Why Unemployment Statistics Can Be Very Misleading

Why Unemployment Statistics Can Be Very Misleading Statistics. They’re great if used appropriately and they’re understood. According to a recent U.S. government ‘statistic’ the inflation rate is about 1 percent. But anyone who buys anything knows that’s probably not a true portrayal of costs event though that rate is defined as ‘the rate at which the general level of prices for goods and services is rising.’ The same argument can be made for what the media, government and politics use when quoting the unemployment rate from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That rate refers to “the percentage of the total labor force that is unemployed but actively seeking employment and willing to work.  But that rate is not an accurate portrayal of the percentage of Americans who want to work full-time but arent able to. The official rate doesnt include those whose unemployment benefits have run out, those who are under-employed (e.g. working part-time when they’d rather work full-time) or others who choose for whatever reason not to file an unemployment claim.   That’s one reason why I’m opposed to the decision to cut off federal unemployment benefits. By using the ‘official unemployment rate’ nearly 90,000 New Jersey residents had their unemployment benefits cut off on December 28th as Congress failed to vote on extending long-term benefits before going on recess until early next year. But even that number is a bit deceiving as it doesnt include what I call the forgotten unemployed  â€" those who aren’t counted by the government. Viable system: I agree there needs to be a finite amount of time before a person’s unemployment benefits expire. But along with unemployment benefits, there needs a viable system in place to help train those that want to work in a field but don’t have the needed skills. This isn’t just about re-training someone to do a different type of job as much as it is to explain how to ‘network’ â€" that generic term meant to explain how to find jobs besides applying online to job boards and sending up your resume hundreds of times without hearing back. Teach how to connect with people, schedule ‘informational’ interviews, have resume review sessions and schedule job fairs which don’t just have customer service or sales jobs. More experienced workers: For those of us (me included) who are a specific ‘age’, we acknowledge there are many biases that hinder our individual job searches. Many employers won’t hire someone who’s out of work; others will find ways to not hire an older person by questions they ask and by how they phrase a job description. Others assume we won’t work for a specific salary based on our job history.   Let’s just say when I get called by a recruiter and their first question is whether I’m working and I say ‘no’ that conversation ends abruptly without any acknowledge or interest in my situation. I’ve learned to ‘dance’ around that question and others like it. READ MORE:  How to  Get  a  Job  Past the Age of  50 Conclusion: We all can agree to disagree on how we got into this situation â€" but pointing fingers and grandstanding isn’t going to change anything soon. Emotions run high and there are some simple ways that we can fix things as long as we acknowledge the system is broken and not point fingers and play the ‘blame game’. There needs to be an open discussion between hiring managers, recruiters, those out of work and those who are working. We need to leave government out of this equation as much as possible. I’ve said on more than one occasion that the government Healthcare website would’ve been up and running a bit easier if they let many of the IT and marketing people who are out of work, fix it. As well-meaning as some in government may be, a long-term (no pun intended) solution needs to come from a consortium of officials at Fortune 500 companies and other stakeholders. There are many great job support groups that have sprung up out of necessity â€" the challenge is to integrate the best of each into one location. I’m calling on those who are in position to help me make this dream come true. I also facilitate several job support groups in northern NJ. I welcome LinkedIn connection requests.

How to Become a Successful Virtual Assistant

How to Become a Successful Virtual Assistant With more and more businesses getting globalized, the operational activities are getting complicated.As a result, entrepreneurs are struggling every day to manage all the work that matters to the growth of their businesses.However, unlike some other business owners, who are too exhausted for wearing too many hats, the successful ones are redefining their working style by trying not to manage everything by themselves.evalThey are rather hiring highly skilled professionals over virtual platforms to do their personal as well as administrative jobs such as bookkeeping, web development, email management, social media management and many more!Do you think that you have the right skill to perform these jobs?If yes, then virtual assistance is the dream job that you were looking for!As a virtual assistant or VA, you can work autonomously and work from anywhere within a time setting chosen by you!Besides, the popularity of assistants working online is rising day by day due to their high level of proficiency in performing a variety of tasks in a trustworthy and reliable manner.Are you ready to be a successful part of this independent virtual workforce?Don’t start selling your skills straightaway. Rather lay a very strong foundation by following some essential steps.evalNot sure how to start?Keeping your interest as a beginner in mind, MyTasker has developed an attractive infographic for you, which not only offers a great visual treat, but would also tell you 9 easy steps of becoming a successful virtual assistant.Just go through the infographic and be your own boss in the professional world!Infographic Credit -mytasker.com

Facing Career Change in 2009 Tune in For Positive, Practical Advice Wed (Jan 7)

