After taking a break in the late summer to reorganize a number of sections throughout our site network, the editors are resuming work on the blog.
This fall we'll be posting news about a number of new features, both new articles of interest and news about expanded tools in our featured jobs and jobs quicksearch sections.
Meanwhile, though, we are running a series of occasional readings with a particularly timely focus, as the economy continues to sag and the monthly employment reports do not look too good.
Through our partnership with the WSJ Career Journal, we're running a follow-up to this spring's feature, What to Do After a Layoff -- detailing "how to make the most of a devastating situation".
The piece offered a lot of good advice for how to organize your affairs when the worst happened. But as conomic conditions have continued to worsen since then, the new piece focuses on better advice still for this climate: Don't wait.
Layoff Rumors? Get Ready To Get Busy
What to do when the rumors start flying
Focusing on how to proactively prepare for the worst, the article's suggestions go beyond the basic, obvious checkboxes -- updating your resume, etc. The moment you get a whiff that things may not be 100% stable at work, it suggests, you'd do well to carefully start gathering the materials you would need to be accessible outside of the office, preparing a workspace and business line in your home, and other actions enabling you to "hit the ground running". When/if disaster strikes, you'll need to be ready on day one to "meet your new boss" (you) and have the resources to statr your new full-time job (finding one).
-- Finally, starting this fall, we'll be supplementing such features with occasional special focus reportage in our Career Center AP News Headlines section. Readings will focus on the big employment picture and trends, at both national and lcoal levels, as well as the areas and industries where there are continuing worker shortages.
So stop back soon.
Showing posts with label Career Advice. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Career Advice. Show all posts
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Job Hunters Chronicles: Does Anyone Really Find a Job Online?
This was a question that we overheard recently, and that became the topic of an extended discussion on Facebook. The frustration in it was clear as a bell, and it ultimately led the editors at IMDiversity to decide we wanted to explore the topic more deeply.
From the inside perspective of folks who work with web technology and in the areas of student and professional recruitment (online and offline), we can say with some authority and certainty that the answer is, "Yes, some people do find and get jobs using online tools..."
But from the same perspective, we also have to add, "...but it's not always as quick and straightforward as it seems."
Remember those Super Bowl commercials a number of years back where an office worker just posted a resume on an online job board just sat back and waited for the job offers to flood in along with piles of gifts and bouquets of flowers? Well, we've been in the business for some time, and while we've certainly seen jobseekers get connected with hiring employers and ultimately close on good employment opportunities through using online tools, we've never seen one get a floral bouquet with it...not one!
Just "going fishing" by taking a 10 minutes to drop a resume on a job board may be an adequate job hunt strategy for a very elite job seeker with stellar credentials, mounds of experience, an eloquent writing style that allows his or her winning personality to radiate off the virtual page, and the ideal skillset and references, background and presentation style to make a perfect organizational fit that is recognized by a highly active, dedicated and keen-eyed recruiter just itching to make this one hire out of several ASAP.
But you and me ain't that very elite person. Folks like us have to, as the old adage goes, "treat finding a job as if it was our job." We know that getting a good job can take some thought, resourcefulness and sometimes a little luck.
We also know that no matter how clever the technology that stands between us and the job of our dreams, that doesn't mean that more traditional strategies, preparation, negotiation and yes, offline action, can be tossed out the window. We've seen that even the most advanced resume database tool cannot save the applicant with the sloppy and unproofread resume, or lackluster or cocky or careless cover letter. We've seen some great jobseekers and great jobs pass each other by like ships in the night just because of slightly mistyped or outdated contact information on one side or another or both.
All we have to do is look at the spam in our email in-boxes to be reminded that sometimes, the powerful automating and communications technologies that are created to make our lives easier can tend, as they evolve and spread, to become so complex that we have to stop and periodically reassess how we can make the best use of them.
The editors will address this issue in a number of ways on our site this year, and we want to invite you to share stories about your online job search experiences for an upcoming new feature, The Job Hunters Chronicles.
We are seeking submissions from you -- the jobseeker, our readers or other site visitors -- in short-article format sharing your insights about how you used the Internet in a job search, and your frank experiences of what "worked" or "definitely did not work" for you in locating, applying to, or negotiating for job opportunities using online methods and tools. What tips or strategies or pitfalls to avoid?
If you have a good story to share with other jobseekers, please send them in to The Job Hunters Chronicles.
From the inside perspective of folks who work with web technology and in the areas of student and professional recruitment (online and offline), we can say with some authority and certainty that the answer is, "Yes, some people do find and get jobs using online tools..."
But from the same perspective, we also have to add, "...but it's not always as quick and straightforward as it seems."
Remember those Super Bowl commercials a number of years back where an office worker just posted a resume on an online job board just sat back and waited for the job offers to flood in along with piles of gifts and bouquets of flowers? Well, we've been in the business for some time, and while we've certainly seen jobseekers get connected with hiring employers and ultimately close on good employment opportunities through using online tools, we've never seen one get a floral bouquet with it...not one!
Just "going fishing" by taking a 10 minutes to drop a resume on a job board may be an adequate job hunt strategy for a very elite job seeker with stellar credentials, mounds of experience, an eloquent writing style that allows his or her winning personality to radiate off the virtual page, and the ideal skillset and references, background and presentation style to make a perfect organizational fit that is recognized by a highly active, dedicated and keen-eyed recruiter just itching to make this one hire out of several ASAP.
