Jobing.com: Jobing.com Community Relations - SD Employment Blog

2010 Holiday Hires - Ending the Year on a High Note - Theresa Maher

Thu, 13 Jan 2011 12:38:17 GMT

With the 2010 holiday season behind us (can you believe it?!) most of us are relieved to have the stress of finding that perfect gift in our rear view. Now that we can take a breather, at least for a brief moment, we can look at the 2010 holiday season through a different lens; one that uses the hustle and bustle of the busiest shopping time of the year to give us an idea of where we are economically.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics recently reported a net gain of 646,300 jobs between October and December of 2010 in retail employment. This is a 28.9 percent improvement over the same time in 2009.

In a press release I received from Challenger, Gray, & Christmas, an outplacment consulting firm, it was reported that November hiring in 2010 was about the same as it was in 2009. However, October and December hiring was the heaviest it has been in the past several years. The report also states that retail employment in December 2010 grew by 181,900 positions; the largest December gain since 2005. October’s reported increase of 146,800 retail jobs was the largest gain for the month of October since 2006.

These numbers should be of no surprise considering many retailers reported increased sales during the 2010 holiday season. This, of course, suggests that consumers had more resources to spend, or at least chose to spend more, than in previous years; which is a positive economic indicator. The question is, will this growth continue or at least sustain at positive levels throughout the 2011 year? It is much too early to tell, but many are hopeful that some of the temporary positions filled to manage the influx of shoppers will turn into permanent work at some retail facilities. The increased holiday spending, while seasonal, is a much needed piece of positive news that we hope will be the first of many this year.

For the full Challenger, Gray, & Christmas report, click here.

Start Your 2011 Employment Marketing Strategy Off Right with a Refeshed Corporate Careers Page - Theresa Maher

Thu, 6 Jan 2011 13:38:57 GMT

There are so many ways you as an employer can reach out to candidates today. Your employment brand can be sent out via social media, pulled up on most smart phones, or even focused around specific candidate demographics through pay-per-click advertising. But, before you even begin to think about ways to share your recruitment brand, you need to evaluate if it is sending the right message for your organization. That all starts with your corporate careers page.

Now, it's pretty common knowledge that employers need an corporate careers page, but you would be surprised to learn how little time some actually spend on it. Whether candidates are looking at open positions on your corporate page, or simply doing their company research after finding your positions on a job board like Jobing.com, this page can have a huge impact on the types of job seekers you attract.

Your corporate careers page needs dynamic content that tells the story of who you are and what you are looking for in new employees. Candidates should learn how you are different from your competitors and what you have to offer. Imagine for a moment that your job posting captures the attention of a great job seeker; but when they research your company through your own website, they find a static page that doesn't solidify their interest. That is a huge opportunity wasted. Your career center should integrate all of your employment information, utilize customized tabs and pages, house functional job listings that allow candidates to apply online, and possibly have a video library and social media plug ins; all with the look and feel of your corporate branding. Your corporate career center is the hub of your recruitment efforts. Make sure you aren't doing more harm than good with the message it is sending.

For more information on how on to build a dynamic corporate career center, log onto www.jobingtech.com.

Join a Local SHRM Affiliated Chapter Today - Jen Carpenter

Wed, 22 Dec 2010 09:03:41 GMT

By: Holly Schor, Jobing.com Community Relations - Phoenix

"If you are not a member of a local chapter you are only half way there!"

The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) is the world’s largest association devoted to human resource management. Representing more than 250,000 members in over 140 countries, the Society serves the needs of HR professionals and advances the interests of the HR profession. Founded in 1948, SHRM has more than 575 affiliated chapters within the United States and subsidiary offices in China and India.

If you are a SHRM member then you already know the importance of SHRM membership. You know you can utilize a wealth of services and programs that give you that extra edge of HR knowledge to help you be a valuable resource to your organization.

Well, did you know that there are also local resources available to you as well? Being a member of a local SHRM affiliated chapter will enhance your current SHRM membership in so many ways.

You will develop a local HR network of other HR professionals in your area who can share how their organizations handle HR situations, policies & procedures
You will learn about current best practices to make your organization more efficient
You will gain access to the latest information on local legislation that may impact your business operations
You may receive HR Certification Institute (HRCI) credit for attendance at various chapter meetings which have obtained HRCI approval
You will have an opportunity to develop your leadership skills by volunteering in your local chapter

Top Jobs of 2011 - Jen Carpenter

Wed, 22 Dec 2010 09:03:07 GMT

Is the economy finally starting to recover?

While that topic is still under debate, one thing is clear - millions of Americans will continue searching for jobs during 2011. As the new year kicks in, more companies will ramp up their hiring efforts as new goals are set. In addition, some current employees will leave their jobs to take on new opportunities. Add that to the millions of Americans already looking for work and you can guarantee there will be plenty of job seekers to contend with.

