Recruiting And Tyrannical Matriarchal Madness

You Don't Have To Go Home, But You Can't Stay Here

2010-01-12T19:47:00.004-06:00

Quick and sweet update:
1. Went back to my old job in early December. YAY!
2. As of June 30th, quit smoking for 6 months. Woohoo! (But gained back all the weight I lost this spring. Is that a kick in the head or what?)
3. Will be using my older blog, fatchickriding and folding this one and my other two old blogs into it as well. Exciting, no? I have decided there is no point in me breaking different types of posts out to different blogs anymore.

That is all.

Testing one two three

2009-07-27T11:40:00.000-05:00

Nothing to see here...just testing how posts look if sent from my mobile mind device...nothing to see here..move along, move along.....

HOT

2009-07-16T18:22:00.001-05:00

So it's about 103 degrees right now according to www.weather.com here in Plano.

I am soooo sick of the high temps and was sitting sorry for myself. That is until I decided to see how hot it is in Phoenix AZ right now. 111 degrees! Oh my! And it looks like they continue to scorch for a while longer.

Well, nothing like finding out someone is in a little bit of a more inconvenient spot to make one feel better.

Going McGuiver and Making My Own Car A/C

2009-07-12T18:40:00.009-05:00

My beloved Ford Mustang met a horrific, violent death back near the end of January. Fortunately, it was very heroic and gave its life to save that of my sister and husband. Very noble vehicle, and best of all, it was blue.

After the insurance paid off what I owed on the car to the finance company, I received a check for about $9.00. Wow. So after 2.5 years with a car payment, I had a check for $9.00, and no car. I have to admit, that was very annoying and sobering.

At the time I was just laid off by my employer, so wasn't working. I expected to be called back in a matter of a month or so, but since I worked at home, having my own vehicle really wasn't that big of a deal. After all, I did have a kick butt Trek I could use. More importantly, I just would borrow my husband's car when I had errands. My Mustang was laid up for a while for about 9 months the previous year, so we had experience doing this. So no biggie.

After a month though, yeah, I realized I totally missed having my own ride. Still not working, I realized we had to be smart about this. I didn't miss the car payment and extra insurance that is for sure! So I went hunting on Craigslist and found a 92 van for $1800. Sweet! It wasn't perfect, but in great shape for its age, and held up to 7 - so all the minions could be in the van at once with myself and our husband. Plus groceries. Oh and there is a luggage rack - so if we have to strap minions to the top to teach them a lesson that is always a handy thing.

Things have been going well with the beast. We have had some hiccups -

1. The gas gauge doesn't work right - I keep track of how many miles I have driven to make sure I don't run out of gas.

2. It is very thirsty - I learned the hard way about 3 months ago that it is very picky when it comes to water, and I need to check and add water to the radiator water tank at least once a week.

3. Stereo issues - Also, the radio didn't work when we bought it - so I splurged and paid about $200 for a radio that has HD and regular AM/FM, CD player, MP3 capability and plug for an MP3 play, as well as blue tooth capability (which I haven't used yet, but makes me feel very Techno-hip to have). The latest thing is if I hit a bump the radio goes off - there must be a weak wire or wire that gets disconnected somewhere. Probably should have that looked at before it bursts into flames.

4. Wipers do not work - When we got it, the wipers would only work on high, and you had to time things just right so when you shut them off they were not stuck in the middle of the window. Well, I was driving in the rain when the right now broke, and then about a month later I was driving in a DOWNPOUR when the left one finally snapped. (I regularly apply Rainex now, and don't drive it during anything but a light rain if I must.) The motor(s) that control the wiper arms work, so the husband just needs to get his head under the hood and fix it for me.

5. A/C is not charged - Well, this time of year, this is very annoying (though not as annoying as when the radio doesn't work!) The last two weeks we have had temps almost every day in the high 90s to low 100s. It is really hard the kids - though I seem to be used to it finally.

