Posted July 26th, 2010 by admin
If you are one of the many Americans who suffered a layoff in the last couple of years, you may have found yourself living on unemployment benefits for quite awhile. Although you spend much of your waking time seeking jobs on every website imaginable, cold calling local businesses, and even taking interviews, your efforts have left you exhausted, frustrated, and still unemployed. With the economy continuing along its current course, this story is all too common. And yet, you don’t have to let the days slip by in a blur of ads and applications. There are a few things you can do to pull yourself out of that funk, utilize your time wisely, and maybe even find an alternative to punching a time-clock to earn a paycheck.
Volunteer.
If you feel like you’re wasting your time, accomplishing nothing of value, or you’re simply bored, why not donate the one asset you have in spades: your time. You can work at a local shelter (for battered women or the homeless), help out at a retirement home, become a docent at a local museum (give tours for children, etc.), or engage in any number of activities that suit your interests and help others. At the end of the day, you will feel like you have accomplished something worthwhile and return to your job search infused with new reserves of energy and hope and you may have met some additional networking contacts.
Join a club.
There are many different types of clubs and associations (both personal and professional) that could offer you the opportunity to connect with others, spend some time away from the search engines, and just forget about the fact that you’re unemployed for a little while. If you’re lucky (and smart), you may even be able to use it as an opportunity to network and find yourself a new job.
Go back to school.
If you find that the major hang-up in securing employment is a lack of schooling, then perhaps it’s time to consider completing your degree. Since you’re not working anyway, apply for school and see if you can get in on a scholarship or grant (you have plenty of time to fill out applications) as well as federal financial aid (FAFSA). Even a student loan could offer you the chance to stay afloat while you work to better yourself (and your chances at employment).
Start a blog.
Whether you’re doing it to kill some time or you think you can turn it into a bona fide money-making enterprise, starting a blog is a great way to release some tension, hone your writing skills, and show prospective employers that you have been doing something of value while seeking work. Knowledge of blogging and internet culture is also a valuable asset that many corporations are seeking in new hires. And who knows, if you really develop your blog and work to get it recognized, you may be able to add advertising and rake in a little cash.
Freelance.
Now is a great time to think about alternative methods of earning a living. If you have any kind of marketable skills that can be utilized from home, you can probably get some freelance work. Writing, graphic design, marketing, customer service, virtual assistance, programming, and a host of other professions can be done from the comfort of your own home on a piecemeal basis, so sign up for free services like ODesk and Elance to set up a profile and start getting work.
Find alternate streams of income.
There are several Pay-Per-Click sites that could help provide some additional income while looking for your next ideal job. Sites like Clicksense, NeoBux, and InboxDollar allow you to earn some money as you job search.
Guest post by Leah Thompson a writer for Futon Covers for Less. Browse the internet’s largest selection of futon covers including leather futon covers at the lowest prices.
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Posted July 19th, 2010 by admin
It’s important to get your child off on the right foot when the time comes for them to enter the workforce. They will be uncertain about where to begin and your experience will prove beneficial. It’s important here to guide, not instruct. Here are a few ways to help you child find their first job.
1. Hire Them
It doesn’t get any easier than this when it comes to getting your child that first job. Bring your child in as part of any Summer help your business needs. Although it’s mandatory that you don’t coddle them or give them special favors, you can still make their first work experience a safe one as they gain confidence in the workforce.
2. Hidden Talents
Confucius said: “Choose an occupation you enjoy and you will never work a day in your life.”
And if there is better advice for finding a job, I’ve never heard it. You know your child, probably better than they know themselves. You know their strengths, their weakness. What they are naturally good at and what they struggle with. Keep your eyes and ears open for occupations that are perfectly suited to your child. If their first work experience is a nightmare, it’ll be an uphill battle in the years to come. Conversely, working a job they are eager to get to fosters a positive attitude which will serve them well in the future.
3. Tricks Of The Trade
As this will be your child’s first job, they are going to need to learn the proper way to prepare a resume and how to handle themselves in an interview. Here’s where you life experience comes in. Help and guide them through this process. The work you put in here will pay dividends down the road.
4. Dot Those I’s
There’s no point in taking the time to show your child how to ace an interview if they don’t even have a social security number or bank account in which to deposit future pay checks. Set your child up with these things first, explaining to them why they need them and how they will be used. And, while we’re at it, make sure you and your child use every resource at your disposal. School hiring programs need to be look at. And let’s now forget the internet, which can be an invaluable source.
