Jobs 2 Ireland | Business, Jobs Search and Money Management Tips

Archive for January, 2012

Job search was the fastest growing US online content-site category in 2008, according to digital ratings authority comScore. The growth coincides with the loss of over 2 million jobs and a rising unemployment rate, but it also underscores how easy and effective the Web can be for finding a job.

“Online job search resources provide a vital service to those in need of new job prospects and opportunities, and Americans are turning online for this assistance now more than ever,” said Jack Flanagan, executive vice president of comScore.

But are job seekers using Web tools to their best advantage? Here are several essential tips for making the Internet work you:

Diversify Your Search

You want to cast a wide net when looking for a job, so don’t limit yourself to one site or type of site. In addition to job boards like Monster.com, try sites associated with your relevant industry or professional associations, alumni career resources and local career centers.

Search Many Terms

Think about possible synonyms for the types of jobs you want. If you’re looking for a sales job, you should search on all relevant terms like “sales rep,” “account executive,” “sales associate” or “inside sales.”

Use a Job-Search Agent

Once you create a profile and do an online job search, many sites allow you to save your search parameters so you can be notified via email when new job postings arrive that fit the parameters of your search.

Research Every Promising Job Opportunity

The Web makes it very easy to learn about places you might want to work. For example:

• Check individual company sites to learn about the culture or corporate mission.
• Search news sites for relevant reports about a potential employer or follow its financial performance.
• Ask questions about certain employers through your online networking groups or other resources, like the Monster Career Advice forums.
• Prepare your salary expectations by using the Monster’s salary tools.

Connect with Social Networking Sites

You can use your profiles on sites like LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and ZoomInfo for professional benefits. The sites let you highlight your work experience and achievements, learn about new job openings from your contacts, or keep a mini blog about your accomplishments or job search.

These suggestions are just a few of the many creative ways people use these tools to network successfully. In addition, recruiters increasingly use these sites to search for information about candidates, so having an updated profile can boost your exposure.

But that exposure leads to a final caution, since most people also use those sites for recreational purposes:

Monitor Your Online Appearance, or Digital Footprint

Do an Internet search on your name, and examine the list of search results. Are there questionable photos you should “untag” or inappropriate comments you should delete? Use the privacy settings on your profiles, and be discreet about people you let into your networks and the information you share.

Getting hired is all about making a good impression, so make sure your online appearance enhances the impression you make.

Recruitment of top notch young talent who can enter your work force and provide that kind of long term growth potential and can only come from a smart and productive staff is always a challenge.  One of the big reasons any business works to keep its public image high and to project the concept that they are an employer of choice is to recruit the best and the brightest from the youth ranks.

Young employees bring a lot to a business that can compliment an older work force and make the business much more vital.  Younger employees are savvy to the wants and needs of their peers.  So instead of trying to guess how to market to the current generation of 18-28 year olds who are the age segment with disposable income, by keeping such employees on staff, you have the inside track to the priorities of the current generation.  Further youthful employees are often optimistic and out to change the world.  Their sense of mission and belief in the system as a means to make the world a better place results not only in a better morale internally but in business philosophy that shares those values.

The tendency to name the upcoming generations can be a bit trite but it helps in knowing who the target group for recruitment are.  And that group of youthful future employees that will be hitting the job market in the next few years has been dubbed “the millennials”.  And despite the traumatizing events of world terrorism, war and the decay of the environment, the millennials come to you with that youthful enthusiasm and desire to make a big difference in the world that sets them apart from previous generations.

To lure the brightest minds coming from the nation’s colleges, some rethinking of what we put in front of these young people is in order.  They are not leaving academia strictly with the objective of making a lot of money.  So to turn the head of youth workers who can make a change for the better in your business…

§    Don’t just make the potential job about money or your recognizable business name.  The reputation of the company can be as much a negative as it can be a positive.  The millennial recruitee will look past the sign on the building at what the company is really all about.

§    The millennial is more internet savvy and wants to use modern technology to accomplish business goals.  It’s in our best interest to facilitate that goal because it will keep us in touch with the marketplace.

§    Corporate culture is an important factor for both recruiting and retaining good employees from this generation.  Millenials are looking for a business climate that is creative, able to change when new things become available, highly accessible upper management and responsive.

§    Corporate values mean a lot to the millennial crowd.   That means that those high minded values printed on posters and plastered all over the Human Resource department have to actually mean something.  By demonstrating that the business lives up to its ethics and values, that will appeal the idealistic side of youthful workers.

§    The values that the business supports must reflect a modern attitude toward diversity and “going green”.  If you walk a millennial around the office during his or her interview, they will notice the recycling bins scattered about.  They will notice the diversity of culture and race in the employee mix.

§    Be prepared to recruit from various disciplines.  Even if you are recruiting for a financial services function or some other specialization, keep your mind open to recruiting students with a focus on liberal arts or teaching.  These millennials can be trained to the specific job and they bring a fresh approach to the job description that comes from their college area of focus.

These are things that might take time to change if the corporate culture is behind the times.  But it’s worth the effort to start now to attract the kinds of workers that mean long term growth for the company.  By doing some serious analysis on how up to the date the business is, you can begin to affect change now so by this time next year, you will be in better shape to court the millennials.

No computer consulting business can afford to be sitting at a client site, running up a big bill, staring at a blue-screen-of-death, facing an angry mob of irate users and sitting on hold for two hours with tech support.

This scenario is your absolute worst nightmare in running a computer consulting business and can be the kiss of death to your client relationship.

The Need for Good Vendor Technical Support

Good vendor technical support will preserve your credibility as a computer consulting business during times of crisis. No matter how experienced you are at PC hardware troubleshooting, calling on a specialist is a necessity.

Understand What Is Offered

Rather than get an unpleasant surprise when you need help the most, get the lowdown on vendor technical support before you make the purchase recommendation. Although many top PC vendors have similar capabilities and services, ask about included technical support services, and preferably get a description of them in writing.

Ask Questions

As a computer consulting business, you will want to ask questions to determine the reliability of PC vendor technical support. Find out if they are available by phone, if the technical support phone number is toll-free and if the support is free or not.

Also, find out if there are different technical support phone numbers for different products.

In operating your computer consulting business, you will also want to know if vendor technical support has 24/7 support in case you have a need for emergency support. Ask if online tech support resources are available as well.

Deal With a Specialist

As a computer consulting business, you want direct, rapid access to a specialist who deals with nothing but that particular product all day. So test the technical support group’s responsiveness at a time when your heart isn’t racing in the heat of a client server-down emergency.

Also, PC Magazine (http://www.pcmag.com/) regularly evaluates PC vendors’ technical support quality, so this is a good resource to look into.