Who's Following You? Do You Care Who "Follows" You On Twitter?

(Photo Caption: I'm Following The One With Food)


I'm all for Twitter; totally sold on the whole "micro-blogging" thing after joining late last year. Frankly, I'm amazed at what I'd missed out on in Twitter's wide-open landscape of endless opportunities! My reason for "tweeting"? Simple... Open jobs, Career News and my favorite: Job-seekers and Resumes.

More on what Job-Seekers, Employers & Recruiters can find in the Twitter "gold-mine" in my November post!

For now, I'll stay on the topic of "followers" ...

(Speaking of which, If you're new to Twitter, scroll to the end of my post for two links: "What are Followers" and "Getting Started on Twitter")

Like other "Tweeters", I "follow" to be entertained, enlightened, amused, informed or kept current. Do those I follow know me or even follow me back? Some do.

That got me thinking; Who's following ME on Twitter? Seems important to know my followers, for many reasons. Especially if they are job-seekers, HR/recruiters, Employers or Corporations, etc.

As with any true recruiter, I'm a "people-person" and I find people interesting. I'm curious to know if some one's "looking", what their profession is, do they like their job. Those are the basics up front, until a deeper professional trust is formed. How else can a recruiter reach out to potential talent when recruiting for open positions? They have to get to "know" passive and active job-seekers.

When I first started "tweeting" I wondered how I'd get anything of importance from those seemingly "garbled", 140-character messages, let alone post my open jobs and recruit top talent across The U.S.! Most confusing were "tweet" messages filled with symbols "#" hash mark, RTs, #FFs, @'s and "trending topics"...what were those I wondered? I was clueless!

It all seemed a little weird to me. Worse yet, maybe I'd fallen behind the "power-curve"? Back then, I considered Twitter classes, but hung in there until I figured it out!

Glad I did; now I'm "tweeting" with the best of them! (Well, almost)

Back to my initial question;

Do I "know" who's following me? To some degree, but I didn't get to know them by their "tweets" or some deep, hi-tech, Boolean criteria, Internet search.

Instead, I kept it simple. I visited my follower's home pages and read their personalized Bio's. I'm happy to say that yes, I "know" who my followers are. I know what part of the country they live, their interests and even who else they follow and can even see who their followers are!

Long story short; there's always something new on Twitter, so I'll keep on "Tweeting Jobs & Resumes"!

Happy Networking,

Terry
Tweet with me @ TerryHaII


Links: Getting Started on Twitter & Followers

"What are followers" Getting Started on Twitter courtesy of Twitter Support

Diversity Recruiting & Networking: Terry's on Blog Talk Radio on 7/28 @ 3:30pm PST; Link Provided

Please Join Me on 7/28 @ 3:30pm PST when I'll Share WoVEN; Women Veterans Empowerment Network & the upcoming Women Veterans Summit on Your Military Life, Blog Talk Radio!

I'll be the featured guest speaker on Your Military Life, Blog Talk Radio on Tuesday, 7/28 @ 3:30pm PST.

Your Military Life Show Link: Blog Talk Radio

Thank you & Happy Networking!

- Terry

Come "Tweet" with me!

WoVEN

Women Veterans Summit - 9/12/2009

What's In It For Them? For Your Next Employer, That is...

Out of work or looking for a better job? Times have changed dramatically when it comes to landing a great job with a great company.

Not long ago, it was an employee's market, when sometimes all you needed was a personal connection or referral.

Now, its an employers market. For example, just today, I saw a job posting for a Sales Support Representative. The first requirment on the list of qualifications was a Bachelors Degree.

This is just one example of how the current job market benefits employers. With so many people "looking", employers can afford to be highly selective when it comes to applicants.

Gone are the days when a company must broaden the pool of applicants it considers or rush to make an offer for fear of losing the "top" (and sometimes only) candidate to a competitor.

Not so long ago, it was common for Candidates & Job-Seekers to ask employers: "What's in it for me?" Perks/Benefits, Sign On Bonus, Equity, Counter-offers, etc.

The tables have turned and now employers want to know what's in it for them if they should decide to hire you.

What can you do? Don't give up! Think about what you bring to the table and sell those skills to your employer of choice.

If you don't know where to start, this article offers some great tips: Need a Job?


Happy Networking!

Terry
Tweet with me!

My LinkedIn Groups:
Job Spot Seattle & Job Spot West Coast


WoVEN; Women Veterans Empowerment Network


Related Websites:
Job-Spot-Seattle
WoVEN
Job Spot Seattle on Yahoo!
Job Spot West Coast on Yahoo!


(C) 2005 - 2009 Copyright // Job Spot Seattle // All Rights Reserved

The Benefits of an Employment Agency

Author: Ashley Toh

One of the things you need to understand about the job market is that there is plenty of competition and the numbers do not hit you until you realise that there are millions of people looking for jobs on a daily basis. Millions of people all over the world. You have to think global, not local; because the job market now spans a borderless arena.



When thinking about your next job, or if you have been looking for a job for a while now, you must re-look at your strategy and perhaps include the use of an employment agency to help you out with your job search. There are many benefits of an employment agency that will assist you to not only secure a job, but secure one that is beneficial for your own career path. Now this works both ways, from the perspective of someone looking to find a job and form the perspective of a business looking for talent in the job market.



For the job seeker, the employment agency will have the business contacts necessary to push your resume and your details to many more businesses, who will be able to assess and perhaps consider your resume as one that has a potential place in their company. The bottom line about having an employment agency is that you get much more exposure than you would if you were to be looking in a newspaper or even an online job search.



