by cjxpadmin | May 1, 2013 | This Issue's FEATURE, Uncategorized
By Sheena Williams
There are days when you’re working or about to start a job, when you might find yourself falling into the pitfalls of work don’ts. It’s easy to do, you get comfortable in your position, and you feel that you have some leeway. Though this may be true in some offices, there are some things that you shouldn’t do, no matter how long you’ve been at your place of work. These things can make or break your career, and it’s best to avoid them as much as possible!
Office Gossip — You know, the old “he said, she said” bit. Don’t get pulled into that trap. Your reputation, as well as the person being discussed, is in jeopardy. It’s good to know what is going on in your company, but if it is not work-related or substantiated by the person being discussed, then, take no part in it! You don’t want to be known as a gossip, and you don’t want to be the one who gets caught spreading it.
Social Networking During Work — We’ll leave the part about how you should not be doing anything personal on your work computer anyway. It doesn’t matter if it’s in your office or the break room. But saying negative things about your work or co-workers while people on your page are people you work with is not a good idea, regardless of whether you are at work or not. You are in a world where if someone can walk over you to get ahead, they will. So, it won’t be anything to them to report you to higher authorities.
Relationships — Your work relationships and your personal relationships are two different things and the two shall never meet. If you are fighting with your boyfriend, then, that stays at home. You don’t bring it to work with you. If it’s not work-related, then, it doesn’t follow you to work. If your work day ends at 5:00 pm, then, your work shouldn’t follow you home. When you meld the two together, you find yourself crossing boundaries that you wouldn’t normally cross during your on or off hours. Do yourself, your family, and your job a favor and keep those two relationships far away from each other.
Making Commitments You Can’t Keep — If you sign a contract, that means that you are legally bound to follow it. If you don’t read your contract and later find that you can’t uphold your end of the bargain, then, that’s on you. Don’t over-promise. Your employer and other employees are expecting you to do what you said you would do. At the end of the day, all you have is your word, and if you are not able to keep it, then, you’re wasting not only their time, but yours.
Getting Angry — Being angry is a natural emotion; however, being irrational and starting a screaming match in the middle of the office is not acceptable. There are days that you may feel angry and you may have every right to feel it. You worked hard on getting that promotion, and then, it went to someone else. You’ve put in your full time hours and you’ve done what you were asked to do, however, your employer feels that you should do more. Get over it! Either it’s enough of a problem that you are discussing it with your employer in a calm manner, or it’s not worth it. It not only makes you look bad, but that kind of problem can follow you to your next job.
Whining — No one likes it. Stop it. It is a well-known fact that people who are doing the whining are usually the ones who are making the work day miserable. Whining doesn’t give you any kind of results. It’s just that — whining! When something happens, take a deep breath, slowly count to 10 and reflect on all of the positive things in your favor. You are in control of your happiness, and it is up to you to make sure that you are happy! CHOOSE TO BE HAPPY!
There are so many things that we didn’t cover on what not to do, but these should get you through your work day without too many problems. Remember, only you can tell you what is going to keep you happy. If you find that you are having a hard time with any of these, maybe a change of workplace is in order. No on can make you happy, and you have to do what it takes to get you there! △
by cjxpadmin | May 1, 2013 | This Issue's FEATURE, Uncategorized
Top 10 Companies Hiring This Week
By Jake Thiewes
Updated Apr 22nd 2013 @ 8:58AM
Filed under: Companies Now Hiring, Top 10 Lists
A job search can get quite frustrating these days, with so many people competing for too few openings.
To ease the burden, AOL Jobs tracked down the 10 top companies that are hiring this week.
From sales jobs to finance positions, full-time to part-time, these employers have a plethora of openings they’re looking to fill.
Good luck job hunting!
1. Pizza Hut Jobs: 6,257 Openings
Pizza Hut continues to expand, adding new locations nationwide. For those with a knack for customer-service-with-a-smile, these jobs could be for you. Work in the store, or get behind the wheel as a delivery driver.
Employee Review: “Decent hours, fun working environment, challenging (but not too much), rewarding, quick training (I was cross-trained, so I could fill any role necessary).”
2. UnitedHealth Group Jobs: 3,367 Openings
UnitedHealth Group currently provides health insurance services to more than 75 million people worldwide.
Employee Review: “I really enjoyed my time at UnitedHealth Group. The trainers were very knowledgeable and were always there to answer any questions that I had. I worked as a claims associate for just a few short months before being promoted to another department. I then went on to work from home! Only left this company because of personal issues not related to my job. Great place to work!”
3. Macy’s Jobs: 1,984 Openings
Even though sales are down slightly, the retail giant continues to hire in large quantities nationwide.
Employee Review: “The management is competent. Employees are given a good discount and still able to use coupons. You can pick up more hours online when they become available.”
4. Chrysler-Mopar Jobs: 1,889 Openings
The company continues to add jobs throughout the country, with its latest hiring spree looking for workers to build Jeep vehicles in Toledo, Ohio.
