Being Unemployed - A Turnoff to Some Employers

Being Unemployed - A Turnoff to Some EmployersSo, you cant get a job because of the economy, huh? While this might be a legitimate reason, it is not necessarily the only reason. I was unaware, but apparently some employers are not exactly welcoming all job seekers to apply for their job opportunities.In a recent article, there is talk about discrimination against unemployed job candidates. If youre unemployed, be on the look out for job advertisements that discourage you from applying on the other hand, you may need to be currently working just for consideration of employment. This schriftart of discrimination can reduce the confidence of job seekers who may already be hurting in this economy. Why would any employer want to help make your job search more difficult?The government is beginning to pay attention to the discrimination against the unemployed, so hopefully something will be done to eliminate this practice. In the mean time, continue to stay positive during your job search. Im sure there are many employers just waiting to hire you.Guest Post by William Frierson is a staff writer for CollegeRecruiter.com, Source thecareernews.com article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.For additional tips and advice on resumes and cover letters, follow GreatResume or visit our blog.

Working Mom Depression How to Cope and Thrive

Working Mom Depression How to Cope and Thrive Life can be hectic for us working moms. We dont always get enough sleep, we lack time for urselves, and therbeies always a neverending to-do list. Research from Fairygodboss shows many of us are overwhelmed, with four out of ten new moms leaving their jobs, even though 75% of expecting mothers say they feel excited to get back to work after maternity leave. Integrating our new roles as moms with work requires the right support to avoid mental health concerns such as postpartum depression, anxiety, and stress.What Are Mental Health and Emotional Well-Being and How Do They Affect Kids?Mental health is the condition of ones psychological and emotional well-being. A mothers mental health is important for her kids because babies are creatures of emotional contagion. When youre feeling sad, angry, or frustratedor exhibiting symptoms of depressionher children are likely to notice, and her condition may affect them, too. According to a study from the University of Londons Institute of Education, a mothers depression is mora harmful than poverty for childrens mental health.What Factors Could Contribute to or Exacerbate Maternal Depression?Both working mothers and stay-at-home moms deal with enormous challenges and difficultiesnot to mention the postpartum depression many new mothers experience.These statistics from Working Moms Break show the realities of working mom depression80% catch up on work nights and weekends81% worry they will burn out88% said they suffer from at least one stress-related health problem since becoming a working parent59% have problems with anxiety43% struggle with depressionSigns That You May Suffer From Depression and Strategies for Combatting ItSometimes it takes looking beyond the obvious to search for and identify what is causing your depression. Here are five signs that you may suffer from working mom depression and suggestions for fighting it.1. You hate sending your kid to daycare.Its natural to want to spend more time with your kids. In order to cope with the time away from your child, find ways to get involved with and appreciate her daycare by recognizing what you value about it and making the fruchtwein of the resources available.Separation anxiety is a real thing, but taking comfort in a job you enjoy can also help. If we work full time, 80 percent of our waking hours are spent at work. Loving your job is one of the best ways to appreciate the value of child care.2. You have trouble sleeping.Theres a powerful link between sleep and depression, and it works both ways. When were depressed, we may have more trouble sleeping, and a lack of adequate sleep can also lead to depression. As women, we are more likely to have difficulty getting to sleep and staying asleep than men. Neuroscientist suggests women need more sleep than men (about 20 minutes extra each day) because our brains spend more time multitasking, which means we need more time to recover. Getting better sle ep can improve our health, relationships, confidence, careers.3. Our minds are cluttered.The mental load caused by multi-tasking, managing schedules, chores, and everything else we do as moms can increase our stress levels. This emotional overload can cause a decrease in productivity, too. Scheduling in quiet time can help eliminate our stress and reduce depression.4. The internet can add fuel to the fire.Your phone may seem like your lifeline, but British researchers studying the internets role in depression found that internet addicts are more likely to have moderate to severe depression. So, how can too much of the Internet cause depression? Researches believe that it can socially isolate people and make us feel less content with our own lives.Rather than falling prey to this condition, pick something you like to do that doesnt revolve around internet or screen usage, such as reading. The less you use electronics before bedtime, the better quality sleep youll get too, and sleepin g well can boost your energy and mood.5. We lack support.There is poor institutional support for most working moms. Only 12% of employees have paid maternity leave, and post-birth care is primarily focused on the baby, with one doctor visit for mom after the baby is born. There is already a lack of support available, and many working mothers dont seek it out. That means women need to take charge of their psychological and physical health and well-being by seeking out support and asking for help when we need it.--Rachel Montanez is a career coach and career development speaker. Check out her website here.

