Thursday, September 5, 2013
Friday, October 26, 2012
Is a Woman's Success Killing Her Man?
McJobNews presents cutting edge info about job market issues and events
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Is a Woman's Success Killing Her Man?
Hanna Rosin author of The End of Men and the Rise of Women was recently interviewed by Tucker Carlson of the Daily Caller on C-Span. Rosin is a senior editor at The Atlantic and a founder and editor at DoubleX, Slate’s women’s section. She lives in Washington D.C. with her husband, daughter and two sons.
By Barbara LaBier
The End of Men and the Rise of Women deals with the impact of the recent economic downturn on the lives of people which has contributed to a lack of jobs for men in particular and has changed marriage, fatherhood and women’s rights. While the present generation of women have become more educated, with better credentials and the ability to be more nimble at work, men are loosing ground. Some women, for example, have three advanced degrees and have become a majority in the workforce, outstripping men since the1980’s. This is quite different than the generation of 40 years ago when in 1962 women were unfulfilled staying at home raising children and men were happier in the workplace. Is it a case of nature or nurture? Girls from early childhood on have the genes to learn easier and faster than boys. Endowed with great sitting capacity, they take direction well and have the communication skills prerequisite for success in the classroom. Their mothers were willing to make a financial investment in them because they are winners.
More recent generations of woman have the determination of immigrants bent on success. They strike get ahead and charge forward. After the Second World War after the men returned home they were educated using the GI Bill and found good paying solid manufacturing jobs that are not present today in the US.
As a result there has been a major catastrophe caused by our economy and many men have no jobs resulting in mangled egos says Rosin. In the past, small towns had factory work where you could start at the bottom and work your way up to manager and make a decent living of $70-$80,000 a year. Today these jobs don’t exist. And you can blame Mitt and Bill for the outscourcing. And recently I hard a report on C-span that said womwn have lost thousands of jobs during the last four years.
Successful women, who live in back water towns, generally come from Christian families where the man is the spiritual head of the household but not necessarily the breadwinner, says Rosin. These women find it easier to start at the bottom and move up. Men are not happy about working in healthcare as nurses or as teachers and feel emasculated serving in these roles. The jobs in these fields, however, stereotypical of womens' work have been a financial boon for women and opened the door to new jobs.
House husbands in urban areas who take care of their children during the day while their wife works as the breadwinner are viewed as strange by people still have prejudices and think that there's something with wrong with a man taking care of the children, concludes Rosin.
Not all men are good providers and some women keep their husbands around because they protect their wives in a pinch. In Scandinavian countries, for example, couples live together and raise the children but don't marry. In America, however, we are more conservative and sold on marriage. Parents are spending more time with their kids these days and worry they may be over scheduling their children’s day. House husbands take care of everything during the day but often once the woman comes home we find her tinkering in the kitchen. So men are resentfull that they don't have their own space or a job. Couples flip-flop and take turns at being the head of the household and the breadwinner.
The man have developed more fragile equality in the workplace today. Often women work less hours but expect equal pay. Rosin mentions that she watched her own husband getting the children ready to take them away for a few days so she could finish a chapter in her book and was conscious of her criticizing what he was doing in her mind. He was doing things differently than she would have done but fortunately she kept her mouth shut and everything was o.k.
Myths say women are not good in math and science, but they are debunked when you look at other cultures such as Eastern Europe and Asia where women do very well in these subjects. In the area of affirmative action in some cases, women get preferential treatment when applying for SBA loans. Given the fact men have been beaten down and feminized by their over achieving partners, perhaps, they need an affirmative action program to help them start businesses, conclude other men.
Questions about gender and the impact of work are far from resolved. Women fought for help from men for more active participation in raising children. Along the way, they have earned good jobs as well. Yet, they still have problems. Men, on the other hand are not happy. Some men have a lurking feeling that the more that men take on nurturing roles the more men feel women will not be very attracted to them and they will dump them for a macho guy.
Is a Woman's Success Killing Her Man?
Sunday, September 9, 2012
Botox Your Resume Into a Compelling Linkedin Profile
Botox is not just good for your face but now metaphorically, it can do wonders for your resume.
When creating a Linkedin digital profile, go beyond a resume facelift. Kill off the old hackneyed words and the outdated format. Turn your boring profile into a story about your personal brand.
A LinkedIn profile is a companion to a paper resume. The profile contains the following sections: a summary, experience, volunteer work, publications, skills, expertise, education and recommendations and other information you’d like to showcase on-line. Today's paper resumes are less in demand than an electronic version. While employers always require a detailed summary of the candidate's work history before making a final hiring decision, there has been a change in the last ten years now the recruiting process is on-line. At job fairs, company recruiters want an emailed copy of your resume not a white paper copy.
There is a certain art to creating a profile on-line. It has to be short, inclusive, laid-back, and contain compelling words to define your career story. With some work you can set- one- up that will expand your contacts and attract recruiters. First you must:
Create a Summary
A Linkedin summary is less formal than a traditional resume. The tone is friendly and the profile can be written in the first person. The reason for this is to create a kind of immediate rapport between the writer and reader.
In the profile of Tuffy P. Cat, included in this post, the summary section provides and overview of Tuffy’s abilities as a hunter and predator. Written in the first person in a colloquial and down to earth style, Tuffy shares his history and exploits as a mouser. After relating his mission, he reveals some techniques he’s uses to capture his prey as well as other skills. He mentions statistics and comparisons to build a case supporting his prowess and skills.
List Every Job In The Experience Section
Tuffy has worked at wordsmithing to turn his resume into a compelling profile. The titles of his jobs are rewritten to make them inspirational and compelling. He writes about each role he’s performed and mentions his accomplishments. The reason for including all his jobs is that leaving out early ones will prevent a search for former colleagues and he’ll miss the chance to reconnect with them. So you have the option to include them all—especially if you’d like to acknowledge different skills that are unlike what you do now.
In his profile, Taffy uses appropriate key words to attract recruiters who search for terms that match the job description. In the description of what he does as a mouser and rodent exterminator, reveals information about his role as a global trainer and coach. He tells about how many people he supervised and trained and how he helped grow the company. His profile is becoming a collection of cool things he’s done during his career
Include a Volunteer Section
Tuffy volunteered to teach these defensive training maneuvers to build his brand
Create a Specialty Section
Tuffy includes as many keywords as he can highlight what he does and so should you. Be sure to include keywords listed in your profile or you won't be found by recruiters who search resumes that match job descriptions. Target keywords that appear in scanned job postings, words and phrases that are listed in your industry or profession because these are often the terms that recruiters will search on.
Include Links to Your Publication or Blog
Under a heading called Publications individually list each separate article or blog to establish yourself as an instant expert in your field and invite comments. This is a good way to establish an audience and grow your network.
Building A Strong Network Of Connections
Tuffy discovered that LinkedIn search results don't work exactly the way a regular search engine does. Names and people who are immediately connected to his first degree and second-degree connections are displayed. These are beasts who know someone that he knew and then third-degree connections appear. He found that open networking is the way to go whether you know friends well or not because accepting those who want to join your network increases the number of connections that you have. If you reject everyone except good friends, Tuffy found out you will never expand your network.
Go Public
Linkedin allows you to control as much information that is inside your on-line profile. All recruiters and clients reviewed Tuffy’s profile via Google search since he set most of his profile to open. To change any areas from closed to open click on the edit profile tab and look for public profile. You always have the option to display what you want to share online.
