Posted: 23 Aug 2010 04:48 AM PDT

Tompkins Workforce New York alerts residents to a new state job bank, launched by the New York State Department of Labor, to make job seekers' career search easier and help businesses find qualified candidates.

At the new "Job Central" web site, at www.laborny.jobs, job seekers can access more than 84,000 posted jobs, with the number of posted positions continuing to grow.

"This new job search site has received favorable feedback from job seekers and businesses," says Diane Bradac, manager of the Tompkins Workforce New York Career Center. "It is an efficient and no-cost avenue for businesses to post their vacancies and connect with job seekers. New jobs and information are posted daily. If customers need internet access, they are welcome to use the computer lab at Tompkins Workforce New York or the Tompkins County Public Library."

Bradac notes job seekers can post resumes and scan job openings, while businesses can post job openings and view resumes to find qualified candidates.

For more information on the new job bank service, contact the Tompkins Workforce New York Career Center at 272-7570, or stop in at the Center in Center Ithaca, 171 E.t State St./Martin Luther King Jr. Street.

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What to say in follow-up calls in job search

Posted: 24 Aug 2010 10:03 AM PDT

By Amy Lindgren

For the AJC

Job search is a lot like tennis: Hit the ball, then hit it again when it's returned to you. Boing, boing, boing. It's not rocket science, and yet, as any tennis player will tell you, this simple step is really quite important. If you stop returning the ball, you lose the point.

Regarding job search then, the trick isn't to write the most amazing resume or have a newsmaking interview. The trick is to do each job search step consistently and persistently, and to not be the first person to stop hitting the ball.

In other words, you must do your follow-up.

Which raises the question: What, exactly, should one say in a follow-up call or letter?

Let's start with the calls, as they cause the most consternation. There's something about going live that heightens the tension for most job seekers.

First, identify the purpose of the call. Are you trying to set a meeting? Get on a list to be interviewed? Learn your status after having been interviewed?

Now choose your words. In this situation, the more you think about it, the worse the result will be -- so don't overthink it! Try using this general formula: Greeting, introduction, purpose.

Here's an example for a person who was interviewed last week and is now calling the employer back.

Greeting: "Hello, Mr. Jones, this is Anna Smith."

Introduction: "We met last week when I interviewed for the accounting job. I'm the person with eight years of experience in a business similar to yours."

Purpose: "I'm calling to see how your hiring decision is going. I'm eager to start working for you, so I'd like to find out if there are more steps in the process or if you're ready to hire the new person."

Notice the absence of chitchat? No "How are you?" or even "Do you have a few minutes?" If you had an extended meeting previously with this person and feel sure they'll remember you, go ahead and try something more personal. But in most cases, it's better to get to the point. When you don't know the other person, most chitchat will simply trail off and leave you in an awkward spot.

Another reason to limit the social aspect of the conversation is that you want to get your entire spiel out before the other person has time to steer the conversation elsewhere. This is especially true of calls where you are introducing yourself for the first time -- commonly known as cold calls.

Here's an alternate introduction and purpose, for a person who has applied but not been scheduled for an interview.

Introduction: "I responded to last week's posting for an accountant. I'm not sure if you've seen the responses yet, but I have eight years of experience in a business similar to yours."

Purpose: "I'm calling because I'm eager to talk with you about this position and I think I'd do a great job for your company. I'd like to be included in the interviews. Would you be able to put me on the schedule?"

That wasn't entirely cold, since the caller had an earlier interaction (the application) to refer to. For the record, here's an example of an icy cold call:

Greeting: "Hello, Mr. Jones, this is Amanda Smith."

Introduction: "We haven't met yet, but I'm calling because I have eight years of experience in accounting and a strong familiarity with your product line."

Purpose: "I'd like to meet with you to see if you could use someone in your accounting department. Even if you don't have openings right now, I'd like to meet so you could keep me in mind for the next opening. I could come by on Tuesday or Wednesday at your convenience. Would either of those days work?"

When you make these calls, regardless of whether they are cold calls or follow-ups, don't worry that you're interrupting Mr. Jones' day -- that's why he has a phone. And if you get voice mail, just leave the message and call back in a few days.

Keep up this pattern for a few calls, then leave a final voice mail that says, "I'm sorry we haven't been able to connect, but I'm looking forward to an opportunity to get together, whenever that happens. Have a great day, and here's my phone number."

Want a challenge? Do about 20 of these calls next week and see if you don't end up with at least one meeting scheduled. Once you have that success, you'll be ready to do five or 10 a day, and your job search will take off. In the meantime, watch for next week's column with scripts for follow-up e-mails.

Amy Lindgren owns Prototype Career Service, a career consulting firm in St. Paul. She can be reached at alindgren@prototypecareerservice.com or at 626 Armstrong Ave., St. Paul, MN 55102.

Boot camp helps veterans in civilian job search

Posted: 23 Aug 2010 05:29 PM PDT

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by Kevin Reece / 11 News

khou.com

Posted on August 23, 2010 at 7:25 PM

Updated today at 10:15 AM

HOUSTON -- Tough economic times are hitting veterans especially hard, so a three-day job search training camp was designed to give former soldiers, sailors, Marines and airmen the ammunition they need to survive the civilian workplace.

"There's no reason why any veteran shouldn't have [a] better job, better pay [and] better life," said Ken Dawson, a former Marine and CEO of a program called Total Career Success.