Finding the Best Writing Currently Employed Jobs on Resume

Finding the Best Writing Currently Employed Jobs on Resume Writing Currently Employed Jobs on Resume Explained Finally, everything on your resume must contribute to its highest possible relevancy and readability. Possessing a well thought out current resume on hand whatsoever times can help save you a good deal of anxiety, and could help you save you a missed opportunity. Think about what exactlys frustrating you at your existing job and consider whether some changes could make things better. If you held a job for just a month or two, it may be better simply to list everything in conditions of years, and not include months. Do not publicize on social channels (such as LinkedIn or Facebook) that you are seeking a new job when you currently have one. Dont advertise on social networking or tell your co-workers that you want another job or dont enjoy the one which you have. A lot of people assume the sole method to apply to get a federal job is with USAJOBS. Interviewing whenev er you have a job can be a challenging matter to do. So when the hiring company hasnt provided a salary for work, we look at salary data from related businesses and locations to produce a fair estimate for what it is possible to count on. Job searching and interviewing for a new position when you are employed can be tricky, particularly if you dont (and you need tont) want your employer to know that you are thinking about quitting. Be cautious to make sure that you continue to do the very best job that you can do while youre with your present employer. The Ultimate Writing Currently Employed Jobs on Resume Trick Prepare yourself to point out why you would like to work there, then ask them if theyre conscious of any job positions that may be a fit. Perfecting your resume is among the fruchtwein crucial elements of landing your ideal job. You may also leave work off of your resume entirely. You dont need it to happen and get no job in the slightest. What You Dont Know About Writing Currently Employed Jobs on Resume Resume plays an extremely important role in receiving the work opportunity, therefore it has to be extraordinary and notable. Looking for a job can be among the most frustrating, challenging things youre ever going to experience. Writing Currently Employed Jobs on Resume Secrets Attempt to acquire letters of recommendation from three or more individuals who would get a concept of how well you might do the duties of the kind of job which youre applying for. Again, the work description is loaded with words and phrases that you ought to be using. Dont use your supervisor or some other references from the job which you have now. While its the case that the ideal time to try to find a new job is when youre currently employed, that process may be true challenge. Dont schedule a telephone interview for when youre at work if you dont have a private office. Obviously, you arent likely to volunteer that youre searching for a job, or that you re interested in working at their company, especially if a coworker is with you. If you are searching for resume writer jobs, were always open for cooperation. During office hours, your present job ought to be your main focus.

4 Career Lessons I Learned From Customer Service- The Muse

4 Career Lessons I Learned From Customer Service- The Muse4 Career Lessons I Learned From Customer Service- The MuseWhen you think of a customer support representative, do you picture a robotic call center employee reading monotonously from a script? Do you clear your schedule, bracing yourself for a day wasted on hold? Chances are you may react with some approximation of the above, and thats understandable. Many older businesses still treat customer support like a necessary evil. However, more companies have started to recognize just how critical it can be. As someone proudly working in support at one of the better companies, Ive learned a lot about how to absprache with customers who are occasionally- OK, usually- at their angriest and most frustrated. So much so that the tools of the trade extend far beyond the support rep and customer relationship to human-to-human interactions. So, read on if you want to learn how to better deal with your co-workers, managers and, really, anyone in general.1. Knowing Your Customer Makes You ValuableEveryone knows the phrase the customer is always right. But its not just about making people feel good. Due to lean product development, companies release their products in short, iterative cycles, using every opportunity they can to gather customer feedback and improve on their output with each new release. If you can find ways to get in front of customers as much as possible, youll become a valued wellspring of knowledge for your product team.Theres a bigger lesson here The CEO isnt the only face of a company. A customer (or prospective customer) will base her opinion of an organization on the interaction she has with its representatives. So, if you work in HR, forge relationships with recruiters and universities. If youre a developer, learn what your users want. No matter your title, be the reason people respect your company- thats a big reason why your company will respect you.2. Timeliness Is Next to GodlinessFirst impressi ons are always important, and support reps make that impression before they even get on the phone. Yes, Im talking about wait time. A speedy reply signals that you respect your clients, and that youre capable of managing your own time effectively. Conversely, any time you respond slowly, youre literally holding someone else up. You might think this appearance of being busy makes you seem important, but it really just makes you seem unreliable. Next time a co-worker emails you, keep in mind that you could very well be bottlenecking his work by deprioritizing your response back. Therefore, if you know youre going to be unreachable for a certain period of time, clue your team in. It will make all the difference to your co-workers (and your inbox). 3. Dont Fight With an Angry PersonBecause support reps typically interact with frustrated, confused individuals, it is easy to get caught up in the volatility that these moments bring. But unlike your customers, you cannot afford to lose your cool, since increased emotions hamper your ability to do whats best for your company.This concept applies to any situation youll find yourself in, and theres no better way to practice than in these low stakes, high-temper support scenarios. (Because a slow-loading page is, in fact, not a life or death situation.) Theres a great saying that, the first person to get angry loses. To me, thats best practice for customer support- and for life.Whether someone disagrees with one of your ideas, claims youve blown off a commitment, or wrongfully accuses you of stealing an idea that you presented to your CEO, decide whether or not this battle is really worth your time. Often, choosing not to escalate the argument will save you time and energy. Instead, diffuse the situation and resolve the conflict. In sales, I sometimes choose to over-apologize. If someone expects you to be contentious, being deferential can disarm him and lead to a more productive conversation. This obviously wont work in situations where you absolutely shouldnt be apologizing- like if youre standing up for your ideas or in the midst of a heated financial negotiation. In those situations, its best to move on to another subject (at least in the interim) and plan to revisit once everyone has calmed down. 4. Dont Assume Youre the ProblemRemember when I mentioned the phrase, The customer is always right? According to my experience, a more accurate phrase would be, the customer always thinks he is right, and he will fight with you to prove his point. As a support rep, it is not your job to prove anyone wrong. Rather, its your job to prove to him that you want and can help him.In order to do that effectively, I had to learn to ignore some of the negative noise that gets thrown my way- a skill thats served me equally as well outside of support. For example, just because your co-worker writes you an angry email, it does not mean that shes truly angry with you. Rather than focusing on what you did (or didnt d o) to incur her wrath focus on what shes asking you. Solve the problem, and youll likely solve her frustrations in the process.Yes, calling customer service can be painful. But experiencing the process from the other side taught me a lot about working with people- especially in tough situations. Whether you work in a customer support role or crunch numbers all day, being thoughtful, patient and helpful will grow others trust in you, and your company. Photo of man on phone courtesy of Shutterstock.

