Employment

Job Hunt Hints For Young Women

June 15, 2015 By Twila Van Leer

Now, with a college degree to your credit, it’s time to put it to use. But the first foray into the job market can be daunting. It isn’t the same process you used to get pre-college jobs in the fast-food arena. The following tips may help you make it through the maze:

Be specific about what you want. Don’t make a blind search hoping to make the right connection. For whom do you want to work? Write down your objectives and narrow the search to pursue those aims. Don’t spend time on positions that don’t fit your objectives.

Don’t hesitate to seek advice. Ask for help from individuals who are already engaged in the sort of work you want. Even if the companies in which you are interested are not currently seeking employees, try to schedule some time with those who can fill you in on the realities. Getting a foot in the door may pay off when the company is ready for active hiring. And if you are able to spend some time with a person able to share their expertise, be sure you express your thanks with a hand-written thank-you.

Expect that you will have a number of interviews before you are hired. After each interview, analyze the experience and see if you can identify the elements that seemed to impress the interviewer and which did not. Work on the responses that fell short. Make each interview an opportunity to learn what employers in your chosen field seem to be seeking in new hires. Use your interview opportunities to build skills.

Don’t be shy in trying to persuade prospective employers that they would be happy they hired you. (Short of being pushy, of course.) Explain your enthusiasm for the area in which you would like to work and be specific about the qualities you believe would make you effective in that area. Be concise but confident.

If the search goes on, try volunteering within your chosen field while you wait for the real thing. Unpaid internships can be valuable training opportunities and will let prospective hirers know you are serious about your aspirations.

Stay upbeat if the job search doesn’t bring the desired results in a hurry. Giving in to a defeatist attitude will do nothing to help and could be a deterrent in the long run. If you have to take a step backward and take a job that isn’t ideal, don’t give up. Do a good job where you are employed and continue the search for what you really want.

Education: It Really Does Pay

May 18, 2015 By Twila Van Leer

Graduation from college doesn't guarantee a life free from worry, but it does help. — Graduation from college doesn’t guarantee a life free from worry, but it does help.

Thinking about getting a college degree? Check the figures. They have long shown that the way to job security and higher pay is to have more education added. Predictably, the more education, the more pay. The data clearly indicate that post-high school training is a predictor of a healthier financial status.

Those who leave high school without a diploma earn, on average, about $10.70 per hour. A certificate of high school completion kicks up the average to $13.40 per hour.

College education, even if it stops short of a full bachelor’s degree – say an associate degree or technical training – raises the average to $15.30 per hour, almost two dollars more. Get the bachelor’s degree and the average jumps to $21.50.

Graduate and professional degrees lead to average earnings of $29.70 per hour.

Not only does the amount of earnings rise significantly as the amount of education increases, but the chances of being without work clearly go down for the educated.

The unemployment rate consistently goes up as the level of education goes down.

In one state study, those with a bachelor’s degree or higher had only a 2.6 percent unemployment rate, while those who had left high school prematurely had a rate of 6.4 percent.

The obvious lesson is that if you want a job that offers financial security and some of life’s amenities, you begin planning early to finish high school and then get some additional training in a chosen field.

And there is nothing that says you have to stop your educational efforts if you are already working. If you are determined to better your financial status, there are opportunities to get additional training. Check the resources in your own area and chances are you’ll find what you need to help you advance. Most institutions of higher education offer counseling services that could be helpful. U.S. Department of Labor and state employment agencies also have helpful resources. Employers often encourage additional training and can steer a worker into educational opportunities.

Career changes are not uncommon in today’s job market and that most often means a new learning challenge. Being open to learning opportunities is the starting point. You’ll find the reward is more than worth the effort.

Career Changes Are Standard Today

May 14, 2015 By Twila Van Leer

If you begin a career, stay with the career and retire from the career, you’re an exception in today’s job market. Second or even third job shifts are common now. Some people change not only companies, but actually take on entirely new careers during their working years.

The rapid advancement of technology has dictated changes in many professions, with some jobs disappearing and others requiring new training and expertise. Young people entering the field today are more aware of the realities and may not have trouble making the changes. But facing the need to change when you came up through the old reality is something else.

Those over 50 who are facing an altered career have things to consider, such as finances and futures that now have new parameters. They may not be prepared yet for retirement, but are wary of facing drastic new work realities. There are ways to prepare for change when it comes. Consider these tips:

Consider what you want. If you are hoping for more family time or leisure, look for a second career that is less demanding. You might want to think about starting your own business, putting your years of experience to good use. Initially, that could put more demands on your time, but you’d have the best boss ever. Look at the potential from all angles.

Look realistically at your skills. In some instances, those skills are not in demand any longer. The thought of retraining may be daunting, but it may be the key to staying on the job for another decade or so. Look for counseling at your local government agencies and institutions of higher education. If your skills are still marketable, look for work in areas where your experience will be valued.

Try on a new job before making it permanent. Some businesses will let you volunteer for a period of time so you can judge how the new job will fit your desires and the skills you have to offer. A trial run can either convince you that you still have something to give that will give you satisfaction in return. Or it could send you looking for something else. Either way, it will be valuable in making a decision for your remaining work years.

Make use of your network, enlisting family, friends, former co-workers or current colleagues, in the search for work that will be satisfying. Ask for advice. If you are considering a particular field of work, find contacts who can give you a realistic view of what that work entails.

Maybe you’ll be one of those who enjoy a lifetime career with one company. Don’t count on it. If you have to make a career switch, make it a happy one.

