Unemployed people suck, right Lets not hire them.

Unemployed people suck, right Lets not hire them. I must be getting grumpy in my old age, with all of this venting Im doing!  This post really ticks me off.  I just wrote a post on Peter Newfields Career Resumes blog (Ive been blogging there for the last many months) titled The Unemployed Will Not Be Considered.  WHAT??? It comes from a Huffington Post article of a similar name go check out Peters blog to see what I wrote. This practice is archaic and out of touch with reality.  Do these companies, discriminating against those who are out on the street for no good reason, really think that only looking at currently employed people is going to get them the best talent? What a fallacy. The companies listed in the HuffPo article include: An anonymous company that has an opening posted at The People Place recruiting board.  Who made this decision, and why? Benchmark Electronics, who defends the policy saying they dont want to waste their time with unqualified applicants.  I get that but that doesnt mean you should cut out all unemployed people. Sony Ericsson temporarily had this statement on their job descriptions: NO UNEMPLOYED CANDIDATES WILL BE CONSIDERED AT ALL.  Seriously, what outdated recruiting book did this come from??  At least they removed it once it was noticed.  (oops, one mark against copy and paste). An unnamed restaurant in NJ, looking for an assistant restaurant manager. must be currently employed. An unnamed top 25 CPA firm in NYC, same thing. Judy Conti (who needs my LinkedIn DVD just look at her Profile!)  is the federal advocacy coordinator for the National Employment Law Project, and said some awesome stuff, including (read her comments in the last 2 paragraphs of the HuffPo article): In the current economy, where millions of people have lost their jobs through absolutely no fault of their own, I find it beyond unconscionable that any employer would not consider unemployed workers for current job openings, I agree.. beyond unconscionable. Unemployed people suck, right Lets not hire them. I must be getting grumpy in my old age, with all of this venting Im doing!  This post really ticks me off.  I just wrote a post on Peter Newfields Career Resumes blog (Ive been blogging there for the last many months) titled The Unemployed Will Not Be Considered.  WHAT??? It comes from a Huffington Post article of a similar name go check out Peters blog to see what I wrote. This practice is archaic and out of touch with reality.  Do these companies, discriminating against those who are out on the street for no good reason, really think that only looking at currently employed people is going to get them the best talent? What a fallacy. The companies listed in the HuffPo article include: An anonymous company that has an opening posted at The People Place recruiting board.  Who made this decision, and why? Benchmark Electronics, who defends the policy saying they dont want to waste their time with unqualified applicants.  I get that but that doesnt mean you should cut out all unemployed people. Sony Ericsson temporarily had this statement on their job descriptions: NO UNEMPLOYED CANDIDATES WILL BE CONSIDERED AT ALL.  Seriously, what outdated recruiting book did this come from??  At least they removed it once it was noticed.  (oops, one mark against copy and paste). An unnamed restaurant in NJ, looking for an assistant restaurant manager. must be currently employed. An unnamed top 25 CPA firm in NYC, same thing. Judy Conti (who needs my LinkedIn DVD just look at her Profile!)  is the federal advocacy coordinator for the National Employment Law Project, and said some awesome stuff, including (read her comments in the last 2 paragraphs of the HuffPo article): In the current economy, where millions of people have lost their jobs through absolutely no fault of their own, I find it beyond unconscionable that any employer would not consider unemployed workers for current job openings, I agree.. beyond unconscionable.

How an Informational Interview Can Lead to a Job - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

