Articles - Page 158 of 260 - The Voice of Job Seekers

Adecco’s CEO for One Month Internship

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I am proud to help Adecco Group North America to promote their annual “CEO for a month” internship program in North America. This is the second year Rich Thompson (@rich18thompson), Chief Human Resources Officer, Adecco Group North America and I talk about this once in a lifetime program where one person will shadow and travel with Adecco’s senior leadership and executives. The winner will participate in an internship program and experience the front seat global perspective of the world of work.

How would an internship like this help you? Let me know your thoughts:

1) Leave a voice mail or text message at 708-365-9822. Let me know if I can share it on future shows
2) Email me: mark@thevoiceofjobseekers.com
3) Go to TheVoiceofJobSeekers.com and press the “Send Voicemail” button to leave a message online

“Rich stated that as a result of the skills gap, identifying talent is becoming much more difficult. The question is: ‘How can you find the right people?’”
Adecco recently released Definitive Guide to Building a Better Workforce, provides unique insight into the types of talent today’s employers need, the skills that are most difficult to find and how they’re conceptualizing and addressing the skills gaps within their organizations
The skills gap has forced companies to become very creative in their search for talent
There are no longer a fixed set of roles for job seekers, even in the manufacturing sector, employment is fluid
Instead of being an expert on two areas, it’s necessary to be an expert on ten areas

Some of the guides, highlights:

· 80% of employers believe the skills gap to be real

o 53% call the skills gap the biggest HR challenge today

· Top reasons for the skills gap include gaps in wage expectations (46%) and new/shifting technologies (41%)

o Followed by employers not willing to pay enough to attract talent (32%), job requirements that are above entry requirements (27%) and access to education (21%)

· 76% of organizations use contingent labor to enhance their workforce and close talent gaps in various roles

· The toughest skills to recruit for are critical thinking and/or problem-solving

There are two paths of meaning for young job seeker graduates: altruistic and marketing him or herself
New graduates must grow and bring value quickly. The traditional entry-level position and expectation are obsolete
Two or three internships state the candidate is well-versed thusly, more competitive
Graduates can thrive in their internships by expanding their network, learn as much as you can, and increase awareness of everything around them
Internships are opportunities to gain and grasp an understanding of the corporate culture. Note what works and doesn’t work.
For Adecco, the “can-do” attitude becomes a dress rehearsal, more often than not, they hire the intern full-time
Rich shares how “CEO for a month” contest is an obligation as a large employer to tackle youth unemployment (which is very high)
You can go to AdeccoWaytoWork.com to apply today for this unique internship opportunity
Five finalists will be flown to Adecco Group North America office in Jacksonville, Florida for a boot camp for three days. The winner will get the opportunity and automatically entered as a candidate for the global “CEO for One month!”

Need help with your career goals, directions, or efforts? Do you need coaching or instruction? I am here for it!Also, join our Linkedin community! You’ll enjoy some of the insights shared by community members and other career pros!

I would still like to help self-published career professionals promote their books. If you’re interested, find more info here.

For the first time in 1 1/2 years, I am opening to career professionals to write guest articles. If you’re interested, you can go here for further topics and directions to submit.

by Mark Anthony Dyson

6 Hazardous Roads to an Unsuccessful Job Search

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Welcome back to “The Voice of Job Seekers” podcast, this is Mark, your host of the show. I’m grateful you decided to listen to this episode. This is a solo edition of the podcast where I will lend my views in some areas where your job search possibly needs help. I would love to hear your thoughts, opinions, and ideas on this show. Here’s how:

You can do this on your phone, right now, if you want. All of this is set up so you’ll have the most convenient access possible.

Announcements

I will be taking a short spring break and time to celebrate 25 years with my wife, so I won’t publish another show until March 29.

6 Hazardous Roads to an Unsuccessful Job Search

1. The rough road
You are not finishing anything completely to anyone’s satisfaction. You read job search advice but rarely follow through completely. Then you go to someone who you respect saying you have tried everything. Your resume, cover letter, and other necessary marketing materials are done, but what about your social profiles, LinkedIn profile, or other efforts completing your branding? Why are they incomplete? LinkedIn picture? Other profiles incomplete? How about your networking efforts? Are you having great conversations? You get the point. You know what happens when you go down a road needing paving? Your car gets damaged in more ways than one. The same will happen in your job search when it’s incomplete. Your job search efforts could be easier if you don’t finish strong.

2. The long unwinding road

Did you know your references can sabotage your job search efforts? Are you sure that the people you have listed as references can speak to your competencies? You must know there are areas that your references can speak in your favor. Do you know what they will say? A few months ago, a client got the interview, completed the entire process until her reference check process didn’t pan out. The interviewer knew (or, at least, had familiarity) with her boss, and asked about her. Her boss replied, “She can’t be trusted!” Of course, my client was devastated but understand this could go on if you are not sure what your references will say. If they can’t speak positively, it will be viewed negatively. Know what your references will say and avoid this road that will never end.

