Working In Your Jammies!

Job Prospects for the New Year

2012-01-01T20:55:00.000-06:00

We are certainly getting mixed signals from reports from Washington and from Wall Street about job prospects for this coming year. Washington tells us that the unemployment rate has dropped while Wall Street tells us that more businesses are shuttering stores and laying off people. Employment agencies and companies are still reporting that anyone who has been unemployed for over six months has a very small chance of finding work. The employers are saying that their “skills are rusty” after being out of work for six months or more, especially in any of the hi-tech industries.

It will be interesting to see what happens now that the holidays are over and once again stores will lay off temporary help that they hired just for the season. Those reports should be out soon.
Add to this all of the returning military personnel who are National Guardsmen and we have an additional influx of people either returning to jobs that they left behind, that were temporarily filled in with other people and we are going to see a huge surge of people looking for work.

Companies continue to hold tight to their purse strings, not knowing how the effects of the new Healthcare bill are going to impact their business With many who are unemployed, their benefits ran out and of course are no longer counted in the unemployed figures. Many who have been out of work for over a year have just given up looking for work. Add to that, the average American just isn’t spending as much as they were, they don’t have it to spend and the cycle continues to spin down the proverbial drain.

Without new companies starting up, without some of those being in the manufacturing sector, bringing industry back to our own shores, we are going to continue to struggle to find work for all of those who want and need a job.

Some tips that might help in your job search will be to get out there and find a place where you can volunteer your time to a company or a charity. By doing so, you will at least keep your skills up and be out among others who might be able to assist you in your job search. Try working for a temporary employment agency, start your own business if you have the funds to so, or try one of the work from home jobs. I hate to say it but the well is running dry! There are not a lot of options left out there. You may have to be very creative, reinvent yourself using your own God given talents to survive. Try doing contract labor on your own either working for yourself or as a contractor with a company.

As we go into 2012 I will try to bring you any job leads that I come across, be they working from home or at a “brick and mortar” company.

Renewing the Job Hunt

2011-11-13T15:04:00.000-06:00

With Christmas right around the corner, many retail companies are gearing up for the holidays hiring more temporary help which they will be putting to work almost immediately. If you have already submitted applications to some of your favorite retail stores within the last three months, it would be a great time to contact them and let them know you are still looking for work.If you submitted applications past that three months period, go in and complete another application.

This is also an excellent time to sign up with some of the temporary employment agencies since they will often fill requests for companies who are having staff members taking vacations at this time of year.

One thing you need to remember is that even though you might just be hiring in on a temporary basis either as Christmas help for a retail store or through a temporary employment agency, there is always the possibility that you could end up landing yourself a permanent position.

Job Fair

2011-10-08T16:34:00.000-05:00

I hope that those of you who live in, or who might want to live in Oklahoma, took advantage of our recent job fair. There were many in attendance who frequented the different potential employers booths, learning about what openings their company has and what they anticipate having available in the near future.

Almost all of those looking for work were dressed appropriately, as if they were going to an actual interview and were prepared with resumes in hand to give to potential employers.I am sure that many who had been out of work for a long time had to put on their "game face" with a pleasant smile, a sparkle in their eyes and a spring in their step along with a good firm handshake. I know it is hard to do when you are down and out and feeling depressed but most stepped up to the plate, knowing that the outward appearance they presented was as important as the skills they possess.

When job fairs come to your city be sure to plan on attending. You never know, your new career could be there just waiting for you!

Good luck to all of you who are still looking for a new position.

Oklahoma Job Fair Coming Soon!

2011-08-25T14:10:00.000-05:00

Pauls Valley, OK Job Fair

When: September 27th
Where: Higher Ground Church
Time: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

There will be at least 30 companies at the fair. Some are informational booths and one is recruiting students to come to their school to become truck drivers. There will be fast food to manufacturing to oilfield and military opportunities represented. There will even be one home-based business with a booth. You can also expect at least one company who will hire on the spot!

General Tips:

Be sure to dress as if you are going for an interview, after all you need to take it serious because this provides employers their first impression of you. Be sure to bring your résumé and your list of references with you.

Do not forget your manners. Introduce yourself, smile and give a nice firm handshake. Ask many questions about the company to show your interest in having a job with them. If time allows, state how your qualifications will be an asset to them.

Thank them for their time and ask them to accept your resume for further consideration of employment with them.

Happy Job Hunting!

Employment Opportunity - Programming, website development skill set

2011-08-19T14:14:00.000-05:00

My friend Brent Riggs just posted this on his website. I know he wouldn't have done so if this was not a legitimate opportunity. Read carefully and if you qualify, be sure to contact him and let him know that you saw the opportunity on my website. I hope this will help someone find a wonderful job!

Even if this is not a job YOU are interested in, could you forward this information to people you know who might be?
You have to be located near the Indianapolis, Cincinnati, Louisville area in order to be available to travel to a central location in North Vernon, IN on occasion for development meetings. Otherwise you could work from home or your own office (or if you live close enough, you could work full time in the NV office).
The specific work activity is UI development on a web application. The application is ASP.NET built on a SQL DB database. Skills needed/preferred for this work are:

ASP.NET web development experience
VB.NET server side (though C# is easily converted, so if you are C# developer, that will work)
Client side:

Javascript
AJAX
CSS
Web Services

Other: the application relies heavily on the DevExpress suite (www.devexpress.com); it is not required that you have experience with DevExpress but is a definite plus. These tools are enhancements to .NET controls. DevExpress can be quickly learned by an experienced ASP.NET developer.

“UI” normally implies graphic design but that is not a requirement here as they have graphic design professionals. It would be a plus but not required.
You would work on a growing team of developers that currently includes a UI expert who is being moved to another project (this is the job opening); a SQL guru and 3 others involved in management, sales and production.
They are ready to hire immediately and this is a very good job opportunity with a growing company.
Email me and include your resume if interested and I’ll follow up. brent@brentriggs.com

Creating Jobs in America

2011-08-03T14:59:00.000-05:00

Today’s blog article is not going to be how to search for a job in this present economy. The situation of trying to find employment appears to be worsening instead of getting better. Serious thought is required to turn this situation around when it takes over 1,300 new jobs each month to decrease the unemployment, which now stands at 9.2% and rising. The unemployed are not going to be able to do it, it has to come from the companies who are hiring or need to be hiring and the creation of new businesses in order to solve this problem.

With the Debt Ceiling Bill passed and the government assuring us that we will not go into default on interest payments that are coming due on the Federal Government spending, we need to turn our attention to the real root of the problem! Federal Government has been overspending for a long time now, by both parties (so I am not going to point fingers people!) and we have been living beyond our means as a country.

