I am hearing that some people who have been laid off are hoping to be recalled to their companies.
My advice, DO NOT hold your breath.
You need to be searching for a new job or working on getting into a new career NOW! With unemployment rates going from single to double digits, you have a ton of competition. It is a buyer's market and employers know it.
Employers know there are thousands of qualified, hard working prospective employees looking for a job. If you are giving yourself a break because "you deserve it", I agree, you do deserve it, however ....you are losing valuable time. Your new job is being offered to someone who may not be the best choice, but (s)he got "his/her act together", was the first in line, sold him/herself the best and "closed the deal".
If you take a job and your former employer recalls you, deal with that situation when it happens, but DO NOT waste time giving yourself a break - that little break may end up being much longer than you planned and this is just the beginning of the layoffs - many, many more are anticipated.
GET OFF YOUR SEAT and ON YOUR FEET! Hustle. Sell. Close. Get that job!
Friday, April 24, 2009
Human Resources and YOUR job hunt
Human Resources departments differ from one organization to another. A larger organization may have a separate HR Recruiter whereas in a smaller organization, the HR Manager does all human resources functions (much more than compensation and benefits go into HR).
HR however will usually write the job description in conjunction with the department manager/director who is looking for the new employee.
HR will most likely receive all resumes, cover letters and applications.
HR will most likely prepare a list of questions which are appropriate to ask during an interview.
HR may or may not be a part of the interview team.
This said, your paperwork (cover letter, resume, reference list and applications) will most likely be collected and initially reviewed by HR. From the large pool of applicants, HR may select and forward a smaller list of potential candidates, to the hiring manager (the ultimate decision maker) or to a selection committee. From there, a list of interviewees is compiled and the interviews begin.
This said, HR plays a huge role in your selection - if you don't get past HR, you won't be in the interview pool.
So....ask yourself.....
HR however will usually write the job description in conjunction with the department manager/director who is looking for the new employee.
HR will most likely receive all resumes, cover letters and applications.
HR will most likely prepare a list of questions which are appropriate to ask during an interview.
HR may or may not be a part of the interview team.
This said, your paperwork (cover letter, resume, reference list and applications) will most likely be collected and initially reviewed by HR. From the large pool of applicants, HR may select and forward a smaller list of potential candidates, to the hiring manager (the ultimate decision maker) or to a selection committee. From there, a list of interviewees is compiled and the interviews begin.
This said, HR plays a huge role in your selection - if you don't get past HR, you won't be in the interview pool.
So....ask yourself.....
- Is my application neat and able to be read?
- Did I answer all questions and fill in all the blanks on the application?
- Did I follow the instructions in the application? (did you even read the instructions????)
- Is my cover letter neat, to the point and easy to read?
- Is my cover letter and/or resume all about me? (do you use the word "I" allot? If so, you are giving the impression that the job is about you and not the employer).
- Do I let the employer know what knowledge, skills and abilities I have?
- Do I let the employer know how I can save or make him/her money?
- Do I keep your cover letter to one page?
- Is my resume 1-2 pages?
If you spoke with the decision maker, which a good job hunter will have done, do I use the decision maker's name in my cover letter or do I address the letter to the HR person and not let him/her know I have spoken to the decision maker? (Do NOT blind-side HR - let them know you have spoken to the decision maker).
HR can help or hinder you - follow their directions, turn in neat, well-written documents and ask them questions if need be.
RETRAINING
I have a number of people asking how they should go about changing careers/retraining for a new career.
I am not a career counselor, however I know several. Here's the step-by-step plan I would do....
I am not a career counselor, however I know several. Here's the step-by-step plan I would do....
- make an appointment with a CAREER COUNSELOR (community college, votech, university)
- ask to take some interest inventories or career assessments (for free)
- talk to the career counselor about the jobs suggested from the assessments.
- visit online.onetcenter.org and read about the career suggestions
- research and talk to people (votechs, employment security commission, chamber of commerce) to see what industries and jobs are needed for your local area.
- review your budget and look up the salary ranges for the careers in which you are interested (you need to know if you can live off the salary of your new career)
- make an appointment with the financial aid officer at each school in which you have interest in attending.
- make another appointment with an academic advisor to set up a personalized class plan.
- Find out and not the deadlines for applications, etc. - MAKE A PLAN
- WORK YOUR PLANS
RESUME PAPER
If you are going to spend the time writing a good resume, then take the time to buy some nice resume paper.
Resume paper is 24-32 pound paper
Color - white or offwhite (ivory, cream, light grey). Please do not use any flashy colors - it is tempting, I have to admit, to use something that makes you stand out, however it is not appropriate. I prefer to use a heavier 32 pound paper with a texture to make my resume stand out.
Margins - at least 1" on the top, bottom, right and left. DO NOT set the margins less than 1".
Font (Letter style) - Arial BOLD 12 point for your name Arial 10 point regular for the body of the resume.
Resume paper is 24-32 pound paper
Color - white or offwhite (ivory, cream, light grey). Please do not use any flashy colors - it is tempting, I have to admit, to use something that makes you stand out, however it is not appropriate. I prefer to use a heavier 32 pound paper with a texture to make my resume stand out.
Margins - at least 1" on the top, bottom, right and left. DO NOT set the margins less than 1".
Font (Letter style) - Arial BOLD 12 point for your name Arial 10 point regular for the body of the resume.
What does your email address say?
If you provide your email address to an employer, does it give away too much information?
Do you use a number in your email address? If you do, can the reader determine your age? If the reader can guesstimate your age by your email address, you need to change your email address.
Does your email address give away your hobbies, interests, religion, political viewpoint, etc? If it does, this is personal information that should not play a part in determining whether or not you are a person the employer wants to interview. However, most of us know that people have biases and if you give away your personal information, it can hurt you in the job selection process.
And for Pete's sake, do NOT have a sexual-based email address. You may like it, you may think it is cute, however a prospective employer will not view this as professional (the prospective employer may get a chuckle out of it but (s) he will think of you as the moron of the day).
When I tell people to sell themselves, I am not saying to sell yourself as a streetwalker - so do NOT, I repeat, do NOT have sexually explicit email addresses if you want to be offered a respectable job.
Do you use a number in your email address? If you do, can the reader determine your age? If the reader can guesstimate your age by your email address, you need to change your email address.
Does your email address give away your hobbies, interests, religion, political viewpoint, etc? If it does, this is personal information that should not play a part in determining whether or not you are a person the employer wants to interview. However, most of us know that people have biases and if you give away your personal information, it can hurt you in the job selection process.
And for Pete's sake, do NOT have a sexual-based email address. You may like it, you may think it is cute, however a prospective employer will not view this as professional (the prospective employer may get a chuckle out of it but (s) he will think of you as the moron of the day).
When I tell people to sell themselves, I am not saying to sell yourself as a streetwalker - so do NOT, I repeat, do NOT have sexually explicit email addresses if you want to be offered a respectable job.
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