Career Blog

With the earthquake and hurricane masking our job searches for the last two weeks, some of us are back to the task at hand. Searching for a full-time position with benefits and advancement potential is wearing on the whole world. Here are some reminders as we move through this holiday weekend.

I’ve been hearing about many unemployed people who are willing to uproot their lives and are actually moving out of state. If you are intrigued about where people are headed or if you are thinking that might be the solution for you, take a look at Jobbait’s list of the top seven metro areas around the country that are recession proof. There is even a list of 230 recession proof industry sectors. While you’re checking the list out, you might want to sign up for JobBait newsletters (www.jobbait.com) to keep your finger on the heartbeat of the up and coming trends . . . all calculated according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Sometimes we are so close to the mountain top that we can’t feel it or see it.

Here is one of the greatest examples of someone who has failed their way to the top.

Check out this utube of Michael Jordan. I think you will agree that plugging away eventually gives way to winning.

To: Baby Boomers, Generation X, Y, Z and Entrepreneurs Sitting on the Fence

From: Mindy Thomas

Subject: Social Media Is Not A Fad

If you are still sitting on the bleachers and not getting into the game (you won’t sign up for LinkedIn, Facebook or any other social media) OR you are “wanna be” entrepreneur, indulge me for 5 minutes by checking out this Youtube video.

Skill sets required for most positions are different. And, with that in mind, it makes sense that your keywords and competencies need to reflect this. The smart job hunters know this and will alter their resume to include these words or phrases. It is critical since scanners are doing the heavy load of sorting through thousands of resumes that are entering the systems everyday. So many job hunters will never . . . and I mean never make it to the table because they refuse to adjust their resume. No one said this would be easy. Even if you have the proper credentials, job experience and education . . . you may never get to the table because the scanners will not pick ‘you’ up. Automated Tracking Systems are in full force, so let’s quit kidding ourselves on this point.

When I read the recent Time Magazine article that my 22 year son sent me last night, I was completely shocked. Frankly, he was too. After all, we’ve been conditioned to think that to get anywhere professionally, we need to at least obtain a college degree. With more than 85% of college students moving home after graduation and no real hope. . . Well, you gotta wonder.

Every time I meet a new career counseling client, I am genuinely interested in how their career choices were shaped from early on. I can’t help it. I really do wonder how people end up in their chosen occupations. I am curious whether their parents played any part in defining their career and what their dreams were for them. Sometimes when I ask that question, I get a clear response. Sometimes I don’t.

What makes the difference? What else does it take besides a dynamite resume, a strong network and an optimistic attitude to land a new position in today’s job market? Harvard Business School Press ranks Tony Robbins as one of the Top 200 Business Gurus in the world and he has helped scores of celebrities, politico’s and people — just like you and me.

Every time I hear another story about employee abuse in corporate America or even small companies, I get a knot in my stomach. These stories surface daily in my work as a career counselor and resume writer. I often wonder how the American workers are supposed to sleep through the night when they live in fear . . . day after day of supervisors that mistreat them, organizations that lie to them and then give them the “boot.” Moreover, what about the employers that are taking advantage of the masses by paying the lowest wage possible? When will it stop?