Blog Title: BullseyeResumes.com

A Bad Workplace Habit to Nip in the Bud this Year

Like fire on a dry California hillside during the Santa Ana winds, office rumors can spread really quickly.

I just got off the phone with a friend who was a little disgusted by a co-worker who had called her at home - on a Sunday, no less - to share information about what was rumored to take place at the office this next week. I am thinking that my friend's office will be like many others this year, where employment fears and economic anxiety support an active rumor mill.

You have probably already guessed the one bad workplace habit we really should try and nip in the bud this year - Rumor Mongering. You never know, it could be your career that gets burned.

Let's face it, who doesn't enjoy a good water cooler conversation from time to time? It breaks up the day and takes us away from our desks, even for a few minutes. However, when the water cooler conversation moves away from what happened on "The Office", your favorite "Dancing with the Stars" contestant or what “Jack Bauer” will be up to on Fox’s 24, it is time to for you to step away.

I am not suggesting that there is not value in the company rumor mill. On the contrary, it is one way to stay tuned to what is happening in your company, especially in an unstable economy.

However, when the rumors get personal and fellow employees begin to discuss other employees or bosses negatively, it is really time to step away. There are toxic people in organizations who would love nothing more than to drag you into their own web as a partner in crime. You know these people. They are always happy to say what they heard or saw and they are not afraid to drop names about who else knows and what someone else said. They are always happy to be the one who lets you in on the “secret” everyone else knows but you. Make no mistake about it, your name will be the first on his/her lips as they share the story with the next willing listener. They may even embellish what you said or didn’t say.

Here are my five "Be's" for the new year as it relates to workplace rumor mongering:

1. Be careful...about your sources and what you repeat.
2. Be elusive...and avoid being alone with people who always want to snare others into their, "Did you hear about..." trap.
3. Be selective...about what you believe.
4. Be honest...and let people know that you would really prefer to just not talk about other people.
5. Be adept...at changing the conversation.

Be Aware of Work From Home Online Scams

Times are tough and many people are unemployed and looking to find new opportunities. Many anxious people are turning to the internet to help with their job search.

Job seekers using the internet to apply for new positions should be really cautious about applying for work-from-home opportunities. Job seekers should know that hard times do not hinder, but in some cases, encourage those who indulge in fraudulent practices.

MSNBC is reporting that the FBI has seen an increase in the number of complaints from the public about being scammed by websites offering fraudulent "work-from-home" opportunities.

If there is ever a time for the buyer to beware, it would be now. Job seekers are urged to do the necessary research and make sure they are not throwing out their good money after bad.

A few points to keep in mind:
-Beware of websites offering work at home opportunities for a fee.
-Don't just believe the hype you read; research the organization in other places online.
-Check with the Better Business Bureau
-Get personal referrals from others
-If you can't get information without paying, avoid that company
-Make sure the compensation is in line with what salary surveys or the Bureau of Labor Statistics report

Bottom line is - if it seems too good to be true, it probably very well is!

Happy New Year in 2009 - Year of the Ox

Wishing you and all the people you care about the very best of 2009!

6 Surefire Ways to Recession-Proof Your Career

Recession fears continue to shake some workers' confidence about their current jobs. Here are some tips to help you “recession proof” your job.

§ Take a class at a local college or university and get serious about some additional training. Experts widely believe we are living in a "knowledge economy". The more committed you are to lifelong learning and training, the more recession proof your career will be. Education is very accessible today via online programs, onsite training and flexible weekend programs.

§ Keep meeting targets and objectives at work. Find ways to do more with less, work as efficiently as possible and look for ways to help your company save money and increase productivity. Keep your "Kudos File" current. This is where you keep all the compliments you have received on your work. It will help you quickly update and disseminate your resume if needed.

§ Join a professional association and become involved with other people in the same career. Maintain your contacts or connect with people you may not have talked with in a little while. Keep in mind that you are not connecting to ask for information or help, but to bring support and value if you can.

§ Volunteer for tasks outside your job description but don’t neglect your responsibilities. Become the "go to" person on the job without taking on everyone’s projects. If your company has already had job cuts, you may pick up additional assignments outside of your regular duties. These extra assignments could be a way to gain new skills. However, you do not want to take on more than your bandwidth can handle. Although you do want to be seen as a team player, you don’t want your own projects and assignments to suffer.

§ Do environmental scans both inside and outside of your organization. Pay attention to the marketplace. Don’t just watch the stock market. Stay abreast of what is happening with your company's key customers and suppliers. If your company’s suppliers and customers are having a hard time, your company may very well be facing the same issues.