The American people get it! Many cut up their credit cards a long time ago and are cutting back on purchases and household expenses in an effort to get back to living within their budgets.

America faces the challenge of a lack of jobs. I do not understand how the government figures that the answer to the problems is to start increasing taxes, which of course they say they want to do to anyone earning over $250K per year in order to lower the deficit. This is not the answer Washington! Your tax base comes from the middle class and right now most of the unemployed are of the middle class. We have to figure out a way to get them back to work. Face the facts, no middle class jobs, no taxes can be paid and this is where the majority of the tax money revenues come from.

Companies are fearful of hiring now with the volatility of the stock market, the expectations of how much the new Obama Health Care plan is going to affect their bottom line and the lack of buying customers, which is reducing their bottom line profits.

At first, I had the idea that it might be wise to suggest to Washington that they gather some of the CEO’s of major companies to have round table discussions and brainstorming ideas on how they think it is possible to get companies to hire and get people back to work. How it would be possible to get new company startups to widen the employment base of companies producing products here at home in the U.S.

However, for real changes to happen, changes must start from the bottom up. There needs to be a movement at local community levels where the business leaders get together and brainstorm on how they can create more businesses and jobs at the local level. When communities work together to improve things for their residents and create growth and prosperity, the tax revenues will increase not only for their community but for their state as well.

I challenge all local communities to set up a “community think tank” on how they can bring jobs and new businesses into their communities. So put on your thinking caps America, it is time to get to the hard work at hand! Too many of our companies have moved operations overseas, to more cost effective friendly markets and it is up to us to replenish that loss and get America rolling again!

Now What Are You Going To Do?

2011-07-26T14:14:00.000-05:00

Start Reviewing Your Options Now!

On the front page of yahoo today, appeared a little blip “The Unemployed Need Not Apply”. Since I try to stay on top of what is happening in the job market of course I clicked on the link to find out more about this article http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/job-listings-unemployed-not-apply-133143362.html. There are ads currently by companies searching for employees who actually state that those who are unemployed are less attractive applicants and those who have been unemployed a long time need not apply! Talk about a slap in the face!
It is the truth and at least they are now stating up front and out for public view rather than what was once “hush hush” and only discussed behind closed doors.

Sure enough, it confirmed exactly what I have said for years and what I have been trying to stress to you all in my posts! It is easier to get a job when you have a job and there are many reasons for this.

Your not under as much pressure to accept an offer of employment that you feel will not meet your needs because you have got to get something…… anything…. just to put food on the table and a roof over your head!

Your demeanor is different when you go on interviews. There is a real smile on your face, not a fake pressured one, a spring in your step, a hardy handshake and a sparkle in your eyes.

Let me share with you some of my professional background. I have held positions in the past where I did many interviews of people who were searching for work. When I was a Credit Manager for a large retail furniture store in Austin, Texas, I interviewed people for employment in the office or in the warehouse. When I worked for a permanent placement employment agency, I interviewed people from entry to professional level who needed professional assistance in finding a new position. Working for a temporary agency, I interviewed people who were out of work and needing some type of work to bring in money, as well as those who preferred working on a part-time/temporary basis rather than seeking full time employment.

I have seen the various tolls that unemployment or underemployment takes on people. It shows all over you. In your eyes, your smile, and your body language and in your voice, you cannot hide it. The sparkle is not there in your eyes, the smile is forced, no spring in your step and your body is slumped at the shoulders as if you have been beaten and broken, a weak handshake and your voice lacks confidence. The longer you are out of work, the more these things become apparent to the interviewer.

The longer you are out of work the more reclusive you become and your self-esteem gets lower and lower. You begin to question your own worth and abilities. They were there before you became unemployed and they are still there now, but you have lost confidence in yourself.

One thing that I saw back when I was in those hiring positions were many women who were entering the work force in order to help bring income in because their husbands had lost their jobs or they were women who were newly divorced and now needed to work to care for themselves and in many cases their children. They had not worked in years and they worried about how they were going to find a position that would pay them enough to handle these new responsibilities of being the breadwinner of the family. Surprisingly enough, many of these women found work faster than the males who were looking for work. Back in those times (in the 1980’s early 1990’s) most people were able to find a new position before six months of unemployment and certainly within nine months. That is not the case in the last couple of years. Many people have been out of work as long as two and three years, even with their every effort to find employment. Companies have downsized and have not gone into a rehiring mode because of our very sluggish economy. We have not even begun to bounce back as we did back in the 1980’s and early 1990’s, when we suffered a prior recession.

If you are fortunate enough to be drawing unemployment benefits, please I beg you, ask for the free assistance that is available at many of your state unemployment offices to help you revamp your resumes, to structure a new letter of introduction and give you tips on interviewing techniques.
Attend any and every job fair that comes to your area and continue to send out your resumes and go to interviews if offered in order to keep your interviewing skills up. Utilize your networking resources, friends, church, job boards on the internet, your social network pages such as face book, linked in and my space.

Begin to look at things that you can do at home to bring in money while you continue your job search. Review my archived articles for some ideas of places to look for work using the Internet. Look at your personal skills and see if there is a way that you can market them to others to earn an income.

Get Outta Your Funk and Off the Couch!

2011-07-17T18:09:00.000-05:00

There’s no time to be having a pity party any more with more and more joining the ranks of the unemployed (Cisco just announced the other day 10,000 cuts and 7,000 of those will be done in August) making the opportunities to finding employment even harder. Add to that the present situation of no one being able to come to an agreement on the current Federal Financial Budget and Debt Ceiling for our country and the threats being made to not send out checks that are coming from the government in August starting with Social Security and including others as well, you may not be able to count on any Unemployment checks or even Food Stamps for that matter, or a roof over your head much longer if you are making a mortgage payment or if you are getting subsidized Section 8 housing. The only one who is going to be able to save you and your family right now is YOU.

It is time to redouble or triple your efforts to try and find a “job” any job at this point in time!
I know it might not pay you what you are needing or expecting to be paid, but if you’ve been out of work for over six months, you better grab it while the grabbing is good! Besides, having a job, any job, will help improve your outlook on life, put a spring back in your step and you will interview a whole lot better as you continue to search for that perfect position.

If there just doesn’t seem to be anything out there at all that you can find. Go to one of your local charitable organizations, a church, Habitat for Humanity and offer your services to help someone else. There is something good for the soul when you extend a helping hand even when you yourself are struggling. You never know who you might meet that is also lending a hand. You get to talking and who knows, they might actually have a business and be looking for someone with your talents.