Job Hunting At 60 Plus

March 31, 2015 By Twila Van Leer

Older job hunters will find it’s different from the same process when they were younger. There are some common mistakes that can be easily fixed. Among them:

You can’t both sit back and relax as if you were fully retired and look for work. Actively be seeking a job if that’s what you really want. Employers can spot the self-starters. Consult or do blogging in your field to raise your profile. And use the resources you have gained during your career. Network. Finding a job through an old associate or family member is the most likely route to a new position.

Don’t boast that no one can find you online. You want connections. Tweet, friend and otherwise connect. LinkedIn cited by 94 percent of recruiters in a group of 1,885 as their primary source for recruiting. Don’t confuse privacy with invisibility. Use social media.

Pay can be an issue. If you insist on making a job change and receiving the same salary, you may find your options limited. To balance the scales, negotiate for more flextime, vacation and other perks so you don’t feel the difference as much.

Don’t assume that you are bothering people by making your wishes for a job known. Use every resource you can call on, including those who associate with your children, church or social acquaintances, even store clerks or those who go to the same gym. Never pass up an opportunity (without being pushy, of course.) Even if the person you approach does not have a job to offer, he or she may know of someone who does. Facebook may be useful.

Don’t expect a long resume to impress a prospective employer. A two-page limit should allow you plenty of space to recap your work experience. A human resources representative is likely to spend only 20 to 30 seconds scanning it. Briefly highlight those accomplishments you feel were most beneficial to your previous employer. Don’t go back more than 10 years. And be sure your resume is neat and edited.

Apply even if your experience does not match the job description in every particular. The posting should be considered the ideal, but may not be requisite in every detail. A willingness to learn and a healthy work history are likely to weigh more in the mind of the hirer.

If you assume that patience alone will reward you with the perfect job, forget it. Don’t assume you can hold out for the absolutely ideal fit. If you try to recreate the job you had before, you will only be unhappy with anything new. Identify what part of your work experience is transferable and then develop an attitude that learning something new will be fun and exciting.

Where Does The Job Market Stand?

October 17, 2014 By Sherry Tingley

Unemployment figures are lower than they have been, but what exactly do they reflect? — Unemployment figures are lower than they have been, but do they mean?

You hear all kinds of things: Either the job market is looking rosy after the devastation of the recession, or things are still rocky. What should you believe?

Although there are indications of steady hiring and falling unemployment, experts are still baffled by some of the relevant data. At the core of the debate is whether the current 6.1 percent unemployment figure, while it is far below the 10 percent rate registered at the beginning of the recession, really give a true picture, or does it overstate the improvement?

The question of whether the feds will raise interest rates depends on how things sort themselves out. “We’ve never seen a labor market quite like this,” said Peter Cappelli, an economist with the Wharton School of Business.

Despite the improvement of the unemployment part of the puzzle, there are many companies that aren’t filling their job openings and many individuals who were jobless during the height of the recession apparently are waiting for further signs of stability before they start job searches.

The National political campaigns, soon to end in the Nov. 4 balloting, have kept the focus on the labor situation. Polling among voters indicates that behind the overall economy and terrorism, the unemployment statistics are much on the minds of Americans.

Five “mysteries” points related to the labor quandary include:

1. How many people are in the pool of those who didn’t look for jobs when the economy slumped or stopped looking when the recession went on? Will they re-enter the job search when it is clear that the economy is improving? Since the recession began in 2007, the number of adults either working or seeking work has dipped from 66 percent to 62.8 percent. That’s a 35-year low, equal to about 7.5 million people. Retirements among the Baby Boom generation have contributed to those data, probably accounting for at least half of the exodus from the workforce. Young adults are staying in school longer. Some who aren’t job-hunting are receiving disability aid. The economists look at the figures and conclude that many of the dropouts are not likely to come back into the ranks of job-seekers. For the employer, that could mean a demand for higher pay for the jobs that are available.

2.Where are the 3.8 million who were unemployed for more than six months, but no longer are counted in the unemployment data? Have they got jobs or have they quit looking, changing their status in the figures? Labor Department data indicate that about 12 percent of the long-term unemployed are finding jobs each month. Federal economists who sifted data over a whole year, however, found that nearly 40 percent of the long-term unemployed found jobs during that period.

3. Why is it that 7.3 million people looking for full-time jobs can find only part-time work? The figure for this category before the recession was only 4.6 million. Economists think it indicates that there are more wanting work then the unemployment rate suggests. He thinks this situation justifies another percentage point on the unemployment rate. The situation may affect wages, portending they won’t go up any time soon. In general, wages start rising when unemployment hits its current level. A rapid rise in wages could trigger faster inflation.

4. Companies are advertising more jobs, but not filling all of them. That makes an imbalance between the jobs available and the workers seeking them out. It seems companies are not as aggressively filling jobs as they did pre-recession, taking an average of 25 days to fill a job, compared with fewer than 22 before the economy tanked. Some economists suggest the changes related more to new technologies that allow employers to post jobs. They may post the jobs before they actually are ready to hire, just because they can do so easily.

5. Why has job growth declined for women? The growth rate for females dropped more than 14 percent this year. Although more jobs are being added – an average of 215,000 per month this year – women have taken fewer than 40 percent of those jobs. Women’s participation in the labor force was nearly 63 percent after the 1981-82 recession; 51 percent following a 1990-91 downturn in the economy and 47 percent after a similar dip in 2001. Government studies indicate that men are taking jobs in sectors traditionally dominated by women, including hotel, restaurant and financial services. Women are having less success in the manufacturing sector as well. The recession hit traditionally men’s jobs harder, accounting for 71 percent of the losses.

Experts expect that the job market will continue to return to more normal trends over time.