May, 2012 | Journey

Using Your Time Off to Your Advantage

By Jared Cole on Monday, May 14, 2012

An employment gap can be daunting, especially when you’re struggling to land a job and feel your work history gap is holding you back. Whether you’ve been laid off or chose to take a break from the workforce, it’s important to use your time to your advantage. Even when you’re spending much of your time job hunting, take time to focus on these five habits to build your résumé and keep your skills current during an employment gap.

Read. Every field is different, but each one has trade publications that cover the latest news and trends specific to that industry. By reading trade publications, you’ll stay up-to-date on information you need to know to compete with other job candidates who haven’t left the industry. You can access many of these publications online or at your local library. Remaining knowledgeable about your profession will help you remain relevant to potential employers.

Volunteer. If you don’t use the skills you have, you lose them. In this competitive job market, it’s critical to keep your skills sharp and active. Consider volunteering in your community with an organization that will allow you to continue using your job skills. Then, list your volunteer activities and the skills you used on your résumé to show potential employers your experience. Volunteering your time and talents will also allow you to build important contacts, helping to expand your job search.

Continue Your Education. Technology and training are always changing, which makes continued education an important differentiator. Community colleges and vocational schools often offer low-cost career development classes for adults, so enroll in a class that will benefit your job search and your skill set. Consider classes that focus on communication, computer technology, or industry specific courses that will build your knowledge base and elevate your value to employers.

Freelance. Much like volunteering, taking on a freelance project requires you to practice your skills, use your knowledge, and put your experience to work. Doing freelance work can also help you supplement your income while you search for a more consistent job. Seek out freelance opportunities from companies you’d like to work for full time. This can help you get your foot in the door and build your professional network.

Network. Now is a great time to build your network of those who know you personally and professionally. Continue to meet new people, reconnect with former co-workers and supervisors, and build on your current relationships to broaden your job opportunities. When you’re hunting for a job, sometimes your established network will be the first to tell you about a job or refer you for a position. By staying connected through your contacts, your name will be top of mind when employers begin looking for the right person for the job.

Instead of worrying about gaps in your work history, use your time wisely by building your résumé, polishing your skills, and seeking out job opportunities. Give yourself an edge over your competition by focusing on these five habits when you’re without a job. Be persistent, and you may just land the job you’ve been working toward!

Career Options The Job Search

Quick Ways to Put Some Sizzle in Your Cold Job Search

By Jared Cole on Monday, May 7, 2012

Old Man Winter is saying goodbye. The bitter cold wind is going away, flowers are blooming, and people are trading sweaters and snow boots for shorts and sandals. The ski trips and winter activities have come to an end, and many graduates will be starting their job search.

Your job search may have gone cold during the winter months while dealing with holidays and other distractions, but now that spring is here and summer is soon approaching, it’s the perfect time to heat up that sluggish job search. Here are some quick ways you can bring a little sizzle and spark some new life into your job seeking efforts.

Catch up with Old Contacts
Maybe you haven’t had the chance to keep up with a few contacts in the past few months. Now that the weather is warming up, it would be a great opportunity to schedule a quick meeting outside a coffee shop, ice cream parlor, or deli to catch up. Even if they don’t have any leads, it’s always a good idea to stay fresh in their minds in case they find one.

A summer barbeque is a good reason to fire up the grill and invite old friends and new people to a gathering. You never know who you’ll meet and what new leads they could have.

Give Your Attire a Makeover
Does your interview clothing have any holes, missing buttons, stains, or tears? If it can be repaired, fix it yourself or get someone who knows what they’re doing to help. If it needs to be cleaned, send it to a professional cleaner to take care of it. Make sure you’re not missing any key pieces to your wardrobe if you need professional attire. If on a budget, you can find good quality items at resale shops as long as you’re willing to look for them.

You may also want to consider purchasing an entirely new wardrobe if you have the budget. You always want to look your best, and new, fresh attire can give you that boost of confidence you need when interviewing or attending professional events. Some discount stores may offer great deals in the summer for recent college graduates.

Review, Renew, and Revise
Have you updated your résumé recently? Think about what you’ve accomplished in the past few months. List any new skills you’ve acquired, training you’ve completed, or any other relevant information that has changed.

You can also consider changing the format of your résumé. After catching up with your contacts, ask them what they think about your résumé to see if they can offer any input. Try researching some résumés that stick out to see if you can still display relevant information, but express your professional experience as well.