Get Recommendations
LinkedIn displays recommendations that recruiters like to read, highlighting your skills and qualifications. Some write recommendations about themselves and allow the client to edit them because many don’t like to write. Performing volunteer work can be a good source of recommendations since you are doing tasks for free and it is unlike a paid service where the client may not want the world to know they got help from you.
Tuffy found that if he stayed active on the site post and regularly updated his status, contacts saw updates to their page. He used the site to research potential employers and networks to make new contacts. When recruiters and potential clients search for his name on Google, his LinkedIn profile is one of the first things that are displayed.
Tuffy P. Cat
Mouse & Extermination Expert
DC Metropolitan Area
Current Director of Special Rodent Extermination
Previous Rodent and Workplace Consultant
Comment Send InMail 500 +
connections
SUMMARY
My name is Tuffy, I’m a mouse and extermination expert. Talented at hunting and eradicating rodents from the workplace, barn, and basement, I started my career as a young kitten on a farm in North Carolina chasing and exterminating mice inside a large barn. As my skills and experience grew, so did my reputation. As time passed, my success rate jumped from kills of about 10 to 20% of the rodent and bird population per week. Although I sleep more than 50 percent of the time, when I’m working the night shift, I am very active. My mission is to rid the world of pesky rodents that terrify farm folk as well as sophisticated urbanites. I enjoy my work especially hunting and tracking and have developed many techniques for eliminating predators. Nothing gives me more pleasure than seek and destroy missions when through cunning; I am able to silence chattering, mocking, winged creatures. After testing their vulnerabilities when I get a chance I break their necks. Often, I proudly carry them around in my mouth displaying my handiwork. During my career, I have also trained and managed other animals teaching them the basics of urban warfare in the Middle East. My talents also extend to adding to my family and I have become a dad hundreds of times.
DIRECTOR OF SPECIAL RODENT EXTERMINATION SERVICES
Capital building, Washington DC
November 2010 through May 2012 (two years)
Throughout my career, I’ve worked as a contractor on secret missions successfully monitoring areas during the night shift in the Capital building and the underground subway system. I’ve managed, secured and terminated large rats and other critters that hide near or inside the tunnels. After patrolling several blocks in a restricted area, I successfully exterminated 30% of the rodent population
Recommendation:
"Tuffy is a very driven and determined Director who brings passion to his work as a Rodent Exterminator. His expertise in rodent seek and destroy missions is unmatched and his track record speaks for itself. He is known both nationally and internationally for his work with members of the armed forces and is a frequent advisor on eradication and surveillance issues. He is a tireless networker and an advocate for those looking to improve their career status. I highly recommend Tuffy as an experienced professional...and a great friend!” April 28 2011
Rupert Snow, General, US Army, Iraq
RODENT AND WORKPLACE CONSULTANT
122 4th Street, Washington DC
November 2008 through May 2009 (two years)
During this job I left the country and began working as a mouser at the house of my new owner on Capitol Hill in Washington DC. Soon I consumed over five rodents per day and achieved a 40% percent reduction in the mouse population. I earned house privileges for outstanding service after only two months on the job. When I worked the midnight shift, my duties included surveillance of the house, basement and attic, a combined territory of 30,000 square feet. Occasionally, my adventures included outdoor duty confronting huge nasty rats and would-be competitors. Consequently, I used techniques such as fence climbing, jumping and crying like a baby to deflect my adversaries
Recommendation:
“Tuffy is the 'expert to go to' for anyone wanting to rid their basement or barn of loathsome rats and other pests. I have recommended clients to him without hesitation. With his years of experience, professionalism and easy-to-work with personality, it's easy to see why he is the mouse and bird extermination 'guru'.
Marc Z. Goeky, Special Forces, Navy Seals
GLOBAL TRAINER & COACH for Kittywater Inc.
Iraq & Afghanistan
November 2007 through June 2005 (two years)
While providing training and coaching to 50 or more cats in the Middle East, I successfully developed strategies and techniques for ambushing, intimidating and confronting the enemy while accompanying my owner. I brought aggressive well trained fighters into the company and increased the bottom line by 40%. Throughout my career, I have demonstrated sophisticated neck breaking and head bashing techniques and created several workshops on these topics to train new recruits. In addition, I’ve been honored for my claw sharpening on trees skills and attacking abilities, that far surpassing ninja knife sharpening methods practiced by my foreign competitors.
Recommendation:
“Tuffy is an accomplished professional. He is involved and energetic. A great fence jumper and idea generator and willing to work tirelessly to meet objectives. Also, quite an entertainer.” November 1, 2009
James Washington., Community Organizer, Washingon, DC
MOUSE EXTERMINATION EXPERT
Casar, North Carolina
September 2005 through March 2005 (seven months)
I started training for my career as a young kitten at Blueberry farm in North Carolina chasing and exterminating mice inside a large barn. As time passed, my success rate jumped from managing kills from about 10 to 20% of the rodent and bird population per week. One of my favorite strategies was mounting the hay stacks and pouncing on an unsuspecting mouse or terrorizing the bats above the rafters. For these acts of bravery, I was rewarded with a yearly supply of catnip.
.HOUSE CAT
Casar, North Carolina
July 2003 through December 2004
I spent my time as a young kitten playing war games with my five brothers and sisters learning pouncing and leaping techniques as well as survival and hunting skills from my mother.
PUBLICATIONS
These articles by Tuffy P. Cat appeared in The Black Cat Blog
Secrets of a Champion Mouser
Engaging the Enemy, The True Story Of My Rodent Exploits In Iraq
Multiple Streams of Feline Income
Truculence in the barn yard, Tips on Exterminating Rats
EDUCATION
Certification from Cat Masters University, Charlotte, NC June 2004
Graduated with a black belt from Kitty Foo Academy, Iraq July 2007
HONORS & AWARDS
Member of Who’s Who in Feline Mrcenaries
Won the gold for fence jumping hijacks and the loudest purr at the Pussy Olympics
QUALITIES & SKILLS
• Purring ability • Cuddliness • Confidence • Independence • Adaptability
• Surveillance • Killing • Hunting • Managing • Training
VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE
Directed a popular class on mouse skull bashing and bird warfare January 2010
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Five Ways to Sabotage Your Rise to Leadership
By Barbara LaBier
Leaders in public, private, and nonprofit sectors fail to become exceptional leaders because they overemphasize personal goals at the expense of others according to researchers.
Barriers to success include:
Failure to Commit
As a manger you may be protecting yourself instead of supporting members of the team and making customers happy. Emerging leaders are advised to minimize scanning the horizon for predators and pay attention to others or an entire team. At this point in your career, capture the skills and resources that you’re missing to accomplish your goals.
Protection of Your Public Image
Many ambitious people choose between image and impact. Sometimes they are so busy creating a persona of the leader they would like to be that they fail to act as one. The best strategy is to help others achieve their goals and forget about appearing as a perfect leader in every situation.
Turning Competitors into Enemies
Turning negative relationships into toxic behavior carries significant leadership costs.
Distorting responses from other people you don’t like limits your view of reality and prevents valuable chances to collaborate. The better alternative is to listen to the other side of the story and turn revaluation into collaboration.
Going It Alone
People opt-out of leadership roles because the road is unsafe. Learning how to cope with your own fears is necessary and can be mitigated by relying on the advice of your “team” comprised of family, friends or mentors that help provide perspective, grounding and faith. Find others who believe in your desire and ability to lead and cherish them.