How an Informational Interview Can Lead to a Job - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career The real danger hovering over the heads of some people in transition is the fact that they’re headed toward a cul-de-sac and don’t even know it. More and more articles point out that the business world is changing rapidly; new jobs are being created; and some old jobs are fading away. Regrettably, the jobs being eliminated do not appear on major publications’ front pages to announce that fact. The elimination of jobs does not happen universally everywhere at the same time. The symptoms that such a thing is happening get validated via an endless job search. And that’s where the danger comes in. For people who experience long job searches, it’s good practice to (1) keep their eyes open for opportunities for related careers that would use their transferable skills or (2) look in a new direction all together. To facilitate that, they can consider searching for new venues via informational interviews. They shouldn’t make the mistake of asking for an informational interview only as an excuse to get in while in reality looking for a position that may be open. While the objective of a candidate in a job interview is to sell himself, the primary objective of an informational interview is to explore opportunities for a change in career. Via an informational interview, one can learn about the pros and the cons of that job, find out what skills are mandatory in order to be successful, what kind of training is required, what is the typical career path and what kind of compensation ranges are customary for a debutant. If you’re interested in having an informational interview, you should try to schedule it during the day at a mutually convenient time. Most often, you’ll be invited to the organization’s office. Make sure you’re attired properly for the occasion. And remember that this is not a job interview. Forget the suit with the white shirt and tie. Make sure from the get-go that you’re not sending the wrong message. It would look very professional if you come prepared with questions and, possibly, an agenda that you prepared ahead of time. Feel free to take notes to the extent that that’s helpful to you. It is expected that you’ll of course be courteous toward your host, so to begin with, turn off your mobile phone! You should set a time frame for this informational interview, and when the time is up, you should prepare to leave. An informational interview should be a dialogue wherein you’re mainly listening and the other party is talking. After all, that’s the whole purpose. And of course, a nice thank-you letter following the meeting is more than appropriate: it’s a must. An informational interview can provide a wealth of knowledge for someone who wants to migrate to a different field. And oftentimes, a host can become so impressed with the candidate that eventually such a meeting could evolve into a full-time position. Go for it. Don’t expect that someone will drop a wonderful position in your lap.

Tis the Season to be a Creative Advertiser!

Tis the Season to be a Creative Advertiser! Have you been thinking about giving your business a customer boost this Christmas? At this time of year, companies up the ante when it comes to promoting their business by spreading the Festive cheer. A brilliant way to garner interest in your business is to distribute Christmas cards to your customers. The most effective mail tends to include discount codes, free offers and ‘refer a friend’ reward systems. How do you make your mail from Santa stand out from the crowd? An effective technique, used by marketing gurus the world over, is to personalise your advertisement. Crafting has seen a huge resurgence of late, with knitting no longer hiding behind the old cushion of grandma’s rocking chair and scrapbooking making a comeback thanks to quirky crafters blogging their wares.  So make your cards personal; directly addressed to your customer with a seasonably cheery aesthetic appeal. Let’s be honest: faced with bland white post, concealing billl after bill after bank statement, a shiny red envelope or a glittery post bag with your name on the front would be the one you’d go for, right? There are so many options these days: you can protect your free gifts with creatively designed jiffy bags, so you’re safe in the knowledge your brightly coloured freebie will arrive with your customer safely. If you’re feeling particularly creative and have the time and resources at hand, you could add a personal touch with glitter, ribbons â€" whatever takes your fancy! Take the personal feel to the next level by handwriting the cards you plan to send to your top hundred or most loyal customers. If your customers are buying for children, a card from Santa is always well received! Tick box options for small presents or larger gifts that the children can fill out adds an element of excitement and magic to gift buying. It also relieves parents of some of the additional stress of buying endless gifts for their kids at Christmas! Why not double up on your festive advertising power and volunteer your services to a worthy cause? Volunteering at charitable organisations is an effective way of meeting new customers you may not have previously considered to be in your target audience. Offering a charitable donation for a limited time for every sale you make also keeps within the Christmas theme of giving. Both of the above techniques will associate your brand with being a reputable, charitable organisation with which customers will want to associate. The holiday season is an ideal time to get the name of your business out there whilst spreading goodwill â€" so make like Santa’s Little Helper and craft your business to the top!

