Career Confidant: Job Insight from Dave

Carnival of Career Advice: Blog Posts on International Business Tips and more!

This past couple of weeks generated a lot of great articles on making sure that your international business runs smoothly.

Business Abroad

Research International Markets presents 3 Easy Steps To Small Business International Development posted at Research International Markets.

Simple International Business Development presents 3 Easy Steps To Attract International Business Through Your Website posted at Simple International Business Development.

More International Sales presents International Sales Negotiation Tips For American Women posted at More International Sales.

International Sales Resources presents Get International Clients Guides posted at International Sales Resources.

Market Across Cultures presents Communication Across Cultures Is Better With A Whole Brain Approach posted at Market Across Cultures.

International Success Basics presents Case Study For Getting Your Website Visible In Japan posted at International Success Basics.

International Marketing Widget presents Over The Counter Translation Perfection Not Here Yet posted at International Marketing Widget.

Les Createurs d'Affaires presents Join Us On The International Sales Road Map posted at Les Createurs d'Affaires.

International Marketing Tools presents Boost Your Company Way Out Of Your Local Recession Field posted at International Marketing Tools.

International Success Stories presents The Management Tools I Use For Content Created To Be Re-Packaged posted at International Success Stories.

International Marketing Road Map presents Boost Your Company Way Out Of Your Local Recession Field posted at International Marketing Road Map.

Internationalize Your Website presents Get Past Language Barriers With International Clients posted at Internationalize Your Website.

International Cheat Sheet presents Must Read Before Choosing Your First Product To Sell Abroad posted at International Cheat Sheet.

International English Copywriting presents Web Video University posted at International English Copywriting.

Faster International Sales presents Guide To International Lead Generation posted at Faster International Sales.

European Business Coach presents European Business Coach posted at European Business Coach.

International Business Ideas presents Website Globalization: 4 Success Elements For International Business Development posted at International Business Ideas.

Culture Customized Website presents Start Developing Your International Markets posted at Culture Customized Website.

Culture Customized Sales presents Culture Customized Content posted at Culture Customized Sales.

Cross Cultural Sales presents Think Global Act Local posted at Cross Cultural Sales.

Cindy King presents Learning International Skills From A Course Or A Book posted at Cindy King.

Some Other Great Advice for Your Career!

Sherin presents Invest in future top models posted at Investment Internals.

Wally Bock presents 20 Tips for Those Just Starting Out posted at Momentor.

Wally Bock presents Help! I’ve been merged! posted at Momentor.

Khan presents 10 Tips For Your First Job posted at Higher Education and Career Blog.

Mark McWilliams presents Google Analytics, FileZilla And The WarriorForum (Part II) posted at Mark-McWilliams.com.

Cignus Web presents Choosing an affordable Website Design Company posted at Cignus Web's - Blog.

Helene Zemel presents Formulating a Marketing Plan for your At Home Business posted at Work at Home Mom and Dad.

Todd Goldfard presents THE SHIFT Really Is Happening! posted at We The Change, Personal Development for Conscious People.

Wei Liang presents Lesson 6: Google Page Rank posted at ABloggerBlog.com.

Wally Bock presents It’s not your fault. It’s just your turn posted at Momentor.

Donald presents A Simple Formula for Fulfilling Career posted at Live Life to the Fullest.

NurseryJobsOnly presents Working as a Pediatric Clinical Nurse posted at Nursery and Childcare Jobs.

Richard McLaughlin presents My New Browser Google Chrome posted at Oh, the Places You'll Go.

Carnival of Career Advice:

Welcome to the September 16, 2008 edition of career tips and news.

This carnival's focus is reacting to the poor job market through personal experiences, news, articles, and other guidance provided in blog posts.

Nicholas Powiull presents Conscious Flex: How to Find Your Passion and Make It Your Career: by Nicholas Powiull posted at Conscious Flex.

Brice Hogan presents Independent Profit Center The Review posted at My World | Independent Profit Center, saying, "This looks at a review for starting a very good online business"

Nesher presents Insider Information on your Prospective Employer posted at Popular Google Searches - Trends and Reviews. 

Alvaro Fernandez presents Your Brain At Work, by the Dana Alliance and the Conference Board posted at SharpBrains, saying, "Simple, practical strategies for incorporating brain-friendly practices into day-to-day life." 

