Jacksonville Jobing Community Blogs

The Network of Indian Professionals (NetIP) is a professional, non-profit organization dedicated to the overall achievement and advancement of South Asian professionals. The primary focus of the organization is to foster a bond among South Asian professionals to unite and support each other locally, as well as to give back and contribute positively to the communities in which we live and work.

Join us this year at:

The 18th Annual NetIP Conference
Held in the Dynamic and Vibrant City of Toronto
Friday, Sept 4th to Sunday, Sept 6th 2009

• Engaging Panels and Workshops (covering finance, healthcare, entrepreneurship, culture, media arts)
• Film Screenings & Community Outreach Events
• Chic & Elegant Parties
• Captivating Entertainment (including a Bollywood-themed gala affair)

Create Memories of a lifetime and gain an opportunity to forge lasting friendships, as you mingle with elite South Asian professionals, network with industry leaders and meet top notch speakers!

For more information, visit www.NetIPConference.org.  

Circle forward to the internet days we live in now.  You have this wonderful ability to take advantage of what you pay for…advertising!  Tell job seekers about your company.  There is always something you can promote.  Company growth, industry leadership, location, benefits, challenge, work environment, income potential, opportunity for advancement, respected coworker, company car, stock options, flexible hours, job security, vacation packages, etc.  Whatever it is you have, flaunt it!

Unemployment is high right now and applicants are relatively easy to find but selling your company to prospects will help you find better people.  Better people mean better results and lower turnover.  Explain the job and the requirements well to counterbalance the increase in applicants you’ll get.  And that my friends, is what it’s all about.  A healthy, targeted response!!

Arte Nathan has staffed over 80,000 people in his life time.  When he was staffing the Wynn Casino in Las Vegas he was banned from all other casinos on the strip because competitor’s employees would ambush him and beg to work for him.  

What did this HR legend have to offer the Pursue the Passion crew?  Here are seven lessons and interview excerpts that were gathered from our forty-five minute meeting.

Lesson 1- Provide a Nice Work Environment 

People like to come to work at a place where there’s a lot of respect and fairness.  In most companies, the pay is about equal.  The benefits are about equal.  But the treatment is all over the place.  If you can provide a work environment where people have fun, feel as though they can get ahead, feel that there’s a lot of respect and fair treatment, I think they’ll stay with you.  

It’s good for people because they spend eight hours a day where they work.  You don’t spend eight hours a day anyplace else.  You don’t interact with the same group of people for eight hours in any other level of your life.  Employers have a responsibility to make it great.  If they don’t make it great, I think that they are cheating themselves, their employees, and their customers.  And it’s simple to do if you just think about it.  It’s not rocket science.    

I think a lot of things go into making a place nice.  Clean rugs, bright lights, nice windows…but really, it’s how you’re treated.  Does your boss know who you are?  Say good morning and good night?  Hello and thank you?  Those are just the things you learn as a human being.  It’s the right way to interact.

Lesson 2- Employees Respond Positively to the Golden Rule 

Back in the mid 1980’s and into the early 1990’s, hotels didn’t have a lot of Human Resource expertise.  They had people who maintained personnel files.  They had people who made sure that you got paid correctly.  

We started a program called Employee Services. It was to treat our employees like guests.  Over the years, we extended that to treating applicants like guests.  We treated them the way we wanted to treat our very best guests.

At the end of the day, we had the lowest turnover of any hospitality company in the United States .  Turnover went from 300% to 75% in six months, and down to 8% after a year.  We have to attribute that to this program of treating people well.  And putting ourselves in their shoes, understanding what they like, what they want, what they need.  Maybe it’s the golden rule- treating people they way they want to be treated.  And they responded very positively to that.  

Because people come to work everyday and they want to do a good job.  And they want to be recognized for doing a good job.  Or just doing the job you asked them to do.  So why wouldn’t you thank them for just that? 

Lesson 3- Human Resources isn’t a department, it is the department  

I was lucky that I had a guy like Steve Wynn, who loved Human Resources.  He believed that Human Resources wasn’t a department, it was the department.  It wasn’t a thing we had to do at the Wynn, it was a thing that ran our business.  He just kept supporting me in the ideas that I had, and I kept running to achieve the goals that he had.  And together, we were very successful.  I helped him open up a new casino in Vegas and in China . 

Lesson 4- If you’re in HR, you’re in an incredible position 

In HR, you have a chance to shape somebody’s life.  You have a chance to give employees something that they have hoped for in work, but rarely found.  Most people don’t find it.  I like to figure out a way to give it to them.  That’s what I love about Human Resources.

You can motivate anybody.  You can bring the passion out of people and put it into people.  If you don’t, I think you’re squandering the energy that exists within your group of people.

