Thursday, September 22, 2011

Help…I’m unemployed and I’m running out of money

That was the prayer request a month ago at church and I can’t get it out of my mind.

I have been unemployed twice and I understand the feeling of bills to pay and no money coming in. There are some short term and long term actions you can take to raise some extra cash to help you and your family during your unemployment.

Short Term

Sell your stuff on Ebay

If you have collectibles or items you are not using put them up for sale on Ebay. You will need to set up a Ebay and paypal account. You now have the time to go through your house and de-clutter, so take advantage of your extra time to find items to put up for sale. Good items to sell are anything that is small and easy to ship such as DVD’s, books, jewelry and cameras. Take a look at the site to get an idea of the prices and types of items that sell well. Use your digital camera to take a picture of any item you want to sell. Items with pictures sell better.

Hold a rummage sale

Have a rummage sale to sell larger items and household items you no longer use. Or you could try Craig’s list. There is no charge for most listings on Craig’s list. Just make sure you don’t show any items while home alone. This is a necessary precaution because there have been several incidents with listings on Craig’s list. Donate any items you can’t sell at your rummage to Good Will for a tax deduction.

Sell your books on Amazon

If you professional books Amazon can be a great place to sell them. There is no fee until the items sell and you can leave the item up for sale for an unlimited amount of time. The site will show you all of prices currently being asked b other sellers to help you set your price. Amazon gives you $3.99 to cover shipping. If you use the media mail postal rate you easily have enough to ship the item.Amazon already has pictures of most books. You will need to set up a seller account. Payment can be made directly to your checking account. I recently sold a number of professional books on Amazon and was surprised at how much they were worth. Another place to sell books is Half Price Books. You can take in a box of books and they will give you a quote on the spot.

Sell old jewelry

Most jewelry stores now take broken and old gold and silver pieces. If you aren’t wearing these pieces, why not sell them for some much needed cash?

Long Term

Tap the Emergency Fund

You should have 3- 6 months of living expenses put aside in the event of a job loss or other emergency. This can make managing your finances so much easier during your job search. I would still suggest slashing monthly expenses in case your layoff is longer than 3- 6 months.

Have a family conference

Call the family together early in your unemployment and let them know spending will have to be reduced. Expenses will have to be cut to make your unemployment benefits meet expenses. Ask your kids for their ideas for making the budget stretch. They may be willing to baby sit or cut lawns to pay for their extra curricular activities. Younger kids might be assigned the task of making sure the lights are off in empty rooms to save on the electric bill. Make sure kids know you are there for them and everything is going to be ok.

Tap Relatives/Friends

Let your friends and family know you are looking for work. Does one of your friends or family have a business where you could work on a part time basis while you are looking for full time work? This can be a big help to making the budget stretch. Maybe your friends and family have work around their house you can do for some extra income. While I was unemployed I cleaned house and did small home improvement projects like painting. This part time work can have very flexible hours, leaving you available for interviews.

Volunteer

Now that you have some extra time, volunteer for a worthwhile cause. This can be a great way to boost your network. Someone you meet while you volunteer might give you a tip to full or part time work. You might also learn new skills to bring to your next job. Giving back will also make you feel better during a stressful time. It is important not to get too isolated when you aren’t working.

Create you own job

Do you have a skill you can use to generate income? If you are an accountant maybe you can do tax returns. If you do crafts as a hobby maybe you can produce work to take to a craft show. Are you handy, consider doing home improvement. If you were in human resources maybe you can start a business teaching people how interview skills and how to update their resume. This part time work can generate some much needed income. It may even lead to another career. Let you friends and family know about your plans. They may be your first clients.

Temp Work

Some occupations may offer the opportunity for free lane or part time assignments. Register with a temporary agency to see if there are any short term assignments available in your field. These are already very common in some fields like accounting, computer science, and training and health care. Substitute teaching is also open in some communities due to a shortage of teachers. Some communities will grant a temporary teaching license if you have a bachelors degree. This would give you an opportunity to try out teaching in case you are considering a career change.

Work below your pay grade

You may have to take a job you would not ordinarily consider under normal circumstances. You could take a job in retail, delivery, security work or waiting tables. These are all good honest jobs and could bring in much needed income. Many of them are not jobs usually held long term. You do not have to list them on your resume since you list relevant work experience.

Temporary or volunteer work is also a good idea because you may be asked how you have been spending your time by an interviewer. Temp and volunteer work can help to keep your skills sharp. Any work that generates income can help you to meet your bills so you don’t run out of money while unemployed.