Dawson began a three-day seminar on Monday at American Legion Post 416 near downtown Houston to help struggling veterans. While the unemployment rate in Texas hovers near 8 percent the jobless rate for veterans who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan is at approximately 12 percent.

"I didn't really think it was going to be as frustrating," said Joseph Morin, who also attended the first day of the three-day seminar.

"It's been extremely, extremely frustrating you know," he said.

Morin, trained by the Navy in electronics and communications, left the service nine months ago and said he hasn't been able to land a job since.

"I haven't been getting the interview," said Morin. "I'm trying to get that resume so that way I can get the interview. Because I feel if I can get the interview I can get the job."

In 2008, Mike Borths was a field artillery officer at the height of the military surge in Iraq. But when he left the Army and came back to Houston he lost his civilian job.

He said he got a layoff notice from his boss at a construction firm two Fridays ago. The 2nd lieutenant and Texas A&M grad was told the slow economy meant his position was eliminated.

"I understand that a lot of people are going through it in all walks of life. So I'm just kind of a victim of the times I guess," he said. "I would hope that they would at least get an interview just for having served so that they have the chance to convey hopefully to their potential employer what they do bring to the table."

The free three-day job search training camp for veterans continues Tuesday and Wednesday. It begins at 9 a.m. at American Legion Post 416, 1216 West Clay Street, Houston, 77019.

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Are you shooting too low in your job search?

Posted: 23 Aug 2010 06:17 AM PDT

Being overqualified for a job raises a red flag for some hiring managers. Experts recommend researching a company before applying.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

If you aim too low, employers will notice and move on to someone else
Overqualified candidates raise concerns in a hiring manager's mind
Maximize opportunities by researching employers and asking professionals for leads
Know your strengths and weaknesses to avoid jobs for which you are overqualified

(CareerBuilder.com) -- Does your application secretly have the words "overqualified," "desperate" and "likely to be bored stiff within a month" written all over it? If you are aiming too low in your job search, chances are employers will read between the lines and notice -- and move on to someone else.

There are two primary reasons why people aim low, says Duncan Mathison, co-author of "Unlock the Hidden Job Market: Six Steps to a Successful Search When Times Are Tough":

1. They want to increase the number of opportunities. (More lower-level positions are available than higher-level ones.)

2. They think it will raise their odds of being hired. (They believe they will appear more qualified compared to other applicants.)

Lisa Quast, author of "Your Career, Your Way!" and founder of Career Woman Inc., a Seattle-based career development consulting company, adds that workers who are laid off or fired may think they just need to find a new job as quickly as possible due to their economic situation. Beyond money matters, she notes that sometimes people "lack internal confidence about their skills and abilities" and "don't have a clearly defined strategic career plan," both of which can lead them to apply for lesser positions.

CareerBuilder.com: How to prove you're read to be boss

The dangers

At first glance, it might seem that being overqualified would be a good thing. Wouldn't an employer like to get somebody who is even better than the job description?

Don't bank on it.

Overqualified candidates raise concerns in a hiring manager's mind. Will the person insist on doing things his own way? Can he accept instruction from somebody who is his superior at the firm but his equal (or less) on paper? Will the worker jump ship as soon as he finds a better job? Will he constantly be jockeying for more money and a higher position instead of focusing on the job for which he was hired? Will he get frustrated with this lower position and quit?

It's not just employers, though, who face risks; it's job seekers, too.

CareerBuilder.com: Great employee? Or you just think you are?

"The biggest danger is that you will not be hired if you shoot too low and then think to yourself, 'Good grief. I can't even land that crummy position. I must be a real loser!'" Mathison says.

Quast says other key dangers for the applicant include:

• Losing money. Accepting a job that pays $10,000 less per year than you're actually worth totals $200,000 in lost wages over 20 years.

• Stifling progress. You'll be less likely to be doing work that will allow you to grow and develop in your field.

• Becoming bored: Frustration from job dissatisfaction can escalate stress and harm health and overall well-being.

Upgrading your job search

Instead of downgrading a job search in order to try to increase the likelihood of landing a position, Mathison suggests coming up with a more fruitful plan of attack.

"When the economy is tight, a lower percentage of open positions are actually advertised as employers rely on less expensive recruiting through referrals and informal word-of-mouth advertising," Mathison says. "This 'hidden' job market actually becomes a bigger share of open positions. This means that networking plays a bigger role in uncovering unadvertised leads."

Careerbuilder.com: New generation of entrepreneurs

To maximize potential opportunities, Mathison recommends job seekers spend more time researching employers and asking people in their network and at professional organizations for leads.

"Directly approach people who could be your future manager and tell them of your availability. These are the people who care most about what you can do and how you can make them and their teams successful."

Quast suggests spending some time on self-examination.

"Clearly define your career aspirations. If you don't know where you want to go, how will you determine how to get there? Know your strengths and weaknesses when you search for a new position so you can avoid targeting jobs that are beneath your skills. Identify those things you do better than other people. These are the things you do that will set you apart from others and that make you special."

Above all, hang in there and exude confidence. After all, if you don't believe you're worthy of the job you really want, how will anybody else?

Job Search

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

“New 'Job Central' search site links job seekers and potential employers” plus 3 more

“New 'Job Central' search site links job seekers and potential employers” plus 3 more

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