Tampa JobSpot

Health Care vs. Social Media

2008-06-25T13:10:00.002-04:00

Since the launch of HealthCareerWeb a few months back, I have been digging and searching to find the gap that exists between Social Media and health care recruiting. In my quest I ran across Phil Bauman, a Social Media advocate who is also a Registered Nurse. This is 1 piece of a 3-part discussion we had about Social Media and the Healthcare industry. The other 2 parts can be found at the Orlando JobSpot and the Employment Guide Spot Blog.

In this session we are looking at ways that the Health Care industry has embraced open communication via Social Media and some hindrances that are stopping Health Care HR professionals from using these tools.

Being a registered nurse, Phil Bauman has the opportunity to offer hands on information as to what is available to him on his job. (Disclaimer: Phil works at just one health care company and may not necessarily have the access to tools that others do.) We are looking at on the job tools and not personal profiles on Social Networking sites. His thoughts on the technology available on the job as well as tips that can be implemented on the job are as follows;

Most online tools that I have seen seem to be based on the employment and recruiting models of the 20th century. I think we need to move away from the resume-interview-cog model to a personal/professional branding model. A well-crafted and interesting blog can improve a person's awareness of their own skills and provide a deeper understanding of a candidate's background.
Likewise, a hospital blog that allows its employees to blog is a great way to show prospective candidates "Hey, this hospital is WAY ahead of the game. I should check them out."
Word of mouth is the marketing (and recruiting) of the future. It always was the best way to go, but in light of the Long Tail advanced by online social media, it's important that facilities intelligently investigate, invest and maintain the right kinds of social media. Again, a LinkedIn version for healthcare could make sense.
Hospitals could even use social media for their staffing, their staff scheduling and job promotion.

I can attest to the recruiting end that Social Media is starting to make an impact on the way professionals are brought into organizations. With the rise in job boards and the ease of use in mass applying, HR professionals need to find ways to better position themselves apart from their competitors as well as passive job seekers. Using Social Media as a tool to filter through candidates, proactively search through great employees and showcase their institute is only the beginning.

Like Phil said, blogging can lead to an increase in brand awareness and recognition. This goes a lot further than recruiting great talent. If your great talent can increase the visibility of your company through blogging and Social Media you can increase business and your ROI starts to increase. Both are win-wins in today’s economic state.

So, why aren’t HR professional in the Health Care industry using these tools such as blogging, video, Social Networking and the like? Phil goes on to state:

There are nurses who use social media. But in my experience, many nurses are unaware of the tools out there. Perhaps because Main Stream Media paints a caricature of blogs and social media. Also nurses get so busy with providing healthcare and don't sit at desks with internet access at work all day that it's easy for the world to pass them by. Facilities should encourage, not discourage social media.
HR professionals in health care might also feel that healh care professionals aren't online. A solution would be for HR professionals to develop educational materials to their employees and prospective employees. A web page devoted to Social Media Education could go a long way for adoption. The process has to be active, not passive.
HR professionals need to understand the value to empolyees, patients and the facility itself in using social media. Education is the key.

The second point is a strong one. If there are no other health care professionals networking online then essentially you will have no one to talk with. That’s the theory at least. Well, it’s a good thing theories are meant to be tested and changed.

Why not be the first to market? Why not be the innovative leader? Putting yourself and these organizations out to the web will start a conversation, whether you know it or not. People will find you via the network, word-of-mouth or through search engines. Web 2.0 is all about conversations. Allowing your peers, clients and other professionals to converse with you is a great thing to have.

On HealthCareerWeb we have made this an easy option for health care companies to say YES to. When you have an account with HCW, you have the ability to connect with other professionals, job seekers and industry players as well as post events and forums. The tools have been built, now we need you to join the conversation!

So, where is your institution? Are they talking online or still trying to figure this Social Media thing out? Please leave your comments, answers and questions in the comments. If you have other needs or questions, please send an email to greg.rollett@employmentguide.com and we can set you up with a consultation on Social Media and HealthCareerWeb.

The other 2 articles in the series can be found here:

Orlando JobSpot

Employment Guide Spot Blog

-Greg Rollett

Healthcare and Social Networks

2008-06-13T15:57:00.002-04:00

Disconnection. The feeling of not being in the know. Not sitting at the "cool" table at lunch and knowing what the "big shots" know.

These are problems that those looking for jobs often feel. There is a shallow feeling that you do not know what is going on behind closed doors.

HealthCareerWeb has opened that communication up. It is the attempt to connect a person to a posting and life into an empty position. With Social Networking, you get an open, 2-way communication stream. You are free to poke around. You are free to message and ask questions.

The best part, is that the people on Social Networks want to connect with you. They are on these sites to find like-minded individuals who share the same profession, passions, interests and friends/associates. Being a part of this community puts you in the know. It gives you a front row seat to watch the lunch tables, hear their thoughts and comment back.

Phil Bauman, a Registered Nurse enthralled with Social Media defines the term as:

"an ever-evolving interactive connection among people"

With HealthCareerWeb, the tools have been built for you to suceed and get involved in the inside of the job seeking process. Talk to other employees at the local hospital. Ask questions to recruiters. Look at pictures and events. All these things lead us back to improving the quality of our careers and occupation.

So, if you are a healthcare professional, take 5-10 minutes out of your day and create a profile. Browse the site for other like minded health care professionals in the greater Tampa area. See what the hospitals are saying. Liten to what other job seekers are saying. Take advantage of what is already built for you.

Happy hunting Tampa and have a great weekend!