Do you hate to write training programs? Too much work to do and no time to put together your training program? Asked to deliver training or a presentation and have no idea where to start?

Let Summit Training Publications take care of your program design needs with our off the shelf training in a box or one of our presentation modules.

Our off the shelf training solutions provide:

PowerPoint Presentation
Instructor Guide & handouts
Student Guide
Quiz
Feedback Form

Subject areas include; Communication Skills, Employee Development, Human Resources, Quality, Product Safety, Safety and Supervisor Training.

Titles: Product Safety and Liability, Aftermarket Product Safety,Hazard Analysis, Product Safety Meetings, Warnings, Instructions and Manuals, Product Liability European Union, Obtaining the CE Mark, Risk Assessment, European Union, Product Safety Management Product Safety Audit, Workplace Violence, Substance Abuse, Sexual Harassment, Manager as Coach, Hiring, Firing, Performance Appraisals, Diversity, Americans With Disabilities, Business Etiquette, Security Abroad, International Business Manners, Customer Service, Customer Communication, Terrific Teams, The Manager as Trainer, Coping With Difficult People, Managing Your Boss- Problem Bosses, Malcolm Baldridge Award, Presentations/Public Speaking, Discrimination, Listening Skills, Negotiation, Conflict Resolution, Alternative Dispute Resolution, Total Quality Management, Motivation, High Achievers, Time Management, ISO 9000 Introduction, ISO 9000 Implementation, Quality Audit, Introduction to the Internet, Stress Management, Telecommuting, Flexible Work Schedules, Creativity and Innovation, Benchmarking, Effective Business Writing, Customer Letters, Motivating Self and Others, Project Management, Managing Multiple Projects, Brainstorming, PERT Diagrams, Train the Trainer, Train the Trainer-Delivery, Train the Trainer-Writing Presentations, Train the Trainer-On the Job Training, Train the Trainer-Using Visual Aids, Project Management, Peer to Peer Feedback, Surviving Unemployment, Interview Preparation

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Tax deductible job hunting expenses

Chris Wodke

http://www.summittrainingpublications.com/

Some job hunting expenses are deductible. The deductions don’t apply if you’re switching fields, have been out of the work force for more than a year or if you are graduating. The deductions apply if you're looking for a job in the same field, but not if you are doing a career transition. If you held a job in the same field while in school you can deduct your job hunting expenses. Here are some items that are considered valid tax deductions for your job search.

Resumes: paper, ink, envelopes, postage, preparation services, costs of posting online; resume distribution;
Portfolio: work-sample preparation and services such as copying.
Seminars: educations related to your job search and resume preparation.
Services: counseling for job search and resume writing services.
Networking: mileage to attend job fairs and network meetings.
Interview Expenses : expenses related to travel for interviews such as meals, lodging and transportation.
Business start up: services and consulting for business start-up.

I know it’s not much, but it’s better than nothing. Every little bit counts these days.

Do you hate to write training programs? Too much work to do and no time to put together your training program? Asked to deliver training or a presentation and have no idea where to start?

Let Summit Training Publications take care of your program design needs with our off the shelf training in a box or one of our presentation modules.

Our off the shelf training solutions provide:

PowerPoint Presentation
Instructor Guide & handouts
Student Guide
Quiz
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Subject areas include; Communication Skills, Employee Development, Human Resources, Quality, Product Safety, Safety and Supervisor Training.

Sunday, September 18, 2011

Ten questions to ask a potential boss.

Chris Wodke

http://www.summittrainingpublications.com/

The Gallup organization has found one of the main reasons people leave jobs is a bad relationship with their boss. The problem usually stems from a difference in behavioral or communication styles. If you join an organization you will be spending a lot of time with your boss. Asking the right questions during the interview can help you determine if the two of you will be a good fit. Asking the right questions can also help you to be successful if you are chosen for the job. You will know a lot about your boss that will help you get off to a good start. You want to have a dialogue both to understand the kind of boss you would have and to demonstrate how you are the best fit for the boss as well.

