Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Job site helps to employ Marines


Mark and Tori Baird, founders of the website HirePatriots.com, hope residents across the Coachella Valley and High Desert communities will post jobs online for Marines stationed at Twentynine Palms.

They'd like to see at least 100 postings to help Marines and their families at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center. Many of them have been deployed time and time again, and they and their families often face financial hardship, Mark Baird said.

“It's a free one-day job posting board where residents hire local Marines to come to their homes and help them with chores and repairs,” Baird said.
The Bairds have had success with similar job postings in San Diego, where the website is based, and elsewhere.
Businesses can post jobs and search for resumes, as well.
HirePatriots.com has an ambitious goal: spread its “employment program” throughout the nation.
The Bairds said many jobs get posted by local veterans of World War II, Korea and Vietnam, and widows of veterans.
The Bairds first got the idea in 2004, when they bought a home near Camp Pendleton. A Marine recently back from Iraq and recuperating from injuries knocked on their door and said his wife had lost her job, the utilities had been turned off and they'd lost their car.
The Marine asked for work to help pay his bills, and the Bairds decided to solicit the support of the community.
Anyone interested can go to HirePatriots.com; click on Jobs to post. The website also has background information, videos, testimonials, blogs and other features.
Palm Desert's 46th annual Golf Cart Parade will roll out some extra star-power on Oct. 31 when baseball Hall of Famer Johnny Bench and Carl L. Karcher, son of Carl's Jr. founder Carl N. Karcher, join the fun as the event's honorary guests.
Bench, who played with the Cincinnati Reds, is one of the greatest catchers of all time, as well as a 14-time Major League All Star player and World Series MVP in 1976.

Read The Rest Of The Article

Monday, September 27, 2010

Quick Tips To Get Started Using Twitter For Your Job Search

Do you Tweet? If not, maybe you should.
Perhaps it would be misleading to say that as a job searcher you MUST be on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, or other social and business networking sites. But, assuming that you use social media in appropriate and professional ways, being connected and networking in these ways can only help. And, few people would argue that you shouldn’t seize on any edge that you can give yourself in a job market that is widely being called the most competitive in a quarter-century.
Twitter, for those unfamiliar, is a service that allows you to communicate and stay connected with your colleagues, current and former co-workers, friends, family, and other contacts through the exchange of quick, simple answers (140 characters or less) to the question, “What are you doing now?” While the premise is simple-so simple that you might at first question how “Tweeting” (Twitter-speak for posting an update to Twitter) could be helpful in your job search-I would urge you to take another look. Twitter has become vastly popular and you might be surprised at how many of your colleagues, friends, and even top experts in your field or profession are on Twitter.
If you are actively involved with managing your career or conducting a job search, here are just a few benefits that will justify the time you spend setting up your free Twitter account and learning how to use it:
1) Twitter can be a great tool to help you build, enhance, and promote your personal brand. Briefly, your personal brand (as it relates to your career) is what differentiates you and makes you and your contributions uniquely valuable in the workplace. As a job searcher, you can use Twitter to make your followers aware of your expertise, post links to interesting news stories about your industry, or post tips related to your profession. All of these are brand-building activities that will make you memorable to your contacts, boost your credibility, and help set you apart as a leader in your field.
2) Twitter is an extraordinary networking tool. Remember that networking is all about building relationships. Twitter helps you stay in contact with people in your network in a quick and easy way that was never before possible. It will allow you to keep your contacts up-to-date on your job search, it is a great way to learn about unadvertised job openings, and it is often an easy way to get referrals to people you should talk to. Of course, it is important to remember that networking is also about providing reciprocal help, and Twitter allows you a fast, easy way to let people in your network know about job openings you’ve heard about, or give other help or advice to your contacts when they need it.
3) Twitter provides you with a way to connect almost instantly with recruiters and other hiring authorities in your field. More and more recruiters are using Twitter and other social media tools to find candidates for job postings. Some companies are actively encouraging their employees to Tweet about (or discuss on LinkedIn or Facebook) job openings that they are trying to fill. If you are regularly Tweeting about your job search and posting other on-brand Twitter posts, it is just a matter of time before you start uncovering and being referred for attractive job or business opportunities.
Are you convinced? Even for the time-challenged professional (does that describe nearly all of us?), Twitter is easy to use. You don’t even need to be sitting at your computer as Twitter is mobile and can easily be used on your iPhone, Blackberry, or cell phone.
When you are ready to get started, here are some quick tips:

1. Sign up for your free Twitter account and fill out your profile. Remember that you will be using your account for networking and professional purposes, so use discretion and only include information or a photo that you would be comfortable sharing with recruiters, your colleagues, and the world. If you have a reason to keep your business and personal life separate, you should create separate accounts.