Facing Career Change in 2009 Tune in For Positive, Practical Advice Wed (Jan 7) 2009 has already been a year of change. Ive heard from many people who have come back to work from the holidays only to find a pink slip. Some felt shock. Others anger and still others relief. All were left with many questions as to what to do next.To help, Im focusing my radio appearances this week on Martha Stewart Living Radio on SIRIUS 112 and XM 157 on positive and practical steps you can take if youre dealing with an unexpected layoff or want to shift careers this year. All segments are live and listener questions are welcome at 1-8. For a free 3-day trial of SIRIUS visit www.maggiemistal.com/radio.Tune in this Wednesday Jan 7th to SIRIUS 112 or XM 157:7:30am eastern, Ill share advice on the key steps to take if youve been laid-off, what to say to family and friends and how to get support if you havent planned for a pink slip. 2pm eastern, Ill be talking about where the jobs are in 2009. 4pm eastern, a full hour of Making a Living with Maggie. Ill be joined by author and fellow career expert Marci Alboher to talk about how you can shift careers in 2009!Also check out my new 2009 line-up of teleclasses, webinars and group coaching and get the help you need with your career this year.Are you dealing with an unexpected layoff? Is it time you shifted careers to something new in 2009? What career goals and ideas would you like to see come to fruition in 2009?

Writing and Objective For a Functional Resume

Writing and Objective For a Functional ResumeWhen writing and objective for a functional resume, it is important to keep in mind that it should be concise and informative. It should also include relevant details about the position the applicant is applying for, but can still be found in other positions within the company or even to other employers.There are many ways to write an objective for a functional resume. One of them is to use words like, 'motivated'ability to contribute' as a part of the statement. Another method is to state the main reason the person is applying for the position in the objective.If someone has been offered a position based on their personal qualities, for example, you can write, 'Ability to work under pressure,' or, 'Motivated and self-starters.' However, in this example, a person applying for a position of customer service will not be able to work under pressure. Therefore, the reason for the application may be stated in the objective. Or if there is a nee d for both the customer service and sales manager, you may state that the applicant can handle both tasks, along with a statement about his or her leadership abilities.Before writing and objective for a functional resume, it is important to remember that it should only cover a specific job that the applicant is applying for. If the person applying for a position in the accounting department has not been selected yet, it would be more appropriate to state, 'Strong communication skills'Outstanding interpersonal relations.'There are also some things to consider when writing and objective for a functional resume. For example, if the objective is not specific, it would be more appropriate to use phrases such as, 'Ability to work well under pressure'Motivated and self-starters.'When writing and objective for a functional resume, one can also include a few bullet points about specific experience, skills, and talents in order to describe what the applicant has done before he or she started working for the company. This is often the way that companies are looking for employees and hiring managers to search for candidates. After all, if the company has someone who has worked in the accounting department for five years, they would not want to pay someone who had only worked there for two weeks.Writing and objective for a functional resume is generally considered to be the best approach for most employers. They know that people will be more inclined to hire an applicant who has some experience or skill, than they would a person without any experience at all.Writing and objective for a functional resume is very easy to do, since the intent is to be brief, to concise, and to concise. When you put those three things together, you will have a functional resume that can get the attention of a potential employer, and then get the person hired.

Writing Short Films Or Screenplays - Create Your Coder Resume

Writing Short Films Or Screenplays - Create Your Coder ResumeA short film writer, known as a coder, is called upon to write or re-write a screenplay for one of the many film and television productions that are produced on a daily basis. The process begins with a coder's initiation stage, which in effect sets the blueprint for his future career. Here is a summary of the writer's steps through a coder's resume.The most basic requirement of a coder's job is to have his writing skills developed while he is in school. Most film schools have required educational requirements for graduating from the program. These requirements are strong writing skills that will translate into movie scripts. It would be ideal to have a strong ability to write and one who can explain this ability to the casting department. Even if the coder has to start writing short films before he graduates, it would still be better to be able to write the script and then be asked to write it further.Any coder whose first job is to write new movie scripts needs to use a generic resume. This means it should follow a standard format that portrays the coder's skill set. The coder should know that this resume will be seen by the executive hiring department and must therefore showcase his strengths. Without a script, a coder cannot present his abilities so the resume that is used must be very convincing.To be successful in writing short films, a coder must develop a new writing style that is unique. Most coder's resume templates are very generic and do not reflect the coder's own writing style. To achieve success in this industry, a coder must meet the job requirements of the production company and adapt to their writing style. The writing style will be dictated by the production team that requires the writer to write a script for a specific type of movie.For new movie scripts, the coder should begin by writing a treatment or synopsis. The treatment is an outline of what the script will contain and how th e story will unfold. This is how the coder will prepare for the interview when asked to rewrite the screenplay.The coder must use a high quality template to show that he has experience in writing the script. It should follow the script style that was originally outlined by the production company. There are very many coder resume templates available and it is up to the coder to find a template that reflects his own writing style. It will also provide a snapshot of what the coder is known for writing so the director, producer or casting director knows what to expect.Once the coder is hired, the coder's resume should provide the importance of the role. The coder should be able to articulate his accomplishments to the director or other casting directors so that he will be offered the job. It will help the coder to become an asset to the production company and it will allow him to make a name for himself within the industry.