I called around to get estimates and it appears that it will cost between $200 to $300 to get the line checked and the van charged (if there are no leaks in the line). Unfortunately, what even freon my van uses is NOT the kind that you can get without a license, so no Do It Yourself on charging it.

I am supposed to start a new job this coming week. That will involved transporting the youngest two minions to daycare several miles away each day. I did purchase a fan I mounted on the dash to move air more, as well as two hand held fans they can use to keep cool. Both told me today that the fans seem to help. However, I kept thinking "What can I do to make this a little cooler?"

And I had a BrainFart.

Anyone remember Rocko's Modern Life? Funny cartoon on Nickelodeon where a wallaby is the main character. In one episode Rocko and his dog Spunky were just dying of the summer heat. Either he didn't have A/C or else it was broken in his house...whatever. So he goes out and buys a HUGE block of ice, puts a big fan in front of it, and they sit in front of the fan as cool air is blown on them.

I have thought of that scene often during the past 5 years since living in TX. Its so damn hot here and all!

Then I remembered something I read somewhere online a few years ago. There was some guy that was driving from the Dallas area to Austin in the middle of the summer. He didn't have A/C in his car either. Daily driving was no big deal, but he didn't want to die all the way down there. So he got a cooler, ice, a tube or something and I think a fan. He made his own "air conditioner" with those things. It worked - wasn't as cool as a regular A/C but did its job.

So I spoke with the two youngest minions, and asked them some questions on how we could solve this issue without getting the A/C fixed. They both think putting some ice behind the dash mounted fan is a good idea. I told them we can do even better, so we are working on making our contraption.

I don't have a design to show you, but here are the materials and the general idea:

I am sure I can found some designs online some where but this is what I have and what I am figuring to do:

1. Tony Stewart cooler - because I think Styrofoam will be destroyed too easily in my van (Tony Stewart because I dislike him less than the other driver coolers available at Dollar General)

2. Duck Tape - silver, of course

3. Washing machine tubing - all they had was gray - boring!

4. Empty CapN Crunch box - just emptied today so still clean

5. Quart size Hefty bags

6. Several empty Gatorade bottles - I haven't been able to get rid of them because I just KNEW I could use them for something!

7. Several freezer pack things

This is what I figure I can do:

1. Take frozen freezer packs, Gatorade bottles with frozen water, and if need a few hefty bags of ice if that doesn't fill the cooler

2. Take the tubing and run it from the top of the cooler

3. Connect the tubing to a box made out of the cereal box

4. Have the cereal box connected to the fan, so that the suction of the fan is pulling up as much from the hose as possible

6. Duck tape the hell out of everything

7. Air flow into the cooler - I think I should just cut off a small amount of the tubing and run it out the top of the other side, but make sure that the other end of it goes under part of the bottom of the cooler. Since cold air moves down, I thought this would be most effective.

I was hoping to get started tonight, but not sure if we will be able to just yet. Once we are done, I will post some pictures and results. The plan is to also read up on this online as well, so I can perhaps skip mistakes others have made, and benefit from their experience.

I don't expect it to be THAT effective, but it is an opportunity to be all McGuiverish with my two youngest, and maybe they will learn something in the process.

My poor garden

2009-07-10T23:59:00.002-05:00

So the garden is still alive - barely. We have had extreme temps the past several weeks (at least extreme to ME), and I am surprised that it hasn't burst into flame by now.

There are two tomato plants left, and one or two squash plants, and maybe one of the cucumber plants will make it but I cannot be sure. The turnips confuse me, so I just keep watering, and hope for a miracle.

I guess it would help if I weeded it more, huh?

Eden's one sunflower that she planted has finally bloomed, though it is only 2 feet tall.

Mother's Day

2009-05-10T14:58:00.005-05:00

Today we are having the best kind of day - nice and low key, without a lot of crazy running around!

My two oldest girls are spending the day with their mom, but I was fortunate in that they didn't leave until this morning so I got to see them for a little bit.

