In the event you have a disability and are wondering how your job hunt will unfold, rest assured that there are federal, state and local laws in place to protect you and others from being discriminated against.

That being said, there are still countless disabled individuals who are struggling to find work, albeit the numbers show that problem has been lessening to a degree.

According to a recent report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemployment rate for the 27 million U.S. residents 16 and older facing disabilities dropped to 13.5% in December of last year, a decrease from 14.3 percent in December of 2010.

While those numbers do show improvements, there are still challenges that can hinder disabled individuals as they look for a job.

One of the first issues a disabled person must make when job hunting is whether or not to let the prospective employer know about their disability.

Among the options:

• You can try and hide it if it is not readily noticeable;
• Inform the employer ahead of time that you have a disability;
• Show up for an interview with a noticeable disability and see what kind of reaction you get from the employer.

In breaking down those three options, let’s take a look at each:

• If you try to disguise the disability, is it something that you can mask for eight hours a day or whatever the amount of your shift is? Could it show up at some point during the work day, thereby leading you and your employer to have a discussion over it as to why you never mentioned it in the first place?
• If you let the employer know ahead of time that you have a disability, could it harm your chances of otherwise getting the position? While laws are in place to protect people with disabilities, some employers will look at person’s disability as an issue, finding some other reason to disqualify them from the position.
• If you are in a wheelchair, walk with a cane or have some other disability and go to the interview, are you setting yourself up for a potential letdown? You’ve done nothing wrong and are in many cases just as qualified as the next person for the job, but the employer may be taken aback by the disability.

While many businesses have had to make sure there are offices are handicap-friendly, not all have followed through on such directives.

If you are in a wheelchair, is there adequate entry to and from the building you would be working in? Can you easily access everything inside the office in order to meet the responsibilities of your job? If the employer does not meet such needs, will you contest that during your interview and/or make a complaint regarding local ordinances?

Another issue for those with disabilities is the matter of  insurance and benefits.

In the event you are receiving Social Security/SSI or some other form of assistance due to your disability, you could end up losing it in the event you make too much money by being employed. The flip side is you could be making money at work while not enough to meet your medical costs.

For those with disabilities, make sure your rights are enforced; you apply for any and all jobs you are qualified for, and take advantage of the opportunities presented you.
Dave Thomas, who covers among other items obtaining small business loans, writes extensively for Business.com, an online resource destination for businesses of all sizes to research, find, and compare the products and services they need to run their businesses.

I’m a contract administrator for a major nuclear power plant that’s under the U.S. Department of Energy, but I’m not a direct employee. I work for a staffing company that the power plant employs. The staffing company hired me for the plant’s expansion project. I’ve been a contract employee for various projects throughout the U.S. since 2003. From 1977 to 2003, I worked as a buyer, contract administrator and purchasing manager for large manufacturing companies.

Many people have the misconception that purchasing always means buying widgets. I’ve bought millions of widgets in my career, but in this job, I buy construction services. I negotiate with construction subcontractors to get the best price and terms. Then I write an ironclad contract and make sure that the subcontractors follow through as promised.

On a scale of one to 10, I would rate my job satisfaction as a six. There are three primary reasons that it’s not higher. First is my unique situation as a contract employee and the lack of job security that goes with it. Although I’ve had no serious employment gaps, at the end of each contract, I must shop for another job. Second, this assignment isn’t close to my wife and children. Since it’s a temporary position, it wouldn’t make sense for us to move here. Third, my present position doesn’t involve strategic sourcing. This job involves the tactical, operations side of supply management rather than strategic process improvement.

My current job doesn’t particularly move my heart, although I’m extremely proud of this plant’s strong focus on safety. A previous contract position involved negotiating contracts on the travel trailers that housed survivors of Hurricane Katrina, and that did move my heart. As far as a true calling, I’ve always wanted to start my own business, but there’s no way I could quit my day job with young children at home.

I got started in procurement a few years after I graduated from college with a business administration degree. After graduation, I had trouble finding a job in my field, so I worked as a machinist at a major aircraft manufacturer. When a position as a buyer opened up, I got the job. The main thing I would do differently is to start my own business when I was young and could live cheaply.

