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Top 5 Job Opportunities for Winter

By Jared Cole on Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Jobs during winter season With January in full swing, you may feel like your job search has turned as cold as the weather. But, that doesn’t mean job opportunities have gone away to hibernate like a den of bears. There are plenty of jobs that peak in the wintertime, which can be used to your advantage.

While those with long-term career goals may not find these types of jobs to have a lasting effect, they can be great opportunities to help build work experience and get your foot in the door with employers and decision makers. Here are some jobs that see a spike in hiring during the winter months.

Tax Preparer
Two things are inevitable – death and taxes. While many tax payers wait as close to the dreaded April 15 deadline as possible, everybody will be receiving W-2 forms from their employers at the beginning of the year. With H&R Block expected to hire about 80,000 tax preparers from January until the end of April, now is a great opportunity for you to sign up with accounting and tax services for some short-term employment that could last until spring. Those looking for extra accounting experience should jump at the chance to work in and become familiar with potential employers of interest.

Fitness Trainer
With a new year come New Year’s resolutions, and the most common resolution is to get back into shape. Fitness center attendance and membership peak in January, which can be a great opportunity for you to meet the demand for personal trainers and gym staff. Just as people are exercising for a new beginning, you can work to achieve a new beginning in your career.

Tutor
Many high school juniors and seniors are starting to focus on getting ready for college now that the school year is half over. Anyone looking for an educational career can always tutor students looking to get ready for the SAT, ACT, or any other test needed for college placement. It’s great experience teaching students in a small group or one-on-one and can provide a supplemental income if you want to take advantage of the increased demand for substitute teachers during the cold and flu season.

Cruise Lines
Depending on your location, cruise lines are always looking for extra help during their peak business times in February. Vacationers from cold climates are looking to escape snow and biting winds for sunshine and sea air. If you don’t mind staying away from home for long periods of time, you can find working for cruise lines a great way to work on customer service and other soft skills. That way, you can take a small break from the job search while still developing skills.

If you live on the coast, you can also consider working at beach hotels and resorts. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that housekeeping, food and beverage, and front desk opportunities nearly double during peak winter vacation time.

There’s No Business Like Snow Business
If you live in a colder region, there will inevitably be snow covering the ground. That means someone has to help plow the streets, tow the cars, and shovel the driveways. It may be manual labor, but it’s a great networking opportunity for you to get to know people in your community. Demonstrating your ability to work in any situation and grow relationships can help you find leads for a long-term job.

Don’t let the vernal equinox hold you back from finding work this year. If there’s a will, there’s a way you can find jobs that will lead to something greater and help you sharpen and develop useful skills. What are some ideas you’ve had for winter work?

The Job Search

Infographic: Job Market Forecast for 2013

By Jared Cole on Friday, January 4, 2013

Despite the findings behind the recent Movin’ On Up poll predicting a less than positive outcome for the 2013 job market, there are measures job seekers can take to be ahead of the competition this year. Some ways to do so include becoming social media and technology savvy, being passionate, and continuously improving.

Take a look at this infographic from the Career Advisory Board at DeVry University that presents what job seekers can expect and what will be expected of them in 2013.

Inside Express Reader Surveys

What are Your Job Market Predictions for 2013? Take our Poll!

By Jared Cole on Monday, December 31, 2012

2013 is here! We’ve avoided a Mayan apocalypse, celebrated the holidays, and started off a new year of possibilities. While many economic experts are predicting a slow but steady growth in the job market, some aren’t sharing the same optimism. New York-based private research group, The Conference Board, released an index indicating employment growth over the next several months will slow down.

What do you think? Do you agree with The Conference Board or do you have bigger, better plans for your career? Let us know in the following poll. If you have your own prediction, share it with everyone in the comments section below.