Rebecca made me a fabulous egg sandwich, and Olivia made me a piece of toast for breakfast. Both were very good! Late, the husband brought me home flowers in a pot (we are guessing azaleas, but I am not sure - I have to look it up!) and a bouquet of candy bars! He knows me well, haha.

Next, Travis dug up the garden beds, and Olivia and Rebecca planted cucumber and tomato seeds. It may be too late in the season for planting seeds instead of transplanting plants, but we will see!

Dallas Tea Party

2009-04-16T10:40:00.005-05:00

Last night my husband, our two youngest daughters, numerous friends and I attended the Dallas Texas Tea Party. There were thousands of people in attendance - a great turned out!

The best part was that there were so many people with signs referencing Atlas Shrugged (Who is John Galt, Atlas Will Shrug. etc). Several of my friends (as well as us) brought these type of signs. However, there were a lot of people there with them, not just us!

My kids helped my husband and my friends hand out fliers. We handed out fliers for the Culture of Reason Center, which meets in Dallas, and my husband and I attended as we have time. Other fliers being handed out related to the book were for ARI and The Atlas Society. The amazing part - we all had people coming up to us asking for the fliers!

It was a great turned out. One thing that impressed me was when the speaker asked the audience if this was there first protest, and most everyone raised their hand.

Unfortunately, two of my girls had to stay home (one was sick, and the oldest stayed with her so she wouldn't be alone until my son got home from class). This was a great opportunity for us to demonstrate to our children how appropriate it is to take action for what you believe, and not just sit on the couch and complain.

Both daughters enjoyed it immensely, especially Olivia. She is in the photos holding the big sign above, and Rebecca is holding the "Don't Tread On Me" flag.

Odds & Ends

2009-04-12T23:00:00.004-05:00

Ah, well it has been a while. I have been quite busy reading, wrangling the minions, as well as prepping lessons for my 9 year old's home schooling. And job hunting. I haven't seen quite a bit out there that has been interesting, but I always keep looking. Fortunately, I hope soon that I will hear back from a few of my connections this coming week on potential positions.

So what's new?

Well, Wednesday is the Tea Party in Dallas! My husband and I are planning on taking our 4 daughters with us to protest all these crazy bailouts, and the government just going amuck. I have never been to a Tea Party before, so I am very interested to see what happens. Several friends from a local Objectivist group will be attending as well. As a parent, I think it is important that our kids see us actually do something - not just sit around and whine about how we don't like what is going on in the world. I hope they will find this "field trip" exciting, and that it will help pique their interest regarding what is going on in the country. Of course, I don't expect my 7 year old to be as interested as say, our 13 year old daughter, but I think coming along would be good for even her.

I have attended, here and there as I have time, audio lectures at The Culture of Reason Center in Dallas. The current lecture series being offered is the Ayn Rand lectures at Ford Hall Forum, in Boston MA. It is quite enjoyable to listen to these lectures, and then discuss it with friends after, and then we usually head out to dinner somewhere. This is a great group - willing to discuss, and at times debate, Rand's lectures and other ideas, and then socialize. It is good to get out of the house without the minions from time to time to have some deep adult conversations.

(For those interested, you can find more about the group here: http://thesocietyofreason.com/)

Tonight my family went out to eat at a local sushi resturant with about 10 of our friends. AHHH...sushi on Easter! I think this could be a new trend haha. The nice thing about going out for sushi on Easter is that so many other folks are attending church services, or celebrating Easter with their family and friends that the resturant is not packed. We had plenty of room and time to mingle. I will see my good friend Julia was smarter than I: she cleverly brought child distraction devices (markers and paper) for her girls and mine to use so they could stay occupied and happy. I have much to learn from this great woman! =)

We have a LOT of things coming up this week:

Dallas Tea Party on Wednesday

Attending a Dr. John Lewis lecture on Friday (sponsored by NTOS)

A NTOS party with Dr. John Lewis present for those that went to the lecture the night before

Next Sunday - most likely getting caught up on laundry hahah

I have to say that the economy aside, things are looking up in my little world. My home schooled daughter is really taking to her subjects, my kids in public school are doing well, and my son seems to be taking on more responsibility at his job, which is a great thing. The husband is still crazy busy with work, of course, but I am grateful he still makes time for the family.