I’ve learned quite a few things the hard way, but the main thing I’ve learned as a contract employee is to make sure I know my boundaries on each job because it varies from place to place. One of the main boundaries is the dollar amount that I can spend without getting authorization from my boss. In previous jobs, the amount has been in the millions, but that’s not the case here. One day, I was particularly stressed, thinking about something else, and I exceeded my limit. I found out the hard way that the manager has a zero-tolerance policy on this, so he fired me. Fortunately, one of the other managers had really liked my work, thought the firing was an overreaction and hired me to work for her. That episode also qualifies as the strangest thing that’s ever happened to me here. One day, I was in a panic over being fired, and a week later, I was walking back into the same building.

When thinking about what motivates me to get up every morning and go to work, two things come to mind. The most obvious is that my family couldn’t survive without my income. I also have an internal drive to the do the best job I can. On this job, my manager has said several things that have made me proud and backed them up with actions. In December, the majority of the contract employees on this project got laid off now that construction is almost complete. My boss selected me as one of the few to remain for the closeout process.

The main thing that makes me want to tear my hair out is when too many people are let go during a layoff. Since December, I’ve been doing the work of about three people. Even before December, my job was fairly stressful, and I was working at least 10 hours a day. It’s been fairly difficult on this job to maintain a good balance between work and leisure time.

My salary is $100,000 per year, but I’ve made as much as $140,000 per year as a contract employee. Since the nuclear plant is in the government sector, I’m reimbursed dollar-for-dollar for my living expenses. When I had a contract position with a large construction company in private industry, I was given a lump sum to spend however I saw fit. I got two roommates and a cheap apartment, so my income ended up being $140,000 during that project. Some singles who don’t maintain a separate household are able to save a fantastic amount of money. The tradeoff is that there’s no vacation.

A bachelor’s degree in business administration is usually required to work in this field, and now there are even degrees in supply chain management. I’ve recommended working as a contract employee to several of my friends who have been having trouble finding permanent employment. The hiring has been very strong, even through this recession.

A slowly improving economy is the perfect time to do some things that will make you stand out as a potential hire. First, consider volunteer work in a field close to the one you want to find a job in. While unpaid, these types of positions will provide you with a great set of skills and will look terrific on a resume. You can also search out internships in your field, which can often provide the exact type of experience your future employers will be looking for.

Of course, the best option may be to put off your job search and go back to school. An advanced degree, like an MBA, can make you a better candidate for many introductory jobs, and could even allow you to bypass entry-level opportunities and start off your career in management. These types of degrees are in high demand as more and more people are entering the workforce with bachelor’s degrees, and those who put in the extra effort to get an advanced degree should be rewarded by the little difficulty they have in getting a job. In fact, the only real drawback to an advanced degree is the amount of time it takes to earn one.

With the explosion of online learning over the past few years, the process of getting an advanced degree has been made easier than ever. There are numerous accredited schools offering online MBA programs that can provide you with the skills and experience needed in today’s business world.

Best of all, an online degree program like the online mba program can be completed while you volunteer or work as an intern. Since most online programs are available at odd hours to accommodate various schedules, you won’t have to turn away career advancing opportunities while you earn your advanced degree.

These days, there may be no way to ensure that you’ll be able to find a job right out of college. A bachelor’s degree doesn’t hold the luster it once did, and with so many qualified applicants out there, finding a job may take a bit of luck. However, with just a little ingenuity and a desire to better yourself, you can spend your time after college getting real-world experience while, at the same time, achieving an advanced education that is certain to pay dividends in the long run.

The key to great interviewing is to have a solid answer to every question your interviewer asks and then to ask poignant questions at the end of the interview, right?  WRONG.

Many young professionals inevitably have suboptimal interviewers because they approach the interview process from the wrong angle.  A good interview is based on a strong offensive game plan, not the ability to defensively field questions.

The first step in your offensive interview plan should be to find out as much about the position you are applying for as possible.  What are the job responsibilities, what makes someone in the position successful? Talk with people from the company beforehand if possible.  Another offensive strategy is to ask your interviewer this early on in the interview itself, get their answer of what traits they are looking for, and find a way to incorporate the traits they are looking for into your answers to their questions.