Are you remembering to “look outside the box” at possible jobs where your talents can be utilized? Think about not only what you have done in positions you’ve held in the past, but also look at the things that you are passionate about doing. Do you like to hunt, fish, play golf? Perhaps you can find something at a local retail store where they specialize in those sports.
What about bowling? Ever thought of working in a bowling alley?

I have a brother, who has been working for years with the company that runs the local stadiums where pro and semi-pro soccer and football games are held. He has filled various positions for them over the years from ticket seller to seat usher and security.

The little old man across the street would go get bikes from the police impound auction yard. He would repair them and paint them up to look like brand new. He always had a reasonable price tag on them and was even known to give away plenty as well to deserving children who’s parents couldn’t afford to buy them. He also used to make wooden outdoor Christmas decorations, from wreaths aglow with multi-colored lights, to large figures of rain deer for your lawn.

Another retired gentleman I know made wooden rocking horses .

At the craft fair there was a man who specialized in nothing but various sizes of wooden cutting boards, a woman who made home crafted jewelry, another who made homemade quilts and another who specialized in baby clothes.

I hate to sound like an old military drill sergeant, up in your face scolding you or your mama when she used to get after you to get your chores done, but maybe this is just what you need to get you motivated once again.

I know it is difficult to be both underemployed and unemployed. I’ve been there and done that several times in my life. It is hard to be upbeat and enthusiastic when all you hear are “No’s” and “Sorry, you are over qualified for the position” not just day after day but month after month.
Depression sets in as well as anger! All you want is a chance to work, to prove to them you are as good in person as you say you are on paper. Many of you have families who are also counting on you for support and that makes it all the harder!

Try to stay positive no matter how hard you have to work at it. There are those of us out here who are more than happy to try and give you some suggestions and ideas. I wish I could say it was possible to hire each and every one of you that need a job, but I don’t own a company.

Are you having a problem trying to come up with some ideas? Go ahead and leave a comment or email me. Give me a quick summary of your prior jobs and duties. Tell me about the things you enjoy doing that you think could lead you to being employed and I will see what I can do to come up with some ideas for you.

For the Men Who Are Searching for Jobs

2011-07-03T13:54:00.000-05:00

I know that I have really been stressing the need for health care workers in my last few posts and I certainly realize that not all men are interested in this field so let me branch off and look at some other opportunities that might be to your liking.

School Bus Drivers are always needed. Granted you have a split shift, getting up early in the morning to take children to school and then returning mid afternoon to pick them up and take them home. This might not be good for a person who is faint of heart and doesn’t like the noise that a busload of children can make when they are in confined spaces because they can get noisy and they can get rowdy! This position would be great for someone who is looking for temporary work, because it would leave the middle part of the day for looking for work, getting resumes sent out and interviewing. It would be a source of a reasonable income and would also provide you with a current work history.

Substitute Teacher is another opportunity worth exploring. Perhaps you don’t want to work with elementary aged students, but there are also opportunities available at the Junior and Senior High levels. When you are called for work, you have the choice of accepting or rejecting the assignment and they could either be for half a day or a full day. There were many times once I got into doing substitute teaching, where I would be requested by a teacher to fill in for several days in a row. I also had a full week’s assignment while a teacher took a leave of absence for a family emergency.

Auto Mechanics are always in demand if your skills are good. This is one occupation which will always require a good reputable person.

Plumbers are also one of those fields where most homeowners are not capable of fixing most plumbing problems. Granted this is a job that can get down and dirty, but it also pays very well for your skills. There is also a need for plumbers for new home construction as well as for renovation work.

Electricians are also in demand, not just for new construction but for home renovation work as well. Most cities require any major electrical work to be done by a certified person and must be inspected by the City upon completion.

City Parks and Recreation Departments often have part-time or temporary summer jobs. Go be a life guard at a city park.

Computer Technicians will always be needed for those of us who fall in the “dummies” category that do not know how to do any of the technical repair things to our computers.

EMT or Emergency Medical Technicians to work in hospitals, on ambulances or with fire departments are and always will be in demand.

If you do like the idea of working in the health field, look at working as a C.N.A. or Certified Nurse Assistant. These positions are needed in nursing homes, assisted living facilities and hospitals. The training is inexpensive and doesn't take long to complete.

Dietitians are also needed in hospitals, nursing homes and assisted living facilities if you enjoy cooking and planning healthy meals. Many upscale spas and resorts now have dietitians on staff who work with the Chefs in these facilities to create menus of healthy selections for their clientele.

Hospitality Industry careers are also on the up rise believe it or not. Work in hotels, on cruise ships or theme park settings and the salaries are pretty good, even if you just work at the front desk as a reservation specialist. There are other positions within the industry that also pay well, such as in the Banquet and Catering division or as an Accountant.

Shift Manager at Fast Food Restaurants may not sound like an exciting career choice but believe it or not, many opportunities are available in this industry. There are many opportunities to move up the corporate ladder and even buy a franchise. There is a huge turnover in this industry and even though it started out as these facilities hiring young high school and college students to fill their staffing needs, more and more are now hiring the over 30 age group because of their commitment to work hard and their knowledge of what customer service is all about.
I have seen many a worker, that I would have considered of retirement age, now working at nationally known chain fast food establishments.

Check your local Junior Colleges or your Technical Colleges for courses that you can take in auto mechanics, plumbing, electrical and computer technician fields and the hospitality industry. These classes are reasonably priced and will give you the basics to get employed at an apprentice level with most businesses. If you are already employed in one of these fields, many employers will help you get additional education, by picking up all or part of the tuition costs if you complete the course. They will often do the reimbursement on a graded scale, depending on your grade in the course.

Many men are now also electing to go ahead and work at home while they are out looking for full time employment. There are many virtual call centers (I have listed some in prior posts that are reliable and honest ) that will hire men either as an employee or as an independent contractor. You do need to know how to type, most require a typing speed of at least 25wpm, have a good speaking voice and be able to convince people to buy products or services.

With our current unemployment rate now affecting 1 out of every 4 people in this country, it is imperative that we get our workforce back to work! I do hope that some of my suggestions are helpful to some of you.

Medical Professions Are Still The Way To Go!

2011-05-15T17:30:00.000-05:00

I keep checking all over the Internet for new ideas for all of you who are still looking for positions to either work at home or work out in the brick and mortar world and the positions hiring continue to be those that are connected to the medical industry. This truly does make sense as our population longevity increases, these seniors will need more and more care.

The other day, there were some lists created of what are considered to be the most currently stressful jobs and those that are the least stressful jobs in today's economic climate and I thought I would go ahead and post them for you here.

