thecareerbeat.com Blog

Wall Street mess changes job-search game?

Adios, third quarter! I can only hope that our country’s economic (not to mention political) situation improves in the fourth quarter.

The current financial mess has many of us anxious about job prospects.  Unemployment is on the rise, and layoff reports are increasingly in the news

In a new article, career expert Joe Turner writes that people seeking jobs must change their approach. He believes job seekers must market themselves as problem-solvers and profitable “brands” that will boost the employer’s bottom line.

Turner’s article is definitely worth a read; it may help you enhance your strategy. I wouldn’t call the current meltdown a “game changer,” however. Job-search fundamentals still apply and still work.  I would also recommend reading “Job-Hunting in an Unsteady Economy” and “12 Tips for a Lengthy Job Search.”

Sunday reading: Green the bailout

I have become a big fan of Thomas L. Friedman, who writes some great op-ed pieces for the New York Times.

His “Green the Bailout” column today is great, arguing that the big bailout, while necessary, should also build a foundation for a new movement or opportunity for our country to lead.  He advocates that the U.S. should launch a energy-technology revolution in conjunction with the bailout, one that will stimulate the economy by creating new types of jobs, from green-collar construction jobs to solar-panel designing jobs.

I definitely agree.  Both Friedman and Al Gore have offered our country a vision of what is possible.  I hope more leaders take up the mantle!

In the meantime, I will keep calling attention to green career opportunities.  There is a new piece on Yahoo! Green about a new resource for finding green jobs, called the “Green Jobs Guidebook.”  Check it out.

Hot tech job: Biologist?

I’m all about hot jobs these days, and here’s a surprising one caught my eye while reading Fortune magazine.

Due to the solar-power boom, engineering companies are scrambling to hire biologists to help with wildlife and environmental surveys to make sure new solar stations in deserts and fields meet government standards. Obviously, the goal is to not run afoul of protections for threatened species. (Hello, desert tortoise!)

According to the Fortune article, the work is labor-intensive but lucrative (upwards of $120K). Nice work if you can get it.

The. Worst. Interview. Question. Ever.

I think the worst moment of any job interview is when you hear, “So, what are your weaknesses?”

Most people I’ve talked to on the job-seeker side tend to agree. The problem is that people rarely tell the truth, or they manipulate it to a degree that it feels phony. Come on, who’s going to say, “I have zero patience for incompetents or posers”?

Many recruiters, on the other hand, disagree about the question’s worthlessness. In a recent edition of the Recruiter Roundtable on Yahoo! HotJobs, I was surprised to see most participants defend the practice of asking a candidate about his or her weaknesses.

“It’s not that I want to nitpick or make people feel uncomfortable, but rather I want to see in which areas they feel they need to improve and what they are doing about it,” says DeLynn Senna, a staffing executive with Robert Half International.

I’d like to strike that question from the interviewer lexicon, but it’s not going to happen. Read the article for more tips on coping with it, or using it to your advantage.

Poll: People are expecting job changes

Interesting results today from the latest Yahoo! HotJobs poll. I think the percentage of those who plan to stick around could be a sign of workers hunkering down to weather the tough economy.

Q	Do you expect to be in the same job with the same employer a year from now?
Yes	45%
No	55%
7858 Votes to date

But still more than half expect to move on, which reflects well on workers’ optimism about the job market.

Sunday reading: Creativity and work

My inner novelist was stimulated by a few articles in today’s papers.So many of us long to be creative or artistic in some way, and outlets for those impulses usually don’t mesh with one’s work. An article in today’s SF Chronicle, “The Art of Working,” looks at how some people balance their jobs with their artistic pursuits. (I can’t find the link — I’ll keep looking.)

Fortunately I have a job that allows me to write and edit and be creative. I’m not churning out novels, but I am exercising important muscles in a satisfying way.

Mike George, the head of QVC, admits to having a passion for writing in today’s “The Boss” profile in the NYT. He indulges that passion by writing a weekly email to the whole company in which he shares his thoughts and personal experiences. While some might think it’s corny or “TMI,” George reports that it builds a great level of connection and community in his company. Interesting idea.

I believe today is the official start of autumn, my favorite season. And it’s going to be packed with interesting stuff to watch, like the Wall Street crisis and the presidential election — not to mention football!

Old-school job-hunting techniques still work

Despite the popularity and ease of the Internet, job seekers can still find success with traditional methods.

Dust off the stationery! Where are those postage stamps?

In “Classic Job-Search Techniques You Should Use,” a writer from Robert Half International raises a good reason why you should consider the old-school methods: competitiveness. Sending your resume via snail mail on nice paper — in addition to sending via email — could make you stand out in a positive way. (Of course it could also backfire in adding to the hiring manager’s clutter, so it’s a gamble.)

The article’s tip that I find most interesting: It’s OK to let your resume go to two pages. As long as you’ve got the accomplishments to merit it!

Study: Solar tax credits will create jobs

If McCain and Obama are serious about creating jobs, they should look at extending tax credits to solar power companies.

A new study released today by Navigant Consulting claims that 440,000 permanent jobs would be created in the solar energy sector if Congress extends the solar investment tax credit for eight years.

I haven’t heard any good arguments about why Congress should NOT extend the tax credit. The stimulus could kick-start the kind of energy innovation that will help our country and our climate.

You can find the full press release and full study at the Solar Energy Industries Association site.

Solar-sector jobs aren’t the only ones poised for growth. Read more about green-collar jobs that have potential for growth and stability.

Sunday reading: Plentiful jobs, tough jobs

Some items of note in today’s newspapers:

– “Jobs are out there, even in a bad economy” says the headline in today’s SF Chronicle (the article is syndicated by Newhouse News). It’s a good reminder that there is still plenty of hiring going on, but people have to look closely at segments of the market rather than the big picture.

– The above article also notes that in a good economy, small businesses benefit more. And small businesses do worse in a tough economy (like now); a good example is found in today’s NYT article about struggling entrepreneurs. Read the cautionary tales in “Economy to Entrepreneurs: Turn Back.”

– For a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at one tough job, check out “Flying the Unfriendly Skies.” A reporter posed as a flight attendant and offers a unique perspective on the frustration of air travel today.

6 job-hunting advantages

Pessimism is on the rise among U.S. job-seekers. And with the continual rise in unemployment this year, you can’t really blame them.

According to a Yahoo! HotJobs survey last month, 53% of workers believed the job market would get worse in the next six months. In addition, 28% said they wanted to look for a new job but were too discouraged by the current economic climate.

But the sober perceptions may not jive with reality. There are many sectors experiencing robust hiring activity right now, and some good examples are showcased in the HotJobs 100 list right now.

I have also compiled from career experts six tips that help job-seekers get an edge in this market; see them at “6 Job-Hunting Advantages.”