Zoo Careers and Job Search Sites

Zoo Careers and Job Search SitesZoo Careers and Job Search SitesZoo careers can include a variety of orts such as zoologischer garten keeper, zoologist, veterinarian, veterinary technician, curator, commissary keeper, registrar, educator, and other related roles. There are a number of job search sites that can help zoo career seekers to find employment opportunities in the industry. While networking and searching local listings can be a big part of finding desirable positions, using zugnglich options can help qualified candidates to broaden their search to encompass all possible opportunities. Job Search Sites The largest collection of job postings for zoo careers can be found on the website of the Association of Zoos Aquariums (AZA). The AZA site lists hundreds of active job postings at any given time, with positions ranging from internships to seasonal work to full-time employment. Employers advertising on the site at the time of this article included Walt Disney World, major aquariums, wildlife conservation groups, and independent zoos and animal facilities across the United States. Many positions have salary and position duties outlined in detail on the site, so it is also a great place to do a little research on what a particular job would entail and how much one could expect to earn. The American Association of Zoo Keepers (AAZK) is another organization that posts a variety of job listings on its website. A few dozen listings were offered at the time of this writing, mainly keeper positions but a few management and curatorial positions as well. The site also lists volunteer and internship opportunities. The Zoological Association of America (ZAA) is a membership organization that also maintains a job board on its website, with a few recent listings. Positions for keepers, curators, and interns were offered at the time of this writing. This site does not appear to have many new listings but is worth a quick check during the search process. Individual zoo websites such as Zoo Atlanta, the Bronx Zoo, the San Diego Zoo, the Los Angeles Zoo Botanical Gardens, and other specific zoo sites also tend to post position openings when they become available. While many or most of these positions are also listed on the AZA website, it never hurts to keep a close eye on what the individual zoo organizations are offering on their employment pages. Also, some organizations may not be members or choose not to advertise with the AZA, so the AZA cannot be considered an absolutely comprehensive listing of all available options (though it appears to come very close to that ideal). Other major sites that are not specifically designed for zoo career searches may also be useful to zoo job seekers. Employment sites such as Monster.com, Indeed.com, and CareerBuilder.com often carry zoo related job listings in their large databases of career opportunities. The most frequently posted jobs on these sites appear to be zookeeper and veterinary positions. Add itional zoo career opportunities may be identified through searches of university career websites, zoo internship sites, marine animal internship sites, and animal science or wildlife-related job search sites. Other Options Other sources for zoo job advertisements may include animal-related magazines, newsletters, and professional journals, both in print and online. If you are still in school, your college may also be able to help with job placement, so be sure to ask your advisor and other professors about any referrals they might be able to offer. Even if there is not a position advertised at the moment, it is always a good idea to visit the zoo you are interested in working for and submit a resume to the human resources department in person. While there, see if there are any volunteer or internship opportunities that could help you to get a foot in the door with those responsible for making hiring decisions. Be Prepared Before beginning your online search, be sure to have a well-edited resume on hand that is ready for immediate submission in response to suitable online job postings. Many sites allow candidates to upload resumes to transfer them directly to potential employers or provide email addresses to which applicants are encouraged to transmit their materials. It is also important to draft a basic cover letter and customize it for each job you apply for. Be sure to always change the letter to reflect the person you are addressing. Also, always structure the content of the letter to highlight the most relevant qualifications and skills that would make you successful in the position for which you are applying.