2. Search for and “follow” people that you know. Twitter provides easy tools and instructions for doing this. Consider friends, family, current and former co-workers, industry contacts, people you went to college with, etc. Once you are following these people, look through their contacts and selectively follow some of their contacts. Even if you don’t know someone, if you have a reason to do so, follow them. This is a way to build new relationships.

3. As you begin to build your list of people you are following, many will begin to follow you. When you are getting started, try to post Tweets daily-perhaps twice daily. Besides just answering the basic question “What are you doing now?” (always keeping in mind that your Tweets should be appropriate and follow basic rules of etiquette) try to regularly post useful, on-brand information and links.

4. When your contacts Tweet, respond if you can answer a question or have useful information or tips for them. Twitter gives you two ways to do this: direct messages and replies. Be selective about which method you use. A direct message will only be seen by the person you are responding to. A reply will go to everyone that follows you.

5. Search Twitter for keywords. This is a good way to find out what is going on and being discussed on topics of interest to you among people that you aren’t already following. You may also find interesting people that you will want to follow. The place to do that is search.twitter.com

6. Do you have a Facebook account, a LinkedIn profile, a blog, or another website? There are options to link them all and post status updates simultaneously to all of them. This can be a great timesaver, so it is worth taking the time to learn how to link them. You could also consider including your Twitter user name in your email signature files or on business cards. Doing so will quickly build your following, and the larger your following, the more beneficial Twitter will be to your job search and career.

One of the nation’s leading authorities on resume writing , personal branding, and job searching, Michelle Dumas is the founder of Distinctive Career Services LLC. Since 1996, Michelle and her team have empowered thousands of professionals all across the U.S. and worldwide with resumes and job search strategies that get results and win jobs fast. Visit http://www.distinctiveweb.com for more info and follow Michelle on Twitter @michelledumas.


Friday, September 24, 2010

Maryland Launches New Online Job Search Tool

Innovative, searchable web feature allows job seekers to view more than 80,000 active job openings in Maryland.

Governor Martin O’Malley announced the launch of an innovative new web tool on the Maryland Workforce Exchange program for Maryland job seekers.
The new feature harnesses the use of web “spidering technology” which aggregates every job search website, every employer website, and every job posting in Maryland creating a real-time, web-based, one-stop shop for Maryland jobs seekers.


“I share the frustration of many Marylanders whose hope for a quick recovery process is met with slower than expected job growth.  Today’s jobs report is further indication that while Maryland is moving past this national recession stronger and more quickly than other states, there is still work to,” said Governor Martin O’Malley.  “That’s why today, we’re launching a new innovative program to connect Marylanders to employment opportunities.  Job seekers in Maryland can now search 80,000 presently open and active, real-time jobs across our State.”
Since January, Maryland employers have added more than 33,000 jobs to their payrolls, including nearly 21,000 jobs added in the private sector.  It is the best job growth in a January to August period in Maryland since 2000.
The Maryland Workforce Exchange identifies every advertised Maryland job in real-time by industry, location, and how to apply.
Job seekers can not only search job postings, but can also view which areas of the state are hiring in most for a particular industry, where to get training for these jobs, and assess skills for potential careers.
Employers can specific a hiring preference for job seekers who are currently unemployed or who have exhausted unemployment benefits within the last 12 months in order to qualify for Governor’s O’Malley’s HIRE tax credit.
Click here to visit the Maryland Workforce Exchange.
Previously, similar state technology could only aggregate as many as 10,000 job openings.
The upgrades were funded by $3 million in Recovery Act investments, and $1 million dollars from the Labor Market Information Green Grant.
Individuals can register, create resumes and letters using a wizard tool, complete individual interest and skills assessments used to research potential careers, as well as search and apply for jobs with employers that post jobs on the Maryland Workforce Exchange or from external employers.
Employers can register, create job orders that include required skills and pre-screening questions via a wizard tool, search for candidates, viewing the results with ranking based upon their search specifications and automating job searches, as well as maintain their own database of favorite candidates.
Since January, Maryland employers have added 33,200 jobs to their payrolls, including nearly 21,000 in the private sector.
Maryland’s rate of job growth remains more than twice that of the rest of the nation.

Original Govmonitor Article

Thursday, September 23, 2010

Michigan retailers to hire 15,000-20,000 extra people for the holidays

Jackie Headapohl 
According to the latest Michigan Retailers Association survey, Michigan's retailers plan to hire between 15,000-20,000 seasonal workers this holiday season, about the same as last year.

Only 5 percent of of the association's members plan to hire more people for the holiday season this year. The majority — 88 percent — aren't increasing hires for the holidays. Seven percent plan to hire fewer workers than they did last year.


Retailers such as Macy's typically begin their holiday hiring in October and shopping malls are beginning to see positions pop up on their job boards. Experts suggest that holiday job seekers look at the malls' job boards rather than going from store to store to ask who's hiring. 