Thankfully, U.S. News & World Report recently released its list of The 50 Best Careers of 2011, which might be able to help you pinpoint the type of career you want to pursue. The list is divided into five categories: business, creative and service, healthcare, social service, and technology.

Here's a look at the top jobs in each category:
Business jobs:

Accountant
Actuary
Financial adviser
Financial analyst
Logistician
Meeting planner
Public relations specialist
Sales manager
Training specialist

Creative and service jobs:

Commercial pilot
Curator
Film and video editor
Gaming manager
Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration technician
Interpreter/translator
Multimedia artist
Technical writer

Healthcare jobs:

Athletic trainer
Dental hygienist
Lab technician
Massage therapist
Occupational therapist
Optometrist
Physician assistant
Physical therapist
Physical therapist assistant
Radiologic technologist
Registered nurse
School psychologist
Veterinarian

Social service jobs:

Clergy
Court reporter
Education administrator
Emergency management specialist
Firefighter
Marriage and family therapist
Mediator
Medical and public health social worker
Special education teacher
Urban planner

Technology jobs:

Biomedical engineer
Civil engineer
Computer software engineer
Computer support specialist
Computer systems analyst
Environmental engineering technician
Environmental science technician
Hydrologist
Meteorologist
Network architect

U.S. News took several factors into account when creating this list, including everything from anticipated employment growth to salary range to opinions from industry experts. If you're interested in any of the positions listed, check out Jobing.com to see what's available in your local market!

Job Seeker Resolutions - Jen Carpenter

Wed, 22 Dec 2010 09:02:40 GMT

The New Year's resolution is a time-honored tradition practiced by millions of people every year. The approach of the new year offers a chance to reflect on the last 12 months and look ahead to what's in store. This is a time for you to be proud of what you've done and set goals for what you want to do. Naturally, this is a great time to revamp your job search strategy and set some new goals for yourself.

Here are five job seeker resolutions to keep in mind this new year:

List your past and future accomplishments. What are some things you've accomplished over the last year? These can include everything from well-done projects and praises at work to taking on extra training and participating in volunteer work. Now think about the things you want to accomplish this year. Make a realistic list that you can edit and evolve over time. This can include everything from the number of jobs you apply for to the number of interviews you get to the number of jobs you're offered.
Reconsider your overall strategy. A lot can change in a year, and you may not be or feel like the same person you were last year. Take some time to reconsider your goals and aspirations. Do you still want the same type of job or are you willing to consider other options? Has your list of targeted employers changed at all? Can you change your resume to reflect how you've evolved during the last year?
Think of one new tactic to add to your job search strategy. Are you getting out there and networking enough? What about social media? Are you regularly attending in-person social events? There's most likely something you can add to your list, and if there's not, think of a way to improve one of your current strategies.
Be thankful for what you have. This is often easier said than done, especially when your current situation may not be your fault. However, it's important to focus on the positive aspects of your life, instead of always dwelling on the negatives. This will not only put things into better perspective, but pinpointing what you do have can ultimately help your job search. For instance, maybe you have a really supportive network of friends and family who have been more than willing to help. Can any of those people use their own network to help you find a job? Maybe you live in a really great city. Go to some local hot spots and make an effort to talk to others - you never know where you'll find someone who could connect you with a job!
Give yourself some credit. Last year is over, so there's no point in beating yourself up about what you did and didn't do. It's important to draw from your experiences and learn from your mistakes, but it's just as important to focus on the future. This is a brand new year and you can do anything you put your mind to. Give yourself some credit for all the hard job searching you did during 2010!

Do You Know How to Negotiate Your Salary? - Jen Carpenter

Fri, 10 Dec 2010 08:42:55 GMT

As the new year approaches, job seekers are thinking about ways to improve many aspects of their lives, including their career search. Figuring out how to negotiate a better salary is often included in this process, but it’s not always easy. Luckily, we’ve put together a salary negotiation quiz to help you out.

How do you make a case for a higher salary?
a. Show examples of your past accomplishments.
b. Have a salary range in mind and be able to prove why you deserve that amount.
c. Use your value to the company as a bargaining chip.
d. All of the above.

If you guessed “d. All of the above”, you’re correct. Negotiating a higher salary can be hard, especially in times of economic trouble. That’s why it’s important to focus on the value that you bring to the company and how your skills can help the company reach its goals. It’s not enough to simply say that you need more money - you have to present a valid case for why you deserve that money and what you have done, and will do, to earn it.

