Is It Time for New Rules?

One of my rules that I have lived by for several decades as a recruiter, career services director, and career coach during parts of my life is that there is a job for everyone and that everyone is place-able. While working at a proprietary trade school, I came across students with various challenges and obstacles to overcome and somehow managed to help most of them find jobs using at least some of the skills they were taught. As a recruiter, there have been numerous times when the candidate I submitted with the least experience was selected over more seasoned options. In my experience as a coach, I usually find qualities in a client that they do not even know they possess!

The past few months have made me wonder if perhaps my rule book needs updating. Could we really be at a stage where there are people who simply do not have any marketable skills? Have we run out of employers willing to take a shot on a career changer fresh out of trade school but with no hands=on related work experience? Are there people out there who have become so frustrated they have sadly given up all hope of finding a job in their field and are looking for alternatives sources of income? Is it realistic to say that folks out of work more than two years due to forced layoffs are of little value to employers because there skills have become outdated?

Honestly, my answer to these questions and similar ones is that my opinion is still taking shape. One thing quite apparent to me is that anyone who walks away from their search process for any significant length of time is setting themselves back dramatically. Your comments and opinions are very welcomed as I need to decide if my rule book needs some tweaking. Ideally, I hope you will convince me that my rule still applies but your thoughts will all received and taken under consideration!

Shrinking Payrolls

Based on this article, it looks like recovery is still not quite ready to take hold. At least some of the results are just the slightest bit more positive than those released in reports over the summer. Let's hope for better news in the immediate future.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-10-21/payrolls-fell-in-25-states-in-september-led-by-north-carolina.html

Pay Raise?

Here is somewhat positive news for those of you eligible to collect Social Security benefits:

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2011/10/19/business/AP-US-Social-Security-COLA.html?_r=1&hp

Why Change?

Facebook..Twitter..Plaxo..My Space..LinkedIn..Droid..ITouch..SmartPhone..Texting..and now, the newest way to communicate---the TELEPHONE!!!!

Yes, I have become somewhat addicted to LinkedIn and am becoming more comfortable sending out tweets. No, I do not have a Smartphone (or similar toy) as I would undoubtedly use it more for play than business. I like Facebook but not as a business resource. Some people I know believe I am old fashioned but I tend to live within a comfort zone and am not someone who changes very easily. I even dress pretty much the same at age 53 as I did at age 23 albeit with less hair on my head which has become much more grey than brown!

Believe it or not, I considered caving in a few weeks back and almost starting making some changes. Some younger colleagues on a committee which I chair tried to sell me on the merits of one of the more advanced phones. I was told I could easily check my email at all times, conduct business online with my clients, and run my daily business through Facebook right on my phone. This device would allow me to hardly turn on the computer, throw away my newspaper, and rarely need to talk to anyone live. In fact, the term talking could really be replaced by the term texting! Wow, my whole world could fit in my pocket (assuming I did not drop my world in a parking lot where it could get smashed by a passing vehicle!) and follow me everywhere! Sounds great!!!!................WAIT a MINUTE!!!...I really don't want to read email while out to dinner. I don't necessarily want to chat with clients while at a Somerset Patriots baseball game. Reading the daily newspaper is one of my favorite activities. Most important, my clients do still like live interaction from time to time and some have actually complained to me about how impersonal their vendors are becoming.

Make your own choices. Whatever works best for you is the method of operation you need to follow. Please make sure the clients you value, the bread and butter of your business, are comfortable and happy with how you treat them!

Temporary Job with Excel

Looking for someone with data input, heavy Excel, to enter information into royalties contracts on a temp basis in North Jersey (Bergen County). Must have data entry exp. from a contracts (legal, royalties, real estate) environment. Send resumes to harold@smartstaff.jobs or call Harold at 908-508-0300, ext. 205.