A list of malls in Michigan is available online for those looking for holiday jobs.


Original Article

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

600 Job Websites In One Place

Workforce development professionals, job seekers, and public users rated more than 600 online job and career tools.

Find the best tools for your needs in the six categories below, or Search All Tools.

Learn more about the U.S. Department of Labor's Tools for America’s Job Seekers Challenge.


CareerOneStop.org has all 600 websites neatly organized and categorized.

Monday, September 20, 2010

Get Your Resume Noticed

Expert advice on how to make your resume really stand out from the crowd

Wouldn't it be nice if employers flocked to you for a change? With some tweaks to your resume, they can. Phil Rosenberg of reCareered has some tips to help your resume be seen and shine:
Resume search optimization
"The majority of times, your resume will be pre-screened by a database looking for keywords," says Rosenberg. He recommends focusing on five to ten keywords or phrases that best describe what you want in a job and what you are qualified for. "Include these keywords and phrases verbatim within the context of your bullet points," says Rosenberg. This will increase your resume's chances of showing up in important job databases.

Explain your experience
An old saying from Rosenberg's recruiting days was "If it's not on your resume, it doesn't exist." Don't assume that a company knows everything you've done at previous jobs. The best way for them to know everything about your work history is to have it in front of them on your resume. Rosenberg suggests starting by taking a targeted approach: "Focus on what you do better than anyone else."

Keep it simple

"The average time a reviewer, recruiter, or hiring manager spends reviewing a resume is 15 seconds," according to a poll done on Rosenberg's blog. Get their attention and make the most of your 15 seconds of fame. "Club them over the head with relevant examples, and customize your resume to the specific job," says Rosenberg. "Job seekers who get indignant and feel that the reviewer 'should know what this means' end up in the 'Don't Interview' pile."

Get it out there
"Plastering your resume all over creation is rarely valuable, even for the active job seeker," says Rosenberg. Instead of saturating the web with generic resumes, Rosenberg suggests sticking with a handful of sites: "At a bare minimum, post highlights of your resume on LinkedIn and attach a copy of your resume," he says. "I recommend posting your resume at no more than five job sites."
With some research, reorganization, and reach, your resume will be seen by more of the companies you want to see it.
Phil Rosenberg is the president of reCareered, which helps great people break through the challenges of modern job searches.



Thursday, September 9, 2010

Is Your Resume Idiot-Proof? Why Being Qualified Is Not Enough…

I mean no offense to my recruiting brethren with my title heading. (I am a former recruiter for those who do not know.) We are certainly not idiots. Just overwhelmed. Job seekers need to know that corporate and search firm recruiters are overwhelmed with resumes and communications from candidates who are earnestly seeking their next position (sometimes using guidance from job search coaches like me ).
Knowing this fact, I tell my clients that being qualified is not enough!! Those that are qualified will rise to the top of the pile and have her resume read ONLY if their resume is idiot-proof. That is, ensure the reader will know without a doubt what position the applicant is applying for by reading her resume on its own using a branded title.
You have to assume the resume will be separated from the cover letter. Will your resume stand on its own? The gut check question you can ask yourself is: “Will a hiring manager know exactly what you want by reading your resume only?”
If the answer is ‘yes’, then your resume is in good shape. If the answer is ‘no’ or ‘I don’t know’, here are some steps you can take to position the resume to make it easy for hiring managers to realize which position you want to be considered.
• Eliminate the word “summary” as the heading to your resume. Give it a title that mimics the title of the position you are seeking and for which you are qualified. For example, if you are formerly a Director of Marketing and are applying to a Senior Director of Marketing position that is an appropriate next step, make the branded resume heading the latter and keep your title on the employment section accurate with the former.
• If you are an entry-level person or are looking to take on the next level of responsibility in your next role, then title yourself as such in your branded title heading, such as: Entry-Level Pharmaceutical Representative or Aspiring Senior Director of Marketing.
• Ensure you have a summary paragraph under the branded title heading that supports the title outlining briefly what you bring to the table and the results you have accomplished.
• Use keyword bullets under the summary to punctuate your qualifications and experiences. Note: Be sure the keyword phrases you use describe your background further specifically and are not so generic that they tell the reader nothing. GUT CHECK: if the phrase used can be used on an HR resume, an engineering resume, and a finance resume, then that phrase is wasting space and not telling the reader anything about your specifically. For example, “Energetic manager that brings results to the organization” does not differentiate you in anyway, even if it is true. Use specifics.
The goal is to have the hiring manager look at your resume and within an instant know exactly which position is the right one for you. If the hiring manager has to work at figuring out which position a job seeker is good for, chances are the resume gets tossed in the ‘no’ pile, or the ‘maybe’ pile or in the wrong pile. By making it easy for the hiring manager, you increase your chances of getting in the ‘yes’ pile and getting the call. All things being equal and all considered applicants being qualified, the bottom line is the job seeker that makes the hiring manager’s job easiest wins.