Employee Review: “The company is extremely adaptable and resilient after its financial distress in recent years, and the company is very hopeful for the future. The need for young and creative people is overwhelming — those without automotive background may be better positioned than they think!”
5. AT&T Retail Jobs: 1,864 Openings
Wireless giant AT&T continues to hire in large volumes, as many customers upgrade their smartphones and purchase tablets that require LTE data plans.
Employee Review: “They provide great benefits and pay. I know they match quite a bit for 401(k) investment. It is a great job for someone interested in technology and learning about new technologies. Also, it is great to know that you are helping others out on a daily basis.”
6. Raytheon Jobs: 1,690 Openings
With annual sales of nearly $25 billion, Raytheon employs thousands, including veterans who are home again.
Employee Review: “The people and the technology were the best. Worked for them for 25 years. Excellent resource groups and activities.”
7. Wells Fargo Jobs: 1,354 Openings
In addition to fulfilling corporate-level positions, Wells Fargo has announced hundreds of open teller positions across the country, from Arizona to Idaho.
Employee Review: “Large company with a lot of training; encouraged to change positions/departments within bank to grow and learn; good senior management and diversity commitment.”
8. Allstate Jobs: 720 Openings
Insurance provider Allstate is not only looking for sales agents. They’re opening call centers around the country and need friendly, professional customer support staff to fill those jobs. The company is the second-largest personal insurer in the country.
Employee Review: “Over the past two years, the organization has really started to recognize the importance of retaining good talent by offering new developmental opportunities to all employees. The environment is also very inclusive and supportive. In my department, we work hard but have a lot of fun together as a team. Management recognizes the importance of work-life balance.”
9. Olive Garden Jobs: 313 Openings
Operating more than 800 locations globally, Olive Garden is one of several restaurant brands owned by Darden Restaurants. Most Olive Garden employees are part-time and earn the majority of their wages in tips.
Employee Review: “They give a good amount of hours and many of the workers work extra hard to help each other out.”
10. Rent-A-Center Jobs: 274 Openings
Operating more than 3,000 stores in the United States, Rent-A-Center, most recently in the state of Texas, followed other store openings throughout the year. The company plans to expand in Mexico as well.
Employee Review: “Always something new every day, never a dull moment. Small stores, opportunities to develop strong relationships with customers. Virtually no scripts to follow, no “dumbing-down” … employees are encouraged and empowered to answer challenges and solve problems.”
*All employee reviews sourced from Glassdoor, a free jobs and career community that offers the world an inside look at jobs and companies. △
by cjxpadmin | May 1, 2013 | This Issue's FEATURE, Uncategorized
The Best Job You Never Thought Of
By Annalyn Kurtz @CNNMoney April 25, 2013: 6:32 AM ET
One of the best jobs in America often flies under the radar.
It’s in high demand, can pay six-figures a year, and your employer often foots the bill for on-the-job training. No grad school required!
It’s an actuary, and for the past several years, it’s been highly ranked as one of the best jobs in America on various lists, the most recent of which was compiled by CareerCast.
Despite all the good publicity, I can tell you from personal experience that most people still don’t have an inkling what an actuary does.
My husband is an actuary, and when I introduce him to others as such, blank stares are common. Occasionally someone may say, “Oh, like the Ben Stiller character in Along Came Polly?” The next inevitable question: “Can he predict when I’ll die?”
So what is an actuary?
The job entails using statistics to estimate risks, usually for insurance companies. Actuaries set prices for insurance contracts and advise insurance companies just how much money they should set aside to pay out for future claims. They can also design pension and healthcare plans.
For example, an actuary may try to predict how much money an insurance company would have to pay out to cover damage from future hurricanes. Insu- rance companies and insurance-related consulting firms are their largest employers, but actuaries are also scattered throughout academia and the government (they’re crucial in the Social Security Administration, for example).
It’s still a relatively small occupation, employing about 22,000 people in the United States, but it’s expected to grow quickly. (By comparison, there are about 190,000 accountants in the country.)
The Labor Department forecasts the actuarial field will grow 27% between 2010 and 2020, adding 5,800 jobs during that decade. That’s more new jobs than are expected from the economist, statistician and mathematician occupations combined.
That said, it’s not an easy job to land, and it’s certainly not the best fit for everybody.
The key to becoming a full-fledged actuary lies in passing an intense series of seven to nine exams, which can take between six to eight years to complete.
The good news is that employers often pay for the studies. Employers will often hire math, statistics or business majors with starting salaries around $45,000 to $50,000 a year, and then give them paid time off to study and take their exams, said Tom Miller, principal of Pinnacle Group Actuarial Recruiting.
Related: Top-Paying Jobs
Usually the salary increases with each passed exam. By the time all the exams are completed, the salary could have doubled, to around $90,000 a year, plus a bonus, Miller said. The exams are notoriously difficult, and even among these math whizzes, it’s not uncommon to fail one or two.
“These are people who have probably never failed an exam in their lives. They’ve gotten straight A’s their whole life, and the failure rates can run as high as 60% on these exams. It’s very, very challenging,” Miller said.
