Good new for all who are fervently looking for a job! The Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment (HIRE) Act, gives tax benefits to employers who hire the unemployed.
Hopefully this will spur the economy and jobless rate along. Also, you can track the stimulus benefits by going to http://www.recovery.gov/Pages/home.aspx
Obsolete When All Employed
Criminals Trick Desperate Job Hunters – WSJ.com.
Oh no! It seems that applying to jobs online can be bad for your wallet, reputation and sanity. The women at the top was unfortunate enough to come across a fake job add, which scammed her into doing illegal activities for them, and did not pay her (not that it matters, but still noteworthy). Apparently extremely devious scam artists post fake job ads, “hire” you for the job, wire illegal funds into your account, and then ask for you to purchase items for their “company”. These items are then shipped overseas, and then you are left broke, with no job, and an accessory to organized crime. Wowza.
Supposedly employment fraud is huge, and maybe in my opinon, my reach the epic heights of medical fraud. Especially in a sluggish job market….
All of this is making me think…and making me nervous. I have sent out MANY applications…often I would check on who the employer is…but sometimes the employer was confidential, or I didn’t bother to check out who they were…
I mean really, all someone needs to begin to steal your identity is your first and last name, address and phone number…then its all down hill from there….
But there are things we can do as job seekers to protect ourselves. When searching for a job:
ALWAYS check out the employer!!! On a lot of sites, like careerbuilder.com, and Monster, some of the employers are confidential…honestly unless it is THE dream job for you leave it alone. If the employer is listed, make sure to Google them in order to see what they are about and if they are legit. A scam artist could be a wicked webmaster as well…but if you see it for you own eyes hopefully you will be able to tell if it is a scam…
Be leery of any and all listings. Even the most legit places may be rife with scammers trying to make that quick buck. Even a common crook could see the potential in paying 25-150 dollars for an ad in a paper or online site, when they stand to make thousands of dollars…so pretty much trust no one.
Not all that is online, is on point. Many folks think that shooting their resume to as many postings as possible on as many websites within reach is a part of the solution. Its actually entirely the problem…its just a free-for-all into utter failure. I have met so many people who have said they have applied to hundreds of jobs online…and have gotten no response. How many of them were identity thieves? crooks? resumephiles? Who knows? Its frightening even to think about it…
Long story long, keep your resume to yourself, and think twice about where you send it, or even who you give it to…there is a lot of ridiculous things going on out here…
Courtesy of Huffington Post:
Deborah Weinstein: The Senate Lets Unemployment Benefits Expire.
As I type there are probably some Senate members who are taking in some rounds of golf…
Or a dip in the pool at their favorite country club…
Or a last minute trip to Paris…
While thousands of people’s unemployment benefits expire, at a time when the economy is still struggling, but slowly getting back on its feet.
But I digress…
Indeed, thousands of people’s unemployment is going to expire very soon. They were a part of the class of people who got the extension in 2009. The Senate failed to come to an agreement on how long, or which date the employment benefits should be extended to.
So while they are on their two-week vacation…200,000 plus people will run out of benefits.
Step right up!!!
Forbes is reporting they have found the 100 best companies to work for…possibly in the world.
They looked at benefits, employee satisfaction and other factors. Something to think about…
Also they give people the option to look at the best companies per state, which is also helpful.
Articles like this help…but…it can make it more difficult, now people will flock to these particular companies in search for a job….I hope they are ready for the avalanche of resumes.
How may we all be helped?
Job Market Stabilizes for Business Students
There is hope! If you are a business student or looking for a banking job, the opportunities are there! And that doesn’t mean just being a bank teller.
Interns and prospective job seekers share their stories of rejection and success.
Read more here:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/08/education/08banking.html
INSERT YOUR NAME HERE
I don’t even remember what I was going to write for this blog post…
Oh right…
I am considering selling my Degree. That’s right…DEGREE FOR SALE!
How much would it be worth? Would I sell it for how much I paid for it? Or how much the “retail” price is? Is it possible, or even sane, to try to sell an experience?