Lesson 5- Bad Companies Can’t Keep Employees 

We argue about this thing called the ‘War for Talent.’  I think that’s bullshit.  I really do.  Bad companies can’t find employees.  They can’t keep employees.  All you have to look at is how they train and treat their people.  They don’t put any energy into it.  And everyone says, ‘Employees are my most important asset.’  And they put no money into it!  Every chance they get they cut this and they cut that.  I think if you invest in your people, they’ll invest in the company and make it successful.  

Lesson 6- When you have nothing to offer, you still do 

Managers often say, ‘We don’t have enough money to pay our employees.  We don’t have enough of a budget to give big increases.  And I’ve got nothing to give my employees.’  Well, you have yourself to give to your employees.  If you do that with humor and humility, employees won’t be so fixated on the little bit that you have for increases.

I’m actually a trained clown.  I love to paint my face and goof around.  Because you can be stupid and silly.  And where else can you do that?  Employees don’t ever expect an executive to be stupid and silly.  But what they heck?  If you are, I think that presents management in a different light.  And I think people respect that.

Lesson 7- Give your employees enough rope to swing around on or hang themselves with. 

Control is not what it’s made out to be.  Control is an illusion.  There is no respect for a controlling manager.  There’s a lot of respect for managers who give you a lot of rope.  And that rope you can swing around on or you can hang yourself.  But it’s you who are responsible for making one of those two things happen.  Not the boss.  I think enlightened companies and enlightened managers today have recognized that. 

Pursue the Passion conducts interviews with people who are passionate about their job.  Over 300 interviews can be found at www.pursuethepassion.com.  The founder, Brett Farmiloe, and his partner in crime, Zach Hubbell, deliver keynote speeches to classrooms and HR Conferences across the country.  They will be releasing a book and documentary in 2009. 

Mistake 1 – Focusing Too Much on Responsibilities – Yes, you should be noting what you did but make sure you also mention the results.  Instead of saying made 60 sales calls per day, say made 60 sales calls per day to establish 5 leads and set 1 appointment.  Instead of saying created an automated billing system, say created an automated billing system which saved the company $500,000 per year in administrative costs.

Mistake 2 – Spelling, Formatting and Punctuation Errors – Right or wrong these errors tell the recruiter your attention to detail is lacking.  Perform spell checks, have friends review it and proof it yourself several days later.

Mistake 3 – Focusing on Yourself and Not the Employer – People tend to get wrapped up in describing themselves and their past work experiences.  Winning resumes indicate to the employer what you can do for them.  Of course you have to include both but make sure you comment on how your skills apply.  This is particularly important on cover letters as well.

Mistake 4 – Having Only One Version of Your Resume – In a perfect world, each resume you submit will be customized and sent with a customized cover letter.  It is amazing how much this will help.  At a minimum have several resumes ready for varying types of jobs.  A friend of mine recently created more than five versions…standard sales, sales job for which he’s slightly under qualified, sales job requiring management experience, sales job requiring travel, etc. 

Mistake 5 – Gimmicks – Rarely will using bright paper, unique layouts or crazy fonts get you an interview you wouldn’t have received anyway.  Recruiters are busy.  Send them a resume and cover letter they don’t have to decipher before getting to the details.

• How long will the process take?
• Do you need a degree or do certificates or graduate programs exist?
• Is there demand for the job, once you are educated?
• What is motivating your change? True passion or a fleeting interest?

Education is a commitment, and one you must take seriously. When considering the time the program will take, you must be confident you are happy in your current job. Will you have the patience to wait until the end of your program before you are working in your new a career?

Considering the education options, what is truly needed? Is a full 4 year degree necessary, or will a 2 year degree help you get into the industry? Often passion and enthusiasm for the job will set you apart from others who have formal degrees. Using teaching as an example, you must be certified, so you much complete the degree. Yet, going from business to HR may simply require a certification. Investigate what is truly necessary to get your foot in the door.

As you embark on your change, is there a future for it? Fleeting interest fields often see a rise in people in the market and a drop off of demand. This was evident in crime scene investigation, due to the popularity of police shows. Not only ensure that you can gauge a demand for your career once your education is complete, but that you have a true passion for it. A fleeting interest or a fad will not last long.

The resources Jobing.com has to offer to help you find a great educational program include JobingEducation. Additionally, if you are seeking the benefit of a graduate degree, Grand Canyon University offers adults great online opportunities.

Use education to make a career change – for life.

For these reasons and more, you would not say yes these questions: 

Are you generic?  Do you have no experience that relates to the job you are applying for?   

However, if you use the same general resume for every application – your resume may be saying yes to those questions for you.  

