Searching for Information

Searching for Information

by Sheena Williams

You Have A Question. You have a burning desire to get information. Happenstance has caused you to require the answer and

by gosh, you are going to get it! Swell, you turn to the library and then you turn to the internet, and your search has yielded nothing. Not a single thing. You are no closer to reaching your goal for researching than you were when you first started needing this information. Well, don’t worry! We are going to outline a few things that might help you on your way to gaining the knowledge that you need!

Keywords. Let’s say that your question is something like “What is paper made of?” Well, of course you’re going to turn up literally thousands of answers by just googling. But what if you wanted to find out about how a certain type of paper was made? This particular paper is made from the parchment of some exotic tree on the banks of the Nile. Farfetched when you could just google the paper, but when you don’t have anything else to go on than a location and the type of item, it makes for hard research. This is where keywords come in. You can go to any library or web browser and start searching for the words: paper, Nile, parchment, tree. The keywords not only narrow your search, but it will give the browser or book log — something to grab onto when searching. By narrowing the results down or separating them into parts, you come up with a whole that will lead you to the answer.

Phrases. Much like keywords, phrases will help you search for exact items dealing with the subject you are trying to get information on. You are searching for a book and you don’t know the title, the author or where the book can be found. You are looking for a song and you are unable to remember the song lyrics or you don’t know the name of the song. By searching for the whole phrase, you are giving instructions for the computer or library database to look for a string of words that are in sequence. It narrows the amount of searching that has to be done because of the very specific information you entered in the search engine.

Spelling. Spelling what you are looking for properly cannot be impressed upon enough. By spelling the name of what you are speaking of properly, you can find whatever you are looking for much faster. Unfortunately, in our world of creative ways of doing things, what you may think is the proper spelling of a word may not be the proper spelling of what you are looking for. If you are looking for a packaging and all you have is the word lid, the company may, in fact, have lids. They may, in fact, even be called Lids. But what you don’t know is that Lids is spelled Lydz. What you didn’t know is that the name of the item is a play on the spelling, and also the name of the owner, Lydia. The world of printing is not subject to the same laws as the rest of the literary world.

Ask Friends. When you hit a road block with your search, bounce some ideas off your friends! They may not only already know exactly where to look and give you suggestions, they may also know of another way of looking for something. They may have a phrase or some keywords you haven’t even thought or imagined. They may know more of that song you were searching earlier. They may know the address of that packing company. They may know that the business you are looking for is spelled a little differently. Your friends and family are a fount of information that you may not have tapped into who can get you that answer that much faster!

Frustration. Don’t, under any circumstances, get frustrated with your search. There is a lot of information out there which means there’s a lot of information you’ll have to weed through. There will be times when you will find everything around the subject, but not the exact subject you are seeking. There will be times when you see the exact title of what you want, but due to mislabeling, you turn up a site about the rain forest. That’s all well and dandy, but you were looking for information about card board boxes. Know that when you start the search that you may not come up with much the first time around. In fact, you may have the opposite and have too much information thrown at you with not only different pages, but different opinions. Just take a deep breath and wade through. You will find your targeted item or song or company.

Remember, with a little elbow grease and a few of the suggestions listed above, you will be able to find anything you desire on the internet or anywhere! △

Am I too Old to Change Careers?

Am I too Old to Change Careers?

Am I Too Old To Change Careers?

You said you want to change your career at this stage of the game? Well, let me tell you that you are never too old.

Today, most of us are finding ourselves having to work much longer than we ever imagined. The days of an early retirement have been thrown out the window, so to speak. However, working in our later years provides an opportunity to re-invent ourselves, to re-discover our hidden talents, and to pursue new ventures. This time in our lives gives us the chance to pursue the dreams that were left untapped, those things that we really wanted to do, but couldn’t because you all of a sudden find yourself with a family and obligations. Now, we are much wiser, have a lot of experience, and have gained skills that can be utilized by an employer or by yourself to start your own business. We should, after all, be challenging ourselves.

