February 2019 |
Transition-e-news Volume 4 Issue 151 |
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Transition Insight
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US job openings jump to record high of 7.3 millionby CHRISTOPHER RUGABER - The Associated Press Reprinted with Permission ©2019 All Rights Reserved WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. employers posted the most open jobs in December in the nearly two decades that records have been kept, evidence that the job market is strong despite several challenges facing the economy. The Labor Department said Tuesday that job openings jumped 2.4 percent in December to 7.3 million. That is the most since records began in December 2000. It is also far greater than the number of unemployed, which stood at 6.3 million that month. Businesses have shrugged off a variety of potential troubles for the economy in the past two months and kept on hiring. The 35-day partial government shutdown began Dec. 22, and growth in China, Europe and Japan has weakened, threatening U.S. exports. Still, employers added 304,000 jobs in January, the government said earlier this month, the most in nearly a year. The jump in openings in December suggests hiring will likely remain robust. Openings are typically filled within 1 to 2 months. The surge in available jobs indicates that businesses expect demand to remain healthy and that they will need more employees to meet it. Tuesday’s data also showed that employers boosted hiring in December, while the number of people who quit remained unchanged at a healthy level of about 3.5 million. Higher quits are typically sign of a dynamic job market, as most people quit to take a new job. The number of unemployed typically runs far ahead of job openings, but that switched early last year. That could mean potentially stronger wage gains are in store in the months ahead. With job postings so high at a time that the unemployment rate is at a very low 4 percent, businesses may be forced to pay more to attract the workers they need. Paychecks are already increasing, though at a modest pace. Average hourly pay rose 3.2 percent in January from a year earlier, the government said earlier this month. That’s near December’s figure of 3.3 percent, which matched the best pay gain in almost a decade. Still, wage increases typically top 4 percent when the unemployment rate is this low. Many industries with the biggest increases in job openings include mostly lower-paying jobs. Restaurants and hotels advertised more than 1 million jobs, 84,000 more than in November. Health care job postings rose 79,000 to 1.2 million. Some higher-paying industries also did well. Professional and business services, which include jobs in fields such as architecture and engineering, rose 82,000 to 1.34 million. Available jobs in manufacturing, meanwhile, fell 67,000 to 428,000. They also dropped in retail and financial services. |
Troops to Teachers program helps veterans become educatorsBy Airman 1st Class Emily Woodring , 88th Air Base Wing Public Affairs - US Air Force - Reprinted with permission WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio (AFNS) -- If you’ve ever considered becoming a teacher after your military career, then the Airman and Family Readiness Center has a program they can get you connected with. The Troops to Teachers program began in 1993 as a way to assist service members and veterans with the transition from military to beginning a career as a teacher. Troops to Teachers assists its participants by providing counseling and referral services to help them meet education and licensing requirements. This program helps lower veteran unemployment while also helping American Education by providing dedicated personnel for the nation’s classrooms. The Troops to Teachers vision is that “Every service member interested in a career in teaching will receive assistance to transition his or her leadership, training, and core values to teaching in kindergarten through grade twelve schools.” Current or former members of the Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps or Coast Guard, including Reserve and Guard, that have an interest in teaching are eligible for the Troops to Teachers program. Depending on certain education, service and application requirements, some may also be eligible for financial assistance to support the transition to the classroom. Shonte Gonzalez, 88th Air Base Wing Community Readiness Specialist said, “The goal ultimately is for troops to teachers to help that military member easily finish completing the courses they need and get the certification and by having a coordinator that you can talk to face to face, one on one in Columbus, it makes it easier to transition and smoothly go into that program.” The first step to getting involved in the program is to apply. Once accepted, then begins individual counseling to navigate state requirements. There are 31 state offices that provide this counseling or if your state doesn’t have an office, services can also be provided through the Troops to Teachers program office. Once those two steps are accomplished, then begins the process of achieving a teacher certification. For a list of state offices visit www.proudtoserveagain.com/About/Process. Since 1993, Troops to teachers has placed more than 20,000 veterans in teaching jobs in public, charter, and Bureau of Indian Affairs schools. To apply, get more information, or to read about Troops to Teachers success stories visit www.proudtoserveagain.com. |
