Posted by Carolyn Thompson on Mar 9, 2009 in
Career Path,
Thinking Positive Where have all the hardworking professionals gone? Have they retreated to their caves (or Florida) for a long winter’s hibernation? Are they snuggled in, hoping to emerge their sleepy heads in a few months when the promise of the new administration finally starts to pay off? Are they waiting to complete that resume re-write until they can send it to 100 positions like they could a year or so ago instead of just one or two? Are they waiting for the abundance of the good old days?
Well, in some professions, the good old days are still around. Professionals looking for work should pay astute attention to what jobs are being advertised. There are large pockets of professional areas that are still lacking talented people.
Take the tax profession as example. Not a generally exciting topic, but it’s a lucrative field. Right now, if you were a Senior Tax Accountant in our area, there are over 100 positions available within 50 miles of DC.
So, unemployed professionals take note…if you’re looking for a new career path, there are jobs out there! Some training or re-training might be necessary, in some cases, the bill for that might be picked up by an employer. Do your homework, it never hurts to ask! Don’t hibernate your days away! Wake up, get out there, and find your niche!
Carolyn Thompson
Author of TEN EASY STEPS TO A PERFECT RESUME…available on Amazon.com!
and TEN STEPS TO FINDING THE PERFECT JOB…available on Amazon.com!
Tags: jobs, resume, training, unemployment
Posted by Carolyn Thompson on Feb 4, 2009 in
Thinking Positive This week I am in Las Vegas, participating in the BULLHORN LIVE User’s Conference. This has been one of the best events I’ve attended in the staffing and recruiting industry for the past couple of years. The technical information has been excellent, but the positive enthusiasm shared by this diverse group of attendees and presenters has been the most refreshing part of this conference.
Search industry guru Danny Cahill and President of Bullhorn Barry Hinckley both discussed a sentiment I firmly believe in; looking at the glass half full. No doubt, a continually rising unemployment rate is troubling. However, let’s not lose sight of the other side of that statistic; if an area has 7% unemployment, it also has 93% employment.
In response to President Obama’s call to volunteer service, Bullhorn provided me a meeting space at the Red Rocks Resort to conduct a RESUME WORKSHOP which was free to the public here in Las Vegas yesterday evening. NBC affiliate KVBC3 invited me to appear live on the noon news Monday to promote the event and I also had a great conversation with Barbara Kusak on KDWN Las Vegas Talk Radio yesterday.
About 60 local job seekers attended the workshop where we discussed my book TEN EASY STEPS TO A PERFECT RESUME as well as some specifics about job search and interviewing. With 7.2% unemployment in the Las Vegas area and 10.1 % statewide, the attendees really wanted to know how to set themselves apart from other job seekers. They all left with enthusiastic, positive, outlooks towards their job search, newly empowered with creative strategies, ideas and techniques to utilize in this competitive environment.
As my second book TEN STEPS TO FINDING THE PERFECT JOB comes out next month, I look forward to continuing to share some positive job search strategies and ideas with people in other cities over the next few months. Upcoming workshops are slated for Washington DC, Miami/Ft.Lauderdale, Baltimore, Omaha, and Denver over the next four months.
Since none of us (including our elected officials) really know how to tame the ELEPHANT, we all need to adjust our thinking and find areas of positive change within the situation. Everyone has something to contribute and there are jobs out there, it may just take a little more strength, internal fortitude, and personal willpower to move the ELEPHANT out of your room to find it.
Carolyn Thompson
Author of TEN EASY STEPS TO A PERFECT RESUME…now available on Amazon.com!
Tags: jobs, resume, resume workshop, statistics, unemployment
Posted by Carolyn Thompson on Nov 5, 2008 in
Executive Coaching 
No one seems to want to train anyone anymore. Time, resources, and often patience, are scarce with managers in any type of job. Turnover ends up costing even more in lost time and knowledge transfer of intellectual property.
When hiring new people, managers should think of the giraffe. The giraffe moves gracefully through the jungle, observing their surroundings, often stopping to snack on tree leaves around them, only running when in the face of danger.
Like the giraffe, a good manager will think strategically about their team so they won’t have to rush to find people in crisis mode. They will stick their neck out looking for candidates that have 75-80% of the skill sets they seek. People who have the ability to pick up the remaining 20-25% as they grow and evolve in the job are more likely to stay longer, ultimately leading to a higher sense of job satisfaction and overall increased performance.
Looking for and hiring people that have the exact job title, skill set, and experience you want can lead to boredom sooner rather than later. Try to select employees that you have something to offer. They will want to stick around and nibble on the leaves with you for awhile. You just might build a better team getting to know them along the way as well as being able to build upon their interests and skills.
Carolyn Thompson
Author of TEN EASY STEPS TO A PERFECT RESUME…now available on Amazon.com!
Tags: employers, hiring, jobs, managers, training
