Archive for the ‘Career Choice’ Category
 The newly published report from the Washington-based non-profit Partnership for Public Service is showing that over the course of next four years, the U.S. federal government is projected to create over 600,000 jobs in a variety of occupational fields. This is a 50% increase over the previous four years.
If you haven’t considered a government job, you should definitely make it part of your job search. U.S. government jobs provide relatively secure employment, good benefits and lucrative pay. Some of the positions, like deputy associate director for global operations, pay as much as $155,500 a year.
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 I have recently written about employment discrimination and found that my explanations regarding age discrimination became a subject of many heated discussions and controversy. Needless to say, it is a very sensitive subject. The purpose of my article was to help those who are being discriminated against by shedding some light on how employers look at things and why discrimination takes place. In my opinion, Job Seekers who have this understanding are better equipped for dealing with discrimination.
I am going to attempt to do this again. This time I will be focusing specifically on Age Discrimination and on myths and facts surrounding it:
What is Discrimination?
Princeton Dictionary defines discrimination as “unfair treatment of a person or group on the basis of prejudice rather than individual merit”. I strongly feel that treating job seekers unfairly simply because of their age is wrong and unjustified. At the same time, however, I feel that it is in an employer’s right to test job seekers’ abilities in order to determine if they are fit to perform duties as required by the job. I think it is wrong to require an employer to hire someone because of anti-discrimination laws if such individual is not the best choice for the job. To me, this is actually discrimination in reverse. For example, hiring a candidate to satisfy diversity requirement and simply because of their race and not their abilities, is actually discriminatory against other better-qualified candidates.
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 Body art is everywhere and most people can name at least one person they know who has some kind of body work done. People with tattoos work in a variety of industries and hold entry-level jobs, as well as, top executive positions. Based on the number of new tattoo parlors and the number of people getting tattooed, this trend doesn’t appear to be slowing any time soon.
So, is body art a workplace issue? Does having a visible tattoo say anything about an individual that is relevant to his or her job?
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 Everybody knows that Americans are some of the hardest working people on the planet. We are the nation of workaholics. As defined by the American Heritage® Dictionary, a workaholic is “one who has a compulsive and unrelenting need to work”.
Where is this need coming from? Are we addicted to work? Well, for one, addiction to work is not yet officially recognized as a medical or a mental disorder, which makes it difficult to define or measure.
A 2004 Gallup survey indicated that 38% of Americans reported that they work over 45 hours per week, compared to only 30% of Canadians and 28% of employees in the United Kingdom who work more than 45 hours per week. In Japan, it is widely reported that 10,000 workers die at their desks every year as result of 60 to 70 hour work weeks that are common.
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The Bureau of Labor Statistics released its 2008-18 employment projections. Based on the relationship between the population, labor force, and demand for goods and services the job openings results have been projected. Let’s see what changes are expected in goods-producing and service-producing industries.
As we can see construction is projected to gain the most jobs (1.34 million). Employment in construction is expected to rise 19 percent. Demand for commercial construction and an increase in road, bridge, and tunnel construction will account for the bulk of job growth. Manufacturing sector projected to lose 1.21 million jobs as productivity gains, automation, and international competition adversely affect employment in most manufacturing industries. However, employment in a few manufacturing industries will increase. For example, employment in pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing is expected to grow by six percent by 2018; however, this increase is expected to add only 17.600 new jobs. Employment in agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting is expected to decrease by 1 % because of rising costs of production, increasing consolidation, and more imports of food and lumber.
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 In today’s economy many companies are forced to lay off employees in order to maintain profitability. Whether you suddenly find yourself unemployed, or you are no longer satisfied with your current job, a change in your career path may be just what you need to make a fresh start. It is a difficult decision which takes time and money. That is why when thinking about making a career change, it is important to consider career skills, job satisfaction, salary and some other points. It is also important to make sure the career you choose will be in demand a few years from now.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics released its 2008-18 employment projections where presented twenty occupations with the fastest growth and twenty occupations with the fastest decline.
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 The winter holidays are over and many job seekers are now returning to their job search. If you are currently unemployed and haven’t had much luck in 2009, this moment may be a good time to reevaluate and adjust your strategy. We have put together this list of 10 New Year’s Resolutions, as voted by our readers, to help make your Job Search in 2010 more productive.
1. Stay Positive
2009 was a difficult year for many job seekers. If you haven’t been able to find a job, the last thing you want to do is give up looking or lose hope. All professionals agree that a positive attitude makes a drastic difference. If you radiate confidence, potential employers can feel it and you will perform better at interviews. It is easier said than done but we feel it is so important that we have put it up at the top of our list.
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 With the U.S. unemployment rate surpassing 10%, many Americans are getting desperate for jobs in their home towns or even within their states. How about within the country?
If you are a highly-skilled and experienced professional, who have been unable to find a suitable job in your area, perhaps you should consider looking elsewhere? Have you ever considered looking for a job overseas? Many don’t realize that there are positions open to Americans abroad: from the U.S. government and military, to U.S. corporations and non-profit organizations operating oversees.
America has always been a land of immigrants. As a country, we were built by immigrants. In fact, the word “immigration” has become an integral part of our culture and a hot topic of many debates. So much so that we have forgotten about “emigration” – the opposite process of people leaving the United States to look for a better life elsewhere. Unfortunately, with the current economic conditions this is turning into a reality.
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 The advice is very simple: unless you write a personalized cover letter, addressed to the person who is likely to be reading your resume, and unless it is tailored specifically for the company and the position, don’t even bother including one with your resume!
Generic cover letters rarely get any attention. In fact, 9 out of 10 recruiters admit they don’t look at them at all…
…unless it has their name on it.
Before writing a cover letter, consider its purpose. Many job seekers would agree that the purpose of a cover letter is to capture attention and to make your resume stand out.
Unfortunately, cover letters are rarely written in a way that accomplishes that. Why?
Let me give you an example: Next time you open your mailbox at home, pay attention to the junk mail you throw away right away vs. what captures your attention. Chances are you would immediate throw away advertising claiming special deals that look like they are sent to millions of other “lucky” customers. You know there is nothing special or unique about them. However, you would probably pay more attention to the mail that is customized to your needs or preferences or something that has a personal touch and is of value to you. For instance, a hand-written envelope with your name on it containing a personalized coupon for a 50% discount on an item that you really need would probably get a lot more attention from you.
Are you getting the analogy?
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 We are often asked this question and I firmly believe the right answer is it depends. You have to look at the one’s situation (both financial and professional) as well as the volunteer position considered. Volunteer work can often help your job search but in some cases may get in the way. There are several things to consider whether to work for free when unemployed. Here are some things to consider:
May Turn into a Paying Job
A temporary volunteer position may turn into a full time paid position, depending on the position itself as well as the organization’s need and your track record. If this is something you have in mind, it may be a good idea to cheek whether this is even possible for the position you are considering. Sometimes such opportunities may open up down the road, when the organization you would be volunteering for gets additional funding.
Great Addition to a Resume
Many professional recruiters would tell you that a relevant volunteer position on your resume looks a lot better than having an extensive gap in your employment. In fact, pro bono work is often respected and having this experience on your resume may actually help you get a job. You don’t even have to mention that it was an unpaid job and if you had a volunteer position with duties and responsibilities and you have shown real achievements – make a note of that on your resume!
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