Home     Log in    XML, RSS Subscribe Feed (RSS)     XML, RSS Comments Feed

Posts Tagged ‘employment’

« Older Entries

Hiring Outlook Bleak This Christmas Season

October 16th, 2009 by Matthew C. Keegan | 2 Comments | Filed in News

The nation’s retailers aren’t expecting a flood of shoppers for the Christmas shopping season which officially begins the day after Thanksgiving. With sales expected to be flat or fall compared to last year, the hiring of seasonal workers will dip too. The employment forecast was gleaned from a survey conducted by Aon Consulting, a human capital consulting firm based in Chicago, and released on Thursday.

Holiday Hiring Trends

Christmas ShoppingAon Consulting surveyed more than one hundred of the nation’s top retailers, discovering that 44% will be hiring fewer holiday workers this year than in 2008, while 37% plan to hire the same amount of workers as they did last year. A small group of retailers, 19%, say that they plan to hire more workers this year than last.

“While the economy is showing some signs of recovery, key indicators, such as the unemployment rate, give retailers good reason to proceed with caution,” said Bob Lopes, executive vice president with Aon Consulting. “That said, there are a number of jobs available for those who can demonstrate the right skills and are willing to work the hours needed.”

Increasing Your Chances

What will it take for candidates to get a job this year? Likely, a number of important skills and personal attributes including: customer service, positive attitude and availability. Seventy percent of the people who do get holiday work have been referred to the retailer usually from store employees while more than half those hired being walk-ins. Figure that some retailers count “walk in referrals” twice, thus the numbers discrepancy.

“According to our survey results, there are a number of qualified candidates who will not find a retail job during this holiday season,” said Lopes. “Those individuals should also consider the travel, hospitality and food service industries. While these industries don’t receive the same type of attention as retail during the holiday season, they typically increase their hiring this time of year.”

Post Holiday Hiring

Holiday hiring sometimes leads to permanent employment which is an important appeal of seasonal work especially in a time of high unemployment. However, the Aon survey revealed that retailers are evenly divided as to whether they’ll be able to keep people on after the holiday season with some expecting to offer full time work while others have no plans to retain Christmas help.

Source: Aon Corporation

Adv. Online Organizing | Rubbermaid | Stack ‘n Stacks | Kitchen Cleaners


Tags: , , , , ,

7 Tips To Help You Overcome The Job Loss Blues

October 2nd, 2009 by Matthew C. Keegan | 2 Comments | Filed in Career Planning

With unemployment hanging around ten percent, chances are you know someone, somewhere who is without a job. Maybe that someone is you. Even if you’re not unemployed, there is a good chance you’ve seen your salary frozen or even cut.

cell phoneThis is the worst recession in memory, but that doesn’t have to mean that you’ll be without work for months on end. Do you have the job loss blues? If so, read on for some tips on how you can get hasten the job snagging process:

1. Your Full Time Job – Your last job was full-time, but so should this job be: the one where you’re looking for work. If you’re recently unemployed, give yourself a few days to a couple of weeks to regroup, but then be prepared to look for work as if everything depends on you finding a job. That’s because it does. Update your resume, get active online through LinkedIn and Facebook, network like never before and leave no stone unturned.

2. Cut Your Expenditures – Even with a severance package and unemployment, you could be doing just fine financially. However, that will soon change when one or the other runs out. Likely, you’ll need to divert some funds to help advance your job hunt, which means that you’ll need to rein in your other expenses now. Whatever you do, don’t turn to credit to pay your bills!

3. Think Positive – One surefire way to damper enthusiasm while looking for work is to let a sea of negativity wash over you. It can be difficult to remain upbeat, but a positive attitude will help you stay the course and eventually land your next gig. Consider professional counseling if you simply cannot shake the blues – an underlying medical condition could be weighing in.

4. Interim Work – Be realistic about your prospects especially if your industry as a whole has been slammed. If you’re an older worker, consider how your age can work against you. While age discrimination is illegal it is also very hard to prove. Consider taking consultant or part-time work now as you keep your options open.

5. Get Educated – Training in the form of classes, seminars even a new college degree might be of some help to you. A number of government programs have been launched to aid workers in the transition from one career to the next. Your state’s unemployment or career counseling office should know what is available for you.

6. Consider A Makeover – After years on the job, perhaps you’re no longer certain what is expected of today’s workers. Have your resume professionally updated to reflect current language as well as to make sure that no information is included to suggest your age. Perhaps its time for a new haircut and maybe your wardrobe could use updating?

7. Be Kind To Yourself – Even as you take whatever steps are necessary to help you find work, you need to remember to look out for your own needs to. Your spouse and children are important, but if you’re constantly “on” then you’ll soon burn out. Give yourself some small rewards along the way as you accomplish certain goals. For example, if you nab an interview, celebrate afterwards whether you’re offered a job or not. Take the edge off of the tension!

Eventually, you’ll find work and put this present crisis behind you. There are lessons to be learned during your time of unemployment so be sure to document your progress while staying focused and positive.

Adv. – If you are a first time homeowner, don’t forget that the federal government is giving to you an $8000 buying credit good through November 30, 2009. For more information about buying a home, finding a mortgage or refinancing, please visit SayLending.com.


