FLATTERY WILL GET YOU EVERYWHERE

February 3, 2010 4:37am from The Thin Pink Line
In the January 29th issue of The Week magazine (which I highly recommend for busy people) there was an article that caught my attention about flattery and why it works.  Quoting from a Scientific American piece, flattery works because it feeds into the "above-average effect,” the view the few held by most people that they are above average [...][Read Entry]

How Effective is Your Resume?

February 3, 2010 12:37am from Careerealism
By CAREEREALISM-Approved Expert, Sean Harry As a job seeker, you have a resume and you send it to every possible job opening you can find. You make sure every recruiter in town has at least one copy on her desk. It's posted in six places on Monster.com and four places on ...[Read Entry]

Interview Preparation; How To Create Your Unique Brand

February 2, 2010 4:37pm from Daily Recruiter
Almost every article - or career coach - will tell you that in order to do well in an interview - and to ultimately get the job offer, you must "Be Prepared.” But what if you don't know how to prepare?

- "What does prepared look like?”
- "How do I know what they are going to ask?”
- "How can I make them I hire me?”
- "What if I'm not REALLY qualified or able to do this job?”

These are common concerns and questions - but where do you find the answers?

Tough Job Market

You are more than aware that you are in a tough job market and that you will have to do something to make yourself stand out from the rest of the crowd. You realize that you are competing against the odds.

The question is, "How can you make yourself stand out when there are so many other candidates looking at the same job?”

The answer is: "BRAND YOURSELF.”[Read Entry]

How You Give Your Power Away

February 2, 2010 4:37pm from Personal Development Blog
One of the themes that repeatedly came up at the last Conscious Growth Workshop was the problem of giving your power away. Instead of focusing on your true desires, you erect false structures in front of your desires and then feed your power to those structures as a delay tactic. Here are some typical scenarios of [...][Read Entry]

T.A.P. Q#429 â€" I'm the Best Employee, So Why Don't I Get the Best Pay?

February 2, 2010 12:37pm from Careerealism
Dear Experts, My question is simple. Why would management not give me good pay despite me being the best employee (unofficially confirmed by the bosses). Recently our Business Development Director came in and saw the way I handled my work and appreciated it a lot. In his words, "I have never seen ...[Read Entry]

Diversity in Leadership

February 2, 2010 12:37pm from Talent Management Blog
We know that HR needs Seats at Executive Tables. Also key to better business performance is leadership diversity. 2009 Catalyst Census: Fortune 500 Women Board Directors and 2009 Catalyst Census: Fortune 500 Women Executive Officers and Top Earners present disconcerting conclusions: • Women held 15.2 percent of board seats. • Women of color held 3.1 percent of all board director positions. • Women's share of board chair positions remained flat at 2.0 percent. As Women Missing From Key Leadership Positions notes: Nearly 30 percent of companies surveyed had no women executive officers at all, and less than one-fifth of companies had three or more women executive officers. And yet: "…companies with more women in leadership, on average, outperform those with fewer women, and those with three or more women board directors do even better.” These results show what we already know: "It's not enough to recognize the need to advance women into leadership positions. It's time to execute on it.”[Read Entry]

Cover Letters and Resumes

February 2, 2010 11:37am from Alison's Job Searching Blog

LettersDo you need to write a cover letter or create a resume? Well-written letters and resumes can make a big difference in the outcome of your job search.

Rather than starting from scratch and trying to figure out what to write, it's helpful to review examples to get ideas for your own letters. Find a resume or letter that fits your circumstances, then edit it so it's personalized.

Here are a variety of resume and letter samples including resumes, CVs, cover letters, thank you letters, reference letters, resignation letters, follow up letters, letters requesting time off from work, letters accepting or rejecting a job offer, letters requesting help from a networking contact, and more of the employment letters you'll need to write when you're job hunting or making connections who can help grow your career.

There's also a collection of student resumes and letters, just for high school students, college students, and recent graduates.  And when you're applying via email, here are job search email samples to review.