Original Article

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Job Search Fear Gone in 60 Seconds

ANXIETY & JOB SEARCH & REMEDIES The most dominant feeling when you are searching for a new job is often anxiety or fear. Most of us know the feeling. We had it on our first day of school, our first date, our first presentation. It seems to be part of being alive. The anxiety also saps our confidence, erodes our competence, and makes our job interviews difficult and even painful. Recent research has indicated this feeling of anxiety can be erased, temporarily, long enough to complete the interview feeling great. You can stop your feeling of anxiety any time you wish. Now that is a new idea. There is a fairly simple brain strategy that is easy to learn, but difficult to remember to use, which erases fear. Of course, the anxious feeling will return, and that is good because the Left Brain which holds ALL your fear, keeps you safe. Switching brains by changing your attention, from Left Brain to Right Brain, dissolves the fear. Actually the Right Brain doesn’t DO fear. Only the Left Brain can produce the tight chest, shallow breathing, awkwardness, and loss of words. All the symptoms of anxiety that used to show up in your job interviews can be put on hold simply by focusing your attention in the present moment. When you put your attention in the present moment, you are tapping your Right Brain’s computational abilities.
These are peace, joy, connection, expansiveness and creativity. The Right Brain only works in the NOW. The Left Brain does past and future, but as soon as the Left Brain kicks in, the Fear resurrects. How do you keep your attention in the present moment long enough to complete the job interview? Good question. If you have a lot of fear stored up, it may take as long as 90 seconds to dissolve the fear, so you want to do this before you are face to face or phone to phone with your interviewer. The easiest way to stay in the present is to check out your body. Start with your big toe, then your left foot, then your right foot, then your calf, etc. After about 90 seconds, check how you feel. The anxiety and fear will be gone. I have tested this on about 50 people. It works. The other strategy for Right Brain access is to notice objects in the room around you. Pictures are processed in the now by the Right Brain. Either of these brain shenanigans will serve as triggers for the Right Brain. Your attention is the key.
If, during the interview, you happen to need a creative approach, go to your big toe, juggle the data of the interview, and see what happens. Creativity is simply a shift of attention away. Being silent a moment is not going to kill your chances of getting the job, and creativity is now highly prized in most work places. Since most people in our culture are Left Brained, chances are that this brain exercise will begin to balance your use of your two brains. This is the optimum situation. The fear in the Left Brain keeps you safe, the creativity, peace and joy of the Right Brain keep you happy. We are beautifully designed creatures, but as Buckminster Fuller said about the universe, “an instruction book didn’t come with it.” Unfortunately, those who are depressed and looking for a job, simply need an instruction book for the extraordinary abilities of their own brains. Maybe this will do. If you remember to follow the instructions. Genie Z. Laborde, Ph. D.

Original Article
About Author
Genie Z. Laborde, Ph.D. is an internationally known communications consultant to major corporations and governmental agencies. She is president of International Dialogue Education Associates (I.D.E.A.) and has led seminars for executives in business and government since 1982. Clients include: IBM,

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Where to find sample resumes

Whether your career is just starting out, or you are a seasoned professional, an essential part of your job search is developing a resume that will bring results. You may also want to present your skills, education, and experience in tailored formats for different positions. If you are on a tight budget, a resume building service can be costly. Luckily, free content is readily available on the Internet to aid in creating your resume.

*Your word processing software -Most word processing software programs have templates available for use. This includes a sampling of resumes built into the program. For instance, the MS Office offers basic, situation specific and chronological layouts.  If you are a professional salesperson, electrician, or you can also download a polished example of a resume based on your profession. These templates are editable, free, and designed for your software.
*Jobstar.org – This site offers viewable templates and tips for building your resume. You can view samples and decide which format works for you. However, these are not downloadable, but a skilled typist can recreate the format readily on their own computer.  This site can give you the basic idea of how you wish to format your skills and experience.
*Collegegrad.com – This site is designed for recent graduates and walks you through the process of finding a template based on your major. Once selected, you can download the template in the format you need. Most programs will recognize the format you need, or you can choose to “open” with a selected program.
*Exampleresumes.org – This website give a comprehensive selection of resume samples. You can choose from resumes tailored to occupations or situations. The links are quick an easy to navigate through, unlike some sites that lead you through pages of discussion before being given a link to the sample you want to view.
Beware of sites offering free samples that require a credit card. You may unexpectedly be charge a monthly subscription fee when you do not cancel the service. As there is a wealth of free content that is available, use a free template before venturing into the world of paid resumes.
228794_m Learn more about this author, Teresa Aira.