Job Interviews: How to Answer the Top 10 Job Interview Questions© Copyright, 2019, Susan P. Joyce. | Work Coach Cafe | All rights reserved. Some job interview questions are obvious and are always asked. It’s best to be prepared, so you can ace them. Practice your answers, preferably with an audience, so you are comfortable answering them. More: Tricky Job Interview Question: When Can You Start? The Top 10 Interview QuestionsRoughly in the order of the frequency they are asked, although, of course, your mileage may vary depending on the employer and the interviewer. 1. Tell me about yourself.While technically not a question, this is very popular. It is an easy way for the interviewer to learn what you think is important about yourself, and, consequently, it often provides good insight into the job seeker. So, it is frequently asked. The good news is that this means you will get a lot of practice answering it. Understand that this is not an invitation to describe your life history or your passion for getting drunk every weekend! If your hobby of trying fine wines is relevant to the job, you can certainly discuss that passion. “Connect the dots” between what you have done in previous jobs and the requirements for this job. Hopefully, you have an elevator speech (right?!), and your elevator speech will be a good foundation for this answer. For more tips, check out “How to Handle Tell Me About Yourself.” 2. What’s your greatest weakness?A very popular question, and an easy one to mess up. You want to be somewhat honest about your weakness (but not too honest – this is not the time for “true confessions”!) and also indicate that you have taken action to over-come the weakness. Best to remember that the interviewer is neither your best friend nor your religious guide. For more help with this one, read “What’s Your Greatest Weakness?” and “Avoid Costly Talking-too-Much Mistakes.” 3. What’s your greatest strength?Great opportunity for you to do some careful boasting. Definitely not the time to be very humble, but best to avoid sounding like you think you created oxygen. Again, do your best to connect the dots between the requirements of the job and your accomplishments and strengths. For more ideas, read “What’s Your Greatest Strength?” 4. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?This can be a very tough question because most of us are focused on getting that next paycheck, not any particular long-term goal (even if we should have a “big picture” of the future in mind). You don’t want to seem too ambitious. You don’t want to seem un-ambitious. Honesty is usually the best policy, and this post has a great discussion of how to make that work for you. 5. Why do you want to work here?With this question, the employer is trying to find out how knowledgeable you are about the company (or whatever kind of organization it is). The question really is – how much do you want this job? These days, employers are buried under tons of resumes from people just clicking the “Apply” button seemingly without really caring who the employer is or what the job is. This is your chance to show this employer that you are not that kind of job applicant – you are a genuine candidate for this job. This is how you do that. 6. Why should we hire you?When an employer asks this question, he or she is handing you an invitation to sell them on hiring you. Take advantage of this opportunity to dazzle them with your insight into how well your experiences and skills fit the requirements of this job and this employer. List as many relevant accomplishments as you can (preparing in advance will help you be dazzling!) and maybe even a few irrelevant accomplishments that demonstrate your “wonderfulness.” Read “Why Should We Hire You?” for more details on answering this question. 7. So, what do you know about us?This question is often under-estimated by job seekers, but it is something of a litmus test for employers (like # 10 below). If you haven’t done research about them that you can articulate, they will think that you aren’t really interested in the job. The assumption is that if you were really interested in the job (unlike most applicants!), you would do research and know quite a bit about them. Check out “So, What Do You Know About Us?” for insight into what employers are thinking and how you can answer this question effectively. 8. Why do you want to change jobs?This question can feel very threatening, but it can usually be handled smoothly and then put behind you using a simple 3-step process: (1) say something nice about your current/former job, (2) say something nice about this opportunity, and (3) add a smooth closing comment before asking a question to change the subject. For examples, read “Why Do You Want to Change Jobs?” 9. What salary do you want?This is probably the scariest question for most job seekers. The best solution is, of course, preparation – knowing something about the employer and how well they pay as well as understanding the total compensation being offered and the typical salary range for the job. Then, you can answer this question smoothly and confidently. Read how to prepare and what to say in “Answering the Dreaded Salary Question.” 10. Do you have any questions?This is a critical end-of-the interview question which can make or kill this opportunity for you. Prepare questions in advance, based on your pre-interview research (right?!), and take notes of additional questions to ask during the interview. If you don’t have any questions, you seem to be uninterested in the job and the employer. For help in handling this question, read “Do You Have Any Questions?” Your best “defense” for a job interview is thorough preparation and practice. Not easy or fun, but a good payback for the time you invest. More About Succeeding at Job InterviewingHow to Knock Their Socks Off in a Job Interview Job Interviews: Are YOU Listening? 15 Things I Look for When I Interview People 18 Practical Tips to Help You Ace Your Job Interview Build Your Confidence for Job Interviews in Less Than 5 Minutes Job Interviews: 10 Steps to Successful Job Interviewing ©Copyright, 2019, Susan P. Joyce. All rights reserved. About
the Author… |
