The Résumé Guy

More men filing sexual harassment claims

Steve — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 20:05:58 +0000

This is a sign of progress. Men's liberation anyone?

More men filing sexual harassment claims

Percentage of complaints filed by men has doubled over last 20 years

By Sam Hananel

From 1990 to 2009, the percentage of sexual harassment claims filed by men has doubled from 8 percent to 16 percent of all claims, according to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

Women still file the overwhelming majority of sexual harassment claims with the EEOC and state and local agencies. But lawyers at the commission say they've noticed the increase in complaints by men — more than 2,000 were filed in 2009 out of about 12,700 cases.

Male claims made up about 12 percent of all cases a decade ago, but the percentage has continued to rise even as the overall number of sexual harassment complaints has declined. And last year, the percentage of lawsuits the EEOC filed on behalf of male victims hit an all-time high, making up 14 percent of all cases.

Read the full article >

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Article: Employees spend half a work week fretting about boss

Steve — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 17:49:40 +0000

I'm not sure how much of this to believe. Sure, I've had bosses I couldn't stand, but wasting 20 hours a week just thinking about how bad they were? Excuse me, but I had a job to do. If you have a boss so bad that you spend that much time "fretting" about them, maybe it's time to get outta Dodge.

Via WalletPop via Tame Your Tot.

Employees spent 19.2 hours a week -- nearly half a work week -- worrying about what their boss says or does, according to a new survey commissioned by workplace expert Lynn Taylor.

Taylor, author of book of boss-managing tips called Tame Your Terrible Office Tyrant -- TOT, found that 13 of those hours came during the week and 6.2 came when workers should be taking a break from workplace worries: the weekend.

"You have to set limits as you would with a child," Taylor told WalletPop. "Especially in 2010, you can't just manage up, but parent up without patronizing."

Though clearly many employees are worried about keeping their jobs (in another survey, she found workers spend three hours a day worrying about job security), Taylor points out that even if 10% of U.S. employees are unemployed, that means 90% are employed. She advocates for an approach she has given the acronym of CALM:

"Communicate with your boss bravely, openly, honestly and frequently. Take the initiative," she said. "Anticipate -- try to be aware of problems before they escalate and have solutions ready. Laugh -- I believe that levity diffuses tension and creates a better atmosphere. Manage up by using negative and positive enforcement for certain behaviors, much as you would with a child."

In yet another survey, Taylor asked workers to rank what they wished they could tell their bosses.

"The first thing they said they wished they could say was, 'Why don't we compromise?'" Taylor said. "That one is really valid. You can say it to both children and managers."

The others, ranked in descending order:

"I can't hear you when you shout."

"Stop whining."

"That's not allowed."

"I'm leaving." (Taylor notes you can't say unless you actually are prepared to)

"You're cranky, do you need a nap?"

"Go to your room, you're getting a time out."

"If you ask one more time, you'll never get that."

And, drum roll please: "Are you teething or do you just need a cookie?"

Video: How to Deal with a Stupid Boss

Headline: Temp hiring no longer seen as sign of recovery

Steve — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 20:55:33 +0000

It seems you can't count on those darn temps anymore.

Temp work is no longer seen as work done only by misfits who either can't get a job or refuse to conform to the "normal" workplace. In this economy, you have to find work any way you can. If that means a few hours a week here and there, doing whatever is needed, then you do it. Anything to bring in a paycheck.

It used to be that when temporary hiring picked up, then hiring for "real" jobs soon followed. But, as our friends at MSNBC note, that's not the case anymore.

Read it all: Temp hiring no longer seen as sign of recovery

University of California, Davis Sociology Professor: Temp jobs here to stay

A college job fair: Should you attend?

Steve — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 23:43:46 +0000

I am a member of a local group, several of whom are in various stages of career or job transition. I recently notified them of a career fair being held at the local state university.

A couple of them promptly contacted me and politely reminding me that this event was for alumni only and there would a "check-in desk" at the door. I know their intentions were for the best: they were concerned that non-alums would get their hopes up and when they got there, would quickly get their hopes dashed as they got turned away at the check-in desk (full disclosure: I am an alumnus of this university).