Contingency Staffing Trends for 2011 and Beyond

Contingency Staffing Trends for 2011 and BeyondContingency Staffing Trends for 2011 and BeyondContingency Staffing Trends for 2011 and BeyondAs contingent staffing led the employment crash of 2008-2009, it is roaring back in the 2010s. As they revamp their businesses, employers in several industries will continue to hedge their labor bets by ramping up with contract and temporary labor.The general sense is that this parteeicular recovery has much more uncertainty than previous ones, though all metrics now point to improvement, says Jai Shekhawat, CEO of Fieldglass, a Chicago provider of software for contingent workforce management. This perception of continuing business risk resulted in a staffing trendthat saw an increase in staffing activityfor staffing firms that survived waves of consolidation.The Impact of Contingent and Temporary Staffing Trends on Staffing CompaniesTheres no denying that its been a stomach-churning ride for all stakeholders. From 2007 through mid-2009, the tem porary workforce dove by 33.7 percent while the total private workforce dropped by just 5.8 percent, according to an analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics data in The Atlantic.Then in 2010, employment in temporary help services rose by about 300,000 to 2.21 million, according to the BLS. By 2012, contingent employment will have returned to 2008 levels, says Dana Shaw, senior vice president for strategy and solutions at Staffing Industry Analysts in Mountain View, Calif.Some see the trend as part of tomorrows unconventional workforceand workforce composition transformation.Riding Out the Storm with Continent LaborMany companies used contingent labor as a sustaining force as part of their recession staffing solution. Since September 2008, when the financial downturn became a crisis, 88 percent of employers have either maintained or increased the size of their non-employee workforce, according to a December 2010 survey by staffing firm Yoh.Five years ago, organizations may not have ha d the appetite to prove the value of contract workers, says Amy Lewis, practice leader for talent strategy at Human Capital Institute, a trade group in Washington, D.C. Now organizations are saying they want to be able to measure the output of a contractor versus a full-time employee. Theyre now better able to make a business case for using contract talent, if its properly structured.Where is contingent staffing coming back with the most vigor? In diverse industries across several US regionsProfessional Services Pulls in Contingent Workers Given positive experiences with contingent professionals on large projects such as Sarbanes-Oxley regulatory compliance, clients are now accepting the idea of bringing in more professional-level workers on a project basis, says Brett Good, a senior district president with staffing firm Robert Half International in Orange County, Calif.Professional contract employment, based in part on the longstanding practices of the IT industry, is spreading to other sectors. Business services, financial services, IT and retail are all absolutely growing, says Shaw.The creative destruction of the financial collapse has engendered volumes of project work well-suited to the contract white-collar set. Industries that are going through fundamental change are big users of professional contingent labor, says Shekhawat. Banks and insurance companies, rejiggering to comply with a slew of recent regulation, are once again heavy users of non-FTE professionals. Contingent hiring is particularly strong in financial services work tied to lower interest rates, such as mortgage refinancing and loan modification, according to Good.Professional contingent hiring and staffing opportunities are increasing fastest in the Northeast and in the Southeast, where growth is returning, says Rebecca Callahan, president of staffing firm SourceRight Solutions.Science and Technology Rises with Contingent Technical ProfessionalsAs major corporations sitting on cash begin to reinvest in their futures, theyre marshalling more creative technical professionals on a long-term project basis.The main areas are science, technology, engineering and math, says Lewis. Typically these people have had a full career as a permanent employee, and they bring an incredible body of knowledge to their contract work. Defense contractors and construction firms are among the organizations boosting their use of contingent technical professionals.Natural Resources Boom Hiring Contingent LaborAs energy prices rise with the tide of US and Asian economies, natural resources companies are using contingent labor to ride the wave while mitigating the risk of hiring too much too soon. The industries that are doing the most contingent hiring are the industries that are doing well, like natural resources, oil and gas, says Shekhawat. Many of these operations are in Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas and Oklahoma.Other industries are ramping up contingent labor on the production side. I see plenty of programs for light industrial, says Callahan.Whats the new frontier of contingent staffing in the 2010s? The worlds the limit in international recruitment.The contingent workforce has gone global, says Shekhawat. Now we deploy our solution for one client in a dozen or even 30 or 40 countries.