Career Options Networking The Job Search

Being a Hobbit in a Middle Earth Sized Job Market

By Jared Cole on Wednesday, December 19, 2012

The Hobbit Job Search As you’ve probably heard a million times, the fantasy epic, “The Hobbit” was released in theaters this weekend. It’s kind of a big deal right now. In its opening weekend, the movie broke box office records for December with more than $84 million in ticket sales. If you’ve been secluded in your hobbit hole and are unfamiliar with the tale or the classic book the movie is based on, here’s a brief overview:

Young mild-mannered Bilbo Baggins enjoys living a quiet life in his secluded village until he’s recruited by the wizard Gandalf to join him with a group of dwarfs on a wild adventure to get back their stolen gold from an evil dragon.

Little Bilbo is just trying to make sense of this huge world he’s been thrust into. Doesn’t that feel like you when searching for a job? You – being a lone job seeker in a giant world of organizations, committees, hiring managers, and competition you have no control over – can feel a lot like Bilbo setting out on his first adventure. But, you don’t have to feel that way. You can be the hero of your own job search if you take some simple cues from “The Hobbit.”

Seek to be Unique
At first, taking Bilbo on a dangerous adventure seemed like a bad choice. He had no traveling, combat, or leadership experience with no apparent skills that he could provide the group. The dwarfs were properly equipped and trained for almost anything and had been working together for many years. However, the wizard Gandalf saw something in Bilbo that the dwarfs didn’t. The hobbit was small, swift, and stealthy – the exact opposite of the loud, fully-armored dwarfs. This talent helps Bilbo save the dwarfs from certain doom on many occasions throughout the story.

As a job seeker, you may not be the most experienced or have the most connections, but you do have a talent or skill that is better than the others. Focus on what you do best and find the employers who are looking for those skills. Being a jack of all trades but a master of none isn’t as impressive as a master of one talent that is in demand.

Mentor Locator
You can’t do everything on your own. Bilbo never would have started if he didn’t get guidance and counsel from the wizard Gandalf. The wizard recruited and promoted Bilbo to the skeptic dwarfs and gave him the encouragement needed to finish the adventure.

That is why mentors are valuable resources who can help you focus your job search, open doors of opportunity, and even help develop your career after you find work. Start sharpening your networking skills like you would an Elven sword and build relationships that will lead to mentorship.

Outgrown the Comfort Zone
What separated Bilbo from the other Hobbits was his desire for adventure. He never would have left his shire if he didn’t get the nudge from Gandalf. So, the first step in your journey to employment should be to step out of your comfort zone. Take small steps that may not immediately land you your next job, but can help you develop skills and connections that will. Start with activities like volunteering, interning, or applying at a staffing agency.

Your job search may not be as dangerous as a trek across Middle Earth to fight a dragon, but sometimes finding a job may feel just as scary. A little Hobbit named Bilbo took a chance and had an adventure of a lifetime. Will you take the same chances in your job search?

Career Options The Job Search

J.O.B. 1: Behind the Right Job

By Jared Cole on Friday, November 23, 2012

What job is right for you? It’s a big question to ask when you start your job search. While pay and work hours should be major factors, one of the most important things to look for is a job you can see yourself enjoying.

In a global study by BlessingWhite, an employee engagement and leadership development consulting firm, the top reason employees worldwide give for staying with their employer is “My work. I like the work that I do.”

To help you get started, check out in to J.O.B.1’s: Behind the Right Job to hear a story of how one woman’s talents, passions, and ideal work environment led to a job that helps her grow and excel in the workplace.

Current Affairs Inside Express

Give Thanks This Thanksgiving

By Jared Cole on Wednesday, November 21, 2012

With Thanksgiving tomorrow, shift your focus beyond the workplace or the job market, but to focus inwardly and reflect on the past and where you are today. Even if you are dealing with long periods of unemployment or an unsatisfying work environment, there are opportunities you can still be thankful for and you can use this time to focus on positive, forward thinking.

Thanksgiving and its traditions date back to 1621, which have given generations time to focus on everything to be grateful about. This holiday is about seeing the good in our lives and being appreciative regardless of our surroundings or situations.

It’s not about how many job offers you’ve received or how close you are to a promotion, it’s about being content with who, what, and where you are right now. It’s also about having appreciation for how far you’ve come and the challenges you’ve overcome.

