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Do Job Seekers Need Multiple Skills?

July 6, 2012 by

I was always told that being a Jack, (or Jill) of all trades was a bad thing. You should just focus on one thing and do it well. Seems like times have changed. Some employers are saying they are having a hard time finding people with the right skills because they’re looking for people with multiple skills. And that isn’t always easy to find.

There’s a new trend in hiring. Companies want workers who can handle several different jobs for a number of reasons. For one thing, it cuts down on hiring. Employers say they would rather wait until the right person comes along who has all of the skills they need. Sometimes this means speaking several languages and being proficient at several different jobs. They would rather hire one person to do all of the jobs than hire multiple employees to do each individual job. And they’re willing to wait for that perfect person to come along.

This puts a huge burden on those job seekers sending out resumes. Call center workers no longer just answer the phones. Now they also need to be able to sell when customers call in. For example, if customers are calling in to buy a kitchen appliance, the call center operators must be able to convince them to buy a warranty or utensils too. [Read more...]

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Need a Job? Move to North Dakota!

February 11, 2012 by

My memories of driving through the Dakotas as a child were of driving on the moon. I remember miles and miles of empty open space. The temperature in the winter can dip below negative 60 degrees. And summers can be hot and humid. But if you’re looking for a job you are sure to find one in North Dakota, where the unemployment rate is as low as 1.5% in some towns. In fact, it hasn’t gone below 5% since 1987.

Many of the jobs are in the booming oil industry, but with the influx of people moving there, jobs like teaching, retail, and food service. In fact, local fast food restaurants are now paying workers $15-17 an hour and giving bonuses to anyone that can help them fill their jobs. Servers in restaurants make around $25 an hour and truck drivers make between $70-80,000 a year.

Most of the state is rural, and the agricultural industry is productive and profitable. It’s the only state that has added manufacturing jobs over the last decade.

This oil boom is expected to continue for years to come, and the national unemployment rate is too. So, if you can handle long, hard hours and brutal winters, and you want to double your income or find a good, high paying job, go north young man! To North Dakota.



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Job Fairs for the Blind

January 28, 2012 by

A job fair can be a daunting experience to begin with, but it can really be difficult for the blind, even with the right training and resume. But the Massachusetts Commission for the Blind put on a job fair recently specifically for the visually impaired. The unemployment rate in Massachusetts is 7 1/2% for all workers and 37% for the blind.

Among the hurdles they have to overcome are applications they can’t read and the need for software that converts text to speech.

The job market is normally a challenge, but the recent recession has made it even more challenging. It’s also harder to get employers to hire the blind when there is more training involved.



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Dropping out of the Job Market

January 25, 2012 by

The unemployment rate dropped slightly last month for one major reason… many people have simply given up looking for a job. The number of workers that are actively looking for a full-time job and can’t find one is over 6 million people.

As someone that doesn’t have the luxury of not working, I was wondering exactly what those people that have dropped out are doing. Turns out the younger ones are choosing to live at home with their parents for much longer and staying in school much longer. A lot of those students aren’t working a job while they are in school, which means their student loans are going to be hell to pay off once they do get out. And that’s assuming they can even find a job once they’re out. Yes, getting a good education will look nice on their resume, and their job experience will grow as they get out into the workforce, but student loans are forever.

The number of women that are choosing to work has dropped to the lowest level in 20 years. More women are choosing to stay home and take care of the kids.

Once those discouraged workers go back to looking for work again the unemployment number will rise.



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