Peter's Career Tools & Tips

Interested in Freelancing? Check out this Updated List of Resources from GCCOACH.COM

2009-05-06T21:25:00.000-07:00

FREELANCING RESOURCES

http://www.freelancersunion.org - a nonprofit organization that represents the
needs of America's independent workforce though advocacy, information, and
service. By representing independent workers as a group, Freelancers Union can
negotiate favorable insurance rates and provide a social safety net. They
currently offer health insurance to freelancers in 31 states, and provide
dental, life, and disability insurance nationwide. They're currently working on
retirement plans and unemployment insurance.

www.msquared.com - M2 - Broker of independent consultants - assists companies in reaching their business objectives through the use of an exclusive network of top independent consultants, each with the expertise to address specific business problems and opportunities. Consultants are proven, seasoned professionals with an average of fifteen years experience in fields ranging from
marketing, operations, and human resources to finance, IT, and top management, across virtually all industry segments.

www.guru.com - online marketplace for freelance talent. Through their free service, employers find top freelance and contract talent locally, nationally, or globally. Created in August of 2000, Guru.com's web-based marketplace directly connects businesses with more than 100,000 active freelance profiles specializing in over 160 professional categories including: web site design,
programming, graphic design, business consulting, and administrative support.

www.elance.com - Businesses use Elance to achieve more by finding great people and getting work done in a new way, and talented professionals find meaningful work that fits their lifestyle.

www.oDesk.com - marketplace for online workteams that connects companies with talent; main categories are web development, software development, networking & information systems, writing and translation, administrative support, design & multimedia, customer service, sales & marketing, and business services.

www.sologig.com - a niche website specializing in connecting contract-to-hire, contractors, freelancers, and consultants with companies looking for independent professionals. Registration is free, no project fees. There's also no bidding on Sologig - you choose which projects you are interested in and negotiate pricing directly with the employer.

http://www.gofreelance.com/ - Since 1998, GoFreelance has been connecting freelance professionals with companies that need jobs done. From graphic design and web development, to programming, copywriting, article writing and much more, thousands of projects have been completed through our system. Jobs covered include writing and editing jobs, web design and development projects, medical and legal transcription jobs, Internet research and email support work, data entry and administration jobs, programming and technical projects, graphic design and illustration jobs, wide range of telecommuting jobs.

www.net-temps.com - Job board for temporary, temp-to-perm and full time employment through the staffing industry. Membership to Net-Temps is exclusive to staffing companies. Net-Temps assists staffing companies in sourcing and hiring the most qualified candidates.

www.virtualassistants.com - Virtual Assistant jobs or other work at home jobs including medical transcription, virtual assistant, transcription, administrative, data entry, customer service, writing, computer, programming, technical or other

Warning Signs that a Job Loss is Taking a Toll on Your Well-Being

2009-05-06T14:34:00.000-07:00

Along with some advice from "The Ladders" on how to deal with the anxiety and forge ahead.

Of course, if the anxiety of overwhelming, it is a good idea to seek professional help to permit you to come out safely on the other side and forge ahead with the business of living, enjoying life, and pursuing your personal and professional goals.

Manage Your References

2009-04-09T22:48:00.000-07:00

Came across some excellent advice on managing your professional references in the context of a job application.

Check it out at this link.

How to Get a Job - Recent Article in Fortune

2009-04-06T22:34:00.000-07:00

In the 13 April 2009 issue of Fortune, an article titled "How to Get a Job" talks about creative means professionals have been using to find work. The anecdotes fall in 5 broad categories:

Work your Rolodex. "To score an in-person meeting, don't just ask for a job; offer something in return, like competitive intelligence (sic) on the competition."
Target Your Search. "One of the worst mistakes job seekers make is sending out hundreds of resumes. That's not looking for a job; that's buying a lottery ticket."
Get the word out! "Don't be ashamed. Tell everyone you know you're looking for work. Whether it's by phone, e-mail, or online social network."
Get your foot in the door. "Use the interview to show what you'll deliver in the first 30, 60, and 90 days. Companies don't have time for you to grow into a job."
Fine-tune your resume. "The majority of large companies use software scanning services to sift through resumes. So mimic the job requirement language exactly. If they want a marketing manager, those words should appear in your resume."