Donald Latumahina presents How Many Bosses Do You Have? posted at Life Optimizer.

Raymond presents My List Of The Top 5 Most Overrated Careers and Jobs posted at Money Blue Book.

Raymond presents How To File For Unemployment Insurance Benefits posted at Money Blue Book.

Peter Murphy presents 9 Great Ways To Deal with Nerves When Meeting People posted at Communication Skills Power.

Chris presents Get Promoted Faster by Looking After Your Boss - Part 1 posted at ProsperingServant.com.

Wally Bock presents Different Strokes for Different Generations posted at Momentor.

College Degrees presents Online University Programs offer Winning Solutions posted at The Degree Blog, saying, "Distance learning may not be the ideal answer for every college student. Online universities, however, can provide an excellent alternative for chronically ill or injured students who might otherwise find it difficult or impossible to finish their college degree program."

Helen Anderson presents Choosing a Recession Proof Career posted at Bankaholic.

Wally Bock presents Send me a person who reads posted at Momentor.

Chris presents Being Laid Off - 4 Steps to go From a Layoff to an Amazing Job. posted at ProsperingServant.com.

jcr8392 presents Common Mortgage Terms Explained posted at Truthful Lending dot Com, saying, "This is a glossary of some of the more common, and most important mortgage terms. This list will help to familiarize you with some of the terms you should know to find the best mortgage program for your needs."

Praveen presents Stretch Out of Your Comfort Zone posted at Tao of Simplicity.

College Degrees presents College Degree Programs: The Bologna Process posted at Degree Talk Blog, saying, "The Bologna Process is an attempt to standardize Bachelor Degree Programs and Master Degree Programs among European nations."

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of career tips and news using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

Technorati tags: career tips and news, blog carnival.

News Articles on the Current Job Market

US Workers lack in Job Market Confidence

Search for Work Can Be a Full Time Job

Shaky Job Market May Have You Thinking Education; What to Consider

New College Grads Face Frustrating Job Market

Carnival of Career Advice: Blog Posts & Articles on Having the Perfect Interview/Resume!

Welcome to the September 1, 2008 edition of career tips and news.

Interviewing

mediamonkey presents Interview tips: How to do well in an Interview posted at How to: tips, tricks & recipes, saying, "Job interviews can be a stressful process but they don’t need to be, especially if you have prepared well in advance. Here are some job interview tips you can follow. As with all things, preparation is the key."

Kate Baggott presents Keep The Light Shining: 3 Unemployment Survival Lessons From Your Canadian English Teacher posted at JobMob, saying, "Everyone has advice about how to survive unemployment. Even Canadian English teachers in Germany."

The Jobs, The Jobs, The Jobs are on Fire posted at Invested, innovative, brilliant: Improving the recruiting experience | ERE Blog Network, saying, "Looking for a job? Here are the ten best careers to consider."

Invested, innovative, brilliant: Improving the recruiting experience posted at Head2Head, saying, "Older workers needn't book botox appointment or invest in Grecian Formula."

Other

the baglady presents What NOT to do as a technical recruiter posted at xynny.

Azelma Petit presents 12 Debunked Myths About Online MBA Degrees posted at Biz.Edu, saying, "There are a lot of myths around about an online MBA education. 12 of those myths are debunked in this article."

Sally Thompson presents 100+ Ways to Score Freebies For Your Classroom posted at Smart Teaching.

Sally Thompson presents 100 Tips and Tools for a Better, Greener Career posted at JobProfiles.org - Job Descriptions and Online Schools to Start Your Career.

Scott Palat presents 9 simple steps to start your own online tutoring business posted at Colleen Palat.

Call Center Consultant presents Why Start a Professional Survey Call Center posted at Call Center Jobs, saying, "Before developing new products, business owners conduct market research to find out whether or not a product will be of value to their consumers."