3. You underestimated how where the road leads
YOU UNDERESTIMATED THE DEPTH OF BACKGROUND CHECKS.I had a client who lied to me about her job situation but didn’t know I knew the truth at the time. I recommended her to a friend who interviewed her, impressed by her, but the FBI background check was problematic. Not that they were able to verify what was wrong other than many other things that were unverifiable. This grey line is the road you don’t know where it leads. I include a link to a report on the blog on background checks. You should know what each job you leave will say about you. This unnecessarily lengthens your job search and undermine your efforts if your former employer is unfavorably confirming employment. Now many companies today take the position of not giving much information at all. Don’t assume your old employer is among them. Call the ones you’re relying on to confirm employment. Ask them what are saying? If you’re getting ready to leave or more importantly, terminated, how will the employer communicate it. In many cases, you can negotiate or request to just confirm employment. I know there different thoughts on it, but I have had two clients in particular who went and asked the verbiage to change.

4. The indecisive road
You don’t know where to go. Sometimes, you quit or claim some type of moratorium.

5. This road went out of your way. You ignored the detour signs

Many job seekers don’t sell themselves well during their job search, although there is a slight anomaly if you don’t know what you’re best looks like. You never thought about it. Or, in some cases, someone told you, and it’s not what you wanted to hear. If you are unsure of your best features, then look at your old performance reviews, ask others who worked with you, or take strength assessments. Starting there will trigger other areas that you excel, then you’ll be crystal clear what you can contribute.

6. The road only you know
No response to your requests for help because you offer no value. Are you the same person that keeps saying that my network sucks? You don’t give, share, or interact! Like a road no one knows where to find it, it’s a single route you keep to yourself. Networking shouldn’t be an occasional event in your life; it warrants a lifestyle. The road only you know means several hazards within itself:

You can’t re-route right away. It’s likely you’ll not find someone right away to redirect you
Maps have hesitations. A landmark ‘s hard to spot on a map.
You don’t know the conditions of the road. It helps, to know the terms of the market you seek a career in
You get lost and don’t ask directions, or you don’t admit being lost

I would still like to help self-published career professionals promote their books. If you’re interested, find more info here.

For the first time in 1 1/2 years, I am opening to career professionals to write guest articles. If you’re interested, you can go here for further topics and directions to submit.

by Mark Anthony Dyson

Ex-Offenders Need Careers Too!

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Note: My side of the conversation this week has noise I could not filter out in post production. However, Alisa’s side of the conversation had perfect audio. I published this show because of the outstanding content Alisa provides about ex-offenders find careers. I apologize for the audio quality, but it is a worthwhile investment of your time.

It is important ex-offenders find work and be productive members of society. Like many of us, they need direction and inspiration from many sources. Alisa Smedley can relate to how important it is personally and professionally. She has taught and coached thousands how to find jobs and to be a money-earning, tax-paying citizen. All of us can learn and know how we can be a positive influence in their lives, jobs, and careers.

Are you an ex-offender who is working? I would love for you to contribute to this conversation. Here’s how:

Call and leave a voicemail at 708-365-9822
Go to TheVoiceofJobSeekers.com, press the “Send Voicemail” button on the right side of your screen and leave a message
Send email feedback to mark@thevoiceofjobseekers.com

Alisa is a MCCF American Job Coordinator for the Montgomery County Office of Human Rights. She has won several awards for her work such as the Excellence Award and a Human Rights Hall of Fame Nominee. She has appeared on CNN, NPR, and Wall Street Journal as an expert in helping ex-offenders in transition to find jobs and careers to contribute to society. Here are a few highlights from our conversation:

Alisa shares her personal story of a family member’s crime affecting her life and career forever
One of her goals for ex-offenders she teaches is to identify criminal thinking
“Fast money does not last…” hard work is essential
Her program helps their awareness of the alternatives of career production versus crime
Many industries don’t care about your prison record, they care if you can do the job
Get the first job you can to get the discipline, then career mobility will come
Any job – better job – career is a realistic progression for ex-offenders
“Education, preparation, and training must be done…”
“Planting seeds and changing their minds is a great first step…”
Ex-offenders should hang around people who are like-minded with dreams and goals
Inspiring and visualizing better places will help them shift their thinking and often works as a deterrent

I would still like to help self-published career professionals promote their books. If you’re interested, find more info here.

For the first time in 1 1/2 years, I am opening to career professionals to write guest articles. If you’re interested, you can go here for further topics and directions to submit.