§ Consider other ways to use your skills and make money part time. Do you have skills that are in demand? You might be able to earn some additional income? Imagine for example you work in a medical billing capacity for a large hospital, could you possibly take on additional medical billing work for smaller independent medical offices? Not only does this help you build a network of other potential employers who have sampled your work, it could actually lead to starting your own business.

Dumbest Business (Career) Moments in 2008

Just read Fortune Magazine's 21 Dumbest Moments in Business 2008. It seemed to me that we could easily reword the title as the "21 Dumbest Career Moves in 2008". Why? Because every one of those so called dumb moments in business, probably ruined someone's career or at least caused a lot of career embarrassment.

We have all made mistakes at work, I am sure. I can't imagine how I would feel, if one of my blunders made Fortune Magazine. I don't think any were as significant as the list here, but nevertheless, I know some people had some sleepless nights over many of these.

Case in point is the # 1 in the list - The CEO's of the big three automakers arriving in Washington DC in three separate private jets to beg the American taxpayer for a loan. As Fortune says, "Like someone arriving at a food bank in a limousine, the chief executives of the three major U.S. automakers spark outrage when they fly their corporate jets to Washington D.C. to beg Congress for a multi-billion dollar bailout".

Talk about a public relations blunder. Do you think anyone lost a job over that oversight?

To make amends for the error, the three CEOs decided that for their next visit, they would take a road trip to DC in hybrids. This was blunder #2 on the list.

Why wasn't that any better? If flying in on a corporate jet was an over sight, driving 10 hours to DC appeared to be over kill. Funniest part of that story is that the car driven by the Chrysler CEO, The Aspen Hybrid, will soon be discontinued. Someone was overthinking on that one for sure.

My other favorite is the CEO of Countrywide Bank, Angelo Mozilo, responding to an email and hitting "Reply All" rather than "Forward". He meant to forward the email to a colleague and instead replies, speaking ill of the home owner/customer who had sent him the email. The poor customer was actually emailing Mozilo, as the CEO of the company to get help with his home loan.

Of course, I don't think Mozilo lost his job over that one. Countrywide had bigger problems. Imagine if that had been another employee of Countrywide. I am thinking that email may have been their last.

Read the entire list here. The one about Steve Jobs from Apple was particularly interesting. If you love politics, both John McCain and President Elect Barack Obama get their props for dumb business moments also in 2008.

If I could pick, I would add Plaxico Burress shooting himself in the career as another major career blunder for 2008 also.

Three Weeks Without My Computer

If it were not for a really great Christmas holiday with my family, the last few weeks would have been horrible. Why? My computer died.

Many of my regular readers already know that my work computer became infected with a nasty virus. No one really knows the source of the virus, but the most probable source was from an infected downloaded. Since I write resumes, it is not unusual for me to receive several documents as attachments. Based on the consultants at McAfee, whatever it was, it had attached itself to my operating system. Several attempts to scan and rid the computer of these pests all failed. I finally had to get a new computer in place this past week.

Our home, at last count, has 6 computers, including mine that died. Had I replaced my laptop, which my teenager destroyed with a spill last year, I wouldn't have had to attempt sharing computers with family.

My husband uses four computers - 2 MAC's and 2 PC's, all for work. I felt lost and confused trying to use the one to which I was assigned. His mouse is set to use the right and left clicks contrary to how most people use theirs and his computers are password heavy and applications light. Sharing time with the kids on their computer was just not happening.

It is amazing how one gets used to working in a particular posture and location. The chair is different, the view from the window is different and the inspirational photos I keep around me are absent.

It's good to be back!

Reading, Riting, Rithmatic and Now..Ringtones? Classes via Blackberry?

In an attempt to make education even more accessible, The Louisiana Community and Technical College System this month introduced its innovative LCTCSOnline. The system is being promoted as one of the first education systems to offer college courses on a cellular device.

"Anytime, anywhere, no matter where you live in Louisiana, you'll have access to higher education," said LCTCS President, Joe May.

Effective January 5, 2009, LCTCS will offer 21 primarily education and business courses via cell phones at a cost of $63 per credit.

Here's more from the Shreveport Times:

The program was funded with a $500,000 grant from the Louisiana Board of Regents and developed in only nine months with the help of Pearson Custom Solutions, which designed the technology and the courses; AT&T, which worked out the cellular transferability, and the Public Service Commission.

"We placed our money wisely," said Sally Clausen, commissioner of higher education.

"Our investment will pay dividends."