The exposure would be almost ten times of what you would be normally getting because business still trust the services of an employment agency to get the results that they need. For one thing, they will get much more focused results, instead of being swamped with resumes of persons who are not even qualified for some of these jobs. Having a targeted and focused function that the employment agency gives would be then a boon to businesses who want the quickest results in the best time.



This would also mean that your resume would be sent to the companies that would not only be interested in you but of course the types of career matches that would further enhance your career path. Because of the global reach of even local based employment agencies, your horizon would also be increased to great levels.



For businesses, the employment agency is also a great place to find temporary workers for short term contracts as well, as they would have a pool of resources of these people on the call list. These are some of the benefits of an employment agency that you need to know about. If you are searching for a job or an employee, the connections and the resources of an employment agency can only assist you in your search to find something or someone that complements you in every way. There are many quality local and international employment agencies for you to choose from, and a quick search online is all you need to get started.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/careers-articles/the-benefits-of-an-employment-agency-1023131.html

About the Author:

International Workplace Consulting Pte Ltd , an executive head hunter, will provide your company with all employment services to fulfill your human resources needs. They have also acted as a career builder, providing professionals with the ideal job opportunities.

Networking and Self-Marketing; What Really Works?

How Do You Network & Promote Your Skills to Potential Employers?

I'm presenting a career workshop to (an anticipated) 700+ women veterans on 9/12/09 at the Department of Veterans Affairs Women Veterans Summit.

Click here for event details: Women Veterans Summit

Among other topics, I'm sharing best practices for:

1. Self Marketing & Self Promotion

2. Online/Virtual Networking via: LinkedIn, Facebook, Plaxo, Twitter, User Groups, Blogs etc.

3. In-Person Networking; social events. job fairs and professional association functions.

What "works" for me?

Being a member of Toastmasters, attending professional/industry-specific association meetings and sharing jobs, resources, and tips with Job Spot Seattle & WoVEN members are just a few of my networking best practices!

What are your networking and/or self-marketing/promotion best practices?

As always, I look forward to your unique & valuable input on any and/or all areas!

Happy Networking!

- Terry

http://twitter.com/job_spot
http://www.women-veterans-empowerment-network.com/
http://www.job-spot-seattle.com/

"What are You Doing" on Twitter? Have You Tried Job-Searching or Self-Marketing?

Twitter's been called "instant gratification" for online social networkers, so "What Are You Doing" on Twitter?

I use Twitter to communicate with others quickly via "Tweets" (short, 140 characters, status updates).

I share quick notes with my followers and read updates of people I'm following as well.

How are you using Twitter and why did you start using it? How has it benefited you or your business?

If you're looking for work, has it helped your job search?

I look forward to your comments!

In the meantime, here's a link to replies from LinkedIn users:

Terry's Linkedin Questions

Happy Networking!

- Terry
Job_Spot on Twitter

Sharing Job Spot West Coast (California & Oregon Networking)

Please share Job Spot West Coast (on Yahoo!@) with your California and/or Oregon Connections:

My network is filled with California and Oregon connections so I share California & Oregon jobs @ Job Spot West Coast on Yahoo! Groups.

Here's the link:
http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/Job_Spot_West_Coast/?yguid=284165757

Feel free to share the link with your network.

Happy Networking!

- Terry
Come "Tweet" with me on Twitter!
www.job-spot-seattle.com

Sharing "Green Jobs" Web Site Links in Honor of Earth Day:

I ran across these job-sites and wanted to share them. Hope you find them of resource:

http://www.greenjobs.com/public/display_jobs.aspx?pg=1&&s=CA&y=United%20States&t=D&v=O

http://www.sustainablebusiness.com/index.cfm?city=seattle&state=47&country=0&level=0&category=0&keyword=&go=greendreamjobs.main&submit=find+jobs

For More West Coast Jobs visit:
http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/Job_Spot_Seattle/ and http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/Job_Spot_West_Coast/ http://www.linkedin.com/groupRegistration?gid=1236757

Happy Earth Day & Happy Networking!

Terry @ Job Spot Seattle / job.spot.seattle@gmail.com
Come "Tweet" with me!

There's Such a Thing: a Flexible & Enjoyable Survival Job!

Many of us are just trying to make ends meet lately!

Today I met a guy with, what seemed to be, a flexible & enjoyable "survival" / "in-between jobs" job. I chatted with him a bit.

He was a Census Bureau Field Representative. His job is to verify single-family home addresses in neighborhoods. Of course, I asked him about his job. I'm always curious about people and the work they do.

He was walking around at his own pace(on his own schedule with no boss around) and seemed to be enjoying his work. He was alone and looked very comfortable in his beach hat, walking shoes, and khaki shorts!

It seemed like a great option for a 2nd job, college student job, or "survival job".

Most important: a nice way to make ends meet (outside of retail or fast-food) if you're in-between jobs.

Not many jobs allow that flexibility; trek comfortably around town, meet new people, and enjoy a nice sunny day! (these openings are Nationwide; not just Seattle!)

For more information or to view other U.S. Census Bureau openings visit this link:

Field Representative @ U.S. Census Bureau http://www.census.gov/rosea/www/fieldrep.html

Spread the word & Happy Networking!

Terry job.spot.seattle@gmail.com
http://twitter.com/job_spot - Come "Tweet" with me!

Sharing 40 + Washington (Seattle & Metro) U.S. Census Bureau Jobs & Links!

The U.S. Census Bureau is seeking self-motivated, energetic, and enthusiastic persons. Available positions are listed below.