If you could have the perfect employee what would they be like?
Listen very closely to see if you fit the description. If you don’t have the characteristics described, you may struggle to be successful. If you do have all the qualities of the perfect employee, volunteer how you do and how you have used these traits on past jobs. This will also tell you key things to pay attention to when you join the company.
Tell me about your staff? How long have they been with you?
If everyone has been there a very short term, that could signal a high turnover rate. There may be an issue with the boss or the environment.
How will I know I am doing a good job?
How this question is answered will tell you if you can expect any recognition or praise. You should also get some idea of the way feedback will be delivered and the frequency.
What is your approach to making decisions and getting work done?
Some bosses like to make all the decisions, some want you to make them all and others are in between. You need to know where this person is on the spectrum.
Can you tell me the types of decisions I will be making?
Here you should be given specific examples of the type of responsibility you will have and the types of decisions you will be expected to make.
How do you reward success?
There are many ways to recognize good work. What works best for you? Is it in line with what your potential boss is describing? Do they even recognize good work?
What happens when I make a mistake?
You are going to be learning and mistakes are part of that process. Will an allowance be made for that?
How do you develop your staff?
This is a really telling question. Will you be trained or put into an office and expected to know what to do? Is this a manager that develops there staff for promotion? Ask about the types of positions any their direct reports have moved into. What are their success stories? If they make a practice of developing and mentoring they will have success stories.
Are you able to balance home and work life?
If you are going to be expected to work 80 hours a week, it is best to get that on the table. Some jobs expect lots of travel or weekend work. If balance between work and home life is important, ask the interviewer how they achieve the balance.
What is your favorite thing about working here?
If the interviewer enjoys their job and the organizations they will tell you. Listen to the things they list to give you a clue about the manager’s style and the organizational culture. Do they talk about how fast paced and exciting it is or do they talk about how friendly everyone is. Pick an environment that makes the most sense for you and where you are most comfortable.

These questions are only suggestions to get you thinking about the work culture and manager to give you the best fit. Look at your personal marketing plan and review the types of organization fitting your ideal. Think about the type of boss you want in your next position. Tailor the questions to find out the things you need to know to make a good decision. The objective is to get the best fit for you and the company!

Do you hate to write training programs? Too much work to do and no time to put together your training program? Asked to deliver training or a presentation and have no idea where to start?

Let Summit Training Publications take care of your program design needs with our off the shelf training in a box or one of our presentation modules.

Our off the shelf training solutions provide:

PowerPoint Presentation
Instructor Guide & handouts
Student Guide
Quiz
Feedback Form

Subject areas include; Communication Skills, Employee Development, Human Resources, Quality, Product Safety, Safety and Supervisor Training.

Saturday, September 17, 2011

What type of interview will you face?

Chris Wodke

http://www.summittrainingpublications.com/

It is a good idea to learn the type of interview you will experience during the face to face interview. You don’t want to go in expecting a one person interview and find yourself facing a panel of interviewers. If you know the type of interview planned you can mentally prepare yourself. When you are called to set up your interview, ask the person the type of interview you will be getting. Also ask if there will be any testing or if you will be expected to make a presentation. Here are some of the interviews in common use today.

Types of Interview

One -on-one Interviews: This is the traditional entry-level type of interview most job seekers expect-meeting and exchanging information with one individual, the interviewer or employer. This usually takes place at the employer’s office where the candidate and employer sit down to discuss the position and how the applicant’s skills, knowledge and abilities will fit the opening.
Sequential Interviews-A series of interview where candidates are screen in or out at each stage. Salary and benefits are not discussed in initial interviews. These interviews give you a chance to ask questions and each stage and get a good feel for the organization and the position.
Panel Interviews- You are interviewed by several people at the same time. These can be very stressful.
Group Interview- You are interviewed with several other applicants at the same time. Your interpersonal skills will be observed. In this setting questions may be posed to the group to solve.
Behavioral Interviews: Based on the premise the best indictor of future success is past performance. The interview wants to understand or observe actual behavior of the candidates in relation to the position. These interviews are used to see decision-making ability.
Competency Based Interviews: Skills or competencies needed for the job are determined. Questions are used to determine if the candidate has the competencies.
Examination/Test Interview: Some testing may be included as part of the interview process. The position may require a certain proficiency at a skill like math or keyboarding. A trainer may be asked to present a training session and the be rated. Questions may be asked about the level of job knowledge of the candidate.
Situational Interview: Think the TV show Apprentice. Over a series of weeks a candidate may do a series of task under scrutiny of the employer and fellow team members. Hiring decisions will be made on the actual observed performance of the candidates. A modified version of this might be asking someone applying for a customer service position to answer customer calls.

