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Are You a Job Hopper?

October 22, 2012 by

If you’ve sent out tons of resumes and haven’t heard back from any of them, maybe it’s because they consider you a job hopper. When you have hundreds or thousands of resumes to sort through, one thing that stands out is the fact that you’ve had way too many jobs in too short of a period of time. Employers call these people “job hoppers”, and it doesn’t look good in their eyes.

As someone who has been on the hiring end of things in start-up companies, I can tell you that it’s even more important to make sure you get the right employees from the start. Hiring and training employees is one of the biggest expenses we have. Hiring the wrong person can be a costly mistake.

Job hoppers come in all ages, but is even more common in those under 30. When you just get out of college and still don’t really know what direction you want to go in, that’s one thing. But too much beyond that and it doesn’t look good to the person hiring you that you’ve had 7 jobs in the past few years. I personally wouldn’t be willing to take a chance on that employee. As a business owner I’ve put too much time, sweat, blood, and money into the business to hire people who are just going to be fly by nights. I would prefer to hire someone who has shown more loyalty and stability.

Of course, there are all kinds of reasons why someone would have a series of jobs before the age of 30. The problem is that you probably won’t get the opportunity to tell me about them because your resume wouldn’t get that far. This is why I like the idea of the job fair, where you can tell the person face to face what happened. Be honest. But if you really want to settle down with a job and believe this company is going to be right for you, let the hiring person know that. And explain your swiss cheese resume before it gets tossed in the trash.

 


Filed Under: Job Search, Networking Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Youth Unemployment

March 1, 2012 by

The latest statistics reveal that youth unemployment is the worst it’s been since World War 2.45% of people 16-29 are unemployed.

According to New York Magazine “one in five young adults now lives below the poverty line”. And it’s not just in the U.S. Young people in Europe have been going through similar situations. Their numbers are just as bad, if not worse. 51% in Spain and almost the same in Greece.

As I read through their stories, and hear similar stories from the college students in my neighborhood it’s pretty sad. Most are stuck with mountains of student loan debt that just keeps piling up. Many have finally come to the realization that they will have to wait tables or take jobs at Starbucks if they want any spending money at all.

Since I didn’t go to college, but instead went straight into the job market, I did all of those jobs anyway. But without the student loan debt. Living in NYC and working as a waiter/bartender wasn’t easy, but it was a job. And I was headed in a different direction, being an entrepreneur, so college wouldn’t really prepare me for that anyway.

In a recession it’s just going to be understood that you have to do whatever you have to do. Getting a job is easier if you already have a job, even if it’s not in your field and is way beneath what you expected. Start somewhere. It’s better than nothing. When you’re young no one expects you to have the experience yet. It’s a time you can experiment.

But it could always be worse. Youth unemployment in Somalia is 75%



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Long Term Job Game Plan

January 31, 2012 by

In this challenging job market a lot of people have gone from thinking long term to thinking that they just want a job that will pay the bills. There’s nothing wrong with that, but you should still have a long term job game plan in mind. If you don’t know where you’re going, how are you going to know when you get there or how to get there?

One way to accomplish that is to think backwards. Think about what industry you really want to be in. What do you want to be doing five years, ten years, or twenty years from now? What kind of job would you be happy doing long term?

The best way to think it through is by going through all of the necessary steps. Will you need to relocate or transfer to another department? Do you think it’s possible to work your way up in the company you’re in now or do you think you might need to work for another company for that opportunity? Would you be better off in a start up company or a more established one?

Not everyone wants to be the president of the company, nor is there room for everyone to be. If that is your goal and you don’t see the chance to advance to the top where you are, you might want to think about running your own business. That’s the shortest way to get to the top. But with that comes a lot more responsibility.

Either way, you and only you will be responsible for your career. It won’t be given to you. You’ll have to earn it and stay vigilant about making sure you do everything you can to give yourself the best chance. That means you should make sure you stay on top of any and all training you need. Take advantage of any kind of continuing education you can, whether your company pays for it or not. Always look for ways to improve your skills in all areas.

Make sure you start building your network as soon as possible. This includes co-workers, friends, vendors, human resources, management, and anyone else that might be able to help you on the way to the top. Don’t discount anyone. You never know where an opportunity will come from. Volunteer for as many things as you can handle without overloading your schedule too much. Stay active outside the office too with community activities.

Write down your long and short term job game plan and stick to it. By being clear about where you really want to be in your career future, you’re more likely to achieve your goals.



Filed Under: Keeping a Job, Networking Tagged With: , , , , ,

Job Seekers & Volunteer Work

August 20, 2011 by

One way to get your foot in the door of employment is by doing volunteer work. Not only will you be meeting great people who will remember you when they start hiring, but you’ll be doing something good for others in the process.

Volunteer positions fill up quickly, so get your name on the list now, like VolunteerMatch.com. Find places that you might like to work at if a full-time position became available.

You’ll learn new job skills and you can build your network. Make sure you get referrals. Build a good reputation and keep in touch with the people you meet.



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Fun Job Fair @ Belmont Park – San Diego, CA

March 3, 2011 by

Fun Job Fairs was created as an alternative to the job fair mills. It’s limited to 100 job seekers so you get a chance to spend 2 hours with the HR reps bowling, having fun, and getting them to know you and like you. No more standing in line for hours for 30 seconds with an HR rep. Includes bowling, snacks, mini seminar, and free ebook.

This unique and fun job fair is at Belmont Park. Limited to 100 job seekers. Spend quality time with HR reps in a fun environment. Play mini golf, lazar tag, etc. with HR reps.



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