For More West Coast Jobs visit: http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/Job_Spot_Seattle/ and http://www.linkedin.com/groupRegistration?gid=1236757

Spread the Word & Happy Networking!

Terry @ Job Spot Seattle / job.spot.seattle@gmail.com
Come "Tweet" with me!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~DETAILS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Field Representatives: /http://www.census.gov/rosea/www/fieldrep.html
(More than one opening!)

WASHINGTON Positions (By City):
http://www.census.gov/rosea/www/emply.html

U.S. Census Jobs in Washington (Including Seattle Metro)

WASHINGTON
http://www.census.gov/rosea/www/emply.html

Bellevue Positions Available:
Local Census Office Manager
Asst Manager for Field Operations
Asst Manager for Quality Assurance
Asst Manager for Recruiting
Asst Manager for Administration
Asst Manager for Technology

Tukwila Positions Available:
Local Census Office Manager
Asst Manager for Field Operations
Asst Manager for Quality Assurance
Asst Manager for Recruiting
Asst Manager for Administration
Asst Manager for Technology

Everett Positions Available:
Local Census Office Manager
Asst Manager for Field Operations
Asst Manager for Quality Assurance
Asst Manager for Recruiting
Asst Manager for Administration
Asst Manager for Technology

Olympia Positions Available:
Local Census Office Manager
Asst Manager for Field Operations
Asst Manager for Quality Assurance
Asst Manager for Recruiting
Asst Manager for Administration
Asst Manager for Technology

Richland Positions Available:
Local Census Office Manager
Asst Manager for Field Operations
Asst Manager for Quality Assurance
Asst Manager for Recruiting
Asst Manager for Administration
Asst Manager for Technology

Silverdale Positions Available:
Local Census Office Manager
Asst Manager for Field Operations
Asst Manager for Quality Assurance
Asst Manager for Recruiting
Asst Manager for Administration
Asst Manager for Technology

Tacoma Positions Available:
Local Census Office Manager
Asst Manager for Field Operations

Seattle All Assistant Management Positions Filled

Spokane All Assistant Management Positions Filled

Regional Technician - Internal
Regional Technician - External
Duty Location: Bothell, WA
(Closing Date: May 4, 2009)

Spread the Word & Happy Networking!

Terry @ Job Spot Seattle / job.spot.seattle@gmail.com
Come "Tweet" with me!

Sharing 80 + California-Wide U.S. Census Bureau Jobs & Links!

The U.S. Census Bureau is seeking self-motivated, energetic, and enthusiastic persons.Available positions are listed below.

For more West Coast Jobs visit: http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/Job_Spot_Seattle/ and http://www.linkedin.com/groupRegistration?gid=1236757

Spread the Word & Happy Networking!