I appreciate their concern. I certainly don't want to be putting anyone in an awkward position. But, I've been to many college job fairs and I've never, ever seen anyone confirm if attendees are alumni or not.

Think about it: The career fair is run by the career services office, whose employees are overworked and underpaid. Their job is to support the recruiters. In order to confirm every attendee's alumni status would require a list of graduates from every school from every campus in the state (4 campuses for this university). If the list to be anywhere comprehensive, it would have to go back 20 or 30 years. Who would have the time to compile and verify the accuracy of such a list, assuming it was complete in the first place. Everyone is scrambling to put on the job fair.

The companies are there to find good people. They don't really give a hoot if you're an alumnus or not. They just want to find qualified applicants.

So, those were my thoughts as I composed, and sent, the following email to my group:

Hi all,

I just wanted to clarify something about this post.

A couple of you have alerted me to the fact that this job fair is only for CU Alums. And that there will be a "check in" table at the entrance.

I know that.

So why did I post this knowing that many, if not most, of you are not CU alums? Because my take is, "So what? Go anyway."

I'm a former corporate recruiter who's been to many college job fairs. I've never, ever seen anyone try to confirm your status as an alumus.

The purpose of this event is for the represented companies to find qualified applicants. The university's job is to help them do that. The companies don't really give a hoot if you're an alumnus or not. They're looking for good people to hire.

I believe that, given the state of the economy, and the exceptional challenges job seekers face, you cannot leave any stone unturned. You do what you need to do to get the job. And that may mean going to a job fair at a university you haven't attended, much less graduated from. It may also mean they won't let you in.

But isn't it worth the risk, albeit a small risk, for the opportunity to get an interview and maybe even a job? So, I say go for it. I'd love to know how it goes. If you get a job out of this, then fantastic! As always, feel free to contact me if you have any questions or concerns about this post. Good luck!

As you can see, my attitude is, the risk is worth the possible reward. What do you think?

InfoGraphic of Unemployment State-by-State

Steve — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 21:46:38 +0000

Interesting infographic on state-by-state unemployment (via BusinessPundit)

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The State of the 40-Hour Workweek

Steve — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 00:51:24 +0000

The State of the 40-Hour Workweek (via Visual Economics)

Since I am a visual person, this comes in very handy.

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Employment Update 12-26-2009

Steve — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 18:04:24 +0000

Employment News Update

Some jobless rates under 10%
istockAnalyst.com (press release)
25--Unemployment rates were back in single digits in four of the five Owensboro-area counties in November, the Kentucky Office of Employment and Training ...
See all stories on this topic

DoLE to conduct research on part-time employment
Manila Bulletin
By HANNAH L. TORREGOZA Senate bill is ordering the Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) to conduct a five-year research on the viability of part time ...
See all stories on this topic

CFOs foresee little improvement in unemployment
Chicago Tribune
Two-thirds of US companies don't expect their employment to return to pre-recession levels until 2011 or later. That prediction was one slice of data from a ...
See all stories on this topic

As Slump Hits Home, Cities Downsize Their Ambitions
Wall Street Journal
Employment in local government peaked in August 2008 and has fallen by 117000 since then, or less than 1%, compared with a 6.3% fall in private employment ...
See all stories on this topic

Japan OKs Record Y92.299T Budget Plan For Next FY
Wall Street Journal
"Our country's economic and employment conditions are very severe. The most important thing for us is to protect the lives of the Japanese citizens. ...
See all stories on this topic

KXJZ News

Survey: Employers Optimistic on Economy, But Still Won't Hire
KXJZ News
The Manpower Employment Outlook Survey found that 13 percent of companies are hoping to add employees during the next three months, while 15 percent are ...
See all stories on this topic

Former BLM Casper employee sues office
LocalNews8.com
The lawsuit claims Parker e-mailed a complaint to the state's Equal Employment Opportunity office in 2006 about sexually explicit language and inappropriate ...
See all stories on this topic

Holiday season hits jobless Mich. teens hard
The Detroit News
Because the economy seemed stable, politicians rejected the decades of economic research that showed minimum wage hikes cause declines in the employment of ...
See all stories on this topic

