ajcjobs > BlogBreak > Archives > 2008 > December
December 2008
Online job boards: Useful or a waste of time?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
When looking for a job in today’s world, online job boards are a popular destination. You can search for available jobs, usually apply online, post your resume and even network online. Here are some of the more popular online job boards:
What has your experience been with online job boards? Are they helpful or are they a waste of time?
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Fired for Christmas?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
If you’ve been fired around the holidays, it can be an especially difficult blow to your life. But if you are looking for a stocking full of opportunity instead of coal, e-resume.net expert Chandra Fox offers the following tips:
For resume tips and other career advice, visit our Career Center and Atlanta job search resources
Part-time jobs in season in Atlanta
What job search and networking strategies have you tried? What have the results been so far?
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Time for job seekers to get silly?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
This week, a local job seeker who was tired of running into dead ends while searching for employment decided to get into the spirit of the season, to try to attract attention and hopefully snag a job. Unemployed medical assistant Jeffery Roof donned an elf hat and wore a sandwich board with his contact information, working the corner of Freedom Parkway at Ralph McGill in Atlanta. He also carried a bucket full of resumes that he was ready to hand out to potential employers that drove by during the morning rush hour.
Before you laugh, a similar tactic worked for Joshua Persky. What do you think about “extreme job searches”? Would you resort to odd tactics or gimmicks in order to get noticed by employers?
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Network to the top in a tough job market
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Many in the metro Atlanta area have lost their jobs this year. More layoffs are expected next year. Here’s some helpful advice from e-resume.net expert Chandra Fox:
It is important to network throughout our careers and we all say we do it, but keeping in touch is the hard part. When one loses their job, they tend to want to dive into networking. How can you reconnect with old connections if it has been years or months without seeming desperate or like you are using the old friends only to find a new job? So how should you get started?
Reconnect Build your networking pool by joining Social Networking groups. LinkedIn, for example will allow you to contact previous co-workers at each place you’ve worked that are in the LinkedIn database. You can also connect with alumni from your alma mater. Add your resume and then you will be able to access a list of people from the same office with the same company. It can be very useful. While Facebook is more of a mix of socializing than strictly job networking, it can’t hurt to update your Facebook contacts about your job search. In addition to online networking services, call old pals from previous jobs or drop them an e-mail to check in with them. It will give you an idea of the jobs they have and help you get started in finding your next position. Building a strong foundation for networking and reconnecting with co-workers and industry professionals is very important.
Make it Personal Talk to current friends at your current or most recent place of employment. A dozen sets of eyes are better than flying solo in this market. See what these co-workers are doing and see how you can potentially gain interviews or contacts through these affiliations. What if you learn one of your old buddies is with a new company who is hiring 50 people in 30 days? That is good information to have and will better your chances with any career moves you are looking to make.
Be Informed Join your industry’s organizations to keep a close eye on any changes. Visit the Internet Public Library to find organizations than can be a benefit. You can then keep an eye on industry trends and business nuances and see the changes involving key players within your industry. Maybe become active in your local Chamber of Commerce, volunteer and stay informed in regard to local changes and any news to keep an eye on changes within your community that will be beneficial. This will keep you ahead of the masses.
So you can either be frozen when losing your job and make little to no progress in regard to your career or you can stay proactive and ride out the change with more confidence and information, less isolation and a better attitude.
Please share what you have tried in regard to networking. How did it work out?
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Would you be a lab rat for hire?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Desperate times call for desperate measures, at least for some people looking to pay their bills. A recent CNN article discussed unique, yet legal ways to earn a living. One is by being a professional lab rat, that is, to participate in medical studies. One gentleman who writes a blog about his experience states he earns a modest annual income by volunteering for medical studies. The potential drawbacks are that not everyone can qualify to be a medical study participant, and of course, the impact it can have on your health, especially for those studies involving medication.