-Greg Rollett

Why You're Not Getting the Job

2008-05-30T11:27:00.003-04:00

With the ease of submitting your resume through email and filling out applications electronically, it has become even easier for Tampa area employers to just hit the ignore button. Listening to readers, I am seeing that more and more job seekers are getting no reply, rather than a "no."

I caught an article from an HR rep who also writes for Brazen Careerist who stated 3 things that applicants do to warrant a "no response" or "no job." Rachel Robbins list is as follows.

Don’t Have the Basic Qualifications - If you know I’m looking for someone with a clean driving record don’t bother to apply if your license is currently suspended. If you know I’m requiring knowledge of a specific skill, system, etc. you’re probably not going to get the job if you don’t have it.
Being too Aggressive before the Interview - I’ve discussed this before on my blog. A perfect example from just this week: Candidate calls to return my call. I’m unavailable so he leaves a voice mail. Candidate continues to call twice more in the next hour. At this point I was purposely not taking his calls. PS. I love my receptionist.
Want too much money - If you’re applying for an entry level job don’t expect to make +$35,000. If you’ve been applying for a while and you’re certain that your interviewing skills and resume are great then salary is what is keeping you unemployed. Remember, at some point less money is better than no money.

I think these are great things to consider when applying for a position. You do not need to waste any time when paychecks are not coming in, and recruiters could spend more time looking at qualified candidates (which could be you) and less time weeding through "bad applicants."

Other things to note are:

Non specific objective. Simply stating, I want to use my experience to work for an organization," simply won't cut it anymore. Get into the job and let the recruiter know that you would be a great fit for them and why in 1-2 sentences.

General cover letter. If you are going to take the time to send it, at least make it worthwhile for a recruiter to read it. With the amount of cover letters they see everyday, all with the same body, you need to grab their attention and say how you can help "them."

So keep applying, but apply smart. And now you have a little knowledge into what the other end of the application sees and thinks, and knowing is half the battle!

Happy hunting Tampa!

-Greg Rollett

Want to Hire College Graduates...Sell Them

2008-05-28T11:08:00.003-04:00

With the heat of the summer in Tampa and West Florida, comes graduation season. Thousands of college students are walking the aisle, getting their diplomas and heading into the workforce.

Top organizations know that marketing to Generation-Y, the Millennials, is important and necessary to acquire and retain top talent from this group. Gen-Y is patient. Gen-Y moves back home and waits for the perfect opportunity.

As an employer, how can you show these individuals that you are the perfect fit for them?

You need to be where the action is! Millennials are looking for jobs in the usual places, Employment Guide newspapers and on job boards, both large and specific to a niche and they are also doing research on Social Networks and corporate websites.

What are you doing to stand out from the pack? Is a bland print ad going to get the attention of a 20-something who is accustomed to watching YouTube videos, chatting on IM and reading blogs?

Is your HR department prepared to deal with the demands of better work-life balance, 401(k) demands and other benefits?

Are you ready to sell your company to Gen-Y, or are you still insistent on having them sell themselves to you? If you are nodding to the second, you may be behind the game. Your recruitment campaign needs to sell this generation more than ever. Does your campaign make someone want to get off the computer, off the couch and into your office?

If you are looking for help, the Employment Guide has solutions for you. We are tapping into the Gen-Y market and placing premium recruiting videos on YouTube, Myspace TV, Google and Yahoo to get your message where your recruits are hanging out. We pass your job posting along to partner sites and community leaders that are talking to Gen-Y and have their attention.

In the economy today, can you afford to have your competition get the candidates that are going to out pace and outsell you from the market? Start reaching them today.

For more information on reaching Gen-Y through Social Media and Employment Recruiting, please contact Greg, at greg.rollett@employmentguide.com to find a solution that will work for you and your organization.

Tampa Summer Job Fair is Tomorrow!

2008-05-06T14:47:00.004-04:00

The Tampa Employment Guide's Summer Job Fair is here! Join us at Raymond James Stadium from 10-3 and meet with employers that are looking to talk to and hire individuals just like you!

Job Fair Checklist:

Updated, proofread and professional resumes (20 copies)
Application information (References, past employment, education, etc)
Business attire (It's going to be hot out, wear comfy shoes for walking)
Organizer (keep your papers and applications in order, shows organizational skills and motivation)
Smile and firm hand shake (First impressions are lasting)
Pens
Research on companies (know who is hiring and if you would be a fit before and to maximize time and effectiveness)

Tampa, we'll see you tomorrow!

-Greg Rollett

Summer Jobs for Teenagers: Get a Head Start

2008-04-30T09:50:00.003-04:00

photo by ErrrkMunxie

As the weather turns warmer in West Central Florida, so does the job hunt campaign for high school and college students who are looking for part-time work this summer. This increase in the job seeking population increases the competition for all job seekers, though this demographic generally finds themselves working in the retail and hospitality industry.

The motives for teens and their summer jobs is different than the general job seeking community. Teenagers and students are looking for entertainment and spending cash to supplement their days off. Some are looking to save for the upcoming college semester, and some are just looking for a way to pass the time.

In a recent CNN report, entitled 'Teens Face Tough Economic Summer,' Jim Taylor, vice chairman of the Harrison Group says,

"Go out and get a real, grown-up set of shoes. Get rid of the rings -- nose rings and other stuff. March up and down the mall with a really good resume. Walk into every story -- every store -- and say, 'I'm looking for summer work.' And you'll get a job."
The earlier teens start looking, the better, he added, because "if you wait too long, the jobs will be gone."