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Layoff Update 12-26-2009

Steve — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 18:00:31 +0000

Arrow Trucking Strands Drivers During Layoff
ABC News
By LAURENT BELSIE Layoffs are a fact of life in this economy, but there are humane ways to do it. Then there's the Arrow Trucking Arrow Trucking method. ...
See all stories on this topic

ABC News: Americans Are Hoping for More Layoffs
NewsBusters (blog)
Such was the case made by one Michelle Goodman in a piece cutely titled "All I Want For Christmas is a Layoff." The premise for this bizarre headline was ...
See all stories on this topic

2009 Top News Countdown: 6. Mass layoffs of teachers averted
Ocala
By Joe Callahan With $20 million in state funding cuts looming, Superintendent of Schools Jim Yancey announced in January that layoffs were inevitable. ...
See all stories on this topic

SARP finds spot for cop slated for layoff
Pocono Record
Stroud Area Regional Police Department's Officer Paul Duffy on Thursday, Dec. 24, 2009. Duffy is among officer due to be laid off next year, but obtained a ...
See all stories on this topic

2009 Top News Countdown: 6. Mass layoffs of teachers averted (The ...
By admin
2009 Top News Countdown: 6. Mass layoffs of teachers averted (The Ocala Star-Banner)
Latest Layoff News — http://www.latestlayoffnews.com/

Layoff News » Blog Archive » Space Shuttle contractor announces ...
By admin
Space Shuttle contractor announces layoffs (Galveston County Daily News). December 25, 2009 – 1:53 pm HOUSTON The contractor that manages the space shuttle program from NASA will layoff 400 employees, including 160 from the area. ...
Layoff News — http://layoffs.chimpsimple.net/

Suntron To Lay Off 188 In Newberg — Money News Story — KPTV Portland
NEWBERG, Ore. -- An electronics manufacturer plans to shut its Newberg factory at the end of March and lay off all 188 employees.

The 10 Best Jobs for Women Over 40

Steve — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 03:13:53 +0000

More.com has a list of the "10 Best Jobs for Over-Forty Women."

They are:

While I'm always encouraging people to pursue their dreams and strive to be the best they can be, I have mixed feeling about lists like this. Unless you're already working in the field, or in a closely related job, many of the jobs in this list either require additional education and/or additional training, all of which comes at a cost — of time and money. For a woman (or man) over 40, that might not be as easy as when they were younger. Now, they might have the responsibilities of family and other obligations that they didn't have before. So, change might not come readily.

On the other hand, a list like this might spark and idea of a career or job that you hadn't thought of before, and just might be worth exploring further.

Just because these are "good" jobs, it doesn't make them the "right" job. Before sending out your résumé, make sure that the job is a fit for your skills and your temperament. This goes for any job you apply for or are interested in.

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Unemployment Decline an Illusion, Financial System Collapse Ahead

Steve — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 17:51:17 +0000

Interesting article from StreetInsider.com:

December 7, 2009 12:15 PM EST

FORT LEE, N.J., Dec. 7 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Inflation Association today released the following statement to its www.inflation.us members:

"On Friday it was announced by the Bureau of Labor Statistics that the U.S. unemployment rate in November declined from 10.2% to 10%. While the mainstream media would like you to believe we have seen a peak in unemployment and the worst of the economic crisis is behind us, we know that this dip in the unemployment number is phony and the recession is only beginning.

Read it all >

Four reasons that rosy November jobs report was even better than it seemed. (slate.com)
The New Normal, It Seems: Jobless Recovery (online.wsj.com)

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Job Interview Bootcamp – Answering Interview Questions

Steve — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 05:22:43 +0000

Here is a video that will discuss the most commonly asked interview questions. You will also learn the 5 Basic Principles of how to answer any individual Job Interview Question. The way you answer a job interview question is as important as the answer itself.

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Job Fair Networking Strategy- Interacting with Company Representatives

Jason Lee — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 06:22:24 +0000

Beyond knowing the ins-and-outs of job fair resumes, you also need to practice your job-fair-networking abilities in order to master the job fair. In addition to being great places to drop many resumes, job fairs are great places to interact with company representatives. In fact, it is necessary to speak with those representatives in order to leave your resume with them. You will want to leave a good impression of yourself with the representative that will last long enough for them to pull your resume out of a huge stack for later review.