Terry @ Job Spot Seattle / job.spot.seattle@gmail.com
Come "Tweet" with me!


~~~~~~~~~~~~~DETAILS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Field Representatives: /http://www.census.gov/rosea/www/fieldrep.html
(More than one opening!)

CALIFORNIA Positions (By City):
http://www.census.gov/rosea/www/emply.html

Assistant Manager for Administration
Duty Location: San Francisco East
(Closing Date: April 28, 2009)

Assistant Manager for Administration
Duty Location: Oakland
(Closing Date: April 28, 2009)

Concord Positions Available:
Local Census Office Manager
Asst Manager for Field Operations
Asst Manager for Quality Assurance
Asst Manager for Recruiting
Asst Manager for Administration
Asst Manager for Technology

Oakland Positions Available:
Asst Manager for Field Operations
Asst Manager for Quality Assurance
Asst Mgr for Administration (see above)

Pleasanton Positions Available:
Local Census Office Manager
Asst Manager for Field Operations
Asst Manager for Quality Assurance
Asst Manager for Recruiting
Asst Manager for Administration
Asst Manager for Technology

San Leandro Positions Available:
Local Census Office Manager
Asst Manager for Field Operations
Asst Manager for Quality Assurance
Asst Manager for Recruiting
Asst Manager for Administration
Asst Manager for Technology

Elk Grove Positions Available:
Local Census Office Manager
Asst Manager for Field Operations
Asst Manager for Quality Assurance
Asst Manager for Recruiting
Asst Manager for Administration
Asst Manager for Technology

Placerville Positions Available:
Local Census Office Manager
Asst Manager for Field Operations
Asst Manager for Quality Assurance
Asst Manager for Recruiting
Asst Manager for Administration
Asst Manager for Technology

Sacramento Positions Available:
Local Census Office Manager
Asst Manager for Field Operations
Asst Manager for Quality Assurance
Asst Manager for Recruiting
Asst Manager for Administration
Asst Manager for Technology

Palo Alto Positions Available:
Local Census Office Manager
Asst Manager for Field Operations
Asst Manager for Quality Assurance
Asst Manager for Recruiting
Asst Manager for Administration
Asst Manager for Technology

San Jose Positions Available:
Asst Manager for Administration
Asst Manager for Recruiting

Santa Clara Positions Available:
Local Census Office Manager
Asst Manager for Field Operations
Asst Manager for Quality Assurance
Asst Manager for Recruiting
Asst Manager for Administration
Asst Manager for Technology

San Francisco East Positions Available:
Asst Manager for Quality Assurance
Asst Manager for Technology
Local Census Office Manager (see above)
Asst Mgr for Administration (see above)

San Francisco West Positions Available:
Local Census Office Manager
Asst Manager for Field Operations
Asst Manager for Quality Assurance
Asst Manager for Recruiting
Asst Manager for Administration
Asst Manager for Technology

Eureka Positions Available:
Local Census Office Manager
Asst Manager for Field Operations
Asst Manager for Quality Assurance
Asst Manager for Recruiting
Asst Manager for Administration
Asst Manager for Technology

Fairfield Positions Available:
Local Census Office Manager
Asst Manager for Field Operations
Asst Manager for Quality Assurance
Asst Manager for Recruiting
Asst Manager for Administration
Asst Manager for Technology

Redding Positions Available:
Local Census Office Manager
Asst Manager for Field Operations
Asst Manager for Quality Assurance
Asst Manager for Recruiting
Asst Manager for Administration
Asst Manager for Technology

Santa Rosa All Assistant Management Positions Filled

Stockton All Assistant Management Positions Filled

Spread the Word & Happy Networking!

Terry @ Job Spot Seattle / job.spot.seattle@gmail.com
Come "Tweet" with me!

Job Club 2.0 or Face-to-Face?

I heard an NPR radio show today about job clubs. Job clubs are nothing new, but they are become more popular because of rising un-employment.

Job Spot Seattle (and West Coast) on LinkedIn, Yahoo, Plaxo, and Facebook are all virtual Job Clubs. Like face-to-face job clubs, Job Spot members support each other by sharing knowledge, advice, and contacts to combat unemployment and under-employment!

Virtual is convenient and all-inclusive, but I'd like to form an in-person job club too! There's something about in-person networking that just works. I'm in process of forming a job club and will keep you posted of my progress or any updates as available!

In the meantime, feel free to share your thoughts or ideas.

Happy Networking!

- Terry / job.spot.seattle@gmail.com / terry_hall on Twitter
Job Spot Seattle
The Online Job Network Since 2005

LinkedIn Groups:
http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=1236757
http://www.linkedin.com/groupRegistration?gid=978307

(C) 2005 - 2009 Copyright // Job Spot Seattle // ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Diversity Job Fair Today, 4/7 from 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm

Event: Multilingual Resource & Job Fair

Location: Holiday Inn Hotel 1 South. Grady Way Renton, WA 98057

Contact: 360-459-2395 info@nationwidejobfairs.com

Companies in attendance to include: Seattle Public Utilities, Seattle Police Department, Seattle Fire Department, Woodland Park Zoo, King County Department of Natural Resources, Seattle Department of Transportation, Comcast, Farmers, Social Security Administration and many more!

For more information, see http://www.nationwidejobfairs.com/ FREE PARKING, follow signs to conference area.

Happy Networking!
Terry

Can You Freelance Your Way to Financial Freedom?

With the state of our economy, many are considering alternative ways of earning an income, while maintaining their industry expertise and credibility. Freelancing seems like a viable option, but I wonder if its really "all that" and is it for everyone?

I've heard a lot about freelancing lately, so I asked several people about their freelancing experience on various sites (Elance.com, Guru.com, Helium.com, Gofreelance.com, Squidoo.com, Bintro.com & other sites).

Bob Kalsey
Writer, Director; Owner, Bravura Films, Inc.; Communications Consultant shares his guru.com experience:

" I've been registered at guru.com since March of 2003 and have not won a single contract from that site. Is it me? Perhaps. In the last two years I've responded to bid requests 34 times; 28 of those times the posting expired with no award. Only 6 of the projects were awarded to any bidder. Few of my responses to bid requests were actual bids. Most were requests for further information about the project (not one of which were answered), and some were advice to the requester. I receive a couple of bid requests a day from guru.com and rarely is there one I can take seriously.

Guru.com does not have a "writer" category, but lumps writers in with translators. So about half the requests I receive are for translation services. This is a real fault of the system, but the company has ignored my suggestions that they make a change. Most of the other requests are from people who have a "great blockbuster idea" for a movie -- and want someone to write it for them in exchange for a small percentage of the mega-bucks they expect to make by selling the screenplay to a producer. Others are from people who want a writer to collaborate (for free) on their life-story for a sure-fire best-seller. Some of my responses to these "employers" have been to suggest that their notion of how the film and publishing industry work is seriously flawed.

