Notes from the editor and publisher (with roundup of Job Action Day tips)
Job Action Day Book Excerpt: Boomers into Business: How to Turn What You Know Into Dough
Job Action Day Skill-Up Features:
Skill Up To Step Up Your Career Future
4 Ways Job-seekers Can "Skill Up" in a Post-Recession Economy
Skill Up: Raise Your Career Metabolism, Bring Your A+ Game, and Develop More Magnetism
Job Action Day Start-Up Feature: 10 Steps to Bullet-Proof Your Career in the New World of Work
Job Action Day Speak-Up Feature: Speak Up: 8 Ways to Be a Change Agent in a Jobs Crisis
Bloggers Drive Home Job Action Day Message
Quintessential Site: Featured Career Web Site of this Issue
Q TIPS: Quick and Quintessential Tips to Guide Your Job Search and Work Life
Editor's and Publisher's Note: About this Issue...
As we prepared for the fourth annual Job Action Day, three themes emerged to characterize the post-recession job market:
1. A large number of job vacancies go unfilled because of a gap in skills between what employers need and what job-seekers offer.
2. Workers must become CEOs of their own careers to survive amid the current jobs crisis. That entrepreneurial mindset might
translate to starting a business, freelancing, or simply taking a more proactive approach to their own careers.
3. Job-seekers may want to consider calling attention to the jobs crisis and ask business and government for solutions.
These messages translate to the theme for Job Action Day 2011: Skill Up, Start Up, Speak Up.
Since we founded Job Action Day in 2008, we've published two issues of QuintZine every November. Our second one
for this November is just a week away (Nov. 14) and is very special indeed because it celebrates Quint Careers's 15th
anniversary. Don't miss all the exciting 15-themed features we plan.
FOLLOW JOB ACTION DAY ON THE TWITTER HASHTAG #JobActionDay11
--Randall Hansen, Ph.D., Founder and Publisher, Quintessential Careers
--Katharine Hansen, Ph.D., Master Resume Writer, Credentialed Career Master,
Certified Electronic Career Coach, and editor at
kathy(at)quintcareers.com
Job Action Day Book Excerpt: Boomers Into Business
Boomers into Business: How to Turn What You Know Into Dough
by Lisa Orrell
I think that the best way to get your mind going in the right direction for determining how to turn what you
know into dough is to provide you with some inspirational examples. I encourage you to have a pen and paper handy
because as you read, you are likely to come up with ideas for yourself that you will want to jot down.
Learn more in our article,
an excerpt from Lisa Orrell's book, Boomers into Business:
How Anyone Over 50 Can Turn What They Know into Dough
Before and After Retirement, Intelligent Women Publishing, 2011.
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Despite the relatively high rate of unemployment that exists in today's U.S. labor market, the demand grows
for skilled talent in the workforce. In fact, according to ManpowerGroup's 2011 Talent Shortage Survey, nearly
52 percent of employers surveyed report having trouble filling certain job openings. It is hard to believe!
The labor market is highly complex; while many jobs are difficult to fill, a large number of the jobs that have
been lost over the past few years are likely gone forever. John Silvia, chief economist with Wells Fargo Securities,
was quoted in a CNNMoney article stating, "We've got the wrong people in the wrong place with the wrong skills."
I couldn't have said it better myself.
Many U.S. jobs that require manual labor have gone by the wayside. Manufacturing in particular has been hard hit. The
overall trend has been away from a goods-based economy and toward a services-based economy.
Still, many service-oriented jobs have been outsourced over past years. That's the bad news,
but our article offers some good news.
Skill Up Feature #2: Skills Gap
4 Ways Job-seekers Can "Skill Up" In a Post-Recession Economy
by Stephen Hinton
The "Skills Gap" is one of the hottest discussions in the economic, education, employment, and political
realms. The big questions on everyone's mind are: How can so many unemployed workers not be qualified
for the new jobs coming available? and What can job-seekers do about it? Before you answer, let me offer some
suggestions on how job-seekers can "skill up" for these well-paying and high-skilled job opportunities.