After you have done your background check on the company, the job and the interviewer (if possible), map out what you want to communicate to the hiring manager.  List out all the characteristics, skills and experiences you want to make sure to reference in your answers to their questions. Make sure they fit. Even though your experience doing portfolio analysis for a financial advisor is solid, you may want to key in on other experiences and traits if you are applying for a marketing position. Some important traits to always make sure to reference are: your leadership abilities (make them see you are a leader in all that you get involved in) and your flexibility (to be successful in almost any company you need to be able to adapt. Interviewers understand the importance of this and always want to see this in candidates they hire).

During the interview, as you are asked questions, make sure to reference experiences that help highlight the traits you wanted to communicate. Note: it may be hard to fit in all the characteristics from your plan into your answers. NEVER FEAR! The best kept secret in an interview is to take control when the interviewer gives you the floor to ask questions. Instead of delving into a generic set of questions say something like, “before I go into the questions I have there are a couple of experiences that I was not able to address in the answers to your questions. Let me briefly talk with you about them.” Then you can mention the traits off your list that you didn’t address yet. This will ensure you communicate everything you wanted to the interviewer.

Sounds like a great plan right? But wait, you are probably thinking, “how am I supposed to remember all of these traits I want to mention and supporting stories?  I will get them all mixed up!” Don’t worry there is an easy solution for that.  Always bring a pad of paper in your portfolio folder to the interview (along with a few freshly printed copies of your resume, of course).  Beforehand, write down all the items you want to address during the interviewer in bullet points (on in whatever form works for you), then at the beginning of the interview ask the interviewer if it is ok that you take notes.  This not only (1) allows you to reference your notes as you talk, but it does so while (2) making the interviewer think you are very engaged in the interviewer and extremely interested in the position.

Interviewers are not as hard as having to reprogram all your phone numbers back in your cell phone (for those who have every lost theirs before), but the results WILL be MUCH BETTER if you remember to be on the offensive during your interviewers.

To truly determine whether this program is suited for you, it’s important to understand exactly what you will learn as a student in an MBA program. Reviewing and analyzing the concepts that will be addressed in your courses will allow you to prepare for the workload and gain a better understanding of whether or not you are passionate about the subjects that will be covered.

An MBA program is designed to allow students to earn a specialist qualification on a high level, which can be applied to essentially any business environment. When a student enrolls in an MBA program, he or she will be given the opportunity to choose from a wide variety of different concentrations to specialize in. These concentrations typically include subjects such as accounting, business management, e-commerce, economics, entrepreneurship, finance, global management, human resources management, marketing, operations management, technology management, and so on. This broad range of subjects will allow you to focus on one or a couple of specific aspects of business administration to ensure full expertise and preparation for corresponding jobs.

In general, an MBA program will address a wide variety of subjects that pertain to business administration. One core subject addressed in MBA programs include leadership and management skills, which will prepare students for high level positions they will be qualified to pursue after graduation. The courses designed to develop leadership skills teach students effective measures for utilizing resources and effectively drawing from the dynamic skill sets of each employee under their management to work toward the advantage of the company as a whole. Furthermore, an MBA program instructs students on effective ways to handle employee conflict and relationships, in addition to approaching moral and ethical issues that may arise on the job.

Students also will learn key business strategies and prepare for projects assigned in the workplace by completing practice projects in an academic setting. After completion, the student’s project will be properly evaluated and graded according to the standards set in the industry. Both a traditional MBA program and an online mba program offer courses in financial planning with risk assessment of credit and interest rates. Students also study capital management and analysis of the financial status of a variety of different corporate institutions. To properly apply these concepts, students should have a knowledge base in microeconomics and the concepts of supply and demand as they pertain to the business industry. Students will examine marketing strategies, product development and distribution, and pricing, as well as information on how to research the purchasing habits and preferences of target audiences.

An online MBA program specifically allows students to understand how to network with other professionals in the industry through technological means. Since online MBA programs encompass various technological mediums for communicating and analyzing information, students in these programs have an advantage in their industry by simultaneously developing proficiency in these mediums and developing proficiency in topics that pertain to business administration.