Careers with the greatest amount of stress:
Real Estate Agent
EMT
Stockbroker
Architect
Advertising Account Executive
Newscaster
Photo Journalist
Sales Corporation Executive
Public Relations Executive
Commercial Airlines Pilot

Careers with the least amount of stress:
Audiologist
Dietitian
Software Engineer
Computer Programmer
Dental Hygienist
Speech Pathologist
Philosopher - Teaching in college or universities
Mathematician - in an academic or government position
Occupational Therapist
Chiropractor

I know that some of you are considering going back to college and are looking into professions where you won't have to worry so much about the economy pulling the rug out from underneath you in the future. Hopefully some of these positions above will give you some ideas of new career paths to look at.

All I know is that I continue to read where more companies are planning some major cutbacks and layoffs which is not at all encouraging to the workforce who are presently without a job and have been looking for a long time now.
All I can tell you is 1. Don't expect to return to the workforce at a salary you were making prior to being laid off, if you have been out of work for six months or more. 2. Be sure to continue with your networking of friends, neighbors, former co-workers, putting out the "feelers" because what might not have been available several months ago may be available now. 3. Continue to follow up on all of your resumes to see if anyone is in a hiring mode yet and to let them know you are still interested. 4. Be willing to accept a lower starting salary than you originally thought you needed 5. Be willing to relocate if the opportunity comes along.

Some of us, are not able to have the luxuries of as many opportunities to either go back to school and change careers or to relocate if the opportunity came along. Many of us are no longer in the age brackets that prospective employers are looking at to fill their ranks.

Oklahoma Job Fair April 20th

2011-04-04T13:33:00.000-05:00

In the Norman Transcript newspaper today, was the announcement of a Job Fair in our area to be held at
Moore Norman Technology Center located at the Franklin Road Campus which is at 12th & Franklin in Norman, Oklahoma. Use the North Dining Room Entrance, Entrance A. It will be held from 9AM to 3PM.

Many businesses are participating and will be giving on-site interviews, so be sure to bring your resumes and dress in business attire. In addition, there will also be job search workshops offered free to attendees

The following businesses have already signed up to be present at the job fair:
Businesses to be represented at this year’s event are: Aerotek, AFLAC, American Staff Corp., APEX Systems, Arvest Bank, Avon, Best Buy-Geek Squad, Bob Moore Auto Group, Braums, CMP Corporation, Community Action Agency of Oklahoma, Creative Floors, Dell, Department of Justice Federal Bureau of Prisons, DeVry University, Dish Network, Elite Medical Solutions, Farmers Insurance, Jacobi Kelly Personnel, Learning Care Group, Mary Kay, Maurice’s, MidFirst Bank, Norman Public Library, Oklahoma Blood Institute, Oklahoma City University, Oklahoma Department of Transportation, Oklahoma National Guard, Primerica/Koehn Enterprises, Pro-Presenters, Resource MFG, Rose State College, Sitel, Sooner Medical Solutions, State of Oklahoma Office of Personnel Management, Target, Thunderbird Youth Academy, Tinker Air Force Base, UPS, Vaughan Foods, Frontline Home Health, Plumbers & Pipefitters Apprenticeship, First American Bank, Oklahoma Natural Gas, Oklahoma City Community College, First Staffing Group USA and IBC Bank.

Employer registration is free and there is still time to reserve space at the event.If you are a business and interested in having a booth at the MNTC Spring Job Fair, or who need additional information on how to host a table, should contact the MNTC Employment Advisor at 364-5763, extension 7293.

I would encourage anyone in the Oklahoma Metro area who is looking for work to be sure to plan on attending this Job Fair. I have heard excellent reports from those attending prior events as to not only the opportunity to find out more about the many companies that are looking for employees but the ability to walk away with a new career in hand!

Out With The Old and In With The New

2011-03-25T13:58:00.000-05:00

I have to share this story with you about some special people in my life. Both lost their jobs, both in their 40’s and both in very specialized career paths before this happened. I have always said that God gives you certain talents, which will enable you to survive, and both of them are living proof of this.

Having been a police officer for about 15 years, now in his mid 40’s being without a job was not only a shock but also emotionally shaking. This career had been the core of his life for all these years and now he would have to find another career path. Having always had an interest in medicine, this would be the opportunity for him to find the positive aspect in his situation and begin studying for this field. After attending classes, both on campus and on the internet, he decided to go ahead and apply for a position as a firefighter where he could utilize his medical schooling as a firefighter and EMT. Being in excellent physical condition, he was able to go through firefighter school and performed higher than many of the younger men in his class. After finishing firefighter school, it was time to apply for positions with different departments. Because of the recent freeze in hiring in the state where he lives, at the present time the only positions available were to get on as a reserve, which he has done. This enables him to keep up his firefighting and EMT skills until he can get onto a department permanently. It also allows him to spend more time at home, working as a mentor at one of the local high schools and coaching a sports team.

Then there is the Project Manager, also in his 40’s, which specialized in projects building the buildings where microchips are manufactured. After many months of attempting to locate another position with no results, it was time to deal with the problem directly and start a company to do home repairs and remodeling. With his organizational skills and building experience both of commercial and some residential building, it was logical to begin a home repair business. In today’s world, people are spending money to remodel and update their present homes rather than to sell, taking huge losses on their investments, and purchase another home. From the moment he let others know of his new endeavor, work orders have been constantly coming his way.

Both of these men seem to be so much happier now. They have learned that life may through you a curve ball, but you can still step up to the plate and hit a home run! If you are given lemons, make lemonade!

I guess what I am trying to tell you is that it is never too late to reinvent yourself, to pursue your dreams and your goals as long as you are willing to put in the efforts to do so. I can hear enthusiasm in their voices whenever I speak with them, they are excited about the new opportunities that they have and the new doors that have opened up for them in their lives.

I wish both of them much happiness and success in their new ventures.

Job Fair in Oklahoma

2011-02-27T16:45:00.000-06:00

I just wanted to give you a heads up if you live in Oklahoma. There is to be March Job Fair held in Oklahoma City, by Employment Services.

Location: Oklahoma City Community College
               College Union Dining Area
When:    Wednesday March 2, 2011
Times:      General Employment opportunities from 10AM to 2PM
                Health Care Professions from 12PM to 6PM

for additional information you can call 405-682-7519
or email: employmentservices@occc.edu

Local job fairs are an excellent opportunity for you to get out and mingle with other applicants and get a feel for your competition and also to visit with prospective employers to learn what is out there. The employers will let you know what types of positions they are looking to fill and the approximate salary ranges for those positions.

It is important that you stay current on what is being offered and how much companies are willing to pay for your expertise. In today's job market, it is not unusual to see salaries less than what you might anticipate them being.

