ there is your initial problem. Potential employers may only call once. If you do not answer the phone live or respond within 24 hours, do not expect them to try again. If you do not have voice mail, set it up now!!! It is very annoying when a candidate relies on caller ID and calls back to a company and says they have no clue who called them or why they called them. There are plenty of others who will respond faster and get the interview intended for you.
~Have you listed an email address on your resume? Again, is it an address that you regularly check and respond to? Is it a professional looking address or something gimmicky like jerseyshoregirl1@aol.com? Having a novelty email address for your social activities is fine but you need something business like for employers to reply to such as jdoe@gmail.com. Yahoo, Hotmail, Gmail, and most cable providers allow you to set up no cost email addresses and I strongly recommend this.
~How many of you send out more than 75 resumes per month? 50-75?25-50?Less than 25? If you are not sending out at least 25per month, you should not claim that nobody is responding to your resume because nobody is seeing your resume! There are tons of sites to look for easy places to submit such as nj.com, indeed.com, simplyhired.com, tristatejobs.com just to name a handful to consider.
-When you look for places to submit your resume, what criteria do you use to select the jobs you apply for? Do you look only at jobs that fit 100% of your expectations based on your past work history even though it has been some time since you last worked in your chosen field? My suggestion is to apply for a mix of jobs with about 20% being the ones you consider perfect fits, 50% being jobs that you feel qualified to do about half the skills, and 20% for which you know a few of the needed skills plus about 10% just general, part-time employment with minimal special skills required. Avoid applying to full-time jobs that you have absolutely none of the required skills because if something more suitable comes up at the same site later on, the hiring manager might remember you as someone who randomly sent a resume for a job you were not qualified for. However, if your resources have hit rock bottom, you need to apply for any job just to get some positive cash flow. There is nothing wrong with taking a part-time job in a supermarket, drugstore or perhaps as a security guard or school lunch aide if you absolutely need to earn money but want to allow time to continue your job search.
If no one is responding to you, maybe you need to find other ways to search and target a new audience. How many of you are doing some form of networking beyond attending this group’s programs? Are you attending job seeker support groups through local houses of worship, Jewish Vocational Services, Catholic Charities, Professional Services Group of NJ? How many of you regularly visit your local public library and utilize their job search tools? I assume you are all using LinkedIN and have been adding at least 20-25 new contacts per week and have job search agents set up there. Are each of you calling 4-6 people per week who you simply know through one source or another and asking to meet with them to informally discuss your job needs, their current careers, and how they might refer you to someone they know? Do you attend job fairs and/or resource fairs at least once every 4-6 weeks. Does anyone pick up the newspaper and look for articles about new companies moving into the local area, write down the names mentioned, and contact them to see if you could meet to discuss future job opportunities they may have available?
It is terribly simple to get into a rut and say that nobody is responding to your resume but it is a true challenge to put yourself into high gear and find creative ways to identify job opportunities. Job hunting is a full time career and requires the same attention that a full time job deserves from you. Make a schedule consisting of weekly chores and responsibilities unrelated to job search then insert at least 6 hours per day six days a week for your search process and keep to that routine. It is okay, in fact better than okay, to rotate the order you approach your search each day and it is essential to give yourself one day off per week to clear your head.
Very honestly, this might look daunting to some of you. Rest assured, the results will start to become obvious if you stop making excuses and saying no one wants to hire and get out there and make things happen. Job searching is a job but is also a heck of a lot of fun and a great way to learn new things while finding fresh sources of income!!
If you are frustrated because you send out dozens of resumes each week and rarely receive responses, let alone invitations for interviews, rest assured that you are not alone. In my roles, both as a recruiter and as a career coach, people contact me frequently, concerned because they feel like something is wrong with them or their resume. Before you throw in the towel, something you obviously cannot afford to do, let’s take a look at your efforts and see if we could make things a little bit better!
The first place to look is your resume.
~Do you list a phone number? Is it the number you most frequently use? Is there an answering system attached to it? Do you check this number at least 2-3 times daily for messages? Do you respond to all messages within 12-24 hours?If the answer to any of these questions is ‘No’ there is your initial problem. Potential employers may only call once. If you do not answer the phone live or respond within 24 hours, do not expect them to try again. If you do not have voice mail, set it up now!!! It is very annoying when a candidate relies on caller ID and calls back to a company and says they have no clue who called them or why they called them. There are plenty of others who will respond faster and get the interview intended for you.
~Have you listed an email address on your resume? Again, is it an address that you regularly check and respond to? Is it a professional looking address or something gimmicky like jerseyshoregirl1@aol.com? Having a novelty email address for your social activities is fine but you need something business like for employers to reply to such as jdoe@gmail.com. Yahoo, Hotmail, Gmail, and most cable providers allow you to set up no cost email addresses and I strongly recommend this.
~How many of you send out more than 75 resumes per month? 50-75?25-50?Less than 25? If you are not sending out at least 25per month, you should not claim that nobody is responding to your resume because nobody is seeing your resume! There are tons of sites to look for easy places to submit such as nj.com, indeed.com, simplyhired.com, tristatejobs.com just to name a handful to consider.