Waiting for Permission
While patience is the main ingredient in discipline and hope, it can also be a curse for emerging leaders. Potential can be undermined because we can be persuaded to continue to wait for someone to recognize our achievements and give us more authority. Generally influence leads to power so we are advised not to wait for the powers that be to anoint us but to take the chance to initiate change.
www.resumecrafters.com
The information for this article was excerpted from Harvard Business Review January-February 2011
Monday, February 7, 2011
Why Feeling Bad for Some Leaders is Actually Good
http://www.resumecrafters.com/
By Barbara LaBier
Guilt-ridden people make great leaders according to new study from data gathered through Stanford’s Graduate School of Business. A link between performance and guilt showed that people who were guiltier than others received higher performance rating from their bosses and were perceived as stronger leaders by peers.
Director of the Center of Leadership Development Francis J. Flynn, gave 150 workers in the finance department of a Fortune 500 firm a psychological test which measured guilt and compared the results with their performance reviews.
One surprising finding was that these bosses with high levels of guilt felt guilty when they accepted layoffs and carried them out to be good soldiers and believed in the organization.
Guilt can be good the author concludes because guilty and more neurotic people are more altruistic and willing to help others. That is not to say, however, that organizations should create guilt in employees to improve performance. More research is needed to access the effects of guilt on a leader and the stress it brings into their life.
Excerpted from the Harvard Business Review January-February 2011
Friday, January 28, 2011
Job Hiring Improves for Some
Job Market Improves for Some by Barbara LaBier
http://www.resumecrafters.com/
Improvement in employment is occurring for groups of college and skilled workers specifically --- IT, technical workers, lawyers, finance and accountants, according to Jonas Prising of Jobs America.
“There are 50 million unemployed and 3 million job openings. While over all employment is 9.4 %, there is a bifurcation. College and skilled worker unemployment is 5% while youth and non-skilled is 18%. The level of skills and devotion to life long learning is vital,” added Prising in a CNBC interview.
Even recent graduates with superior skills are having problems getting their foot in the door,
" I talk with my friends and most of them are having a difficult time getting hired. Everyone has a great resume and it seems as though many have had an internship on the Hill and worked for a Congressman, " according to Eric White, a recent graduate of George Washington University with experience working at a law firm and the Hill, with a background in Japanese.
Right now, employers are cautious about who they hire, making it tough for the average person. They are waiting for job seekers with the right skill set. Jobs in sales for example, are filled internally while other jobs which require credentials and education are recruited externally.
Employers complain that often they can’t find skilled labor. And consequently, they are willing to wait until this person appears.
You can enhance your chances of being found by writing bogs and creating your own brand. Of course, writing information or creating negative videos can hurt you.
http://www.resumecrafters.com/
Improvement in employment is occurring for groups of college and skilled workers specifically --- IT, technical workers, lawyers, finance and accountants, according to Jonas Prising of Jobs America.
“There are 50 million unemployed and 3 million job openings. While over all employment is 9.4 %, there is a bifurcation. College and skilled worker unemployment is 5% while youth and non-skilled is 18%. The level of skills and devotion to life long learning is vital,” added Prising in a CNBC interview.
Even recent graduates with superior skills are having problems getting their foot in the door,
" I talk with my friends and most of them are having a difficult time getting hired. Everyone has a great resume and it seems as though many have had an internship on the Hill and worked for a Congressman, " according to Eric White, a recent graduate of George Washington University with experience working at a law firm and the Hill, with a background in Japanese.
Right now, employers are cautious about who they hire, making it tough for the average person. They are waiting for job seekers with the right skill set. Jobs in sales for example, are filled internally while other jobs which require credentials and education are recruited externally.
Employers complain that often they can’t find skilled labor. And consequently, they are willing to wait until this person appears.
You can enhance your chances of being found by writing bogs and creating your own brand. Of course, writing information or creating negative videos can hurt you.
Friday, January 14, 2011
Jump-start Your Career in 2011
Take charge of your future and jump-start your career in 2011 with the right training.
By Yahoo! Education Staff
Was 2010 a rough year for you - professionally?
Good news: a new year is upon us and now is the perfect time to start training for a new career.
Keep reading to learn about eight exciting jobs you can jump-start in 2011.
Career #1 - Medical Assistant
If you want to start training for a rewarding career as a medical assistant you have two quick options. You can earn an associate's degree in medical assisting in two years, or a certificate or diploma in medical assisting in just one year.
[Search for Medical Assisting programs now]
About the job: As a medical assistant, your days will likely be spent working closely with patients, preparing them for exams, and explaining treatment procedures. You might also handle a variety of administrative and clinical tasks, like taking care of bookkeeping or recording vital signs.
Average salary: Medical assistants have an average annual salary of $28,300. The top 10 percent of medical assistants average at more than $39,570 per year.
[Jump-start your career. Find Medical Assisting training programs now.]
Career #2 - Dental Assistant
Start your dental assistant training now and you might soon be stepping into one of the fastest growing occupations in the country, according to the Department of Labor. Consider a one-year dental assisting certificate/diploma program or an associate's degree in dental assisting, which should take about two years to complete.
[Search for Dental Assisting training programs]
About the job: As a dental assistant, you'll interact with patients, keep the office clean and sterilized, and work alongside a dentist during procedures. Duties vary: You might make casts of teeth for temporary crowns, help with fillings, or keep patients comfortable during their time in the office.
Average salary: The average annual salary of dental assistants is $32,380, though top earners can make more than $46,150. More than half of dental assistants receive health benefits, according to a 2008 survey by the Dental Assisting National Board. In a time when health care costs are soaring, that's a huge benefit.
[Jump-start your Dental Assistant career. Find training programs now.]
Career #3 - Graphic Designer
Are you a creative person looking for the right career? If so, make 2011 the year you start training for your graphic design career. Most entry-level positions will require a bachelor's degree, but you can get started by earning your associate's degree in graphic design. This should qualify you to become an assistant to a graphic designer where you can gain hands-on experience in a graphic design firm.
[Search for Graphic Design schools near you]
About the job: Being a graphic designer is all about getting your message across in print and electronic media. As a graphic designer, you might work on layouts for magazines and web sites, make promotional materials for businesses, or even create the title sequences for movies or TV shows.
Average salary: Salaries will vary by job and experience. On average, graphic designers make $42,400 per year. According to the American Institute of Graphic Arts, entry-level designers earn an average of $35,000 while senior designers earn an average of $60,000.
[Start training for your Graphic Design career. Find schools now!]
Career #4 - Paralegal
If you want to work in law, but don't have the time or money to go to law school, you can train for a paralegal career in as little as one to two years. Consider earning either a two-year associate's degree or - if you already have a bachelor's degree - a paralegal certificate. Certificate programs can sometimes be completed in about a year.
[Search for Paralegal schools now]
About the job: As a paralegal you'll assist lawyers with their cases and help them prepare for hearings, closings, and trials. You might even prepare legal arguments and motions that need to be filed with the court. This is a savvy choice for job-seekers: According to the Department of Labor, paralegal jobs will grow by 28 percent between 2008 and 2018.
Average salary: Paralegal salaries vary depending on education, experience, location, and other factors. The average annual salary for paralegals is $46,120, with the top 10 percent averaging at more than $73,450.
[Prepare for this in-demand career. Search for Paralegal schools near you now!]
Career #5 - PR Specialist
If you want to start training to become a PR specialist, look into earning your bachelor's degree in PR/marketing/communications. Public relations is another field with much higher than average growth anticipated - 24 percent from 2008 to 2018 according to the Department of labor.
[Jump-start your career in Public Relations...Find the right school now!]
About the job: As a PR specialist, you may focus on generating buzz for your employer or motivating the public. If you're well versed with social media tools, this might be a great job for you, as more public relations firms are taking advantage of new technologies.