More: Resume, CV, and Letter Samples | Share Your Letter | Email Message Examples

Image Copyright Alejandro Raymond

Cover Letters and Resumes originally appeared on About.com Job Searching on Monday, February 1st, 2010 at 06:00:48.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

[Read Entry]

Why Don't Job Postings Have Salaries Listed?

February 2, 2010 9:37am from Jibber Jobber
I HATED not being able to see the salary listed on jobs I was applying to. I HATED IT. I didn't know if I was applying to something for $45k or $90k or $130k. I don't know when companies stopped listing salaries but I think they should PUT THEM BACK IN. Kudos to Funding Universe who blogged about an [...][Read Entry]

Job Search Tax Deductions

February 2, 2010 7:37am from Alison's Job Searching Blog

Now that you should have received all your W-2, 1099, and other tax forms in the mail, it's time to start thinking about preparing your tax return. If you spent time job searching last year, you may be able to deduct some of your job search expenses.

If you were unemployed last year, the first $2,400 of your unemployment isn't taxed by the federal government. However it does need to be reported on your tax return, and the balance is taxable.  Unemployment may also be subject to state income tax.

If you looked for a job in the same line of work you're currently in, many of your expenses like phone calls, the costs of preparing and copying your resume, and career counseling are deductible. These job search tax deduction tips will help you make sure that you get all the tax benefits you're entitled to.

For tax help and advice, be sure to visit About.com's Tax Planning site. Guide William Perez has lots of excellent (and timely) information on taxes.

Job Search Tax Deductions originally appeared on About.com Job Searching on Tuesday, February 2nd, 2010 at 06:00:35.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

[Read Entry]

Job Leads Using Twitter? Yes!

February 2, 2010 12:37am from Careerealism
Let's face it... Twitter is here to stay for some time. It's a hot technology that grows with new users by the day. And now, it's becoming a unique place to identify job leads. That's right...JOB LEADS. One of our approved career experts, Teena Rose, just published an e-book entitled, "How to ...[Read Entry]

Frugality is a career tool

February 1, 2010 1:02pm from Brazen Careerist
I have earned a lot of money in my life. But I have never had an extravagant life. I don't own a house. I've never bought a new car. I've never bought a new piece of living room furniture, and I do not own a single piece of real jewelry. What I have spent money [...][Read Entry]

T.A.P. Q#428 â€" Will Bad Credit & DUI Keep Me From Getting a Job?

February 1, 2010 12:37pm from Careerealism
Dear Experts, I had the interview today, at a major publisher. The HR person requested I fill out a form, that included a blank for my driver's license number. I wrote down my driver's license number. I think the interview went well, although it's really hard to tell. I met with the ...[Read Entry]

Our 49 best articles on Job Search

February 1, 2010 10:37am from Stone - CEO Blog

*** From my weekly newsletter at TheLadders.com ***

Thanks so much to everybody who enjoyed my Beatles-themed newsletter last week! I read all your emails, and the memories, trivia and thoughtful comments on the Fab Four were really just a joy to receive in my inbox...

Now, let's face the facts. The modern job hunt doesn't make a lot of sense.

If you're a waiter or bartender, you can find a new job on Craigslist this weekend. But if you're a professional, the rule of thumb is six to eight months. In other words, the more experienced, talented and educated you are, the longer the job hunt has you sitting on the sidelines, biding your time.

I don't know who designed the system that way, but there it is.

Luckily, our Editor-in-Chief, Matthew Rothenberg, has been busy over the past year or two putting together knowledgeable advice packages with excellent advice on finding your next great job. I've included links to all 49 of them below.

You'll find great insights on age discrimination, handling the Web and social networks, what happens to your resume when you click "send", negotiating your offer, handling a declining industry and much, much more.

So, while I don't expect you to read all 49 of them (that would be more than 300 pages!), let me make a recommendation:

Pick the five that are most relevant to you, print them out, and read just one each day this week. You can do it on the treadmill, the train or as you're flying around this big old country of ours. It won't take much time, but it's a great way to get smarter about your job hunt...

