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Volume I, Issue 2
Corporate Offices |
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| GET IT FREE! - WANT TO PREVIEW THE BEST JOB SEARCH SYSTEM EVER CREATED ON CD? CLICK HERE! | ||||||||||||||||
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PUBLISHER'S NOTE by Christopher J. Kuselias |
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HIDDEN JOB MARKET SECRETS by Debra Feldman, the JobWhiz™
Networking is not just about finding a new career opportunity that isn't advertised. Networking is more than the hidden job market. Being an active, engaged professional is smart executive career planning. Networking can accelerate job hunting by bringing new challenges to a candidate's attention even before an employer officially acknowledges reorganization. Sometimes until a new resource is identified, no thought is given to a restructuring.. It all comes down to being at the right place at the right time. Thus, the more one networks and is connected, the greater the probability of a new career opportunities being made available through inside leads.
Relationships are key to successful networking. The trust and confidence that colleagues share play a major role in networking being an effective job search method. Credibility is definitely critical to a successful outcome for both the candidate and the employer. If a good relationship exists before the interest to collaborate, then the recruiting process is shorter, straighter and easier. In today's economy, the recruiting and hiring is often lengthy so making long term investments in good professional relationships can really pay off with a quicker hiring process for candidates already familiar with an organization and known to key company players. Moreover, the competition for openings is so fierce, that savvy networking may be the only way to win an advantage over the large numbers equally qualified candidates. If a prospective employee isn't networked, they are at a disadvantage. What does it take for executives and professionals to succeed in the current environment? 1. Keep networking. If you recently completed a job search, stay in touch regularly with those you met. If you can't manage this, at least keep up with anyone with whom you felt a special affinity or sensed that you shared something in common. 2. The old school of long term employment, from graduation till retirement is a model that is out of date. Keep networking, because you are going to need these contacts to help you learn of new opportunities and vice versa. 3. Technology is changing at warp speed. To keep up with innovations and stay on the cutting edge, keep learning. Networking is an exchange of ideas and a learning experience. Keep networking. 4. The world runs on relationships. The more extensive and better quality your connections, the greater your advantage when it comes to finding out inside information, getting an early lead and being a part of the inner circle of knowledge. Keep networking. 5. In the final analysis, it is whom you know not just what you know that equals success. Stay in touch, be friendly, cooperate, and don't burn any bridges. Remember that networking is a two way street; it isn't called a circle of contacts for nothing. Keep networking. 6. While a large active network is advantageous, practicalities dictate how much time and effort can be devoted to being a good (see #5 above) networker. Be selective and cultivate relationships if they are better than average connections. Keep networking. 7. Establish networking as a priority. It is not just socializing. Information is exchanged that has value to both sides in the transaction. Keep networking. 8. Be on the lookout for ways to stay in touch finding relevant data to exchange, even an appropriate article, cartoon or person. Suggest that your network contact pass this along to their own network giving you exposure to their contacts that you don't know. Keep networking. 9. Networking with others in your industry probably is the best use of your job search time. Be clear on your objective which makes it simpler for someone to know how to help you.. You might be able to assist them now or in the future so keep networking. 10. Want to make a change in your career? The best way for that to happen swiftly is through a personal referral. Let your network spread the word and keep networking to expand your exposure to new opportunities in the unadvertised or hidden job market. TOP |