Mechanical Engineer Needed

Contract-to-permanent opportunity in the Metuchen NJ area:
5+ years exp. needed in design and development in the construction of facilities. Must be proficient in design engineering documentation using AutoCAD (incl 2011)and Revit 2011. Must also have mechanical design exp. incl. HVAC ductwork, chillers, cooling towers, fire protection systems, flow diagrams, etc. License is a plus. Resumes to harold@smartstaff.jobs or call Harold Levin, 908-508-0300, ext. 205

JFS Recruiting for AmeriCorps Program

This is a great way to give back to your community and build some experience on your resume all at once! Please contact as per the instructions listed below:

JFS brings to Somerset, Hunterdon and Warren Counties a unique opportunity for those who want to learn new skills, provide service to the community, work with other like minded individuals of all ages AND receive both a living allowance and educational award for their effort.

More than 50,000 “members” of AmeriCorps, a federally funded program to impact some of our nations most challenging problems, serve throughout the country through this program modeled after the Peace Corps. JFS is offering a limited number of openings for members to serve from a minimum of 300 hours per year to 900 hours providing direct service to seniors, those with special needs, and other underserved populations. JFS staff will provide the training and ongoing supervision utilizing our successful Family and Senior Mentoring Programs as core opportunities for those who would like to make this commitment. The living allowance and educational award are based on the number of hours served.

Students as young as 18 years of age are eligible and may wish to participate as mentors for children on the autism spectrum. Adults may be mentors to vulnerable families who are struggling with a variety of challenges, or to frail, isolated seniors living alone in the community. Other opportunities may include assisting in after-school programs and summer camps, and assisting in a social learning group for adolescents on the autism spectrum.

The JFS office at 150-A West High, Somerville is the supervision/training site. All who participate must have their own transportation to the office and to sites in the tri-county area where services will be provided. There are specific requirements to becoming an AmeriCorps Member which JFS staff will be happy to discuss with anyone who is interested in applying. Contact Elise Prezant, JFS Program Manager at 908 725-7799 or eprezant@jewishfamilysvc.org or apply online at www.americorps.gov.

Elise Prezant

Jewish Family Service

Suggestions for Stress Relief

Agreed, the economy absolutely stinks right now and all indicators show that recovery will be a very arduous task. Unemployment remains at record highs. Store fronts and large retail centers have tons of 'space available' signs. Restaurants who were neighborhood fixtures have shut their doors. Professional sports teams are struggling to fill seats (Tampa Bay had empty seats for playoff games) even when offering special deals. Broadway shows are offering tickets for $26.50 (Phantom of the Opera comes to mind). I imagine retailers must be cringing at the thought of what the upcoming holiday season will look like.

As I walk around my home community of Hillsborough NJ and as I also travel around Union County where my office is located, I continually see one thing on most every one's faces - STRESS. Please do not think I live in a glass house. I feel the stress as well, especially with an underemployed wife and my career being heavily based on employers adding to their existing staff. There are very few of us out there who have not been negatively impacted by the global economy and unfortunately, the further you are from the upper echelon economically, the longer it will take for the recovery to become evident to you.

How do we keep this stress from putting us in the hospital or even worse? It is not an easy question to answer but I do have some thoughts. Set aside time each week to clear your head. Whether it is as simple as scheduling time to take a 30 minute walk several times a week or planning an affordable evening out (perhaps Chinese takeout and a free movie by hitting the on demand button on your cable screen to save $$) or a weekly trip to the public library to browse reading material and unwind for an hour or two. If you are not employed or working part-time, take a few hours a week away from your job search to refresh your brain by doing some volunteer work. Find a free concert or art display to check out in your area. The point is, find a way to unwind a little and the results will be amazing.

Those employers who are actually hiring will sense stress a block away. While most do understand the issues we are all dealing with, they want to see you are capable of checking them at the door. My suggestions barely scratch the surface. Be creative! Find something simple to help ease the stress that is undoubtedly cluttering up your life!