Our 49 best advice packages (click on the link to download)

  1. Is It Your Age or Your Salary?
  2. Job-Search Basics
  3. How to Work with Executive Recruiters
  4. Clean Up Your Web Trail
  5. Resume, Meet Technology; Making Your Resume Format Machine-Friendly
  6. To Tell the Truth: Resume Rules
  7. Your Job Application's Journey
  8. Beating Interview Stage Fright
  9. Interviewing Anywhere, Any Time
  10. When Background Checks Make for Tough Interview Questions
  11. 'How Old Are You?': Readers Tell Job Interview Tales
  12. Leveraging Offer for a Raise
  13. Psychology of the Job Search
  14. Resume Insecurity
  15. Two Layoffs, One Family: When A Household is Out of Work
  16. After the Meltdown: Is Your Network a Trap?
  17. Change Your Industry; Change Your Luck
  18. Can You Facebook Your Way to a New Job?
  19. Lose the 'Frump Factor,' Win the Job
  20. Dress to Network - Every Encounter Counts
  21. Keeping Cool on the Job Hunt
  22. Why Men Have Stronger Networks Than Women
  23. Taxes and Unemployment Checklist
  24. Credit Checklist
  25. Personality Tests on the Job Search
  26. How Verbs Make Your Resume Sizzle
  27. Green-Collar Jobs: Myth or Reality?
  28. Is Your Industry in Decline? Make a Move or Make it Work
  29. Job Fairs Reach the Senior Ranks
  30. An Aging Workforce: New Opportunities for Older Execs
  31. Your Job Search and Your Family: Striking a Balance
  32. Apply-Interview-Negotiate. Repeat.
  33. Getting the Job When You're Overqualified
  34. Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube: Which Tools to Use
  35. An Image Makeover - A New Shot at Success
  36. Volunteering Opportunities Pay Off
  37. Finding a Job in a New City
  38. Tuning Your Resume to the Right Keywords
  39. Getting Your Cover Letter Noticed
  40. Ask to Succeed
  41. Self-Employed to Employed
  42. No Rest Between Jobs
  43. Military Transition
  44. Hired by the Holidays
  45. Employers Tune Up Sales Force, Tap Growing Talent Pool
  46. Job One for Marketers: Market Yourself
  47. Tracking Finance Jobs in a Bear Market
  48. Tech Down, Not Out
  49. Operations Jobs Pick Up Steam
OK, Readers, hope these are helpful!

Have a great week on the hunt...

[Read Entry]

Helping College Students Find Jobs

February 1, 2010 9:14am from ERE Blog Central

It is no surprise to anyone that the high unemployment rate in the U.S. has made it very difficult for talented, experienced people to find jobs. What is not discussed as frequently is how difficult it is for college seniors, and recent college graduates to find jobs. According to a CNN article, the projection for 2010 is hiring of grads with any degree will decline by 2% compared to 2009. In this tough environment we have some good news and hope for college students and graduates.


There is a new resource designed to help both the college graduate and the employer. 1stGiG.com is the first career service of its kind specifically designed to connect college undergraduates and recent college graduates and the companies that value their skills. There are no jobs posted, but there are countless opportunities for internships and employment.

Here's how it works:

  • A precision matching matrix identifies compatible profiles between young career-bound talent and potential employers

  • When the talent accepts the match, an introduction is made with the prospective company

  • Over time, both parties make multiple connections, establish a relationship and create "opportunity pools” based on their mutual interest

  • When the right opportunity arises, the parties are prepared to move forward in the hiring process â€" eliminating the time-consuming process that has been the status quo.


1stGiG.com sources, screens, and presents the graduate with internship and/or career opportunities that meet their specific interests and requirements. Between 70 and 80% of jobs are never advertised. 1stGiG.com expands the opportunity network to put the college graduate on the radar of companies and industries that typically wait for job seekers to come to them, not the other way around. It's a richer, longer-term approach to career development designed to make the "first gig” a better experience for everyone involved.

 

1stGiG.com has partnered with Vonei to add a video interviewing service to their site, allowing employers and college graduates to quickly and easily conduct video interviews over the Internet from their computer. In today's economic reality, employers don't have the time and money to visit as many campuses as they would like. Video interviewing allows the employer to recruit from anywhere without travel. Video Interviewing service starts as low as $99/year, so it is an extremely cost effective method to link employers and college graduates.