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| THE WORLD OF WORK IS CHANGING by Chuck Oakes The world of work is changing. Old attitudes and old notions of loyalty are history. We're left with a scenario in which employers and employees are looking out for themselves and not necessarily each other. How does one survive in this order? You're in a new job, you're excited, you've made a few friends, found the coffeepot, cafeteria, restroom - life is good! But a word of caution: Don't get too complacent quite yet. We're all on temp assignments... some longer than others! Years ago, our parents experienced a different work scenario, where one took a position with a company expecting to be taken care of the remainder of their career. Frankly, that situation existed for many corporations and families until the 1990s. Employers were sensitive to their workers, cared for their families, and truly were empathetic about worker lifestyles. The consummate example of this was back in the early part of our century when the founder of the Hershey Chocolate Co. actually built a town for Ms employees complete with stadium and school. Since then, technology and many other aspects of our lives have changed, not always for the better. It is said that the only constant in life is change. In 2000, mergers, acquisitions, and reorganizations collectively accounted for 74% of job losses. We're a mobile society where change is common, and in the work-place, being laid off doesn't have the bite that it did years ago. A Changing World One of the changes in employment today is the length of time a worker remains with the same employer. For instance, according to a survey conducted by CIO and Human Resource Executive magazines, the seniormost Information Systems executives in the nation's largest companies stay in their jobs 6.8 years on average. The numbers are similar and even lower In other fields (finance, 5.9 years; human resources, 5.3; sales /marketing, 5.6; manufacturing' operations, 5.5). These numbers are significantly lower than those in years past, even in Japan, where lifetime employment was assumed until just recently. However, in the short term, the time in which a worker remains on the job has been somewhat steady, around 13 years. Of course, there are differ-ent interpretations of the data, but the point is clear, workers are staying on the job fewer years than their parents did. For the Future The concepts of work, employment, jobs, and affiliations are changing. Companies are offering cafeteria-style benefit plans so that workers can pick and choose those benefits they need. There are more options for employment today to accommodate companies seeking good people and to increase retention of the talent pool within the organization. Some options include job sharing, telecommuting, and part-time, project, and interim employment / affiliation. Surviving and thriving in the new world of work isn't easy for employers or employees alike, but recognizing that employment has changed and understanding what these changes mean is a big first step in that survival process. TOP |
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NOVEL IDEAS VS. CRITICISM |
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NATURAL CHEMICALS INFLUENCE MOODS by David Parise
Would you like to be more focused ... more productive... full of energy? Do you want to be able to calm down… relax... fall asleep on demand? I'll assume your answer is YES to all of the above. Everybody has what l call a "food allergy," a mood or a behavior change after indulging in various types of foods. Some foods influence the brain to manufacture chemicals that calm. Other foods have the opposite effect. They produce stimulating and energizing substances. Our bodies are made of chemicals, but not to worry: These are not the same chemicals that can poison and pollute the environment. The chemicals involved are Dopamine, Norepinephrine and Serotonin. You CAN change your mood and become mores focused whenever you want and you CAN alter the power of your mind or your performance. I can envision your reaction now: "Dave, just tell me what to eat and I'll eat it!' As a nutritional counselor, I hear these words often. Our brains send electrical impulses and chemicals that go from cell to cell. These impulses and chemicals are messages, tiny pieces of information. These chemicals are neurotransmitters, which include the dopamine, Norepinephrine and Serotonin as mentioned above. Dopamine and Norepinephrine are the "alertness chemicals!" Serotonin is the "calming chemical?" When the brain produces Dopamine and Norepinephrine, changes include quick thinking, increased attentiveness, motivation and mentally energetic brainpower. Serotonin is quite different. Feelings of stress, tension and fatigue are lessened and the ability to concentrate is enhanced. Depending on the time of the day, it can make you sluggish or sleepy. An increase of Serotonin acts as a filter, sifting out distractions and helps you focus more sharply on the job at hand. The key to unlocking the chemicals is in the amino acids. Your brain synthesizes these chemicals from amino acids, or those nitrogen-containing substances from which proteins are built. They are the "building blocks of life." Protein is an essential nutrient. Sources of protein are lean meats, poultry, eggs (whites), fish, beans and seeds. There are a wide variety of protein foods that are made up of amino acids. You should be concerned wit only two: Tyrosine and Tryptophan. Tryptophan is found naturally in many foods. Tyrosine is the principal ingredient in dopamine and Norepinephrine. When this enters your brain, the alertness is stimulated Tryptophan, the amino acid from which Serotonin is made, produces a calming effect when it enters the brain: The following foods contain very title fat and almost