How to Get Through a Big Change Without Having a Cow

How to Get Through a Big Change Without Having a Cow How to Get Through a Big Change Without Having a Cow I havent blogged for quite a while. Thats not because I ran out of things to say (My husband will confirm that I never run out of things to say) or because I just got lazy and spent the last month eating chocolate and watching reruns of The Golden Girls.I havent blogged because ur site welches being redesigned. Once the blog content had been moved, I had to wait for the new site to go live before adding any new posts. A few technical hitches slowed us down, but were finally done and so here I am.I love the new design it feels like we just bought a really great new outfit but getting here was a big leap for our business. We had to commit to making a lot of big changes and to investing both time and money in transforming ourselves. We also had to let go of the reins a little bit and trust a new team of people to guide us on our new path (for perfectionist control freaks like me, this is not an easy thing to do)The process, like most big changes, was exciting, scary, frustrating, inspiring, scary, interesting, creative did I say scary? and most of all it was fun. Over the last few days as we prepared to go live, I thought about the things I had learned, both during this change and during other big leaps I have made in my life.So here are the 5 things I know about how to make big changes without having a cow1. Change always takes longer than you expectWhen I first emigrated from the UK to Canada, acclimatizing took much longer than I expected. The move from Canada to the US was even harder trust me, worlds apartWhen we started Blue Sky Resumes 6 years ago, the website development and business planning took months longer than I thought. And the same happened with this redesign.Imagining the change is easy, but you never imagine the rocky bits. You never picture that moment when someone says uh-ho we seem to have hit a snag. So your imagined time line is a lways shorter than the one that is really needed.My husband has managed large-scale construction projects, so he is better at this than I am. He doesnt know exactly what will go wrong with his plans, but he always knows something will This means he doesnt freak out as much as me when the inevitable happens.2. Because it takes so long, keep your eye on the goalWhen you start running into speed bumps, its easy to doubt what youre doing and look for ways out. When we moved to Canada, and then to the US, my husband and I agreed to give the new place 2 years. Its a good thing we did because, trust me, your first Toronto winter is enough to send you scurrying back to wherever you came from. As is the first apartment-hunting expedition in Manhattan (you want how many bedrooms on your budget? Oh, how darling).At that precise moment when fear takes hold and you are seized with a sudden urge to run for safety, thats when you need to remind yourself of the goal. Why are you making this change in the first place? If that reason hasnt disappeared, running for safety wont solve any of your problems.Just do what Manhattan drivers do close your eyes, hit the accelerator, and pull out. Nine times out of ten, itll work out OK.3. At some point, someone will get snippyAs you run into difficulties, tensions mount and relationships can get frayed. When that happens, its important to step back and look at the bigger picture. Your spouse is yelling at you because things are scary? Remember how much you love him or her and try to look past the anger. People on the project are beginning to get short with one another? Step back and look at how far youve come together.Its so easy to let temporary irritation turn into a full-fledged relationship problem, but its also possible to stop the escalation before that happens. Have an honest conversation where everyone can air their feelings. If that doesnt work, punch a pillow.4. Perfect is good enoughOur web designer and I decided that our dad s must have been related. Mine was a perfectionist. Whenever I would try to rush something, he would say Dont be shoddy. If something is worth doing, its worth doing right. Matthews dad used to tell him perfect is good enough.Our dads were right. If youre going to make a huge change, you have to throw yourself into it wholeheartedly. Its going to be painful, exhilarating, challenging and, did I mention, scary? So you might as well do the very best that you can.5. If changing was easy, more people would do itI love change. its a bit of a sickness actually. I have old school friends who never moved from the English village we were born in. I moved as soon as I could, and then again to leave England and then yet again to leave Canada. These days I find myself looking wistfully at real estate listings for old English farmhouses and wondering about moving again.But most people resist change. That opens up a huge opportunity for those of us with the change bug or even those who dont like change but are willing to push through it anyway. Whether youre a job seeker, a small business owner, or an employee looking to change things at your company, being willing to try something different gives you an advantage over other people.Remember that when youre punching that pillowIm interested whats the scariest change you ever made? And what did you learn?Photo courtesy of Bark