Job fair networking involves speaking with, getting to know, and extracting contact details from company representatives and recruiters. You need to go through this process because employers want to check that job fair attendants are good fits for the company. Whether or not you mesh with other people in the company is difficult to show on a piece of paper, so you have to pro-actively prove to the representative that you are in fact a good fit. A good place to begin is JobConcierge.com that has an extensive list of job fairs and career fairs online.

Before dropping your resume, you should try to seek out the company's senior managers or hiring managers. Other employees are great, too, but you want the people with influence to remember that you are a great candidate for the job they'll be making the decisions about who to hire at the end of the day.

Additionally, before speaking with the representatives, you should have prepared a short statement (thirty seconds to one minute) about your background, why you would be a good fit, and why you are enthusiastic about working for the company. This statement does not need to be memorized, but you will need to have some outline of what you want to say to the recruiters before you go. You want the representative to know that you aren't just there to drop resumes at every stand, desperately hoping to catch any interview thrown your way. It would be a good idea to find a friend before the fair and practice your response to the question, Can you tell me a little about yourself? Other possible questions may revolve around your potential career plans or past work experience.

By researching companies before heading out to the job fair, you will also be able to show companies how you can help their business going forward. If you know from your research that the company is starting new projects in Japan, you will be able to let them know that you are fluent in Japanese, have worked in Japan before, and can lead projects there by being the first line of management in employing the native workers (but only if these are all true). This is just another way that you can leave a good and lasting impression by researching in advance.

Before you go to your next job fair, don't forget to thoroughly practice, research, and prepare yourself. We recommend you review JobConcierge.com for career advice and more job fair information. This is the best way to make sure you leave a good impression with each representative at the fair. If you're fortunate, your networking preparation (and strong resume) will result in the start of a new career.

JobConcierge offers human powered job search service - Real people search through 300 job sites and submit applications. JobConcierge job search optimization is known for its extensive career fair list

Career and Internship Fair: What You Need To Know (smudailymustang.com)

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Preparing For The Job Interview: How To Answer the Difficult Questions

Carole Martin, The Interview Coach — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 13:10:23 +0000

Career articles in print and online and career coaches tell you that in order to do well in an interview - and to ultimately get the job offer - you must "Be Prepared."

Do you know how to prepare for your interview?

"What does prepared for an interview look like?"

"How can I make them I hire me?" "What if I'm not REALLY qualified or able to do this job?" "How do I know what they are going to ask?"

Where do you find the answers to these common concerns and questions?

A Tough Job Market

Everyday you are reminded that you are in a tough job market. You know that you will have to do something to make yourself stand out from the rest of the crowd. You realize that you are competing against the odds.

The question is, "When there are so many other candidates looking at the same job, how can you make yourself stand?

The answer is: "Personal Interview branding"

What is Branding Yourself?

This is what companies do when they want to sell something - they use whatever methods necessary to tell the customers who they are, what they do and how they do it - they "brand" the product.

How can I brand myself? I'm not a product?

This is one of the main secrets of successful preparation. Begin to think of yourself as a product. What this means is you have to discover What Makes You Unique - and to begin thinking of yourself like a product.

Branding is telling the customer (in this case the interviewer) who you are; what you can do and have done in the past (your unique qualities); and why they should buy (hire you). Effective career branding used in the interview is the same as in business.

Call For An Interview

Let's assume that you have an outstanding resume and that you make it to the top of the stack of resumes of people to be called for an interview.

First of all - you are to be congratulated on getting this far.

The problem is that You - and maybe nine or ten other equally qualified people for the position will receive that same call.

Are you the best? You had better be prepared to prove that you are the best by letting the interviewer know what makes you unique and what you can do for them - you you will bring to the position. Because companies have so many candidates to choose from, they are interviewing more people so that they can select the "best."

What makes you a "remember-able" person? When you are lucky enough to be invited to an interview it is essential that you be ready to sell yourself - to let the interviewer know what makes you unique - What added value you can bring to the position?

In other words, why YOU are the best person for the job?

Your goal is to leave behind an impression of you and your "brand."