This is great advice for teens looking to break into the workforce this summer. With the slowing of the economy, retailers and other employers are looking for the best of the best to create additional sales and not just someone that folds clothes. Persistence will be the key along with a great outlook and attitude.

For non-student job seekers, the time is now to lock down a new position before the market once again becomes over-crowded.

Lucky for you, while the students are in school next week, you have a great opportunity to meet with some great employers at the Tampa Employment Guide's Summer Job Fair at Raymond James Stadium, Wednesday, May 7th.

For students who cannot attend, send in your resume to greg.rollett@employmentguide.com and we will add it to our 'Resume CD' that goes out to all the employers that are participating in the event.

Good luck to all the students and teens looking for employment this summer and be sure to sign-up for Job Alerts (can be found on the right side of this page) to get e-mail notifications of great new job opportunities that become available in your industry!

Happy hunting Tampa!

-Greg Rollett

Tampa Job Fair Invades Raymond James Stadium May 7th

2008-04-29T15:39:00.005-04:00

The Tampa Employment Guide is fiercely working around the clock to find the best hiring managers and open positions in West Florida. And to celebrate, we are showcasing them at the Summer Job Fair on Wednesday, May 7th at the home of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

*Send your resume to greg.rollett@employmentguide.com to pre-register or if you cannot attend*

They say the economy is slowing, but by the looks of the companies attending, its business as usual!

Showcasing employers for this career fair include:
ABC Fine Wine and Spirits
Aflac
Amazinflates
Argosy University
Asset Acceptance
Avon
Brink's Home Security
Brink's, Inc
CBS Radio
Creditor's Interchange
DeVry University
EcoQuest International
Gulf Coast College
Keiser University - Tampa Campus
Lee County Sheriff's Office
Macy's Credit and Customer Service
Mental Health Care
Metro PCS
Norwegian Cruise Lines
NovaPro
OR and L Facility Services
Plastipak Packaging
Quest, Inc.
RaceTrac Petroleum
Seminole HardRock Hotel and Casino
United States Army Recruiting
USAA
Verizon Wireless
Volt Workforce Solutions
Walgreens
Waste Management

Tampa Job Fair Tips and Strategies:
1. Research the companies - They are listed above. Look for their open positions on EmploymentGuide.com and even perform a Google search to see what it's like to work there.
2. Polish your resume and print multiple copies. - Make sure your friends and/or family proofreads it. Print at least 10 copies, you don't want to run out when you finally find a great opportunity!
3. Dress for success. - No shorts, tank tops or flip flops. Look like a professional and get treated like one. It may be hot out, so prepare with some good attire and comfortable shoes.
4. Be able to fill out a complete application. You want to be sure that you hand them in at the job fair and not get lost in the shuffle a week later.
5. Practice your handshake and opening approach. Your first impression needs to be great and create a lasting impression on the hiring employer.
6. Have fun. Your demeanor tells an employer a lot. Keep your spirits high as you never know what opportunity will knock around the corner.

Check out a clip from the local news about job opportunities in the Tampa area with the Employment Guide's own Jeff Derenthal:

We will continue to update the company list as they confirm. Happy hunting Tampa and we'll see you on the 7th!

Tampa Retail Need to Capitalize on Hype Products

2008-04-25T11:57:00.003-04:00

I am not a gamer, but you can’t help but hear the footsteps of the gaming community as they prepare for the release of Grand Theft Auto IV. Pre-orders have been made, stores are staffed and prepared for the rush and living rooms and schedules have been cleared for hours of endless video game havoc.

With the economy slumping and un-employment hitting over 5% for the first time in a while, retail is sure feeling rocky right now. If there is no money to spend, there is no need to have staff standing around taking up clock space.

Retail Loves Hype

To get people into their stores, retailers and advertisers are trying their best to create hype around a product or product line. This gets the people in the stores. What happens when the customers get there is where the chain will either come out on top or sell a few gimmicks and repeat the process with similar results.

Retail Needs Great ( re: not just good) Employees

When these customers do decide to spend their hard earned money in your store you need to be prepared to give them a pleasurable and memorable experience. This happens with your sales team, check out process and other employees. For a product like GTA IV, consumers have choices in where they purchase the game. Give them a bad experience and they can walk on over to the next shop. Treat them to an amazing experience and they will be back for an extra controller, memory cards, the new system or the next “it” game.

Employees of these retail chains are usually replaceable. Managers, owners and franchisers need to treat the little guy like they are an important part of the team and not just a folder / greeter. This will allow them to care about their work and take care of your customers.

Turning Customer Experience into Repeat Business

A full house in your store means more opportunity for employment. Keeps your employees happy, they keep the customers happy and your business grows along with it.

When job seeking for companies in the retail area, look for companies that have happy employees and a great work environment vs. the one that has the “cooler” clothes or products. You will enjoy your work and more opportunities will present themselves with a business that is growing vs. one that is trendy!

*For a complete list of retail jobs in the Tampa, Clearwater and St Petersburg area, be sure to browse through the Employment Guide or visit us at our Tampa Summer Job Fair, May 7^th at Raymond James Stadium!*

And if you are going to be spending the next few days inside playing GTA IV, remember to get to work on time and get some sunshine. Its summer in Florida, remember?