Be sure to go to a job fair dressed as if you were at a regular interview. This is not the time to be wearing that faded tee shirt and your holey jeans! Be sure that your personal grooming and your attire speaks well of you and that you indeed are seriously looking for work.

Get a briefcase or a nice portfolio case in which to put plenty of your resumes. Put together several different types of resumes, targeting your various skills, to fit into the many varieties of positions that you can qualify for. Not one type of resume will fill the bill!

If you do not live in Oklahoma, or want to live here, check your local area for upcoming events. They are often held at various colleges and sponsored by your state's employment services division.

Happy job hunting!

Need A Little Help From My Friends

2011-02-26T02:45:00.000-06:00

Just like those of you who are out there looking for work, it is always nice to get a little help from your friends.It is called networking and each and every one of you who is looking for work should be using this very valuable tool in your job hunt.

You are one of many who are out there looking for work. Let your friends know, don't suffer in silence! Let your friends, your church family, and any other acquaintances you might have know that you are looking. You might be surprised at the leads you generate. They may know someone or someone they know who knows someone who is looking for a person with your expertise!

If you keep interviewing with companies and don't get an offer, go ahead and contact that person who interviewed you. Tell them that you really appreciated interviewing with them and even though you were not hired, would they happen to know anyone else who might be looking for someone with your background. You might not have been a good match for their company, but you might be perfect for someone else that they happen to know who is hiring.

Now I am going to ask for some help from those of you who are following this blog or even if this is your first visit here. I want to know if the information I have been giving you has been beneficial to you? Have I provided you with some good ideas of how to find work in some new areas that you have not considered before? Have I been able to give you some encouragement? Are there any areas of employment or helping you prepare resumes or for interviews that you would like me to cover?

This blog is written to help you find employment, be it something temporary to hold you over and put food on the table and a roof over your head until you find that perfect job, or to encourage you to look at some new avenues for a career path. The best way for me to serve you is to have some feedback from you on how I am meeting those needs.

So come on, give me a shout and let me know your opinions. I would love to hear from you.

No Light At The End Of The Tunnel

2011-02-21T02:12:00.000-06:00

From what I have been seeing in the news, hearing from others who are still unemployed and looking for work, the present employment picture is continuing to look very bleak!

Over the Christmas holidays some workers were hired in anticipation of more people in the stores, letting loose of their hard earned cash buying gifts for loved ones. The sad thing is, not as many people were hired for this time period and few were retained afterward and were thus put back into the unemployment line.

Unemployment figures are deceiving as to the number of people who are currently unemployed as many who were once able to collect their benefits have now fallen off the rolls and are no longer counted in that figure, even though they are not working. Some people have totally given up looking for a job and are now in total despair as to what they are going to do next to keep body and soul together. The two sections of our population who are being most affected by our current economic situation are young college graduates who are anxious to get out into the working world so that they are able to begin paying on their student loans which they encumbered and are now coming due and the older sector of laid off workers who are over forty years of age! Yes folks that is what I said, anyone over forty is having an extremely difficult time finding a job.

A disturbing article I read the other day, stated that many companies who are in a position to be adding on new employees are not even looking at anyone who has been unemployed for over six months! Their reasoning according to one executive recruiter, who happened to spill the beans, is that they feel anyone who has been out of work for over six months now has "outdated skills" especially if they are in the hi-tech industry.

Some career positions I am afraid will never come back after this recession is over. Many duties and responsibilities were incorporated into existing positions when companies laid off personnel and I don't see those positions being recreated later on. If you haven't been reading and keeping up with the times about what career positions are hot and will continue to be hot hiring areas, I would suggest you start boning up now.

I can not stress this enough, any position that deals with elder care will be in high demand. I don't care if it is a community that is geared to just elder living facilities, to in-home care for those who are preferring to "age in place" in their own homes, special medical facilities that deal with care and rehabilitation for the aging population will all be requiring employees now or in the near future.

Lets look at some examples and perhaps this might even give you some ideas about starting your own business:

Senior living apartment complexes often have shuttle bus drivers to take residents to doctor appointments, to the beauty shop, the bank and the shopping mall.

Senior communities, where there is a club house and lawns to be maintained hire yard workers Some of these communities also have a Registered Nurse on staff to help with minor medical problems and to help residents with their medications to be sure they are taking them correctly.

So gyms have special instructors who work with their elderly clientele to be sure that they are exercising properly.

Nursing homes and assisted living facilities use a variety of nursing staff, kitchen help, a dietitian for creating balance meals, as well as a housekeeping staff and grounds keeping staff to keep the facilities clean and inviting for both the residents and their guests.

Some seniors are no longer able to drive and might appreciate having some type of service that would either take them to the stores so they can do their own shopping or be willing to pay someone to do it for them.

Home Remodeling businesses are now looking at concentrating on doing nothing but making existing homes safer for the elderly to live in. From widening doorways to make wheelchairs and walkers easy to maneuver through openings, to lowering cabinets and cooking prep areas in kitchens so someone in a wheelchair can prepare their own meals to installing safety bars in bathrooms and redoing showers and tubs so that they are easily accessible.

Lawn care services for the elderly are going to be needed as more an more live in their own homes but are no longer able to care for their property properly.

Are you a bookkeeper or an accountant? How many elderly people do you know that need assistance in making sure that their bills are paid every month and their stock portfolios (if they are lucky enough to still have any) are up to date and in order.

I hope these give you some ideas on places that you might look for work or perhaps venture into business for yourself.

Hey Shutterbug!

2011-01-29T21:36:00.000-06:00

Are you a good photographer? Are you one of those people who live to point that camera and take a picture of just about anything from a beautiful sunrise or sunset, to animals, old barns, and baskets of fruit on a table to a picture of a juicy steak on a plate? If so, you need to be turning your photography skills into a little extra cash for your pocket.

There are many websites on the Internet that will pay you for your pictures, no matter what the subject matter is. There are people who will pay a fee to download your pictures and use them on their websites and you are paid for that downloaded picture. How great is that?

In most cases, you will be required to complete an application with the websites you want to use to carry your pictures. Pay can range from 20 cents or 25 cents per download to as much as $7.50 or more, depending on the websites. Some require that you hit at least $50 in downloads before a payment is issued to you, but do not let that discourage you, if you have a good variety of subject matter that money adds up quickly. You can give a website either exclusive or non-exclusive rights to your materials. Be sure to read their contract agreement so that you can determine whether you are giving them the rights to your photos or if you are able to retain ownership.