About 800,000 students across the U.S. are enrolled in online courses, Clausen said, but "Louisiana is the first to offer them on a cell phone. I'm proud to be a part of it."

Plaxico Burress Shoots Himself in the Career

Any of us who have worked with new professionals to help them start and manage careers, can’t help but wince every time we see another promising professional sabotage their own career.

In this case it is Plaxico Burress.

You don’t have to be a huge football fan, I sure am not, to know his name. It has that ring to it. That sound that affixes it to your brain the first time you hear it.

The latest news is that Plaxico Burress has being arrested on weapons charges because he allegedly shot himself in the thigh? If that news wasn't bad enough, it seems the incident took place in a nightclub. Who, except someone with bad judgement, goes into a nightclub with a gun?

This is just the latest in a string of news about poor judgment from athletes who seem bent on destroying their own careers.

Of course this destructive behavior is not just limited to just athletes. Although not everyone takes a gun into a nightclub with them, others make bad choices as well.

Remember Denning McTague? The intern who tried to sell historical documents he stole from the US Constitution Center on eBay?

Without getting into the psychology of why some people might be predisposed to harm themselves professionally, there may be some things that professionals can do to avoid shooting themselves in the career.

- Find a mentor whose behavior you can model and whose judgment you trust.
- Stay grounded. It is really exciting to be in the limelight or even just be the new superstar at work. However, keep your focus on a long term career and think through the excitement.
- Ask for help. Be honest with yourself and ask for help if you feel things are slipping out of your control.

Laid Off Workers Take Over the Factory

To use a famous quote from an Oscar winning movie in 1976, Network, the employees at a Chicago manufacturing company seemed to be saying, "We are mad as hell and not going to take it any more!"

About 200 employees, very upset about lost vacation pay, disappearing medical insurance and lack of severance pay, have staged a "sit-in", at the factory where they worked. The company failed to give the 60 days notice that is required by law before shutting down and instead only told workers 3 days before closing the doors.

Workers were also angered by the fact that the management team did not show up for a meeting scheduled for this past Friday.

It appears that monthly sales for the company, Republic Windows and Doors had fallen from $4Million to $2.9Million during the last month.

Although not a popular practice here in the United States since the 1930’s, a little bit of internet research showed that it is not uncommon in other countries for workers to “take over” companies.

Case in point, a few weeks ago, Vivex, makers of windscreens for cars, was taken over by 360 workers in Venezuela because of the non-payment of the "utilidades" or profit bonus. Workers are demanding that the government nationalize the company and look at the books to verify company losses.

Thank heavens there are no such chants, yet, for the government to take over companies like Republic Windows and Doors. However, one has to wonder what is to come. Have we set a bad precedence for choosing to bail out some companies and not help others? If Congress chooses to support Ford, GM and Chrysler with a $17B bridge loan, who will be next in line?

Who is going to bail out the millions of small businesses that may have to close their doors?

Employees need to really stay focused on their work evironment and scan the horizon for possible changes that may impact them.

Jobs.com Australia - Men are at Work Down Under

If you read my blog regularly you know I understand and respect we live in a global economy. I sometimes will showcase career and job search resources that I discover, regardless of where they are.

Well, here is another one for you - Jobs.com Australia!

Their website is a treasure trove of information and resources for a job seeker who might want the information advantage in the job search.

Certainly, before making any decisions to work or study abroad, you might want to do some research on visa requirements at the US Department of State.

Are People Happier With Their Own Jobs During a Recession?

It would appear so.
At the same time that Gallup polls say 82% of Americans think this is a bad time to be looking for work, 91% of people in another survey are saying how satisfied they are with their own jobs. Does that surprise anyone?

Here is what Gallup says, “At a time when Americans' ratings of the country and of the nation's economy are near record lows, the percentage of U.S. workers feeling "completely satisfied" with their jobs -- now 48% -- is at the high end of the range seen in the past eight years”.

Add that to the other 42% of workers in the US say they were “somewhat satisfied” with their jobs and you are left with only about 9% sharing that they were dissatisfied to any degree with their current jobs.

It makes sense to me that as the job market becomes tighter and layoffs increase, people are more prone to reshaping their perspectives of their own jobs and looking at their work in a different way.

I think it is at times like this that the “glass is half full” principle takes over. Instead of thinking about their own career dissatisfaction at work, people begin to be more grateful about being able to work or having a job. A bad economy will make our own career issues seem not so bad.