Greg Rollett

16 Reasons to Blog While Job Hunting

2008-04-21T16:52:00.002-04:00

For the writing and grammar skills it takes to write fresh content
To help with communication – through other bloggers and readers of your site
For research – You love your topic / industry so much that you research and write about it
To show your passion for an industry – You can always tell when what you are writing is passionate or a bunch of words on a page
For experience – Show off pictures of you on a job site, video of your latest presentation or on the job experience
To network with others in your industry
To build trust within your industry
To earn a few bucks before the new paycheck kicks in (Adsense)
To find opportunities that aren’t listed on job boards – like business opportunities, partnerships and start-up companies
To stay in the loop – the world is moving fast, blogging helps you keep up.
To create a schedule – blogging regularly shows employers your dedication to deadlines and how you manage your time
To showcase what you are good at – remember a blog is more than just words, its thoughts, videos, pictures, podcasts, reactions, links, controversy and more
Show your creative side – your blog is yours, so is your template, your thoughts and your posts. Be creative and showcase yourself outside of your resume!
For recognition – Let the deals come to you once you have branded yourself as a leader in a given industry.
Because it’s fun. Blogging creates a conversation based around a topic that interests you. When that happens, its fun, because you are passionate about the subject and love talking about it.
It’s the cool thing to do – over 100 million blogs and growing (sung in the Flinstones Vitamins voice)

Add your reasons for blogging while looking for a job in the comments. I look forward to coming up with an impressive list and publishing it as a downloadable file for everyone to print and tact up when you are starting out your blogging experience.

Happy hunting Tampa!

Greg Rollett

Tampa Driver Job Fair Recap

2008-04-18T11:15:00.007-04:00

Last Saturday, April 12th the Tampa Employment Guide along with Careers in Gear had a very successful event for Truck Drivers and the Transportation Industry. There were over 400 interested job seekers that met with some great driving companies.

Covenant Transportation was awarded the 'Best in Show' award for the nicest truck at the event! Congrats guys!

Here are some photos to re-cap:

If you missed this event and wish to part take in a great job fair afternoon, the Tampa Employment Guide is having our Summer Job Fair on May 7th at Raymond James Stadium. Be ready for the event that can not only change your wallet size but your life as well!

Happy hunting Tampa!

Know Where the Jobs Are

2008-04-08T14:58:00.004-04:00

Last Friday I kicked off a new series geared towards a successful job hunt. We talked about what is necessary to find the jobs that are out there. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the month of March was not a good one for current workers and job seekers alike. They reported that the U.S. lost 80,000 jobs in march alone and 232,000 in the first quarter of this year. What I wanted to talk about today is the knowledge to know where the jobs are. Not just the hot industries like hospitality and healthcare, but actually where to look. Jobs can be found in the craziest of places from storefront windows and newspapers to blogs and local networking.

Traditional Outlets:
The Employment Guide and recruitment newspapers - Still a viable source for jobs. These papers are geared towards a certain niche and are generally free to the public. Be sure to follow the directions of the ad in how to apply and take advantage of phone numbers as it can save time and cash in travel.
Storefronts - No better way to say we need help than with a Help Wanted sign in the window. Beware that heavily traffic'd areas get the most applications and therefore have more competition. Look for these signs on back roads or act fast / immediately when it pops up.
Job Boards - EmploymentGuide.com, Indeed.com and Job.com offer many great jobs from a wide variety of companies. The great thing is that they are easily searchable by keyword and location. The downfall is that they are overpopulated with positions and competition is great as they have a very large reach.

New and Untraditional Job Resources and Outlets
Niche Job Boards - The Employment Guide is proud to offer 2 great niche sites, CareersInGear and HealthCareerWeb that show you very relative results for these 2 industries. The benefit of these boards is they get right to the meat of what you are looking for and also offer great advice, tips and articles surrounding these industries.
Google, Yahoo and Other Search Engines - Try typing in some keywords and a location into Google for jobs you are looking for. The more narrow and specific the search the better the results get. Search broad and you will be bombarded with opportunities.
Network! - The oldest form of job hunting but in a new generation. Get out and talk to people at bars, restaurants, conferences, trade shows. Collect business cards and make contacts with friends and family.
Networking 2.0 - Your kids are on there, maybe you are a kid and you're on there. What is it? Social Networking of course. Use it to network with others in your field. Start on a site like Facebook and look for colleagues, old friends or past employers / co-workers. Participate in forums and discussions. Don't be shy, ask questions and also answer them.

This concludes Part 2 of this discussion. Tomorrow we will continue down the networking path and talk about blogging and branding yourself in a crowded niche. Until then, happy hunting Tampa!

Greg Rollett

Oh, and Drivers get ready for the Tampa Employment Guide and Careers in Gear 'Driver's Job Fair' this Saturday, April 12th. Get all the info by clicking here!

A Successful Job Hunt

2008-04-04T15:16:00.003-04:00

I am rolling out a new series about a successful job hunt over the next week. I have been writing an awful lot about it online, for upcoming articles and books and speaking about it at job fairs and conferences and thought that I would put it all together for you in this nice, neat little series.

Part 1 is simple: What makes a successful job hunt?

Resume: The more times change the more they stay the same. That one sheet of white paper that details your life’s worth of accomplishments is still the admission price when looking for and getting your foot into the door of a company.

Skill set: Employers are looking for a match. If you fit that match, you get the call. If you don’t, start positioning and training yourself to gain the skills and knowledge that mesh you with the company of choice.

Networking: The age old concept of networking is still a very highly held determining factor in landing a great career. Think of all your friends who found jobs due to their parent’s relationships, or the Fraternity and Sorority connections. What about the waitress who talked it up with the CEO of a sales company, and the next week was working on his sales team? Networking and building trust with hiring companies will put you on the fast track to a great position.

Desire to make a change: No matter what career change or job hunt you embark on, it starts with you, your mind and your motivation. You cannot find a new position by letting it come to you. A proactive approach is the key and that starts with your mentality and outlook on life.