Average salary: Public relations specialists have an average annual salary of $51,280. The top 10 percent averaged at more than $97,910 in 2008.
[Search for Public Relations degree programs now]
Career #6 - Bookkeeping Clerk
If you're looking to switch to a job with long-term stability, bookkeeping might be just the ticket. According to the Department of Labor, over 212,000 new bookkeeping jobs are expected to be added during the next decade. An associate's degree in business or accounting is required for some positions.
[Search for Accounting and Business schools now]
About the job: As a bookkeeper, you may spend your days updating and maintaining all kinds of financial records. You might even handle payroll and keep track of overdue accounts.
Average salary: The average annual salary of bookkeepers is $32,510, while the top 10 percent earn more than $49,260.
[Search for Accounting associate's degree programs now]
Career #7 - Medical Biller and Coder
Health care jobs are on the rise industry wide, and the Department of Labor anticipates employment of health information technicians - like billers and coders - to grow by 20 percent through 2018. You can start training for this career in as little as one year by earning a diploma or certificate. Another option is to earn an associate's degree, which takes about two years to complete.
[Search for Medical Billing and Coding training programs]
About the job: As a medical biller and coder you'll be a crucial part of the health care industry, helping doctor's offices manage patient billing by assigning the correct codes to patients' medical tests. While you'll likely be working in a hospital or a doctor's office, you might not interact with patients directly.
Average salary: According to PayScale.com, medical billers earn $24,986-$35,023 per year while medical coders earn $25,072-$32,483. The Department of Labor reports the average annual salary of health information technicians as $30,610.
[Jump-start your Medical Billing and Coding career!]
Career #8 - Teacher
If you feel the calling to become a teacher, now is a great time to start training. To get started, you'll need at least a bachelor's degree in education. If you want to be a secondary school teacher, major in the subject you plan to teach while you take a program of study in teacher preparation. If you want to advance your career in the classroom, earn a master's degree in education.
[Search for Education and Teaching schools now]
About the job: As a teacher, you'll play an important role in the lives of children by planning lessons, grading tests, and working with kids in a classroom setting. You may use games, technology, or other hands-on techniques to help develop critical thinking skills.
Average salary: The average annual salary of kindergarten, elementary, middle, and secondary school teachers ranges from $47,100 to $51,180. According to the American Federation of Teachers, beginning teachers with a bachelor's degree earn an average of $33,227.
[Search for Teaching degree programs now]
Unless otherwise noted, all salary information is provided by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2008.
By Yahoo! Education Staff
Was 2010 a rough year for you - professionally?
Good news: a new year is upon us and now is the perfect time to start training for a new career.
Keep reading to learn about eight exciting jobs you can jump-start in 2011.
Career #1 - Medical Assistant
If you want to start training for a rewarding career as a medical assistant you have two quick options. You can earn an associate's degree in medical assisting in two years, or a certificate or diploma in medical assisting in just one year.
[Search for Medical Assisting programs now]
About the job: As a medical assistant, your days will likely be spent working closely with patients, preparing them for exams, and explaining treatment procedures. You might also handle a variety of administrative and clinical tasks, like taking care of bookkeeping or recording vital signs.
Average salary: Medical assistants have an average annual salary of $28,300. The top 10 percent of medical assistants average at more than $39,570 per year.
[Jump-start your career. Find Medical Assisting training programs now.]
Career #2 - Dental Assistant
Start your dental assistant training now and you might soon be stepping into one of the fastest growing occupations in the country, according to the Department of Labor. Consider a one-year dental assisting certificate/diploma program or an associate's degree in dental assisting, which should take about two years to complete.
[Search for Dental Assisting training programs]
About the job: As a dental assistant, you'll interact with patients, keep the office clean and sterilized, and work alongside a dentist during procedures. Duties vary: You might make casts of teeth for temporary crowns, help with fillings, or keep patients comfortable during their time in the office.
Average salary: The average annual salary of dental assistants is $32,380, though top earners can make more than $46,150. More than half of dental assistants receive health benefits, according to a 2008 survey by the Dental Assisting National Board. In a time when health care costs are soaring, that's a huge benefit.
[Jump-start your Dental Assistant career. Find training programs now.]
Career #3 - Graphic Designer
Are you a creative person looking for the right career? If so, make 2011 the year you start training for your graphic design career. Most entry-level positions will require a bachelor's degree, but you can get started by earning your associate's degree in graphic design. This should qualify you to become an assistant to a graphic designer where you can gain hands-on experience in a graphic design firm.
[Search for Graphic Design schools near you]
About the job: Being a graphic designer is all about getting your message across in print and electronic media. As a graphic designer, you might work on layouts for magazines and web sites, make promotional materials for businesses, or even create the title sequences for movies or TV shows.
Average salary: Salaries will vary by job and experience. On average, graphic designers make $42,400 per year. According to the American Institute of Graphic Arts, entry-level designers earn an average of $35,000 while senior designers earn an average of $60,000.
[Start training for your Graphic Design career. Find schools now!]
Career #4 - Paralegal
If you want to work in law, but don't have the time or money to go to law school, you can train for a paralegal career in as little as one to two years. Consider earning either a two-year associate's degree or - if you already have a bachelor's degree - a paralegal certificate. Certificate programs can sometimes be completed in about a year.
[Search for Paralegal schools now]
About the job: As a paralegal you'll assist lawyers with their cases and help them prepare for hearings, closings, and trials. You might even prepare legal arguments and motions that need to be filed with the court. This is a savvy choice for job-seekers: According to the Department of Labor, paralegal jobs will grow by 28 percent between 2008 and 2018.
Average salary: Paralegal salaries vary depending on education, experience, location, and other factors. The average annual salary for paralegals is $46,120, with the top 10 percent averaging at more than $73,450.
[Prepare for this in-demand career. Search for Paralegal schools near you now!]
Career #5 - PR Specialist
If you want to start training to become a PR specialist, look into earning your bachelor's degree in PR/marketing/communications. Public relations is another field with much higher than average growth anticipated - 24 percent from 2008 to 2018 according to the Department of labor.
[Jump-start your career in Public Relations...Find the right school now!]
About the job: As a PR specialist, you may focus on generating buzz for your employer or motivating the public. If you're well versed with social media tools, this might be a great job for you, as more public relations firms are taking advantage of new technologies.
Average salary: Public relations specialists have an average annual salary of $51,280. The top 10 percent averaged at more than $97,910 in 2008.
[Search for Public Relations degree programs now]
Career #6 - Bookkeeping Clerk
If you're looking to switch to a job with long-term stability, bookkeeping might be just the ticket. According to the Department of Labor, over 212,000 new bookkeeping jobs are expected to be added during the next decade. An associate's degree in business or accounting is required for some positions.
[Search for Accounting and Business schools now]
About the job: As a bookkeeper, you may spend your days updating and maintaining all kinds of financial records. You might even handle payroll and keep track of overdue accounts.
Average salary: The average annual salary of bookkeepers is $32,510, while the top 10 percent earn more than $49,260.
[Search for Accounting associate's degree programs now]
Career #7 - Medical Biller and Coder
Health care jobs are on the rise industry wide, and the Department of Labor anticipates employment of health information technicians - like billers and coders - to grow by 20 percent through 2018. You can start training for this career in as little as one year by earning a diploma or certificate. Another option is to earn an associate's degree, which takes about two years to complete.
[Search for Medical Billing and Coding training programs]
About the job: As a medical biller and coder you'll be a crucial part of the health care industry, helping doctor's offices manage patient billing by assigning the correct codes to patients' medical tests. While you'll likely be working in a hospital or a doctor's office, you might not interact with patients directly.