That being said, have you gone on a job interview recently and purposely or accidentally trashed a former employer? If the answer is yes, there is a good chance you are still job hunting.

While your feelings may be justified, they need to stay bottled up during the interview process so that you don’t get one strike against you before you even get out of the meeting.

Let’s face it, a potential employer doesn’t want you going on and on about how a former employer did this or that to you. In many cases, complaining about your former company will lead you to a short interview with the prospective employer.

Been Down This Road Before

Speaking from personal experience, I was laid off years ago via an email after a five-and-a-half year run with a company. To put it lightly, it stung and came across as a classless way to let someone go who had devoted much time and effort to helping the company succeed.

That being said, I was asked a number of times on different interviews about how I left the company and always found it best to be honest. While I did not bad-mouth my former employer, I did explain how I was laid off and in a mature manner.

For those interview prospects who wonder whether or not it is a good idea to speak honestly about their former employers when interviewing, keep these things in mind:

• While Mom and Dad always told you that honesty is the best policy, there are some instances where less is better. If you’re asked about why you are no longer with your most recent employer, simply be as upfront as possible without saying negative things about the company. For instance, you can say that the company was trimming staff and you were one of the cuts. You can also note that a new manager came on board and wanted to take the department in a different direction. Lastly, you can point out that you voluntarily left after coming to the conclusion that you wanted to take your career in a new direction. Whatever the case, the last thing you want to do is say that the company was terrible to work for, you didn’t like your co-workers, and so on;
• You can come across as negative. If you start going off on a former employer during your interview, the prospective employer may find you a bad fit with that alone for their company. As many employers know, it costs money to continuously be bringing in new people and training over and over again. Companies want to find someone who is positive, will fit in nicely with the staff already on hand, and will essentially be low maintenance. If you come across as a complainer, chances are you will never get past that initial interview;
• You might be a short hire – As noted above, companies do not want a revolving door in their offices. While more and more people change jobs on a regular basis in today’s day and age, a prospective employer doesn’t want to hire someone who may only be there for the short haul;
• You may badmouth this employer next – If you go off on a former employer, what’s to say you won’t do the same if this company hires you and you leave them? Most companies are concerned about their images and don’t want to risk hiring someone who may speak ill of them now or down the road;
• You could be perceived as not that intelligent – You can be the brightest person in the world when it comes to education, but ranting about one or more former employers will be perceived by most folks as not being too bright. Putting a more positive spin on a negative situation will show you to be better educated, more mature and someone who can deal with adversity.

The bottom line is we’re all different personalities, both on the job and in our private lives.

When you stop and think about it, interviewing for a new job is both exciting and stressful; why add more stress to the situation by being negative during the interview?

Dave Thomas writes extensively for B2B lead generation online resource Resource Nation that provides expert advice on purchasing and outsourcing decisions for small business owners and entrepreneurs. He is an expert writer on items like credit card processing companies and is based in San Diego, California.

What is included in a Background Check?

First things first—you need to understand that just about everything will be featured on your background check, including but not limited to the following: Driving records, credit records, criminal records, military records, workers’ compensation, court records, and whether or not you’re a sex offender. For a complete list and more general information, click here.

What to do if the Transgression is Minor:

Background checks aren’t typically completed until after you’ve nailed an interview and employers are really thinking about hiring you. If your offense wasn’t something too severe—for example maybe you were reprimanded for a minor in possession (MPI) or for a public intoxication, you might not need to talk about it at all—the employer might just gloss right over it if the crime does not directly affect your line of work. Thus it’s up to your own discretion whether you think the issue should be addressed or not. But if you’re really apprehensive about it and you don’t want even the slightest thing to come as a shock to your possible future employer, it might be a good idea to turn your negative offense into something positive when asked “what are your weaknesses or regrets” or some other variant of the question. You can talk about your situation and explain how it made you learn and grow from the experience.

