Broward Jobing Community Blogs

Since it's Wednesday ("hump day"), I thought we could all use a bit of levity to see us through the day. So I got to thinking about some of the flippant answers I have kept stuffed inside all these years that I would have loved to have let loose on those managers who got on my last nerve:For instance for the manager who said to me in the most condescending way “we don’t appreciate your sense of humor” – I say to you – if you ask ... (Read More)

It seems lately every time I turn around there is an article predicting an explosion in employee turnover – these articles scream about how employees have suffered through a long and painful recession where fear has kept them chained to their desks and jobs.  Now the dawning of a new age is upon us and employees are about to burst free and will search for new jobs, no longer afraid.  Well, maybe.  I am not sure yet.  But what if all these ... (Read More)

Get ready – I am jumping on my soapbox (again!)   People don’t leave companies they leave bad managers – yeah yeah yeah how many times have we heard that.  Oh and by the way before  you start – I was one of those bad bosses before I met the best boss in the world (Carol Denton, thank you Carol) – who showed me what a great boss looks like and my Industrial Psychologist husband, Bruce Saari, who helped me understand all about ... (Read More)

When I work with candidates, I am always amazed by the fact that so many still do not understand the power of social media.  Yes, Debbie (you know who you are) I have fully bought into social media!  Many candidates think that if they just post their resume on a couple of job boards that recruiters will magically find them.  NOT SO FAST! The direct hire job market is heating up, clients are calling me to source candidates. Am I posting jobs on line? No ... (Read More)

Every now and again I have to ask myself "what are people thinking"??  I usually like to provide serious advice, but today we had a good laugh in the office so I thought I would switch it up and provide my reader's some light amusement by giving you a sampling of the worst interview questions and answers we've heard lately: How about the one where the candidate got defensive when I asked why he was an hour late and he said “look dude I left you ... (Read More)

Last week I read a statistic that 70% of currently employed workers are now actively searching for new jobs.  Little wonder.  My clients are telling me that they have 2-3 people a week leaving for other opportunities.  We all knew this was going to happen once the economy stabilized and the job market started to pick up.  What does this mean for you?  Well, I suggest a little spring cleaning might be in order!   Clear out your mind of all ... (Read More)

So a couple of weeks I put down my thoughts about how to choose a staffing firm.  Now I am going to ask you to consider what's most important when hiring an outplacement firm.   Why am I thinking about this?  Simple.  Yesterday I was meeting with a client who told me that when she was laid off from her job (a major employer) she was given "outplacement" services but was basically left alone with no help at all.  She called for an ... (Read More)

During a job search, you will experience a roller coaster of emotions. Some days will be good, and some will make you want to crawl right back into bed and put the covers over your head. To decrease the chance of getting too down in the dumps - here are some ways to help you stay positive and motivated:   1. Set up a consistent daily job search schedule and commit to it.  In other words, you should be focusing on your job search for a minimum of 7 hours per ... (Read More)

In thinking back over my 20+ year career in the staffing industry I am struck by despite all the changes – some things remain the same; job candidates just don't get treated fairly. I started Career Movers and Shapers because I was getting negative feedback from my outplacement candidates about how they were being treated by recruiters in staffing firms.  So how do you select a great staffing partner? Here are some thoughts about how you might evaluate ... (Read More)

Over the years I have met and interviewed many job seekers from all walks of life. It never ceases to amaze me when a candidate walks into my office totally unprepared. I am sorry to be blunt, however please know that the way a candidate presents him or herself DOES matter when interviewing - even when you're "only" visting a staffing service.  Here are some thoughts: 1.        While I prefer that you not smoke at all ... (Read More)

A bad interviewer can hurt you as much as doing poorly on a job interview.  Just because you are being interviewed does not necessarily mean the person you are meeting with knows how to conduct a good interview.  Here are some thoughts and suggestions:   1. Interviewers are not always prepared.  People are in a hurry and have many things to do so preparing adequately to conduct an interview may not always happen.  In that case, you cannot rely ... (Read More)

In discussing references with my outplacement candidates I give them the following advice which I thought you might find useful: 1. Do not share references until an actual job offer has been made. 2. Do not write “References available upon request” on your resume.  Trust me, when the hiring company wants to offer you a job they will ask you for references. 3. Do not use personal friends as references, and do not use personal references at ... (Read More)

As with many questions, there is no one single, correct answer to this question. Take the time to consider and get answers to the following before making that trip to the job fair:   Who is the organizer and do they have a track record of getting reputable companies to attend? Can you identify the hiring companies and open positions before attending? Is my resume 1st class and ready to hand to a potential employer? (Take plenty of copies). Am I ... (Read More)

A word to the wise. When responding to a job posting or sending a resume to a prospective employer or staffing service - you need to customize your resume to closely fit the requirements of each job you apply for.  Once you have customized the resume, save it with a different name in a separate file under each job so that you do not make a mistake when you go for the interview and take the wrong resume.  Make sure you put all the “key words” from ... (Read More)

Being a Certified Career Coach, I was recently invited to participate in a local job fair by the organizers to act as an advisor to the attendees. With resumes in hand, hundreds of people were in search of a new career opportunity. Visiting each table, prepared to tell their story to employers, everyone was hopeful this would be the day they land that new position. Most everyone attending was aware that it was important to dress well for the occasion. Who knows, your new ... (Read More)