Stephen Martile presents How to Advance Your Career posted at FreedomEducation.ca by Stephen Martile, saying, "Hi Notti, Career advancement comes from doing things a certain way, just as Wallace Wattles describes in his famous book, The Science of Getting Rich. If you follow this process, you must advance your career. Remember, this is not a philosophy or an idea that hasn’t been tested. This is a creative approach to career advancement. It’s the Science of Getting Rich. It works when you work it. It must work because it is Law. You can learn more by reading, How to Advance Your Career. Steve Martile"

Kelly Sonora presents Will Eat for Money: 100 Ways to Make Your Living as a Professional Eater posted at JobProfiles.org - Job Descriptions and Online Schools to Start Your Career.

tomsur presents Work stuff : CBHRM Step 2 posted at tomsur_work_fun.

Wally Bock presents To plan or not to plan posted at Momentor.

Kelly Sonora presents 100 Best RSS Feeds for Job Seekers posted at Best Colleges Online.

Resumes

Nursery Admin presents An Introduction to Working as a Nursery Officer posted at Nursery Jobs, saying, "As a nursery officer, you'll have a sizeable number of administrative duties, as well as direct contact with children, while you work to maintain order in a child care setting."

Salary Negotiation

Ben Dinsmore presents 5 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Asking Your Boss for a Raise posted at Trees Full of Money, saying, "If you are considering asking your boss for a raise, here are 5 question that you should ask yourself first."

Other Posts on Career Advice

Jul presents 7 tips for finding a job in Europe posted at This non-American Life.

Alvaro Fernandez presents Brain Teasers: Spot the Difference posted at SharpBrains, saying, "Want some brain exercise?"

Nadege presents Job hunting? Five things you need to do to find your next job posted at fabulous finances.

GrrlScientist presents High Wire: The Precarious Financial Lives of American Families posted at Living the Scientific Life, saying, "This is a book review of a nonfiction masterpiece that will keep you awake at night, planning how to safeguard your economic future -- all on your own! It talks about the most important and long-term relationship in your life: your relationship with your work, and how that has changed substantially since the 1970s. It also discusses the myth that the average American can become a wise enough financial planner and investor to "beat the odds" and become at least more financially comfortable."

College Degrees presents Top Ten Reasons to Get a Degree Online posted at TheCollegeDegrees.Com Blog, saying, "Have you been debating about whether you would rather earn a college degree at home or get a degree online? If you can’t make up your mind, read this and decide for yourself whether distance learning degree programs are right for you - or whether you want the traditional college campus experience."

Great Management presents Take Action And Ensure Your Career Is Successful posted at The GreatManagement Blog, saying, "Success is conditional on a simple truth: Learning does not always require thinking."

Edith presents BizTechDay - Use Technology to Grow Your Business, Saturday October 25 San Francisco posted at BIZtechDay.

Chris presents Tip #1 for Getting Promoted - Know your Flocks - Part 1 posted at ProsperingServant.com.

Indian presents 5 Marriage Compatibility Essentials posted at DecisionCare, saying, "Marriage Compatibility is viewed essential for happy marriage life. There are five essentials that every love match and soul mate must know and follow."

MoneyNing presents 5 Things to Reconsider (Consider) About Your (New) Job posted at Money Ning, saying, "Not every job is right for you. Evaluate and re-evaluate constantly for your own good!"

Technorati tags: career tips and news, blog carnival.

Work Ethic and Using Excuses

At the suggestion of one of my co-workers, I've decided to dedicate a post to making up excuses and the trouble that it causes.

At a staffing agency, it's tough to hear excuses for candidates missing jobs because after awhile they get so outlandish as to seem fake and yet sometimes even the strangest prove to be true. I don't want to advise that candidates ought to choose more practical lies as excuses because obviously some people don't know where to draw the line. My best advice would be to take the time to think about why you're really missing work - it's appalling to see what people are willing to compromise for a few hours off work. In most cases, these excuses will permanently damages one's reputation; it's naive to think that HR managers haven't encountered false excuses before and don't know how to detect the real ones from the fantastically fake ones. After awhile, anyone can become callous or cynical towards excuses (see: The Boy Who Cried Wolf) and it's best not to test a manager's patience on these matters.

The same co-worker, who suggested this topic and has been with Midtown for quite sometime now, has made a Book of Excuses listing some of the worst he's encountered. Here's a sample with personal credibility ratings :

My pet cockatoo fell off its perch  and hurt its wing. The only vet that handles birds is only open 9-5.    Credibility Rating:  Fake    Comments:I've never heard of a caged bird falling off a perch (don't they just stand on it all day?). How could the excusee know that this had happened?