6 Types of Networking Activities You Need To Land A JobBy Hannah Morgan Career Sherpa - Reprinted with permission - Try these six types of networking activities to help secure interviews and land new job more quickly! The best way to tap into the hidden job market, reduce your perceived risk as a candidate and increase the chance of getting an interview is by having conversations with people (aka networking). Most people I talk to, especially introverts, are uncomfortable with the idea of networking. They say they don’t know a lot of people or don’t like cold calling. I get it. I’m an introvert too! I have deep relationships with fewer people, hate going to networking events and don’t reach out to strangers. But, this doesn’t mean I don’t network. I’ve found a way to adapt and engage in networking activities without feeling yucky. Know, Like and TrustWhat I know is that people buy stuff from people (or companies) they know, like and trust. And getting hired is kind of like a purchase – the company is purchasing you. So one of the best ways to land a new job is by getting people to know, like and trust you. You can do that by meeting people who work inside companies where there may be job opportunities (some that may have not been advertised yet)! Use ERPFrom an employer’s perspective, identifying a candidate for a job is only one piece of the puzzle. The hiring manager needs someone who will do the job well and complement the existing team members which can be difficult to evaluate during the interview process. A referred candidate is a safer investment. So more companies have begun using Employee Referral Programs (ERP) to help fill openings. You can learn more about ERP hiring here. Data from EY has shown that referred candidates tend to make better hires, meaning they stay in the job longer and come up to speed faster. This is one more reason for you to meet people who work inside companies you are interested in. Get AIRYour purpose for networking is to gather advice, information and recommendations to help you make an informed career move. That’s all. You are not asking for a job…yet. During your conversations, be prepared to share information about yourself to gain recognition as a valuable resource. Make sure you are prepared with a short pitch to answer the question about what you do. Most importantly, your networking efforts require focus and a strategy to organize and prioritize who you will meet with. Without this focus, you could end up meeting with lots of people but not getting any relevant career information or job leads. This is when networking feels like a waste of time. Be focused and strategic! The best way to do this is to create a list of companies you are interested in and think you may like to work for. Networking EventsPlan to regularly attend networking events that allow you to interact with new people in your industry or occupation. There are networking events hosted by professional associations, as well as career conferences, industry trade shows, and even alumni networking events. Identify one or two events per month (if actively job searching) or one or two per year if you just want to stay active. To find events, check your newspaper for local in-person networking events. Newsletters specific to your industry or occupation will often list upcoming events. Professional associations list local and national events on their websites. And don’t forget to check with your school’s alumni office for upcoming networking events near you. General NetworkingGeneral networking happens when you reach out to people you know. Because these people are already familiar with you, it is easier to reach out and re-educate them on what you are looking for and to request their advice or help. People you know are also more likely to want to help and refer you to people in their network. Consider asking your network for names of people who work at target companies and people they think you should meet. As a student, you can also network in class and around campus. Be open to meeting new people any time anywhere to learn new things. Just keep in mind your mission for networking and start every conversation off by finding a common interest with the person you are meeting. Social Media NetworkingThe whole purpose of social media is to connect or stay connected with people. For your job search, the professional networking site you need to devote time to is LinkedIn. Step one is to build an awesome profile. Step two is to connect with people you know! But there is also the work of staying in touch with your network. One way of doing this on LinkedIn is by regularly updating your status. Here are 10 status updates you can use! Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and even Instagram are all platforms where employers are looking for talent and all provide you with an opportunity to network with people you know (or would like to meet). Learn how to use social networks to network. An Informational MeetingSometimes referred to as an informational interview, an informational meeting is a way to get a conversation with someone you’d like to meet. There are two types of people you will want to meet with for an informational meeting – company insiders and industry experts. Using your target company list, identify alumni, mutual connections, and even people you know who work for companies you are interested in. Your purpose for wanting to meet with company insiders is to learn about the company. Employees are able to provide you with the inside scoop on what it’s like to work there and will also be the first to hear about new opportunities. You also want to meet with people who can share their expertise about an industry or occupation. They may not work for a company you are interested in, but the information they share about trends in the field will be incredibly useful to you. Here’s help for conducting your informational meeting. Pursuing A Posted JobThere will be times when you discover a job posting or hear about a job and want to learn more. In this case, you are networking to acquire information about the posted job. Be clear that your purpose for reaching out is to learn more about the job and what the ideal candidate might look like. You are also interested in understanding the steps in the hiring process and any information that will help you best present your qualifications. Also be sure to ask if the company has a referral hiring program. If there is one, ask if you can use their name as a referral or if they would be willing to refer you as a candidate. Always use the two-step before you submit your online application! Nurture Your NetworkNetworking doesn’t end after you’ve met someone once. You can’t expect they’ll remember you in a couple of weeks or months. The best long-term strategy is to nurture the relationships you’ve built. To do this, look for opportunities to keep in touch with the people you’ve met so they don’t forget about you. And keep in mind, networking is also about giving back. Look for opportunities to help people you meet with. This may be in the form of sharing an article or perhaps making introductions to people who would benefit from knowing one another. You can get more ideas here. |
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