Tags: , , , , ,

Age Discrimination And Your Job Search

June 2nd, 2009 by Matthew C. Keegan | 6 Comments | Filed in Career Planning

For someone going through a career transition who is in their forties or above, one very real challenge they may be facing is ageism or age discrimination. Impacting men and women alike, all ethnic and racial groups, and seeming to be one of the most difficult of all prejudices to identify, age discrimination can severely impact the worker’s ability to make a living.

peopleA number of years ago when web based communities such as those managed by MSN were popular, there was a forum started by a man who claimed to be experiencing ageism. Though I was still in my thirties when I first came across his site, I was curious about this phenomenon, wondering if it was as serious as some claimed that it was. I also wondered if the site was a mass pity party of unemployed middle-aged folks, but soon learned that many forum participants were working and actively pursuing their careers.

The stories shared on that internet forum offered a fascinating picture of what some people encounter in the workplace. Some had worked as administrative assistants and clerks while others managed to improve themselves to the point where they managed entire operations, corporate divisions or local offices. However, most had also felt that ageism lurked beneath their company’s veneer, just about ready to jump out and latch onto to them especially if they were about to lose their job.

One important point repeated often by forum participants had to do with their resumes (a/k/a curriculum vitae or CV). Most human resources people will tell you that a decision on whether to go with a particular candidate or not is often decided within the first thirty seconds of reading their resume. This means that if there was any potentially damaging information on the copy, the HR folks would move on to another candidate immediately.

Clean Up Your Resume (CV), One Step At A Time

If you are an older worker who is looking for a new job, consider the following when it comes to your resume:

Include your cell phone and email address – When listing your personal information, include your cell phone and email address, two of the most common ways companies use to contact candidates. You’d be surprised how many “older” workers don’t include what is obvious to everyone else; don’t make it harder for potential employers to find you.

List recent jobs only – If you’ve been out of college for the past twenty-five years, it can be tempting to list every job you’ve held since then. Instead, go back ten years, perhaps fifteen and leave it at that. Your resume is designed to feature career highlights, not every job you’ve held. When filling out an employment application you can go back further than that.

Watch your language – You may be well versed in the English language, but be careful about using terminology that gives hints to your age. Importantly, leave off college graduation dates and anything else that reveals more about you personally than what you can do for a company specifically. Above all, lose the information about high school especially listing the year that you graduated.

Stay Connected

I recently advised and “older” person who had lost his job to get linked in. Literally! By joining LinkedIn and a few other select sites, he was able to get connected with the right people in the quickest amount of time including someone who will be interviewing him for an unannounced opening later this week. Yes, networking is critically important both online and offline.

If you believe that you are a victim of ageism, your state probably already has laws on the books to combat that problem. Consider filing a complaint, but also keep in mind that sometimes it pays to simply move on to an employer who respects your talents and what you can bring to them besides graying hair!

Adv. — For home improvement or garden enhancement ideas, please visit LetsRenovate.com to learn more.  Spring is an excellent time of the year to tackle important projects, allowing you to enjoy the summer months and the fruit of your labors. For major projects, visit YourEquity.com to learn how you can finance your renovations.


Tags: , , , , , ,

Looking For Work? Career Site Launches!

December 19th, 2008 by Matthew C. Keegan | 1 Comment | Filed in Career Planning

Today’s economic conditions are certainly gloomy, some of the toughest times we’ve seen over the past two decades. Over the last few months, hundreds of thousands of Americans have lost their jobs career planningwith many more employees expecting to lose their jobs in early 2009. America’s business sector is shedding jobs at a rapid pace and the economy shows no sign of hitting bottom.

For everyone else, budget cutbacks have meant wage freezes, the discontinuation of 401(k) matching funds, trimming back in work hours, and other cost saving measures. Clearly, Americans will have to work harder next year and hope that the government offers a sound response to the recession.

If you’ve recently lost your job or are concerned that your current position will soon be coming to an end, launching a job search is the way to go. However, before applying for work, you’ll want to assess the market and review your skills in order to find out what jobs are out there and whether you can do the work.

To that end you will need to do some career planning and, thanks to the launch of our all-new partner site – SayMyCareer.com – you can begin your search today. SayMyCareer.com is a free site with no sign up needed, offering to you the following information and tools:

Career Assessments – including career trends, job options, and conducting your personal assessments. Also, find out who is in the market, what companies are looking for work, and where the jobs are. Lastly, maybe this is the best time for you to return to school or buy or start your own business!

Finding Your Career – features a section on how to write and market your resume plus sections on job options including temp employment, hourly work, and more. Plenty of information on interviewing strategies, salary negotiation and accepting a new job.

Building Your Career – once you land your job what steps should you take to advance your position within the company or beyond? What skills can you acquire to improve your position and how can you network? If you have to relocate are you prepared to make a move?

Job Search – Links to various job sites are provided.

Get Educated – Established adults are returning to school in record numbers and, thanks to online education, are able to balance their time by taking classes over the internet.

Start your career search today by giving SayMyCareer.com a visit and please bookmark the site to keep tabs on new information posted. Most of all, best wishes with your job search!


Tags: , , , , , , ,

« Older Entries