Gratitude
Job searching isn’t easy, and sometimes it’s tempting to focus on the rejection and disappointment when not offered a job. Take this Thanksgiving break to focus on the positive. Positive thinking can attract abundance and prosperity, which you need in any stressful situation. You can’t control things outside of yourself, but you are in control of what you think, feel, and do.

Prosperity
What you think about, you bring about. When you are with family this Thanksgiving, remember how you feel. When the stress of job searching or piling deadlines gets too heavy this holiday season, you can focus on that inner joy and vision to turn your attitude on positive things. And, as you’ve heard many times, “Attitude is everything.” Take the time to find inner prosperity, so it can be louder than the stressful noise outside.

No limits
Be grateful even when certain job opportunities fall through, and always detach from a specific outcome. When you’re passed on a job opening, it wasn’t right for you. The best job for you will come at the right time. Instead, focus on what you’d want if you had no limitations. Forward thinking will help you stay on track and maintain a positive attitude. In the end, your job search is about you and meeting your own needs. Sometimes you need to take a break and remind yourself of that fact.

Everyone at Movin’ On Up and Express Employment Professionals would like to wish you a happy and safe Thanksgiving. No matter where you are in life, there is plenty for which to be thankful. Take a break, enjoy time surrounded by friends and loved ones, and focus on what you already have and cherish it. What are you most thankful for? Share with us in the comments section below.

The Job Search

Job Searching… Where do I Start?

By Jared Cole on Monday, November 19, 2012

Losing or leaving a job can bring even the most positive person down. And, if you find yourself in this situation, it’s important to remember when starting your job search to think upwardly – in your attitude and actions. Staying optimistic can keep you motivated and energized during your search, be an impressive quality to potential employers, and help point you in the right direction.

Thinking “up” isn’t just in your attitude, it’s in every aspect of your job search. You can remember these three “ups” that will give you a starting point for your job search:

Touch up
First, start internally by updating and touching up your resume. Don’t worry about how long it is, just start updating by listing your previous jobs and include your achievements in each job. Employers look for tangible, real figures like the number of customers you have served in a day, how much money you saved the company, how much you increased your employer’s business, how many products you sold, or the amount of people you managed in a team and how it impacted your employer. Don’t just list your job duties. Listing specific achievements will catch a hiring manager’s attention. Once you find the job openings you want, then you can customize your resume with the right experience that best fits that job description for a tighter, more effective résumé.

Lookup
Now that you are ready to market yourself as a job candidate, it’s time to find your venues. First, look up former employees or managers you worked closely with and ask for their permission to serve as references. Some employers require a list and contact information for those who can vouch for your work, and you’ll need to have it ready. Think outside the box too. If you volunteer or have any group hobbies, include someone who can say good things about your leadership or soft skills. These references can also help connect you with decision makers and influencers in your field that you can build relationships with in the future.

Use an internet search to find local professional clubs or groups in your area. Most of the time, their websites will have job postings, networking events, and chances for you to grow and develop trending skills in your industry if you attend their meetings. You can also find out where employers and recruiters post the kinds of jobs you need, and you can find where you can post your resume so it can get the most attention. If you have an idea of some companies you’d like to work for, research their websites and find some people who work for them to get to know the company better. Check your network to see if you know any current employees.

Set up
With the people and venues you’ve found, the next step is to get ready. You may be rusty or haven’t had much practice interviewing or building a resume, so here is your chance to get some peer review. Call and schedule time for an informational interview with your references, leaders in your professional association, or the new contacts you made at a company of interest to you. These informational interviews can help you see what you’re good at and identify areas you need to improve. They can tell you what you should focus your resume on and what to leave out. You’ll feel more confident and comfortable when you go in for a real interview.

It’s also a good idea to set up professional or work-related social media profiles like Twitter, Linkedin, or a blog to help build a professional image when employers research your name.

Did you start your job search a little differently? Tell us your story about starting a new job search in the comments section below.