According to the Kingston Business School, older entrepreneurs are more likely to be successful than their younger counterparts. Why? Because the older we get, we become more confident about our own self-worth and are more aware of our strengths and weaknesses. This is a major advantage over a young person fresh out of college who is pursuing their first career.  Working for yourself allows you to become dependent on yourself versus solely relying on others to give you a job.

Even if you aren’t interested in starting your own business, use this time in your life to re-assess your career and identify the areas that you truly enjoyed. Evaluate your life and job experiences and find the direction you want your career to take.

The Colonel Sanders Story has been told so many times. It’s a well known story. Colonel Sanders was 65 years old when he began franchising his infamous chicken. Prior to that, the Colonel was a gas station owner where he fried chicken for weary travelers. This story is often repeated to show that it’s never too late and one is never too old to come up with career changing ideas. However, things were different in the 1930’s. When Colonel Sanders starting serving fried chicken at a Kentucky gas station 80 years ago, he probably didn’t have as many health department hurdles to overcome as that same gas station would today. How do you know what you want to do?

CareerPath.com offers online resources that determines the same answers for free. If someone wants to change careers but is having trouble deciding on a new career path, these online resources can really help. Also, the website will even suggest actual jobs worth applying for.

Always remember that there are ways to transfer the skills you have gained so far into your next career. This is your opportunity to establish your real passions, interests, strengths and goals into your next career. However, do not forget what you have achieved or accomplished so far. None of it is irrelevant. You are simply building and growing from what you have done, even if you are taking a slightly different direction now. There is a connection there;  — you just need to find it.

No one ever stated that we were only allowed one career path. It’s never too late to make a change. Start now. Don’t focus on your age but rather on the skills and experience you are able to offer to others. Empower yourself with this knowledge and pursue your new career path.

Choose a new you! △

 

“When you’re finished changing, you’re finished.”

~Benjamin Franklin


Creating Your Future

Creating Your Future

Creating Your Future

In creating your future, you need to learn how to choose to be the YOU you want to be!

We are not our actions, because we can change our actions and still be ourselves. For the same reason, we are not our thoughts, our opinions, our beliefs or our feelings. We can change all of those and still be ourselves. We are human beings. We have the power to create ourselves.

As we begin to explore the skill of becoming ourselves, it is very useful to see what being skillful is about. It is about having choices and flexibility. We can adapt, we can change and we can be bigger than we ever thought possible. This is personal skill, the skill to create ourselves, to be the people we want to be, rather than the people we were.

So far, we have seen that our lives have been shaped by the past. We see that it is possible to become aware of ourselves as we act in the present. Now we will see how it is possible to create our own future. For most people, the future is a blank. We expect it to be more of the same or expect it to just happen.

It sure is hard to see into the future. There are so many possibilities and paths to follow. Who knows what’s going to happen to us? Are we as helpless as a little rowboat being tossed about in the ocean? Or are we more like the captains of our own ships, steering ourselves from one major point in life to the next?

Where are you steering yourself?

One thing for sure, if you are reading this article, you care about your future. You care or you have a commitment to make your future better than what you have known in the past. You may not know exactly what you want, but you know you want the future to be better than the past. You will now have a chance to discover the skill you have for creating your future.

Becoming skilled means learning to change the things you can change, accepting the things you cannot change and having the wisdom to know the difference.

 

Challenges Life Offer
Meeting Your Basic Survival Needs Food, Clothes and Shelter
Meeting Your Children’s Needs Love, Attention, Guidance
Finding: Jobs, Relationships, Money, Time
Staying Healthy Having a Body That Serves Your Purposes
Caring For Others Friends and Family
Conquering Your Fears

 

 

 

Things You Can Influence But Have No Control Over Things Over Which You Have Some Control
The other people in your life What you think, believe and feel
The circumstances that you are born into What you do or don’t do
The passing of time What attitudes you adopt
Mistakes What you want
What you are trained to meet challenges in life

 

You may not choose all the events that occur over the course of a lifetime, but you do choose how to experience those events.