Believe me when I say, there are people out there right now who are making a nice monthly income just off of the photographs that they are putting up on the Internet for sale. Here is a list of some of the better known sites although I am sure there plenty more that could and will be added to this list over the coming months as more and more people begin creating websites who are in need of art work for their website.
These websites are not listed in any particular order.
ThinkStock.com
123rf.com (rf stands for royalty free)
Crestock.com - with this company you can retain the rights to your photographs
Shutterstock.com
Dreamstime.com
IStockphoto.com
Bigstockphoto.com
cutcaster.com
fotosearch.com

So go ahead, take a picture of that bowl of ice cream with chocolate sauce or that cute kid with the dirty face from eating it! Alternatively, a picture of that sink full of dirty dishes to the dogs out playing in the sprinkler. You never know what someone is looking for from the most mundane subject material to those that you would most likely think someone would want to use on their websites.

Are you in need of ideas for subject matter for your photos? Just go browse the Internet for ideas, believe me, you will have so many ideas running through your head by the time you have spent an hour or two looking, you will feel like you are on a merry-go-round! Oh hey, there is a shot for you!

Get out that digital camera and get clicking and you will soon be on your way.

Rat Race Rebellion

2011-01-22T15:01:00.000-06:00

I would like to take some time today to highlight a company that I really like and that is Rat Race Rebellion.

One of the reasons I really like them is because they take time to pre-screen all the jobs that they list, which is so important because out there in cyber space there are many companies that are scams and they try their very best to be sure that they only list legitimate companies with real offerings for you to look at.

They list companies from a variety of venues where you may have an opportunity to work at home or be able to work directly for a brick and mortar company. Today they listed a very unusual opening for needs from a reputable company that will provide some nice "perks". Their needs are only in certain cities, there is paid training at their offices and it will allow you to get outside and have contact with the customers you will be servicing. Have I tweaked your interest? If so, head over to their website Rat Race Rebellion and take a look for yourself!

While you are there, go ahead and sign up for their emails so you are notified of other positions that might be of interest to you and enjoy reading their blog, which is listed on the left side panel, for some uplifting ideas on how to handle today's job hunting world.

New Year and New Goals

2011-01-19T18:48:00.000-06:00

Okay, you’ve had a couple of weeks now to adjust to the let-down of the holidays, all the hustle and bustle and the worry about where you were last year at this time! Now it is time to pull yourself up by the bootstraps and go after that new job that you are in need of in order to survive.

I am sure that you like everyone else, made out your New Year’s Resolutions and have already promptly filed them away in a drawer, never to be seen again.

Now it is time for some serious evaluation here and you need to make out a GOALS list that you see every single day. No cheating now! This has to be a BIG GOALS BOARD where you are going to post all your wants and needs for your new job.

It needs to be out where you can see it on a daily basis. Statistics show that people who make visual goal boards are more likely to obtain their goals than those who do not!
Be realistic but dare to dream as well.

Start with the types of jobs you are looking for
The salary you are expecting to earn
The benefit packages that you want included
The regions of the country where you are willing to go to obtain these goals.
What are your strengths and what are your weaknesses? Not only skills wise but also personality wise?

Now what are you going to do to reach those goals?

Are you willing to work Temporary jobs while you look for what you want and need?
Do you need to think about going back to college? Can you get a grant…? Not a loan to do so?
Are you willing to relocate to another city or state? Have you done your research?
Have you reevaluated your salary needs? Can you get by on less now than you thought you could 6 mos or 12 mos ago?
Are you willing to sell some of your “stuff” in order to be in a better position financially than you are now?
Have you considered the idea of starting your own business?
Have you thought about working from home for a while?

When you see what you have to work with and what you need to get where you want to go your chances of getting there are so much better!

Let me know what you are doing to reach your goals, I would love to hear what you are doing.

Happy New Year Everyone

2010-12-31T17:47:00.000-06:00

Ready………….Set………. GO!

Just a few more hours and this year will be history! If you are like me you are glad it is coming to a close and praying that the coming year is going to be better.

If you are still out there looking for work, I hope that you went ahead and did some job hunting before Christmas and that you are doing so right now as well! Chances are there are going to be some openings in January and companies will be collecting resumes right now.

Many companies laid off people in December, especially if they had no intentions of keeping them this coming year. By doing so, before the first of the year, they will not have to continue to carry their records on their books this coming year. Companies are famous for layoffs about two weeks before Christmas!

If you are still not employed, take this time to reevaluate your needs vs. your desires as far as your salary requirements and the types of positions you are looking for. Take stock of your actual needs. Can you cut some more corners in the way of expenses in order to be able to accept a lower salary? Are you now willing to relocate? Take a job that doesn’t have the fancy job title that you think you need to have?

Predictions are that the job market is going to be a tough one for several more years and there will be an abundance of available workers to fill even the most menial positions.
It appears that there are going to be some sectors that will have increasing needs for qualified employees. Expect there to be increased hiring in the health care industry. This will include everything from nurse’s aids, LPN’s, RN’s and PA’s in various types of employment settings from nursing homes, traveling nurses, and hospitals to doctor’s offices and the new types of housing developments where there are assisted living facilities as well as full care facilities in one location. Elder care is going to be on the increase as our aging population continues to grow.

In the past I would have suggested that there is always a need for teacher’s assistants, teachers, firemen, policemen and other types of law enforcement personnel to work in the jails and the court systems, or any position in a government setting, But with cuts in funds to operate these needed facilities at all levels of government, I would not recommend these occupations at this time. The coffers are hurting at city and state government levels as well as at the federal level. Many City and State governments are reducing services because of lack of funds to cover salaries.

Once again, brawn power over brain power may well be in demand. There will continue to be needs for good auto mechanics, plumbers and electricians. Not necessarily plumbers and electricians for new home construction but for taking care of needed repairs in existing homes. There may also be a demand for construction people who are good in handling remodeling repairs and changes to existing homes. Many people are deciding it is much more practical to put money into remodeling their existing homes rather than to try and purchase a new home in the present housing market. Again, look to an increase in work for the elderly who have decided to “age in place,” either out of choice or necessity. There will be work to do in making homes more wheelchair accessible, which will include widening doorways, adding safety bars in bathrooms and ramps outside to eliminate the need for navigating steps.

There is still work that will be available working on the Internet. Whether it is signing up to do surveys, which will bring in some money depending on how many you do per day, or writing articles for companies who will pay you to do so. You might also want to start a blog, such as this, where you share information with others and have affiliate marketing ads on your site that might be of interest to your readers. You won’t get rich quick but over time you might find this to be a nice source of some extra income and have an enjoyable time doing it.

