Archive for the ‘Blog’ Category

There is a great article on MSN from Careerbuilder about the increase in temp jobs and how they can lead to permanent positions. We have seen a huge increase in temp to hire jobs. Many of the temp jobs start as strictly temp, but the companies like the person so much and see their excellent work habits, that they find a way to take them permanently. Temp work is a great way to get your foot in the door and keep your skills current. Instead of having a huge gap on your resume while you are unemployed, it is much better to have temp jobs to show you have kept current and that you are a motivated worker. Enjoy the article.

http://msn.careerbuilder.com/Article/MSN-2886-Job-Search-A-temp-job-could-be-the-key-to-finding-permanent-work-this-year/?SiteId=cbmsnhp42886&sc_extcmp=JS_2886_home1

Interviewing can be very stressful. There are several steps you can take to reduce or limit your stress.
1. Before you arrive at the interview, make sure you have showered, dried your hair, shaved, etc.  You want to make a great first impression.  Make sure your clothes are clean, pressed if necessary. Please wear clothes that fit properly.  Many times people will borrow a suit to look good and it is the wrong size.  It is better to wear properly fitting clothes, than wear something that is too small or too large.  If you don’t have a suit, wear a shirt and tie.  If it is cold, put on a nice sweater with it.  Ladies- dress pants or a skirt with a blouse and sweater work perfectly. Make sure your pants are not dragging on the floor or too tight.  Please wear the proper undergarments.

2. Many companies require you to show ID when you enter the building.  Make sure you have a driver’s license or some form of photo ID with you just in case.

3. Research the company prior to your interview.  Make sure you know what the company does, how long they have been in business, any current events happening, etc.  Write down a few questions to ask your interviewer.  Please don’t ask things like how the sick time works or how many paid vacations days they offer.  Ask intelligent questions about their business, their future products/services, how the economy has affected them, anything that you found interesting or didn’t understand on their website, and so forth.  Interviewers want to see your passion!  If you want this job, show them you want to learn about their company and be a contributing employee.

4. Make sure you have tweaked your resume so it is a good fit for the job.  If the job requires lots of computer experience, make sure your resume emphasizes your skills and knowledge….but do not lie!  Read over it so you have almost memorized it.  When the interviewer asks you questions concerning your resume, you should be able to respond with ease.  No stress, this is easy stuff.  Have prepared answers in your head about why you left your last job or why you were fired.  Again, don’t lie! Give the most professional answer without giving too much information. Sometimes people feel the need to give a long detailed answer, but they can end up putting their foot in their mouth with too much information.  Never talk poorly of a previous employer.  If you plan your answers, you will stay much calmer.

5. Know where you are going.  Take a test drive to the company.  Make sure you know how to get there and plan accordingly for traffic.  It is a negative mark against you if you are late for your interview.  You will be very upset if you are unable to find the location.  Your blood pressure will soar and your interview skills could be hampered by the extra pressure of getting lost.  Arrive early and sit in your car and relax, read, or listen to music.  Give yourself time to mentally relax and get your game face on.  Make sure you leave your cell phone in the car or turn it off if you decide to take it with you!

6. When the interviewer arrives, greet them, make eye contact and repeat their name.  Give them a firm handshake. Don’t bang a pen, twirl your hair, or fidget.  Take off your coat, gloves etc. Show you are confident of your skills and work ethic without being cocky.  Try to relate to your interviewer.  Feel free to make a comment if you see pictures of kids, sports or vacations.  This will let you get to know your interviewer better.   Only make positive comments!  Do not try to control the interview.  Let the interviewer ask questions and tell you about the job.  Give complete answers, and avoid close-ended answers such as “no”.  Speak proper English and avoid rambling.  Always sit straight up and look proper.

7. When the interview has ended, shake hands and thank the interviewer for the opportunity to meet with them.  Ask them when they think they will have an answer on who they will be hiring. When you get home, send them a ‘thank you” email and briefly express why you think you would be a good fit for the position. You should be re-stating something that was already discussed in the interview.  After the proper time has passed – several days or week, check in with them to see if they made their decision.  Do not harass them- they are very busy!  Checking in once might be all that is needed, unless they advise you otherwise.

Good luck!

Well, this was a memorable summer! We started with unusually hot weather, then it turned to rain and storms, then an earthquake, and to finish it off we had a hurricane.

Who will forget the summer of 2011?

The economy stayed stuck in neutral, some days shifting into reverse. Problems arose around the world with rioting, violence and unfortunately death.

Summer is unofficially over. This might be a good thing! Maybe the cool breeze of fall will clear the air and bring a fresh perspective on life.

Walk outside and stretch. Take a deep cleansing breath and smile. September will be a fantastic month! Everyone will be returning from vacation. Companies will start to return to normal schedules. All staff will be in the office and ready to roll up their sleeves and get ready for 4^th quarter. Maybe it is time to start hiring again.