The electricity in my house went out and I can't blow dry my hair. Credibility Rating: Feasible    Comments: Sure that happened, but you couldn't get to work? Seriously?

I was about to leave my apartment when I found my handbag was full of ants. I was late because I had to kill them all. Credibility Rating: Somewhat feasible, mostly fake  Comments: So, then you get another bag or just admit that you slept in.

I had really bad constipation so I couldn't go to work. Credibility rating: Fake   Comments: Missing work for that? In this day and age? Terrible.

I could go on...and on. Some of the common trends were of course death in the family, pet had babies, and food poisoning. I'm not calling any of these outright lies, they're just used to excess. I just want to let candidates know that we know.

References: Learn to Keep In Touch

There's never enough that I can say about references. They're one of those things not always essential to landing a dream job but you can never tell just when they'll come in handy. Whether they're pre-written or by telephone, here are some points to keep in mind when you embark on reference seeking quest:

Always keep the lines of communication open with your employers. This really only applies if the worked you've worked with has a fantastic rapport with you. Some good signs might be if the employer mentioned that he/she'd write a reference for you before leaving, you left on a good note, or they had to get rid of you due to company wide layoffs. To a degree, this implies a bit of networking on your part - be sure to send a friendly email or card to former employers to keep in touch. Email works best as people tend to move around.

When you need a reference, ask for it. Don't just give your interviewer an email address without preparing the former employer. A courtesy note informing the employer of your intention with an attachment of your latest resume prepares him/her to speak intelligently on your behalf. Instead of being caught off guard by your interviewer, they'll have had time to remember you, reflect on their experience with you as an employee and have some useful notes at hand.

Never forget that the referral is doing YOU a favor. In that courtesy preparation note be sure to ask convenient times for them to be contacted and the best method to do so. Maybe writing the reference ahead of time would be easier so, tell them about the position and why you want it - this is popular among academic advisors and professors. For them, ask  formally and politely (usually by letter) for a general reference that you can use later for obtaining a job. Make this process as easy as possible and don't forget a genuine "thank you" for their time.

Career Carnival: Posts on Working as a College Grad and More!

Welcome to the August 16, 2008 edition of career tips and news.

I decided to create a bi-monthly carnival to reflect the vast amount of information and experiences there are related to the job market.

The topic of this one relates to all things pertaining to working as a college grad:

Working as a College Grad

Raymond presents Why College Students Should Apply For Student Credit Cards posted at Money Blue Book.

Raymond presents Student Credit Card Rewards posted at Money Blue Book.

Heather Johnson presents Salary Compression – A HR Nightmare? posted at HR FUNDA.

Patrick A. Sizemore presents Working in a Crappy, Interrupting, Distracting Place - The Fifth Dimension posted at College Information for Smart Students.

Ben Dinsmore presents 5 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Asking Your Boss for a Raise posted at Trees Full of Money, saying, "We all want to make more money. Some of us deserve to, while others may need to do a little more preparation. If you are prepared to take the next step and ask your boss for a raise, here are 5 question that I would ask myself first."

Ted Reimers presents The Ultimate Graduation Resource List posted at CampusGrotto.

Other Career Related Posts Include:

Kelly Sonora presents Baptism by Fire: 100 Essential Tips and Resources for Student Teachers posted at Smart Teaching.

Alvaro Fernandez presents Neurogenesis and Brain Plasticity in Adult Brains posted at SharpBrains: Your Window into the Brain Fitness Revolution, saying, "Adults may have a tendency to get set in their ways – I’ve been doing it this way for a long time and it works, so why change? – Turns out, though, that change can be a way to keep aging brains healthy."

Alex Smith presents 50 Ways to Keep Yourself Safe from Sexual Assault posted at TBO-TECH.

Neelakantha presents 100 Tips and Resources to be a Happy, Successful Lawyer posted at JobProfiles.org - Job Descriptions and Online Schools to Start Your Career.

Madeleine Begun Kane presents Working Stiffed posted at Mad Kane's Humor Blog.

Fiona King presents 100 Tips and Resources to Prepare for the NCLEX posted at Nursing Colleges & Training Schools.

Alex Smith presents How to Keep Bears Away posted at TBO-TECH.

Wally Bock presents Looking at all the options posted at Momentor.