If the Transgression is Major:

If the crime was something more serious, it’ll benefit you greatly to talk about the issue up front. While you may think of waiting so that you’ll have more time to prepare what you’re going to say and how you’re going to explain this situation, the truth is that you’ll probably never get the opportunity to sway the interviewer in your favor if you wait—nowadays employers are looking for any little mistake so that they can eliminate candidates and make the hiring process easier. So if they see a tarnished record before you have the chance to explain what happened you’re application may be immediately tossed out the window. Thus it’s probably best to address the issue and tell the interviewer, “yes I messed up. This is why. This is what I learned.”  You should also talk about the steps you’ve taken to make sure that the incident will never happen again and that by no means will it interfere with your job. It may be best to wait until the end of the interview to talk about the issue, well after you’ve wooed and impressed—it’ll make not giving you a second look all that much harder for your employer if he or she already likes you. Just make sure that you control your temper and try not to get too emotional when explaining your offense. If you’re nervous that your interviewer may throw you a curveball that you’re not prepared to answer, have a mock interview with a friend, family member or even a career counselor so that you’ll be a little bit more prepared on how to defend yourself.

Your criminal record may make it difficult to find employment at first, but be persistent with it—someone will give you a lucky break the more honest you are about it.

Byline:

Jane Smith is a freelance writer and blogger. She writes about criminal background check for Backgroundcheck.org. Questions and comments can be sent to: janesmth161 @ gmail.com

If the answer is little to none, then there is a good chance that you are still looking for a job. You see, appearance, including clothing and grooming, does make the man or woman in many cases when they step foot in someone’s office for a one-on-one interview.

The Suit Does Make the Man

When I first relocated to the West Coast some 16 years ago, my first interview at a weekly newspaper caught me a little off guard. I showed up for the meeting wearing a suit and tie, only to have the editor catch me off guard with an unusual comment when we met.

He asked me if I was originally from the East Coast, to which I answered yes. He then stated that most “locals” did not dress up with suits and ties; I guess in a way complimenting me on doing so.

Granted, most job interviews do not start off that way, but needless to say, I did find it a tad bit interesting.

In today’s job search world, it is always best to fall on the side of caution and make yourself as presentable as possible.

Do You Appear to Know the Keys to Looking Your Best?

That being said, what are some keys to looking your best and enhancing your chances of getting that job you want? Among the things to remember are:

• Dress codes vary – There is not one “fit all” dress code that blankets the job world. Before you go in for your interview, take into account what the position entails and how you would best represent yourself. If you’re interviewing for a retail job, overdressing may come across as you being overqualified for the position. In the event you interview for an executive position, underdressing may show that you are not serious for the post and would not be a good representative of the company;
• Look the part – In the event you are interviewing for a sales position, keep in mind that if given the job, there is a very good chance you will be meeting with clients on a regular basis. Your potential employer will want to make sure that you dress the part, thereby doing a good job in representing the company when out in the field. If you come to the interview underdressed, hair a mess, not cleanly shaven, wearing too much makeup etc., you can be setting yourself up for not getting the job;
• Use that toothbrush and razor – Just as the clothes are important, it is also critical that you make sure the toothbrush, razor and any other needed accessories are put to use before going to your interview. While it may seem a no-brainer, you would be surprised how many candidates go to an interview and forget to brush those pearly whites or run that razor down their face. Improper grooming habits tell a potential employer that they are not a priority in your life, something that can lead to being passed over for the position;
• Don’t overdo the makeup – While this advice is primarily for the women, it holds true for some men too. Yes, you want to look appealing for your interview, but don’t show up with an extra pound of lip gloss, mascara, hair gel, toner and more. Remember, this is a job interview, not a precursor to the Miss America pageant;
• Make the interview interesting – It is safe to say that many people find job interviews to be a job in and of itself. Many people find the process to be taxing and at times very stressful. One of the ways to ease the tension is to go into the interview full of confidence, looking your best, and most importantly, being you. If you’re not comfortable in a three-piece suit or designer dress, then wear something comparable where you can look good, yet be yourself. Most importantly, demonstrate your interest in the job and why you want to work for this company.

For those who make a little extra effort in their appearances, the odds appear higher that this year will bring them more opportunities to snag their desired job.

