Screeching Chalk!

Do you remember the sound of chalk screeching on a blackboard, sending chills down everyone's back and causing entire classrooms of students to go into shock for a moment or two?  If you were educated in the age of smart boards, keep quiet for a minute!  Those of us who remember know just how awful that sound could be!  There are things that happen in the job search arena that replicate that annoying sound.

Very recently, a job seeker told me that they gave a company $4,000 to develop a marketing strategy guaranteed to deliver a successful job search.  What they got for their money was a poorly constructed resume and a web page dedicated to their search which was very generic and resulted in absolutely no results. The ongoing technical and coaching support which was part of the package seems to have vanished into thin air.

A hiring manager told me of a person they added to their staff who stayed about 4 weeks then jumped ship for double the money.  Just a few weeks later, it was learned that this individual was out of work because they gave notice without a confirmed offer and the new job was placed on hold before the reporting date.

Someone lamented to me that she was not receiving many bites from her resume.  I asked to see it and questioned how she could have gotten to the level she was working at with only an Associates Degree.  Her reply was that she had a B.A. and half of an M.B.A. but that they were not from a school in the U.S. so she left them off!

Decision making is a crucial part of running a great job search.  Please do not make unilateral decisions.  Seek out the advice of several people such as former classmates, relatives, former colleagues, career coaches, clergy people, etc.  Look for a common ground among those opinions and I am pretty sure you will avoid the screeching chalk torture!

Job Resources Related to Sandy

Many people have been talking about the jobs that will be potentially created as the Northeastern U.S. rebuilds from the incredible destruction brought on by Hurricane Sandy.  Quite honestly, it may be too soon to know the full impact on the job market but I did some research and found some sites which might be worth checking out.  What follows is just a start and you should look at all avenues to get back to work.  If there is a silver lining to the massive damages caused by this storm, it just could be that many people might find new sources of income for the next 2-3 years.

www.hurricanesandy.jobs  - Type in the state you want to work in and specify towns if you wish and a variety of jobs related to storm recovery will appear.

http://www.jobs4jersey.com/jobs4jersey/jobseekers/index.html  - Site is managed by the NJ Department of Labor and will provide you with information on what is needed to qualify for and acquire jobs developed in NJ as a result of Hurricane Sandy.

http://www.labor.ny.gov/ui/2012-sandy-services.shtm  - Similar to NJ, this site is operated by the NY Department of Labor and looks to have a lot of details related to employment made available due to the weather related events.

http://unemployedworkers.org/sites/unemployedworkers/index.php/site/blog_entry/disaster_unemployment_assistance_how_workers_can_access_the_program_sandy  - This is a national site with lots of information geared to unemployed workers in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut who were impacted by Hurricane Sandy.

Digging Out of the Rubble

My priorities the past several weeks shifted, keeping me away from my blog for an extended period of time.  First, there was a self imposed hiatus as I shut myself down a bit to fend off a round of bronchitis (successfully I might say).  Unfortunately, the same day that my doctor gave me a clean bill of health, an unwanted visitor named Sandy stopped by and was a very ungracious guest.  There is no need for me to document the aftermath of a storm unlike any seen in my home state of NJ as I am pretty sure anyone reading this article, whether in NJ or across the globe, is well aware of what took place.

Crying over spilled milk is not my normal method of operation although this weather event led to gallons of spoiled milk and other perishables as well as loss of lives, homes, and businesses.  Life falls into perspective when disaster hits close to home.  Having lived near the center of tropical Storm Floyd many years ago, the impact this time was even greater.  One thing I have noticed is a change in personality of many people I have come across, a more mellow and reflective demeanor and definitely less of a sense of entitlement and more of a spirit of camaraderie.  Time will tell but I assume this will change as recovery progresses.

This blog is supposed to be about ways to improve one's employment standing and future articles will move back in that direction though I want to share a few thoughts today.  First, employers across the impacted areas seem to be doing their best to return to some sort of normalcy but we must realize the economic losses are massive so some patience may be needed.  Hopefully, proper aid programs will kick into gear to assist them.  Second, if you lost your job due to the storm, contact your local office of unemployment assistance as there appear to be programs to help you get through this time of need.  Finally, there are bound to be a lot of jobs related to storm recovery available so keep your eyes and ears open.  To name a few, companies who perform disaster recovery will need additional staff while the construction industry is going to be overwhelmed for at least the next 12-18 months and lumber and home improvement companies are going to next extra help too.  These are just a few ideas of industries who will benefit from the disaster.

You can sit back and feel bad for yourself or find a way to literally dig out of the rubble and use this as a way to redirect your livelihood.  I am hopeful that positive results will rise out of the horrible rubble that our friend Sandy left behind.  

Revisiting An Old Topic

Sometimes, old topics are worthy of additional discussion and I am covering one of those topics, how to address your past experience during interviews, today.  Countless times, hiring managers have shared with me that were very high on a particular candidate until they asked questions about how they liked their previous employer.  This proved to be the interview killer in several cases.

