I never thought I would want, need or actually blog… Here I am! The technology we have at our fingertips is certainly amazing and I plan to continue to take advantage of it. I hope the learning curve isn’t too steep!:-)
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Article Title: Fortune 500 Jobs Vol 14
Author Byline: CareerAlley
Author Website: http://careeralley.com
“Status quo, you know, is Latin for ‘the mess we’re in’.” Ronald Reagan
Ah yes, status quo. An interesting study is looking at the Fortune 500 now and the same list two years ago. How many companies are no longer on the list (bankrupt, swallowed, it does not really matter)? But you’re still here and that is all that really matters. But are you still here or here still? Whether you are out of work or ready to move, browsing through the Fortune 500 is a great idea, but you should do your homework on the companies before blindly applying for a job. Such thoughts regarding how is the company doing financially, how do employees view the company, are they a leader in their industry? All of these criteria are as important as the job opportunity. So, we start off today’s post with some links to research and then on to the company links.
Research Companies:
Company Links:
Good luck in your search.
Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.
Article Title: Your Career As a Mystery Shopper
Author Byline: Jessica Miller-Merrell is a recruiter and human resource professional that helps companies leverage social media as a business growth strategy.
Author Website: http://www.blogging4jobs.com
Mystery shopping or secret shopping is a great way to secure outside income and enhance your resume. A mystery shopper is someone who provides normally a retail, restaurant, grocery store, or convenience store establishment an impartial evaluation on their location’s performance regarding customer service, in-stock product, cleanliness, and the customer experience. Sometimes shoppers are asked to visit a location to take pictures of a display or a new grocery freezer for the competition.
Companies who recruit and provide mystery shop services to these retail companies have come under fire because of work at home and get rich quick scams that prey on people who are looking for a quick way to make a buck or are lured into signing up for a program by paying a fee. Reputable mystery shop companies never require a fee. They pay you after you complete a shop. There are a number of resources on the internet that provide how to’s and guidelines for shoppers that are interested in getting paid to shop. The Mystery Shoppers Manual is one such resource. Cathy Stucker’s website provides an online directory of legitimate mystery shopping companies as well as tips and guidelines on how to write shopper reviews and how to actually apply to companies online.
When adding your experience as a mystery shopper to your resume consider doing the following:
* Refrain from using the words Mystery or Secret Shopper. Since people often associate scams with mystery shopping, consider using the title of Service Evaluator, Customer Service Consultant, Marketing Researcher and others.
* Refrain from listing each individual company and shop you completed. Consider choosing a name for your Customer Service Evaluation Company such as “Retail Expressions” or “JMM Consulting.” As a mystery shopper, you will be paid as an independent contractor for the mystery shop company you work for. I recommend listing it on your resume as something like this.
Retail Expressions. Atlanta, GA. Dec 2008-present. Marketing Researcher.
* Have your pitch ready. Be prepared to provide an explanation and articulate your skills as a Marketing Researcher. What did you do, the scope of your projects, and what type of research was involved? A great mystery shopper isn’t just a mystery shopper, they are an important part of the research, marketing, and evaluation process a company goes through when evaluating the level of service a company provides.
* Highlight your writing & evaluation skills. Mystery shoppers have to write detailed evaluations of their visit to the location they were required to shop. Keep examples of your work and be prepared to present them as a writing example to future employers and add to your career portfolio.
Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.
By: Mary E. Sevinsky
Website: www.marysevinsky.wordpress.com
A 53 year old female client, Rhonda, was just offered her dream job. Not too surprising until you hear that the job she was offered was with the FBI. She thought she was wasting her time, she informs: The FBI only hired young (male) college students. 
She had an associate’s degree in administrative science (read secretary) earned 30 years ago and experience in administrative and IT positions. Most recently, she worked in a commission only interior decorating sales position. That is where our work together started.
Initially, she emailed me to explain that due to the unstable economy, she just wasn’t making enough money to earn a living. In short, she assessed her career potential and decided to make a change.
She took inventory of her interests and skills. Rhonda loved being responsible for her own schedule, the interaction with customers, and the creativity involved in targeting appropriate accessories to sell them. The bulk of her IT and much of her clerical experience was with health and medical related companies: Insurance and Case Management.