Average salary: According to PayScale.com, medical billers earn $24,986-$35,023 per year while medical coders earn $25,072-$32,483. The Department of Labor reports the average annual salary of health information technicians as $30,610.
[Jump-start your Medical Billing and Coding career!]
Career #8 - Teacher
If you feel the calling to become a teacher, now is a great time to start training. To get started, you'll need at least a bachelor's degree in education. If you want to be a secondary school teacher, major in the subject you plan to teach while you take a program of study in teacher preparation. If you want to advance your career in the classroom, earn a master's degree in education.
[Search for Education and Teaching schools now]
About the job: As a teacher, you'll play an important role in the lives of children by planning lessons, grading tests, and working with kids in a classroom setting. You may use games, technology, or other hands-on techniques to help develop critical thinking skills.
Average salary: The average annual salary of kindergarten, elementary, middle, and secondary school teachers ranges from $47,100 to $51,180. According to the American Federation of Teachers, beginning teachers with a bachelor's degree earn an average of $33,227.
[Search for Teaching degree programs now]
Unless otherwise noted, all salary information is provided by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2008.
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Opportunity in Professional Career Program
by Barbara LaBier
Although Victor made a six figure income on Wall Street in the past as an analyst, the reality of the expiration of unemployment benefits made him ready to compromise and apply for a lower level job government job. He left New York and moved in with his mother in Baltimore. Instead of targeting a GS-14 position, he applied for jobs as the GS-11 level to hopefully get his foot in the door. He needed help with his resume and guidance about the Washington job scene.
Another client Robert, in his mid thirties decided he was willing to trade large bonuses as a contractor that he’d received in the banking industry for stability and security at Homeland Security. Robert had worked as a loan officer for 7 years and was recently laid off. Applying for a government job was not his first choice but gradually after confronting the lack of jobs in this economy, security and working for the government became more important.
Luckily, he discovered e a small number of Contract Specialist positions available in selected component regional offices. However, no regional field offices were accepting applications. It was not any government job that he was seeking but one as a Contract Specialist with a starting salary of $42,209. If accepted into the Acquisition Professional Career program (APCP), he would become a full-time employee at a GS-7 level. He would then be appointed to three one-year rotational assignments in DC. After completing the program, his salary and responsibilities would rocket up a GS-13, $89,033-$115,742 per year. He would have the chance to become a sought-after expert in the field of Acquisition and a potential leader in the government.
The Professional Career Program (APCP) gives participants the opportunity to work in one of six career fields within in the Department of Acquisition. During a three year period, there is training available as a Contract Specialist Program Manager, Systems Engineer, Industrial Engineer, Logistician or Information Technology Specialist. Robert decided to apply for a job as a Contract Specialist which had duties similar to a system or requirement analyst.. I tailored his resume translating his excellent financial and real estate experience into skills that he could use to apply for many jobs along with a cover letter that highlighted his skills as s Contract Specialist. The application for this job requires a corporate style resume or US Jobs completed form that could be filled out on line. The candidates who are part of this program receive certifications within their career field that are recognized across the Federal government, as well as leadership and management training. Here are the nine agencies that have the same type of program
• Federal Emergency Management Agency • Transportation Security Administration
• U.S. Coast Guard • U.S Custom and Boarder Protection
• Immigration and Customs Enforcement
• U.S. Secret Service
• Federal Law Enforcement Training Center • Office of Procurement Operations
• Office of Selective Acquisitions
http://www.resumecrafters.com/
Although Victor made a six figure income on Wall Street in the past as an analyst, the reality of the expiration of unemployment benefits made him ready to compromise and apply for a lower level job government job. He left New York and moved in with his mother in Baltimore. Instead of targeting a GS-14 position, he applied for jobs as the GS-11 level to hopefully get his foot in the door. He needed help with his resume and guidance about the Washington job scene.
Another client Robert, in his mid thirties decided he was willing to trade large bonuses as a contractor that he’d received in the banking industry for stability and security at Homeland Security. Robert had worked as a loan officer for 7 years and was recently laid off. Applying for a government job was not his first choice but gradually after confronting the lack of jobs in this economy, security and working for the government became more important.
Luckily, he discovered e a small number of Contract Specialist positions available in selected component regional offices. However, no regional field offices were accepting applications. It was not any government job that he was seeking but one as a Contract Specialist with a starting salary of $42,209. If accepted into the Acquisition Professional Career program (APCP), he would become a full-time employee at a GS-7 level. He would then be appointed to three one-year rotational assignments in DC. After completing the program, his salary and responsibilities would rocket up a GS-13, $89,033-$115,742 per year. He would have the chance to become a sought-after expert in the field of Acquisition and a potential leader in the government.
The Professional Career Program (APCP) gives participants the opportunity to work in one of six career fields within in the Department of Acquisition. During a three year period, there is training available as a Contract Specialist Program Manager, Systems Engineer, Industrial Engineer, Logistician or Information Technology Specialist. Robert decided to apply for a job as a Contract Specialist which had duties similar to a system or requirement analyst.. I tailored his resume translating his excellent financial and real estate experience into skills that he could use to apply for many jobs along with a cover letter that highlighted his skills as s Contract Specialist. The application for this job requires a corporate style resume or US Jobs completed form that could be filled out on line. The candidates who are part of this program receive certifications within their career field that are recognized across the Federal government, as well as leadership and management training. Here are the nine agencies that have the same type of program
• Federal Emergency Management Agency • Transportation Security Administration
• U.S. Coast Guard • U.S Custom and Boarder Protection
• Immigration and Customs Enforcement
• U.S. Secret Service
• Federal Law Enforcement Training Center • Office of Procurement Operations
• Office of Selective Acquisitions
http://www.resumecrafters.com/
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Job Interviewing Tips
100 Potential Interview Questions excerpted from Monster.com
While there are as many different possible interview questions as there are interviewers, it always helps to be ready for anything. So here are a list of 100 potential interview questions.
Will you face them all? No interviewer would be that cruel. Will you face a few? Probably. Will you be well-served by being ready even if you’re not asked these exact questions? Absolutely.
1. Tell me about yourself.
2. What are your strengths?
3. What are your weaknesses?
4. Who was your favorite manager and why?
5. What kind of personality do you work best with and why?
6. Why do you want this job?
7. Where would you like to be in your career five years from now?
8. Tell me about your proudest achievement.
9. If you were at a business lunch and you ordered a rare steak and they brought it to you well done, what would you do?
10. If I were to give you this salary you requested but let you write your job description for the next year, what would it say?