Maybe I'm unkind. But it's this kind of ridiculous freelance opportunity that results in so many of the bid requests expiring without award. The bid awards I've read about at this site have all been ridiculously low, likewise the budgets specified in the rfps. One recent job posting was for a series of twenty 2-minute video scripts for some on-line movies. The total budget was "under $250." Doesn't seem worth the effort even to respond to that posting. I had some hopes for Guru.com, but now I view their Project Notifications only for amusement.

Links:
http://www.bobkalsey.com "

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ramesh Kumar
CTO chimes in with his experience on the topic:

"I experimented with elance, guru and rentacoder.com. Rentacoder was very user friendly and could bid successfully for some projects, in personal front. "

(were you reasonably compensated?) "No. The rates are far below the realistic prices. The people quote prices that are not feasible for any genuine person. They may be offering as this is extra and not main income. Whatever comes extra may be fine. "

(Would you freelance again?) "If prices are reasonable and if the buyers see the merit of the coder and their experience, it would be better. Most of the buyers seem to be interested in the lowest bids. And there are some fraud buyers, who take the work and dispute saying that they are not happy and the site even supports the buyers. "

(Which freelancing jobs/sites would you recommend to others?) "None"

"Ramesh The Human Search Engine"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Megan Lynch
Creative Consultant at Audio Messaging Solutions, LLC has used Elance...

"I use Elance for side work. I've made some extra money there, and the overall experience has not been too bad. It is a lot of work to search through projects to find serious buyers and then formulate winning bids, but I think I'm doing pretty well so far.

"I have had some buyers balk at my bids, but a couple of times I've convinced them that they're better off paying a higher price for better quality. There are a LOT of low bids and many come from outside the U.S. where the dollar is worth much more. The rates are also very dependent on the type of project. I always take time to explain to the buyer exactly why I'm bidding what I'm bidding. Sometimes they agree, sometimes they're looking for the cheap way out."

"The best thing about using the web for freelance work is that I can work when I have time. My least favorite thing is that I can't rely on any kind of steady income from it. I suspect that if I were to make a concerted daily effort I would be able to generate a more steady workload, but since I have a regular 9-5 that's not really feasible."

"I would recommend Elance to others if they have enough time to figure out the best methods of the site. There is money to be earned but you really need to be able to spot the buyers who look for quality over price/quantity.

Links:
http://mconcept.elance.com "

I'll share more Freelancing Experiences in my next post!

Your Comments are Always Welcome!

Happy Networking!

-Terry

Job Spot Seattle Founder
"Seattle’s Exclusive Online Job Network Since 2006"

LinkedIn Groups:
Job Spot Seattle: http://www.linkedin.com/groupRegistration?gid=1236757
WoVEN: http://www.linkedin.com/groupRegistration?gid=978307

Got The Job Fair Blues? Just Go! You May Find The Un-Expected...

Lately, I've heard a lot of negative about job fairs. Particularly how there are "too many" job-seekers and not enough jobs at the events.

That may be true, but even if you don't get a job right away, going to a job fair is a great way to network and bond with other "job challenged" professionals like you! That being said, I was excited to attend WaMu Center's Career Services Job Fair on 3/25.

In addition to seeing other recently laid off WaMu colleagues, I met several potential employers!

Some Seattle-area Staffing Agencies in attendance were:

iMatch
Kelly Financial Resources
Wimmer Solutions
Ajilon Office
Accountants Inc.
Comsys
Hansell Tierney
Volt Technical Resources
Volt Services Group
Creative Cirlce
Law Dawgs

E-mail me if you'd like contact details/names for any of these companies. (e-mail @ post end)

The Un-Expected...

Though I was excited to attend the job fair, part of me thought it might be depressing having so many other "job challenged" folks in one place.

To the contrary, it was a motivating, empowering, and bonding experience!

Besides potential employers, I saw many former WaMu co-workers. It was a reunion of sorts; everyone getting together like old times! It was a bonding experience; we were all in the same boat; actively "looking" for work. We exchanged greetings, business cards, and caught up with each other on happenings since our recent lay off.

What's Next?

Did I get a job offer yet? No, but I exchanged numbers with potential employers.

Job-seeking is a process, similar to dating (and eventually getting married). I didn't get a marriage proposal a week after meeting my husband. It took time.

Finding a quality job takes time too!

For now, I'm going to stay patient and positive. I'll stay in touch with my network and (try to) stay away from negative news.

I hope to see you at the next event! The Career Fair on April 22 at WaMu Center.

Join me on Job Spot Seattle on LinkedIn http://www.linkedin.com/groupRegistration?gid=1236757

or check my blog again soon for more event details.

As Always, Happy Networking!

- Terry

job.spot.seattle@gmail.com

Sharing: TwitterJobSearch.com for Job Posters and Job Seekers!

I shared details about TwitterJobSearch.com being launched yesterday,
Job Posters: Get your Jobs Posted (indexed) on TwitterJobSearch.com by Tweeting your Job!

For Details, visit:

TwitterJobSearch.com Tips @ http://www.twitterjobsearch.com/static/add-jobs

Happy Networking!

- Terry (Twitr_Recruiter on Twitter.com)

Job Spot Seattle - http://job-spot-seattle.blogspot.com/

LinkedIn Groups:

http://www.linkedin.com/groupRegistration?gid=1236757http://www.linkedin.com/groupRegistration?gid=978307

The Best Job Ever!

Most of us, including me, want to "love" our jobs because its where we spend most of our time (life). I'm always curious to hear about people's jobs and how they got into their field because everyone's story is different and interesting!

In my ongoing research of jobs and industries I reached out to gain insight on this topic from other working professionals with the following questions:

1. What's the best job/title you've ever had?

2. What were your key responsibilities in the role and which did you enjoy most?

3. What education and/or certifications were required to qualify for the role?

4. If your "best" role is your current role, is it a result of strategic career planning?

5. If yes, did you partner with a mentor or career counselor to develop your plan?

Final Question:

6. What advice would you give others with an interest in pursuing the same job/career?

Here are a few responses:

M. Joyce McMenamin - "Chief-of-Quite-A-Lot" weighs in, keeping it short and simple with her reply:

"I'll answer one of your questions.

Q: What's the best job I ever had? A: All of them."

- Thanks M. Joyce!

Cristina Gibson - Operations Manager at Protocol Communications shares:

"My first job, my boss always said find something to do so you always look busy no matter what, best lesion I every got and it gave me work ethic."

- Great advice Cristina!

Nelsene Toriano - Engineering Consultant gives insight about his experience with start-ups:

"The best job I ever had was with a start-up because it allowed me to do whatever to complete the objective. The next best job is the one I have now...a start-up of my own. For the same reasons. I felt corporate america stifled me."

- So true Nelsene, many find corporate America isn't for them. Congratulations on your starting your own company!

Felicia Hsieh - Project Manager, Web Programmer, Marketing Manager, and Jack-of-all-Trades shares her work as a Sr. Project Manager at AT&T:

"My best job as a Sr. Project Manager was in leading the first successful nationwide DSL service deployment at AT&T CERFnet from scratch in 6 months. My team built out the networking infrastructure and developed a complete customer-facing service offering. Kudos goes out to my team, who deserves the credit for realizing this network.

I love being put in dynamic environments because it puts all of my experiences and knowledge to the test. My education had a moderate contribution to the success of the project, and it was my willingness to try something new that I found this opportunity."

- Felicia, you seem to bring a lot of positivity and empowerment to your role and the roles of others, as evidenced by your willingness to acknowledge your team and work enviroment! Thanks for sharing!


Denise Cicchella, MBA, CIA, CFE, FLMI, ACS, - Director - Construction Audit at Control Solutions International shares why her best job is her current job:


"My current job is my best one. My boss believes in me, I have the freedom to run the show, within realms of good business sense, and no one is overlooking my shoulder every step of the way. I did not look for my current job, they looked for me. The fact that I wrote the book on my area of expertise was really what sealed the deal for me.


I admit it is also one of the most stressful jobs I have ever had but the stress is a good stress. I have to be professional at all times. I do public speaking in my job and I thought that would be the hardest part but I have come to really enjoy it and it is a new fave of mine. So if anyone needs a speaker, check out my profile and please let me know."


- Denise, it sounds like you've got it all; thanks for sharing!


Ron Borland, Process Management Consultant at Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company Details his best job experiences, shares insight and some helpful advice for others:

"Terry,



I've had a wide variety of jobs, frequently working multiple jobs concurrently. In many cases I was not actually hired for a specific job, but because of my attitude. I have now had five full-time jobs where one of my first tasks was to define the job I'd be doing. It's been a blast!


Two examples: I was hired the day after my first interview with the company. When I showed up for work, my new boss asked me what I knew about a topic. I admitted I knew nothing at all about it. He told me to research it and bring him a paper in one week detailing how I would modify what we were then doing to incorporate the best practices I learned about in my research. When I presented the paper, he told me to go do it. That became my job for the next year.


For another job, the day I reported to work, my new boss showed me to my desk and then told me he was leaving for two weeks of vacation that same day. When I asked him what I should be working on while he was gone, he told me he was sure I'd find something to do and left. When he came back I presented him with a marketing plan for the department and information about new areas where the team could really add value to the company. Both my recommendations were implemented, and I was given the task of expanding the department's scope of operations to match my recommendations.


Now for the funny part, in neither of the above cases did my official job title have anything to do with what I really did during the first year of my tenure with the company.


The positions I've enjoyed most were not the result of mentoring or career planning. They were due to the fact that I have had such a broad work experience in many fields and am able to take what I learn in one situation and apply it to others.


I am also very good at translating between tech speak and business speak, so am frequently put into postions where my primary role is to make things work more smoothly for others.

My advice to anyone wanting "the best job ever" is to learn as much as you can about as many things as possible.


Stay fairly current in five or more diciplines.


And, above all, be flexible: Be ready to change direction at a moment's notice. The world will notice and appreciate the fact that you are the one who makes necessary and positive change really happen."


- I couldn't agree more Ron, thanks for sharing!

Jon Van Volkinburg, Chemical Engineer, Biotechnology & MBA Candidate Weighs in with his thoughts, touching on each point decisively:

"1. What's the best job/title you've ever had?

Associate (current title) - My primary duties are of a chemical and process engineering nature, but my general job description is "whatever we need you to do and whatever you feel needs to be done." There's not many of us here, so, in general, if you aren't doing it then it's not getting done.

2. What were your key responsibilities in the role and which did you enjoy most? When I was a "Chemical Engineer" as well as "Process Technologist" my duties were to develop, improve, and troubleshoot pharmaceutical processes. That was a lot of fun. I do that now to some extent, but I do that and more. Still, I like figuring out how things work (or why they are broken) and the fix and improve them. This includes the businesses as well as sophisticated machinery.

3. What education and/or certifications were required to qualify for the role? Chemical Engineering degree, the rest was learned by doing; project management, quality engineering, and statistics were some of the skills I had to develop. In order to contribute more I am working on my MBA.

4. If your "best" role is your current role, is it a result of strategic career planning? My current role is my favorite, and it was not a part of strategic planning. I was laid off from my last job and not many people want to hire an engineer getting an MBA, since it sends a mixed message. They either want an engineer or they want an engineer who has his MBA.

5. If yes, did you partner with a mentor or career counselor to develop your plan? When I was laid off I met with career counselors to help define a career path. Unfortunately, those paths were not available at the time I needed a job and still are not available due to the economy. However, I have continued to meet with them and have found mentors in my current role. This has lead me to reevaluate my career objectives and the manner in which I wish to utilize my education and background. I think that sometimes we need to figure out how to make opportunity with what we have rather than plan out a path and follow it. Career management should be a dynamic and ongoing activity.