The goal of the company is to learn if you have the skill set they need for the position and if you have good interpersonal skills. They want to hire someone who is going to be a good team member. It is your job to evaluate if they are a good opportunity for you. Gather information and learn about the company and position. Impress interviewer to get the job. Decide if it is the right opportunity for you.

Do you hate to write training programs? Too much work to do and no time to put together your training program? Asked to deliver training or a presentation and have no idea where to start?

Let Summit Training Publications take care of your program design needs with our off the shelf training in a box or one of our presentation modules.

Our off the shelf training solutions provide:

PowerPoint Presentation
Instructor Guide & handouts
Student Guide
Quiz
Feedback Form

Subject areas include; Communication Skills, Employee Development, Human Resources, Quality, Product Safety, Safety and Supervisor Training.

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Illegal Interview Questions

Chris Wodke

http://www.summittrainingpublications.com/

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 makes discrimination illegal on the basis of race, sex, religion or national origins illegal in personnel decisions.

The Americans wit Disabilities Act of 1990 includes questions related to disabilities as being illegal.

Questions about disabilities or about age, height, or weight are illegal unless they can be shown to relate directly to the job and perform essential job functions.

These questions would be considered illegal if asked during an interview.

Are you married, divorced, separated, single, or gay?
How old are you?
Do you go to church regularly?
Do you have many debts?
How many children do you have?
Do you own or rent your home?
What social or political organizations do you belong to?
What does your spouse think about you working?
Are you living with anyone?
Are you practicing birth control?
Were you ever arrested?
What kind of insurance do you carry?
What year did you graduate high school?
How much do you weigh?
How tall are you?
Do you have any disabilities?
What do your parents do?
Have you ever been treated for depression?
Have you have been diagnosed with ADHD?
Have you ever sued your employer?
Have you ever had any mental health issues?
How often do you see a doctor?
What medications are you on?

The question now is what to do if this happens during your interview. Here are some strategies you could follow if this happens:

You can answer the question and not acknowledge it is illegal.
Answer the question and bring to the attention of the interviewer it is not a legal question.
Indicate indirectly the question may be inappropriate. “Does being single have any bearing on the performing the responsibilities of this position?” This way to answer any concerns of the employer.
Turn a positive into a negative. “Although I am 50, I look like 40, have not missed a day or work in 5 years. I get more done in a day than most 20 year olds.”

How you handle questions will depend on your personal style, how comfortable you are with the interviewer and how much you want the job. In some instances these types of questions are asked and the questioner does not know it is illegal. I participated in a breakfast interviewer with another manager. To break the ice the other manager asked the candidate if he was single or had a family. After the meeting I took the other manager aside and told him that type of question is illegal. He had no idea. The candidate did take the question in the spirit it was intended and answered the question. Sometimes that is the best strategy.

Do you hate to write training programs? Too much work to do and no time to put together your training program? Asked to deliver training or a presentation and have no idea where to start?

Let Summit Training Publications take care of your program design needs with our off the shelf training in a box or one of our presentation modules.

Our off the shelf training solutions provide:

PowerPoint Presentation
Instructor Guide & handouts
Student Guide
Quiz
Feedback Form

Subject areas include; Communication Skills, Employee Development, Human Resources, Quality, Product Safety, Safety and Supervisor Training.

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Post Interview- Thank You Letters

Chris Wodke

http://www.summittrainingpublications.com/

Why should you do a post interview thank you letter?

Because it’s common courtesy and the most polite person might just get the job. As a hiring manager, I look for employees with technical skills and the people skills to be good teammates and good employees. I have interviewed many people in my career. I can count on one hand the number of thank you letters I have gotten. A thank you note leaves a good impression. Even if I don’t hire you, I may recommend you for another position in my company. If I do hire you, the thank you note makes a good start to our employment relationship. The thank you letter is one last chance to sell your skills. This can be important if you were one of the first candidates interviewed. Sending the note will set you apart and leave a good impression if written correctly. Here is how you write an effective post interview thank you letter.

Basics

· Send a Thank you to each person with which you had a face to face interview. Exchange business cards at the start of the interview so you have their address.

· Send the note within 24 hours.

· Tell the interviewer how much you enjoyed the opportunity to interview, and meet them or the staff.

· Express interest and enthusiasm for the company and the opportunity.

· Repeat the reasons your skills and experience are the best fit for the position.

· Include any important points you may have not made during the interview.

· Address any obstacles raised during the interview you may not have addressed.

· Establish when the next contact will be. (I look forward to hearing from you).