Rhonda sent me a copy of her resume which had a lot of information, but it was not focused. She was using a chronological template that did nothing to highlight her skills or abilities, let alone interests! After some brief consultations, she decided that she would like to return to a more stable environment, perhaps tapping into her IT skills and Insurance knowledge.
However, she was quick to point out that her computer skills were not up to date. She agreed to brush up on her computer skills on her own as much as possible and would research some classes she might be able to take that would make her more marketable in a short time frame. I was able to tweak her resume somewhat just by presenting 
her major skill areas into a functional resume format. A temporary measure.
Rhonda noted that she did still have her sales job and would continue to work in this capacity until she found something that would bring a more steady income and which she enjoyed. She was fortunate that her home was paid for and her children grown – she had a bit of time to find her focus and work to land a job that she really wanted after accepting jobs that came along from time to time.
At one point during our communications, I came across a pseudo-governmental position related to healthcare that required IT, clerical, and research skills. She became very excited by this prospect and, when she thought about it, realized that the most enjoyable part of all of her jobs had been researching….
Rhonda loved researching issues, betters ways to process and track information, understanding how and why. She put these skills to use learning more about his position and the agency. She fashioned a fine cover letter and even was able to secure references from local politicians, whom she knew. We tweaked her resume to ensure that anyone could immediately see that she was an excellent match for the position.
She continued in her sales position and searched and applied to other positions. Rhonda, followed up with the contact for the pseudo-governmental position. 
Unfortunately, she was never able to get a return call, let alone an invitation for an interview.
Her spirits were dampened. She became increasingly frustrated by the lack of sales she was able to secure in interior decorating. She wasn’t identifying any other opportunities that seemed interesting to her. I suggested a career counseling session to firm up a career plan for her.
She was 52 at the time – she didn’t need a career plan…she needed a job! I didn’t argue with her, but suggested we spend an hour or so discussing her likes, dislikes, short and long term life goals. This, I explained could help us make a career plan that would give her the focus she needed to be successful in her job search.
We met at a restaurant she knew near her beach home. Somewhat skeptical about how I could help, but eager to be helped just the same, she arrived with a notebook and pen in hand. Rhonda was thoughtful, forthcoming, and ready to make a change.
We talked about all the jobs she had held. What did she like about them. Again, the research came up. Computers, of course, she enjoyed working with and people. She liked working autonomously, but was comfortable working in an office at a desk as well. As we talked, something just clicked and a thought struck me: I recommended she consider working as a private detective. 
She stopped and looked at me with her mouth open for just a moment and exclaimed that she had considered this in the past and even been offered a position with an acquaintance to work as a private investigator for insurance claims. However, her husband had just died and she had two boys to raise. A part time job in an untested field would not work for her.
Although she loved the idea of this type of work at the time, she accepted a position in a much more conventional role as an administrative assistant. It wasn’t bad, she explained.
She was promoted from her clerical position to an IT position when she showed an aptitude for this. She had spring boarded from that to eventually work as a supervisor in IT until the death of a relative lead her to leave that to take over the family business selling interior decorating accessories.
A big smile spread over her face. Working as a private detective! She had worked for years in a career path that fate had handed her. My client had not given any thought to what she might like to do and/or how to obtain a job she liked.
She became very animated. She had been taking notes the whole time she talked and looked at much of what she wrote and thought about this revelation and asked if I would help her find a job as a private investigator.
It just so happened that due to my experience in the Workers’ Compensation industry I did have contacts with several agencies to whom to refer her. We planned how to change her resume even further to make her more attractive to this specific job target.
We discussed social networking and various websites that she could use as a resource:
She was able to secure several interviews with my contacts (some of whom were not hiring at that time) and some with her own research. She was well received and thought she might be offered a position in the spring, when some of the companies indicated they would be actively hiring.
My client continued her job search as she still didn’t have a bird in her hand. She came across an ad for the FBI that intrigued her. She read and reread it and went to the library to check out a few books about the FBI. She surfed the internet and learned everything she could while she worked on her application.
Rhonda called me while she was finalizing her application and laughed when she told me she couldn’t believe it: She was going to apply for an analyst position for the FBI – it sounded perfect! But, she had concerns.