I conduct a Career Makeover workshop every quarter for staff in a midsized company. My audience last week was smaller than they have been for the last 4 years. A quick poll of the group found, not surprisingly, that these working people were pretty satisfied with their own work. None were anxious to make any career changes, but thinking more long term.

In fact the audience for that session was much more optimistic about opportunities in their own company. They were much more willing to look for opportunities to build careers inside of the company rather than think about jumping ship.
It made me think about how bad it must be for the 9% who were "somewhat dissatisfied."

It just goes to show that so much of our care with our jobs and our careers is really in how we think about the situation. When we reframe our perspective on work and employment, we can probably become happier with our own jobs.

Reminds me of the old saying which internet research attributes to the Italians, “I felt sorry I had no shoes until I met a man with no feet.”

Job Interviews Show Lack of Preparation

I was on a team of interviewers recruiting a new director to execute a rather extensive job description.

The process to select the job interview candidates was pretty straight forward. The search team scored resumes of job applicants and selected the candidates with the highest scores for job interviews.

One observation from this round of job interviews is that too many job seekers, regardless of the level of the position, are just not well prepared to sell transferable skills.

After watching more than a few candidates squirm under the pressure, I thought I could offer these five tips to help job seekers prepare to sell transferable skills in the job interview.

1. Read the job descriptions carefully. Read it several times to become familiar with the skills that the company wants.
2. Know what knowledge, skills and abilities you have to offer to the employer for the specific job in question.
3. Acknowledge the gaps between what the employer wants and what you have to offer. Job seekers, who acknowledge the gaps ahead of time, have an opportunity to correct them. These gaps should not surprise you in the interview.
4. Identify career and experience stories from your background that will allow you to demonstrate how your transferable skills will compensate for direct knowledge.
5. Learn how to tell interesting stories in the interview that will make the interviewers want to engage in conversation with you.

Check out the Happy at Work Manifesto

If you thought only politicians had manifestos you are wrong.

Alexander Kjerulf, author of The Happy at Work Manifesto, says that being happy at work is a choice you make and if you decide to take steps towards happiness, you can be.

The Happy at Work Manifesto lists 25 rules to live by to be happier at work.

Here are number 24 and 25. Download your own copy here.

24: I recognize that power, status symbols, a corner office or even access to the corporate jet won’t make me happy at work. It feels good at first, sure, but the thrill quickly fades and it can never make up for a bad job.

25: Happiness at work comes from the things you and I do here and now.
I will get others involved and I will start now.

November is National Career Development Month!

The theme this year is "Inspire Your Career, Develop Your Dreams". If your current career is getting the better of you, there is no better time than this month to start making some new choices towards achieving career nirvana.

Of course, as we all know, this is a tough time to make the choice to leave your current employer, if you don't have to. If you are unsure where to start you might want to consider the 30 activities I shared with my blog readers last November 2007, one for each day.

Here they are again:
Day 1 - Career Change Requires a Positive Attitude
Day 2 - Analyze Your Job
Day 3 - Evaluate Your Skills
Day 4 - Grab a Career Book
Day 5 - Focus on Training
Day 6 - Start Reading Career Blogs and Articles
Day 7 - Start a Career Journal
Day 8 - Start Working on a Career Portfolio
Day 9 - Get a Handle on Workplace Stress
Day 10 - Join Your Alumni Association
Day 11 - What's in Your Personnel File?
Day 12 - Enhance Technical Skills at Work
Day 13 - Thinking About Starting a Business
Day 14 - Join a Professional Association
Day 15 - Rejuvenate Your Contacts
Day 16 - Volunteer!
Day 17 - Create a Kudos Folder
Day 18 - Research Upcoming Job Fairs
Day 19 - Update Your Resume and CV
Day 20 - Explore Career Assessments
Day 21 - Job+Holiday=Stress; Get Some Perspective this Season
Day 22 - Look for Work Life Balance
Day 23 - Are career Myths Holding you Back?
Day 24 - Share your Resume and get Feedback
Day 25 - Learn About Informational Interviews
Day 26 - Identify 2-3 Career Options
Day 27 - Identify Gaps in Skills and Competencies
Day 28 - Register with 3 Employment Websites
Day 29 - Put Your References on Notices
Day 30 - Spend Time with a Career Coach

Paying it Forward in a Tough Economy!

My husband and I were in line yesterday at a major retailer known for cool cotton attire. It was a pretty long line and we soon found out why. It appears that the store and other affiliates were offering a sale, giving a 30% discount to shoppers who had retrieved a coupon online.

Well, since this store is not on our regular routine, (we were actually in the store next door and thought we would go in), we did not have a coupon. Of course we expected that we would be paying full price or at least the store two-fer sale price.

