Career and job-search news, trends, and scoops for job-seekers,
compiled by the staff of Quintessential Careers.
March 24, 2008
Some people may have you believing that the resume has lost its power in job-searching -- but don't listen to them.
The resume is far from dead -- or even dying -- for the vast majority of job-seekers. Yes, the resume and
how it is used is changing. And certainly the pretty, formatted resume is slowly becoming a
tool of the past... BUT, the resume as a tool to make an initial first impression in the job-search
is still critical for the vast majority of us.
Should you be using other tools, such as branding, social networking, and online portfolios? Of course.
And you should especially be using these tools if you are self-employed or in middle or upper management --
where much of hiring discussions center around your reputation (and brand).
And while I am a big fan of Seth Godin, his comments about resumes being roadblocks to hiring just do not
ring true. You
can read his blog entry here.
Your resumes -- yes, you should have several versions for a variety of situations -- are just one tool
in what should be a large collection of self-marketing and job-hunting tools.
Speaking of your resumes, follow this link to a great collection of free and comprehesive
Resume Resources.
March 17, 2008
Considering a part-time job? Be prepared to face much greater competition for fewer jobs.
As more and more people seek part-time jobs -- whether teens seeking work, adults
choosing part-time over full-time positions, or full-time workers seeking additional incomes --
in an ever-weakening economy, the battle for part-time positions is expected to become
fierce.
In fact, more people are working part-time jobs now -- the highest level in 15 years --
and the numbers are growing. According to the U.S. Labor Department, the number of people
working part-time jobs rose by 100,000 in February for the second month in a row -- bringing the
total to 4.79 million people employed part-time.
Furthermore, more people are holding multiple part-time jobs than ever before (at least since
1994 when the government began tracking it) -- with about 1.8 million workers holding down
at least two part-time positions in 2007.
Women comprise the majority of workers who hold multiple jobs -- overtaking men for the first
time since statistics have been recorded.
March 15, 2008
You're reading one of the top 15 best career blogs in the world.
We're actually ranked #12, according to the
RiseSmart Career100 list,
which ranks the top 100 in the world.
Some of the other top career blogs, according to RiseSmart's rankings, include:
It's the worst job news in five years as U.S. employers make the deepest job cuts since
March 2003.
The Labor Department announced today that there was a net loss of 63,000 jobs. The
private sector actually cut more than 100,000 jobs, but the difference was a strong
increase in government hiring.
Amazingly, some economists (not sure what party affiliation or planet they live on)
had been predicting a 25,000 increase in jobs; probably the same economists who
say we are not in a recession.
Workers felt cuts in just about all industries. Construction and manufacturing continued bleeding
losses badly, but job cuts also occurred in financial services, retailing, hospitality, and temporary staffing firms.
Some job gains were seen in education and healthcare.
Today's report also showed that JanuaryÕs job losses were worse than first reported.
Employers cut 22,000 jobs -- not 17,000. It was the first monthly back-to-back job losses since May and June 2003.
Should you be worried about your job? It's niot panic time, certainly, but if you work
for a company that is sufering weaker profits -- or losses -- from the weak ecoonomy you
should certainly be doing everything you can to protect your job while possibly looking
for better opportunities.
The rest of 2008 may be quite a struggle for workers and job-seekers, as the
economy continues to struggle, but QuintCareers.com will be here to help you.
The QuintCareers.com and EmpoweringSites.com corporate retreat is
taking place in Williston, FL, to plan new ways to empower you to success.
We have a lot of ideas and plans for the future -- with QuintCareers.com, of course,
but also with many of its sister sites.
As we plan our future, we have your future in our minds. We want you to be
successful -- on your job, in your job-search, in discovering your career passion.
Keep watching for more details! In the meantime, use our convenient
A-Z Index
to find the resources you need to succeed -- or search for what you're looking for across the entire
EmpoweringSites.com Network.
March 1, 2008
A number of states are actively seeking baby boomers for paid and volunteer positions.
According to the non-profit think-tank Civic Ventures -- which focuses on older workers --
there are a number of states with initiatives designed to keep older workers in the workforce,
to fill the expected experience void left by retiring baby boomers.
The states wooing older workers include: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas,
California, Colorado, Florida, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New
Mexico, New York, Ohio, and Wyoming.
Job Stuff, A Blog for Your Career, from Stephen Harris.
Stephen's blog is a great resource for those job-seekers who find yourselves in transition, searching for guidance
and reassurance.
The Occupational Adventure Blog, from
Curt Rosengren, a Passion Catalyst. Curt's blog is great for finding encouraging ideas (and resources) for moving forward with your career... a career
that lights your fire.
Blue Sky Resumes Blog, from career
expert Louise Fletcher, a general career and job-search blog that covers all aspects of the job-hunt.
The rest of 2008 may be quite a struggle for workers and job-seekers, as the
economy continues to struggle, but QuintCareers.com will be here to help you.