Final Question:

6. What advice would you give others with an interest in pursuing the same job/career? Be patient, network, and get involved in the industry learning as much as you can. In general, for anyone pursuing any job/career it is important to never stop learning and growing as an individual, strengthening your offerings. "

- Great info, Jon - Thanks!


Hamish Taylor - Consultant & Coach shares the satisfaction he finds in his current role:

"...my current one. Always was and always will be as I make the most of the opportunities. Must say that I prefer what I to do today to what I did before, but again that was always the case as well - that I believe is defined as progress. What is consistent is that I enjoy working with smart people - both as colleagues and as clients, so them I say a big thank you!

Regards Hamish.
Links:
http://www.shinergise.com "


- Thanks Harnish and everyone for your insightful replies!

Now, a little about my best jobs!

Out of sheer luck, my first role after The U.S. Marine Corps was Front Office Coordinator at a San Diego Staffing Agency in 1997. Little did I know that my acceptance of that $8 an hour job would be my foot-in-the door opportunity to my lasting career in the Staffing & Recruiting Industry!

Active Duty marine was my best non-civilian job. I gained diverse experiences from the military! I sometimes miss the excitement of firing live rounds on the rifle range and running 5-7 Miles a day in combat boots and camoflage fatiques with fellow marine platoon members.

My memories of being a marine are surpassed by my passion for recruiting, social online media, networking & keeping up with the latest industry-technology!

That being said, Being a Recruiter is the Best Job Ever!

As Always, Happy Networking!

- Terry
http://www.linkedin.com/in/recruitertah

What Were Your Best/Worst Recruiter Experiences? (Replies & Article)

I recently asked this question on LinkedIn and wanted to share the replies:

During a Job Search, Most of Us Work With Staffing Agency Recruiters or Corporate Recruiters in the Application, Interviewing and/or Hiring Process. What Were Your Best/Worst Recruiter Experiences?

After reading replies (and posting a comment) to last month's NYT's web article:"Google Lays Off 100 Recruiters" (link @ end), I began to question experiences job-seekers have with recruiters in the job search, interview and/or hiring process.

---- Background ----

I share these LinkedIn answers and comments on my Job Spot Seattle yahoo blog http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/Job_Spot_Seattle/ to help members become more successful. Please answer publicly if you'd like to be quoted, Feel free to include a link to your webpage. If you want to answer but have your name left confidential, please state this in your response.

-- Question --

Think back to your best and worst experiences with a recruiter and share your replies to the 5 questions below. Answered candidly, these questions may shed light on potential issues and best practices.

* Exclude identifying recruiter & company names
* Include if Agency or Corporate Recruiter (company-employee)

1. What was positive about your experience with the recruiter?
2. What was negative about your experience with the recruiter?
3. What was lacking that could have made your experience better?
4. What suggestions would you make if the recruiter asked for your feedback?
5. If you spoke to that recruiter's boss; what would you say about the recruiter?
(Good, bad or otherwise)

NYT article link with comments: http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/01/14/google-lays-off-100-recruiters/?scp=14&sq=google%20layoff&st=cse#comment-172651

Here are the non-confidential replies I received:


Ken Walker, Supply Quality Manager in Seattle says:


Terry,

I had an experience today with a recruiter that I believe is my worst. There were two positive elements in this experience the "Hello my name is...." and "Have a nice day". I feel that the rest of the converstion was pretty unprofessional. He first told me that he gotten my information from a Monster.com posting. He then started to tell me how bad the information from Monster.com was. He then proceded to ask me what my salary was in my last position. When I told he proceded to comment on how carefully I had read the requirements and that the listed salary was below what he had put in the posting. I told him that I realized my qualifications were close to what he had posted and I would be will to negotiate the salary. He quickly replied that there would be no salary negotiation, what he posted would be the salary. He then requested a Word file of my resume, which I immediately sent . With in 30 minutes he called back a procedes to lecture me about needing a resume that told a "story" and it had to be a chronological resume. He said he was not going to "read through all of that to find out what I had accomplished". I had changed from a chronological resume a couple years ago as I received a lot of negative comments about the chronological format and that my accomplishments would stand out more in a different format. I then sent him an old resume in the chronological format. He called back about 2 hours later and wants to use this old resume to present me to a client. I am still considering telling this recruiter not to present me to any client as I do not feel he has a professional approach. I need a job, but I am not sure that his unprofessional approach will be an asset for my job search.

- Ken

Brad Carlon, Senior Account Supervisor says:

Hi Terry,

The industry I work in relies heavily on recruiters, and I get called at least once a week. Some annoyances I find: The SAME recruiter calling and introducing himself to me. Keep better records - you should know we spoke previously and you should be able to reference that discussion. On the topic of keeping records, I notice some recruiters don't take good notes and always come back with opportunities that are not in my desired geographical area or not in the type of company I want to work for. I have told the same recruiters multiple times that I do not wish to work in New York City, yet the same ones always call with opportunities in – you guessed it – NYC! There a few quality recruiters that I maintain contact with because: 1. They know the type of opportunity I would like and only call when they find something 2. They know where I live and how far I am willing to travel (I suspect they may even use Google maps to see how far I would need to commute) 3. They are friendly, cordial and I actually enjoy speaking with them I actually had one recruiter leave me a belligerent voice mail asking that I return his call and let him know if I am not interested so that I can stop wasting HIS time!
- Brad

Mark Richards says:

Terry, I have worked with recruiters as a client, candidates and running a job transition group. I've put my thoughts on recruiters on my website designed to help job candidates to be more effective.

Mark Richards
CFO at Reshare & Alvenda
