Weekly Job Byte

How to take advantage of RTWNJ in 2017 – Part Three

Now that you’ve attended a 2 Day Job Readiness Workshop and have sharpened your resume & cover letter, it’s time to clarify what you are going to need to find a new career. Next step, our Employment Development Plan (EDP). We liken the EDP process to a road map or better yet a GPS (global positioning system) for career planning.

Imagine that you’re on a road trip. You are leaving New Jersey and heading to Abingdon, Virginia for a weekend of peace and quiet. Since you are without a map or GPS, you just start driving south. Instead of ending up in southwestern Virginia, you are now located in Cape May. Maybe your plan was going to the beach, but you catch my drift.

Getting focused on an employment plan will really help you narrow what you want to do and how you want to get there. What types of industries are you interested in? Do you need training? If so, what kind of training? Are there jobs in this industry? Where are they?
Really put some thought into your EDP. It is designed to center your job search activities. If you’ve already completed one, but just filled it in to get it done, you may want to do another. Actually, think about it. Don’t use this as a segue to the “next” step.

You will find the link for the EDP below on the right. If you need help, please reach out to your program coordinator for direction.

Looking For A Job? Don’t Tell LinkedIn

While having a resume means you’re looking for a job, having a LinkedIn profile does not send the same signal. As a result, many job seekers think they need to say on their profile that they are actively searching. Otherwise, how else would a hiring manager or recruiter know to contact them? So they’ll add phrases like “open to new opportunities” or “seeking the next exciting challenge” or “seeking a position in…”

I always tell all my clients, however, not to add these phrases to their profile, or anything else that indicates they are looking. Here’s why: They Will Contact You Anyway  Read More.

Why are we still telling women to act like men at work?
You may be familiar with some of the research on the power of diversity in driving company performance: that more gender diverse leadership teams can lead to higher returns on equity, lower risk, greater customer focus, increased employee engagement and greater innovation.

And you may be able to see the logic behind the power of diversity: bringing together people who have different skillsets, backgrounds, experiences and perspectives enriches a team and can lead to better decision-making. Read More.

Ten Kinds Of Abuse No Job-Seeker Should Tolerate

Job-seekers have a tough way to go because job offers don’t rain on their heads — they come in slowly, and one at a time.

When you get a job offer, you have to decide whether to take the offer (and take yourself off the market) or decline it and keep looking.

That’s a tough decision to make when you  have bills to pay — and who doesn’t?

There will be signs during your job search that a certain employer is taking advantage of you, even before they’ve made  you a job offer. Read More

2 Day Job Readiness Workshops Filling Up FAST!

Improve your chances of getting a new job by taking advantage of the Ready To Work NJ 2 Day Workshop! These 2 day workshops help with resume & cover letter writing, interviewing techniques, networking & social media tips.

Upcoming workshops are scheduled at:

Candidates may also receive a phone call from the participating Colleges. Note: if email link doesn’t work, please use the first initial last name @ njworkforce.org to send an email.