Skill Up: Raise Your Career Metabolism, Bring Your A+ Game, and Develop More Magnetism
by Deborah Shane
Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics show 2.7 million jobs remained unfilled in the United States in August 2011, and
employers are reporting having a hard time finding skilled workers to add to their payroll. Manpower's 2011 Job Shortage
Report confirms job applicants are not qualified for the hard and soft skills and intangibles companies need and seek
in job applicants today. The human world and the work world have shifted and changed. They will eventually
find an alignment and become whatever the norm is for our time. As the generations continue to age
out and up, consumerism will also change.
Are you a player on the field and in the game? Or are you on the sideline watching the game play out?
Read our full article.
Find Your Career Future. Learn More About Yourself
Career Maze is designed to help every job seeker, at every level, make smarter
career choices. Individualized to reflect your unique personality and written in
"plain English," it is thorough and easy to complete.
Once completing the assessmemt, your 2-part report includes:
A specific, career-relevant discussion of your workplace personality
A list of job types compatible with your personality
Career Maze encourages you to think about tapping your full potential to find your future.
10 Steps to Bullet-Proof Your Career in the New World of Work
by Meg Guiseppi
What many job-seekers today don't understand is that staying employed is very much like running
a business. You need to think of yourself as the CEO of your own start-up company -- BRAND YOU
-- and continuously market, network and strategically position yourself, just as a business does.
To ensure you're ready for the many inevitable shifts and moves your career is likely to make over your
work life, adopt a start-up mentality, whether or not you're currently facing a job search.
Speak Up: 8 Ways to Be a Change Agent in a Jobs Crisis
by Katharine Hansen, Ph.D.
At few times in recent history has an economic situation been more ripe for citizen activism than the jobs crisis
precipitated by the 2008 meltdown of the economy. Frustration has manifested itself in 2011's Occupy Wall Street
movement -- but the focus of that activist initiative has not strictly been on jobs, and not everyone is
comfortable with Occupy Wall Street's strategies. Frustrated job-seekers and those who believe
job-creation should be the No. 1 priority can still speak up and work for change.
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The number people enrolling in online education programs to advance their knowledge and their career
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Reinforcing the Job Action Day 2011 "Skill Up, Start Up, Speak Up" message is this group of bloggers
dedicating blog posts on or around Job Action Day 2011 to the event.
The first four represent the Quintessential Careers family of blogs:
The Create Jobs for USA program, initially seeded with a $5 million contribution from the Starbucks Foundation,
will award funds to select community-development financial institutions (CDFIs) to help finance community
businesses that help create and sustain local jobs. People can support the initiative by making a donation
to the Create Jobs for USA fund. Donations are being accepted at company-operated U.S. Starbucks
stores and online at createjobsforUSA.org. For donations of $5 or more, donors will receive
an American-made "Indivisible" wristband.
Find a Job, Post Your Resume -- on our Job Portal!
Even in a bad economy, there are still job postings and career opportunities!!
Go now to search for jobs, post your resume, build an online portfolio, receive career consultation,
and learn about continuing education opportunities.
Q TIPS:
Quick and Quintessential Tips to Guide Your Job Search and Work Life
Part of the Start Up mentality needed for job search in these troubled times is taking a strategic approach
to finding a job -- as opposed to applying for jobs indiscriminately. Recruiter Amy Ala recently railed
against an entry-level job-seeker who said he was submitting applications online for 5-10 jobs a day.
Ala conducted an experiment to see if she could find that many jobs that were a match for her
background, education, and experience. Unlike the entry-level job-seeker, Ala could find only
about 10 jobs in a week's time that she was well-qualified for. Throwing spaghetti at the wall to see if
it sticks is not the best use of a job-seeker's time, Ala's post suggests. Instead, "you should only
apply to jobs that you're qualified for," she writes. "Furthermore, you'll be telling me in your cover letter
and resume how and why you're a fit for the job. That lands you in the 'yes' pile for further review.
Your odds increase... Apply to the ones you're an 'on paper' match for, network your way into others
you're interested in."
Keep your eye on Invent Your Future at
Slate/The Hive, which is "gathering, sharing, and highlighting your best
ideas and stories about how to make (or remake)
an independent working life in a time of economic uncertainty."
Ideas to close the skills gap and gain the skills you need for the work you want to do: Ask your employer for
tuition reimbursement to train for a hard-to-fill job in your organization that is out of your grasp. Many companies
have discontinued tuition-reimbursement programs, but it can't hurt to ask; weighed against the difficulty of filling a skilled
job, an employer might prefer to pay for your training. If you're currently unemployed and interview for a job you know you can do
but don't quite seem to have the skills for on paper, suggest the employer give you an extended probationary period.