If you find a position you want, take the time to tailor your resume to fit it.  Here are some quick tips to make your resume relevant

1.  If you have a long list of old positions, unrelated to the one you are applying to, remove them.  These positions are clutter and will do nothing to support that you are the right person for the job.  

2.  If you have long lists of duties that are unrelated to the job you are applying to – refine the list to emphasize the skills, knowledge and traits specifically listed in the job description.  

3.  If you were to remove the objective from the top of your resume – would a person be able to tell what it is?  Make sure that your objective is both clear and supported by the every detail of your resume.  Even if you are applying to a new field and the jobs on your resume are not the same as what you are looking for – if you emphasize the skills and traits that are transferable and support your objective, your career goals will be clear.  

If the job is unique, and you are a fit – bring your resume in line and your chances of success will improve!

(Quick Jobing.com Tip – Save up to ten unique resumes using your My Jobing! account so your relevant resume is ready-to-go!)

Brand in your job postings – The days of paying by the line are over!  Use the unlimited space websites offer to tell job seekers about your organization.  Why do people work for your company?  Do you have a “cool factor” that other employers in your industry don’t offer?  Tell your story to help recruit the right people.

Be consistent – Your employment brand starts with an honest look at your company and the existing employees.  Once you have determined your image it should be promoted in recruitment advertising and by recruiters.  Hiring managers should be an extension of the same brand.  The last thing you want is recruiters and hiring managers telling people different things.

Follow through – The most frequent complaint we hear from job seekers is the lack of follow through.  You’ve designed great ads.  You bring in interviewees and tell them all the great things about your company.  It is very easy to make the hire and forget about everyone else.  A simple email or phone call telling someone the job has been filled will dramatically help your image.  There are so many recruiters that skip this step and job seekers truly appreciate it.

The benefits of an employment brand are far reaching.  You get everyone on the same page.  Your recruitment efforts are more targeted which will help save time.  You become an employer of choice.  You make the right hires and keep people longer.  Everyone wins!

Here are some great reasons to blog.

1.  It increases awareness of your organization.  You provide a valuable resource to local job seekers and more people should know what you do.  Include a weblink in your profile to help drive traffic to your website.  Jobing is a known commodity with a large, smart, and devoted audience of job seekers, employers, non-profit organizations, community resources, and students.  We have the eyeballs.  Get your message in front of them.

2.  It improves your search engine rankings.  Google in particular loves user generated content.  Your blogs may pop up even before your corporate website. 

3.  It's free.  Targeted exposure that's free...it's a no-brainer.  We can afford to offer it free because good blogs bring traffic to our site too.  It's a holistic way of looking at marketing.  We like to call ourselves enlightened. 

Here's what works well...
Employment related advice and tips
Specific industry info, ie "what's it like to be in the insurance business?"
"Day in the life" pieces about a particular job or industry
Employment related community event promotion
Professional association information
Info about employment related community services
Job market news

Here's what doesn't work as well…
Solicitations
Anything "hard sell"
Info unrelated to employment, education, or the local community

Here's how to get started
Send me an email at randy.anderson@jobing.com.  I’ll respond with a few questions and help get you started.  Give it shot!

Where you spend your day and with whom you spend your time is just as important. If you've ever worked in a bad work environment you know how much it can impact your work satisfaction.

As you consider your options for your next green career, think about the work environment that is going to allow you to be fulfilled, satisfied, and productive. Be ideal in your exploration of the right work environment. Don't limit yourself to what you've experienced in the past. Think outside the box to create a picture of the work environment that's best for you.

Use the following list of work environment characteristics to create a description of the kind of work environment you want in your next job.

Location
Where do you want to go to work? What's the best way to describe the location? Think about the building (or lack thereof) as well as where the building is located. You might also want to consider how green the company building is.

Workspace
Where do you do your work? How would you describe your ideal work space? Is it in one place? In multiple places? How is it furnished? Be as specific as possible in your description of your design.

People
Who do you work with? If you could wave a magic wand, what kind of co-workers, employees, managers, and vendors would you work with? Although some people think it's not possible to "design" your work community, being clear about the kind of people you enjoy working with can give you clues about the field you want to be in and can be a red flag warning if a position is not a good fit for you.

Schedule
What does your workday look like? Your schedule has a lot to do with your satisfaction at work. How would you design your ideal workday?

Benefits
What benefits are critical for you to have? Companies at different stages of development will have different benefits packages. If you know what you need up front, you'll have a better chance of making the right decision about whether a job offer is a good fit for you.