Oh - and all the girls are taking classes at our local rec centers. One is in swimming, one ballet and two in fencing. That means lots of taxi driving for me, but the satisfaction they get out of the classes is absolutely worth it.

So what's next?

Well, I have some brilliant and cunning things planned that I am not prepared to write about yet. Of course, I am still looking for a new job, but if I don't find one soon, will just work on creating new opportunities in resume writing and independent recruiting.

What To Do When You Cannot Find Traditional Employment

2009-02-05T17:36:00.014-06:00

These are tough times for most out of work candidates.

For many, when they do find job postings that match their qualifications and salary requirements, the competition is so fierce, that they have little chance of getting an interview much less an offer. And there are those that have been harder hit - finding a suitable position has been made worse since there are fewer jobs available in their geographic area at all.

So while looking for a good match - what should one do in the meantime to make ends meet? Several candidates I have spoken with are taking positions they would normally never consider: weekend or night time positions in retail or service industry (when they can find them) so they can keep paying the bills and supplement any unemployment benefits they receive. Others are taking another approach: consulting, commission only projects or temp/contract assignments. Of course, these options are not always available; it all depends on the type of work that they have been doing - but let's focus on those that may have skill sets that may allow them to do so.

I have a lot of recruiting friends in the same boat as myself - recently laid off. Many of these recruiters are doing what I have been working on: resume writing & career coaching services, commission only candidate search services and research services.

Those in other fields can take advantage of freelancing and consulting as well. It is not always a matter of not having the experience - but having a network and learning how to find the work.

Here are a few tips to find projects while searching for long term employment:

1. Contact your networks at your most recent and past employers:

This is usually the most productive way to find work. Why? Because your contacts that you have worked with know what you are capable of and can give you the strongest recommendations. They also may have connections that you are not aware of in your industry, and would be willing to make calls or send emails on your behalf to help you find projects. If you have not already, connect with past co-workers, managers and/or employees through LinkedIn.com and request that they write an accurate recommendation for you. (Be prepared to return the favor - but keep in mind, if you cannot give an honest favorable recommendation on Linkedin.com for someone, it probably wouldn't be wise to request one from them.)

Don’t forget vendors that you have worked with or companies where your employer was the vendor.

2. Research companies in your industry - ESPECIALLY most recent and past employers’ competitors.

Make contacts within those companies and see if they are willing to speak with you regarding project work. You may be able to find such contacts on LinkedIn.com, Spoke.com and other professional networking sites. (Note: be mindful of any non-completes that you may be under, to avoid any legal complications.)

3. Consider joining and utilizing a freelance group.

There are many websites out there that are legitimate and can help you find work that you may not have otherwise be able to find on your own. Most of the sites require you to bid on projects, and may require a membership fee or commission on your earnings to maximize its services. A short list of sites to investigate is as follows:

Sologig.com

Elance.com
Guru.com
iFreelance.com

4. Craigslist and Backpage

Craigslist.com and Backpage.com are two classified sites both list many types of project work available. You can also list your services. Backpage also offers (for a small fee) the opportunity to post your services in a print edition, such as the Dallas Observer.

5. Temp/Contract Work

Of course, find a recruiting agency or recruiter that specializes in your line of work. You may be able to find a short term position to fill the gap on a W2 basis. If you have a recruiter you have worked with in the past – contact them. Or ask your colleagues whom they have worked with in the past. If you are still not sure which agencies or recruiters may be able to help you, you can always search for recruiters on a directory such as Online Recruiter Directory.