Happy hunting Tampa and we'll be back on Monday for part 2. Where to look?

-Greg Rollett

How Rising Fuel Costs are Impacting the Transportation Industry

2008-03-31T14:12:00.002-04:00

Fuel is the second largest expense in the transportation industry, right behind good old labor costs. With the seemingly endless rising of oil and gas prices, how does this affect one of the county’s most important industries?

For one, it has opened the eyes of many big shots to alternative fuel solutions. Not to say, there is going to be a full on switch anytime soon, but at least there is visibility for the future.

According to Truckline.com:

After years of paying some of the highest diesel fuel prices on record, interest in renewable fuels is gaining momentum. Motor carriers are beginning to embrace high-quality biodiesel in low percentage blends in efforts to extend the nation’s fuel supply. At the same time, the industry is transitioning to ultra low sulfur fuel to support the next generation of diesel engines designed to reduce emissions.

Sounds like a great start to me!

With a very exciting Driver’s Job Fair coming to Tampa on Saturday, April 12^th, we hope that the industry is taking the right steps to ensure that one of the nation’s largest growing industries will stand tall in the coming years.

If you have any input as to how the trucking and transportation industry can make changes/improvements to the fuel situation, please join the conversation in the comments. If you have any questions about the Careers in Gear Driver’s Job Fair, or would like to attend, have a booth or sponsor, please email me at greg.rollett@employmentguide.com.

Happy hunting Tampa!

Greg Rollett

It’s Not About the Tools, But the End Result

2008-03-18T15:19:00.003-04:00

Here at the Employment Guide, we have a plethora of products for job seekers to take advantage of when they are in the position to search for a new career, part-time job, continuing education, and even work at home experiences.

Whether you are picking up a paper, using online job boards, signing up to social networks, blogging, watching videos or coming out to hiring events and job fairs, the goal is almost always the same: Get your foot in the door for an initial interview in the attempt to land a new job.

So if the end goal is the same, how do you get there? Frankly it doesn’t really matter as long as you do get there. Now some jobs and employers use certain types of media and advertisements, and you may miss their message if you are not looking in all the right places. However, there are great opportunities for employment in any medium that suits you. That is the key and employers are starting to realize it.

With the development and continuing growth of Web 2.0 technologies, companies are realizing that their message needs to come across in as many mediums as possible to attract the quality job seekers that are needed to fill their vacancies.

At the end of the day, the tools you use depend on you! That is the one great advantage we have here at the Employment Guide. We can offer you the chance to see great hourly and skilled positions at your convenience, in the medium that works for you.

The opportunities are out there for you to explore. It is up to you to make that call, polish up the resume and make a solid first impression at the interview. We can only offer the tools to get you excited about a career change.

Happy hunting Tampa!

P.S. Careers in Gear Presents the Driver’s Job Fair April 12th! Click here for more info!

-Greg Rollett

EmploymentGuide.com Makeover - New Job Seeker Application Process

2008-03-07T15:44:00.005-05:00

Happy Friday Tampa. As the week comes to a close, I wanted to continue to share some of the new features on the shiny new EmploymentGuide.com®. On Tuesday we got into employer videos, which are a great showcase for a company to get their message across to you the job seeker. It puts a visual to the text in their postings and gives you an opportunity to see how life would be like at a particular company.

Today I wanted to touch on the new Job Seeker Application and Profile process that went live with the EmploymentGuide.com® site redesign. The old application was admittedly long and not very fun for you as a job seeker. The new process has been simplified to get to the core of an application and what an employer wants to see when viewing your profile.

Here is the first page:

These are your basic questions. Please answer them thoroughly and be sure to create a username and password that you will be able to remember. Your e-mail and phone number must be valid in order for employers to contact you, so please be sue to be careful and accurate.

Page 2 looks like this:

This is the section to paste past work experience and education history. Please be as informative as possible. Employers are looking at this profile to gather all the information they need in order to qualify you for their available position. Be sure if it is relevant, that it is listed.

I would suggest that it is in your best interest to upload or paste your resume into this profile. Most employers weed out applicants that do not have a resume attached to the profile.

After hitting continue, you are prompted with a confirmation screen. Ensure that everything you entered is correct and you are well on your way to finding a great new opportunity from the Employment Guide®.

Happy hunting Tampa and we’ll see you on Monday!

Greg Rollett

P.S. Careers in Gear Driver's Job Fair is coming April 12th at the Florida Fairgrounds. Click this link for more info!

Makeover - The New EmploymentGuide.com

2008-03-04T15:40:00.005-05:00

Hello Tampa! We have been away for a little while but now we are back in action. There have been some great things happening over here and we are exploding with digital technology. If you have visited the EmploymentGuide.com in the last 10 days you might have noticed a face lift. Below is a snapshot of the new home page.

A few new features have been rolled out. As the week progresses I will be going into detail on how they affect you, the job seeker, optimize your job search. Today I wanted to get into employer videos. This has been a key focus for us at the Employment Guide. However, online video is not just a recruitment topic as many of you already know. In December of last year there were over 10 billion videos viewed online. 1/3 of these video were from Google properties (YouTube and Google Video). The demand has never been higher and now we are vying for a piece of your attention span

What is great about our Employer Videos is that they are not only featured in our brand new 'Video Center' they are also viewable in all of the allifiated job postings. You will know that a posting has a video when you see this:

Our feature video of the week comes to you courtesy of RaceTrac. Check it out and let me know what you think!

RaceTrac Recruitment Video

Happy hunting Tampa!

