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Personal Branding: You have a blog, so now what?

March 8th, 2010

By Nelly Tonchev

Nelly Tonchev

Each year we make New Year’s resolutions: lose weight, find a new job with a boss we like, make this wonderful trip we dreamed about for the last few years. The list can go on and on…

With the emerging of a new phenomenon known as Social Networking there is one more item on our New Year’s resolution list: start a blog and promote our brand online.

Last month while I was looking through the pages of Boston Metro, a short article from Dan Schawbel caught my eyes and especially a single quote on how important it is in 2010 to build a strong online brand. I am sure each of you has seen similar articles online advising people to join at least two networking sites, open a Twitter account, find followers and publish your own blog.

Nowadays it is easy to find a provider and set up your own blog for free, but the most important question to ask yourself before you start is “What I am going to blog about?”  Believe it or not most people fail to emerge as successful bloggers as they don’t know what they want to write in their blog!! Which means they truly don’t know what they are passionate about.

I think the first important step to take before you start your blog is to ask yourself:

“What am I going to blog about? What is my passion? What type of blog?”

Sit down grab piece of paper and pencil and write down your ideas:

  • Will the blog be used as your online resume? Showcasing your expertise and knowledge of your industry or profession is an excellent way to build your career brand. Good news: Blogging is good for your career. But be careful and make sure your blog is well executed; write quality articles so people will return for more.

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Interviews: 7 questions you will be asked

March 7th, 2010

By Jackie Simmonds, NEJS Blog Editor

Jackie SimmondsAs I attend networking and volunteer meetings sooner or later interviewing comes up.  Did you get one?  How did it go?  What did they ask you?  How do you think you did?

And then there is the second-guessing after the interview.  Did I do a good enough job? Why did I say that?  Did I sound intelligent enough?  Do they like me?

So much uncertainty!  How can we get back in control of this situation?

To get that control feeling back in place I began searching for the questions that industry experts are recommending interviewers ask job applicants.  I found an article that was written by Brian Libby that talked about how the person interviewing candidates should structure an interview.  I think this can be very helpful information as you are preparing to walk into that office and wow your potential next employer.

Here are the top 7 interview questions and the reasons interviewers ask them.

Question #1: “How about those Yankees?”

Purpose: Develop the rapport needed to get the interview off the ground.

Every interview should begin with an icebreaker. It helps nervous applicants calm down and builds a sense of trust.

Question #2: “Talk about a time when you had to overcome major obstacles.”

Purpose: Get a clear picture of the candidate’s past performance.

Variations on this question should actually comprise your next several questions. Don’t hesitate to guide the candidate through the variety of tasks (both tangible and theoretical) necessary to perform the job, and listen carefully to how he or she has handled such challenges. Pay attention to intangibles: some people are better at performing in interviews than on the job.

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Career Assessment: Lemonade

March 4th, 2010

It’s not a pink slip.  It’s a blank page.

Shared Experience

Perspective

Hope

http://www.agencyscoop.com/special_events.php?e=2

Note:  There are several commercials, watch through them until the end of the movie.

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Finance: Obama Signs Unemployment Extension Bill

March 3rd, 2010

By Jackie Simmonds, NEJS Blog Editor

Jackie Simmonds

FINALLY!!! Tradingmarkets.com reports the Senate voted Tuesday evening to approve a 30-day extension of unemployment benefits, health benefits, and other expiring provisions enacted under the government’s economic stimulus plan.

This bill extends benefits for the jobless one month, including subsidies to help the unemployed buy health insurance, as well as postpones cuts in Medicare reimbursements in doctors. It also releases highway money, the delay of which forced the Transportation Department to furlough 2,000 employees. The package will also extend Medicare physician payments and flood insurance programs.

The 78-19 vote in favor of the extension came after Sen. Jim Bunning, R-Ken., agreed to allow the vote to proceed after single-handedly blocking the legislation since last Thursday.  Following the vote, President Barack Obama quickly signed the bill into law, saying, “During these difficult economic times, supporting American workers, their families and our small businesses must be everyone’s focus.”

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said, “Today’s short-term extension of these programs gives those affected Americans peace of mind and allows the Senate more time to work together on a long-term extension of these critical programs.”

ABC News reported that under the deal, Senator Reid agreed to allow a vote on a measure to off-set the bill’s $10 billion cost with cuts in other programs.  The off-set measure is expected to fail.  So, despite Bunning’s efforts, the unemployment extension bill will not be paid for.