After a few minutes in line a patron who was exiting the store, having made her purchase, asked who in line did not have a coupon. I spoke up and she gave me hers with the instruction to “Pass it on” since someone had passed it to her. Before the ethics police accost me, I should share that the coupon clearly stated – “for multiple uses by friends and family”.

I think that was pretty nice of her and so I passed it to the person behind me. She was last in line and so as she went on to another cashier, my cashier told her that they would be happy to pass it on to other customers.

Although no one really said it in line, I think I know what people were feeling - the slow economy had caused the scaled down staffing. The line was clearly taking a while since only two cashiers were available to run the entire adult section of the store. The children’s section had two people also and their lines were even longer. Everyone there, I think, was feeling the bad times and so the sharing of the coupon helped to lift spirits and foster conversation.

It made me think about how bad times can really promote unselfish behaviors. If we are all in the same boat, why not help someone else?

So I was thinking, with over a million layoffs and job losses this year so far, chances are you know someone who might be unemployed and looking.

What would it take for you to:
- share some information
- offer a lead on a job
- promise to help someone look out for them
- follow up if and when you hear about an opportunity
- help a jobseeker with someone you know

Chances are – it won’t take much out of you and you could be making someone’s day or a better holiday for doing it.

Paying it forward is not just about job search either - don't let the economy stop you from helping someone if you can. A friend in Florida who is in the Rotary club is still asking for funds to help 5 families with their Thanksgiving. What can you do? If you want to help, let me know and I will send you their address!

Thinking Outside, Around and Under the Box in a Bad Job Market

"People are going to have to be creative and take a broad approach to their (job)search," says Russ Gerson, CEO of Gerson Group. Gerson shared his advice with Sarah Needleman in a recent career article for Career Journal.

Gerson Group is a global recruiting firm with offices in London and New York, specializing in placing employees into alternative investment, asset management, capital markets, equity research, real estate and wealth management jobs. In other words, they place employees into lucrative careers on the trading floors and corner offices on Wall Street.

As job losses on Wall Street add up, Gerson is advising jobseekers to think outside, around and even under the box to secure employment. Already in 2008, the Bureau of Labor Statistics confirms that over 100,000 jobs have been cut in the financial sector, making it the largest sector experiencing job losses, ahead of the auto industry.

As expected, smaller banks are jumping in to pick up the slack in business and are actually doing some hiring. The problem for Wall Street ex-employees is that these jobs are not all in New York. That points to one option job seekers should most definitely consider - relocation.

Other options the pink slip crowd from Wall Street will have to explore? Lower salaries. Many of the smaller boutique financial agencies, cannot handle investment bank sized payrolls.

Other career options suggested in the Needleman article for financial professionals caught in the Wall Street conundrum:

- Financial communications: If you're an experienced financial analyst, you are likely adept at determining what information is appropriate to divulge. Consider a career here.
- Wealth management: Ex- traders should look for opportunities on the buy-side at hedge funds, insurers and investment-management firms where their analytical and quantitative skills would be an asset.
- Risk management: Problem identification and isolation is something that traders always do instinctively and so a career in risk management is a definite option.
This career advice to think about parallel industries and transferable skills is not just for those who have lost jobs on Wall Street, but for anyone whose job may have trickled on right out of the economy.

Source - Where the Jobs Are For Wall Street Pros, by Sarah E. Needleman

30 Career Lessons from Barack Obama's Campaign

As a registered independent voter, I read news from multiple sources. I read an article a few months ago at the Weekly Standard and thought I would save my comments until after the election.

The article was titled - Would You Hire Barack Obama? The Resume of a Chronic Underachiever, by Dean Barnett.

Barnett, a former headhunter for law firms, was reviewing Barack Obama's career and resume. His ultimate conclusion was: "The net effect is this: His accomplishments haven't been commensurate with his talents."

I wondered what Barnett would say now? Having worked in the career management field for a while, I know that there are recruiters with stories of hires who performed well beyond expectations or those hires that were overlooked and underestimated.

Since hindsight is better than 20/20, I thought I would list some of the career lessons I think one could learn from Barack Obama's campaign for the job of United States President.