5. Start Your Shopping Early
It’s going to be hard to find jobs that aren’t there, which is why it’s important that you encourage your child to start their job search early. March is probably a good time with regards to Summer work as available positions fill quickly when the days get longer. Delaying will lead to your child taking some nightmare position every other student passed on months ago or else being left out in the cold while the weather’s hot. Getting a good head start on the competition will land your child a job they’ll be happy to do.
This article was written by Andrew Salmon. He works for a website about life insurance for Canadians.
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This makes us laugh… every time we see it |
The First Step to a Job You Love |
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Posted July 16th, 2010 by admin
The economy; it’s become a crutch for anything that has gone wrong. For most of us the excuse has gotten stale. But when you can find even the brightest of Master’s degree holders manning the till at your neighborhood fast foot joint you know there really is trouble. While many fields have virtually locked out new applicant, the medical field continues to grow with needs on almost every area. The medical field is huge with thousands of different specialties from medical transcriptionist to neurovascular specialist and almost all are seeing shortages. The appeal of job security and attractive income is enough to convince many people that a career in medicine is the right choice, but other factors weigh heavily on a good decision.
The first step to figuring out if a career in the medical field is right for you is to do your research. There are numerous opportunities within the field alone. Narrow it down by learning what job duties various positions have. Determine the educational requirements and average salary of the more attractive positions. Then do a little more research. This process should quickly narrow down your medical field of interest.
The next step is to arrange for a job shadowing experience. Get in the field of play! Lining up a job shadow can be intimidating but people rarely get turned down. Shadow multiple professionals in your top 2 or 3 fields of interest. If you find yourself bored or overly uncomfortable after a few shadows then you have a good sign it’s not the right career path for you. On the other hand if you feel excited or the day seemed to go by really fast; that’s your green light to head into the field.
Another technique you can use to determine if the medical field is a good fit for you is to take an anatomy class in your first year of school (or jump in a night class at a community college). Even clinical administrators need to know basic medical terminology, particularly of the human anatomy. This is an excellent step in weeding out fields of interest. If you find yourself good at rote memory then perhaps you would make a good coder. You may find yourself entranced by the skeletal system and find out you want to go into Orthopedics. Or perhaps you find that the class is a struggle; a bad showing in an anatomy class is usually a strong sign that you would do better in a different field.
Another step you can take is to set up an appointment with a local college career services coordinator. If there is one thing colleges can’t stand it is drop-outs. Because of this they will do anything in their power to help you make the right choice to jump start your new career. You may go in thinking about medical coding and come out enrolled in the nursing program. Sometimes a simple chat with the right people will get you seeing straight.
The number one way to tell that the medical field is your calling: pay attention to how you feel. We as humans are intuitive and it often does us a lot of good when we listen to our gut. Choosing a career is like getting lost in a forest and having to choose between two unruly paths. After some good old fashioned research and observation, intuition will take over and lead you on the best possible road to career enlightenment.
Kyle Simpson writes for Medical Coding Certification where you can find more information about a career and training in the medical field.
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101 Tips Every Job Seeker Should Know |
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This makes us laugh… every time we see it |
The First Step to a Job You Love |
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 Questions every job seeker should be prepared for BEFORE the interview |
Posted July 12th, 2010 by admin
In a word: BOTH! Like any job, there are both pros and cons to being your own boss, setting your own schedule, and basically being in control of your career and your life. It may seem like sunny days when you start, sleeping until noon, wearing your pajamas to work, and taking a break for Pilates, lunch with friends, or The Young and the Restless any time you want. But your dream job can quickly turn into nightmare if you don’t have the discipline to hustle work and get your bills paid. So before you jump into a 
job that allows you to work from the comfort of home, here are a few pluses and minuses to consider.
To begin with, you will be your own boss. This means you enjoy complete authority over which jobs you choose, and you have the flexibility to schedule your time as you please. If you want to take a three-hour lunch and siesta every day, you can. And you don’t have to ask anyone’s permission to jet off on that trip to Paris with your sister in the fall. You don’t even have to rearrange your work schedule because you can either clear it before you travel or work remotely at your leisure. Sadly, there is a downside to this scenario. You are also responsible for getting work, and getting it done. If you aren’t securing any clients, you have no one to blame but yourself. Ditto on missing deadlines. Working from home means taking the initiative to get work, first of all, and then exercising the due diligence required to complete it in a professional and timely manner. You can rest on your laurels when you have prospective clients banging down your door. Until then, you need to hustle jobs and follow through to ensure repeat business.
Another thing you may initially appreciate is the lack of co-workers and bosses. It is definitely nice to have an uninterrupted workday (no gossipy peers whispering at the water cooler or nosy managers popping in to ask for TPS reports). The calm and quiet of home can be a great recipe for jamming through your jobs for the day with time to spare. On the other hand, it can also be extremely isolating. Over time, you can lose inspiration and even become depressed if you don’t schedule in some time for human contact.