The time for a salary negotiation conversation in the hiring process is:
a. During the initial phone interview.
b. At the beginning of the in-person interview.
c. Once you have been offered the job.
d. Never, you should always be happy with the salary you’re offered

The answer is “c. Once you have been offered the job” (unless the subject is brought up earlier in the process by the employer). Bringing this subject up too early in the process has the potential to eliminate you from the running before you can fully assert why you are the best candidate for the job. Besides, you will be in a much better position to negotiate your worth after you have convinced an employer you are the person they want to hire.

How do you weigh one compensation package against another:
a. Calculate total salary using your salary plus the benefits (both benefits that are given by the employer and the ones that are built-in to the position, like a shorter commute) that are a true value to you and that you are likely to use.
b. Calculate all salary and benefits and do a straight side-by-side comparison.
c. Compare salary to salary, benefits are generally the same.

You could make a case for any of these, but we’d recommend choosing “a”. For example, if you have a similar salary between two positions, but one is closer to work (so it has the benefit of a shorter commute), and the health insurance has a lower out-of-pocket deductible - all other things being equal, this type of comparison makes it easy to see where each one stacks up against the other.

Where can I research salary information?
a. Job postings
b. The Bureau of Labor Statistics.
c. Salary websites like payscale.com and salary.com.
d. All of the above.

Okay, we made this one too easy. The answer is “d”. All of the resources put together, in addition to your own knowledge about industry standards in your community, will give you a fair range of what to expect. Any one resource may give you an inflated salary or one that is too low, so we recommend looking around to get a reasonable range. If you notice a wildly large range (like $100,000 between top and bottom salaries), you may need to research further to find out if there are clear experience or location differences that can help you narrow the salary expectations to a more practical range.

Hopefully this quiz will help you negotiate the salary that you deserve. However, it’s important to keep in mind that the inability to negotiate a salary does not equate to failure, and does not always mean you should give up on that job.

Many companies simply don’t have the resources right now to offer their employees a higher-than-expected salary, but there are some alternatives you can suggest in place of a pay raise. These include things, such as a flexible working schedule and telecommuting options, that will ultimately result in savings and convenience for you.

Holiday Networking 101 - Jen Carpenter

Fri, 10 Dec 2010 08:42:14 GMT

By: Charla Lovelace, Jobing.com Community Relations - Austin

That warm and fuzzy time of year is here! It's time to be around friends, family and maybe a few complete strangers! So, this is the perfect time to get yourself out there and network. Networking is still one of the top ways to connect to an employer and a job!

Holiday Networking 101:

If you're asked to attend a party, do it! Holiday events are the perfect time to meet new people! Use these events as an opportunity to grow your network! Have fun!!

Be Approachable! Mix and mingle and keep a smile on your face! Don't cling to your friends and don't sit down!

Listen and Ask Questions! Spend your time meeting and learning about others, not talking about yourself! Remember, people love to talk about themselves and what they do! So, listen and ask them questions!!

Wear Something Memorable and Stand Out! Instead of wearing that black dress or simple tie, wear the red dress or the party tie! This will be a great way for someone to remember you, and a great conversation starter!

Is your Resume Handy? While it's not appropriate to hand over a resume at a party, you could have your resume URL on a card! Sign up for JResume where your resume is hosted online, ready to go, and easy to find! Super easy to say "find my resume at JResume.com/charla.lovelace" and you're up to date with the latest technology lingo!

Follow up and Connect! You can connect instantly on Facebook, right from your cell phone! Easy to do and a great conversation piece! Find out if their company is on Facebook and become a fan right there!

Check out Jobing's event calendar for great local events to attend this holiday season!

Get in Front of the Right Candidates - Theresa Maher

Thu, 9 Dec 2010 17:12:17 GMT

With so much information available online today, it's important that organizations make themselves as visible as possible to the audience they are trying to reach. This is especially true in recruiting. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is one way savvy companies are putting their open positions directly in front of the right candidates.

If you aren't familiar with the term, SEO is the process that drives more traffic to a web page through search results. In short, you want your career page or website to rank higher (or closer to the top) in search engines like Google and Yahoo when candidates are searching for words that relate to your company or positions. This may sound obvious, but with so many websites competing for the same candidates you are trying to reach, a customized and well thought out strategy is needed to yield the best results.

There are many different ways you can increase your rankings online, from the use of proper keywords, to link-building campaigns and even microsite development. But, before you begin any new campaign, you need to have a clear idea of the audience you are trying to reach. This will help you determine how this candidate group searches for information online; which offers great insight into how you can better optimize your career site.

Take a moment to put yourself in the position of your ideal candidate. What words would you be searching for to find your next great job? Type those words into a search engine and see if your company or corporate careers page is ranked well. If it isn't, you have the opportunity to make your recruitment strategy even more effective. Remember, you can build a great career center, but if your targeted candidates aren't finding it, you've only won half the battle.