Skills With Which to Build Your Future

Success – There is no better foundation on which to build. Draw confidence from your experiences of success.

 

 

 

Self-Communication – Speak positively and lovingly to yourself. Keep a positive image and faith in yourself in your heart.

Bonding – Create partners, allow yourself to become close to the people who mean the most to you.

 

 

Values – Become clear about what matters most to you. Trust in your own values.

Self-Responsibility – You can be a leader to yourself. You need not depend on anyone else for your survival or success.

 

 

 

Meaning – Judgments and evaluations can either hurt you or help you in life. It is wise to know that you give the meaning to what happens for you.

Risk – The risks involved in meeting challenges head on include the possibility of messing up, looking foolish, or suffering a set-back. The rewards for taking positive risks are excitement, accomplishment and fulfillment.
Models – There is a power in learning from people who you respect and admire. We all learn from each other. Choose your models wisely and you will learn well.

Know What Makes You Great

Know What Makes You Great

Know What Makes You Great

By Marissa Ermelinda Maldonado

Searching for a good job can be time consuming and stressful and many people become discouraged when they go through numerous interviews and still turn up with no job offer in hand. One way to relieve stress is to know yourself and what makes you tick. Most people make the mistake in trying to improve their weaknesses, but what they should be doing is finding out what strengths they possess and find ways to enhance these qualities. 

Everyone has weaknesses and strengths. The key factor is searching for a job where you can put your personal strengths to good use because this will help you excel in the work place. Because everyone has different strengths, it is important to know which ones you have in order to make yourself more marketable to the employer.

Think of yourself as a product and each employer as a consumer shopping for the best product on the market. You have to use your unique strengths to show the employer how you can be valuable to an employer’s company. What sets you apart from the rest of the products? A reliable test that a lot of top universities use in order to assess strengths that students have is found on Strengths Quest. This test has 34 possible strengths and once a person takes this accurate test, it will give each person their top five strengths.

The website address is http://www.strengthsquest.com/content/141728/index.aspx. Remember not to spend too much time overthinking the questions and pick the answer that you feel best describes you.

Once you know your strengths, you can communicate these strengths during an interview. Notorious interview questions that give interviewees a hard time are the open-ended ones such as “Tell us about yourself.” or “Why should we hire you?” or even “Why do you think you are a good fit for this position?”

The problem is that most people tend to go blank or others end up rambling on and on about personal details that have nothing to do with the question. A way to eliminate this problem is to already know your strengths and to elaborate on how these strengths can benefit the employer and the company. When an employer asks you to tell them about yourself, you cannot just tell them anything that pops in your head. The employer is listening for reasons why they should hire you. These types of interview questions are also a test to see how prepared you are for the interview. I would recommend discussing only your top five strengths and elaborate from there. If you list too many different strengths, the employer might become overwhelmed. If the employer takes the time to tell you a little bit about how their company operates or what their main goals are, do not be afraid to say how your strengths fit with the company goals or how your qualities can help or enhance their objectives. Not only does this type of strategy show confidence in your abilities, but it also shows that you can communicate efficiently by listening to what the employer has said and saying what you need to say in an eloquent manner.

When you communicate that your strengths coincide with the objectives and culture of the company, the employer will see that you are not only valuable, but you are also a good fit. Do not try and guess what qualities the employer is looking for and pretend that these are the qualities you possess. The fact of the matter is that it is too hard to guess what the employer is thinking. Even if you do not think your top five strengths match what the employer is looking for, you still need to stick to your guns and be honest about what strengths you have. This is your chance to be creative and really think of how your strengths can be a good fit for the job position you want.

The best course of action that you can do is to research the job position you are applying for instead of merely reading the short description listed under the name of the job position. You, as the job searcher, need to research the company itself because knowledge is power. During the interview, the employer could put you on the spot and ask, “What do you like about our company?” or “Why do you want to work with us?” If you find yourself in this situation, then, you will be more than prepared because you did the research beforehand.