(Note: I have purposefully left on "work at home" websites. The reason for this is because I am still compiling sites that are not full of junk, and comparing them. I plan on putting a future post on this subject. Until then, just Google "work at home" and you will find a myriad of websites - most of them are full of junk and scams, but there are some that have legitimate opportunities. If you have the time to sort through them, you may find something worthwhile. )

If you do find project or commission only projects to work on, remember to keep accurate records of your expenses and earnings. Also, if you are currently on unemployment, or about to apply for unemployment, make sure you understand the reporting requirements of your state. Earnings will affect your benefits. If you cannot understand from your state's website how and when you are to report earnings, call your state unemployment benefits office and get clarification.

I have had the pleasure of speaking with many candidates in the past that have been able to make project or commission only work their full time career. However, for many of us, that may not be realistic. So remember both your short term AND long term goals: if you are offered projects that you think may harm your prospects of finding long term employment in your field, think twice before you accept. Weigh the factors carefully.

Considering freelance/project or temp/contract work while searching for a long term position isn’t just a matter of keeping yourself afloat financially. The most frustrating things I have heard as a recruiter has been when a candidate has not been able to keep their skills up to date. For some it was a case of no work – W2, temp/contract or freelance available. For others it was clearly a case of not “thinking outside the box” and not having the mindset to go out there and aggressively work networks and find something in their field. This is one of the worst recessions the US has experienced in many decades. Most likely there will be candidates that will find themselves permanently out of their chosen field because they will not be able to find work to keep them in their field over the next 6 months to two years. Don’t allow this to happen to you!

Great Website: Job-Hunt.org

2009-01-25T10:41:00.002-06:00

For those that are just starting, or into their job hunt, the website Job-Hunt.org is a resource to check out.

There are some great short, quick and easy to read articles regarding online job hunting, as well as some great reminders on how to keep your search confidential that many people may not have in mind as they search for a new position. It is also very easy to navigate and easy on the eyes.

Now For Something Completely Different……

2009-01-16T14:50:00.005-06:00

It is time for something maternal – well maternal-ish. Something about one of my minions.

This is a post I had put together after a pretty cool conversation with my next to youngest daughter when she was just six years old. I am biased of course, but I found it pretty neat.

Enjoy!

Conversations with a 6 year old (May 2006)

Last night we went out to eat at a local BBQ restaurant. Somehow the discussion of children came up with my 4 year old daughter. I am not sure how, nor do I remember exactly what we were talking about.

I do remember though, rolling my eyes at one point and saying, "I will tell you what my mom used to tell me: 'Someday you will have a daughter just like you! That is how I will have my revenge!' HAHAHAH!" We had a good chuckle, because all the kids have heard it a thousand times before. (This particular child though, is my “Mini-Me”, so, my mom’s “curse” came true.)
My 6 year old daughter piped up and said something funny, and so my husband laughed and responded with something about the greatest curse would be for her to have a kid like the 4 year old, and the 4 year old to have a kid just like the 6 year old. My 6 year old stopped smiling and got a serious look on her face.

"But I am going into science," she stated matter of factly. We explained to her that was fine, she could have kids and “go into science” or not have kids, whichever she chose was fine with us. We then got caught up in rounding everyone up for the last visit to the restroom before we left.Now that she was in her “science” mode, our 6 year old she was talking about how cats cannot fly.
“What if you put them in an astronaut suite with a jet pack? Could the go to outer space?” she asked hopefully. I told her it wouldn’t work out too well because they didn’t have opposable thumbs, nor the intelligence to work the controls.

“...or an ant in a little rocket ship...” she suggested. We started discussing how there would need to be more than just a tiny rocket ship or jet pack, that there are physical laws at work. Then there was a comment about using math to figure that stuff out.

She was quiet for a few minutes, and then we heard her say, ever so quietly:"With math, you can know everything."

”What was that?” I asked, not sure I heard her right. “Nothing,” she said, after a pause. I asked my husband if he had heard what I did, and he said he had.

When we got home she waited until we were alone and told me that she had said it, but that it wasn’t meant for us to hear, that she was only whispering it to herself.

