Prices Dropping?

My old vehicle is finally showing hints of its age and I am casually entering the market for a different car. For the past few weeks, I have been monitoring the used car field but recent articles have indicated that a great many others are doing likewise. Supply and demand is jumping up and causing certified preowned vehicles to carry hefty price tags.

All of a sudden, the supposedly strapped manufacturers who are cutting production, seem to be flooding dealers with 2010 vehicles. Perhaps they produced vehicles without anticipating the closure of numerous dealerships in each region. The remaining 2008 and 2009 new vehicles are incentive laden right now.

Should you be out of work, auto sales might a field to investigate, at least for temporary income.

For Hiring Managers

Perfect matches are the dream of hiring managers. At one time, 20+ years ago, that was much easier to accomplish. As more and more companies use their own proprietary systems and processes, less people have the exact skills many of you are looking for. In addition, with the current slump, many folks have compromised to keep working. Just like many people are purchasing certified used automobiles, companies need to learn the value of getting a seasoned professional with strongly related skill sets who will easily adapt to specific environments. Once organizations adopt such mindsets, open job slots will be filled and unemployment will start to decline!

New Site for Employers and Job Seekers

Check out http://jobcentral.org. The DOL has moved there from America's Job Exchange and it looks like a fairly good place to post your resume, search job openings, and post jobs for free if you are an employer.

Data Warehouse Manager Needed!!

Immediate need for a full time, permanent (not a consultant please!) Data Warehouse Manager with solid skills in implementation and integration using SAP BW / BI for a client in the Albany, NY region.

Resumes should be sent to harold@smartstaff.jobs ASAP!!

Cable TV-Bah Humbug

Have any of you noticed the declining value of cable TV? About 2 years back, one of the big boys that begins with a C (not Cablevision!) bought the little local group and announced major upgrades and terrific deals to combine phone, Internet, and cable. We fell for this and till today, were fairly happy. I went to check out MLB Network for the All Star rosters and got a screen saying I needed to subscribe to this channel (I've received it since its inception). Figuring it was a snafu, I switched to ESPN News and it was gone as were such highly valued choices as The N, Noggin, BBC News, etc which were extras I never viewed.

After an hour with tech support and sales I drew the following conclusions: I never was supposed to receive the Classics package but the filter was off or the package changed effective this coming Tuesday but they pulled the plug sooner or I should have received a letter about the changes or the FCC allows changes with no notice or the sales rep sold me an illegal deal even though I have a contract on their letterhead. Ultimately I was told it will cost $16.95 to regain the lost channels. Our family voted to live with less and only purchase it if we feel deprived later. My apologies to the local advertisers who I will never hear about.

Comments and suggestions would be appreciated!

Time for Tuneup!

If you are like me and really don't enjoy going to fireworks displays laden with mosquitoes, traffic jams, and noisy crowds, use July 4 to give your resume a once over. Even if you have not had any employment changes this year take a good look at yourself and see if every professional organization or networking group you are part of is listed. Have you recently completed any volunteer projects or been selected for any committees or leadership roles, taken any courses, received new certifications? All of this is important to make your resume fresh and unique. Have fun being honest but creative!

The Right Attitude!!!!

This morning, I stopped by a local pet shop where a very well spoken young man assisted me. During our chat, it came out that he received his BA in Business Administration just this past May and is actively job hunting. He has had a few nibbles and demonstrated a "will do anything to get started" attitude with a ton of positive energy and optimism.

No matter whether you are looking for your first job or trying to recover from an untimely layoff, attitude is critical. This recent graduate reminded me of the importance is being alive, alert, and spirited no matter how bleak things look. Obviously, college grads are facing an uphill battle to find anything to do right now but the cream will rise to the top sooner or later. If I had a job for an inexperience yet eager self starter, I would hire this candidate immediately!!!

Need to Grumble a Little Bit

On an evening where my beloved Philadelphia Phillies dropped out of sole possession of first place, I find it appropriate to mention a phone call I received today. While in the middle of trying to fill a client's rush request, a young man called me and asked why I had not responded to his resume. Though I needed to stay focused on my immediate task, I opened my inbox to look for the resume. The resume came through about a minute later. Calmly (yes, it was painful!), I explained that it is best to wait a minimum of a few hours to ensure the recruiter or hiring manager has enough time to properly review your resume. The candidate did not comprehend that at all and told me he really did not fit the open job at all but I needed to call him with ideas before the end of the day. I hope he does not stay awake all weekend awaiting my call.