11. Why is there fuzz on a tennis ball?
12. How would you go about establishing your credibility quickly with the team?
13. There’s no right or wrong answer, but if you could be anywhere in the world right now, where would you be?
14. How would you feel about working for someone who knows less than you?
15. Was there a person in your career who really made a difference?
16. What’s your ideal company?
17. What attracted you to this company?
18. What are you most proud of?
19. What are you looking for in terms of career development?
20. What do you look for in terms of culture — structured or entrepreneurial?
21. What do you like to do?
22. Give examples of ideas you’ve had or implemented.
23. What are your lifelong dreams?
24. What do you ultimately want to become?
25. How would you describe your work style?
26. What kind of car do you drive?
27. Tell me about a time where you had to deal with conflict on the job.
28. What’s the last book you read?
29. What magazines do you subscribe to?
30. What would be your ideal working situation?
31. Why should we hire you?
32. What did you like least about your last job?
33. What do you think of your previous boss?
34. How do you think I rate as an interviewer?
35. Do you have any questions for me?
36. When were you most satisfied in your job?
37. What can you do for us that other candidates can’t?
38. What are three positive things your last boss would say about you?
39. What negative thing would your last boss say about you?
40. If you were an animal, which one would you want to be?
41. What salary are you seeking?
42. What’s your salary history?
43. Do you have plans to have children in the near future?
44. What were the responsibilities of your last position?
45. What do you know about this industry?
46. What do you know about our company?
47. How long will it take for you to make a significant contribution?
48. Are you willing to relocate?
49. What was the last project you headed up, and what was its outcome?
50. What kind of goals would you have in mind if you got this job?
51. Give me an example of a time that you felt you went above and beyond the call of duty at work.
52. What would you do if you won the lottery?
53. Can you describe a time when your work was criticized?
54. Have you ever been on a team where someone was not pulling their own weight? How did you handle it?
55. What is your personal mission statement?
56. Tell me about a time when you had to give someone difficult feedback. How did you handle it?
57. What is your greatest failure, and what did you learn from it?
58. What irritates you about other people, and how do you deal with it?
59. What is your greatest fear?
60. Who has impacted you most in your career, and how?
61. What do you see yourself doing within the first 30 days of this job?
62. What’s the most important thing you’ve learned in school?
63. What three character traits would your friends use to describe you?
64. What will you miss about your present/last job?
65. If you were interviewing someone for this position, what traits would you look for?
66. List five words that describe your character.
67. What is your greatest achievement outside of work?
68. Sell me this pencil.
69. If I were your supervisor and asked you to do something that you disagreed with, what would you do?
70. Do you think a leader should be feared or liked?
71. What’s the most difficult decision you’ve made in the last two years?
72. What do you like to do for fun?
73. Why are you leaving your present job?
74. What do you do in your spare time?
75. How do you feel about taking no for an answer?
76. What was the most difficult period in your life, and how did you deal with it?
77. What is your favorite memory from childhood?
78. Give me an example of a time you did something wrong. How did you handle it?
79. Tell me one thing about yourself you wouldn’t want me to know.
80. Tell me the difference between good and exceptional.
81. Why did your choose your major?
82. What are the qualities of a good leader? A bad leader?
83. What is your biggest regret, and why?
84. What are three positive character traits you don’t have?
85. What irritates you about other people, and how do you deal with it?
86. If you found out your company was doing something against the law, like fraud, what would you do?
87. How many times do a clock’s hands overlap in a day?
88. How would you weigh a plane without scales?
89. What assignment was too difficult for you, and how did you resolve the issue?
90. If I were to ask your last supervisor to provide you additional training or exposure, what would she suggest?
91. If you could choose one superhero power, what would it be and why?
92. What’s the best movie you’ve seen in the last year?
93. Describe how you would handle a situation if you were required to finish multiple tasks by the end of the day, and there was no conceivable way that you could finish them.
94. What techniques and tools do you use to keep yourself organized?
95. If you could get rid of any one of the US states, which one would you get rid of, and why?
96. With your eyes closed, tell me step-by-step how to tie my shoes.
97. if you had to choose one, would you consider yourself a big picture person or a detail oriented person?
98. If selected for this position, can you describe your strategy for the first 90 dayss
99. Who are your heroes?
100.Tell me 10 ways to use a pencil other than writing.
Interview Questions
Saturday, January 1, 2011
What’s Wrong with My Resume?
By Barbara LaBier
Making a good first impression with your resume is the first door to open when applying for a job. If you’ve got technical issues such as misspellings, typos and grammatical errors and formatting problems you will never get your foot in the door. Many of us couldn't survive with out Spell Check and are eternally grateful to Bill Gates---but it Spell Check doesn't correct for the improper use of words that are spelled correctly.
Beyond these problems there is another list of more complicated issues to work on if you want to get an interviews and be considered as a serious candidate. Here are some typical mistakes found on resumes.
Lack of focus – Frequently, a resume contains a great deal of information about a candidate but there is no real focus on the key themes presented in the job description or developing a sales pitch. The resume may be too general. Through lack of skill or laziness, the applicant has avoided tailoring the resume to fit the job description and tweak their resume to match the job criteria for each job they apply for.
Too much detail- Some times people who have not applied for a job in 20 years find they have a very long, detailed, dated resume. The resume like an ancient scroll has been added to over the years. The product is a detailed mess that does not target the job they are applying for. They require the help of a good editor or resume writer to perform the magic of a facelift to their resume. This entails deleing dated information that does not highlight relevant skills & accomplishments or removing old software and updating antiquated formats.
Too much personal info- People often include too much personal information on their resume such as their marital status, children and hobbies. The writer may also mention that they were Captain of the basketball team in college 20 years ago. At one time, this fact may have indicated leadership skills. However, at this juncture, it seems like they have failed to move on. Since your resume is not meant to be like your Facebook account, this information should be deleted.
Failure to properly highlight accomplishments: Some job candidates have not captured the value they’ve provided at work or assessed the impact they have made through their accomplishments. For example, they could mention how much money they’ve brought in or saved the company or how the projects they initiated benefited their clientele.
Visually boring presentation: The formats of many resumes lack creativity. Most resume formats are changing or have changed. For example, Objectives are out and the Summary is in. It would take an hour or so to search the internet for new formats or view the latest resume books at your local Borders or Barn & Noble bookstore or the library.
Fix Resume Problems
Friday, December 31, 2010
How To Protect Your On-line Reputation
By Barbara LaBier
These days it seems that anybody can say negative things about you on the web, but what can you do to fight back?
Through data mining Google and other search engines collect millions of facts and data that your future descendants might access to find out about you after you’re gone, according to Christine Schiwietz an Assistant professor of Sociology at George Washington University.
Dr. Schiwietz and Nino Kader President of International Reputation Management (IRM) spoke at the National Press Club last month offering tips on protecting your on-line image. The talk was supported by the Washington Network Group (WING).
Unfortunately, the days of privacy and unanimity are gone, if you don’t like what the world is saying about you the only thing you can do in response is change your name, revealed CEO Eric Schmidt of Google in a Wall Street Journal article.
Most of us do not want to go to this extreme to find peace of mind. As Google real-time search and sites like Facebook and Twitter continue to grow, it becomes more necessary than ever to monitor your on-line reputation.The first step in protecting your reputation is to Google your name on the net to see what comes up, suggests Kidder.
Schiwietz advises setting up a Google alert to capture what different websites or blogs are saying about you. Once a week or more often new instances of your name will be tracked and the information sent to you. Continue the tracking process by subscribing using your full name to Technorati.com, a bog search engine and BackType, a blog comment search engine to reach blogs that Google alerts do not contact. However, negative comments may be difficult to remove.
There are folks outrageous enough to steal a resume on-line. A Project Manager at GSA was given someone’s resume by her boss who said it looked very familiar. After reading it, she was shocked to discover that it was her resume that she’d used to apply for her current job several years before. Instead of finding her own name and address on the resume, there was a strangers. This person had stolen the content of her resume that she’d uploaded to Monster.com. When she requested that the search engine take down the counterfeit resume, they refused. She tried to contact author of the phony resume, but she could not be found.
Another kind of problem occurs if a negative comment about someone appears in a blog; generally, it’s usually not worth fighting over on-line. Contacting the owner of the blog off-line it is much better idea. Adding fuel to the fire could create a situation where the owner of the blog continues to broadcast untrue or negative information about you. Knowing who you are dealing with will determine how far you should go in pursuing a problem. Some people are decent and will remove the information but not everyone. If you are forced to clarify the issue on-line take an open, peacemaking attitude when answering comments.