If your school, organization, business or other
entity has a Website, we welcome you to link to Quintessential Careers.
If you already have a link from your site, we want you to know we
appreciate it. If you don't have a link to us, please
send a request to your site's Webmaster to establish a
link to Quintessential Careers. Thanks so much!
For more details (including sample HTML copy), see our
Link to Us page.
Quintessential Careers Career Masterminds
We are honoring our 15 favorite career gurus with the title of Quintessential Careers Career Mastermind.
In turn, they are honoring our readers in a number of ways throughout the rest of the year ... with articles,
tips, and a special feature in our 15th anniversary issue of QuintZine in November.
Quintessential Careers Press Announces Our Latest Book: The Quintessential Guide to
Job Search 2.0: Advancing Your Career Through Online Social Media.
The
Quintessential Guide to Job Search 2.0: Advancing Your Career Through Online Social Media,
by Katharine Hansen, Ph.D., and Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D., provides six chapters to guide you
through the next revolution in online job search. Since job boards, vestiges of the first
revolution in online job search, should still be part of the job-seeker's toolkit, this
book helps you navigate those while also considering the future of job boards. The book
looks at building your personal brand, teaches you to make the most of social-media venues
in the job search, guides you in creating a digital presence, suggests you consider blogging,
and discusses ways to integrate multimedia elements into your job search.
Ad: Does Your Organization Have Positions to Fill?
Find Qualified Candidates Today!
The Quintessential Careers Job-Hunting Portal is a great place for organizations that have job
openings to post those openings and review job-seeker resumes.
Our national resume database contains more than 500,000 active resumes of candidates seeking employment.
Numerous job-posting packages are available.
If your organization is looking to hire, use the power behind our
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Follow QuintCareers; Read the Latest Advice
Follow QuintCareers Latest Job Tips and Career News on Twitter
Also follow @KatCareerGal for regular career-related tweets.
QuintCareers Network of Empowering Blogs
What are QuintCareers empowering blogs?
The Career Doctor Blog:
Especially for those who miss our former regular feature, Ask the Career Doctor, this blog each day features a question and answer from The
Career Doctor, Randall S. Hansen, PhD.
Need a career expert for a story or article you're working on? Searching for college,
career, and job news? Interested in learning more about Quintessential Careers?
Our Press Room
is your one-stop location for getting the information and resources you need.
QuintZine: Topics in Upcoming Issues
WATCH FOR feature articles on these topics in upcoming issues of QuintZine:
* 15 Quick Tips for Career Branding Success
* Career Branding Checklist
* Special Quint Careers 15th Anniversary Issue
* 15 Career Gurus
* 15 Indispensable Career Books
* 15 tips, samples, tools, and more.
* 15 Quick Tips Strengthening Your Career Network
* 15 Quick Tips for Working with Headhunters
* Warning Signs You Won't Like Your Next Employer
* New Grads: Roadmap to Work and Play
* Working Night Shifts/Odd Shifts
* De-Stressing Before an Interview
* More Cover-Letter Components
* Crafting Transferable Skills Stories
* Empty Nest Job-seekers
* Quintessential Career Profiles of YOU, our readers
* Q&As with well-known career experts
* Book reviews
. . . and much, much more...
Part of the Start Up mentality needed for job search in these troubled times is taking a strategic approach
to finding a job -- as opposed to applying for jobs indiscriminately. Recruiter Amy Ala recently railed
against an entry-level job-seeker who said he was submitting applications online for 5-10 jobs a day.
Ala conducted an experiment to see if she could find that many jobs that were a match for her
background, education, and experience. Unlike the entry-level job-seeker, Ala could find only
about 10 jobs in a week's time that she was well-qualified for. Throwing spaghetti at the wall to see if
it sticks is not the best use of a job-seeker's time, Ala's post suggests. Instead, "you should only
apply to jobs that you're qualified for," she writes. "Furthermore, you'll be telling me in your cover letter
and resume how and why you're a fit for the job. That lands you in the 'yes' pile for further review.
Your odds increase... Apply to the ones you're an 'on paper' match for, network your way into others
you're interested in."
