Jobs Finder » career choices

Bubbles and job markets

Mon, 14 Dec 2009 17:09:01 +0000

Ever since the dot com bubbles, the main talk in financial world of are bubbles. When do they start, when are they growing, and most importantly, people want to know when they are bursting. What does this have to do with the job market? When a bubble is growing, there are more opportunities in the job market in that area. The problem with a bubble is that it is temporary. When it bursts, your job is likely to become toast too.

Paying attention to the marketplace is important in strategizing your career. You want to be able to have a job when you graduate or keep a job when a bubble bursts. Knowing which industries are strong and which are potentially failing, is a great way to navigate today's chaotic career paths. Without this type of attention to the business environment, you may find yourself constantly fighting the forces around you, rather than using them to propel you into areas that you find pleasant and profitable.

Jobs Related Posts

A bad review is a bad sign

Tue, 08 Dec 2009 17:09:01 +0000

After years of glowing reviews, you suddenly get a bad review. What does this mean to your plans of career growth? When you first get a bad review, be careful to isolate the causes of the review. It can be a big warning sign that your company is getting ready to lay you off. Don't ever ignore a bad review, instead, be proactive about your career.

Make sure you have your career research done to know where you can go to look for another job. Have your resume, cover letters, and references ready in the event of a forced move. Above all, do not burn your bridges with those people who will be your references. They may be the people throwing you a lifesaver should your job become jeopardized. Don't take things like this personally. Often, businesses look to remove employees and leave them with no grounds for a law suit by giving them a bad review before they are lead out the door.

Jobs Related Posts

Do you think you are facing age discrimination?

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:09:01 +0000

Age discrimination is when an employer seeks to discriminate against older workers or does not hire them to begin with. Age discrimination is very difficult to prove. Many employers seek younger workers because they will be in the workforce longer and because they think they are more adaptable. However, the generation Xers are quite wise to these tactics and are often the most proactive of career specialists. They manage their careers as if they were going to be laid off tomorrow because they've seen how their parents got treated in the workplace. So, despite their young age, they will only adapt for as long as it works for them and then they are off to greener pastures.

Unless an employer asks you how old you are in an interview, age discrimination is very hard to prove. Your best bet is to make your resume appear younger by reducing dates and making it a functional resume listing your achievements by categories. This will give your employer the chance to gauge your skills and not your age.

Jobs Related Posts

When to ask about benefits

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 16:09:01 +0000

If you are looking to get into a job to help you with your career path, than the benefits may not be the first thing on your mind. However, the benefits can add a large incentive to take one job over another, if they are both equal in job training. You don't want to appear too eager to talk benefits to an employer, as if that is all you see in their job. Instead, you can research the benefits online on the company website before you interview. Then, wait until after an offer is made to compare benefits to see if they are right for you.

Some of the benefits that make a good employment package are: health insurance, retirement funds matching, flex benefits for dependents and health issues, and tuition reimbursement. If any of these items can help you in managing your career objectives, then don't forget to weigh them when you are making a final decision.

Jobs Related Posts

The great new online frontier for jobs

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 09:09:02 +0000

Online recruiting has exploded in the last decade and with good reason. Not only have job posters and job seekers turned to the web and as an efficient portal to connect with each other, but also, doing this online presents a more dynamic and current time framework. Job posters can post and modify job descriptions in real-time. And job seekers can apply or retract their resumes at will. Furthermore, there are numerous job-related websites that allow one to upload their resume and have that be distributed to hiring managers across the industry they are in, thereby allowing one to search as actively or passively as they want for job openings while having one's resume reach the desks of exponentially more employers than paper-based searches. In searching for a job through online channels however, a job seeker may want to take several precautions if they desire to be discreet, especially if they are seeking to jump ship from their current company. It is advisable to not conduct online job searches from one's own office computer, especially if you know your company monitors its employee's online activities. And further, it is advisable for the seeker to use a discreet online e-mail account rather than a company e-mail account to keep the job search private. Simple steps like these can prevent any prickly situations with one's supervisor from arising!

Jobs Related Posts

Typos in your resume

Sun, 25 Oct 2009 09:09:01 +0000

One of the biggest turn-offs for a hiring manager is to spot a typo in the resume. If you have not had your resume officially reviewed by a professional, you really should do so. After taking the time to research companies, write a cover letter, and forward your resume to a contact in that company, you don't want to blow it with one single misspelled word.