Of course, you can try to sue the person for defamation of character. However it seems that legally the law has not caught up with the problems produced on the internet. According to employment law of the 1940-60’s, requesting a photo or any information regarding skin color, nationality, or origin was considered illegal and could have possibly lead to discrimination. Social media has produced a lot of change that has not as yet been challenged in the courts.
One solution according to Nino Kader of IRM is to counteract bad publicity by minimizing it by incorporating new material about you so that detrimental comments are pushed farther and farther back in the pages of Google. For example, you could have several people recommend you on-line and, consequently, revitalize your reputation.
• If you have a website purchase your own domain name including the following versions: .org, .com, .gov, .net. When you have two names in the title of your website, also buy the domain name that has a hyphen between the two names. If you don’t do this and your name is popular you may be subject to competitors who steal your name by creating domains very similar to yours.
• Write blogs and articles and post them from your own computer and distribute them to different sites. Identify blogs and forums you contribute to within your professional circle in your profile.
• Create content with video and audio to broadcast on U-Tube.
.Provide links listing your name and the location of the article and place a John Doe link to site.
• Establish an identity through Linked-in to provide a professional profile for work and networking. Update your profile frequently. Also highlight your experience as a board member and other activities.
• Write recommendations for others and they may reciprocate.
• Join groups on-line and contribute your opinions.
• On Facebook create an identity to reconnect with old friends.
Save On-line Reputation
These days it seems that anybody can say negative things about you on the web, but what can you do to fight back?
Through data mining Google and other search engines collect millions of facts and data that your future descendants might access to find out about you after you’re gone, according to Christine Schiwietz an Assistant professor of Sociology at George Washington University.
Dr. Schiwietz and Nino Kader President of International Reputation Management (IRM) spoke at the National Press Club last month offering tips on protecting your on-line image. The talk was supported by the Washington Network Group (WING).
Unfortunately, the days of privacy and unanimity are gone, if you don’t like what the world is saying about you the only thing you can do in response is change your name, revealed CEO Eric Schmidt of Google in a Wall Street Journal article.
Most of us do not want to go to this extreme to find peace of mind. As Google real-time search and sites like Facebook and Twitter continue to grow, it becomes more necessary than ever to monitor your on-line reputation.The first step in protecting your reputation is to Google your name on the net to see what comes up, suggests Kidder.
Schiwietz advises setting up a Google alert to capture what different websites or blogs are saying about you. Once a week or more often new instances of your name will be tracked and the information sent to you. Continue the tracking process by subscribing using your full name to Technorati.com, a bog search engine and BackType, a blog comment search engine to reach blogs that Google alerts do not contact. However, negative comments may be difficult to remove.
There are folks outrageous enough to steal a resume on-line. A Project Manager at GSA was given someone’s resume by her boss who said it looked very familiar. After reading it, she was shocked to discover that it was her resume that she’d used to apply for her current job several years before. Instead of finding her own name and address on the resume, there was a strangers. This person had stolen the content of her resume that she’d uploaded to Monster.com. When she requested that the search engine take down the counterfeit resume, they refused. She tried to contact author of the phony resume, but she could not be found.
Another kind of problem occurs if a negative comment about someone appears in a blog; generally, it’s usually not worth fighting over on-line. Contacting the owner of the blog off-line it is much better idea. Adding fuel to the fire could create a situation where the owner of the blog continues to broadcast untrue or negative information about you. Knowing who you are dealing with will determine how far you should go in pursuing a problem. Some people are decent and will remove the information but not everyone. If you are forced to clarify the issue on-line take an open, peacemaking attitude when answering comments.
Of course, you can try to sue the person for defamation of character. However it seems that legally the law has not caught up with the problems produced on the internet. According to employment law of the 1940-60’s, requesting a photo or any information regarding skin color, nationality, or origin was considered illegal and could have possibly lead to discrimination. Social media has produced a lot of change that has not as yet been challenged in the courts.
One solution according to Nino Kader of IRM is to counteract bad publicity by minimizing it by incorporating new material about you so that detrimental comments are pushed farther and farther back in the pages of Google. For example, you could have several people recommend you on-line and, consequently, revitalize your reputation.
• If you have a website purchase your own domain name including the following versions: .org, .com, .gov, .net. When you have two names in the title of your website, also buy the domain name that has a hyphen between the two names. If you don’t do this and your name is popular you may be subject to competitors who steal your name by creating domains very similar to yours.
• Write blogs and articles and post them from your own computer and distribute them to different sites. Identify blogs and forums you contribute to within your professional circle in your profile.
• Create content with video and audio to broadcast on U-Tube.
.Provide links listing your name and the location of the article and place a John Doe link to site.
• Establish an identity through Linked-in to provide a professional profile for work and networking. Update your profile frequently. Also highlight your experience as a board member and other activities.
• Write recommendations for others and they may reciprocate.
• Join groups on-line and contribute your opinions.
• On Facebook create an identity to reconnect with old friends.
Save On-line Reputation
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Identifying Career Changing Skills by Barbara LaBier
I
By Barbara LaBier
Identifying transferable skills is necessary when changing careers.
These skills can be used to market yourself to employers during interviews as well as writing cover letters and resumes. Transferable skills are universal and are used to describe experience in every occupation regardless of the type of work. They are more important than job-related skills which are used to describe one type of work since transferable skills are unrelated to past employment or educational experience.
You can use transferable skills to create a self-inventory that can be adapted to evaluate and describe any working situation. Put a check mark next to each of 10 skills that match your background and review in your mind the tasks you’ve associated with this skill.
Study a job description and the key words to determine the type of career that you want to apply for. Do a search on Monster.com or other job search engines to review job titles and match them against your background. Highlight keywords that you can use in a new context to describe your experience.
Learn the jargon or buzz words of your potential career. When you review the Transferable Skills Sheet located in a the same article located at www.resumecrafters.com, notice that each list of skills has a heading. In the first column you’ll see Analytical and underneath the title are descriptive key words you can use to describe your tasks in your resume. The table and columns contain transferable skills as well as specific examples of how the skills have been used. Putting each keyword in the context where you have previously used it on the job or to highlight activities such as part-time work, internships, special projects, volunteer work, and education is a great help when it comes to writing your resume and cover letter. Transferable skills are also used in statements to answers competency based questions for knowledge, skills and ability questions (KSA’a) that are part of a Federal resume or other questionnaires that may be part of other applications.( Unfortunately the Transferable Skill Sheet is a table that is not transfered properly inside this blog.
You can find the article and table at www.resumecrafters.com)
By Barbara LaBier
Identifying transferable skills is necessary when changing careers.
These skills can be used to market yourself to employers during interviews as well as writing cover letters and resumes. Transferable skills are universal and are used to describe experience in every occupation regardless of the type of work. They are more important than job-related skills which are used to describe one type of work since transferable skills are unrelated to past employment or educational experience.
You can use transferable skills to create a self-inventory that can be adapted to evaluate and describe any working situation. Put a check mark next to each of 10 skills that match your background and review in your mind the tasks you’ve associated with this skill.
Study a job description and the key words to determine the type of career that you want to apply for. Do a search on Monster.com or other job search engines to review job titles and match them against your background. Highlight keywords that you can use in a new context to describe your experience.