Links:
http://www.candidateschair.com/

Please share your thought or comments as well!

Terry

Replies to my LinkedIn Question: What Books Would You Recommend to Job-Seekers...

I recently asked LinkedIn users to share books they'd recommend to someone recently laid off. Here are the replies to my questions:

If you could recommend two books to someone who's recently been laid off, what would they be?

In the virtual sea of career management and professional development books available to job-seekers, which two would you recommend? I personally recommend:

1. "Managing Transitions: Making the Most of Change" by William Bridges
2. "Now, Discover Your Strengths" by Marcus Buckingham and Donald O. Clifton

Thanks for your help! Terry

www.job-spot-seattle.com http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/Job_Spot_Seattle/
www.women-veterans-empowerment-network.com

---- Background ----
I will take these LinkedIn answers and comments and share them on my Job Spot Seattle yahoo blog: http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/Job_Spot_Seattle/ to help members become more successful in their job search. Please answer publicly if you'd like to be quoted, Feel free to include a link to your webpage. If you want to answer but have your name left confidential, please state this in your response.

------ Answers ------

Ariel Nievera Owner, Ariel Consulting Inc. and Computer Software Specialist

Start being active and call your senators/congress representatives. No amount of training can help an IT unemployed professional. The only way to fix the problem is to cancel all guest worker visas and send them home. These are guest workers on H1b and L1 visas, they are not immigrants. America has a choice to start helping Americans first before anybody else. If Obama cancels these visas it will open up jobs in Information Technology, Engineering, Architecture and Science. Obama should also give tax benefits for those companies that bring back work into the US.

David Pinkley The Resume Sage. What does your resume say about you?

Terry, What a good question. Here are two recommendations from The Resume Sage: 1. What Color is Your Parachute by Dick Bolles. Because it's a classic for job seekers. 2. Any author that helps you relax - Jane Austin, J. K. Rowling, Robert Ludlum. (Insert your favorite author here.) I personally prefer James Michener. The longer the book the better. Because you need an escape from the frustrating and sometimes intense moments during your job search. -David www.TheResumeSage.com (Site is being upgraded now, but will be up again tomorrow.)

Andy Robinson
Executive Coach - Helping Leaders Excel and Deliver Maximum Value. Helping Leaders Successfully Navigate Career Change.

Two books that I would highly recommend to anyone who's been recently laid off include: Liz' Lynch's excellent book on highly effective networking practices and processes -- "Smart Networking." Frances Cole Jones' book -- "How to Wow" -- which offers strategies and tactics for effectively presenting your ideas, persuading your "audience," and perfecting your image. I'm recommending both of these books to my existing Career Transition Coaching Clients. Visit my blog, Career Success! at www.AndyRobinsonCoach.com which offer a weekly review of RECENTLY RELEASED BOOKS highly relevant to career transitions and career development. See also: www.AndyOnLinkedIn.com www.AndyOnTheRadio.com www.AndyOnTwitter.com Andy.Robinson@CRGLeaders.com All the best....

Remy Lang Data Storage and TSM Specialist at ING

None. I'd recommend people to go out and find a job, build a network, study: anything active and constructive to increase the person's chances to get back to work.

Marty Schnoor Senior Training Specialist at USDA

Stregthsfinder2.0 by Tom Rath Do Put your Strengths to Work by Marcus Buckingham Both have online instruments to allow you to individualize the books "prescriptions" If nothing else it will give you an idea of what you are good at and help you decide what you want to do.


John S. Rajeski
APAC Business Development / Marketing Professional Photographer Global Citizen

Good day Terry, 1) "Man's Search for Meaning" by Viktor Frankl - a brilliant book about humanities' capacity to use suffering(s) as the basis for positive change (his inquiry was largely spurred whilst being in a concentration camp during WWI - which eventually became the basis for the Third Major School of Psycho-Therapy behind Freud and Jung's work). 2) "Guerrilla Marketing for Job Hunters" - an excellent career development resource for conducting a successful (non-conventional) job search. I hope these help, John S. Rajeski
Links:
http://www.amazon.com/Mans-Search-Meaning-Viktor-Frankl/dp/080701429X
http://www.amazon.com/Guerrilla-Marketing-Job-Hunters-Unconventional/dp/047...
http://rajeski.com/


Daniel Bloom SCRP, Lean Six Sigma Green Belt
6 Sigma Certified Human Capital Professional seeking opportunity to assist HR to move to the Strategic Partner Table

Terry, Have several recommendations for you 1) As others have said Marcus Buckingham's book 2) Find Your Perfect Work by Paul Edwards. It has a short survey in it which is almost uncanny in the results it develops. 3) The Mark Hansen Trilogy: The Aladdin Factor, Dare to Win and the Power of Focus.

Tim Holloway VP, Engineering at The Gaming Krib
Considering current sentiment, I'd skip the self-help stuff and get copies of War and Peace and Ulysses. It's going to be a long haul. Might as well improve your mind. Not that I've anything against self-help books. Just never found them to be that much practical help.

Joe Hafner
Personal Branding and Career Development Consultant
Great book about the changing world of work, what is valuable in this transition and how to improve your marketability: A Whole New Mind (by Dan Pink).

Kiyomi Mizukami
Executive Assistant to 3 Chairmen/CEOs & Executive Producers w/ 8+ yrs of progressive responsibilities@Sony, MGM, & Fox

I'll suggest a couple that are directly related to careers and some that address more intra-personal topics. 1) Good in a Room by Stephanie Palmer - It's hands-down the best book about how to sell yourself, be good in meetings/interviews, conduct effective networking, and she shares insider business etiquette and tips. 2) Never Eat Alone by Keith Ferrazzi - A book about networking and finding and maintaining your professional contacts or relationships. 3) The Speed of Trust by Covey - A book about how to be a great leader (and employee) and what it means when one is or isn't. 4) Smart Couples Finish Rich by David Bach - A book about practical advice on finances and saving. While one is job hunting it's a great time to sit down and do all those projects one means to, but never does such as reviewing finances, health insurance, living will, etc. 5) What Should I Do with My Life by Po Bronson - A book of true stories on how and why people chose their careers or changed professions.

Hope you find these answers helpful!

Happy Networking!

- Terry

If you have a moment, please visit Job Spot Seattle and WoVEN on LinkedIn:

http://www.linkedin.com/groupRegistration?gid=1236757http://www.linkedin.com/groupRegistration?gid=978307
http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/Job_Spot_Seattle/