Below is a description of the 34 possible strengths that exist on Strengths Quest, read them over and pick which ones you think describe how you are and then take the test online and see if the results match what you initially thought. I want you, as a conscious reader, to really take this advice and the results of the strengths test as serious tools you can use at your disposal. Remember that no strength theme listed is more superior to the other and all possible strengths are useful, hence why they are called strengths and not weaknesses.

Strength Descriptions

 

Strength Description
Achiever You have a constant need for achievement. You have strong drive and determination. Every day you start at zero and by the end of that day and every single day, you must achieve something tangible. You are pushed to do more.
Activator “When can you start?” This is a re-occurring question in your life. You rely on action versus deep analysis and debate. You make a decision, you take action, you look at the result, and you learn. It is the only way to keep you thinking fresh and informed. It pleases you to know that you will be judged by what you have done versus what you think and say.
Adaptability You live in the moment. You see the future as a place that you create out of the choices you make right now and not as a fixed destination. You are able to respond willingly to the demands of the moment and you don’t resent sudden requests or unforeseen detours. You are a flexible person that can stay productive when the demands of work are pulling you in many different directions at once.
Analytical You see yourself as objective and dispassionate and you want sound ideas and theories. You like data because it is value-free and you have no agenda. You thrive on finding connections and patterns among data which makes you a critical thinker.
Arranger You are a conductor. When you are faced with a complex situation involving many factors, you enjoy managing all of the variables and arranging them in the most productive configuration possible. You try and figure out the best way to get things done.
Belief You have certain core values that are enduring. Your beliefs affect you by making you more altruistic, highly ethical, family-oriented, and responsible. You see success as more than just money and it provides you with direction and it guides you through temptations.
Command You like to take charge. You feel no discomfort with imposing your views on others. People are drawn to you because you have presence and you have no discomfort taking a stand.
Communication You like to explain, describe, to host, to speak in public, and to write. You feel the need to bring events to life, to energize them, to make them exciting and vivid. You turn stories into events and practice telling them. You inspire people to act and others are interested in what you have to say.
Competition You are instinctively aware of others’ performances. You feel the need to compare yourself to others. Other competitors invigorate you. You compete to win.
Connectedness Things happen for a reason and you are sure of it. You feel that we are all connected and we are all part of a larger picture. You are considerate, caring, and accepting. You are a bridge builder for people of different cultures.
Consistency Balance is important to you and you are aware of the need to treat people the same, no matter what their situation in life, so you don’t want to see the scales tipped too far in any one person’s favor. You believe that people function best in a consistent environment where the rules are clear and are applied to everyone equally.
Context You look back. You look back to understand the present. You make better decisions because you sense the underlying structure. You become a better partner because you understand how your colleagues came to be who they are.
Deliberative You are careful. You are vigilant. Everything may seem in order, but beneath the surface you sense the many risks. Rather than denying these risks, you draw each one out into the open. Then each risk is identified, assessed, and ultimately reduced. You like to plan ahead to anticipate what might go wrong. For you, life is not a popularity contest, it is a minefield. You identify the dangers, weigh their relative impact, and then place your choice.
Developer You see the potential in others. In your view, each person is a work-in-progress. When you interact with others, your goal is to help them experience success. You look for ways to challenge others and you devise ways in order to help them grow.
Discipline Your world needs to be predictable. You focus on routines, timelines, and deadlines. You break long-term projects into a series of specific short-term plans and you work through each plan diligently.
Empathy You can sense the emotions of those around you. You hear the invoiced questions and anticipate the need. People are drawn to you because you help them find a voice to their emotional life.
Focus “Where am I headed?” you ask yourself. You are always setting goals and these goals serve as your compass, helping you determine priorities and make corrections to get back on course. You evaluate whether or not a particular action will help you move toward your goal. You are an extremely valuable team member because you keep everyone on point.
Futuristic You love to peer over the horizon. The future fascinates you and others want to latch on to you because of the hope you bring.
Harmony You look for areas of agreement. You will modify your own objectives to merge with theirs and you will strive to find common ground.
Ideation You are fascinated by ideas. You like to figure out different concepts and get a jolt of energy when you produce a new idea.
Includer Your belief is to stretch the circle wider. You want to include people and make them feel a part of the group. You want to expand the group so that as many people can benefit from its support.
Individualization You are intrigued by the unique qualities of others. You observe each person’s style, each person’s motivations, how each thinks, and how each builds relationships. Because you are such a keen observer, you can draw out other people’s strengths.
Input You are inquisitive. You collect things. You collect things that interest you and this keeps your mind fresh.
Intellection You like to think and you like mental activity. You are very introspective.
Learner You love to learn. You are energized by the steady and deliberate journey from ignorance to competence. Your excitement enables you to thrive in dynamic work environments where you are asked to take on short project assignments and expected to learn a lot about the new subject matter in a short period of time.
Maximizer Excellence, not average, is your measure. Transforming something into something superb is thrilling. You want to capitalize on the gifts with which you are blessed because it is more productive.
Positivity You are generous with praise, quick to smile, and always on the lookout for the positive in the situation. People always want to be around you. You find ways to make everything more exciting and more vital.
Relator You are pulled toward people you already know. You are comfortable with intimacy and you are willing to accept risks in your relationships with others.
Responsibility You take psychological ownership for anything you commit to, and whether large or small, you feel emotionally bound to follow it through to completion. Excuses and rationalizations are not acceptable.
Restorative You enjoy the challenge of analyzing the symptoms, identifying what is wrong, and finding the solution. You love to solve problems.
Self-Assurance In the deepest part of you, you have faith in your strengths. You are confident in taking risks, making claims, accepting challenges, etc. No matter what the situation, you seem to make the right decision.
Significance You want to be known for the unique strengths you bring to the table. You want work to be a way of life instead of just a job.
Strategic You are able to sort through the clutter and find the best route. You can see patterns where others see complexity.
WOO (Winning Others Over) You thrive on meeting new people and getting them to like you. Strangers don’t intimidate you at all.