They stated they wanted to hire someone with a bachelor’s degree and she went on to note that they hired college kids and, she believed, probably mainly male college students. By now she had turned 53. She had no business applying for the FBI. Was she nuts, she questioned?
I counseled that the federal positions most often considered experience in lieu of education in a formulaic manner and that, no, they did not only hire young people straight out of college. If she was interested in the position and felt that she was able to present the knowledge, skills, and abilities they were looking for then she should apply. What did she have to lose?
She was called for an interview not long after submitting her application and continued to research her new potential employer. Rhonda reported that the interview was brutal – several people in suits with serious faces grilled her in an empty white “interview” room. Although she was nervous, she reported she felt confident and that she had done well.
Rhonda was calling to let me know that I was the first person she was calling to let know she was OFFERED the position with the FBI. She was ecstatic and incredulous. Needless to say, it made my day, week, and maybe month.
It is very encouraging to see people that not only are able to find employment, but able to secure positions that they would have never considered a few short months ago and in which they will find happiness. As adults, we spend a large part of our lives working – why not plan to enjoy it?
Read more articles:
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Author Byline: CareerAlley
Author Website: http://careeralley.com
“If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses.” – Henry Ford
The perfect job. I’m sure you’ve been asked “What would be your perfect job?”. And, you probably have an answer (and if you don’t, you should). I’ve been asked that by recruiters and career counselors many times over my career and the answer has changed as I’ve learned about opportunities I never knew existed. So what I’m trying to say is that we don’t always know what we want because we don’t always know what’s out there. Job discovery is an important part of the career planning process and you should have an open mind when considering opportunities. So do you want that faster horse or the car you didn’t know existed?
Where to find Recruiters:
Financial Services Recruiters:
Good luck in your search.
Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.
Author Byline: CareerAlley
Author Website: http://careeralley.com
“Begin with the end in mind” – Stephen Covey
If you’ve been looking for a job for any length of time I’m sure you know how time consuming it can be. Filling in endless search boxes and web forms with the same information over and over, checking all of the jobs that come up as a result of the search and them moving to the next site. Before you know it, the day is gone with not much to show. There are a number of things you can do to fast track some of the repetitive tasks both from the “filling in the blanks” part of the process to the search process.
Automate your Job Search:
Job Search Sites:
Good luck in your search.
Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.
RT @Flipbooks: “You have to think anyway, so why not think big?” ~Donald Trump #quotes ^ms
RT @betterjobsearch: You must be the change you want to see in the world.
Mahatma Gandhi ^ms
Author Byline: Resume Template
Author Website: Resume Builder Template
Research done by the Career Center in 2009 has shown that 60 per cent of job openings in the U.S. are filled not through advertising and recruiter companies but through word-of-mouth or networking. And that is quite understandable: to hire someone via recommendation is both much safer for employers, as they have a reliable reference, and easier, as they save considerable effort in advertising the position and sorting through all the resumes and phone calls. That is why it is essential for job seekers to cultivate an arsenal of contacts or a network which can provide support, information and job leads.
10 Steps To Create Your Career Network
1. A clear idea of what you want
First, you should think of your strengths and weaknesses, type of job you want to get and types of organizations and industries you are interested in. A clear picture of what you are willing makes job search process much easier.
2. Develop your network
Contact anyone you know: family friends, relatives, alumni from your university, professors, former employers, past and present co-workers, colleagues from professional organizations and even your hairdresser and physician (who through their work have contact to lots of different people). Don’t hesitate to network someone who isn’t directly connected to your goal: this new contact can have relevant friends. Expand the horizon by going out to a holiday gathering or any other party and in a friendly conversation mention that you’re seeking employment. Or you can go to a conference or an association meeting to exchange business cards. Check your university website for career assistance. Always be ready to make a contact, stay open and approachable, you may never know who can be helpful when. Remember that the more distant members of peoples’ networks are often the best source of new job leads.