Learn the jargon or buzz words of your potential career. When you review the Transferable Skills Sheet located in a the same article located at www.resumecrafters.com, notice that each list of skills has a heading. In the first column you’ll see Analytical and underneath the title are descriptive key words you can use to describe your tasks in your resume. The table and columns contain transferable skills as well as specific examples of how the skills have been used. Putting each keyword in the context where you have previously used it on the job or to highlight activities such as part-time work, internships, special projects, volunteer work, and education is a great help when it comes to writing your resume and cover letter. Transferable skills are also used in statements to answers competency based questions for knowledge, skills and ability questions (KSA’a) that are part of a Federal resume or other questionnaires that may be part of other applications.( Unfortunately the Transferable Skill Sheet is a table that is not transfered properly inside this blog.
You can find the article and table at www.resumecrafters.com)
Monday, September 27, 2010
Gossip At Work
By Barbara LaBier
Gossip at work benefits individuals and organizations—although in some manager’s opinion it is derogatory. When caught gossipers are punished with lower performance ratings.
Doctoral students in management from the University of Kentucky performed a study surveying 30-40 employees about their social networks and who they gossiped with and the influence that each colleague had. The more staff members gossiped the more influence they showed and the better was their understanding of their social environment.
Gossip can be useful if there is change going on in an organization when the flow of information is stifled then the few that are in the know can spread it and relieve anxiety. Conventional wisdom says just the opposite – supposedly gossip breeds stress and uncertainty. While it can cause fear research shows it does the reverse by building an emotional connection which provides social and emotional support. On the negative side, gossip consists of half-truths and hearsay and can absorb the staff’s time. So how can it be valuable?
By studying the network the study indicates it’s easy to discover who is a bully, or who is difficult to work with. For the manager it can be a great tool for hearing troublesome issues. Positive gossip is more typical than negative. Out of 72 percent of gossip relationships, positive gossip ranked 21 % while negative was only 7%.
Some bosses believe that gossip is subversive because the more someone gossips the more influence they have among peers. In away, it has a democratizing force and levels the playing field between managers and employees and is a threat to bosses who want complete control. In this study managers gave lower ratings to employees who gossiped more. Often managers try to squelch gossip without addressing the problems that was generating it.
Managers gossip too, because they say they need a lot of information to do their work. But are they gossiping with the right people? Do they say what the manager thinks or introduce information about the state of the company or are they people who are critical about the functioning of the company. If they are not happy at work, they can find many ways o bring the organization down. The number of people supervisors gossip with are 7.4 people. The average numbers of people nonsupevisors gossip with are 3.9.
The study was carried on by Giuseppe Joe Labianca , a Gatton Endowed Associate Professor of Management at the University of Kentucky/ Linked Center for Research on Social networks in business exam med social interactions in a branch of a US company
Gossip At Work
This article was excerpted from the August/September 2010, Harvard Business Review.
Saturday, September 25, 2010
What Resume Do I Submit For a Federal Job? by Barbara LaBier
The appropriate “Resume” to submit for a Federal job has become confusing. Despite the Obama administration’s efforts to focus on corporate resumes and eliminate KSA’s--- the majority of agencies still do their own thing. The best advice is to read each job description and instructions carefully before applying for a federal job because each agency has different standards.
The Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities questions are known in govspeak as KSAs. Answers to these questions show that you are qualified for advertised jobs. During the 1980’s, KSAs were originally used as a replacement for the old civil service exams. A few agencies have stopped using them, including the Army and the U.S. Customs Service. Others, however, are still requiring them.
According to The Office of Personnel Management KSAs will soon be a thing of the past. The Obama administration has asked agencies to stop requiring the time-consuming essays and instead accept a corporate resume. The government form when compared with a corporate resume contains details such as an employer’s name, phone number, address, time at the job, salary, and references for each job. The corporate resume on the other hand is about two pages. The text is written in phrases and may contain a career summary and never reveals salary for each position.
Elimination of KSAs is part of a comprehensive initiative by the Obama administration to overhaul the federal government’s hiring process. Right now, the USAJOBS form filled out on-line is acceptable by all agencies. Go to the USAJOBS site to research and apply for jobs. This format used to be called the “Remix” resume and was updated six months ago. Some agencies will still accept a 171. Depending on the agency you are applying to, once this form is completed on line, you may be transferred to another registry where there is yet another form to fill out during the application process. Paying attention to the closing date and time is also very important. You don’t want to be shuffled from different registries as the window of time disappears as you try to make the application deadline.
For the moment, KSAs (and their equivalent for senior executive positions, the ECQs) are still a reality for the vast majority of federal jobs and they are taken seriously by HR officials. Make sure your answers be error free by using spell check and the help of a friend to proofread for you.
Rely on your resume for information. Your challenge is to insert everything that would be in your normal private-sector resume somewhere in concise and coherent answers to the questions.
As far as KSA’s are concerned you must fill out every question to your fullest ability. Some questions may require research to complete because you may have forgotten the material they refer to. If you don’t have the complete response nailed you may get partial credit. You want to emphasize experiences and examples that support your answer to the question. If you have to repeat information in another KSA rewrite it focusing on other points. Also important is to emphasize recent achievement, degrees, certifications and training.
resumecrafters@yahoo.com
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
The Next Chapter
By Barbara LaBier
Today’s retirees will live longer than other generations and still have working on their minds. For many, a second career will supplement social security and offer opportunities for new areas of self-fulfillment. Many people have told me that finding work different from what they did during 40 years of their lives will add a new dimension to living where they are better able to match their passion with doing something they like.
This attitude is prevalent among retirees who come from successful careers who are seeking opportunities to make more money while finding self-fulfillment through work.
Instead of taking any job after retiring, experts say it is time to focus on a career that brings you some pleasure.
“It has been a voyage of self discovery according to Sam who worked as a salesman and real estate broker for Long and Foster for 30 years. Sam always knew that he enjoyed the teaching and training aspect of his career. When he retired, he soon found that he was bored and broke staying at home playing the stock market. After visiting a career counselor, he learned to evaluate what turned him on about a new career and chose coaching for real estate professionals. Now, Sam teaches strategies for building real estate businesses through career coaching seminars and retreats for professionals looking to build their sales and businesses. He enjoys the travel and participating in retreats and public speaking where he earns thousands of dollars for his advice.
Rob who spent 30 years in the restaurant business as an owner, manager, chef, bartender and server was burned out. He wanted to retire and utilize his skills in the restaurant industry in second career in a job that was easier on this body.
After a few sessions with a career coach he was able to redirect his career skills to a large corporation where he is working in the area of corporate sales in the retail and industrial food services area.
“Sysco was delighted with my skills because I had intimate sales knowledge of purchasing equipment, recipe planning, food services and sales. When I meet new clients in the corporate world, we speak the same lingo, ” Rob said happily.
But what about the folks who retire and feel devalued by the experience? Many people are enraged about loosing their title, job, and income as well as the way they were once defined by society. When they start a new career their seniority is gone, they make mistakes and stumble, they have lost their mentor status, they are reduced to the status of an apprentice. Comparing themselves to a youthful culture is often painful.
Cynthia who is in her middle sixties will be retiring next year. For 35 years she worked in the IT industry as a technical writer and now is getting ready to embark on a second career as a Financial Planner.
“I am very excited about trying something new.” she said. “A career that capitalizes on my love of people, interest in stocks, companies and business and my delight in creating strategies to help others succeed is what I want. ”
But what about failure? For Cynthia her long career filled with ups and downs has made her philosophic.
“During my working life, I developed wisdom about how to fail gracefully and recover. Not everything has to be achieved in a day. My youthful impatience of expecting over- night success has been replaced with an inner confidence, knowledge and an expanded sense of humor. I know that I will be successful given time,” she added.
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