What do you think? Where do your strengths fall? Take the test and know, for a fact, what makes YOU great! △

Marissa Maldonado attended McLennan Community College for two years and transferred to Baylor University where she obtained a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology and plans to seek employment within her field and later consider graduate school in the near future.

 

May Job Event Showcase Very Successful!

May Job Event Showcase Very Successful!

And they just kept coming and coming and coming….

“Coming to what” you ask? Almost 200 job applicants attended the May 22nd Advanced Job Search Event sponsored by Workforce Partners Management Group in conjunction with CampusJobXpress.com. This event, held at the Hampton Inn and Suites South in Waco, Texas, matched job seekers and screened applicants for future placement with appropriate employers.

At a steady rate of  35 applicants per hour, the WIA Dislocated Workers came. For five hours, staff introduced applicants to employers seeking good qualified employees. Each employer sat down with an applicant and took the time to get acquainted. They reviewed and discussed resumes, skills and abilities. For many, this was one of the few times they have had a chance to interview with an employer.

There was no one rushing them, no competition for space at a crowded table and certainly no 114. It was just a one-on-one conversation. This is what WPMG calls a “Job Event Showcase.”

In an adjoining room, 5 different stations were made available to the dislocated workers. The stations consisted of Profile Updating, Photo Booth, Resume Review, Pre-Screening and a WIA table. Applicants provided information for their profiles; they had their pictures taken; their resumes were reviewed by a resume instructor and they were pre-screened by a placement specialist.

“What is all of this about?” someone asked. The answer is simple, “We are advancing your job search, thus, attempting to place you within ten weeks of your receiving unemployment benefits.”

The profiles maintained within the CampusJobXpress.com system is made available to all employers for them to access the summary of (profile information) qualifications. In this manner, employers can choose to review resumes that seem appropriate for their job postings. It tells the employer the most current and updated information available on any applicant at any time.