I see my interest in capitalizing off of my degree as a way to exorcise my demons, and deal with the frustration of feeling like my diploma is just a piece of paper. Nothing more, nothing less. Not necessarily guaranteeing me a job, increase in pay, or anything really. Maybe I am at fault to assume that I would gain all of these things?
I am unsure. One thing I am sure of, despite my interest in selling my degree, I am being ungrateful. There are millions of people, all over the world who would appreciate the chance to go to college, and many among those who are working hard towards it. Their are those who work hard, save and scrape to go to school. Others are lucky enough to win awards and scholarships…still others…actually pay for their degrees…and I mean literally.
The title of this post, means more than just me selling my degree. There are companies that will literally sell you a degree/diploma, without having to attend–not even one day–of school. NOT EVEN ONE DAY. It’s pure madness.
And it also indicates that their services are in demand…because in this society we live in…nearly nothing exists unless someone is willing to pay for it. Supply and demand folks, are two of the elements that compose the lifeblood of this country.
Monster College had an article concerning this topic, that mentioned: “Rochville University, an online college lacking proper accreditation, awarded an MBA to a dog earlier this year. Yet Rochville diplomas continue to be touted by professionals on the resumes they post to the LinkedIn networking site, warns GetEducated.com”
What? Really? A dog? Apparently the dog was able to gain the degree for a $499 dollar fee. And there are other sites where a degree can be obtained for a stiff fee, no questions asked:
Oh, and so many more. From an ethics perspective, all of this is pure rubbish, and misleading people into thinking you have a degree is too much. All the money and time spent on doing that, can be used to looking into a strong vocational, or technical school…not that these schools would be a cure all, but they would be a better bet than Hill University. And maybe to invest in your own business, to become self-employed. But not to buy a degree!
Degree for Sale….
I guess, with my new found knowledge of the dark side of degree’s and obtaining an education…I will keep mine…For now…
Just Kidding!?!
Ebony
Sources:
This one is UBER ridiculous: Diploma Makers
Wow that hurts.
A reader brought up a good point that I failed to clarify or perhaps define thoroughly in my article “Reverse Brain Drain?” regarding company treatment of international students. Contrary to my argument of discrimination, he argues that companies are exercising cost-benefit analysis to which I agree in part. Indeed, the principle of running a good business is to maximize profits and minimize loss. I think the root of our disconnect stems from determining the fine line between preference and discrimination.
According to Merriam Webster, “discrimination” is:
the act, practice, or an instance of disciminating categorically rather than individually or prejudiced or prejudicial outlook, action, or treatment.
Similarly, “preference” is: the power or opportunity of choosing [or]… the act, fact, or principle of giving advantages to some over others.”
If these two words have similar meanings, our disconnect then stems from their use culturally. The word “discrimination” has been seen as a derogatory word throughout our history. However the word “preference” recalls positive steps of judicial decision-making and careful deliberation.
This discussion reminds me of a conversation I had with a friend about racial dating. If you never date a certain race or would not want to date a certain race, is that discrimination or preference? And what is the distinction?
Being an international student automatically places one in category that many companies today may not prefer. However, his preference has led to a few unwarranted treatments of non-U.S. citizens. I failed to mention, in the previous article, the verbal response of the interviewer when she discovered that the applicant was an international student, which was “You should have told me that earlier.” Looking beyond the efficiency of a company’s goal to optimize satisfaction, it is clear that the sub context behind her words revealed no sympathy for the applicant’s position based on her non-U.S. status and that had the applicant revealed her status earlier in the interview, the interviewer would have ended the conversation then.
Regardless of whether the blame is on the great recession, the high cost of sponsorship or budgetary restrictions, international students are not receiving positive feedback. One international student said, “I’m tired of it all. I don’t want to be in a country that doesn’t want me.” America’s forefront of technological advancements has been supported largely by immigrants and foreigners who later became American. If companies continue to treat international students in this manner, will we lose much needed talent?
Let us know what you think? We would love to hear your comments and continue this discussion!
Obsolete When All Are Employed
WHY is the text so small and so many disclosures but so few jobs?
