Holiday Blahs and Blogs

A couple of the blogs I follow have great holiday tips. I thought I’d share:

50 ways to simplify gift giving
http://theboldlife.com/2009/12/50-ways-simplify-gift-giving-holiday-season/

How spiritually mature people spend the holidays
http://theboldlife.com/2009/11/spiritually-mature-people-spend-holidays/

20 tips to make the holidays rock
http://theboldlife.com/2009/11/20-tips-holidays-rock/

How to be mindful during the holidays
http://zenhabits.net/2009/12/how-to-be-mindful-during-the-holidays-in-350-words/

Seven holiday tips from Dr. Oz
http://www.dailyspark.com/blog.asp?post=7_healthy_holiday_tips_from_dr_oz

What 25 holiday classics teach us about life
http://sourcesofinsight.com/2009/12/14/what-25-holiday-classics-teach-us-about-life-and-fun/

E-card Scam Alert - a blogger pointed me to this
http://www.greetingcard.org/crisis_center.php

None of the career or job search blogs have anything Christmas-y, though. How odd. Oh! Wait! Found one! ONE!

Letting go of holiday stress
http://www.careerhubblog.com/main/2009/12/letting-go-of-holiday-stress.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+CareerHub+%28Career+Hub%29&utm_content=Bloglines

Enjoy the holidays. May you find some cheer, rest and relaxation.

...Pam

Job Seekers Need Local Media

A good job search depends on local media. In these days of satellite tv, satellite radio and the Internet, many people surf to be entertained and believe that if news is important it will find them. Sure, we now know all we need to and more about Tiger Woods' career bungles and love life, however subtle changes in the local labour market on which a good job search depends will probably never hit national tv stations or the world wide web. You need to know what's going on in the community where you seek work. What new businesses are coming to town and which ones are expanding? What projects are going on? Are there clues in the news to who may be hiring in the future? Is there an association or event that you should be part of for the sake of networking? Perhaps there is an opportunity for you to volunteer and gain more experiences and contacts. Maybe there is an unmet need that you could take care of with a small business or contract. Maybe there is a person in the news that you'd like to approach for mentorship. Don't abandon your local tv, radio and newspapers. Great jobs are rarely big news.

...Pam

Back to School Means Back to the Job Search

Did you see me on Global News last week?
http://www.globallethbridge.com/video/index.html?releasePID=NGXtefw6p6_Zc1I5UiiDOZ7vXOVPX6c5 - "Top News Sept 4.09", best viewed with Firefox.

Yes, there are jobs available for students now. Despite an increasing number of unemployed people in Southern Alberta and the highest student unemployment rate since 1977, The Works--Job & Career Services at Lethbridge College has NOT seen a dip in part-time job postings for students during back-to-school time in the last three years.


KISS

My advice to students is this:

1 -- Create a budget and stick to it. Check out resources at

Money Mentors

ALIS

Geezeo , Mint, and Wesabe

2 -- If you need to work while going to school, start your search now.

Visit your career centre on campus for free assistance with your work search and exclusive access to job postings. At Lethbridge College we've seen a dramatic drop in available part time jobs starting in October, so don't delay.

For more information on student employment rates from Statistics Canada, have a look at Academica's News


...Pam

Flat is the New Raise

During a recession, some might say we are lucky to have a job and shouldn't push the envelope by asking for more pay. Check out these articles on the topic of salary negotiations.

Top 10 Tips for Salary Negotiation

How Do I Ask for a Raise in a Recession?

I Was Fired for Quibbling Over My Raise


KISS (Keeping It Simple for Seekers)

If you are worth more than you are currently paid or being offered, then prove it. Look and act the part consistantly, whether you are a work seeker or aiming for a raise or promotion.

Collect evidence of your best work for your portfolio and have references who can backup your claims to fame. Be prepared to support your case.

Know what you are worth. Research the normal salary range for this type of position.

Practice your negotiations with a friend, co-worker, coach or career centre staff.

Don't feel you need to accept a new job or a negotiated raise on-the-spot. Ask for time to think about what has been offered.

If the salary isn't flexible, perhaps another benefit or perk is.

Might the boss be open to negotiating your pay in the not-too-distant future when times are better?

Thank the manager for any effort they've made to get you more money or benefits even if all they did was take the time to discuss it with you.


...Pam

Evangelism and Premature Obituaries

I am way behind on reading some of the blogs I follow. Just last night I saw the title "How to Change the World" on my subscription feed and felt both overwhelmed by it -- I really don't want to change the world, do I? No, not today. Maybe tomorrow. -- and at the same time I thought that it couldn't be at all relevant to the work I have been doing over the last several months. How could I forget that "How to Change the World" and its author, Guy Kawasaki, is the source for information and opinions on evangelism, sales and marketing? Guy rocks. He can teach anyone how to build support for their product, service or themselves.

I was first introduced to Guy and his work back in -- yes, I'm going to age both him and myself by writing this -- 1991 when he was the keynote speaker at the National Association of Career Educators and Employers conference in San Francisco. Guy Kawasaki was one of the original Apple employees and credited with bringing the concept of evangelism to the high-tech business, focusing on creating passionate user-advocates for the Apple brand. His blog is one of the most popular in the world. I haven't forgotten his speech. Guy is MUCH older than I am, by the way. I was only 22 when I went to that conference. Do the math.

