by cjxpadmin | Dec 1, 2012 | December 2012 Magazine, This Issue's FEATURE
By Marissa Maldonado
When you get hired and put time into your job, most of us tend to get comfortable with what we say and do in the presence of our co-workers, but can this hinder your career in the long run? Sometimes co-workers become our personal friends which has a lot of benefits when we need help delegating work in the office or when we need to confide in someone. But, I think that most of the time we get too comfortable with our co-workers to the point that we may put them and ourselves in uncomfortable situations. For instance, you see that a co-worker is breaking company rules, so what do you do? Do you report them? Do you stay quiet about what you saw and turn the other cheek? How many of you have been in this type of situation where you know your co-worker, a.k.a “your friend,” is breaking rules and feel as if your hands are tied on how to handle the situation? It’s a fine line between co-worker and friend. To be honest, it all boils down to loyalty and your sense of work ethics.
I think that people need to realize that you have co-workers who are friends at work and friends who are friends 24/7 outside of work. There is nothing wrong with being friendly and building relationships with your co-workers, but my advice to you is, to not let the relationships at work hinder you from doing your job.
When you work at any job, you have an ethical responsibility to report co-workers who are breaking policies. I am not saying to walk around all day with a pencil and paper and write down every little action of your co-workers. You should not feel guilty about reporting them and these co-workers should not put you in a position where you would have to lie and cover for them either. Do you put your loyalty in your co-workers or in the company?
For those of you who tend to put your loyalties in your co-workers, even when they do wrong, I would advise you to really think about why you are so loyal to those individuals. The bottom line is that your company or business issues your paycheck and your co-workers do not. If you know for certain that your co-worker is breaking rules and you choose not to say anything about it, then, you are just as guilty.
Another food for thought is that you need to think of how your co-workers benefit from being friends with you at work and vice-versa. I am not saying that being loyal to your 
co-workers is wrong, but the point that I am trying to make is to always be cautious and evaluate the relationships you have with your co-workers. Do not jeopardize your career due to covering for a co-worker when they do something wrong.
Now for those of you who tend to put your loyalties in the company and its policies, there is nothing wrong with that either. I would say that every employee should have 
some sense of loyalty to their company, but on the other side of the coin, be cautious on how you treat your co-workers as well. Do not be so unloyal and distant from your co-workers to the point where no one will have your back or find yourself in a situation where you are working with countless enemies.
When it comes to ethics in the workplace, it is all based on judgment. I would love to hear what you have to say about ethics and friendships in the workplace, so please comment and remember that there are no wrong or right comments. △
by cjxpadmin | Nov 20, 2012 | Job Club Heart of Texas, Job Search
This is Melvin. First let me say Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at Campusjobxpress and the Heart Of Texas Workforce Solutions Centers.
I would like for you to reflect on all the good things that have come your way and the great possibilities of the future. Some of you have allowed doubt to creep into your lives. You must believe great things are possible. None of you have any idea what tomorrow will bring. But I do know, if you begin to have bad thoughts, bad things seem to come your way. Please believe in yourself and in all the good things that can come your way.
A month ago, I got up getting ready to go my friendʼs wedding and that night I began the first of four days in ICU. After having four transfusions, five doctors and a prognosis that was grim, my friends and family helped me keep my spirit and faith alive. I walked out six and a half days later understanding what is important — family, friends and life itself.
You are alive, you must act as you are. Stop the negative thoughts, being mean-spirited and most of all, stop the complaining and focus on what is really important. You!
Make yourself happy by being happy. Enjoy what you have, life itself.
My favorite quote is “Life is not about having a good hand, rather, itʼs about playing a poor hand well.”
How are you playing your hand? Again, Have happiest of Thanksgiving!
by cjxpadmin | Nov 14, 2012 | Job Club Heart of Texas, Job Search
The following is a letter I am sending out to college students in Austin. Please read this and let me know your thoughts.
It is my belief, each of you will need to try a different approach to your job search. For some of you, this video presentation could open new doors for you. It is not for everyone but, it should be considered.
Please read: For years in our past, individual job seekers would fill out applications for employment. Those wanting a higher position, completed resumes to stand out from others. A resume was the premier instrument for seeking employment. Only a select few stood out with this document.
Today, it is very common and expected for most applicants to complete and bring a resume to apply for a job. The resume has become a generalized tool. It has become very difficult to stand out among all the applicants seeking employment. Changing styles, finding unique ways to present one’s self with resumes has not given individuals the opportunity to distinguish themselves from the general population.
That is not until today!
Campusjobxpress.com has developed a way for premier applicants to present themselves in a more visual way, video presentation. It is original, professional and personally unique to each individual.
An applicant can present their resume only as an introduction to an employer. A precursor you may call it. They can send their resume with a link to a most powerful video presentation allowing them to personally speak to a potential employer. They can tell their story, their skills, abilities, education and work history, all accessible from their online resume with a link to their direct message to the employer
CampusJobXpress.com is a division of Workforce Partners Management Group, LLC, a 23-year old employment transition and placement company. In its history, WPMG has worked for the United States General Services Administration, the State of Texas, Workforce Boards, Air Force, Navy, Army and Coast Guard.