And in many ways, it can sometimes feel like you have a hundred bosses attacking you from all sides with ridiculous requests and demands for revisions. Since you probably can’t meet with them in person to explain your position, you have to try to communicate through email or by phone, which is never as effective (and can be extremely frustrating).
Certainly there are benefits to working from home, and if you are a motivated individual, you stand to earn a solid living and enjoy the many worthwhile aspects of self-employment. However, not everyone is cut out be their own boss. Without dedication, time-management skills, and a lot of organization, you may quickly find yourself overwhelmed. So consider the many possible outcomes of choosing a career that allows you to stay home before you commit to making it a reality.
Diana Rivas is a writer for a popular massage website. A massage is a great way for couples to unwind! To find out more about the healing qualities of massage check out Portable Massage Tables.
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101 Tips Every Job Seeker Should Know |
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This makes us laugh… every time we see it |
The First Step to a Job You Love |
Palestinian Traffic Cop Loves His Job |
Beef up your email signature |
Questions every job seeker should be prepared for BEFORE the interview |
Posted July 9th, 2010 by admin
It used to be easier to find a job. When life revolved around small communities, your job opportunities were dictated by skill or who you knew. Instead of going to college, you probably trained as an apprentice until you could start your own business. Or you took over the family business. Or if you were an entrepreneur, maybe you headed out into the wide world to seek your fortune. Even more recently, you might have picked up a newspaper to peruse the employment ads, then called or gone down to the office to see about an interview.
It’s amazing how shaking someone’s hand can help you get a foot in the door. Today, everything has become impersonal. Most papers don’t even print hiring ads and online services will only allow you to send a resumé via email, making the hunt for a job an entirely impersonal prospect. To employers, you’re just so much information on a page, competing for hire with other faceless packets of data. So how can you form a strategy that will bring you gainful employment?
Of course, the easiest route is to sign up for one of the many free websites that offers job searching, from Monster to Career Builder and even Craig’s List. Although these sites offer easy access, as they’re geared for use by the common every-man, the jobs listed will most likely be low quality and you will be competing with any other jobless sucker with a computer.
Still, if you’re specialized enough, you may find something worthwhile occasionally. The real trick to succeeding in this arena is to find a way to make yourself stand out, whether it’s with an off-the-wall cover letter or by having some strange and useful skills. Then there are job sites that require payment (usually on a monthly or yearly membership basis). This is definitely a way to do a more targeted search, since they are usually aimed at a specific industry, and you are bound to find better paying jobs, since the companies that use them often have to pay also. But again, you are going to be up against a lot of other impersonal potential hires (albeit significantly less than on the free services). If all else fails, you could just try cold-calling local companies to see if they’re hiring.
Because it is so difficult to find work through the internet, you may want to consider going to a temp agency. In other words, turn the task over to the professionals. They will do the leg work for you, arranging interviews and such, giving you the opportunity to make a personal impression with prospective employers. And all you have to do is give up a portion of your hard-earned salary for a year (maybe less if the company hires you on sooner as an employee). If you happen to be well-schooled, have a lot of experience, or are looking for a position that is either pretty high on the corporate totem pole or extremely specialized, you can also consider using a headhunter.
However, your best bet might be to take matters into your own hands by becoming a freelance agent or a contractor. There are plenty of websites like ODesk and ELance that allow those with an entrepreneurial spirit to forge their own destiny by offering their services piecemeal. So if you have a flair for writing, graphic design, or even marketing campaigns (basically, anything that can be done online), consider the virtual world of working for yourself. The end result could be a permanent position if you fill a niche or impress the right company.
If you’re having trouble finding a job, as many people currently are, your best bet is probably a multi-pronged approach in which you utilize several search strategies to maximize your opportunities. Just don’t get burned out. And keep in mind that not every job is THE job. You don’t want to settle for something that is beneath your level of skill or your desired pay, but you may have to take something temporary while you continue to search, so be prepared to say yes even if you plan to continue the quest for the dream job.
Leah Marin is a communications coordinator forProjector Screens.
| Visit Our Bookstore for Great Values! |
101 Tips Every Job Seeker Should Know |
The Ultimate Online Job Seekers eBook |
10 Biggest Interview Mistakes |
10 Biggest Resume Mistakes |
| Check out these hot articles! |
This makes us laugh… every time we see it |
The First Step to a Job You Love |
Palestinian Traffic Cop Loves His Job |
Beef up your email signature |
Questions every job seeker should be prepared for BEFORE the interview |
