(What questions would you like to see addressed in these Monday Morning staff meeting posts? Send us an email at: sharry@orcms.com)
Posted by Dr. Sean Harry
How to “stay cool” on the job search.
In the spirit of the terrific summer weather we’ve been having, I thought I’d write this post on “staying cool during the job search.” However, in this post I’m not talking about the weather. I’m talking about staying calm, cool and collected. I’m talking about outwardly appearing as if “not having a job is alright, because I’m waiting for the right fit to come along”, while inside you are thinking, “OMG! I NEED A JOB! ANY JOB, AND I NEED IT NOW!!”
When you are dating you want to play a little hard to get. If you come across as needy you probably won’t get a second date. You don’t want to scare off your prospective lover, so playing it cool is a good option.
The same is true of the job search. If you look or act desperate you won’t get many interviews. Now I’m not suggesting that you should act as if you aren’t interested. If you really want the job you need to express your desire and abilities to do the job well. If you really want the job you should ask for it – close the deal. What I’m saying is that you should “stay cool” — act more like a Consultant than a desperate job seeker.
Here are the 5 steps I recommend you do to “stay cool” in your job search. Read the rest of this entry »
(What questions would you like to see addressed in these Monday Morning staff meeting posts? Send us an email at: sharry@orcms.com)
Posted by Dr. Sean Harry
Filling in the gaps – professional and personal development for job seekers.
At the beginning of your job search you have very likely been conducting an assessment of your skills, knowledge, and abilities. Assessment is about helping you determine what you are capable of and willing to do in your next position.
At this point you have, no doubt, found an area or two where you have some gaps. You may need an additional degree, or some specific training. Maybe a professional certification is in order. Well, before you shell out the big bucks to go back to school or enroll in a course of study, there are some important things you should know: Read the rest of this entry »
Message from the YPOP about how this can help you:
What’s cool is that some employers who work with Boly Welch will be wanting to meet some unemployed tech folks who they may potentially hire at this event.
From YPOP Press Release:
Our community has been hit hard by the recession and the tech 
crowd has seen the impact first-hand. However, there remains massive energy around Portland’s technology scene that doesn’t always find its way to the companies and individuals who can most benefit from its vitality.
We believe strongly that the metro area possesses the resources and the will to take care of its own. Boly:Welch and YPOP invite you to meet our most innovative local talent at the first ever Pink Slip Party.
The Sponsors: Boly:Welch Recruiting and Young Professionals of
Portland at Backspace!
The Crowd: Portland’s technology professionals on the job market or
seeking new opportunities.
The Concept: Connect with other job seekers and employers in this
social networking format Read the rest of this entry »
(What questions would you like to see addressed in these Monday Morning staff meeting posts? Send us an email at: sharry@orcms.com)
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Posted by Dr. Sean Harry
Who is to blame for the recession? Who will bring us out of it? Back in February Mike Neiss wrote a blog post for TomPeters.com in which he blamed my generation (the Baby Boomers) for the recession. That got me thinking…
Then there is this post about a man who turned his job loss into a new life. Very inspiring, and I must admit a bit scary for some of us!
For me, these two posts raise a deeper question about the recession, massive job losses, and the future of work in America. Every economic shift creates change in the way we live and work, but I believe this one is going to fundamentally Read the rest of this entry »
Not only are they working to make this a gree event, but also: Free Admission, Free parking, Free childcare, and a Free eco-shuttle provided from Gateway Transit Center. Very Nice.
Related Info from Dr. Harry: Monday Staff Meeting: Getting the MOST Out of a Job Fair
From Press Release:
BUILDING & CONSTRUCTION TRADES CAREER FAIR MAY 16
17th Annual Women in Trades Career Fair Goes Green!
WHAT: Come discover high-paying careers in construction-related trades during the 17TH Annual Women in Trades Career Fair. Participate in hands-on activities such as operating heavy equipment, framing a house, climbing utility poles, wiring light switches, soldering copper pipes, welding, exploring solar power, learning about eco-roofs and many other trades related learning activities. Everyone is invited. Attendance is Free. No advance registration is required.
WHO: Meet successful tradeswomen role models, including electricians, carpenters, heavy equipment operators, line workers, plumbers, and more. Learn about apprenticeship programs and community college programs training opportunities.
WHEN: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m., Saturday, May 16, 2009 Read the rest of this entry »
(Read more “Monday Staff Meeting” posts by Dr. Harry)
Posted by Dr. Sean Harry
The following question came from one of our readers. “Which job search engine works the best? I like indeed.com, and it looks like my monster search is not returning hardly anything. I was also wondering if ladders.com worth the fees that they charge for the job seekers.”