A picture is then taken for employers to seek out potential applicants. The idea is for the applicant to impress the employer with his or her appearance.

Resumes are reviewed to ensure that their skills, knowledge and qualifications are showcased

 

A placement specialist talks to applicants determining the suitability for placement.

Your Local Workforce Center

Your Local Workforce Center

I know. It’s confusing. You go to your local workforce center and you look around. What do you see? First of all, you see an intimidating building filled with stressed government workers running about, frustrated job searchers staring at computer screens, and a whole list of events for you to choose from. Well never fear! I’m going to give you the skinny on how to navigate your workforce experience with a minimum amount of fuss.

Know What You’re Looking For. The first thing that is going to help you starts before you even leave the house! Know why you’re going there. Are you coming just to look for jobs that are being offered in the area? Are you trying to start a completely new career? Maybe you’re receiving services there? By knowing your reasons for being at the building, the staff will know how to help you. Did you get a letter to come in? Bring it with you! Knowing what you want makes it ten times easier to get what you need. Know your purpose for attending the center!

Be Prepared. You may need scratch sheets of paper. You may need to make copies. You never know what you’re going to find or find out while you’re there. You might hear about a job possibility from someone at the center. You may get referred to a job by someone on staff. Either way, having a writing tablet or pad to to write down needed information is invaluable. Come dressed as you would for an interview! Not only does this save gas, it makes you prepared to do spot interviews. You don’t have to run back to the house to get ready. This can earn you points or advantages because you come to the workforce center prepared to meet an employer!

Get a Map and a Schedule of Events. Most centers have a map or event calendar that they are only too happy to give you. It will help you find the departments you need and know when they are having job fairs or other events you might find interesting. If you read on the schedule that they are having a seminar on developing your own business and you know it’s in Room 318 at 10:00am, then, you are that much more prepared to get what you need from your trip there. Get that map or schedule and start circling what you want to attend!

Don’t Be Afraid to Ask. If you have questions about anything, then, don’t be afraid to ask someone. The staff is only too happy to help you get to where you need to go. Maybe you asked a recruiting department member about benefits you are receiving? They may not be able to answer your question, but they should be able to direct you to the appropriate person to get your answer. Do you want to know if there is anything going on in the building? Making friends with the receptionist is not the worst idea you could have! They are usually veritable fonts of knowledge that could get you that next job! Be nice to the receptionist!

Take Advantage.  Workforce centers have tons of trainings, seminars and workshops that you can attend throughout the year. Maybe there’s a course on Leadership. Do you need to update your resume? Maybe you just want a little help with interviewing? These classes not only deliver an inexpensive (read free) resource on upping your skills set, but they can also allow you to meet new people that may be in the field you’re seeking. Which brings us to…

Networking. Doesn’t everyone love networking? Well, you never know who you will meet on any given day. That goes doubly true for places such as your local workforce center. That man with the toupee could be an employer that just popped in to use the computer. The young woman beside you could have a cousin who is the CEO of a company that interests you. By going to your workforce center, it allows you to mingle with a lot of different types of people from all walks of life who could have valuable information that could have you gainfully employed in no time! Start networking!

Be Polite. There’s an old saying that says, “You can catch more flies with sugar then you can with vinegar.” Well, it’s true. In a workforce environment, there are a lot of emotions. Some people are frightened or stressful about how they are going to feed their families. They don’t know how to use the system, someone has asked them the same question 800 times, or someone could just be having a bad day. If there was ever a time to kill someone with kindness, now would be the time! By staying polite, you not only get more things handled quicker, but most people would be grateful for a moment of peace that you are providing. If they feel that you are harassing them, most people will shut down. Your mission, and you do want to accept it, is to get what you need with a smile and skip out the door with everything you came to get, and being polite is your golden ticket to the working person’s paradise!

Workforce centers don’t need to be scary. They are built to help you find work or change your career and your life. They are there to serve you and by utilizing these steps, you can get the most out of your workforce center experience! See you at the Workforce Center! △