For more information on how on using Search Engine Optimization to improve your recruitment strategy, log onto www.jobingtech.com.

Find Better Qualified Candidates During the Holiday Season - Jen Carpenter

Wed, 24 Nov 2010 08:25:29 GMT

It's hard to believe but it's already that time of year; the holiday season is right around the corner. With this festive time seems to come a shift in our priorities. This not only from a personal perspective, such as new deadlines to purchase the perfect gift, or the race to get your decorations up and glowing before anyone else in your neighborhood, but also in the professional world with certain projects that need to be completed before the official end of Q4.

In this busy time it can be easy to overlook certain priorities. As an employer, if you have pushed your recruitment branding focus off until after the ball drops on New Year's Eve, you are missing out on a valuable opportunity. The opportunity to capture qualified talent that your competition is not currently focused on. It's important to understand your competitors are also in the mad dash to meet numerous end-of-the-year deadlines, which gives you the perfect opportunity to reach the job seekers you've been looking for.

Less motivated job seekers will be taking a break from the hustle and bustle of their job search to focus on the holiday season, as well. So, what's left? Employers and candidates who are serious about recruitment and employment. Competition for excellent talent will be much greater after the first of the year, so this is the time to capitalize on the holiday audience. You will find serious candidates who understand the importance of continuing an active job search during the holidays. These are individuals who can manage their personal lives with their professional job search; candidates who are strategically targeting companies who put talent acquisition first. Aren't these the people you want in your organization? So, think about the best way to reach them. With holiday spending anticipated to grow 2.3% in 2010, according to the BLS, pay-per-click advertising is a great way to reach candidates who may already be online shopping. Ramp up your social media campaigns to keep your organization top of mind to those in your social networking communities. Continuing your recruitment branding efforts during the holiday season also allows you to get one step ahead of your competitors. While they are gearing up to find great people after January 1st, you have your team in place ready to start the year off strong. So, while you may be tempted to take a seasonal break from your employment branding strategy, choose to use this time to launch your organization into a successful 2011.

For more information on how to improve your recruitment branding efforts, log onto www.jobingtech.com.

4 Tips to Relieve Stress During Your Job Search - Jen Carpenter

Wed, 24 Nov 2010 08:24:52 GMT

We know how stressful job searching can be, so here are some tips to keep in mind on your journey to finding a great career.

Schedule Some Rest
We hear from many of you that your job search has become your full-time job. However, unlike a job where you may have scheduled breaks, vacation time, or sick days - it is very easy to forget to take the time to rest. With the resources available to people in their job search today, you can comfortably work into the wee hours of the morning if you want to. However, consider the effects on your health and productivity.

Health: According to the Mayo Clinic, a lack of sleep can make you sick. So the next time you want to stay up a few more hours to look for a job, consider whether or not it’s worth it to risk an illness that could prolong your search even farther.
Productivity: Even large corporations like Sony Pictures have found they can increase productivity of their employees by scaling back some of the long hours and reducing the stress of the current "do-more-with-less" economy.

Focus on the Next Task
After you've applied to a job and planned any follow-up, it is time to move your focus on to the next thing. The next networking event, the next job to apply to - whatever the next step is for you to take action. Even if the last job you applied to would be perfect and you are having a hard time not thinking about it - once you’ve applied, it is really out of your control. What is in your control is your choice to focus on activities that help you, like searching for the next position to apply to.

Strategy: If you need help figuring out what to do next - consider subscribing to job search agents in your e-mail and stay on top of local calendars/events related to your job search. If you can get regular updates sent automatically, you can cut your searching time down dramatically.

Take a Walk
There are tons of resources that support the benefits of walking. In addition to all of those it is free: no memberships, no equipment, and no time requirements (long or short walks can all help).

Strategy: Treat yourself between applications to a short walk and see if you notice an increase in your energy and a boost to your mood.

Reach out for Help
Many people can understand what you are working through right now and can be of help. In addition to the support of your friends and family, why not reach out to a few resources like these:

Job Clubs and Networking Groups: Meeting with others who are in the same boat can help you learn other people’s strategies for negotiating today’s job market. You can also spend some time helping others in the same situation - which can be an enormous boost for you and the person you are helping.
Workforce Centers and One-Stops: Many of these locations offer services like assistance with resumes, job search, and also provide free classes that can help you along the way. They may also be able to link you to other local resources you haven’t considered.
Community Colleges: Whether it is in your budget or career goals to take a class or not, you might want to look into your local community college. Many community colleges have career services that are open to members of the local community. Be sure to call ahead first and ask your local community college if they offer any free services or resources for non-students.