April 5, 2008 - Roadmasters Truck Driver Job Fair (more info ASAP)

-Greg Rollett

Your 5 Point Agenda

2008-02-06T11:03:00.001-05:00

Before sitting down for an interview you need to make sure you are well prepared for it and able to skillfully answer any question the interviewer asks you. There's an excellent technique in the book 60 Seconds & Your Hired! by Robin Ryan that can help you in preparing for an interview. The first step is to create your "5 Point Agenda".

The 5 Point Agenda is a technique that focuses on your top 5 strengths and gets the employer to listen to what you are saying. These 5 points are repeated throughout your interview which will help imprint your image to the employers brain to help you stand out and be remembered.

How to create your 5 point Agenda:

Examine your previous job responsibilities and make a list of any special accomplishments. Next review the potential employers requirements and make note of your own abilities and experience that will be most important to the employer. Now you can create your 5 points to build a solid picture focusing on how you can do the job.

So for a clerical position your five points will be like so:

Point 1: 5 years of customer service experience dealing directly with clientèle making a positive, professional image for the company.

Point 2: Detailed oriented, fast worker that can handle multiple task under stress and complete them according to deadlines.

Point 3: Has recently updated MS Office skills and experience working in company databases such as MS Access and Goldmine.

Point 4: Collaborating with staff to create and manage a thorough schedule to make sure all daily task were completed as assigned to prevent staff from over looking crucial tasks and to help staff meet deadlines for their clients in a timely matter.

Point 5: Assisted with numerous events and scheduled appointments that meet staff and clients needs accordingly.

The above 5 points are things a person interviewing for a clerical position can use to secure a job offer. Maybe the job he/she is applying for requires customer service and data entry experience and this person was able to offer specific examples of his/her expertise in that area. Please keep in mind that you can't use the above 5 points unless you actually have that experience.

These five points are the buildings blocks to answer the interviewer's questions - Robin Ryan

Good Luck and be sure to come back tomorrow for more interview tips!

Happy Hunting Tampa!

Samara Bowling

Tampa Employment Guide Job Fair Photos

2008-01-25T16:40:00.000-05:00

The Job Fair this past week was a huge success! We had over 1000 professional candidates and the companies that attended couldn't be happier. Just take a look at some of the testimonials we received from some of the companies that attended:

"I have to say this was the best event I've ever attended in the country!"
-- AT Systems

Another testimonial:

Q. What did you like about the event?

A. Quantity & quality of applicants.

Q. What would you change if you could?

A. Nothing - Excellent event!

--Integrity Staffing

More testimonials to come!

Below are pictures of some of the companies that attended our fantastic job fair.

Excellent job Tampa! Our Job fair continues to be one of the greatest job fairs held in Florida! I hope to see you at our next Employment Guide Job Fair coming in the next few months!

Happy Hunting Tampa!

Samara Bowling

The Tampa Employment Guide is on TV!

2008-01-24T14:10:00.000-05:00

The Tampa Employment Guide went on air with our own Jeff Derenthal giving tips to job seekers to attend our recent job fair. If you missed seeing us yesterday morning you can view us today right here on the Tampa Job Spot. These tips can be applied at the next job fair if you plan to attend in the next couple months. Remember the following:

Dress Professionally
Leave your bad attitudes at the door
Don't bring you're children to the job fair.

Sadly a few job seekers didn't apply these important concepts which can dramatically reduce your chances of landing a great job. I know job hunting is rather stressful, but it doesn't help you at all if you have an attitude because employers will pick up on this and not consider you for the position.

Wearing jeans, midriff exposing shirts, flip flops, etc. will make it seem like you're not committed to your job search therefore employers will gather the notion that you won't be professional or committed to the position they are offering either.

Do not bring your children. Bringing your children to a job fair is just as bad as bringing them to work. Please find childcare or seek out a responsible baby sitter to watch your children while you're at the job fair. Please job seekers take these tips into consideration to improve your job search.

Click To Play

Please tune in tomorrow to read about how successful our job fair was and to see pictures of some of the companies that attended.

Happy Hunting Tampa!

Samara Bowling

January Job Fair Attending Companies

2008-01-17T12:26:00.000-05:00

Below is the list of companies attending the job fair on Wednesday, January 23rd, 2008. This list will be updated periodically as more companies decide to attend the job fair. If you need resume help please click on the resume link in the categories menu. There is also a help article about job fair preparation available on the site.

The job fair will be located at Raymond James Stadium 4201 Dale Mabry Hwy N. Tampa, FL 33607. To enter the Stadium for the job fair into on the Himes Ave side.

Attending Companies:

Mental Healthcare
Franklin Templeton
Grow Financial Federal Credit Union
Integrity Staffing Solutions
Keiser University ~ Tampa Campus
Massey Services, Inc.
Metro PCS
Racetrac Petroleum SSC
Strayer University
Volt Workforce Solutions
Hardrock Casino
U.S. Army
A.T. Systems
Aflac
Avon
Walgreens
Middleton
Digital Reception Services
Drivetime
Certificate Associates
Gulf Coast College
DeVry University
USAA
Brinks Home Security
MaryKay
Eco Quest

If you have any suggestions regarding a company you are interested in please post that company in the comments, if you are a company and are interested in attending the job fair email me at samara.bowling [at] employmentguide [dot] com and we will get you a spot at the event.

Happy Hunting Tampa and I hope to see you at the Job Fair!!