Format

· Thank you cards are acceptable if using good quality stationary.

· Either hand written or typed is ok.

E-mail can be a good alternative if e-mail is in line with the company’s culture. ( high tech/computer firms)

Try following this format for your post interview thank you letter.

Sample Thank-you Letter

April 7, 2009

Jake Lyon

Supervisor

Bank One

201 E Wisconsin Ave

Milwaukee, WI 53201

Dear Mr. Lyon

Thank you for the opportunity to interview with you for the executive training program with Bank One. I very much enjoyed our discussion, and I appreciate you taking the time to meet with me. I believe investment banking is a job for which I am well qualified and would be excited to join the executive training program.

My references have been contacted and are ready to hear from you. I look forward to joining Bank One in the near future.

Sincerely,

Cheryl Wilkerson

3267 S Illinois Avenue

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

53207

414 123-4567

cwilkerson@hotmail.com

Do you hate to write training programs? Too much work to do and no time to put together your training program? Asked to deliver training or a presentation and have no idea where to start?

Let Summit Training Publications take care of your program design needs with our off the shelf training in a box or one of our presentation modules.

Our off the shelf training solutions provide:

PowerPoint Presentation
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Student Guide
Quiz
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Subject areas include; Communication Skills, Employee Development, Human Resources, Quality, Product Safety, Safety and Supervisor Training.

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

I never thought it would happen to me! The emotions of job loss.

Chris Wodke

http://www.summittrainingpublications.com/

Our jobs are so much a part of our identity. One of the first things you are asked when meeting someone is what you do for a living. Loss of a job can mean loss of our identity as well as loss of our income. Expect to go through the same emotions you would with any loss. Expect to go through all four of the stages. You may go through them quickly or it may be a long process. Each person’s journey is unique to them.

Denial

The whole experience may seem a little unreal, especially if the loss came as a surprise. It may be hard to accept you don’t have a place to go everyday. Maybe you fantasize the company will realize their mistake and call you back.

Anger

It is normal to go through a stage of anger. You may have given years to your company and they got rid of you so easily. Maybe the company did not treat you well when the layoff occurred. You may be strapped financially. You may be angry because you are worried about paying your bills or losing your house. Your family may be angry because their lives have changed too. You have to find ways to defuse your anger. More on that in future articles. Don’t dwell on what you might have done differently to keep your job. Don’t dwell on the poor way the company treated you when they let you go. Talk out your feelings with friends and families. Join network groups of other unemployed. It can really help to know you are not the only one going through this. Keep a sense of humor, laughing can help keep things in perspective. Turn off the news if the gloomy news of the economy is getting to you. Get to the point where you can move forward. Concentrate on your job search and moving on with your life.

Depression

Some people move through this stage quite quickly. If the job loss was not a big surprise you may not have much depression. The more prepared you are for a job loss, the better you will do at this stage. Almost everyone has some sadness at the loss of their job. You may feel numb. You may want to hide and shut yourself off from others. Maybe you don’t feel like getting out of bed. Maybe you don’t want to tell anyone about your job loss. This can be a normal stage if it does not last too long or go too deep.

Acceptance

At this stage you are over the loss, anger and depression. You are ready to move on . You may still have bad feelings, but are ready to focus on your future. You are ready to present your best self when interviewing.

Being unemployed is now a common experience. Currently about 15% of adults in American are unemployed. Be aware of the emotions of unemployment in yourself if you lose your job and in others around you currently experiencing the emotions of job loss.

Do you hate to write training programs? Too much work to do and no time to put together your training program? Asked to deliver training or a presentation and have no idea where to start?

Let Summit Training Publications take care of your program design needs with our off the shelf training in a box or one of our presentation modules.

Our off the shelf training solutions provide:

PowerPoint Presentation
Instructor Guide & handouts
Student Guide
Quiz
Feedback Form

Subject areas include; Communication Skills, Employee Development, Human Resources, Quality, Product Safety, Safety and Supervisor Training.

Do you hate to write training programs? Too much work to do and no time to put together your training program? Asked to deliver training or a presentation and have no idea where to start?

Let Summit Training Publications take care of your program design needs with our off the shelf training in a box or one of our presentation modules.

Our off the shelf training solutions provide:

PowerPoint Presentation
Instructor Guide & handouts
Student Guide
Quiz
Feedback Form

Subject areas include; Communication Skills, Employee Development, Human Resources, Quality, Product Safety, Safety and Supervisor Training.