Ideas, Formulas and Shortcuts for Writing a Resume as a Line Cook

Ideas, Formulas and Shortcuts for Writing a Resume as a Line Cook The Ultimate Writing a Resume as a Line Cook Trick Team Player A chef a part of a team and has to be in a position to work nicely with other people. Kurt also shares he has at least 10 years experience for a Line Cook in various fine restaurants. Line cooks are liable for actually filling orders since they arrive in from the servers. If you wish to follow in their path, we've prepared a Prep Cook resume example you may use to receive your foot within the kitchen door. If don't have any prior experience, you might begin by interning, or maybe you take one of these entry-level jobs and attempt to devote time with the cooks and chefs and receive a feel for what they do, either before or following your shifts. Line cooks are liable for cooking dishes based on the established standards of the restaurant menu and keeping up a clean and tidy kitchen. A prep cook is the initial step to turning into a full-fledged ch ef. The Ugly Secret of Writing a Resume as a Line Cook An outstanding Cook resume, like this example, will incorporate several impressive skills your employer is searching for in a candidate. Education for instance, highly valued by people who are able to afford it, is frequently a precursor to success. Make certain that you have a minumum of one case of a time you demonstrated each of the best skills listed here. This line cook job description template, which you may modify to fit your requirements, can help you find the most suitable candidates for your open position. Finding Writing a Resume as a Line Cook Besides helping your resume get selected, it will likewise help the hiring manager see how your abilities and experiences make you a perfect candidate for the particular job. Business Sense A superior chef is also a fantastic businessman. Seeking work in the culinary field where excellent cooking and client service skills can be employed to enhance the corporation's success. Needless to say, each job will call for unique abilities and experiences, so make certain you read the work description carefully and concentrate on the skills listed by the employer. All About Writing a Resume as a Line Cook This role is occasionally thought of as vegetable cook. Cooks are anticipated to have the capability to follow recipes, and demonstrate a fantastic comprehension of food combinations. New Step by Step Roadmap for Writing a Resume as a Line Cook A simple resume template is going to be your very best bet. Each line cook resume that you write over the duration of your career should possess a format which suits your particular requirements. The combination resume format is growing very popular and can appear great once you use a free resume builder. Turning into a Line Cook is more than simply a job it is possible to enjoy. As a Line Cook, you are going to learn new abilities and techniques every single day. If you adore learning, you will beco me far as a Line Cook. A superb Line Cook must be in a position to keep order within her or his station.

Job Seekers 5 Smart Steps On Twitter - Work It Daily

Job Seekers 5 Smart Steps On Twitter - Work It Daily Every job seeker who is using Twitter for job search purposes pretty much just gets on board and hastily creates a Twitter account. However, a few calculated steps will be invaluable in the launching of your Twitter account for an effective job search campaign. Related: How To Maximize The Impact Of Your Story With Social Media Please read the following and see if you can tweak your account today. 1. Choose Your Twitter Account Name Keep it professional, career, or industry relevant. 2. Include A Picture! Don't Be Shy Although you are job searching, this is also a social networking site. Besides, no matter what hang-ups you have about your looks - interviews are still face-to-face! 3. Don't Protect Your Tweets How will others determine if you are tweeting interesting and vital information? Are you asking us to follow you before we even know what you are tweeting about? Besides, what are you hiding? 4. Be Selective With Your Tweet Topics Remember that every tweet you compose becomes a Google page and will remain in cyberspace forever, so don't talk about things that will come back to ruin your reputation or employability. 5. Create A Personal Account Keep your Twitter account for job searching professionally branded. If you want to connect with friends and discuss more personal topics, create a personal account and tweet whatever you want but use a nickname or pseudo name for that account. You want your professional account to be the one to show up in Google when someone searches your name! Right? Remember your online profile and social media accounts represent your digital image. Related Posts 6 Social Media Mistakes To Avoid While Job Seeking Social Media Guidelines For Young Professionals Why You Should Connect With Co-Workers On Social Media   Photo Credit: Shutterstock Have you joined our career growth club?Join Us Today!