To #5, I would add the caveat that even with a fine-tuned resume, the odds are against you getting an interview if yours is one of 2000 on-line applications being processed. To up the odds, look for people you know or are connected to in the company who might be willing to foward your resume directly to the hiring manager.

For the entire article in Fortune, click here.

Should you bilboard yourself in CyberSpace?

2009-03-11T12:05:00.000-07:00

Interesting post from Jon Jacobs (no relation) on eFinancialCareers.com - click here.

From ThomasNet Industrial Market Trends: "More Hopeful Perspectives on Future Job Openings and the Skilled Workers Needed to Fill Those Positions"

2009-03-10T21:32:00.000-07:00

Per ThomasNet Industrial Market Trends: "Despite continued widespread job losses across industries and a dim near-term outlook, we are beginning to see more hopeful perspectives on future job openings and the skilled workers needed to fill those positions." Click here for complete article.

Online resources for sorting out economic stimulus and bailouts do for you and your company

2009-02-27T21:29:00.000-08:00

Published by the San Francisco Business Times at this link.

Overview of Executive Job Market (Base salary of at least $100K)

2009-02-24T20:17:00.000-08:00

Great article published through Reuters examining the executive job market (base salary of $100K+), put out the TheLadders.com.

Article can be found here.

Job Searching in Touch Times Calls for Creativity

2009-02-18T00:05:00.001-08:00

Just read an article on BNET that happens to include some good food for thought for all job seekers, and particularly for MBA's. More here.

It's primary emphasis where job search is concerned is on the importance of creativity.

Stop Overdoing your Strengths

2009-02-17T21:26:00.000-08:00

In the "general leadership behavior improvement department":

See a great little article called "Stop Overdoing your Strengths" at this link.

The article suggests that "when coworkers give you the highest rating on a leadership behavior, this may indicate you're taking the behavior too far."

The authors recommend you ask coworkers three questions: "What should I do more? What should I do less? What should I continue unchanged?"

This dovetails very nicely with Marshall Goldsmith's concept of "feedforward." See article on that topic at this link.

Database of Planned Job Cuts in California

2009-02-08T15:05:00.000-08:00

This is a database of notices for planned layoffs that are filed with the state Employment Development Department under the California Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act. The WARN Act requires certain employers to give affected employees at least 60 days advance written notice of an intended plant closing or mass layoff.

NOTE: The state is updating the list twice a month.

Article on Payscale.com: 10 Careers in Demand for 2009

2009-02-08T14:23:00.000-08:00

According to a recent article on Payscale.com, the following 10 careers show promising job prospects in 2009:

Auditing Careers

Job Counseling Careers

Psychological Counseling Careers

Public Relations Careers

Factoring Careers

Healthcare Technician Careers

Mechanical Engineering (and all engineering fields) Careers

Networking/System Administration Careers

Nursing Careers

Software Design/Development Careers

As Layoffs Surge, Women May Pass Men in Job Force

2009-02-06T16:30:00.000-08:00

Interesting article in the New York Times:

Click here

Wall Street bonuses see record drop

2009-01-28T23:59:00.000-08:00

See brief article in on-line SJ Business Journal.

Interested in Learning More About Financial History and the Roots of the Current Crisis?

2009-01-19T23:30:00.000-08:00

In THE ASCENT OF MONEY, broadcast on PBS, author, economist and historian Niall Ferguson traces the evolution of money and demonstrates that financial history is the essential back-story behind all history.

To watch the documentary, click here.

Questions you can ask in an interview to get a handle on company culture

2009-01-09T16:50:00.000-08:00

Very helpful article from Monster.com on this topic at http://career-advice.monster.com/job-search-essentials/The-Corporate-Culture-Conundrum_2/home.aspx?WT.mc_n=CRMUS000096.