For the time being those whose extended unemployment benefits were approaching the end of a tier can breather a little easier.

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Finances: Kentucky’s Bunning again blocks jobless benefits

March 2nd, 2010

By Jackie Simmonds, NEJS Blog Editor

Jackie Simmonds

Andrew Taylor, AP reported that Sen. Jim Bunning on Tuesday again blocked the Senate from extending unemployment benefits and health insurance subsidies for the jobless.  The extension needed unanimous consent to pass because Democrats have labeled it an emergency spending measure.

“Today we have a clear cut example to show the American people just what’s wrong with Washington, D.C.,” Patty Murray, a Democratic leader who  came to the floor to attack Republicans for blocking the legislation, said. “That is because today one single Republican senator is standing in the way of the unemployment benefits of 400,000 Americans.”

Because the Senate has not acted, the jobless will now stop getting checks once they run out of their state benefits or current tier of federal benefits.  That could be devastating to the unemployed who were counting on that income. In total, more than a million people could stop getting checks next month, with nearly 5 million running out of benefits by June, according to the National Unemployment Law Project.

CNN reports that Sen. Jim Bunning, R-Kentucky, is involved in discussions to help end a stalemate over the extension of unemployment benefits for millions of jobless Americans.  When asked whether senators are close to finalizing a deal, Bunning said, “We’re trying.”

» Read more: Finances: Kentucky’s Bunning again blocks jobless benefits

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Twitter: The 25 most influential recruiters

March 1st, 2010

wefollow has identified the top 25 recruiters.  Log on to Twitter and see if they can help you locate your next job.

  1. Shally Steckerl – @shally
  2. Irina Shamaeva – @braingain
  3. Glen Cathey – @BooleanBlackBlt
  4. AIRS – @AIRSTraining
  5. Steven Rothberg – @StevenRothberg
  6. Jennifer McClure – @CincyRecruiter
  7. Jerry Albright – @Jerry_Albright
  8. Geoff Peterson – @GeoffPeterson
  9. Stephanie Lloyd – @StephanieALloyd
  10. Paul DeBettignies – @MNHeadhunter
  11. Craig Fisher – @Fishdogs
  12. Michael Long – @theredrecruiter
  13. Ryan Leary – @ryanleary
  14. Jim Durbin – @smheadhunter
  15. Shannon Myers – @slcmyers
  16. Sarah Peacey – @RecruitingTruth
  17. Nikki G – @Recruitnik
  18. Todd Kmiec – @toddkmiec
  19. Dawn Mular – @DMular
  20. Jeff Lipschultz – @JLipschultz
  21. Rick Deare – @RickDeare
  22. Peggy McKee – @salesrecruiter
  23. Bruce – @RecruiterBruce

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Finances: Extended Unemployment Benefits In Jeopardy

February 28th, 2010

By Jackie Simmonds, NEJS Blog Editor

Jackie SimmondsThe Senate failed to push back the Feb. 28 deadline to apply for extended unemployment benefits last week.  This means that beginning today, Sunday February 28, the unemployed will stop getting extended benefits as their current extension benefits expire.  This will impact 1.2 million workers in March.

Beginning on Monday, March 1 the jobless will no longer be able to apply for federal unemployment benefits or the COBRA health insurance subsidy.  Federal unemployment benefits were available after the basic state-funded 26 weeks of coverage expire. Congress had approved up to an additional 73 weeks, which are divided into tiers, and the jobless must apply each time they move into a new tier.

In an economy that is expected to sustain the just under 10% unemployment rate for all of 2010 this is bad news to people who are counting on those benefits to keep their lives glued together as they search for work.  The White House Council of Economic Advisers predicts that the unemployment rate won’t fall back to its 2008 level of 5.8% for another seven years.  To the job seeker this means their long and hard search for employment isn’t about to end any time soon.

What happened to the extension?  Lawmakers repeatedly tried to approve a 30-day extension this week, but each time, Sen. Jim Bunning, R-Ky., prevented the $10 billion measure from passing, saying it needs to be paid for first.  Senate Democrats plan to introduce legislation next week that pushes back the deadline as much as a year, an aide said. The House approved a bill in December that extended the deadline to the end of June.  Until the job extension is approved the people impacted will loose their benefits, once the measure is approved, the jobless would be able to reapply for federal benefits, though they would not receive missed payments.  Interrupted payments will create financial hardships for individuals who are already stretched thin by the length of time it is taking to find work.

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