Later, my husband asked what she meant, and she said, "Math takes away the unknown. If I am having a nightmare, and I am in a scary dark forest, I can use math to count the trees. Then, I know how many trees there are. So it isn't so scary. Because it isn't unknown, how many trees there are."

This, from a 6 year old. It is amazing to hear and watch my kids learn how to reason. This isn't something we taught her. She is using what she is learning at school and at home and piecing it all together, forming concepts.

All I can say is: WOW.

Don't Get Lost: Track Your Job Search!

2009-01-16T03:42:00.006-06:00

One thing that has always surprised me is when I call a candidate that has applied to one of my job requirements, and they cannot remember the description of the position. Or, they forgot that they had even applied to the position. When I ask how their job search is going, the candidate is very frustrated, and feels like he is spinning his wheels. Usually this candidate has no idea how many jobs he has applied to, and is not sure of every company he has contacted or sent in an application.

Seeking a new job can be frustrating in general, especially in today’s job market where there are often more qualified applicants than there are jobs available. One way a candidate can ease his or her job search stress, and be more effective in their search is to be sure to have an effective job activity tracking system.

Why is an effective tracking system important?

Here are four good reasons:

1. Avoid duplicate applications. You don't want to apply to the same job more than once; this makes you appear unorganized to a potential employer, and is a waste of your time.
2. Accurate records for unemployment benefits. If you applied for unemployment benefits, you may be required to keep track of your search. Having a effective system will make sure your records are accurate in case your state requests search activity details.

3. Build up your professional network. For positions that you have contact names or get responses, you are building up your personal job network. Even if you don't get the position, if you are allowed to keep in touch, it may open up doors for you in the future, or, sometimes the contact may be able to refer you to someone else that may have another position available for you to consider.

4. Prepare you for phone screens and callbacks. You want to be confident and sound like you know what you are talking if a recruiter or hiring manager calls in response to your application. Having a quick list of where you applied, and for what position, will help you get right into why you are interested in the position, instead of embarrassingly trying to figure out what job they are calling you about.

What tracking method should you utilize?
Different candidates have different solutions for this. The most important thing is to find what works best for you. Here are two examples:

Spreadsheet Method
An easy way to keep track of your job searching activity is using a simple Excel spreadsheet.
Here is a suggested list of items to include on your tracking spreadsheet:
1. Date Applied
2. Source (job board, referral, job fair, etc.)
3. How applied (email, company website, in person, etc.)
4. Position
5. Company name (or Recruiting Agency Name)
6. Contact Name (if you have one – you may not have one until after the company responds)
7. Results (for example, no feedback if no one responds, interview request, etc.)
8. Notes
If you are applying for positions across a wide geographic area, you may also want to include the City, as well as compensation information once you get it. The goal is not to make this too complicated, but to record the basic information you need to keep track of to view at an easy glance.

Online Job Board Tracking Method
Many job boards offer you the option of keeping track of positions you apply to through the job board. The drawback is that you are limited to the information you can keep, and only can keep track of the positions through that site.

On most job boards, you should be able to click a link and easily see the job description. If the position you applied to is pulled down (for example, if the company is not accepting any more applications for the position), you won’t have access to the description. This can be a hassle if you want to prepare for an interview with the company, or if you need to go back to that description for other reasons. (Most recruiters are happy to email you the description again, but how organized will you look?)

Whatever method you use, make sure you keep it simple enough that you don't bog yourself down spending too much time tracking. The goal is to have something that is simple and easy to complete so you will use it every time you apply to a job so you always have up to date accurate information.

Job Description Tracking
Always save a copy of the position, regardless of what activity tracking method you use. This is important, because if you apply to more than a few positions, you want to make sure that if you are asked for a phone screen or interview, you have the correct information in order to prepare for your interview. You also want to be able to review the description prior to an interview to prepare a list of questions you may have about the position and company.

Two Suggested Methods for Description Tracking:

1. Create a Job Description folder on your computer, and save the descriptions there. You can either print them to a PDF, Tiff or MDI file easily enough. Or, you can email the position to yourself and save it in the folder.

