Hiring has not yet returned to pre-pandemic levels, though it is accelerating at a modest pace. But when the pandemic is over and businesses resume onboarding new staff, who stands the better chance of getting hired: the younger worker with less experience and relatively little specialization, or the devoted senior level careerist with a long…
It was with great admiration and respect that I recently witnessed a number of instances of employers recognizing the abilities of their employees with disabilities. In my lengthy experience, I have too frequently seen workers with disabilities placed in positions far away from public view. But on this excursion through the Northeastern US, I witnessed…
There was a time not too long ago when job seekers routinely sent out their job search documents to unknown recipients. More times than not job announcements instructed job seekers to send their resumes and cover letters to blind addresses – Post Office boxes or routing numbers in care of the newspaper that ran the…
Have you ever read a feature (online or in print) that claimed to offer two views of the same idea, topic or product? There are all kinds of examples of this “two sides of same coin” column in a wide variety of publications. But upon reading them, frequently the questions asked are not the same…
The concept of up-selling (trying to sell the customer more than just what they asked for), has been around for a long while. Whether it’s the waitress asking, “Do you want fries with that?”, or the appliance vendor asking if you want the matching stand for the plasma TV, offering more to the customer than…
If you’re an employee, the title of this piece may seem like an oxymoron. Jobs rarely turn out as they were described in their recruitment announcements. They often lack complete information and merely elude to on-the-job realities. And then there’s the catch all phrase, “… and other duties as assigned,” that necessitate your ability to…
Here it is Labor Day! This is the day we honor and celebrate the hard working factory people of yesteryear, who fought and struggled for fair wages and hours. The growth of factory work during the Industrial Revolution paved the way for many of the rights and privileges workers of all stripes receive today. Competitive…
The gentleman sitting next to me on a recent cross-country flight was in a talkative mood, so after learning that he was a small business owner, I got him to discuss his hiring practices. He proudly told me that in addition to recent college graduates, and experienced professionals, he regularly hires applicants from disadvantaged and…
Recently I met with a small business owner and we discussed recruiting for his growing business. When I asked him if he did any of his recruiting online and if he looked at resumes posted on job search sites, he answered with a very enthusiastic “Yes!”. He told me he has been successful in filling…
An Objective statement on your resume, and reiterated in your cover letter is a concise way for you to communicate your career goals. Too often Objective statements are written as flowery batches of verbiage that convey little or nothing about the job seeker’s real aspirations. Once upon a time it was OK to use a…
Employers have to be clear about what they are looking for when hiring. It is a difficult thing! The intro to so many job listings these days includes a blurb extolling the virtues of the company filling the position. This is important information, it’s part of a good promotion campaign, it helps applicants to know…
