Jobs for The Rest of Us

Posts here will usually be short and concise. Just want to give you something to think about that's encouraging and hopefully useful. -Paul  

"Fierce Urgency of Now"- I think this is from MLK. It applies to job searching as well. A few days ago I talked about the value of time- don't waste it! Do what you can each and everyday and don't stop after that one really good interview. They say in the used car business, "It is not a sale until she crosses the curb and the check don't bounce." Until you have an actual start date, a verbal  job offer is only that. It is going to take awhile, usually several weeks to start getting interviews and the the rest of the hiring process. Stay busy but be patient. Now here's where I'll contradict myself. Give yourself a break when needed. The way of job searching can be very disappointing and downright depressing. So go ahead and sleep a little later and maybe take Fridays off. Not much will happen of a Friday anyway. Take care of your mental health and find ways st stay positive; learn stuff, spend time with family and friends breathe. It can be...

FOCUS - Know the job (or jobs) you want. If you are looking for work, you have to FOCUS. Know the job (or jobs) you want. When an employer asks what kind of work you are looking for, don't be the person who immediately answers "Anything!" There is no job called "anything." May as well say "nothing." Figuring out what you are looking for is step one.  Almost everyone I talk to looking for work always answers "anything." Needless to say, I cannot help much with just that. So, I ask what the have done before and if that is still of interest. We can usually move on from that point. There are exceptions. I once had an ex-military guy asking about unemployment insurance after a year "contracting" overseas. He was not eligible. No worry, he had in his mind exactly what he wanted to do and how he was going to do it. He wanted to get a CDL and move to North Dakota to drive trucks in the on-going natural gas boom. This was sever...

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Resource for Older Workers

If you are between jobs, you may have the most valuable thing of all, time.  It is important to use it well. When an interviewer asks, "What are you doing now?", the most common answer is "I'm looking for work." Which is understandable and okay. But something better may be getting a certification in ______, learning more about my given field or volunteering for kids, the poor my church etc.  It is always better to be doing something (especially if it can go on a resume). For whatever reason, employers do not like time gaps on a resume. They may thing the worst; this is a lazy person, were they in jail or why does no one else want them? Not fair, I know. So what to do? You do not need to spend a lot of money, hopefully none. Give your time. Learn new skills. Get more healthy. Volunteer in something related to the field you are in or want to get into. This will make you feel good and it is a great way to network. Getting around people is the best way to fin...

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Resume vs. Application So what's the difference? An application is a legal document certifying what you have written is true. Remember, you sign and date it. Lying on an application is immediate grounds for on the spot termination if it is discovered. A resume is a promotional tool used to get an interview. You can omit unrelated employment for example. Sooner or later in the process, you will have to do an application. With this in mind, do not be lazy and say see resume when an application asks for your employment history. Still do the application completely but feel free to attach a resume for more information. Doing a neat, complete job application is another good way to get noticed. So you are detail oriented? Show it.    

A Job Fair is where a bunch of employers get together to take resumes and applications or simply give out information. They will be put on by a specific group like a church, a chamber of commerce or a state job office like where I work. In my 17 or so years of experience they are for mostly entry level jobs. They can be more specific like IT or transportation but this is less common. Let's look at the cons and pros Cons - Employers are looking to fill mostly entry level positions with entry level pay. They are often crowded with little time to actually speak with potential employers. Some employers are only collecting resumes and applications to fill their databases. Job Fairs can be pretty impersonal. There is lots of competition in one place. It is difficult to get through the crowd for someone like me, with a physical disability. But it is not all bad. Pros - Usually there are a wide variety of employers; government, universities, large local companies, small companies, ...

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