Spooked by a Scary Job Market
October, 2010
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| From The Desk of Julie Laufer |
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 Baby Boomers Also Jumped From Job to Job
The Atlantic's Daniel Indiviglio has potentially surprising news for twentysomethings bouncing from job to job: Their parents probably did the same thing. Contrary to conventional wisdom, new data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics finds that baby boomers held about 11 jobs during the 22 years after college, spending "about 2.4 years at each job." The survey looked at the number of jobs baby boomers held before they were 44-the group included people born between 1957 and 1964-and how long they stuck with them. Like their kids, only 4 percent of boomers who got jobs between the ages of 23 and 28 kept them for longer than 15 years. Researchers also found that the number of jobs people held wasn't affected by their level education, although it was impacted by age: "As careers mature, the boomers stayed at their jobs for longer." With millennials taking a similar attitude toward their professional lives, Indiviglio suggests that today's parents might not have such a hard time relating to their kids.
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Laufer and Associates Exceeded My Expectations
Sam Loomis: October Success Story |
After I graduated from college I knew I wanted to move to Boston, but I didn't have job prospects here. For a month before the move I applied to many job postings but I never heard back from any of them. I could blame it on the slow job market, but it was still depressing to feel like I was throwing resumes and cover letters into the abyss.
Finally, I submitted a resume and cover letter in response to an ad posted by Bonnie at Laufer and Associates. I received an email response within an hour and was talking on the phone to Bonnie that afternoon. She was incredibly enthusiastic about my resume and about the job, and we scheduled to meet once I arrived in Boston.
When I met with Bonnie at the office, everyone was very friendly, and I left feeling very confident about my job prospects. Within two weeks of this meeting I had interviewed and been offered a job at a great company. The job (and the pay and benefits) far exceeded my expectations, but mostly I was just happy to be rid of the anxiety of looking for a job.
The job search process is incredibly difficult and can be quite demoralizing. It is important to use every tool at your disposal, and the people at Laufer and Associates are an excellent resource.
~Sam Loomis
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| Special Recognition: Jocelyn Williams |
Recently, Jocelyn Williams, one of our favorite temporary employees, received special recognition at her temp assignment, a global life sciences company, for stepping over and above her job parameters by coordinating and conducting a training seminar for over 100 people. She "wowed" her boss, and was cited for her excellence on the job. Jocelyn Williams received a Spot Award! We first featured Jocelyn in our August Newsletter, as that month's featured temp. We knew that she was a find and we are so proud to get to call Jocelyn one of ours!
Way to go Jocelyn!
Click here to read Jocelyn's original article.
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Horror Stories:
When the Workplace goes Horribly Wrong |
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Internet news has recently highlighted some work horror stories: the Jet Blue employee who quit over the PA system on the plane or, "Jenny" who emailed her entire office her resignation, as a slide show. "Jenny" was a hoax, but Steven Slater, the Jet Blue flight attendant, is all too real.
These are just two examples of when the workplace goes terribly, horribly wrong. Below, for your Halloween enjoyment are just a few other Work Horror Stories.
These first two are brought to you by Careerbuilder.com: Web developer Dave Haynes thought it was a bit odd when a potential boss asked if he was offended by cursing. "I said, 'No, I curse sometimes myself. No big deal.'" But after taking the job, it became apparent why the topic had come up. "The boss cursed ALL the time. Every sentence that came out of his mouth was filled with negativity and cursing. He cursed in e-mails and in comments in the code for the software we were writing. He cursed so much that I actually was offended (and later quit)."
Likewise, Laura Milligan of Houston quit her office assistant job after three weeks of dealing with a boss who "badgered me, insulted me and had a hard time accepting that I had to ask questions since I was new." The tip-off that could have spared her the fiasco: The interviewer had asked, "How are you with micromanagers?"
From Time.com, we hear of a corporate communications director in Kentucky who says,"To approach my boss with even a simple question is to be subjected to incredible rudeness, unmistakable signals that what I need to discuss just doesn't matter-at all. During such encounters, he sighs, loudly and often; gets a slack-jawed, glaze-eyed expression just 15 to 20 seconds into the conversation; makes sounds like "ughh, ughh" to seem engaged; and asks no questions, but inevitably lets you know the "meeting" is over by either picking up documents to read or turning completely around to read e-mails on his PC …"
From a supervisor at a California, "One of the employees that I supervise was reprimanded by me, then later again by our boss. Since I had already handled the situation, I asked our boss how she learned of his misdeed. She said not to worry about it. This happened a few more times. One day, I passed by her office to find her listening on an intercom. She had bugged our offices!"
If you find yourself in a similar situation and it's time to find your new job, send in your resume to us today and let's get started on finding you a heavenly new position!
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Skeletons in the Closet
How to Address a Less than Perfect Resume |
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You've been searching for your perfect job, and finally, you think you've found it. However you're concerned that your resume will get overlooked because it isn't "perfect." Worried that the skeletons in your closet, in the form of a jumpy job history and periods of unemployment, will scare off potential employers? Don't fear, there are ways to address these issues
Here some of the most common resume issues and the best way to deal with each.
You don't have longevity
If you've had a lot of jobs over a short period of time you face more difficulties getting your foot in the door. You may be seen as a job hopper or a quitter. The best way is to focus on your skills and qualifications rather than the length of time you've been at each position.
One way to handle that is to clump like jobs together, under the heading Relevant Experience.You should also have a Skills section at the very top of your resume, right below your name and address.
This way you focus more on your qualifications rather than your tenure.
A lot of temp assignments
Similar in look to a job hopper's resume, if for the past few years you worked as an admin on several different assignments, it can look as if you've been a jumpy employee or one who only makes a good temporary worker. Potential employers may look question your commitment to them. The best way to present that information on your resume is to put all your temp assignments together under one employment heading. List your job title as Contract Administrative Assistant, (or whatever title best describes the temporary work you did), and for the company, you can list the agency you worked through, or simply "Various Temporary Employment Agencies, if you worked through multiples Your first bullet point should list the various companies where you temped.
Employment gaps
If you have big gaps in between jobs it can call into question your motivation to work and/or how current you skills are. Be ready to explain what you did while unemployed. Volunteering, temping, world travel, etc. are all good answers. Watching Days of Our Lives is not.
Bad References
You should always vet your references first! Never give the name of someone as a reference unless you have asked them beforehand. First of all, it is polite to ask them to be a reference; secondly, you want to make sure that you know what they will say about you and your work. A good reference can seal the job. A bad reference can guarantee that you don't get it.
If you are dealing with any skeletons rattling in the closet, don't hesitate to contact your Laufer and Associates recruiter and she will be sure to give you the best advice and help steer you in the right direction.
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| Don't Forget About our Referral Program |
The rules are simple. Tell everyone you know about Laufer and Associates and have them view our website and contact us directly, or provide us with the names of qualified professionals. Once a person whom you have referred works as a temporary employee or gets placed permanently by Laufer and Associates at a client company, you will receive the cash amount listed below.
$100 Permanent Bonus — You are eligible for our $100 Referral Bonus if Laufer and Associates place your referral in a permanent position. Referral must stay employed in position for the length of our guarantee period, commonly 90 days.
$100 Temporary Bonus – You are eligible for our $100 Referral Bonus if Laufer and Associates place your referral in a temporary position. Referral must work as a temporary employee for at least 1,000 hours to qualify. There is no limit to the number of employees you may refer.
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 We love hearing feedback and stories from past and present candidates; please email them to [email protected]
Our experience has also taught us that great candidates often know other great candidates, so be sure to take advantage of our referral bonus program.
Sincerely,
Ellinor
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