Samara Bowling

Job Fair Preparation

2008-01-14T12:00:00.000-05:00

When attending a job fair do you A) Go there to look around, say hello to employers and friends, get a free soda, and go home still unemployed or B) You go there to get a job? If your answer is "B" then read on to see how to properly prepare for a job fair and leave successfully gaining an interview for a new job.

1. Dress professionally, but remember to wear comfortable shoes. Don't dress for the job you currently have if you have one, but for the job you want. You will have the opportunity to obtain an interview at the job fair so first impressions are essential.

2. Bring at least 30 skillfully written resumes carried in a professional portfolio or brief case. Make sure your resumes are on resume paper and are only one page long. Bring change in case you need to make more copies.

3. Obtain a list of the employers that will be attending the job fair and do your research on the companies. Most companies have websites that you can visit to get a brief overview of what their mission, purpose, and goals are.

4. Prepare a 60 second introduction explaining your skills and what your career objectives are. Practice this small speech before the job fair to perfection.

5. When you arrive to the job fair get a list of all the locations of the companies and choose at least 5 companies of interest. Introduce yourself to these employers with a firm hand shake, eye contact, and a smile. Let them know you are interested in a position with their company, ask questions, get a company business card, and leave them your resume. Don't forget to network with other job candidates at the job fair. This could help you in the long run.

6. You will have a very brief time with each employer so make every minute count. Ask questions that will give you the opportunity to sell yourself. For example ask questions like "What skills and experience are you looking for in a [position title]?" When they answer then go into a statement like "Well, I have experience in...". Have a set of at least 3 targeted questions (ex. daily routine, qualifications they are looking for, programs they use, etc.)

7. After the interview follow up with a thank you letter. If the company recruiter said they are interested in interviewing you get a specific time when they will contact you and if they don't contact you when specified be sure to contact them.

I hope you don't miss out on our job fair in Tampa next Wednesday on January 23rd. For people who are already employed we will also be having business opportunities for you to earn extra income or you can start your own business.

Happy Hunting Tampa!

Samara Bowling

Resume Week II - The Thank you letter

2008-01-04T11:56:00.000-05:00

Today is the final day of resume week. I hope you have learned a lot and found the information provided in the last two weeks helpful and rewarding in building you success to landing a wonderful job. Today we will learn the final step to making your lasting impression really last.

After you've put so much time and effort into your resume and cover letter you send it out and get that interview you worked so hard for. You go in dressed to impress, and ready to show your potential employer how good you can do the job. As you wait in the lobby you are given a application to complete while another person is being interviewed for the same position. Ten minutes later you go in for your turn and you do pretty well in your interview answering each question with total confidence. You shake the employers hand and thank him/her for the interview and you leave to go home.

Now that you're at home you wonder if there is anything else you can do to make the potential employer call you over the other applicant(s). How can you make sure they remember you without looking desperate?

The answer is the thank you letter.

You thank you can letter can be in one of 3 forms: a typed letter sent by mail, a hand written card sent by mail, an email.

If your employer has an email then this is the best way to go about this because it is the quickest form of communication rather than postal mail. If you have good hand writing you can send a hand written card, but if you prefer typing a letter then you can do so as well.

There is a certain formula that you use to write the thank you letter just like there is to write your resume and cover letter.

Step #1 The first paragraph should thank them for the interview mentioning the position you interviewed for. Next you should mention something about the interview that you found particularly interesting. Maybe it was a tour of the office, maybe you both graduated from the same school, etc.

Step# 2 The second paragraph is if they asked you for references you will state that you've attached them. You will then mention your phone number or email and address if they need to follow up.

Here's an example of a thank you letter:

Dear [Employer's Name],

I will like to thank you for the pleasant interview we had yesterday for the Administrative Assistant position. It was really an interesting experience to have a tour of the office and see firsthand how things run within your company.

I have enclosed the references you requested. If you have any questions please call me at 555-555-5555.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]

As stated before remember to run a spell check to make sure everything is spelled correctly.

So when do you send your thank you letter? Immediately after your interview.

If you need to learn how to create a reference sheet follow the basic guidelines:

Remember to use you letter head on your reference sheet
Place your list of references on resume paper as well
Have 3-4 different professional references such as previous instructors, colleagues, or employers
Make sure you have permission to use the people you decide to use as a reference
Use the following format for each reference you list on your reference sheet:

[Reference First and Last Name]
[Job title]
[Phone number]
[Address at work or Email address]
[Number of years known]

Happy Hunting Tampa and have a great weekend!

Samara Bowling

Resume Week II - Tips to make your resume stand out

2008-01-03T09:38:00.001-05:00

So you've learned everything there is to know on how to create a successful resume and cover letter. You should be able to grab the potentials employers attention with ease now that you will be attaching a cover letter to your resume as well, but to make an even better lasting impression follow these next few tips to be as successful in your job hunt as possible in regards to your professional profile.

Tip #1: Use cream, gray, off-white or white colored resume paper. It's a different texture than the boring copy paper everyone else uses and will make you stand out. The employer will remember you better because your resume is different than all the others.

Tip #2 Use a professional email address on your resume. Do Not use emails like "hot_gal@yahoo.com", etc. This also goes for your voice mail message that is connected to the phone number you are using on your resume.

Tip #3 Use a contemporary clean font. Times New Roman is used way to much. Grab your readers attention with fonts like Arial or Helvetica in 11px or 12px. These fonts are really clean, simple, and professional.

Tip #4 Use "power" words when relaying the skills you possess. If you are applying for a clerical position you would use words that are "clerical oriented". For example instead of saying:

Greeted clients, answered a multi-line telephone and directed calls properly, completed tasks as assigned, worked within the company’s database to add, update and delete records.