Job Hunting in December

2010-12-13T19:49:00.001-06:00

Many people think December is a horrible time to start job hunting when in reality it is quite the contrary. Many businesses are getting ready to make employee changes, in fact many have already done their layoffs. How many people do you know who have been laid off two weeks before Christmas or the week before Christmas? This happens when companies start their new fiscal year on January 1st. If they get rid of people after January 1st, they have to carry their names on their records for the entire upcoming year. By letting them go before the end of the year they do not have to do that.

Many companies are not actually “downsizing” their companies, they are just getting rid of “dead wood”! So go ahead now and get your resumes and cover letters submitted so that they can be reviewed and possibly even have an offer of employment to begin on January 1st!

Good luck in your job hunting endeavors!

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone

2010-11-24T14:30:00.000-06:00

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving Day and I want to take time to say thank you to every one of you who drop by my blog to peek in and see what the latest news is. I hope that I have been able to provide you with some good ideas about job hunting, where to look for jobs and information as well as provide you with some inspiration and positive thoughts.

Be thankful for what you have no matter how little it may be. If possible, go out and take advantage of a free meal at one of the local offerings in your community tomorrow. If you do not go to enjoy the meal, helping to serve it is appreciated. I say this for several reasons. You are not alone in being without a job or down on your luck. There are many many people in the same boat as you are! By being out among others who are unemployed, you will learn to appreciate their fellowship. Who knows, you might just be the inspiring force for someone else.

We all come into each others' lives for a reason, a season and a purpose, either to teach or to be taught. Some we will just cross paths with, while others will stay for a season or a lifetime.

Each of you have a very blessed holiday; share it with family, friends or even strangers, who may eventually become friends. Take the day to reflect, count your blessings.

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

High Demand Jobs

2010-11-09T15:34:00.000-06:00

The hottest job market now and in the future is going to be in the health care industry. The need for doctors, registered nurses, limited practical nurses, certified nursing assistants, physical therapists, are all going to be needed desperately.

Hospitals, nursing homes, assisted living facilities and in home care required help will be in high demand as our aging population is now living longer than ever before. The trend now is to age in place, which means that there will be needs for trained personnel to assist them in their home. Therefore, LPN’s and CNA’s will be very busy fulfilling these needs.

Most state now require complete criminal background checks as well as current TB vaccinations on all their medical student applicants.

Training required for an LPN (Limited Practical Nurse or LVN- Licensed Vocational Nurse) will take approximately a year to complete and can be done at universities, community colleges and technical schools. There will also be a requirement to have hands on experience working in a medical setting in many states. The cost is between $8,000 and $20,000 depending on the school selected. Then you must take a state certification test and register with the state nursing registry and pay your dues.

Salaries will average between $40,000 and $48,000 right now but expect this to increase as demands for LPN’s increase in the coming years.

CNA ( Certified Nursing Assistant) training can be done extremely quickly depending on what state you are living in, determines their requirements. Classes can be from four weeks to twelve weeks in length and the cost will run between $400 and $800. Because of the high demand for these positions, many hospitals, nursing homes and long term care facilities will help you with your tuition with a commitment to work for them for a period of time after graduation. Usually you will be asked to commit to them for a year’s service, while others will ask you to just repay the amount of the tuition that they paid up front.

Salaries will start around $18,500 to $20,000 depending on the state, the shift differentials and the number of hours you work. You will need to take a test, get registered with your state nursing agency and pay your licensing fees.

Plumbers and Electricians

Plumbers on a national scale make between $36,000 and $67 ,000 a year while Apprentice wages, average from $27,000 to $42,000 per year.

Trade Schools, on line classes, apprenticeships with hands on work can range from 3-5 years.
Licensing is required by the state in order to work independently. Some states also require licensing at the county and city levels as well as at the state level.

Some universities run classes under their Mechanic and Repair Technologies Studies, Construction Management and Trade Programs.Manual dexterity, good physical condition for lifting, mathematics abilities are all requirements to doing this type of work. As a Master Plumber you will probably want to start your own company and hire others to help you. Then you will also need to be sure to have good bookkeeping skills to keep track of wages, taxes paid out to others and of course materials lists.

Electrician

Apprentice programs where you learn to read blueprints, electrical theory, electronics and math. You will work 3-5 yrs with an electrician learning the trade. State testing and licensing is required. Classroom as well as on the job training, which usually is from several years to as many as six years before you are ready to strike out on your own and take the state test and get your license which would allow you to work o your own and have your own business.

Trade schools, the Armed Forces and universities that offer a trades curriculum will be places to get your education. Then you will need to find a good company to work for to do your apprenticeship training.

Salaries range from $36K- $64K depending on your location and your experience. Master Electricians will usually own their own business and have crews with both experienced and apprentice electricians working for them.

Auto Mechanics

There will always be the need for an experienced mechanic to get under the hood of your car and fix whatever is wrong. With today’s automobiles and all of the computerized functions and machines that can be plugged in to analyze the problems, pinpointing a problem is much easier than it was in years past.

Many begin their training with classes in high school and many schools actually have shops where people can bring their automobiles to be repaired by students at a reasonable price. Of course these students are supervised by an experience teacher, guiding them in their diagnosis and repair of problems.

You will use both mechanical and electronic skills to perform your job. There are Associate degree programs offered by Technical Schools and universities and the Armed Forces. Having good English skills, so that you are able to read repair manuals to use with good diagnostic and problem-solving skills, and be trained in computer and basic electronics, should have the best chance of obtaining employment.

Salaries will average from $23,000 to $44,000 per year.

Home Repair People Home Remodeling Contractor

The ability to go into a home and assist with general home repairs from replacing a faucet, putting down needed flooring, refinishing kitchen cabinets, to painting or building a patio or an outbuilding

Older homes have many areas that may need fixed whether it is replacing plumbing in the bathroom to fixing a ceiling fan or redoing a kitchen.

Or adding handicap features to a bath or widening door openings and building ramps. In newer homes it would be more like adding decks and patios, perhaps water features to yards.

If you are not able to perform all of these tasks yourself, you will need to subcontract out work, such as extensive plumbing or electrical work, which will need to have a certified licensed contractor and be inspected by a city or county inspector before you get paid for your work done.

You will want to be licensed as a general contractor and be bonded.
Knowledge in architecture and carpentry skills are a must along with manual dexterity.

Low overhead because you can work from home is a definite advantage and there are going to also be tax breaks, so be sure to inquire.

Knowledge of the construction trade skills and knowledge of how things must be done and when will be a must for knowing when to schedule certain repairs and subcontractors.

Bookkeeping skills, to record, wages, withholding taxes, materials purchased lists, office and business operating expenses.

Home Inspection Service

You will inspect every part of a home for structural integrity, from the foundation, electrical, plumbing, a/c heating and insect damage.
You need to have a solid knowledge of local building codes so that you know what aspects of a home are passable and what are not.