Sheila Danzig presents Adult Continuing Education: Forensic Nursing Certificates posted at Degree Talk Blog.

Machione presents Fear And Loathing At The Observer-Reporter posted at The Lives and Times... of Anthony McCune, saying, "There is a lesson to be learned here. Do your best work every day for the sake of doing the best job possible...because nothing is guaranteed and it could be your only salvation."

 

That concludes this edition.  Submit your blog article to the next edition of career tips and news using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

Technorati tags: career tips and news, blog carnival.

Grads Face a Tough Job Market

While I'm proud to announce that the President of The Midtown Group, Helen Stefan, was featured in a Washington Post article over the weekend, it's less than thrilling that the article discusses how college grads are having a tough time finding jobs.

  The article mentions that even those coming out with graduate degrees are having a tough time finding jobs - the number of interviews and offers has decreased significantly over the past year. And what's worst, the age group that covers most undergrads and grads is being affected the most by the recession.

The solution seems to be staying in school until the recession passes, meanwhile making the most of internships, networking through family and friends, working temporary positions, and generally building a great resume. I feel the need to emphasize that planning a college career that compliments future goals is a crucial step for personal finance management and professional success.

While the slowing economy is discouraging especially when one considers taking on potentially more school loans the extra income tacked on due to the increased value of a graduate program quickly offsets the loans. Take a look at this article, To Go Back To School During a Recession if you're still concerned about the costs.

Temping: It Could Be Permanent, Ensure Your Success

It seems a lot of applicants are hesitant or downright refuse temporary positions in hopes for permanent positions. However, temping is a great way to network in a familiar industry for future positions while adding relevant experience to your resume. Temporary positions are a great way to fill the time during your job search so that when you finally get that interview of your dreams and are asked "What have you been doing this past year?" the answer can be a positive one (with extra references to boot)

So, if you do decide to take up some temporary positions be sure to keep some of the following in mind to make the best of each experience:

1. Arrive at work on time everyday, try to be a few minutes early to allow yourself time to settle in before the day starts.

2. Be courteous to your colleagues and always maintain a positive and professional attitude. Your demeanor at work can make the difference in your assignment being extended or ended.

3. Keep in touch with your temp/staffing agency when anything happens that will cause you to miss work. Generally following up with the agency ensures a positive relationship where a strong ability to efficiently and proactively communicate can supercede coming in late or missing a day at work. Also, call your recruiter to share feedback about the assignment, positive and negative.

4. Refrain from handling your personal business at work - texting and checking emails are the worst offenses.

Some of those are so straightforward but everyday I hear about infractions of at least one!

Tips for Negotiating a Fair Compensation Package

·      In the course of the educational system, most people who start looking for jobs find that they don't know how to get what they need out of a job. Negotiating the perfect Compensation Package requires some planning and with the right strategy can improve your outlook on your work - working while secretly resenting your salary is no way to work at all.

         Know what you are worth. Using internet resources, do research on the salary and compensation ranges for comparable jobs in the area. Glean information during interviews and from your network of sources that indicates the relative value of the position in the company.

      Set a clear goal. Studies on negotiation consistently show that people who set clear and aggressive goals achieve more favorable settlements than those who aim low or do not set goals at all. If you want a salary of eighty grand and a total package worth 100 grand, shoot for it by throwing out an anchor worth more than 100 grand.

    · Set a walk-away price. You know your own financial goals, responsibilities and liabilities. If you cannot take anything under seventy grand and still make sense of accepting the position, do not pretend that you can. Your walk-away price depends not only on your financial needs, but also on the attractiveness of your alternatives to accepting the offered position. If you are currently making sixty grand and there are no other offers finding you, settling at sixty-eight grand might not be a bad idea. If, on the other hand, you have been offered a position for seventy-five grand and a generous benefit package, sixty-eight grand seems less reasonable.

·    Identify all your interests. Before you walk into the negotiation, prioritize your various interests and identify places where you are willing to trade one thing of value for something else. Is the salary more important than stock options? Is a gym membership more important than a review and likely promotion in six months? 

Remember: Negotiating is not about winning, it is a dance towards a certain goal. Each person makes moves with reference to the moves of the other person. Don’t take make it personal, approach it strategically like any business decisions.