no carbohydrates and can be eaten to achieve the alert effect: shellfish, chicken (without the skin), turkey (without the skin), veal, very lean flank steak and eggs (whites only). The next group of foods contain no fats and are high in complex carbohydrates. These starches will help you achieve a calmer, more focused state of mind: whole wheat bread, rolls, bagels, pasta, potatoes, rice, corn, barley, kasha, oatmeal and whole grain cereals. Leafy dark green vegetables and fruits are low in calories and all part of a well-balanced diet. You should eat these as often as possible. They will not affect a food mood. However, they are a great source of fiber, vitamins and minerals. Try some of these foods throughout your day, eating them frequently and set a "meal plan" so that they are readily available during the presence of hunger. Counting these calories is not necessary since they are all low in fat. These are the facts for now. Learn how to set your own food-mood "clock". Best of health! TOP |
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YOU CAN'T FIND WITHOUT LOOKING by David Niven
The vast majority of relationships start after meeting in school, at a workplace, in a common neighborhood, or through family or mutual acquaintances. While you may find the partner of your dreams in these places, typical sources are also tremendously limiting. If you are looking for someone, think carefully about where you look and how you can expand your interactions with new people. Karen says that on a whim she sent in a personal ad to her local Rhode Island newspaper. "My girlfriends and I would read the ads and kind of laugh," Karen says. "I never even considered that that would be something that I would do." However Karen was tired of the people her friends tried to set her up with, so she decided to give it a try. "You can leave it to happenstance and serendipity to meet someone, or you can be more active about it," Karen says. "It's just so convenient. It's a lot more immediate." And, more important, "After all the responses I received, it gave me a chance to pick from among the possibilities. A number of them I clicked off immediately because either their tone of voice or what they said was a turn-off to me," she says. One of the responses Karen received led to a date at a book-store. Karen and Mark talked for hours. Shortly thereafter, they were meeting for dinner a couple of times a week. "It's probably fate," Karen says. "Relatively quickly after we started seeing each other, we felt like we had known each other for a good long time." Less than a year later, Karen and Mark were married. Among those who hove used a personals service, 73 per-cent thought the effort was worthwhile. Users said the best feature of the service was that it exposed them to people they would never have met otherwise. TOP |
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BE A CREDIT MAKER, NOT A CREDIT TAKER
Give everybody 100 percent credit for the work they do. If you have five people reporting to you and each gets 100 percent, you get 500 percent That's the way it works. It's like building a house: 100 percent for the guy who puts in the foundation, 100 percent for the roofer, 100 percent for the electrician, and the contractor gets the sum of the parts. Many managers don't understand this. They think if their people look too good, they'll be diminished. They think they have to have some of the credit, especially for the fantastic roof. So they steal it. They tell their boss, other superiors, colleagues, and even the guy who did the work that they were really responsible. The credit taker is insecure, dishonest, and known to all. Even the cleverest credit taker is ultimately found out. He is found out first by the people who work under him. Then, albeit slowly, by the rest of the organization. Give proper credit and you will become known as a credit maker, as somebody who gets things done, as a person to work for. Your people will work very hard, as they know they will be fairly recognized. TOP |
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FOUR SIMPLE ASSUMPTIONS by Dr. Stephen Covey
By making four simple assumptions in our lives we can immediately begin leading a more balanced, integrated, powerful life. They are simple --one for each part of our nature-- but I promise you that if you do them consistently, you will find a new wellspring of strength and integrity to draw on when you need it most. 1. For the body -assume you've had a heart attack; now live accordingly. 2. For the mind -assume the half-life of your profession is two years; now prepare accordingly. 3. For the heart -assume everything you say about another, they can overhear; now speak accordingly. 4. For the spirit -assume you have a one-on-one visit with your Creator every quarter; now live accordingly. TOP |
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THE FLIP SIDE
Each month "The Flip Side" will feature a fun or anecdotal idea, a tasty recipe, a student success story or some other human-interest piece. This month: |
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DID YOU KNOW?
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