In order to get a professional image across, you have to ensure that what a hiring manager sees first is your impeccable grammar and spelling. Otherwise, you probably won't even make it the pool of candidates who are asked to interview. Keep this rule in mind even when you are sending thank you notes or drafting a cover letter. Always put your best foot forward in paper to give you the best chances of securing an interview.

Jobs Related Posts

Moving out of a job you don't like

Sat, 17 Oct 2009 06:09:02 +0000

If you don't like the job you are doing anymore, you can rest assured that you are not alone. Given the two to four times an average worker today is slated to switch careers altogether, you are in very good company when it comes to itching for a change of employment. But before you fire up the word processor and print out your resignation letter, consider taking a step-by-step approach to evaluating your job – and career – options so that you can make your work transition as smooth as possible. First, determine where you are in your current job, which includes evaluating how far you have come and whether there are any job advancements available on the horizon for you. As you do this, you may begin to notice whether you are just looking to move out of your current position into a newer and better one, or whether you want to leave your firm and even your career. Perhaps there is another company you can join that is promising higher compensation and better overall benefits. Or perhaps you have just simply lost interest in your field and want to pursue something new altogether. Instead of middle management, maybe you want to teach or create for example. Once you have determined the way you want to go, you can further determine if you need to educate yourself for a new position or a new career, and begin to network with others to get your name on candidate shortlists for new jobs. As with all changes, taking well-planned steps will ultimately go a long way in getting you where you want to be.

Jobs Related Posts

Optimizing transferable skills

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 01:09:02 +0000

Transferable skills are skills that were used in one industry that can be applied to another industry. Many "soft" skills are transferable. These are the skills that are not hard technical skills, but more soft people skills. They can include your ability to facilitate large projects, manage people, or even just organize a company function. Speaking a different language is a soft skill that may not be used in your present company, but can be highly transferable to another company.

Seek to optimize all your skills, broadening your soft skills while fine tuning your technical skills. It can help you transfer out of one industry that is experience an economic dip to one that is booming. A good example of this is a realtor who was selling houses in California. By 2007, the market there had crashed and few realtors are able to sell. There are some, however, who transferred their knowledge of real estate into foreclosures and they are still employed and making money. This is one way to be flexible and to use everything you know to keep your income streams alive, even in a dead market.

Jobs Related Posts

The headhunter and the chase

Tue, 08 Sep 2009 23:09:02 +0000

When it comes to executive recruitment, many companies these days employ the use of executive search consultants, also known as headhunters or simply recruiters. These consultants are working with the company to identify and recruit (hire) capable executives who fit a very particular profile. For an executive looking to make a change, working with a recruiter can be advantageous. However it is important to bear in mind that it is best to let the recruiter call you rather than you calling them because of the specificity of the positions that the recruiters are looking to fill. In addition, the executive recruitment process is very time consuming for the recruiters themselves, with the recruiters not only interfacing with potential candidates and company heads, but also constantly working on keeping their own databases of openings and candidates afresh, and working with companies and newly hired candidates on compensation offers and job transitions. In the midst of all this juggling, the best advice for an executive is to first get listed in a recruiter's (or recruiters') databases typically by contacting an executive search firm's research department. And then, when contacted by a recruiter, articulating clearly your experience and your management visions and your values. In the end, working with a recruiter can help you become more aware of how you want to refine your executive career, while also opening up many more choices of positions available on both national and international scales.

Jobs Related Posts

Only you can manage your career

Thu, 13 Aug 2009 17:09:02 +0000

The dynamic nature of today's workplace means that it is imperative for an individual to be in charge of their own career. career management used to be an endeavor that only the top management used to need to do. But working in today's global workplace means that everyone needs to be assessing the trajectory and scope of their careers to ensure their competitiveness and employability.If you have languished in a technical position for several years too many, you can be in danger of being let go due to lack of advancement in your technical expertise alone. Decide to take stock of the situation by assessing the direction you want to change in terms of a career and started applying elsewhere. In short order you can get some skills in other industries, if that is what you are seeking. Similarly, for anyone in today's workforce, managing one's career is like managing all other aspects of one's life such as personal finances, personal relationships, personal health and more. The watchword is vigilance, which means taking stock of where you stand not just in relation to your company, but perhaps more so you career as a whole, so that you don't start stalling in key areas and paying heavy fines down the road as a result of personal neglect.