Applicants, sign up with CampusJobXpress.com today and begin your transition to the legend of the employed. Present the best of your skills and abilities to your next employer. Let us help!
Go to Campusjobxpress.com and register, post your resume, upload a photo as well as your personal video.
Be seen by your future employer!
Sincerely, Campusjobxpress.com
What are your thoughts about this approach?
Who is willing to try it?
Are you ready to go to the next level?
Thoughts to consider:
“What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.”
“When writing the story of your life; Never let anyone else hold the pen.”
by cjxpadmin | Nov 7, 2012 | Job Club Heart of Texas, Job Search, Octobe r2012 Magazine
[jwplayer mediaid=”3531″]
Hello, this is Melvin. Sorry I have been away for a while but I wanted to re-connect with all of you. I have a lot of things I need to discuss with you very quickly.
A lot of you got an email. Many of you have been responding to job club, but because some of you had not, we sent out an email to everyone because it was very important that you know we are now recording everyone who comes into the job club. We are automatically putting that into the system so that when you report it from your side as part of your contact information, it is already there and it has been verified. So it only helps you in what we are doing as far as this reporting. You will be getting other emails from us because we are also working on getting everyoneʼs resumes up to date.
Iʼve been monitoring while I was gone, your responses to employers not recalling you back, not really having a lot of activities as far as job responses. We are reading those and we understand what is going on and we are now taking action to get something done. I said it in class and Iʼll say it again, “If you are not getting interviews, there is something wrong with your resume.” That being said, now we have to correct your resumes. You may like your resume. You may think your resume looks good but it is not what you think. It is actually what the employer thinks.
So if we are going to get you to that next job, we need to do your resume. I have asked the staff to contact you as quickly as possible to start bringing you in to re-evaluate your resumes. If you would like, we would like you to start on this coming Tuesday. Send us an email, make a reservation, we can take 14 people at a time. We are starting at 9 oʼclock and will go until 12. We are very serious about this issue with the resume.
Also, we are working very quickly to try to see if we can put together a very good, effective job fair for everyone. We are going to try to do it in early December if we can get enough employers to cooperate because it ʼs the holiday season, it may become an issue but it is not going to be for a lack of trying on our part so we will be doing that for you.
So I wanted you also to be aware that on November 15th at the Waco Convention Center, there will be a Veteranʼs Job Fair that the State has asked a lot of workforce agencies across the State to do. That will start at 10 oʼclock and will run until 2 oʼclock. For those of you who are not veterans, I am going to ask you, if you would like, if may be very helpful for you to drop by around 11:30 on to that particular job fair.
We are going to give preference to the veterans up until 11:30, but if you feel like dropping in and seeing whatʼs there, I think it will be an okay idea. So think about doing that, drop in and see if you can make some kind of connection, okay? We will be calling you, you will be getting emails, you will be getting personal contacts from us — if you are getting those, then, itʼs not a personal thing. We are not picking on you. And for those of you who have sent emails in saying that someone is turning you into the State, it is not our responsibility to turn you into the State at this particular time. The State has not asked and we have not seen reason to do that, so if you are getting emails or getting letters from the State, it is not by any action that is being done here. The State has another system that they work through so that, in itself, may be why you are getting that. We will always let you know before we send anything. You will get some type of notice that you are not responding, you are not cooperating, or you are not doing something. Once you get three of those, then, we would probably say okay, we donʼt have a choice. If you are responding, if you are doing everything you are supposed to and if you get an email from us or a letter, donʼt take it personal. Itʼs just easier to send out an email to everyone than to try to screen through 1200 people about job club or about work activities, okay?
So, we will be working very hard for you. We will do everything we can to get you employed as quickly as we possibly can. I want you to keep up your spirits. I want you to think positively because if you go down, as far as your spirits are concerned, itʼs only going to hurt you when you do your job search, all right? I do appreciate it. Good luck. Let us hear from you and you will certainly be hearing from us. Thank you.Bye.
by cjxpadmin | Oct 31, 2012 | Job Club Heart of Texas, Job Search
Here are some of the most popular interview questions. How would you answer them?
- What were your expectations for the job?
- What have you learned from your mistakes?
- What did you like or dislike about your previous job?
- What was the biggest accomplishment / failure in your last position?
- What is your greatest weakness?
- What is your greatest strength?
- How will your greatest strength help you perform?
- How would you describe yourself?
For those of you who tend to put your loyalties in your co-workers, even when they do wrong, I would advise you to really think about why you are so loyal to those individuals. The bottom line is that your company or business issues your paycheck and your co-workers do not. If you know for certain that your co-worker is breaking rules and you choose not to say anything about it, then, you are just as guilty.
co-workers is wrong, but the point that I am trying to make is to always be cautious and evaluate the relationships you have with your co-workers. Do not jeopardize your career due to covering for a co-worker when they do something wrong.