You will require certification, city and county permits and a business license. Your state may also require that your company be bonded.You will need errors-and omissions insurance protecting your assets in case of mistakes.

If you have experience working for a construction companies that is a plus, since you’ll already have many contacts and know local, regional and state requirements for certification and also job referrals.
Equipment investment will be about $500 for the basic tools to do your job. You may need to spend a little more to buy non-invasive electronic inspection devices. You will need ladders, gloves, coveralls, masks and a hard hat while crawling into attics and below in crawlspaces. You will also need to have a pickup truck or panel truck to haul it all.

You can also purchase a home inspection business franchise from $45,000 to $150,00 which will provide all the hands-on-training and materials you need. Check out The Franchise zone for information on franchises.
You can also get information and training from programs offered by America Home Inspection Society and the National Association of Home Inspectors, Inc. for less money. Depending on your location, and the type of environment you are working in, salaries can range from $50,500 to $75,000 per year to start.

I Work From Home Too!

2010-10-29T01:24:00.000-05:00

If you are under the assumption that all I do is sit here and create blogs, (okay so I have three now) then you are wrong! Like you, I also have to work even though I technically should be retired. There is no way that I can make ends meet without creating some income to meet my expenses! One of the companies I am working for is Text Broker, where you write for companies that need short articles created. If you enjoy writing, you might try this. I can tell you right now there are numerous categories to choose from and various subject matters. I enjoy picking topics that are challenging, so consequently I take time to research the subject before I start writing. Now granted, this does slow down the number of articles I can create in a given period, but I also know that what I do produce will be truthful and accurate, which I am sure the client appreciates.

If you are a beginning writer for the Internet, this is a great company to get started with. Both the company and the client have the opportunity to rate your work. You have the ability to increase your ratings by producing good work, which in turn will increase your pay rate. Clients who like your work are able to create direct orders, which mean that you are the only author offered the assignment and you are paid more for the assignment.

Several other companies offer opportunities to write for the Internet, which I have listed on prior posts. Men, seem to do very well writing for such companies as ehow.com, giving tips on how to troubleshoot problems with things such as cars, the household plumbing or the furnace that refuses to work properly. They also do well on teaching others how to set up financial planning, purchasing stocks or opinions about politics. Women who write for ehow,enjoy writing about a wide variety of subjects dealing with homemaking, such as how to can, sewing, gardening or creating craft items.

A New Week Renew Your Vigor

2010-10-19T02:36:00.000-05:00

Okay, so last week was a drag! You sent out 50 resumes, didn't get a single call back. The job boards on the Internet are looking mighty skimpy right along with your bank account! You are beginning to panic because there just doesn't seem to be anything out there and each week that goes by you are thinking how much longer can I hold on! The hamburgers and hot dogs are now being downsized to macaroni and cheese and poor man's spaghetti (that's made without meat in case you've never had it up until now) and hopefully there is enough in the cupboards to hold you till the next unemployment check comes in!

Before things get any worse, if you haven't looked over to the right side of this blog and taken advantage of the resources listed there, SHAME ON YOU! Start going down the list and get signed up at some of those places, use some of the search engines to put in new resumes and conduct job searches. Read some of the work at home material that is available over there. Believe me, trust me, you really and truly can find some decent places to work listed there. Many of them won't cost you a dime, others will only ask you for money to conduct background checks as the final step in the hiring process.

Each day this week, promise yourself you are going to send out no less than 20 resumes each day, that you are going to call at least 5 personal friends daily that you know and ask if they happen to know of any positions that might be available. Sign up with a Temporary Employment Agency, contact someone from your business contacts (such as your insurance agent, the coach of your son's football league,the pastor at your church, your dentist) and ask them if they might know of someone who would be looking to hire someone with your qualifications.

Expand your employment search area. Start looking at cities 25-50 even 100 miles away from where you are now. Research the largest employers within that city and send out resumes to them.

If you are thinking of working for an Internet Call Center, This Plantronics Noise Canceling Headset is an excellent buy.

What Does Your Credit Report Look Like?

2010-10-09T14:36:00.000-05:00

When was the last time that you got a copy of your credit report? Are you aware that you are entitled to one free credit report per year? You might mark your calendar to get a copy every year on your birthday, just like you do for your yearly physical exam with the doctor.

This is one thing that we often forget about and you really do need to take advantage of this every year; especially now in today's very unstable credit environment and it also impacts your job search as well.

When I went hunting for new car insurance this summer, I called several local agencies as well as conducted an online search where you can get quotes from several companies all at the same time. Little did I know that each one of those inquiries would show up on my credit report. How did I find out about this? Well when I received my new insurance policy, there was included a note that said the information on my credit report was used in determining the rates I would be charged on my coverage. I was told by the credit bureau when I called, that those inquiries should not affect my insurance rating. This was a red flag to me that something was wrong, so I sent for a copy of my report.

Several days later I received it in the mail. Upon checking my report, there was an address listed there of a place I've never lived, an alternate spelling on my last name and several credit entries that are not mine and have less than stellar ratings. I called the credit bureau immediately to discuss this with them and advised them of the incorrect information. They said they would check everything out and send me a copy of their corrected findings. They also agreed to check a rating that was given on one of my own accounts that was inaccurate.

Did you know that most prospective employers check your credit report and many also do a criminal background check ? If you are job hunting I would suggest that you get a copy of your credit report and your criminal background report. Review them so you don’t have any nasty surprises and are able to correct any errors quickly.

Employers feel that how you handle your credit obligations is an indicator as to how good of an employee you are going to be. With so many people unemployed for a lengthy period of time,struggling to make ends meet on just their unemployment benefits, many have gotten behind on their obligations. Under normal circumstances they handled their finances responsibly. I personally hope that prospective employers are taking our unusual high unemployment rates and length of time being unemployed into consideration when reviewing a prospective applicant. It would be a shame for them to turn down a candidate who would be a fantastic employee if they did not consider that credit report.

If you are receiving multiple turn-downs for open positions, maybe it is time to be doing a follow-up call to the company and ask to speak to the person who interviewed you. Explain to them that you would really like more information as to why they felt you were not qualified for the position. Ask what do they feel you need to strengthen in your qualifications in order for have a position with their company. Come right out and ask them if they pulled credit and criminal background checks on you and if so, was there information in those files that contributed to their decision not to hire you. Most companies have a written policy that obligates them to advise you of derogatory information received in a credit report and some also require them to tell you if they also found something in a criminal report.

Once you know what is in both your credit report and your criminal report ahead of time, you can address potential problems that might arise during the initial interview process and help you get that second interview and be hired.