You would say:

Reflected a professional image for the company through phone, email, and direct interaction with the companies clientèle. Completed filing duties and data entry with strict attention to detail to efficiently file and enter data accurately. Maintained excellent time management to complete assigned tasks and meet deadlines.

Using these power words actually strengthens your image and shows the employer that you can do the job. As you can see the second example says the same thing, but it gives a much stronger impression.

A resume is not something you just throw together. Take your time to make sure that your resume makes the strongest, positive impression of the image you will like the employer to see you as. Tune in tomorrow for more resume week and learn the final step of making that lasting impression.

Happy Hunting Tampa!

Samara Bowling

Job Fair: January 23rd, 2008 at Raymond James Stadium from 10am-3pm

Resume Week II - The Cover Letter

2008-01-02T14:33:00.000-05:00

As job seekers we are constantly asked to submit our resumes to various employers and after submitting that ridiculous amount of resumes (100+) we wonder why we haven't received a call back? Is your resume missing something? If you are submitting it without a cover letter you are missing a key element to getting that interview.

Most job seekers don't submit cover letters when applying for a job. They just submit that same boring old resume on cheap copy paper. A cover letter helps you stand out from the rest. It grabs the readers attention because you took the extra effort to write one and it gives you a chance to illustrate why you will be valuable to their company.

When you write your cover letter the first paragraph should mention the job title, the source in which you found the job listing and a few of your skills. In the second paragraph you sell yourself using skills that you possess that match a few of the skills mentioned in the job requirements. Use the same words they used in your letter. Lastly, your final paragraph should be a follow up paragraph mentioning your resume, and welcoming the chance for an interview.

The following is an example of a cover letter:

First take a look at this job description:

Job Description:

Duties for the administrative assistant position include but are not limited to: general office and clerical work, data entry services, online research, coordination of meetings, and projecting a professional business image through direct phone and email interaction with our company’s clients and customers.

Now here's an example of how a cover letter can be written for this position:

Dear Human Resources Department,

I read with interest about the Administrative Assistant position on [Job Source]. With my 6 years of office work experience I feel I make an excellent candidate for the position your company is offering.

I am a self starter that can multi-task with ease. I have recently updated my MS Office skills and I have superior online research skills. I have a professional demeanor where I am capable of reflecting a positive image for your company through phone, email, and direct interaction with your clients.

I welcome the opportunity for an interview for the Administrative Assistant position. I have attached my resume for your review. I look forward to meeting with you in the near future.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]
[Your Phone Number]

As you can see the cover letter used the skills needed in the job requirements to capture the attention of the employer. The writer sold their skills and with this cover letter style this will persuade the reader to look at your resume. Never mention your resume until the end of the letter because if you mention it prematurely the employer will not read your entire cover letter -- As soon as you mention the resume they will turn to it.

Remember to include your letter head on both your resume and cover letter. Run a spell check to correct any spelling or grammar errors, then have 2 friends read your letter over to catch any errors that wasn't caught. Reread your letter over once more out loud to make sure it is absolutely perfect. Also remember to use correct punctuation.

Make sure you tune in tomorrow to learn how to make your resume stand out even more than the other applicants.

Happy Hunting Tampa and Happy 2008!

Samara Bowling

Resume Week Part II - Resume Structure

2007-12-31T09:21:00.000-05:00

Last week we learned how to come up with skills to add to a resume that matches the job requirements of a potential employer, we learned how to create a letter head for our professional documents, and we also learned how to structure the first part of out resumes titled "Summary of Qualifications". Now we will discover how to structure the remaining parts of the resume.

After your "Summary of Qualifications" you need to decide which element whether it is you experience or education that is most relevant to the job you are seeking. If it is your education then this will be what you will add next, if it's your job experience then add this next.

When you add job experience first put your job title, next put how long you worked. For example if you worked from 2003-2005 for an employer you will put 2 years instead of the actual year. This will eliminate employers "silently" discriminating because of your age. You will then add a brief summary of your job responsibilities and the name of the company. You only need to add either the last 2 or 3 jobs you've had hopefully totaling a total of 4 years of more.

For cases where you've worked for several employees over a course of a year or more you can disguise this only if your job title was the same. So if you worked as per say a customer service representative for several companies with about the same responsibilities then add up how many years in a whole you worked and use that for the number of years. Eliminate the company names and you've successfully disguised employment gabs and job hopping. Doing this will make getting an interview easier instead of the potential employer eliminating you as a candidate because of your frequent job hopping or employment gabs, thus giving you an opportunity to explain yourself within the interview.

When added education use the same formula: Subject of Study, the number of years you attended, a brief summary of the subject of study and how it applies to you.

If you have any certification you can add this to the end of your resume. Only add certifications if they are required for the position to keep your resume from going over one page. Remember your resume should NEVER be more than one page. Do not add references to your resume or add a sentence stating: "References available upon request". This is unnecessary. Instead you should create a separate document containing your references that you can bring to your interview. You also do not an element called "Objective". Later this week we will discuss how to create your objective which will not be a part of your actual resume, but another document most people forget to include when applying for a job.

Here's an example of what your completed resume should look like: Resume Example

Please note that this resume is not intended for use. It is strictly used to show an example of how your resume should be set up only.

After you complete your resume allow 2 or 3 friends look it over for errors. Ask them if they were an employer would they interview you based on the resume you've created. You should also run a spell check to correct any spelling or grammar errors you might have made for absolute perfection.

Happy Hunting Tampa and have a Happy New Year!

Samara Bowling