We have all had less than desirable experiences with companies who were not overly concerned about making their employees happy, about building staff loyalty, or rewarding outstanding performances.  Most likely, we have all endured at least one manager who we did not get along with and who made life difficult.  Hiring managers do not want to hear about this but most are realistic enough to know we all have stories stored up in our heads and they will try to pry them out.

This is where creativity comes into play.  Rather than saying that your former company never gave out bonuses or service awards even though you deserved them, point out that they held their staff to very high standards and it took a lot to get recognition for your efforts.  Instead of saying that your boss criticized you constantly and ridiculed you for not working long enough hours even though you worked an extra hour most days, turn it around and say that your boss liked to challenge you to strive for higher goals each day.

Hiring managers do not really care about your past problems   What is important to them is how much positive energy and talents you can bring to their organization.  it is up to you to demonstrate this in a positive way!

Silver Linings

For the past few weeks, life got in the way of my regular blogging routine.  While keeping busy on many fronts, I chatted with a lot of people from different walks of life and one constant theme kept popping up.  The economy and the job market, to be specific, has everyone on edge.  Most folks I spoke with have been impacted on a very personal level over the past few years and are extremely uneasy right now.

Stories ranged from households where both wage earners were out of work simultaneously to having adult children with advanced degrees who can not find any type of work in their chosen fields to relatives moving in together in cramped quarters to make ends meet.  This is starting to sound too much like the 1930's and I am feeling very uneasy about this.

My advice is simple and should not be misconstrued as anything more than one person's opinion.  Now is not the time to be selective or proud.  If you need income, find a job, any job, and give it your best effort.  Sometimes, the job that looks to be insignificant can open doors.  I have heard stories of folks taking jobs in mall security who have grown into mall director roles for example.  A few years back, a computer analyst who was out of work took a job as a night supervisor for the local franchise company of a fast food chain. He got to know his district manager and eventually was transferred into their home office as a systems manager.

Sometimes, silver linings appear in strange places.  Right now, I suggest doing whatever is needed to pay your bills and approach any job you obtain with an exceptionally open mind.  The eventual rewards might be very surprising!  

A Challenging Hiring Process

Not quite 30 years ago, I was working as an Assistant Store Manager for a well known discount retailer.  They took over the lease of a defunct company in a rather economically depressed town in Atlantic County NJ and pulled together a management team to hire and train a staff in a matter of one week which would be used to merchandise the store, unload truckloads daily, and ultimately become the opening team.  Advertisements were placed in local newspapers, and a hiring team was formed out of myself, another Assistant Manager and two HR representatives borrowed from other local outlets owned by this company.  Advertisements ran in the local newspaper announcing three dates and times to appear for interviews.

We had about 150 full and part-time jobs to offer and were greeted by close to 500 applicants the first day. Over the three days, I would guess we met close to 1200 people.  At the end of this stretch, we had filled maybe 75 slots as there just were not enough minimally qualified people who applied.  Eventually, the jobs were filled as we got referrals from many of those we initially hired and were able to transfer a few experienced folks from other locations.

The reasons we could not fill all the slots initially are not terribly different from the dilemma many hiring managers tell me they are dealing with today.  Many of the people who showed up did not follow the simple directions we advertised to bring two pieces of identification, a list of three references, and if a resume was not available simply bring a list of prior work history to assist in completing the application.  More than half of the candidates who showed up could not properly fill out the application form or provide the basic information we asked for so did not even get interviewed.  Many of the others complained our pay was not enough to get them to give up their welfare or unemployment checks.  Eventually, we got a decent team in place but I must tell you, my first real experience in the staffing field was quite a challenge!

You Are Being Followed!

Here is a link to a good piece on why you always must keep your professional image in the forefront.  You never know who might be taking a look at you in our very well connected electronic universe!    http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-57469282-93/heads-up-linkedin-users-93-of-recruiters-are-looking-at-you/

Pastrami and Peanut Butter

Pastrami and peanut butter, hot dogs with strawberry jelly, lasagna with chopped dill pickles, etc. are not among the recipes I would recommend when trying to host a successful dinner party. The same could be said for mixing politics into a discussion when taking a job interview.

I decided to address this topic as we have roughly 8 weeks to go before we elect the President of the United States.   It would not be surprising to me if interviewers brought up the topic over the next few months, partly because they might be curious as to who people are voting for in general but it also could be a way of eliminating candidates.  For better or for worse, some employers have a close minded culture and prefer to hire people who align themselves with their political beliefs.

My suggestion to candidates is to steer clear of politics if asked.  Simply reply that you are not terribly motivated to discuss the upcoming elections and are very excited to hear more about the job opportunity.  If they espouse their beliefs anyway, just acknowledge politely and try to redirect to the position being discussed.

You should keep something in mind if you are in job search mode.  Many recruiters and hiring managers are checking out Social Media sites such as Linked In, Facebook, and Twitter.  If you subscribe to any such services, keep the political banter off those places for now.  Also, keep an eye on items being posted to your page which could potentially offend a hiring manager!  Politics and job searching definitely do not blend well so do your best to keep them apart!