Call for Help
You can also reach out to people in your industry network by scheduling some informational interviews. During the summertime, it’s actually easier to meet with decision makers since their schedule typically isn’t as tight and they can be more generous with their time. Informational interviews not only help you become better at answering questions and perfecting your elevator pitch, but also allow to be more visible to decision makers.

If you’re frustrated doing things on your own, consider hiring a job coach or contacting a staffing agency. Job coaches can provide good, real-world advice on ways to improve your résumé, cover letter, and interview skills. There are also free services offered by staffing agencies that can provide helpful guidance in your job search.

The weather is getting hotter, so should your job search. For whatever reason, if your job search has gone cold, now is the time to light the fires and set your job search ablaze! What are some ways you’ve added some sizzle when looking for a job?

At Work Workplace Relationships

Complain About a Co-Worker Without Being a Tattletale

By Jared Cole on Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Everybody has that one person in mind. It feels like there’s almost always that one employee who never comes to work on time, eats their smelly food at their desk , or tends to make offhanded remarks while at work. While you should always strive to build strong working relationships with your fellow co-workers, sometimes those workplace relationships can’t grow without resolving the inevitable conflicts that arise when working with other people.

While complaining at every turn may not be the best way for you to resolve the situation, there are several things you can do to ease the tension without gaining the reputation of being the workplace crier. Here are some ways you can let your co-worker know how annoying they are without getting them in trouble or you looking like a squealer.

Make it Better Before it Gets Worse
More often than not, problems or issues that are ignored and unaddressed can build up until they explode into a less than professional situation for you. It’s far better to address the difficult person while maintaining some objectivity and emotional control. Take the time to understand why you feel this way and how your co-worker’s behavior can affect productivity.

If you don’t handle it on your own and go straight to management with your issues, it can tarnish your image of being promotable. Managers will wonder why you’re not able to resolve the issue, which will make them wonder if you have the ability and understanding to lead and make difficult decisions for the company.

Go Mano-a-Mano
One of the easiest ways to resolve an issue with a co-worker is to be a friend. After all, you are trying to look out for your employer and your co-worker’s best interest. Pull your co-worker aside and mention that they’re breaking a rule. If a colleague is using foul language in the workplace, tell them that their manager is bound to hear it at some point. This kind of method helps you communicate a minor complaint without putting the spotlight on yourself.

Sometimes you have to be direct, but with a pleasant and agreeable attitude when talking to your co-worker. Try discussing how their actions make you feel. If a co-worker keeps coming in late, explain why you have to put off your lunch breaks to cover for them. Unfortunately, some difficult people just don’t care. During the discussion, try to reach an agreement about positive and supportive actions going forward. Then, make sure to follow up with the co-worker to see if any progress has been made.

When in Doubt, Reach Out
If you’ve done all you can on your own, it might be time to call for some help. Consider rallying other employees who might also have an issue with the annoying co-worker. But be careful with this approach. Other employees might not have put the same tact and effort into their confrontation with the co-worker. Sometimes, a group approach can make your manager think that the impact of the behavior is wider and deeper than originally determined. Be careful with this approach, however. Know what works with your boss.

If you have to go to a manager, try going to the co-workers direct supervisor so the situation won’t escalate too far. If you do go to upper management, make sure your complaints are valid and it is a serious enough offense that disciplinary action should be taken. When talking to the manager, make sure you include a good amount of praise for the co-worker. Explain how you tried to work things out, but it didn’t get anywhere.

Make it Productive
Before talking to management about the situation, figure out if there are any flaws or areas of improvement in your employer’s policy and procedures. Maybe better training or scheduling is needed to avoid situations. Focusing on the root of the problem and offering ideas to fix the situation can make a great impression on your boss and is more effective than complaining. It turns you from a whiner into a problem solver. No boss on the planet is going to be upset when you go to them with a solution.

Sometimes it can be difficult to address conflicts in the workplace, but they don’t have to be as dreadful if you keep a positive attitude and put the focus on improving the situation and not on your complaints. What are some ways you have dealt with annoying co-workers? Let us know in the comments below.

Inside Express Reader Surveys

Will You Take a Summer Vacation? Take Our Poll

By Jared Cole on Tuesday, May 1, 2012

We mentioned back in March that most Americans are vacation deprived. With summer quickly approaching, now is the perfect time to plan and prep for a getaway. So, we were wondering if any of you will be taking some time off in the near future. Let us know in the poll below, and tell us where you plan on going in the comments section.

Monthly Archives: May 2012