How to Make a Living Doing What You Love

How to Make a Living Doing What You Love Are you one of those who feels like quitting your job every Sunday afternoon and start every Monday dreaming of how you can make it through to Friday? Many of us think that our lives would just be amazing if, by some miracle we could win the lottery and then do what we really want without giving a second thought to the money we lack. The caveat is that we usually think that without even buying the lottery ticket, or really believing we could make money doing what we actually enjoy. What if you really could make a living doing what you love? Here are 5 steps that will assist you in being contented in what you do, and those worry lines on your forehead will soon diminish. Start examining the details you enjoy about your everyday life. Do you like the pace of your job? Do you like interacting with coworkers or clients? Is there a project you are excited about? Look at what these things have in common. Is there a way you feel that is similar in all of these areas? Is there something special about each that makes you smile? Start looking for other things that have a similar effect for you. You don’t need to find similar activities, rather look at what they cause in you, even if they don’t have anything in common. What can you add to your life that will make you have more fun and more money? Do something that makes you come alive. When you are doing something that makes you come alive and you enjoy it at your core, you forget about time and worries. When you are in this place ask yourself: How can I produce more of this? And, if you are stopping yourself because you feel shy, or not capable enough, what if you just indulge yourself and you go for it? You can try it somewhere nobody knows you, or with really close people that have your back. When you go for it, you might surprise yourself, or at the very least you’ll get that “rock star” feeling of just accomplishing it. Look at what comes naturally. What comes easily to you? What is something you assume everybody else can do because it’s so natural for you, that you assume it’s natural for everyone. Something you can spend hours doing. Something that is so pleasurable for you that you would do it for free, or even pay to do it. This very thing might be your special talent that could make you lots of money. You’re probably discounting it because it is so easy and fun for you. Have you decided that you cannot get paid for doing that because it would be a sin to get paid for having so much fun? What if you could start doing it for profit? Start doing some research on how you could transition this from a lifestyle activity to a paid side gig or permanent position. You might be surprised by what you learn. Look at what you think you don’t like Consider what you don’t like doing, which could be the very thing that gets in the way of you doing what you really like. Is it really you who doesn’t enjoy it, or were you taught that it was not enjoyable? How do you know the difference? Ask yourself: If I hadn’t decided that this is terrible or boring, how could I have fun with this? Is it really me who doesn’t like this or is it just a learned aversion? Even if it’s a menial task in your life â€" if there is something you really don’t like doing, ask: What can I change here that will make it enjoyable? For example, if you hate doing the dishes, why not try doing them while listening to your favorite songs? Think of the difference of doing your laundry while telling jokes with your significant other or while on the phone laughing with a friend versus being all alone in the basement. When you turn up your joy, your activities become much more enjoyable. Ask for the money. One of the major reasons we don’t make a living doing what we enjoy is because we don’t charge for it. You can practice standing in front of the mirror, open your hand and say, “can I have the money please?” And if there is any feeling of inadequacy, of “how will I charge for it,” just do a quick search, or look to people who are charging for similar things. How can you get started? Look at the quantity that you would like to charge and be realistic, do you really think people will pay you that? There is magic number where you feel comfortable charging that amount and excited to get it. Start asking for the money, even if you start small. It’s not about how slowly or quickly you get there, rather getting there at your pace. You can do it! I challenge you to try the above steps for one month. Start a diary where you can write (or record, or video) the changes you start to see and the things you think throughout your progress. Notate them as soon as you notice them. Start being grateful for everything that you notice, both the positive and the negative. Read what you have written every week and ask yourself: Is this true? Has this changed for me? What else is possible on this issue that I have not considered yet? When you ask these questions, you give yourself the task to start searching (just like when somebody tells you to look for yellow cars and suddenly it looks like every yellow car in the city is out driving). This will give you the space to start being aware of what is actually available for you, of what you really are capable of, and you might start to actually have fun while doing it. This guest post was authored by Elena Blanco With over 20 years of experience in executive roles within world class corporations, Elena Blanco is a skilled communicator and negotiator. She has created and lead high-performing teams and successful business strategies both in the public and private sectors. Elena is an entrepreneur, with an international practice where she coaches others on how to change their lives for the better. She is a Being You  facilitator, a special program of  Access Consciousness, and a business coach with an MSc. in Economics. Her unique combination of corporate experience, coaching and entrepreneurship, along with her passion for creating a greater world, gives her the capabilities to empower others to create more in their lives and businesses.