1. Set personal goals
2. Stay away from those who say “You Can’t”
3. Plan and prepare for the long haul
4. To land a meaningful job, prepare for a really tough interview
5. Keep improving through the job search and beyond
6. Develop a personal board of advisors for support
7. Surround yourself with a diverse group of people with diverse thoughts
8. Develop a backbone. Even successful careers can have disappointments
9. Think around, outside and under the box. The way forward may not necessarily be clear or straight ahead
10. Don't expect your career paths to be logical to everyone looking on
11. Don’t burn your bridges behind you. You may need a reference or two eventually
12. Be mindful of what your associations can say about who you are
13. You don’t need to have all the experience in the job description to apply
14. Job descriptions get rewritten all the time
15. Be open to the fact that you might be underestimated
16. Some people will like you for the job and some will not
17. Some will laugh behind your back when they find out you are applying for a certain job
18. The real work begins after you land the job
19. Know your competition and do not underestimate them
20. Think transferable skills. eg. What skills did I develop as a community organizer or PTA President that could be valuable when changing careers.
21. You may have to say things during an interview to impress your future boss
22. You have to build consensus to move ideas forward
23. Keep track of your accomplishments; no one else is obligated to do that for you
24. You may find people want to hang around you, just because you are successful – not because they care
25. Education and training mean something
26. Hard work and discipline pays off eventually
27. It is not a shame to strategically plan your career
28. Many people are not working in their college majors
29. The more people who support you and your ideas, the more successful you will be
30. You are always preparing for your next career opportunity, regardless of what you are doing.

Did I miss anything? I am sure I did!

Why I Will Be in the Voting Booth on November 4th?

It is hard to know what specific issues people ponder when they enter the voting booth. Which specific issues put them over the top for one candidate or another? It differs for everyone I am sure and even at this last minute, some people are thinking about the future and earnestly trying to make the right decision.
If the predictions are right, the long lines today, will give us a lot of time to think about our vote.

Although I write a career blog, I couldn’t resist the urge to put my thoughts on paper to express why and for whom I am voting today! There are truly career lessons everywhere.

1. My vote today will be for all the women who have struggled for centuries to balance their need to work and to care for families. For women who have been overlooked in the workplace, whose voices are never heard, who do get equal pay for equal work and who were too tired or scared to fight for that. Say what you will about Sarah Palin or Hillary Clinton, these are women with a point of view who have put themselves out there for our scrutiny and sometimes even our ridicule. Whether or not you consider them intellectually equal or competent, they both have shown us it is possible what can happen if you are brave enough to say, “Yes”, when asked.

2. I vote for those who show up every day to perform, even in the face of stereotypes that would seek to diminish them personally. Be they men or women. Barack Obama’s candidacy reaffirms what many of us who are immigrants have always known - that to succeed you don’t just have to be good; you have to be two or three times as good. We know the bar against which we are measured is higher, as it should be. After all, we have to prove we are worthy of being called – “American”. Unfortunately, that same high bar has been used to measure those born here, but still considered different. I vote for those whose ideas were brilliant, but never acknowledged; those who worked hard, but were never applauded and for those who were passed over and overlooked because they were different. I vote today to reinforce, that stereotypes are just barriers to be broken.

3. My vote today is for those of us who are brave enough to reach “across the aisle”, so to speak, to develop and nurture strong relationships with those who might not look like us, but share our values. I vote for all who are willing to take a chance on the goodness of people, knowing that even after all the hard work and the crowds go home, we might still not be good enough, for reasons over which we have no control – be it race, ethnicity, gender, religion, age or sexual orientation.

4. My vote today is for all the 72 year olds, like John McCain, who know that there is still more to give and more to do to keep this country strong. For all those seniors who are still willing to answer the call for greatness, regardless of age. For all those seniors who never get weary or tire, because they feel their mission is a noble one. It is truly inspiring to me that John McCain traversed this great country, visiting up to seven states within 24 hours of the most significant election in US history.

5. My vote today is for all generations past – the uncles, the aunts, the grandparents, the parents who never even dared to dream the possibility, much less experience the reality of an African American or American Woman in the White House. For those who marched, who died and on whose shoulders we stand as we continue to explore this great experiment that is America.

6. My vote today is for my children, a young man of 17 and a young woman of 16, who are too young to vote, but so aware as are many at their age. Both are first generation Americans, Ja-mericans as we call them, meaning those of Jamaican parents born in the US, for whom the options have never been greater. I vote for them so they can continue to live in an America, where being American means something, both inside and outside this country. I vote so that they can see the greatness of America where power is transferred, without bloodshed and without violence as it should in all free societies. I vote to show them, that as Americans, they too will have a responsibility to support this great nation, participate in this democracy and protect the rights of it’s citizens to free expression. All our futures depend on it.

Go vote. The real work begins tomorrow!

With 760000 Job Losses in 2008, Job Fairs are Overcrowded!