Dave Thomas, who covers among other items background checks and home-based jobs, writes extensively for Business.com, an online resource destination for businesses of all sizes to research, find, and compare the products and services they need to run their businesses.

My job title is officially “field representative.” I have been doing this job now for about 20 years and I’m looking forward to retiring soon. I work for a school that teaches blind people to use guide dogs. My job is to deliver the puppies that will one day become guide dogs to foster families who raise them for about a year. During the year, I keep in touch with the families and make sure that things are going well. I arrange training and social events for the foster families. Then, I go back to pick up the dogs at the end of the year and deliver them to the school for intensive training. I also attend fundraisers and speak to different groups throughout the year in order to obtain money to keep the program going.

I love what I do! Knowing that I am helping blind people to become more independent is very rewarding. Of course, I’ve worked with a lot of families and children, too, over the years. Now, many of the children that raised puppies when I first started are in their 30′s! It is very rewarding to see how they have grown and changed. I guess you could say that this is why I get up and go to work each day. I really believe that the work I do is important and life changing!

I got started in this field by chance. My husband and I were raising foster kids and we heard about another foster mother who had enrolled her children in a puppy-raising program. She felt that it really helped the kids emotionally. We decided to do just that and enrolled our foster kids in the same program. We saw such great growth in them, and really enjoyed the whole experience. Several years after we had joined, a job opened up for a field representative. Since my husband had just lost his job and we needed the money, I applied. I got the job and here I am!

The strangest thing that happened to me at this job was that I literally bumped into a blind graduate with a guide dog that I had delivered to a foster family living near my own home. I think the dog recognized me because he led his owner right to me! The owner had no idea what was going on because the dog wasn’t obeying his commands!

For my job, I really didn’t need a specific type of education. Perhaps, that has changed now. However, I would say that in my particular organization, the staff was looking for someone that they knew was already committed to the cause, so to speak. I believe I probably got the job because I was already involved with the organization as a volunteer.

If I knew that a friend of mine wanted to work for philanthropic organization, I’d tell them to get involved in that particular group first as a volunteer. That is important for several reasons: firstly, sometimes philanthropies don’t pay so well and you really need to love doing what you are doing to make it worthwhile. Also, if you do not support the cause, you probably won’t last long doing this sort of work.

Unfortunately, that’s not the case anymore.

The once sought after college degree isn’t as important as it once was – especially if it is a liberal arts degree. Employers now want individuals with specific training and actual experience – and usually two year programs do a better job at fitting this bill than 4 year colleges do. Great two year programs that are generally more useful include:

Web Designer

There is no doubt that the need to web designer is only going to continue to grow as more and more businesses move to the web. Most community or two-year colleges offer web designing programs, and after graduation, you can expect a salary of $50,000 or more if you get hired.

Medical Coding and Billing

Medical coding and billing is becoming a highly sought after position as the need for just about every type of healthcare position has increased as the baby boomer generation ages. The average medical billing and coding specialist can expect to spend their days being the translator between medical facilities and insurance companies, and make on average $38,000 or more a year.
Physical Therapist Technician

Also increasing because of the aging baby boomer population is the need for physical therapist technicians. Techs work in either hospital settings or in a physical therapist’s private office, and aid the therapist with exercises and clerical work. They can expect to make around $50,000 a year.

Executive Assistant

Although not as lucrative as some of the other fields, executive assistants are still in high demand. Becoming an executive assistant also allows you the ability to climb the ranks of whatever company you work for while learning all the tricks of the trade. The average salary for an executive assistant is around $35,000 to $40,000.

Radiation Technician

Out of all the two year degree career, radiation technicians tend to fair the best. A radiation technician will be responsible for taking x-rays, ultrasounds, CAT scans, MRIs, and mammograms throughout the day, and on average make around $57,000. Upward mobility is also very high in the field of radiation technology.

If you are looking for a career change or are just starting out on your journey to finding a career, consider not wasting your time with a four-year degree and going with a two-year program instead. If you acquire the appropriate education and training, most of these degrees pay the same, if not more, than 4-year degree careers – and you won’t have to waste as much time and money.

Good luck in your search.

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.