3. Get prepared
When you talk to a contact you do not usually have time to tell your whole work history, instead there are about 30 seconds to communicate who you are and what benefits your expertise can bring to the company. So make a list of your strong points and accomplishments and practice it until it comes naturally. Then make it easy for your contact and explain what you exactly want: what job you are looking for, ask if your contact knows anyone in that field – if yes, get names and numbers of these people and do not forget to ask permission to use the name of your contact when you introduce yourself to them. There is another way of finding out about job leads – ask your contact for advice and career tips. When somebody offers valuable insight from his or her personal experience, he or she feels important and respected. And everyone wants to feel like an expert.
4. Get organized
Create a database of your contacts to put down who is who, where they work and how to get in touch. You can also add important details of your conversation not to miss anything.
5. Stay in touch
It is crucially important to communicate with your network not only when you have just lost your job but on a regular basis: phone calls, emails, holiday greetings. Do not be afraid to express your current needs to your network in order for them to be able to help you.
6. Informational interviews
Informational interviews differ from traditional job interviews because they have the aim of gaining more information about an occupation and industry and not getting a job. During an informational interview you can talk to people who are currently in the occupation and get an intimate inside view of a job field. You can discuss specific features of the job and how they match up with your own feelings and likings. Such informational interviews can also help you feel more confident during a job interview.
7. Follow up with your network
To maintain relations with your contacts it is absolutely necessary to write a thank you note after meeting with them. Tell your contact how much he or she helped you, mention a particular advice that was especially useful. Remember that everyone likes to feel appreciated.
8. Use the web
There are lots of chat rooms, web forums, mailing lists and social networking sites like LinkedIn which if used properly can help you out. Who to connect with? Browse postings and find someone who is well informed about the topic being discussed, note their e-mail address and look for signature information – what organization they work and in what position. Then contact the person directly and be laconic: identify who you are, point out why you’re contacting this person, mention some of your interests and how they correlate with his or her interests. But do not make one big mistake – do not send this person a copy of your resume! It will spoil everything because while you’re making contact and networking first let your relationships build.
As you can see networking is a little like developing a campaign where a clear picture of what you want and a proper organization of the process are absolutely essential. Remember, it is in your hands, good luck to you!
Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.
Two clients back to work in one week! Both over 50 – my female client made an extreme career change from sales to the FBI (her dream job!)
Author Byline: Christina Archer is a Career Agent, author, expert resume writer and presenter.
Author Website: http://www.I-CareerSearch.com
You’ve been applying for various positions in your field for a number of months, and finally have received the call to schedule an interview. Are you ready for an Academy Award winning performance?
Top candidates understand the importance of preparation. They realize it can take hours of practice to answer an interview question with the level of confidence and professionalism an employer expects of their next hire. Keep in mind, your interviewer is not looking for “canned” responses, but they do want answers that illustrate your value as a potential employee.
Let’s take a look at the top five tips every job seeker should consider, to ensure they’re ready for ACTION!
1. Review a list of most commonly asked interview questions by clicking here – http://wp.me/pL3D6-2t.
Print out the list, and write down your answers. Know in advance how you will answer each question on the list. After you’ve finished, review your answers, and tweak as necessary. Practice, practice, practice!
2. Visit the employer’s website and read, read, read.
Take notes while on the site, and create a list of ten questions you can direct to the interviewer – specifically about the company. For instance, let’s say the organization just donated one-million dollars towards the Haiti relief effort. What a fantastic opportunity for you to weave this in to your conversation during the meeting! If you’re not utilizing this resource to prepare for your appointments – you’re really missing the boat.
3. Know who you’ll be speaking with, and always address them by name when you first meet.
Remember the old saying – “first impressions are lasting.” When you look a hiring manager in the eye, have a firm handshake, and refer to them by their name, you’re off to a good start.
4. Dress to impress.
We’ve all heard it before, and it seems very common sense. The problem is, we all have a very different sense of style and fashion. In the world of job search, business suits are king. Whether you’re applying for an entry level job or as CEO, you won’t be dressed inappropriately if you’re in a suit.
5. Look the interviewer in the eye.
Many people avoid eye contact, because they have personal insecurities. They may feel intimidated, outside their comfort zone, or simply lack confidence for the interview. When you look the hiring manager in the eye, you appear professional, confident, and focused. What you actually feel on the inside at that very moment – they’ll never know.