With the change of season, it’s time to refresh your resume and your job pursuit.

• Review your resume and add keywords. More and more companies use computers to do  resume searches. The computer will be looking for specific keywords. If you are an administrative assistant, make sure you include specific duties such as calendar management in Outlook, international and domestic travel arrangements, planned special events, coordinated offsite meetings, etc. If you are applying for a specific job online, make sure your resume includes some of the keywords that are in the job description. DO NOT add them unless you really have those skills.
• Fill in any gaps in your resume timeline. If you did not work for a few years due to raising your family, put that on your resume. Be very brief and list the dates, just as if it were a job. If you went back to school, list dates and say “Furthering Education”, “Finishing Degree”, “Received _______ Certification”, etc. If you were caring for a sick relative or family member, list it as a “Sabbatical” and briefly say caring for elderly parent, etc. If you were unemployed, list that also. If you did any temporary work, consulting, or worked retail, bartender, etc include that also. You can lump these together if they were short term. Be brief. You can always provide additional information later if the employer requests more details. Prospective employers like to see a completed timeline that shows what you have been doing for many years of your life.  Gaps in your resume can raise a red flag and remove you from moving to the next level.
• Proofread, proofread, proofread! Read it several times, sleep on it and read it the next day. Go through it backwards to look for misspelled words. Sometimes you are more likely to find mistakes when you are not following the flow of the sentence. Have someone else read it for you and ask them if your timeline makes sense. Use spellcheck on your computer to verify your spelling, grammar and punctuation.
• LinkedIn – if you don’t have a profile, now is a great time to get one. It is very simple and does not require much social media experience. LinkedIn is an excellent way to showcase yourself to future employers, meet peers with similar skills and connect with past employers/co-workers. Remember the best way to find a job is through networking. Join some of the groups available on LinkedIn. The groups range from Phillies fans, engineering groups, HR Groups, college alumni groups, different townships/municipalities, job seekers, young professionals, and many more. Read the news from the groups and participate in some of the conversations. There are an increasing amount of employers who are using LinkedIn to find potential talent. The program will suggest people to connect with based on your high school, previous employers, etc. In your subject line, say you are currently seeking a new opportunity or something creative so you stand out to others. You can change your line often to keep it fresh.
• If you currently have an online profile with Facebook or other sites, make sure there is nothing inappropriate that potential employers could see. Nothing is private when it is on the Internet. Make sure no one has tagged you in a picture on their site that could be detrimental to your job search.

Good luck!

This post was inspired by Charlie Gilkey’s recent (genius) article, “20 Inconvenient Business Truths.” I read it and realized, in career coaching, I share inconvenient truths with my clients on a regular basis. I know it’s sometimes hard to hear these things but, in the end, they make you stronger.

1. Almost everyone starts at the bottom. Regardless of what you think you deserve, you probably will to.
2. There are no “right” answers for finding career fulfillment. Every path is different; every destination unique.
3. It’s not enough to be good at what you do. Talent and skill will only take you so far.
4. Work is not separate from the rest of your life. Compartmentalization is a myth.
5. Professional growth requires discomfort.
6. If you’re unhappy with your career, it’s up to you to change it. No one else controls your situation.
7. Almost every job has a trade-off. You’ll probably never get everything you want in one place.
8. Achieving long-term career goals requires sustained effort and deliberate action. It’s no accident or coincidence.
9. Your career is about YOU.
10. A successful job search should take anywhere from three to six months. It’s not something that happens overnight.
11. If you hate your job, it probably won’t get better with time. Sticking around because you’re afraid will only dig you deeper into the rut.
12. Just as any successful business owner has a business plan, every successful professional should have a career plan.
13. Money may be the reason you have to work but it’s not the true motivation. People who wake up with joy each day are working for entirely different reasons. Money is simply a byproduct.
14. Bad career advice is everywhere. If it sounds too simple to be true, it probably is.
15. If you find yourself job-hopping and nothing ever satisfies you for any period of time, it’s time to look at yourself. Most likely, you’re part of the problem.
16. Every company has that person who gets away with slacking off, takes all the credit, earns more than she deserves, etc. The good news is that she’s not your problem. Let it go.
17. If you’re not willing to invest in your career, why would any company be willing to invest in you?
18. Most people change careers 3 to 7 times in their lives. That doesn’t mean you will.
19. Layoffs happen. You may get fired. You may be “forced out” for reasons beyond your control. You’ll survive. And you’ll be stronger for it.
20. No one achieves career success alone. The most successful professionals nurture their networks, show support and give more than they expect to get.

Do you have any to add? Please share in the comments!

Chrissy Scivicque (pronounced “Civic”), founder of Eat Your Career, is an award-winning freelance writer/editor with a passion for two things: food and helping others.