2. Create a Job Description folder in your Outlook or other email client. You can just email the job description to yourself and keep in your folder.

Keeping track of your job activity search, and having the job descriptions you applied available to you will help reduce stress in your job search, help you in your interview preparation, give you insight on the job market for your targeted positions and an over idea of what common skills employers are seeking. Lastly, it may allow you to start building up a network of professionals you may be able to call on in a future job search.

Find Jobs Online & Help Companies Find Your Resume

2009-01-15T19:08:00.008-06:00

In an economy where there are more candidates available than jobs, it is extremely important that a candidate knows where to find job postings and make sure their resume finds its target audience. In many ways networking is a great way to find a new position. However, posting a resume and running online job searches are still very important for most candidates today. This post focuses on a small handful of sites to help in your job search/resume posting activity.

Indeed.com
SimplyHired.com

Both are job posting search aggregators that list job postings on various classified sites, corporate boards, staffing agencies and job boards. You can search based on geography, keywords and other factors.

These two sites can save you a lot of time if you don't have the time to do a search at each different major job board, etc...and has only jobs - so it is easier and quicker than just relying on your Google or other search engine Fu.

Important Note: Neither of these sites pick up job postings on Craigslist. You need to either go directly to Craigslist; or, just search the site through Google or another search engine.

Craigslist
I have had very good success in the past finding candidates through Craigslist. One of the reasons so many employees continue to post to Craigslist is because in most cities it is still free to post. In areas where they do charge, the fee is a fraction of what it costs to take an ad out in newspapers, or to post to major job boards.

Craigslist is also a good site to post your resume. Many companies that post to major job boards, like Monster, cannot afford resume viewing access. Therefore, if they post a position but don’t get enough qualified applicants, they will look at free resources for resumes. Also, many companies are rationing their job postings budget, and may forgo posting some of their positions altogether. (I found one of my previous recruiting positions through Craiglist, where the employer chose not to post the position on a fee job board.)

Major Job Boards
Monster
Careerbuilder
HotJobs
Dice (technology focused)

Some candidates stay away from major job boards such as Monster or Careerbuilder. If you are an active candidate, this could be a mistake. If you are actively searching for a position pick at least one major job board and one niche board in your industry to post your resume.As a candidate, I have found the spam from Careerbuilder overwhelming at times. However, they have a good interface for employers/recruiters, so many will search resumes there. Hotjobs is fairly simple to use (as a candidate or recruiter), and Monster, while I have found it more cumbersome from the candidate side than the recruiter side, is still very popular with big companies and staffing agencies.

Please note though, that many companies may post to these big job boards, but do not have the budget, or need, to pay for expensive resume search features. Keep this in mind, and pick at least one site that is free (or low cost) for them to find your resume such as Craigslist. And never forget to update your profile on sites such as Linkedin.com. Or – have a website or blog for your resume so you can easily be found online.

State Job Boards
Be sure to put your profile on your state's job board as well. You may be required to do this anyway if you have applied for unemployment. Most state job boards can be cumbersome to set up your profile. However, since this is a free service for employers, many companies and recruiters will search these sites for resumes. In addition, many large corporations will post their jobs to the state sites as well, to ensure they are complying with employment laws. (That is a thread in of itself - and for another day.)

If you are not sure of the website for your state, you can go to the State Job Banks Listed On JobCentral and find it.

Networking Groups
Many people over look posting to groups - never underestimate the power of online networking and other groups! Below are a few suggestions. I personally have found the first two to be very high quality in terms of candidates and responses by recruiters and hiring managers. The other two I am not as familiar with, but came recommended by a trusted source, so I do not hesitate to post them here:

Career Connection (Local to Dallas)
Kim Allen Network
LCN Group
Trey Tech

One of the most effective strategies in a job search is networking; however, that can sometimes be difficult, so it never hurts to have some good online resources while you are building your networks.