-When you look for places to submit your resume, what criteria do you use to select the jobs you apply for? Do you look only at jobs that fit 100% of your expectations based on your past work history even though it has been some time since you last worked in your chosen field? My suggestion is to apply for a mix of jobs with about 20% being the ones you consider perfect fits, 50% being jobs that you feel qualified to do about half the skills, and 20% for which you know a few of the needed skills plus about 10% just general, part-time employment with minimal special skills required. Avoid applying to full-time jobs that you have absolutely none of the required skills because if something more suitable comes up at the same site later on, the hiring manager might remember you as someone who randomly sent a resume for a job you were not qualified for. However, if your resources have hit rock bottom, you need to apply for any job just to get some positive cash flow. There is nothing wrong with taking a part-time job in a supermarket, drugstore or perhaps as a security guard or school lunch aide if you absolutely need to earn money but want to allow time to continue your job search.
If no one is responding to you, maybe you need to find other ways to search and target a new audience. How many of you are doing some form of networking beyond attending this group’s programs? Are you attending job seeker support groups through local houses of worship, Jewish Vocational Services, Catholic Charities, Professional Services Group of NJ? How many of you regularly visit your local public library and utilize their job search tools? I assume you are all using LinkedIN and have been adding at least 20-25 new contacts per week and have job search agents set up there. Are each of you calling 4-6 people per week who you simply know through one source or another and asking to meet with them to informally discuss your job needs, their current careers, and how they might refer you to someone they know? Do you attend job fairs and/or resource fairs at least once every 4-6 weeks. Does anyone pick up the newspaper and look for articles about new companies moving into the local area, write down the names mentioned, and contact them to see if you could meet to discuss future job opportunities they may have available?
It is terribly simple to get into a rut and say that nobody is responding to your resume but it is a true challenge to put yourself into high gear and find creative ways to identify job opportunities. Job hunting is a full time career and requires the same attention that a full time job deserves from you. Make a schedule consisting of weekly chores and responsibilities unrelated to job search then insert at least 6 hours per day six days a week for your search process and keep to that routine. It is okay, in fact better than okay, to rotate the order you approach your search each day and it is essential to give yourself one day off per week to clear your head.
Very honestly, this might look daunting to some of you. Rest assured, the results will start to become obvious if you stop making excuses and saying no one wants to hire and get out there and make things happen. Job searching is a job but is also a heck of a lot of fun and a great way to learn new things while finding fresh sources of income!!
Friday, January 6, 2012
Warehouse Manager Opportunity in Northern NJ!
5-10 years experience needed in hands-on supervision of fast paced warehouse operation. Must be capable and willing to do everything from filling orders and operating a forklift to implementing and enforcing all management oriented tasks. For details send resumes to harold@smartstaff.jobs or call Harold Levin at 908-508-0300, ext. 205.
Buyer Needed in Northern NJ!
Permanent, full time opportunity requires a Buyer with 3-5 years experience with products such as toys, gifts, books, housewares or other hard lines. Must have strong negotiation skills working with vendors and customers. Great Plains experience highly desired. MS Office proficiency and outstanding phone skills a must. Competitive salary and benefits included. Send resumes to harold@smartstaff.jobs or call Harold Levin
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Machinist Opportunities in North Jersey
Set-up, programming, and operation of CNC equipment such as lathes, mills, grinders, EDM's, etc. to manufacture medical devices as well as instruments including micrometers, height gauges and calipers. Must read blueprints and guide sheets, perform dimensional and visual inspections using standard gages and CMM. Must have 3 - 5 years machining exp. and be PC literate. All candidates must be able to find their own centers. Second shift available w/possible OT. Send resumes to harold@smartstaff.jobs or call Harold Levin at 908-508-0300, ext. 205.
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
What Is A Job Offer?
What is a job offer is a simple question which seems to conjure up various answers. Because my daughter has been enduring a series of standardized tests in recent months, I thought we would take a multiple choice test to come up with the best answer. Read all of the choices before making your selection! Each participant may choose just one response to the question which I will repeat to make sure all have read it.
What is a job offer?
a) A call from a company asking you to come in for an interview.
b) An inquiry from a staffing firm about your skill sets and employment status.
c) A verbal or written offer of employment containing salary, job title, and report date.
d) Email telling you that a company found your resume online and you need to press the apply button for immediate consideration.
e) All of the above.
f) None of the above.
Hopefully, you all selected (c) as nothing constitutes an offer of employment unless the start date, pay rate, and either a title or job description has been made to you either via a conversation or in writing. There is nothing wrong with getting contact online or by a phone call from a recruiting firm. Also, nothing is better than a formal interview invitation but none of these is a job offer!
Too many folks turn down chances to interview for a great job because they told the employer they already had a great offer. Until you actually receive a verifiable offer, do not turn down any interviews!
What is a job offer?
a) A call from a company asking you to come in for an interview.
b) An inquiry from a staffing firm about your skill sets and employment status.
c) A verbal or written offer of employment containing salary, job title, and report date.
d) Email telling you that a company found your resume online and you need to press the apply button for immediate consideration.
e) All of the above.
f) None of the above.
Hopefully, you all selected (c) as nothing constitutes an offer of employment unless the start date, pay rate, and either a title or job description has been made to you either via a conversation or in writing. There is nothing wrong with getting contact online or by a phone call from a recruiting firm. Also, nothing is better than a formal interview invitation but none of these is a job offer!
Too many folks turn down chances to interview for a great job because they told the employer they already had a great offer. Until you actually receive a verifiable offer, do not turn down any interviews!
Creativity and Flexibilty Needed!
The Wall Street Journal takes a very realistic look and what will be needed to improve one's employability in the coming year and it makes a whole lot of sense to me. Please read the following and feel free to comment:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204552304577112771128538532.html?mod=WSJ_hps_sections_careerjournal
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204552304577112771128538532.html?mod=WSJ_hps_sections_careerjournal
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