Interview Question - Tell Us Something Unique About You CareerMetis.com

Interview Question - “Tell Us Something Unique About You” Image Source â€" UnSplashThe interviewer asks you this question in an interview: “Tell us something unique about you”.Your mind sharply hops to some random fun facts about yourselfâ€"like how you can eat an entire container of pickles in a single sitting or your passion and love for gardening etc.It is certainly not what they’re searching for. This tricky question can leave behind any talented candidate.evalHere’s all that you have to know concerning why this interview question is asked, and how you can thoroughly nail your answer.Why this question is asked by hiring managers?Basically, the manager who is hiring you really needs to know the appropriate response. Mostly hiring manager’s interviews multiple candidates for a job, so they have to choose from some difficult choices. So this is your prime chance to make yourself exceptional among the other candidates. It’s likewise a straightforward test of your mindfulness and communication abilities.If an applicant can give a n exceptionally solid and convincing answer, it shows to the hiring manager that the candidate has given the idea and reflection that is essential to understand what it would take for them to do the job and for what reason they’re best suited for it.Essentially, if you have no clue what makes you unique or you can’t convey it appropriately, how on the earth the hiring manager will accept you as a perfect choice?How to nail your answer in the interview?You’ll have to figure out what your offer is and how to explain it to the interviewer1) Highlight your skills, abilities and expertise evalThere are various things that you bring to the job along with your title and your hard abilities and skills, so think about what different experiences, varied skills and expertise or abilities you have along with your work history that could make you a solid match for the job or organization.2) Do thorough research about the Company/Role/Hiring ManagerThe most significant thing to remember is the point at which the hiring manager asks, “What makes you unique?” they really need to know what makes you one of a kind with regards to this job. So it’s really crucial to understand what that organization, what that particular job, what that particular interviewer is attempting to streamline for.evalThe most straightforward answer, to begin with, is the expected set of responsibilities. What might you do in the job? What type of individual would they say they are searching for? What abilities or expertise do they consider as an absolute necessity?If you are aware of what the organization’s basic values are or the things that are consistent with them, you have to think about how you fit inside that specific circumstance. You can very easily mention those by checking their site, online networking or completing a fast Google search.3) Ask others about yourselfGo out and ask five individuals from family and friends about your qualities and ask them to give you a period where you exemplified that quality. You may come to know a few sincere answers which will be quite helpful for you in this platform. However, this activity will enable you to understand how others consider you to be unique or important.If you don’t have the foggiest idea whether you can depend on your network of people then ask yourself that for what reason do individuals get the telephone and call me?evalOR“What do individuals come to me or what they think I have in me that becomes helpful for them?”What sort of positive input do you reliably get? What are individuals saying about you at work? Use them more effectively.4) Provide ProofAny sort of informative point, subjective or quantitative, takes your reaction from only OK to incredible. For instance, you would prefer only not to say “I’m determined, which makes me extraordinary at sales. Exhibiting your determination is substantially more helpful than simply utilizing that adjective.In this way, you’d need to clarify how you’ve been determined in your profession. Did it help you surpass objective? Pull in a pool of incredible customers? Motivate the rest of your group to build income?eval5) Highlight your success stories from the previous jobHas there been any time in the past when you were awarded an honor for success stories from previous work experience and your services? Have you helped you past organization to get a productive deal or accomplish a fantastic achievement?If you’ve couple of years’ experience in your resume, then you’ve some personal working environment examples of success as well.Furthermore, you can use them as proof to tell the person in charge how you can drive extraordinary incentive for their business. Additionally, support your answer with statistics, figures, or percentages as they not only sound noteworthy, yet in addition tell precisely how much the organization profited by your work.6) Put It All TogetherAre there one or two abilities and skills that match? Thos e ought to be the main points of your answer. After all you would prefer not to simply shake off a rundown of things that are incredible about yourself.7) Learn It and Practice It thoroughlyevalChances are that you won’t nail your pitch following a moment of reading this article. Like any interview question, replying “tell us something unique about you?” requires some self-reflection, conceptualizing, and emphasizing. What you can do is write it down, script it, learn it, and say it to many times so that you will eventually improve.The more you practice your answer, the more natural it will appear, and the less bothered you’ll be at the point when this question comes up. Time yourself to ensure it’s no longer than 30 or 60 seconds, and ask your family or friends to perceive what they think.Also, if you need a gut check on whether your final answer is good enough? If any other individual could repeat what you’re saying, that is most likely a sign that you can reinforce yo ur answer.What You Shouldn’t Say There are a lot of approaches to give your hiring manager a positive answer that exhibits how you sparkle in the working environment. There are likewise answers you ought to totally maintain a strategic distance from.You ought to never:• Discuss your own life, except if it straightforwardly identifies with your professional qualitieseval• Criticize different competitors, even in a general or unclear way. This recommends an absence of confidence on your part and even sounds impolite. Concentrate on you, not them.• Give a senseless answer without promptly backing it up with a genuine one.• Answering a substitute question. You should answer the question the interviewer pose, instead of the one you need her to answer.• Wander or get distracted in your thought process. Rather, keep it as quick and short as could be possible. This is the reason it is a smart thought to rehearse a few times, so you don’t go off on sidetracks or get diverted.In a NutshellEverybody has something unique that makes them a perfect match for the job.By distinguishing your interesting qualities and making your speaking points before your meeting, you can be totally conveyed for what reason you’re an incredible fit for the activity.