And if you decide to work with a recruiter - ask your friends/colleagues, or former co-workers which recruiters they used and whom they recommend. Most recruiters are very good and personable, but there are a lot of pimps out there as well. If you can find one that specializes in at least your industry if not your specific skill set, that is ideal.

Of course, if you have not already, make sure you have your profile on Linkedin.com, Facebook,MySpace or Doostang; and of course - ALWAYS check Meetup to see if you can find any local groups where you can meet others face to face in your industry or field. Many recruiters are working hard to find passive candidates through networking sites. If you are an active candidate, this can help you get found by a company that doesn't utilize job boards. If you are a passive candidate, this can help you continue networking, so when the day comes you are looking to make a career move you already have a network built of people outside your current company.

Other sites I am playing around with currently:

GetTheJob
This is an interesting site, as it combines job search postings with social networking. The site focuses on direct employers only. I took a few minutes to set up a profile – and was surprised how little time it took. My only complaint (and this is a very minute one) is that when setting up a job title match for yourself, the first list set is very generalized. I had to select Business & Financial Operations, and then select on a second list within that for Employment Placement. Again – this is a minute thing. The point is probably not to have too a narrow focus so that a good candidate is not over looked for a position that may be related to the title that he or she picks for a match. You can connect with others that have profiles on the site, and the site allows you to look up contacts that may be working or have worked at the company right from the job posting. You can also browse information on companies hiring. That is pretty handy!

Brazen Careerist
Now, I had heard of this site before a while ago, but forgot about it. After all there are a bazillion or two career related sites on the web, right?
Well, I had stumbled onto Penelope Trunk's blog the other day (don't even ask me how I got there - it was one of those six degrees of separation things). Now, she is a hoot, and she started the site and sold it off after a while.
The site is a focus on Gen Y by Gen Y peeps. I like the vibe of the site, which, if you go to their About Page tells you what you can find there:
"What you will get out of Brazen Careerist is not a defined path, but the encouragement to define your own path."
THAT is what many of us - whether Gen Y or not, should be able to get something from this site.

Of course, there are many, many different websites out there you can utilize. Experiment, and find ones that work for you. Also - make sure you keep track of your job search to maximize your time. We will discuss that in a future post.

In The Beginning......

2009-01-14T20:48:00.001-06:00

....there was the Tyrannical Matriarch. She then stumbled into recruiting...and a journey was begun....

I just KNOW you are hearing the music from 2001: Space Odyssey right now, aren't you? You know, the music where the big white obelisk thing was there - and all the monkeys? It's the from the opening movement from "Also sprach Zarathustra, op. 30", by Richard Strauss. What? You are not sure? Okay - let me help you out - you can listen to it here:
(Click on it - really - it is safe and will open a new window so you won't miss anything here.)

It's a "tone poem" by the way. And yes - to all my Oist buds, I DO realize it was inspired by Nietzsche's Also Sprach Zarathustra...but I can ignore that. So I am sure you can too. (Just realize the connection between the monkeys in 2001 and my children, and you won't even worry or think about Nietzsche or nihilism. Nihilism...BAD! Monkeys - good! - even the ones in the Wizard of Oz had redeeming qualities...but I digress....)

Anyway, now that we have theme music....Here's my deal (for those that don't know already):

I am married, have 5 kids (henceforth referred to as "minions") and am a Recruiter. It's a good gig - I like it most days (both being a mom and a recruiter), so I cannot really complain. However, one thing that I have noticed, is that I don't always get the opportunity I would like to share things I have learned over the years (both in recruiting and tyrannical matriarchal duties), and needed one spot to do it. Oh - I have tried breaking things out between different interests. I once had a blog about cycling, had another sort of philosophical blog, and did start a Tyrannical Matriarch blog. However, these three things are all wrapped up in one person. So I have decided to move forward with one blog.

The goal is to post something at least once a week when I can pull myself away from recruiting and working on my resume writing website - which of course, when that is ready I plan to promote shamelessly here.

Yeah - I know, you are tickled pink. Excellent! As am I.