 

Now is a perfect time to consider using these innovative services. Help graduates start their career and begin benefiting from what only 1stGiG.com offers the early career professional!

For more information about Vonei LLC see www.vonei.com. For an online demo of the video interview service email us at info@vonei.com or call us toll free on 888-698-6634.

[Read Entry]

Listening Is A Form Of Flattery

February 1, 2010 8:24am from ERE Blog Central


"Listening, not imitation, may be the sincerest form of flattery." - Joyce Brothers

This quote (I love quotes) came to mind when I started writing this article.  And while not I'm not a big Joyce Brothers fan per say, I think there's more truth here than not.  After all, none of us really likes being copied - but we love when someone shuts the heck up and lets us talk, right?

So why wouldn't our approach to social media (even for recruitment!) be the same - at least at its base?  Why wouldn't we start by ensuring that every single soul we pull in to talk about social engagement or ambassadorships understand the importance of listening to our industry or "customers" and how it should be a priority over broadcasting to them?  I think this is important - and sometimes gets missed in the rush (or pressure) to get on board and ride the social media wave.  Besides - we'll have a much better feel for who is talking about us and their perception of our [employment] brand if we'll listen and monitor what's being said already.

In a previous article titled Making Friends on Facebook vs Teams at Work I mentioned a few departments that might be ideal to have involved on a de-centralized Social Media team.  It was actually a follow-up article from my intial ask of the readers here to Whisper about What's Broken where I received some solid feedback about team building around social teams.  So this is another quick chapter to touch on what might conceptually come next in an ideal world...  Teaching our teams to listen and monitor the conversation that's already going on.

There are lots of ways to monitor what's being said about a company or brand that will enable your or team members to actively reach out and take part in conversations.  SocialMention.com, Google Alerts and Searches managed through RSS feeds are just a few.  And while there are several options out there that can be purchased and customized, I've always been a fan of free tools like NetVibes that can function as an aggregator of sorts.  Of course if you're serious (and have a budget) you'll want to give some solid consideration to commercial options that will provide not just notifications but also analytics, reporting and even delegation of tasks.

Need some help with NetVibes?  No worries!  Check out this quick video on how to set up a page with some of the basics. (okay, it's not terribly quick - but it's good!)
Once you've gone through it I think you'll see easily enough how to incorporate various blog, twitter, or major engine searches.  NetVibes is just one way to help manage your time and stay aware of what's going on around your brand while avoiding that Social Media Time Suck.

 


More RecruiterGuy.net Videos

 

Enough importance can't be put on digging in and finding out what people are saying about your product or company.  Once you understand what's being said it's that much easier to craft your approach or decide how you'll engage the influencers out there.  I think that ideally there are subject matter experts or "point" people that are primarily responsible for listening and (gasp!) reporting on what's found online.  But they shouldn't be expected to shoulder the entire listening portion of the project alone. 

If a person in HR were to stumble on a message board where people were gathering to complain about an interview process or continually ask the same question about pay and benefits it would be nothing less of irresponsible to not pass along to a Recruiter (if not their "social recruiting" team) a link to the conversation.  The same would be said of the Recruiter that while sourcing for retail applicants came accross a website dedicated to complaining about a particular product.

It's everyone's job to listen first.

Originally posted on RecruiterGuy.net

[Read Entry]

Recruiting for Innovators? Hire Angry People!

February 1, 2010 5:37am from The CareerXroads Annex
We are looking for professionals who are unhappy/angry with the status quo, and who are willing to confront barriers and "find a way” to help us lead our industry. If you've got passion for your profession, well-thought-out ideas about a better way, and are angry with antiquated approaches that no longer work, submit your anger [...][Read Entry]

Bad Job? New Job? First Job? No Job? Share Your Story

January 29, 2010 7:37pm from Alison's Job Searching Blog

princessDo you have a bad job, first job, or how you found a job story to share? We have received lots of interesting worst job stories - ranging from second wives to mind readers and plain old bad jobs that are high stress and low pay.  

First job stories run the gamut, too - from paper boys to princesses and just about everything in between.  They are fun to read, and we'd be thrilled to add your stories to the lists.