Preparation

You can determine your uniqueness and determine your personal interview "brand" and where you should focus your attention by doing some basic preparation.

This process is to identify the points you have to offer - the combination that makes you Unique.

This should be a combination of your education, experience and any special training or certifications you may have, as well as your area of expertise, your strengths, and your personal traits.

You create your statement by listing all these qualities and then making them into a concise statement to present to the employer when any of the standard questions come up.

"What makes you unique?" "Tell me about yourself." "What can you bring to this position that the other candidates can or can't?" "What are you strengths?" "Tell me something about you that will make me remember you after you leave the interview."

You can develop the answers to these questions by using "5 points" to use during the interview. If you use your five fingers to keep focused you can jog your memory if you forget what you were going to say due to being nervous.

Point #1

Your education and years of experience. (More experienced persons will talk mainly about experience and not education.

Point #2

Your area of expertise - or what you know a lot about. (For less experienced people you will have to rely on classes or courses you've taken).

Point #3

Your strength - this is usually a trait that you can use in any job. In other words, a general trait. (Communication, Relating to Others, Analytical Problem Solving, Determination, Adaptability).

Point #4

Your work ethic or work style (This is what coworkers would say to describe you).

Point #5

Something interesting about you (A hobby, somewhere that you volunteer to do, a sport or arts interest. If you can think of something that relates to the job you are applying for that would be a plus).

By summarizing what you have to offer in a methodical way you will be less apt to wander or forget what you intended to say.

You can search for online tools to help you create your personal interview brand or you can write out your job winning brand by following the examples above.

Regardless of the method you use - you should be prepared. It will make a difference in the way that you present yourself and in your being able to talk openly - without being modest about what you have to offer. You will be able to tell the interviewer why they should hire YOU - and what makes you unique.

In fact, preparation will help you in ALL your interactions - social, business, and your day-to-day life. The more you know yourself and are will to talk openly about yourself the more comfortable you will be in talking about yourself - to anybody.

Carole Martin is passionate on the subject of interviewing. Her philosophy is that the interview is a two-way process and preparation and practice are keys to a successful interview. As the interview coach for Monster, she reaches out to millions of people with advice & tips on how to succeed in today's job market. Visit her Free Interview Coaching web site to learn about Interview Branding

Even as layoffs persist, some good jobs go begging (seattletimes.nwsource.com)

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The 10 highest paying blue-collar jobs

Steve — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 17:39:28 +0000

I seem to be finding good articles on MSNBC lately.

Despite the disappearance of good paying blue collar jobs in the U.S., there are still some around. As the article states though, these jobs aren't necessarily easy to get as they require either additional training, certification or apprenticeships. Turnover in these jobs is usually quite low as well as their incumbent know how good they've got it.

Elevator installer and repairer
Electrical and electronics repairer – powerhouse, substation and relay
Power plant operator, distributor and dispatcher
Gas plant operator
Locomotive engineer
Electrical power line installer and repairer
Structural iron and steel worker
Construction and building inspector
Ship and boat captain and operator
Radio and telecommunications equipment installer

Read it all >

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Finding a holiday job

Steve — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 22:07:57 +0000

Looking for some extra income this holiday season? Some good tips on increasing your chances of finding a holiday job.

Customer service skills
Experience may not be required
Better to be referred or apply in person
Be flexible
Consider smaller chains and independent retailers

Read it all &gt:

The Résumé Guy

More men filing sexual harassment claims

Percentage of complaints filed by men has doubled over last 20 years

Article: Employees spend half a work week fretting about boss

Headline: Temp hiring no longer seen as sign of recovery

A college job fair: Should you attend?

InfoGraphic of Unemployment State-by-State

The State of the 40-Hour Workweek

Employment Update 12-26-2009

Layoff Update 12-26-2009

The 10 Best Jobs for Women Over 40

Unemployment Decline an Illusion, Financial System Collapse Ahead

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Job Interview Bootcamp – Answering Interview Questions

Job Fair Networking Strategy- Interacting with Company Representatives

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Preparing For The Job Interview: How To Answer the Difficult Questions

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The 10 highest paying blue-collar jobs

Finding a holiday job