Alison Doyle

Job Search Help and Advice

Need job search help?  Here's all you need to know to conduct an effective job search, including job search and interview strategies, resume and cover letter witing tips, the best job sites, using social media to job search, and the latest career and job market news.

About.com Job Search
Visit my About.com Job Search site for job search tips and strategies, job listings, resume and cover letter writing advice, employment information, plus job market and unemployment news.

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Sign up for my free job search email newsletter to get the latest news and advice.

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Join the About.com Careers and Job Search Group for Career building and job searching advice from About.com, including job search advice, online networking and social media strategies, and professional branding and career resources.  Also, post your career advice and job listings.

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Free eBook: Alison Doyle's Job Search Guidebook

I'm offering free and discounted copies of my books this holiday season, so they are reasonably priced for job seekers or for a gift for that special someone who is job hunting or considering a career change.

Whether you are just starting your career or looking to change jobs, Alison Doyle's Job Search Guidebook provides you with all the information you need to make the right connections, take the right steps, and make yourself stand out from the job search crowd in this fast paced, every changing job market. 

Special Holiday Savings

• Kindle ($2.99) (FREE: December 11 - 15, 2012)
• Kindle Lending Library (FREE for Prime members)
• Order Direct (Save 30% use discount code 6HCE5BWT)
• Paperback ($9.89)

Free Excerpt
Download a free excerpt from Alison Doyle's Job Search Guidebook.

Internet Your Way to a New Job: How to Really Find a Job Online includes all the latest job search sites, tools, trends, including how to use Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to job search, job search apps for your phone and iPad, video interviews, career networking, and the best sites for job seekers and career changers.

Special Holiday Savings

Internet Your Way to a New Job (save 15% on paperback, eBook or PDF)

Free Excerpt
Download a free excerpt from Internet Your Way to a New Job.

Free Books for Non-Profit Organizations

As always, if you work with a non-profit that provides free services to unemployed job seekers, I would be honored to help support your work by donating copies.  Email me and tell me about your organization and please do include your mailing address.  Supplies are limited, but I'll do my best to help.

Connect With Alison:
About.com Job Searching

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12 Holiday Season Career Tips 2012

Some job seekers think that there is no point in job searching between Thanksgiving and New Year's.  They presume that hiring comes to a screeching halt and there's no point in networking or doing any other career-related activities because everyone is busy shopping, going to parties or otherwise getting ready for the holidays.

Contrary to what you might think, the hoidays are a good time for job hunting and growing your career.  Companies are hiring, there is less competition for available jobs, there are lots of opportunities for networking, and you can use the holiday season to boost your career.

Here's how to use the holidays to boost your career from the career experts at About.com.

Read More: Top 10 Tips for Holiday Season Job Searching

Connect With Alison:
Twitter | LinkedIn | Facebook | Google+
Connect With About.com Job Search:
Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn

Answering Challenging Interview Questions

Do you have a job interview coming up? Take a look at these new "Quick Tip" videos from About.com which will help you answer even the most challenging interview questions:

Answering "Are You Overqualified" in a Job Interview

Answering "Why Were You Fired" in a Job Interview

Answering "Why Did You Quit" in a Job Interview

Discussing Strengths in a Job Interview

Discussing Weaknesses in a Job Interview

Discussing Salary in a Job Interview

Discussing Teamwork in a Job Interview

Discussing Extracurriculars in a College Job Interview

Discussing Career Goals in a Job Interview

Answering "What Can You Contribute" in a Job Interview

Discussing GPA in a College Job Interview

Discussing Internships in a College Job Interview

Answering Common College Job Interview Questions

Read More: Interview Questions and Answers

Related: What to Wear to a Job Interview |  What Not to Wear to an Interview

 

Changes in Unemployment for 2013

Unemployment insurance is one of the benefits that it going to fall off the fiscal cliff in 2013.  Unless Congress enacts legislation to continue the federally funded Emergency Unemployment Compensation program (EUC), no federal extended unemployment benefits will be payable to any unemployed worker effective January 1, 2013.

This has, in fact, already gone into effect.  Workers laid-off starting in July 2012 are only eligible for a maximum of 26 weeks of state unemployment benefits.  Workers who are currently collecting extended unemployment benefits will stop receiving compensation effective the end of December 2012.

The National Unemployment Law Project (NELP) reports that three million unemployed workers will lose benefits in the early part of 2013.  They have started a campaign to Renew Unemployment Insurance for 2013 to save federal emergency compensation benefits.

Video: What Will Happen With the Unemployment Extension

Read More: The Fiscal Cliff | Unemployment 2013 | Unemployment and the Fiscal Cliff 

Connect With Alison:
Twitter | LinkedIn | Facebook | Google+

Connect With About.com Job Search:
Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn

Online Scam Reports

I'm not going to post a link here, because I don't want to give the person who posted the complaint about my scam reports any additional visibility.  However, I do find it ironic that some would complain about reports of scams that take advantage of job seekers. Unless, of course, they happen to be a scammer.

He also complained about the list of scams ranking high on Google, which is thanks to Google not a result of anything I've done.

What's most important, from my perspective, is not that someone complained about me. In fact, I am glad that I have provided site visitors with a way to share and report on their experiences.  I make it clear, as to do other sites that publish reviews, that the reviews are the opinions of readers and I offer anyone who has a different opinion the opportunity to share that opinion.

I have over 1200 job scam reports, shared by readers, and counting, as well as lists of a variety of other types of scams that take advantage of job seekers, unemployed workers and others seeking assistance - people who can least afford to get taken advantage.