Anyhow, I'm getting caught up now on how to save the world -- after reading a few inspiring posts, I might just take on the challenge -- and today I'll direct you to a post not by Guy, but by one of his guest writers, Glenn Kelman, CEO of Redfin (an online real estate brokerage firm) that went up back in February. (Hey, I told you I was behind.)

Glenn writes

"Resumes are horrible documents, premature and unsentimental obituaries: our lives are rarely reduced to such a small number of facts. And writing a resume is a balancing act between feeling outrageously boastful and unimpressive."

Do you feel like you are writing your own obituary when you work on your resume? Interesting thought.

Read the rest of Glenn Kelman has to say about
"What Employers Want to See on Your Resume"

KISS (Keeping it Simple for Seekers)

Some of the categories on Guy's blog include:
* Apple
* Blogging
* Books
* Bootstrapping -- to start a business without external help/capital
* Competition
* Cool stuff -- he likes fast, expensive cars
* Customer Service
* Entre/intra-preneurship
* Facebook
* Innovation
* Lies -- his top ten lists
* Management
* Pitching, Presenting, and Speaking
* Recruiting -- what employers do to hire people like you, what they like and don't like
* Ten Questions -- interviews with other experts
* Venture Capital
* Web/Tech

Don't just market yourself, evangelize yourself! Check it out. I won't be ignoring Guy's blog anymore.
How to Change the World



...Pam

Can you Tweet your way to a new job?

Lots of Gen-Y bloggers out there think so, however I think that the rules of marketing yourself are pretty much the same whether you are using social networking or going to cocktail parties to do it. There is something to be said for developing real relationships with real people and having the skills to discuss problems and opportunities face-to-face (or at least over the phone), whether those relationships start online or in-person. Employers are need skills, but ultimately they hire people, real people with real skills including real people skills. Go ahead and use the net but remember its just one more tool in your job search kit. And remember, the older the person, the slower they may be to adopt new technology; many managers are not net-savvy GenY-ers and won't be looking for you online, except on a passive job board or your emailed application to them. Eventually they will want to see a resume and meet you "for real". Will you be ready for that conversation?

Check out these pages:

How Blogging and Social Networking Can Impact Your Job Search

Will Social Networking Get You a Job? on Yahoo Hot Jobs

Twitter Your Way to a New Job on Employment Digest Net

KISS (Keeping it Simple for Seekers)
- Reflect your personality on your profile but keep it professional
- Post quality content that shows an employer the qualities and skills you can contribute
- Don’t blog, tweet or go on Facebook during company time unless its part of your job to do so
- Google yourself every once in a while; see what potential employers might see when they search for your name; you may be careful, but are your friends?
- Don't spam your followers or friends
- The quality of your effort determines the return you get from your investment of time
- Remember that social networking is just one tool

...Pam

Summer Job and a Summer Vacation? Can you have BOTH?

You sweat your way through the fall and winter semesters at school. You struggled to land a job for the summer or may be you are still looking. You need to work, but what you really want is a vacation. Can you pull it off? While you might be thinking of where you'd go and whether or not you can afford the trip, there is another critical piece to the planning process that is often overlooked by summer employees. Will the boss give you the time off?

Don't assume because everyone else at work is going to get some time away this summer that you will, too. The fact is that your job may exist because others are going on vacation and you are needed to hold down the fort. So how do you take care of you?

Negotiate!

If you know in advance that Cousin Jim is finally marrying his longtime girlfriend in Saskabush this summer and that you'll need a couple of extra days off to get to the wedding and back again, ask for this time off when you are negotiating other aspects of the job offer like pay and work schedule. You may have a rough time getting along with your supervisor if you accept a summer job only to ask for time off soon after your work begins.

Sometimes, though, opportunities to get away just pop up. On Tuesday you may think that you'll be stuck in an artificially-lit cubicle all summer, but by Thursday you may have an offer you don't want to refuse to stay at a beach-side cabin the following week. What shall you do? How should you ask?

The following articles all offer some good tips on negotiating days off and for other things, too, that make working worthwhile. Check them out:

Canadian Living - "Negotiate Time off for the Holidays"

Career Builder - Things You Can Negotiate for at Work and Didn't Know

Changing Minds - The Right Time to Negotiate

KISS

- Ideally, negotiate for time off when you are negotiating the job offer; you may even get paid days off if you ask for them up front
- Ask co-workers who have been on the job longer for tips on how to approach the boss
- Know your employer's (the organization's and your supervisor's) needs and tailor your request to be win-win
- Anticipate and plan around any draw-backs your employer may bring up
- Choose an appropriate time to meet; don't send your request by email unless several long-time employees insist that this is the best strategy
- Make your case clearly and be honest
- Be prepared for the offer of un-paid leave; will you take it?
- Be prepared for "no"; how will you cope if you cannot go?

Have a great summer and, my wish for you, a happy vacation, too.


...Pam