Imagine wall to wall anxious job seekers, tired recruiters and thousands of resumes exchanging hands. CNN Money reports that we have already lost 760, 000 jobs in 2008 and so it is no surprise that job fair attendance is clearly up.

If you are looking for work, one immediate way to quickly improve your career and industry awareness is to attend a career fair. Job fairs generally have the same format and layout, cost you nothing but a few hours and give you a really great opportunity to meet hiring managers and network. Some companies may even be doing job interviews and making hiring decisions on the spot.

If you are searching online for job fairs nearby, use different keywords to find upcoming events since the names might vary slightly. Here are a few alternative ways to find a career fairs which could be of interest to you.

Search by:
- Location – eg Philadelphia Career Fair or Valley Forge Career Fair.
- Education or training – eg MBA Career Fair, Technical Job Fair
- Industry – eg. Sales Job Fair, Nonprofit Career Fair, Healthcare Job Fair
- Niche – eg Diversity Job Fair, Disability Job Fair, Veteran Job Fair, Skilled Trades Job Fair

*Don't forget to search for Virtual Job Fairs as well which are completely online events.

Make the most of these crowded events by:
- Registering ahead of time if possible. Many fairs allow you to register and upload a resume before the event. This way recruiters will get a chance to see you early.
- Identifying who you want to see and make those rounds first. Don't waste time in long lines, visit another employer of choice and come back!
- Planning that 30-second introduction. You don't have a lot of time to make a connection, so the better you handle that introduction, and speak of the position you want, the better it will be.
- Attending job fairs alone. Exploring the job fair is not a team sport. Leave your friends at the door and arrange a time to meet after making your rounds.
- Staying off your phone. Why are you there, if you plan to spend to all your time on your laptop or Blackberry?
- Talking to people. Do not just drop your resumes and run! You never know who you could meet at a job fair.

Stop Muddling Through Your Job Search - Get Focused!

I overheard a conversation on the train recently. One jobseeker was explaining to another rider how hard it has been to find a new job. From what I could tell, both were employed, but one was clearly more frustrated with her job than the other. It sounded like the more frustrated of the two was actually looking very hard for a new job. She recounted her experience at a recent job fair where she handed out many resumes to several companies.

When she was asked what kind of job she was looking for, she said, "Anything really."

I am not sure she realized just how much of a negative effect that lack of clarity and focus would have on her job search.

An effective job search strategy must begin with an acknowledgement of what is possible for one's ideal job. I am not talking here about "dream jobs". I am at least talking about knowing the basics like:

- Industry preference - retail? healthcare? education? banking?
- Type of work - administrative? call center? customer service? sales?
- Job skills you want to use - supervisory? training? writing?

I know that job seekers sometimes get desperate in the job search and think that they should expand their options. Many feel that if they limit their needs they are limiting the options. On the contrary, if you have no sense of what you want, you will show no passion in the search and employers will see that.

Muddling through the job search by applying for any and everything rather than focusing on your preferences, can make your search way more frustrating than it has to be.

Think about how much more impressive the job seeker could have been had she said, "I am looking for something in retail, where I can use my customer service skills. I really like training people so something where I get to do that would be important to me also."

The person hearing that information is much more likely to remember you when they come across a potential opportunity for you. Saying you will take "Anything", doesn't demonstrate lot of confidence and makes you forgettable.

Know what you want and stay focused by working towards the outcomes you want.

Should You Be Allowed to Vote? Take This Test

In a perfect world we could have this quick quiz outside the polling station on election day so all who will vote will actually know a thing or two about the issues.

Take the quiz and see if you know the issues well enough to vote!

You Should Be Allowed to Vote

You got 15/15 questions correct. Generally speaking, you're very well informed. If you vote this election, you'll know exactly who (and what) you'll be voting for. You're likely to have strong opinions, and you have the facts to back them up.

Free "Cute" Career Tests from Blogthings.com

I discovered this really cool, fun website - Blogthings - with several quizzes that will help you learn a little about yourself and your career habits. Disclaimer - Not sure we need one, but we need to say that career tests are tools and offer information to provoke your thinking. They do not replace your thoughts and these in particular offer no scientific observations.

Here is a list of career quizzes at Blogthings.