Here's a list of the scams reported by readers:

Top Internet Job Scams
Unemployment Scams
Post a Job Scam

Read More: Job Scams and How to Avoid Them

 

Facebook Friends at Work

As I sat in front of my computer chatting on Facebook while watching the election results on television, I was reminded about how important it is to be careful what you say on social media.  I have friends who are dear to me, even though we aren't like-minded when it comes to politics.  I also have colleagues who think very differently than I do.

When it comes to work, it remains important to be careful who you are friends with on Facebook and who you follow on Twitter, because what you say might be held against you, even though it probably shouldn't be.

An AVG Technologies study reports that almost 25% of 18 - 25 year olds are ‘Facebook friends’ with their boss. In addition, the majority of survey respondents have never audited their online profile or cleaned-up potentially career damaging content.

Even worse, 13% respondents admitted to posting abusive content online about their boss or company after a bad day at work.  That is really not a good idea unless you are absolutely sure who is on your friends list and your privacy settings are well managed.

Tony Anscombe, AVG’s Senior Security Evangelist, says: "AVG’s latest research clearly shows young people today have a comfort with using online social networks that is leading to blurring between their
professional and private lives. It seems obvious that posting abusive content about a boss or workplace is not very sensible, but it’s important to understand that not only could it damage a person’s existing career, it could also negatively impact on future opportunities too."

What's important is to remember that even though those lines may be blurry, they are still there and it's important to be careful who you are friends with and what you share with those friends.

Poll: Are You Facebook Friends With Your Boss?

Read More: Fired for Facebook

October 2012 Job Market Report

The jobs report for October shows the unemployment rate relatively unchanged at 7.9%. 171,000 jobs were added - up from a revised 148,000 (the original number was 114,000) in September.  Employment rose in professional and business services, health care, and retail.   

Increase in Job Openings

According to job search engine Simply Hired’s November 2012 Employment Outlook report, nationwide job openings increased in five of the last six months. 

In October, job openings increased 4.1% month-over-month and 8.0% year-over-year, while nationwide job competition held steady at a ratio of three unemployed persons for every one job opening.

Where the Jobs Are

Job site Indeed.com reports on which locations have the most job listings:

Job Postings Per Capita 

•  San Jose, California
• Washington, DC
• Raleigh, North Carolina
• Hartford, Connecticut

Job Trends

Indeed also has a Job Trends report that lists the keywords in job postings that are the fastest growing.  Here's the current list, which, as you can see, is mostly tech related.

HTML5
MongoDB
iOS
Android
Mobile app
Puppet
Hadoop
jQuery
PaaS
Social Media

Unemployment Issues

However, even though the job market is improving, it's a slow process and unemployment benefits continue to be an issue with federal extended benefit programs expiring at the end of 2012.

“Despite real signs of recovery, the unemployment crisis remains deep and punishing for millions of Americans,” said Christine Owens, executive director of the National Employment Law Project. "We still have a lot of work to do before we'll have enough jobs for everyone who needs them. Long-term unemployment is pushing Americans into new extremes of poverty and economic insecurity—and dramatically decreasing the chance they will ever recover."

Read More: Unemployment Cutbacks | Unemployment 2013

Retailers Hiring More Seasonal Employees

A new survey from Aon Hewitt, the global human resources solutions business of Aon plc, and HireVue, the on-demand digital interviewing platform provider, reports that 53% of retail managers expect customers to spend more this year, and as a result, 48 percent plan to hire more seasonal workers than they did last year.   In fact, 28 percent anticipate offering permanent positions to half or more of their 2012 seasonal hires.

Related: Seasonal Jobs | Holiday Hiring Up for 2012

Unemployment in the Swing States

I wrote a post the other day about the election, jobs and unemployment and how job creation, or the lack of it, depending on how you look at the job market recovery, is a focal point of this election.

Taking it a step further, it's interesting to look at the unemployment data in the swing states. I was surprised at how low the unemployment rate was in the Midwest and New Hampshire, compared to the national average.

Low Unemployment in Swing States (September 2012)

Iowa - 5.2%
New Hampshire - 5.7%
Virginia - 5.9%

On the flip side of the equation, unemployment in some of the other swing states continues to be above the national average, especially in Nevada.

High Unemployment in Swing States (September 2012)

Nevada - 11.8%
North Carolina - 9.6%
Florida - 8.7%
Colorado - 8%

Expiration of Federal Extended Benefits Programs

A related issue is that federal extended unemployment benefits expire at the end of the year and there has been no discussion in Congress or in the Presidential race on unemployment extensions for 2013. 

Two million unemployed workers will lose extended benefits and, starting last July, the only benefits in place are a maximum of 26 weeks of state benefits.

Read More: Unemployment 2013 | The Election, Jobs and Unemployment

Hurricane Sandy Missing Work, Pay and Unemployment

Depending on where you are located on the East Coast, you may not be able to go to work because of Hurricane Sandy.  You won't have a decision to make if you're located in a state where a state of emergency has been declared.  In those locations, there will be limits on travel, public transportation may not be running, road travel may be limited, and evacuations may have been ordered.

In peripheral locations, your company may have an emergency closure and/or bad weather policy that will determine if the workplace will be open.  If your office is open and you aren't able to make it work, notify your employer per usual company policy for absences from work. 

Keep in mind that safety first, is what's most important. With a weather event of this magnitude, most employers understand that some employees may not be able to make it to work other than when the worker is considered essential for emergency operations.  Again, be sure to notify your employer, if at all possible, that you won't be in.

Pay for Missing Work

You may, or may not, be paid for missing work because of bad weather.  It depends on the type of employee you are (exempt or non-exempt), federal and state law, and company policy. Here are guidelines on pay for bad weather days. 

Hurricane Sandy Unemployment

If you lose your job temporarily or permanently because of the storm, you may be eligible for disaster unemployment (your state would need to be declared a disaster area) or regular unemployment benefits.

Here's information on Hurricane Sandy unemployment benefits.