Employee or Contractor
What is your ideal work arrangement? Do you want to work full-time? Do you want to work part-time? Do you desire to be an employee or a contractor? If you are a contractor, do you want to work freelance or through an agency? Or do you want to be an entrepreneur? Although we grew up thinking we'd have a full time salaried position, there are a lot of other options in the current economy. Think about your lifestyle, personal responsibilities, and work style to determine the work contract that's going to be the best match for your life.

One Final Tip
When doing an exercise like this, it's easy to hyper focus on what hasn't worked in past work environments. Although those elements of your work environment are important, they aren't the only ones to consider. As you build your picture of your ideal work environment, be sure to claim the elements of your work environment that have worked for you in the past. For instance, just because you have a wonderful work schedule in your current job doesn't mean that work schedule is going to exist in every job you consider. Articulate what it is that you like about your work schedule so that you can look for that in another position in the future.

Carol McClelland PhD
Green Career Expert
http://www.greencareercentral.com

The Bureau of Labor and Statistics states is clearly:

Education pays ... Education pays in higher earnings and lower unemployment rates

According to a March 2009 report by the Bureau, the median weekly earnings and unemployment rate of a person with less than school diploma is $426/week and 9% unemployment rate compared to a high school graduate at $591/week and 5.7% unemployment rate.  To put that number into perspective, over a lifetime a person with a diploma will make $ 430,000 more than a person without.

Now there are a large amount of opportunities open to the young adult and adult learner to support the completion of the high school diploma. Please research your high school opportunities on JobingEducation or visit Pinnacle Online High School directly.

Do you have time? Can you afford it? According to the BLS, you can’t afford not to finish your high school diploma. Good luck!

Citation:
Education Pays, BLS

1.  You have a greater chance of getting a job that suits you.  It is a great feeling to work in a job that lines up with your strengths, abilities – one that let’s you shine and build a career! 

2.  If there are some key skills that you lack but are passionate about learning – express that will to learn to the employer (or better yet, show them that you are taking the steps to learn).  A drive to learn and improve is a wonderful trait to highlight in a job search, and could help you get the training you need to succeed. 

3.  You get the chance to look like a star.  If there is a cover-up out there to throw recruiters off the path from a bad end to a job, a weakness in your skills, or any other anomaly in your career – the recruiter you are communicating with has heard it, seen it and has learned to dismiss candidates that use these techniques.  Quickly.  We have all made mistakes and learned tough lessons.  Take every opportunity to show what you have learned from your mistakes, how you overcame your obstacles and how these “anomalies” have helped you become the great employee you are today.  Anyone can make a mistake.  It takes a true super-star to face it and improve. 

4.  Honest, straightforward communication helps employers see what you can do - efficiently.  Recruiters often have great demands on their time and need to figure out if you fit in as quickly as possible.  You can help them if you keep your resume and interviews free of “fluff” and stick to what you know, what you can do and what you have learned. 

Good luck building your career – please let us know what has worked for you!

A few internet searches provided countless webinars for the field of human resources.  You can learn about payroll changes brought about by the Obama administration.  You can learn how people utilize social networking sites to assist with recruiting.  You can learn about the pros and cons of personality testing for applicants.  You can learn about internet searching to conduct a pseudo background check.  Some of the webinars even qualify for continuing education credits!

Be sure to think about webinars as a way to polish you skills or learn about new subjects.  Make yourself more valuable to your employer.  Consider finding webinars for your employees.  Help them polish their skills and contribute more to the bottom line of your organization. 

Take the Getting Paid in America Survey to speak your mind on the latest issues affecting how you get paid.  Share your opinions on topics like the current status of your 401(k), identity theft and the economic stimulus tax credit.  This survey will be used for research purposes and to promote the payroll profession.  All participants will be entered to win a free paycheck and a trip to Las Vegas.

Thanks to my colleague, Patty Revis, for telling me about the event and the survey!

1.        Computers and Engineering – Projected to increase by 20% over the next decade, you can’t go wrong by getting skills in the computer and engineering fields.  Keep in mind, as these companies grow they’ll need administrative, accounting and sales personnel to go along with the techies.

2.        Government – Always a steady field of work.  Make sure you check for local government jobs frequently as they often have limited application periods.  Follow application guidelines closely to ensure you are considered.

3.        Renewable Energy/Environmental – Many initiatives are underway to save our great earth.  Think about solar power, electric cars, recycling and everything green.  Firms in this industry are poised for significant growth

4.        Healthcare – The healthcare field is constantly in need of great people.  It also ranks near the top of every list for jobs during the next decade.  Just like the high tech industry remember you don’t have to be a healthcare professional as these employers hire many different types of people.

5.        Construction – Construction is one of the first sectors to experience a flurry of hiring following a recession.  Many of the stimulus package inclusions are targeted to the construction industry as well.

Keep your chin up and keep digging.  The jobs are out there!