The unemployment stories are truly heartbreaking, but I think it's critically important for everyone to understand how difficult it is to be out of work, out of money, and running out of options.

Photos are a welcome addition to your story.  Just a word of warning though - if you're still working at your bad job, don't include your last name or a photo.   You don't want to lose your job because of what you posted online, regardless of how bad it is.

First Jobs
What was your first job? How did you get your first job? What did you love (or hate) about it? What did you learn from the experience?
Share Your First Job Story

How I Found a Job
Finding a new job isn't easy, especially in a difficult economy. Share your job search success story and what you learned during your job search.
Share Your Job Search Story

Worst Jobs
Have you had a really bad job? Share your worst job story and let us know what made it a bad job, what you learned, and how other people can avoid a bad job situation. If you'd like to include a photo, upload one to go along with your story.
Share Your Worst Job Story

Unemployment Stories
Unemployed? Share your unemployment story and tell us about the job you lost and what it's like being unemployed. Your story will help others deal with being out of work, and all the issues that go along with being unemployed.
Share Your Unemployment Story

Image Copyright Alexander Hafemann

Bad Job? New Job? First Job? No Job? Share Your Story originally appeared on About.com Job Searching on Friday, January 29th, 2010 at 14:08:01.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

[Read Entry]

Make the Best Impression

January 29, 2010 12:37pm from About HR

Leading meetings, speaking in public, standing up to a workplace bully, or sharing ideas with your boss are all positive career enhancers. Your ability to present yourself articulately in the workplace will massively affect how far your career will travel.

Some studies of elementary classrooms indicate that young girls receive more positive attention from teachers. This is often linked to the earlier development of communication skills by girls than boys. So, too, in the workplace, the employees who are more willing to speak up - intelligently, of course - receive more attention from the organization's leaders.

Speaking in public is a skill every employee needs to cultivate. Whether that involves speaking up at a meeting, or talking to your child's classmates about your career, or actually making public presentations, speaking is one more tool you can use to achieve your personal life and work vision and mission.

Your professional image and your communication skills matter, as well. Your communication and the image you present create the first impression - often the lasting impression - on the people you meet.  Making a good impression isn't quite good enough. It's important to take the time to make the best possible impression you can.

Related: Your Image is You | Work Like You're Showing Off

Image © Stockbyte / Getty Images

Make the Best Impression originally appeared on About.com Human Resources on Friday, January 29th, 2010 at 09:38:54.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

[Read Entry]

Is risk avoidance adding more risk to your company's talent strategy?

January 29, 2010 11:29am from ERE Blog Central

Managing a financial portfolio takes increasing skill, risk tolerance and foresight.  Whether you're working with a financial advisor or not, active participation is required.  Decisions are not easy but one thing is clear when it comes to good financial planning - diversifying your portfolio is a smart thing to do.  In uncertain times it's even more important.

Similarities can be drawn between portfolio diversification and designing smart talent strategies to develop a diversified talent portfolio.  Most importantly, it's the absence of risk that adds risk.  In a financial portfolio, risk avoidance can lead to missing out on significant gains or realizing significant losses.  Taking the time to clarify your goals, be honest about the level of risk your willing to assume, design a diversified portfolio, make ongoing contributions, pursue a long-term strategy, periodically reassess and rebalance the portfolio, and leave room to play (so you can take advantage of interesting opportunities) will help to ensure you realize your financial future and keep you engaged in the journey.

Risk-smart of risk-averse

Now, let's look at the similarities in how talent strategies are designed.  In an effort to avoid risk, companies make narrowly defined decisions about how, where and when they invest in talent.  Developing clearly stated goals around talent acquisition is often the first obstacle to overcome.  Without an integrated workforce planning capability, decisions are often reactive, expensive, and lead to either not enough of the right talent at the right time or too much of the wrong talent at the wrong time.  But, lets assume there is a workforce plan in place.  Is the plan risk-smart or risk-averse?  Here's the difference.  A risk-averse plan would identify the talent needed to support attrition, succession planning, growth, reinvestment in existing talent, and decisions around when, where and how to invest in talent acquisition.  If the strategy is progressive, there's also a talent-pooling component.  Keep in mind that very few organizations pursue this level of strategy and planning.  The risk-averse plan sounds pretty good, right?  So what's the risk-smart plan? In the risk-averse plan the talent function is doing many of the right things to deliver value to the organization. The key difference?  The risk-smart plan includes a very important distinction - diversification.