Great question! Here’s the truth about using Job Boards in the job search process:
First, you must remember that only about 4-6% of people find their jobs through the job boards. That’s because job boards are NOT set up for job seekers – they are set up for company recruiters. You are not the customer – the company is. They are the ones paying the bill to post a position. Job boards provide the “raw materials” to these companies – job seekers. YOU are the raw material. YOU are a commodity. YOU are the product. Job boards make their money by selling volume to companies who pay significant fees for a posting – anywhere from $400-$1,000 each. These things aren’t cheap. However, from the employer’s perspective, they are effective. Read the rest of this entry »
(Read more “Monday Staff Meeting” posts by Dr. Harry)
Posted by Dr. Sean Harry
One of our clients recently shared this networking story with us.
“Joe” found a job posting online that looked perfect for him. He checked his LinkedIn network and found that a former work colleague was working at that company so he reached out. Following good networking etiquette, Joe didn’t ask for help getting to the hiring manager or for any favors from his old friend. Joe simply called to re-ignite the relationship and to ask some questions about the company culture, how his friend liked working there, etc. Joe focused the conversation on what he could do to help his old friend. They talked for about 30 minutes. During that time Joe and his old friend caught up on work, family, their careers, and a variety of other topics. It felt good to reconnect.
After half an hour or so, Joe said, “Well, I better let you get back to work. That’s about all of the questions I have. I’d ask you more about the position I’m interested in applying for, but you probably don’t know much about it.”
Joe’s friend responded, “Actually, I know quite a lot about that position. I am the hiring manager.” Read the rest of this entry »
We’ve been busy creating auto-listing tools this month. We haven’t tweeted that much, but we’ve put up some good jobs in several different areas.
Portland Jobs Listings/Tweets from the various accounts the last few days (plus tweets from friends on twitter):
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KGWNews:
RT @PDXJobs: (Please Retweet) Have a Portland job opening/know of a job opening? @, email, DM. Looking for a job? Follow me. #pdxjobs
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——————————–Related Posts– Read the rest of this entry »
The push for Green Jobs in Portland continues this weekend.
From Lacey Riddle
Focus Oregon/ Northwest Coordinator:
Focus the Nation: Seizing the Opportunities of the New Energy Economy; Portland State University- Hoffmann Hall, 1833 SW 11th Ave., Portland, OR
April 17th- 6-9 p.m.
Focus the Nation will hold our local kick-off town hall (1 day before the rest of the country launches about 170 other town halls). Congressman Earl Bluemanuer, Rep. Jules Bailey, Rep. Ben Cannon, Mayor Sam Adams, Commissioner Jeff Cogen will be in attendance for this town hall to discuss the city and state’s role in the transition to the new energy economy.
Mayor Adams will be unveiling the City of Portland & Multnomah County’s Climate Action Plan at this event, and will open it up for the first time to public comment at the Focus the Nation town hall! This will be a great time to bring YOUR input to the table and to make sure YOUR values are captured by this action plan!
Check out http://focusthenation.org/nation/oregon/oregon-district-1 for more information. Please send all questions regarding the event to Lacey Riddle at lacey@focusthenation.org.
——————————–Related Posts—
Posted By Dr. Sean Harry
A reader recently commented: “Dealing with recruiters, hiring managers, and HR is a game where the odds are stacked way against you. One never knows what it is that gets you eliminated from consideration. And often times, they just go with an internal candidate they identified way before they advertised the position you applied for.”
This is a VERY interesting observation. Many people feel its true that applying for a job is a “game” and that the odds are stacked against the applicant before the game ever begins, but think about it from the standpoint of the employer. Who would YOU rather hire? Someone you don’t know that you pulled out of a stack of 1,000 resumes? Or someone you know or have met through someone you know? I’m sure MOST of us would rather hire the latter. People hire people they know, because finding someone who is the “right fit” is often MORE important than finding someone who has the skills you need. You can always train people new skills. But if someone is not a good fit for your organization. . . well, you can’t really change that, can you?!
Then there is the cost of hiring. Consider that it costs about 1.5 to 2 times the annual salary of the employee per hire. That means, if I am paying someone $70k per year the cost to hire them is somewhere between $105k and $140k. If they end up not fitting into the organization I might have to pay that out again in 6 – 18 months. However, if I hire someone I know (or meet through a friend, colleague, current employee, etc) my chances of finding a good fit are much better – thus saving the cost of hiring someone else within 6 to 18 months. Again, which would YOU prefer?
Since THAT is the game, the secret for job seekers is to activate your network to be the person with the odds stacked in YOUR favor. Use your Read the rest of this entry »
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