My favorite? What Should You be When You Grow Up. My results are below! I do consider myself an educator and do training. Maybe that counts as teaching? I think so. (;>

1. What Does Your Work Space Say About You?
2. How's Your Attention Span?
3. What Should You Be When You Grow Up?
4. Should You Get a New Job?
5. Are You a Natural Entrepreneur?
6. Is Your Boss Psycho?
7. The Quick and Dirty Career Test
8. Will You Be a Multimillionaire?
9. Do You Have a Type A Personality?
10. Should You Quit Your Job?
11. What Advanced Degree Should You Get?
12. How Machiavellian Are You?
13. What's Your Ideal Career?

You Should Be a Teacher

You are patient, optimistic, and good at explaining things. You work well with all types of people, and you are a good role model. Success and positive outcomes are extremely important to you. You are both a good leader and instructor. People look up to and depend on you. You do best when you: - Can see the results of your work - Are able to teach someone a new skill You would also be a good nurse or non fiction writer.

Is it a Good or Bad Time to Look for Jobs?

In addition to doing daily tracking polls to see the state of the political race is between John McCain and Barack Obama, the Gallup polling organization also looks at how Americans feel about domestic employment issues.

The results? Eighty two percent (82%) of Americans think that now is a bad time to find a quality job. Per an article at Gallup, "Today's 82% of Americans rating now as a bad time to find a quality job far exceeds the 56% and 54% who felt this way in October 2007 and October 2006, respectively."

Although Americans are overwhelmingly pessimistic about the job market, there are job seekers who are still getting interviews and getting offers.

Here are some quick tips for those seeking work in tough times:
1. Be positive. Nothing really happens without positive thinking.

2. Get connected and rejuvenate your contacts. Share information with other people and remember that in networking - "givers gain".

3. Think outside of the box about ways to sell yourself and stand out from the crowd.

4. Volunteer. This might be one of those "out-of-the-box' suggestions, but it works. This is a great month to get involved with "walking for the cure". Who knows who might be walking with you.

5. Be steady. An erratic job search strategy will have you running in many directions and not walking through the job search process in a focused way.

6. Flip the script or switch careers or fields. If you were a victim of the job losses on Wall Street then consider a financial career in a growing sector such as healthcare.

7. Work with recruiters and head hunters.

8. Take a "fill-the-gap" job with the right company, where movement will be possible at a later time.

9. Think about going back to an old company. Hopefully, you left with your good reputation in tact.

10.Ask for help and support. Too many people really try to conduct their job search in a vacuum. Ask people questions and be open to the feedback you receive. Consider using professional services of a resume writer or job interview coach. Remember that in the US, job search expenses are tax deductible.

11. Try to figure out exactly where the job search strategy is falling apart. Is it the resume, the job interview, the follow-up or the access?

If you just need to get funds, there is no shame in going around the corner to get a job if you must. This will at least get you a paycheck relatively quickly.

200 Good Questions Jobseekers May Ask

Workforce Management has published a list of questions that jobseekers can ask an interviewer or hiring manager in a job interview. The questions are categorized based on questions for:

-Headhunters and Recruiters
-HR professionals
-Hiring Managers
-High level probing questions
-Getting feedback
-Closing the deal

Additionally there is a group of questions that the writer suggests that super stars can ask in the job interview. Read the entire list of 200 questions job seekers may ask here.

Second Jobs, Postponing Job Changes and Going Back to School

Expect more of the same for 2008 quarter four, says the latest Career Builder survey of 3000 HR professionals and 6000+ workers nationwide.

Job losses on Wall Street and the ultimate trickle down effects will continue to affect employment rates for the rest of the year. With the September unemployment numbers expected to be higher than the August 6.1%, employees are anxious about the future.

"Employers are maintaining a conservative approach to recruitment as they maneuver through a weaker economy that has produced its share of casualties," said Matt Ferguson, CEO of CareerBuilder.com. Ferguson also shares that IT and Healthcare still show solid job growth even though employers are planning to add fewer workers in quarter four.

Survey highlights:

- 21% of workers who found a new job in 2008, said the job search took four months or longer.
- 5% of employers said their companies required employees to take an unpaid leave of absence in the past six months as a cost-saving measure.
- 9% of workers have taken on second jobs in response to higher prices, food and healthcare. 24% are considering getting a second job.
- 38% of workers are postponing active job search and say will stay with existing company for another year at least.
- 41% plan to stay with their present employers until retirement.
- 34% percent of employers reported they are having a hard time finding qualified candidates in highly-skilled areas.
- 26% of workers plan to go back to school to obtain a degree, certification or other training.

Of those who plan to go back to school, 32 percent want to pursue a bachelor’s degree while 10 percent are going back for their MBA and 12 percent are going back for a master’s degree in another field.

Source - Career Builder Industry Trends Survey, September 2008