Wages

I've begun to see a little light at the end of the tunnel for wages lately. Recently Progressive has been offering a $500 bonus to new employees. I've also begun seeing some of the higher wage postings on some of the job boards. This is a good thing for anyone that is hunting for a job. I've also begun to see a few new companies getting their start and that they have begun to hire. Near my house also there is a new motorcycle dealership that opened a few months ago. For the time being though you need to be on top of your game when you are applying for a job. Remember, you are being called because the business has a need. You are not being called because you have a need like a paycheck. Offer exactly whenever possible what they are looking for and you will have a greater chance of becoming hired.

Sent from my Cricket mobile device

Assessments

There are many assessments for just about every job these days. You need to be prepared for them if you are new to the job market. My Son was in the middle of doing one for Favoli's restaurants today. He couldn't complete it, actually kind of freaked out on it and left the site. That's why I know that he hasn't really been looking for a job, the assessment wouldn't have shocked him. This is also something that I called attention to which greatly annoyed him.

Don't let the assessments annoy you, they are a fact of life. Remember, the prospective employer doesn't really know or what kind of a job you've done. That's why many of the assessments are very much work related to test your skills, make sure that your skills are up to date. Most of the call centers I worked at made sure that I knew how to navigate Windows. Many of the assessments are also psychological in nature, they test the way you think.

You can definitely be successful at the testing if I was able to do it successfully. I've done many of them over the years and will do many more in the future I'm sure. If you think you can do it, you can and will succeed.

The last year

It's been a good year so far and I have a lot to be thankful for. I have a stable and steady job where I have been at for getting close to two years. That's what I was looking for when I was looking for a job the last time. After working for a few years in call centers a few years I was looking for a real change. A few of the call centers had pretty high turnover rates; it leaves you with a bit of fear. It may be irrational fear but it's still fear.

Of the four call centers I worked for three have moved, one out of the US. One call center that I was also hired to work at never got to open in 2007. The point is that there are opportunities out there that are available right now that will be long term. That is why I am thankful today, I have steady employnment these days. Retail seems to be something that I fit well in even though I really wasn't directly looking for a retail position.

Be open to every possibility that comes your way. Just because a new job isn't the same as your last job doesn't mean it won't be good fit. It might turn out to be a even better fit for you as my career change has been for me. You probably have a very extensive skillset that you just need to market effectively.

A brighter future

While I don't know how the job market is elsewhere entirely it does seem to be on the way to picking up here. We are having a couple of new call centers opening up here even if they are small call centers. There are also two data centers opening but it will be a while for them, about another year. I've also been seeing some nationwide ads for managers for car rental companies and some others. It's beginning to look to me that we have turned the corner on unemployment but it will take a long time to make a real dent.

For the next few years there will be a lot of competition for any available jobs. That is just a fact of life these days and will be for a while yet. Still, I personally know people that have found full time jobs the last few months and many others that have found part time jobs. In April 2010 I started at the job I'm working, went to 32 hours per week in June 2010 and last month went to 40 hours per week. That's why I say that part time jobs can become full time jobs. Don't be afraid of taking a part time job, it just might work out well for you as it has for me.

Uploading resumes

every four or five days even if you don't change anything in it. About four days after you've uploaded your resume you'll stop receiving calls from recruiters. This is not a good thing unless you really do want a little break from the employment search. There was a couple of times I did that on purpose too the last few years.

By uploading your resume so often it brings it to the top of the stack so to speak. The freshest resume gets the call in just about every case. While other sites have the ability for you to post your resume the primary ones I received calls in relation to were Monster and CareerBuilder. All the other sites (and there were several) just make it easier to apply to jobs. Beyond the resume I will mention that any cover letters you post need to be extremely general in nature. Usually there's the ability to modify it slightly so that you can focus it to the position.  

Determination

I'll never forget one time a few years ago as I look out at the present lightly falling snow. I had an interview for an appointment setting position with a roofing company. It was snowing a lot earlier that day, there was about six inches of snow on the ground. Since I ride a bicycle everywhere I ended up getting to the interview soaked up to my chest. Snow plows passing me doused me with slush, slush and snow splashed up from the tires. By the time that I got to the interview I was feeling a bit miserable as wet and cold as I was.

It ended up that I did get the job though it did turn out that I'm not a very good appointment setter. After going from door to door through several neighborhoods I never did get one appointment set up. Looking back I've thought about why he hired me on that day. It wasn't because he thought I was great appointment setter material, it was because I showed determination. Most people wouldn't have shown up to the interview when they ride a bike as primary transportation especially during a heavy snow.

If you can show that you are determined you will be a more successful job seeker when you do look for a job. You are showing the attitude that you will get the job done, the business will be more successful. This can't ever hurt your chances regardless of the job market or the unemployment rate. That seems to be a general trait of all us who found employment during the last few years. Don't ever be afraid of showing a can-do attitude when you are seeking a new job or career.

A really unusual technique

I just came across a really interesting story of an unusual job hunt and I've read some unusual ones. Even have a few unusual ones to tell that I did myself over the years. Alec Brownstein is an advertising professional who decided to bypass the normal process of submitting resumes and cover letters. He figured that most people Google themselves as I have myself a few times.

He bought ad space that attached itself to the names of top-advertising directors. When they Googled themselves his ads would appear at the top of the results. The ads reportedly stated that Googling yourself is fun and that hiring Alec was fun also. There was then provided a link to his website. It only took a few months and cost about $6 to find a job with Young & Rubicam.  

In the past, a lot of call centers

Having worked in a few call centers in the past I learned one main thing. Always be ready at a moments notice to kick off your job hunt again. There was so many times that I would go into work and a coworker that I knew had just lost their job. Some of them I really felt were good friends. More than once I was only one left from an entire work team at that call center. This kind of experience does scar you a bit I'll admit when you have lived it. It can't help but affect you in some ways.

With my experience at the call centers I pull out my resume and dust it off about once every three months. Then I look it over to see what I might want to edit and rewrite to improve it. When you are hunting for job an effectively written resume will always shorten your job hunt more than anything else. While I've been very successful finding jobs the last few years it still isn't something that I like doing. Still, I always make sure I'm prepared at all times, there's been more than once I'm glad that I was ready.