The secret to having an award winning interview is being prepared for the unknown. Research the company, practice all possible questions, and dress like you’re the boss! Follow these simple tips, and it won’t be long before you hear…..”and the next job goes to, YOU!”
Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.
Thanks for RT @CareerAdvMoney: CAREEREALISM: 9 Reasons You Need a Résumé (Even If You Have a Job): http://bit.ly/295CS1 (by @MarySevinsky)
A long time friend was laid off unexpectedly – she was given no notice and turned in her company computer and phone on the spot. Nothing against her employer (business is business), but she was left ill-prepared, to say the least.
“I have a few cards,” she told me in a flat monotone. “I am eerily calm.” Of course, I offered my commiseration and any help in the way of a resume and contacts. However, I was absolutely floored when I heard the next words out of her mouth, I never saw this coming.
Article Title: How To Get Your Agents’ Buy In
Author Byline: By Tinnie Rasco
Author Website: http://www.whatdoyouwantfromthem.com/
Do you often find it so hard to convince your agents to follow simple house rules like: not going on over breaks, not wearing flip flops on the production floor, not chatting with their seatmates while they are on a call? Do you always have to remind them about these house rules during your pre or post shift huddles? And then you end up writing them up for violating these rules?
If your answer is yes, my guess is that you failed to get your agents’ buy-in when it comes to following house rules. So how do we make them follow these rules?
For you to effectively convince your people to follow certain house rules, you don’t stop at just telling them to follow it just because it’s a company or an account policy. The key to convincing people to do something is to explain why they have to do it.
An example of a simple house rule is to not go on over break. You need to be able to explain to your agents why this rule is important. You can either give an analogy or a situation wherein they have to wait in line for a long time. So what’s the connection?
In a call center industry, there’s this one metric we call Service Level. Service Level is defined as having the right amount of people to answer a certain amount of calls on a specific period of time. So what happens if we do not have the right amount of people at a certain period of time because one or two agents went on over break? Customers would have to wait on the line for God knows how long. And when they wait for more than 5 minutes, don’t be surprised to get an irate customer. That’s the connection.
How to get your agents buy-in? Simple, make them think like a customer, and you would never have any problems making them want to follow house rules.
Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.
Author Byline: CareerAlley
Author Website: http://careeralley.com
“‘Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?’ ‘That depends a good deal on where you want to get to,’ said the Cat.” – Lewis Carroll, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
I’ve never really been a big believer of networking as the main job search strategy. In fact, for whatever reason, I’ve always felt that “who you know” plays a very small part in landing a job (despite the statistics). But just last week I helped someone I know get a job by referring them. I actually referred three people over the last few weeks (only one got the job so far), so it got me to thinking. Maybe there is something to this “it’s who you know”. For me, out of the way too many jobs I’ve had over the way too many years I’ve worked, only two jobs were as a result of someone I knew. But in my current job, of the six people I’ve hired over the last 10 months, three have been referred in one form or other. 50%! Lower than the statistics would lead you to believe, but still an impressive number. So you know what? I’ve changed my mind. There is something to this “it’s who you know”. So, what better place to start than my Job Search Marketing Toolkit and the Networking post?
Business Social Networks – The Usual Suspects:
Networking – Where to Start:
Other Networking Resources:
Good luck in your search.
Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.
dm @CAREEREALISM Q#437 When relocating, do your research &begin networking as soon as possible! Read more:(@marysevinsky) http://ow.ly/16OiX
dm @CAREEREALISM Q#436 Approach job as if you will be asking for a raise in 90 days- make every 1 count! http://ow.ly/16oOr (@marysevinsky)
For those already working from home or wanting to! RT @CAREEREALISM:14 Tips for Working at Home: http://bit.ly/9IXaMF (by @MarySevinsky)
What questions do you have about #career, #job or #unemployment? Post publicly or email privately mary_sevinsky@hotmail.com (@marysevinsky)
Benefits of Twitter and LinkedIn. Not sure why some people just don’t get it? Use both to keep your job OR move out/up! http://ow.ly/159KJ
RT @Flipbooks: RT @Alyssa_Milano I like this! 50 Ways You Can Create a Better Day http://bit.ly/ddIMon (via @phaoloo) ^ms