Talent portfolio diversification

Identifying a goal for the percent of talent you'll recruit in to the organization that will come from varied backgrounds, skills, and experiences moves the organization towards a risk-smart talent portfolio.  This same thinking can and should be applied to internal talent movement.  The advantage a risk-smart approach brings to the organization is a subset of Talent who have the potential to bring different perspectives to the business and can help fuel innovation and breakthrough thinking.  Too often, hiring managers and recruiters pursue people who have been in the exact job that is open.  That's fine, to a point, but often it results in applying the same thinking, which doesn't always help to inspire new ideas, broaden perspective and drive innovation.  Recall the Einstein quote, "You can never solve a problem on the level on which it was created."  By not diversifying the company's talent portfolio organizations can impede their own progress and assume a riskier trajectory over time in their effort to reduce risk.

Here's an example from the HR space.  Many technology companies only want to hire HR leaders who have come from technology companies.  The same story can easily play out in healthcare, entertainment, financial services, consumer package goods, retail......get the picture.  The main point is this - someone who has experience in other industries, or even other functional areas, brings a more expansive knowledge-base that results in something many technology companies cherish - innovative practices.  Diversified, creative thinking has often been at the heart of the company's birth.  Yet at some point they become increasingly risk-averse, especially in HR.  As I've heard the "why" described it is often not that different than how other companies would describe their unique challenges.  Will there be an initial learning curve?  Yes! Are there specifics to the business that are unique?  Yes?  But, the right person can get up to speed quickly and new skills can be developed.  Along the way, if the person brings the required leadership skills, has a proven track-record and is a cultural fit, the individual, team and company are transformed and all will benefit.  It's through this immersion and learning process that amazing things can happen.  New questions are asked.  New insights are made.  New discoveries unfold and new opportunities are identified. Current thinking and processes are challenged.  The world is looked at through a new lens and the opportunity for transformational change is enhanced. Operating in an uncertain world undergoing dramatic change requires a diversified perspective fueled my fresh thinking. Holding on to "what is" while everything around you is changing will not help the organization realize its potential.

Diversifying a talent portfolio requires building strong partnerships and trust with business leaders and the CFO.  Start small and find internal champions.  Help prepare them by developing a strong on-boarding process and immersion to enculturate new talent.  Partner with the CFO to gain support and mitigate risk.  This is one aspect of defining an opportunity cost of talent, which focuses on the benefits derived by the business rather than on expense.  Take the time to think about talent adjacencies, how to assess experiences that led to differentiated business results, benefits gained through work on special projects, and demonstrated ability to ramp-up quickly.  Each of these are indicators of future potential and can be quite valuable to the overall talent portfolio.  Looking at each of these indicators and then mapping talent to the organization's cultural will help ensure success.

The end game

What better time than now to think more broadly about talent and begin developing a risk-smart portfolio.  The breadth of talent on the market today and your company's ability to capture attention and engage a diverse mix of prospects can align more easily than during highly competitive environments.  You'll also be helping to position your company for long-term success.  Start slow, identify your champions and demonstrate how you'll support the strategy.  In the end, by being risk-averse there is potentially greater risk in the talent strategy, which ultimately transfers to the business strategy and the organization's long--term success. After all, is your talent strategy focused solely on today or where the company wants to be tomorrow?

 

[Read Entry]

What is the purpose of a resume?

January 29, 2010 7:15am from Career-Resumes Blog
Sidestepping the question of "are resumes relevant,” I want to talk about something else: what is the purpose of a resume? In my job search I thought my resume was to help me get branded, and help me in my networking efforts. It was also to impress people that I gave the resume to. I think that those [...][Read Entry]

Search Jobs | Jobseekers | Online Education | Post a Job | For Employers | Contact Us

Part of the JobDig, Inc. Network — © Copyright 2010 JobDig, Inc. — All rights reserved.