Just go to a bar with a young actuary, and all they’ll talk about is studying. The standard practice is to study 300 to 400 hours per exam.
If you can pass all the exams, the job is considered high paying and secure. One study, by the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce, finds that actuarial science graduates had a near-zero unemployment rate in 2010.
“It’s a great job and one of the reasons why is the stability of the profession. Demand is greater than supply, and it’s been that way for 30-plus years. There’s no expectation that will change,” Miller said.
The few occupational hazards entail sometimes working 10-hour days, and of course, the occasional jokes about being a math nerd. As an accountant put it to me last month — “an actuary is someone who wanted to be an accountant, but didn’t have the personality for it.”
Actuaries often like to tell it the other way around. 
△
First Published: April 25, 2013: 6:32 AM ET
by cjxpadmin | May 1, 2013 | This Issue's FEATURE
Making It Past The 5-Second Resume Scan
www.careerealism.com
Here are the three areas I looked at when considering whether to invest more time:
Professional Formatting
When you’re reviewing 100 resumes a day, the ones that really stick out are the ones you can tell the person invested time into creating. The professional and executive resume formats that were well-organized, easy to read, and perfectly laid out really made reviewing the resume easier—and definitely caught my attention.
When you’re comparing a professionally organized and strategically laid out resume to a messy, unprofessional, and disorganized one, determining which one to invest time into reading becomes a no-brainer. After all, why waste time searching through a document trying to find the information you need when someone else has clearly laid it out for you?
Easy-To-Find Requirements
When I posted a job ad online and was deluged with responses, I was appalled at how many people just shot me a resume that said absolutely nothing about the requirements I had spent so much time writing to include in the ad. Normally, when I posted a job ad, I would include: REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS and PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS.
At the very least, to even be considered, the person had to possess the required qualifications; the resumes that caught my attention were the ones that made it easy for me to see they did indeed meet the requirements—either by listing them in the top or calling attention to them in a bold, underlined, or italicized font, and placing them throughout their resume.
Want to put the nail in the coffin? Call attention to the fact you also meet their preferred qualifications. Meeting the required and preferred qualifications—and calling attention to this fact in your resume—makes you a perfect candidate for the job.
Compelling, Easy-To-Read Content
Long paragraphs on resumes serve one purpose… and that’s to lose the hiring manager’s attention. If you’re using paragraphs with 5+ sentences, then you not only lost my attention, but now the information I need isn’t readily accessible – it’s buried beneath an enormous amount of text density that I don’t have the time to wade through.
Keep it concise, cut out the mundane, and highlight your accomplishments. Don’t go super crazy with the bold, underline, or italics, but use them when it fits, and use them to call attention to the most important information.
Just to review—here’s how to make it past the initial 5-second scan:
- Professional, polished, and well-organized format (colors and white space, good—messy and distracting, bad).
- Make it easy for the hiring manager to find exactly what he or she needs—and to find it quickly.
- Keep the content concise, and highlight the critical information the hiring manager needs in order to make the decision to call for the interview.
Other strategies come into play when creating a compelling resume that will secure interviews, so if you’re not sure your resume has the right stuff—and if you haven’t heard of personal branding or incorporated it into your resume—it may be time to call a certified resume writer and get a resume checkup. If it means the difference between three interviews next week or three more months of job searching, you may want to consider speaking with a professional.
Photo Credit: Shutterstock △
by cjxpadmin | May 1, 2013 | Job Club Alamo Area
Welcome to Wednesday Everyone!
Today we would like to discuss outlook and attitude, but first we need to share a bit of information with you. Our role at The Heart of Texas Workforce Center will be changing. We will notify you of the changes as they occur. We will still be assisting you through Campusjobxpress.com with discussions, job matching and everything else that this website has to offer.
As for today’s discussion, we cannot stress enough how important attitude is when searching for a job. We have been witnessing many people successfully finding employment. A big part of their success has been to change their outlook on life and learn how to create a positive atmosphere around themselves.
You can tell someone a lot without even saying a word. Your mood is written all over your face and so you must always be aware of how you are presenting yourself. Are you going into an interview slumped over with a blank stare? Do you look everywhere in the room except at the employer? These actions can give the impression that you are not interested in working.
Also, how you act with others can either give a good or bad impression of your work ethic. Do you greet people with a smile and a warm hello as you meet them? Do you have an enthusiastic attitude about speaking with people? If so, you’re doing great!
One example of a way to improve your persona could be to become more involved in your community. Volunteering can be a great self-improvement activity as well as a social skills builder. When you volunteer, you build a relationship with people you never knew. This can help you feel more comfortable when talking with an employer or co-workers whom you have never met. Volunteering can also boost your self-esteem. Helping others for the greater good can really take a weight off of your shoulders and help you lift your mood. Seeing someone smile and knowing you made a difference, simply because you were there to help, can really open our minds up to a better way of being. We need to be a helping hand, a shoulder, a strong friend, a good heart, and someone who can be relied on. Now that, my friends, is something a company needs in an employee.