Private Equity Compensation Report - 2008

2009-01-09T16:02:00.000-08:00

2008 Average Compensation by Title per Private Equity Jobs Digest:

CFO: $400K+
Partner: $350K+
Managing Director: around $325K
Principal: around $280K
Director: Around $260K
Vice-President - Around $250K
Associate - around $200K
Accountant/Controller: $around $125K
Analyst - around $100K

Avg hours for people in Hedge Fund careers - 40-60 hours/week
Avg hours for people in Private Equity & VC - 50-70 hours/week

Vault's Top Picks for Sectors Mostly Likely to be Hiring in 2009

2009-01-09T15:24:00.000-08:00

The federal government (lots of new hires with the incoming administration)
The legal profession (bankruptcy lawyers and litigators)
Oil rigs (due to acute shortage of qualified rig workers)
Psychiatrists, therapists, and counselors (due to economy-related stress on individuals and couples)
Tech R&D (as companies continue to invest to prepare for the inevitable, eventual recovery)
Any jobs that facilitate or support offshoring - particularly of tech functions
Healthcare

Silicon Valley Business Journal: Fundraising retreats in Q4 for private equity firms

2009-01-08T22:25:00.000-08:00

According to the article, "private equity fundraising slowed to a virtual standstill in the fourth quarter of 2008, according to analysis released Thursday by Dow Jones Private Equity Analyst." If further states that "the decline we saw in the most recent quarter may steepen in the coming months, as some large buyout shops are considering fund size cuts and many limited partners are going to have trouble finding money to commit." For the entire article, click here.

Article on Monster.com: 2009 Employment Outlook: Gut Check for Job Seekers

2009-01-06T22:54:00.000-08:00

According to an article on Monster.com:

"One bright spot in the job market, if you don’t mind the irony: Remember Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX), the 2002 regulatory reform that emerged from Enron, WorldCom and similar accounting scandals? Just as SOX has been a font of jobs for accountants and finance professionals, so will the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP), the $700 billion federal bailout aimed primarily at financial institutions.

“A lot of financial people losing their jobs will be working on contract to support TARP efforts,” says Brendan Courtney, a senior vice president at Spherion. “New regulations will force companies to operate differently, and they’ll have to throw bodies at the problem.” Public accountants, auditors, forensic accountants, business analysts and credit and collections specialists will all be in demand in 2009, Courtney says. "

The article also suggests that while federal employment will probably increase under the new administration, state and local governments will be laying people off in an effort to balance budgets.

For the entire article, click here.

Venture-backed IPOs last year hit 30-year low

2009-01-05T15:33:00.000-08:00

See article in SF Business Times.

As Economy Falters, More Families Are Living Apart for the Paycheck

2009-01-04T14:32:00.000-08:00

Very interesting article in the New York Times about commuter couples - click here.

Hiring Outlook for 2009

2008-12-30T22:08:00.000-08:00

In the on-line version of the Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal:

"As we enter 2009, employers will be taking a “wait and see” approach to hiring, according to a newly released job forecast by CareerBuilder.com."

Lots of interesting statistics by U.S. geographic region. For more detail, click here.

Expected Job Loss Stats: Financial Market Jobs

2008-11-01T19:32:00.000-07:00

Per efinancecareers.com:

2009 - New York: Additional job losses: 30,000 positions

2009 - London: Additional job losses: 34,000 (after 28,000 total in 2008)

For the entire article, click here.

Advice for Wall Street Pro's Seeking Work

2008-11-01T17:47:00.001-07:00

In a recent on-line issue of the Wall Street Journal's CareerJournal, an article titled "Where the Jobs Are for Wall Street Pro's" makes several suggestions of promising places to look:

Small and middle-market investment banks, many of which are looking to expand and take advantage of the outflow of talent from the larger investment banks.

Financial Communications

Wealth Management

Risk Management - The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that the number of financial risk management jobs will increase 13% by 2016