Sunday, August 26, 2012

Back to Work Bootcamp

I am pleased to announce a collaboration between Carol Camerino of Looking for the On Ramp and me. We are presenting an exciting back to work bootcamp at the Rutgers Club, New Brunswick, NJ on October 4, 2012.
Please take a look at our extraordinary event and pass this note along to anyone that you may know in NJ who is unhappy with their job search. They will not be disappointed!

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Sources of Work and Fun, Too!


I was about to go to the Events section of a NJ Patch newspaper to write about a 5K race coming up in September. I’m on the Board for the not for profit hosting the event and I volunteered to list it in the Patch. As I was entering all of the pertinent information I realized that this race is a job search opportunity disguised as fun. How’s that?

1. Common Passion: All of the major players in the 5K race have one thing in common; they are runners. Since they know many of the same people, are familiar with the local or tri-state races and the sites that promote the races, they share a special connection.

2. Networking Event: After the race as you and the other runners are enjoying the park and refreshments the talk may turn to the lousy unemployment rate. You don’t need to go into the details but you can bring up your job search.

3. Coordinated by Volunteers: A not for profit is holding this event and all ohttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.giff the Board members are volunteers. Volunteering is a perfect way to sharpen your existing skills, learn new skills and again, network. Everyone has contacts.

If you have a passion for running, want to network and perhaps look for volunteer opportunities, come join Family & Community Services of Somerset County on September 15, 2015 at Duke Island Park in Bridgewater, NJ for the first annual 5K Run/Walk and Kid Sprint. Registration is at Compuscore.com.

Monday, August 6, 2012

Customizing Your Public LinkedIn Profile URL

Nothing says "rookie" more than a LinkedIn Profile that doesn't have a customized LinkedIn URL. How do you change your URL? Like this:

1. Go to your name on the LinkedIn Home or Profile page and click it. Your name is towards the top of the page and on the right side.

2. A drop down menu will show several options including Settings. Click this (Settings).

3. You'll probably be asked to enter your LinkedIn password.

4. At this page, look for "Edit Your Public Profile" in the "Helpful Links" section. Click this.

5. Your LinkedIn profile will display and to the right of it you will see a series of suggestions to customize your profile. Down towards the bottom of these suggestions it will say "Your Public Profile" and show you what it looks like to the public. Like this:
• Your current profile http://.........

6. It will say, "Customize your public profile URL . View your public profile." Click this and customize your profile with your name according to the stated directions.

That's all there is to getting a polished LinkedIn URL. Next time you "Google" yourself, you will see your professional, customized LinkedIn profile.

Thursday, August 2, 2012

So, What Have You Been Doing These Past Few Years?

The other day a client called me and asked for some help with a job search issue. This particular man has been out of work for over two years and while he is getting calls for interviews, he can’t get past the “What have you been doing with yourself for these past two years?” question. Could you answer that question?

I read an article in Women’s World magazine recently that said hiring managers are more understanding of employment gaps these days but would prefer to see a job seeker fill the gap with an activity such as:
Finding a temporary job (79%)
Taking a class (61%)
Volunteering (60%)
Starting a Business (28%)

There is another statistic that states that the average job seeker in NJ spends only 70 minutes a day looking for work. If that’s true, what’s stopping them from filling the gap with one or more of those activities?

The benefits of temp work, starting a business or volunteering are off the charts. You are maintaining or developing new skills, getting out of the house and back into a routine and most importantly, you are networking. Taking a class speaks for itself and again, you are networking with the instructor and other class members. All in all, should you be asked what you’ve been doing while you were unemployed, you can speak confidently of your activities and increase your chances of being heard.

Please Visit a Dermatologist

Today I had surgery for a Stage 0 Melanoma. It was discovered about a month ago when I went to my dermatologist for my annual skin screening...