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/21/business/economy/21unemployed.html?hp
Click here to read full article: MBA’s Find Jobs
According to Monster.com and Graduate Management Admissions Counsil, on average more MBA graduates are able to find jobs…leaving people who obtained MA’s and Law Degrees in the dust..
Knowing this information…would you change your mind about getting a Master’s?
Would you change anything about your future goals??
Let us know what you think!
Obsolete When All Are Employed
7 Deadly sins of cover letters Part 1
People,
Here we are in some of the roughest waters, unsteady times and burgeoning frustrations have mounted. Through all of this, we still have to keep our cover letters in check…
A cover letters main purpose is to get your butt on the interview list, the highly qualified list, or our company is a sham if we don’t interview the following people list.
A COVER LETTER IS NOT A WALK-IN TO A JOB
I really don’t care how excellent your cover letter is, all it does, is open the door to getting the interview. Unless you know someone, are related to someone, or have incredible and enormous talents, there is no way a cover letter and resume can land you a job after a recruiter reads it.
BUT THERE IS HOPE.
If you avoid these 7 deadly sins of cover letters, you can avoid your application from heading to resume hell…the trash!
Let us begin…
.
Greed
This one is easy, and anyone can see this from a mile away. Do not, and I repeat do not mention anything about money in your cover letter! If you so much as hint to your greenlust, then there will be problems, and it’s the first way to send your resume packing.
Ego
Repeat this mantra: IT IS NOT ALL ABOUT ME…IT IS NOT ALL ABOUT ME…
That’s right folks, its not only about you! If you spend your whole cover letter talking about how great you are, and how you make a mean omelette, no one will be impressed, they will just think you are bragging. You have to state your abilities that will not only help your company complete its mission, or goals, but in the long run, make the company money.
Because at the beginning, middle and end of the day that is the main goal, right?
You may emphasize qualities of yours that will achieve the goals of the position you are applying for, but nothing else. Anything that distracts only gives the recruiter more reason to discard your application.
Sloth
You can write the best, most brilliant cover letter of all time, but if you dare to send that brilliant cover letter titled Mac Inc., to Microsoft…lets face it, you would be screwed.
And that’s me being nice. You have to, and I mean have to tailor your cover letter each and every time. EVERY TIME. I don’t care if its for the same job, and the same company, or the same job at a different company or whatever. It does not matter, either way, if you are too lazy to tailor your cover letter to the job, it will not only show, this sloth like behavior will come back to haunt you. Recruiters can tell if a cover letter is “one size fits all” and guess what other object has “one size fits all” capabilities???
The dustbin!
Once again, dare to send a generic, cover letter that does not mention the needs and desires of the company you are applying for, and suffer the consequences of being banished from the highly selective pile…
Company desires? What about your own??? That brings us to the next sin…
Lust
Have you ever wanted a job so badly, you could taste it on your tongue, feel it under your skin, and the very thought of said company made your toes tingle? No? Oh well, that might be just me.
But if you every feel that way, you have employer lust…you see this is a good thing, until it’s a bad thing, and it’s a bad thing if it comes up too much in your cover letter.
Don’t get me wrong, being in love with a company can most defiantly get your foot in the door, but if you only talk about how wonderful the company is, and how hot the president is, and how being on the Forbes 500 list is sexy…you may be barking up the wrong tree.
Lust is in some ways related to Ego, even though you are showing your lust for the company, it may come off as all about you. Sure you think the CEO is hot, but how is that going to increase the profit of the company? Reduce your lust, to love, and make sure you are catering to the needs of the company…and not your own desires.
It will make your application stand out in a good way if you mention the recent success of the company (congratulations on winning the recent Heedy award, etc) but always mention it with grace, and solidify the achievement by mentioning that you want to aid the company in future successful endeavors, and not you only want to work for them because it would make you look good in the long run.
Come back on Friday to see the rest of the 7 Deadly Sins of Cover Letters…
Ebony J.
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We are two 20 something year olds, fresh out of college, who have just joined the unemployment force. We have decided to take you, readers, on a journey with us as we navigate this economic downturn. We are not experts, but are inquisitive individuals who have decided to use this time to rebuild, renew, and reevaluate our priorities, our values, and our use of time.