But you and me ain't that very elite person. Folks like us have to, as the old adage goes, "treat finding a job as if it was our job." We know that getting a good job can take some thought, resourcefulness and sometimes a little luck.
We also know that no matter how clever the technology that stands between us and the job of our dreams, that doesn't mean that more traditional strategies, preparation, negotiation and yes, offline action, can be tossed out the window. We've seen that even the most advanced resume database tool cannot save the applicant with the sloppy and unproofread resume, or lackluster or cocky or careless cover letter. We've seen some great jobseekers and great jobs pass each other by like ships in the night just because of slightly mistyped or outdated contact information on one side or another or both.
All we have to do is look at the spam in our email in-boxes to be reminded that sometimes, the powerful automating and communications technologies that are created to make our lives easier can tend, as they evolve and spread, to become so complex that we have to stop and periodically reassess how we can make the best use of them.
The editors will address this issue in a number of ways on our site this year, and we want to invite you to share stories about your online job search experiences for an upcoming new feature, The Job Hunters Chronicles.
We are seeking submissions from you -- the jobseeker, our readers or other site visitors -- in short-article format sharing your insights about how you used the Internet in a job search, and your frank experiences of what "worked" or "definitely did not work" for you in locating, applying to, or negotiating for job opportunities using online methods and tools. What tips or strategies or pitfalls to avoid?
If you have a good story to share with other jobseekers, please send them in to The Job Hunters Chronicles.
Friday, December 21, 2007
Don't Put Your Job Hunt On Hold for the Holidays
While some of the editors are getting ready to take a few days off (alas, not all of us will be off this next week), we leave some good advice from the career experts at the WSJ/Career Journal:
Don't Put Your Job Hunt On Hold for the Holidays
It's a myth that hiring slows down between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day, says popular Journal columnist PERRI CAPELL. Sometimes, in fact, it's the very opposite, as "managers try to fill jobs before their budgets expire."
"Not only don't things slow down in December," says Tim Jones, vice president of human resources for Ixia, a communications technology test systems maker. "but there's a sense of urgency to fill jobs in many cases."
In fact, from the perspective of IMDiversity's editors, December has been an active month for the posting of jobs on our job banks. The activity seems to have been at least partially boosted by the fact of imminent or slightly extended deadlines for internships, coops and other entry-level or educational opportunities for the late spring and summer (yes, already), where a high volume of applications must be in early enough in the new year so that decisions can be made for a summer start.
For others, the holidays can be an ideal time to "line up one's ducks," fine-tune your resume, take the time to do the kind of employer research we all know we should be doing thoroughly, but don't always have time and focus to do as well as we should.
So, while we wish everyone a happy holiday season, we also urge those who are in an active job search to not let too much momentum go to waste over the next couple of weeks, but keep up the efforts to make 2008 a very happy new year indeed.
Good luck!
Don't Put Your Job Hunt On Hold for the Holidays
It's a myth that hiring slows down between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day, says popular Journal columnist PERRI CAPELL. Sometimes, in fact, it's the very opposite, as "managers try to fill jobs before their budgets expire."
"Not only don't things slow down in December," says Tim Jones, vice president of human resources for Ixia, a communications technology test systems maker. "but there's a sense of urgency to fill jobs in many cases."
In fact, from the perspective of IMDiversity's editors, December has been an active month for the posting of jobs on our job banks. The activity seems to have been at least partially boosted by the fact of imminent or slightly extended deadlines for internships, coops and other entry-level or educational opportunities for the late spring and summer (yes, already), where a high volume of applications must be in early enough in the new year so that decisions can be made for a summer start.
For others, the holidays can be an ideal time to "line up one's ducks," fine-tune your resume, take the time to do the kind of employer research we all know we should be doing thoroughly, but don't always have time and focus to do as well as we should.
So, while we wish everyone a happy holiday season, we also urge those who are in an active job search to not let too much momentum go to waste over the next couple of weeks, but keep up the efforts to make 2008 a very happy new year indeed.
Good luck!
Monday, June 25, 2007
New Column on Transitioning from College to the "Real World"
THE BLACK COLLEGIAN Online is pleased to introduce a new column, "Now What?" by special columnist Chaz Kyser, of special interest this time of year for all those newly minted college grads who are experiencing "culture shock".
Geared to helping recent graduates making the transition from school to the world of work, the column is dedicated to the idea that "the real world—the working world—is not to be feared, put off or ignored; it should be embraced."
By the author of the book, Embracing the Real World: The Black Woman’s Guide to Life After College, the column has origins in Kyser's determination to share practical guidance especially -- but not exclusively -- to young African-American women. However, the expanded online column contains valuable tips and reminders for those of all ages, genders and backgrounds who are already working, and are concerned with such nuts-and-bolts topics such as the pros and cons of a second job, meeting and exceeding a new employer’s expectations, fitting in at a new workplace, and evaluating whether or not to go back to school.
Geared to helping recent graduates making the transition from school to the world of work, the column is dedicated to the idea that "the real world—the working world—is not to be feared, put off or ignored; it should be embraced."
By the author of the book, Embracing the Real World: The Black Woman’s Guide to Life After College, the column has origins in Kyser's determination to share practical guidance especially -- but not exclusively -- to young African-American women. However, the expanded online column contains valuable tips and reminders for those of all ages, genders and backgrounds who are already working, and are concerned with such nuts-and-bolts topics such as the pros and cons of a second job, meeting and exceeding a new employer’s expectations, fitting in at a new workplace, and evaluating whether or not to go back to school.
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