Another way that people are earning money is by selling their hair. Unlike the sell of internal body parts, this is perfectly legal and at least hair grows back. People buy hair to make everything from wigs to art. While most tresses garner in the range of a few to several hundred dollars, those with exceptionally long and beautiful locks can potentially earn a thousand or more dollars. But you may be out of luck if you process your hair by coloring or perming, as the healthiest hair possible is what is most sought after.
If you are looking for more traditional ways to earn money, check out the Atlanta job search resources page.
So would you be a lab rat in order to pay the bills? What about cutting off your hair? Have you come up with any creative and legal ways to earn money in these tough economic times?
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Are you calling in gay to work today?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Today, across the nation, a movement called Day Without a Gay will be taking place. Organizers want anyone, regardless of sexual orientation, who is seeking to protest anti-gay legislation to call in “gay” to work, and take the day off from their regular jobs to go perform volunteer or community service. Organizers hope this will be a positive and peaceful way to demonstrate the impact that gay people and their supporters have on the nation’s economy.
Of course, economic boycotts are nothing new. African-American community organizers led a blackout in November 2007 to protest injustice in the legal system, with cases like the Jena Six and Genarlow Wilson grabbing the headlines at the time.
If you are participating in this movement, you can use Do Good as a resource for nonprofits and charity organizations in Atlanta. For those that fear losing their job but still want to support the cause, you are encouraged to wear a white knot.
So are you participating in Day Without a Gay? Do you think these types of economic boycotts have any lasting impact?
Moderator’s note: This blog will be closely monitored and inappropriate comments will be removed.
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Are you underemployed?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Georgia’s dismal seven percent unemployment rate was further analyzed in a recent AJC article, with a new trend emerging: underemployment. The Bureau of Labor Statistics counts people who are working even a few hours a week separately from the ranks of the unemployed. But many in Atlanta are struggling to pay the bills because they can’t find enough work to make ends meet.
While many people are thankful to even get part-time work these days, it also can lead to a financial burden that can be greater than if they had remained totally unemployed and collected unemployment benefits. This disgruntled segment of the working population, who want full-time jobs but can’t find them, are referred to as “involuntary part-timers.”
If you find yourself looking for extra work to make ends meet, please check out the new Atlanta job search resources page for job seeker tips and advice.
Do you find yourself underemployed or an involuntary part-timer right now? Do you think it’s smarter to take a job that only offers a few hours a week hoping it will lead to full-time work or do you think it’s wiser to take your unemployment benefits now and wait until the job market improves?
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What should you wear to a holiday office party?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Some people love them, some people hate them, but it’s time for the holiday office party. The AJC has a photo gallery of the 18-hour holiday outfit, designed to take you from your work day through the after-hours office party. Do you prefer business dress or a more casual style for these kind of social events with your office mates?
And while we’re at it, we have to ask - has any of your co-workers (or yourself if you are willing to admit it) ever committed a fashion crime at an office holiday party? Did their fashion faux pas impact them back in the office?
Get more tips for the holidays with the AJC’s Atlanta Holiday Guide.
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If you could be an intern …
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
While most of us have heard of the midlife crisis, how many have heard of the midlife internship? It’s also known as the midcareer and the adult internship, because people of all ages beyond the traditional college years are exploring career options through a usually unpaid, or low-paid temporary position. For those with current full-time jobs, it can be a safe way to explore a new industry or profession. For others who find themselves suddenly unemployed, it can be an attempt at jump-starting their career paths.
There are plenty of success stories about midcareer internships, but one should realize that taking on an internship later in life may not be as an exciting of an adventure as when you were a carefree co-ed. If you have a full-time job on top of the internship, you will have to sacrifice time away from family and friends, and the no or low-paying gig won’t put much of a dent in those hefty mortgage and car payments, nor does it come with health insurance benefits.
Check out internships available in the metro Atlanta area
If you could be an intern, what industry or profession would you choose?
