Career

Career Exploration: One-Week Gigs

Wendy Terwelp Leave a comment

Sean Aiken - one week jobCheck out Sean Aiken’s blog – one candidate’s innovative technique to explore careers at: http://www.oneweekjob.com/.

This guy’s getting a lot of play and some interesting offers. Here’s what I like about this concept:

1. He’s exploring all types of careers and trying to discover his passion

2. He’s creating a terrific online identity and a strong brand (passion for travel rules “dude”)

3. He’s getting tons of press and links to the blog

4. Along the way he’s raising money for a good cause, “Make Poverty History.”

4. He’s getting paying sponsors for trying to figure out what he wants to be when he grows up!

A few suggestions:

1. Obviously this is a guy who likes to experience things in order to determine what he wants to be. I can also recommend some cool assessment tools to help him along his journey.

2. Express strong interests. If travel’s what you love, explore more travel-related careers, rather than a flower shop.

3. What a way to network – build and solidify those relationships. One never knows where it will carry you next. (For more networking tips, check out: Rock Your Network.)

I think it will be interesting to check in on Sean and see where he lands next.

Manpower’s Employment Outlook Survey

Wendy Terwelp Leave a comment

Here’s the latest from the Manpower Employment Outlook Survey (released March 2007) by the trades. These are the net-employment outlooks on a seasonally adjusted basis for each of the 10 industries tracked by Manpower:

* Mining, 26%, down from 29% who planned to hire in the first quarter

* Wholesale and retail trade, 20%, down from 22%

* Services, 19%, down from 23%

* Transportation and public utilities, 19%, up from 17%

* Non-durables manufacturers, 18%, flat from 18%

* Durable-goods manufacturers, 17%, down from 18%

* Finance, insurance and real estate, 17%, up from 15%

* Construction, 16%, down from 18%

* Public administration, 16%, down from 18%

* Education, 15%, down from 17%

Sources: Market Watch.com article, http://digbig.com/4rxgs Related Report from BLS: “Employment Situation Summary,” http://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.nr0.htm

Online Brand: Nasty or Nice?

Wendy Terwelp 1 Comment

This week’s WXP News had a great article that also relates to the job search process – and your online identity. If you were not aware, about 35% or more of recruiters and employers check your online identity before they meet with you. It’s amazing what a quick Google search can find out.

Also, much of job searching today is done via email. Quick, email your resume to an ad or online post. Before sending, check out your subject line. Is it relevant and attention-getting in a good way? What’s your cover letter or intro like in the email? Does it portray you in a favorable way, while addressing the needs of the employer? Have you spell-checked it?

Think about email ettiquette throughout the job search process, not just in the first email. How do you respond to their request for more information? For clarification? For setting up the interview?

And sadly, how do you respond if you are rejected?

Suggestions: Keep cool. Ask for suggestions. If this is the type of career you wish to persue, perhaps they have some tips for you.

Here’s a link to the WXP News article: Flame Away: Does the ‘Net Make People Nastier?.

The Power of Nice – and Your Career Search

Wendy Terwelp Leave a comment

Check out this quiz and see how nice you are. Click here.

So, are you naughty or nice? Why am I asking? When you’re in career search mode, nice finishes first. People love helping people who are nice. Nice is not sappy, smarmy, or in-authentic. Nice can be:

1. Sending an article to a friend related to his/her career.
2. Referring a friend, if the job’s not right for you.
3. Connecting two people you know in complimentary busineses so they can team up on sales calls.
4. Asking good questions and listening to how you may help.
5. Volunteering for a favorite organization or charity.

When looking for a job, it’s sometimes hard to remember to be nice. Trying a few of these ideas can lift your mood, put you back on track, and increase your network connections. Networking’s a two-way street. If you help enough people get what they want, you’ll get what you want — a job.

Wendy Terwelp to Speak at Career Conference

Wendy Terwelp 1 Comment

Hey everyone,

Check out where we’re at next. I’m teaming with Jason Alba of JibberJobber.com and Kirsten Dixson of Brandego for a mega conference on the latest career technologies. My portion? Social networking! How to use tools like LinkedIn to boost your networking and career management.

CareerBuilder.com Consumer Products Director to Headline at …
Emediawire (press release) –
Ferndale,WA,USA
Speakers include
Jason Alba of JibberJobber.com, Kirsten Dixson of Brandego, Wendy Terwelp of Opportunity Knocks, Pat Schuler of The Gemini Resources Group, …