RECRUITMENT EVENT

DO YOU WANT TO HELP SOMEONE WHO IS DIABETIC, AND MAKE MONEY WHILE DOING IT?

NDR

National Direct Response (NDR) is a company that markets medical supplies to the 23.6 Million children and adults in the United States with diabetes, 1,112,000 of this population resides in the state of Florida.

Staff members at NDR share their knowledge of the quality, variety, and benefits of products and services to individuals with diabetes and their families. They ensure quality services through active listening, and the ability to identify the best products and services for people with diabetes.

Staff members thrive on interaction and consistently meet or exceed sales and customer service goals.

NDR offers flexible working hours for students, homemakers, new and returning workforce entrants with pay for performance programs. To learn more ……….

Click here to enlarge.

New CareerBuilder Survey Reveals Top Body Language Mistakes Candidates Make in Job Interviews

I confess, I am totally slumped over in my chair as I write this. My body language to an outsider would say that I am not into my job. The truth is, that I am about 30minutes overdue for my afternoon caffeine fix as I got all caught up in a project that I was finishing.

We are ALL guilt of poor body language at times. This article from careerbuilder.com gives some good tips for perfecting your body language at interviews.



http://www.reuters.com/article/idUS118786+28-Jul-2010+PRN20100728

How To Stand Out (in a good way) In An Interview

My fellow blogger Christine recently talked about how the questions and answers at interviews are the same. If you’re bored, just think how boring it is for the interviewer. You know they are interviewing lots of people for the same position. They ask the same questions of each person interviewed. It’s mind numbing to hear basically the same answer from each person.

Consider the following scenario:
Interviewer: “Tell me a little bit about yourself.”
Interviewee: “I have 10 years experience as a supervisor of widget makers. I worked my way up from the assembly line. I know I have the experience and skills you’re looking for. My experience, skills and my eagerness to continually learn new things will be a great asset to your organization.”

While all of that may be true, it’s boring.

Now, let’s throw in a little creativity.
Interviewer: “Tell me a little bit about yourself.”
Interviewee: “I love to learn. As a matter of fact I recently learned that your organization is planning on releasing a new widget design next year. My experience and skills will be a great asset in assisting the existing team to gear up your local plant for production of this new design.”

Take a look at the creativity of this canine. His owner has gone to extraordinary lengths to keep the dog inside the fenced yard. However… Well, just watch and you’ll see what I mean.

Kathleen's eternal job search

I met Kathleen Jones a few months ago at a training event in Flagler. The event was designed to provide job seekers with the latest and greatest techniques to find a job in this “spectacular” economy. (By the way, if you didn’t come, you missed one of the greatest presentations of all time: mine. I spoke to the group about developing a strategy to work with head hunters.)

Kathleen approached me at the end of the session. She was receptive to my ideas and we talked about her situation. What I remember best, though, was her frustration with her progress. She felt that despite her best efforts, there were no signs of a job ahead.

Despite her feelings she continued charging forward. She was so devoted to finding a job, that she even volunteered to help at our yearly Business Summit. She mingled and networked with everyone like there was no tomorrow.

And you know what? All her hard work paid off: She got a job. She is the Supplemental Educational Service Coordinator at St. Johns County Education Foundation (talk about a super long title.)

All this to tell you that, even though you may feel now like you will be searching FOR – EH – EVER, you WILL find a job sooner or later. You just have to stay at it.

Congratulations Kathleen.

Click here to read more about Kathleen.

Bizarre Interview Stories

Recently had a rough interview experience? Then, you might feel a little better reading these stories - click here

Very Funny Video about history of Job Interviews

So you are looking for a job? You have bought your interview clothes, got a hair cut, printed your resume, combed the ads in newspapers, the Internet, EFM and friends, gone to the networking socials and have spent the past months answering every question under the sun about you that is professionally possible. Months have gone by and you are tired of answering these same questions over and over. "Why did you leave your last job, what makes you special, what are your skills, what can you offer us", etc. etc. etc. And you have begun to ask yourself, who comes up with these questions? Why are they all the same? Well watch the following video and find out why! A little humor for brightening up what can sometimes seem an endless stream of daunting interviews. Enjoy!

(As a side note if you don't know what a CV is, neither did I - it is a Curriculum Vitae which in many countries is equivalent to a resume')

Building Analyst Certification Course date change!

The following Building Analyst Certification Course has been rescheduled to September 27th 2010 through October 1st 2010. The decision was made by Daytona State College Officials to position the course to take better advantage of the "Cash for Caulkers" legislation which has made its way through the House and stands a good chance of making it through the Senate. Additional information will be provided upon receipt.

Greetings again from the "You MUST network lady".

Both websites posted below contain some rather out there ways to be both noticeable and approachable when you are out networking. Yes, they may seem a bit extreme but they may trigger some unique ideas that are right for you.


http://www.damnineedajob.com/

http://www.hellomynameisscott.com/

Why Does the One-Stop Workshop Calendar Keep Changing?

The answer is simple. Necessity. An issue arises and a solution is found, the solution invariably creates change.
So what are the changes I’m referring to?
First of all, they only affect one day of the week, Wednesday.

Starting this Wednesday (July 21, 2010) at the Daytona One-Stop Résumé Writing will be in Training Room 1 & 2. The time frame will remain the same, 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

Starting this Wednesday (July 21, 2010) at the DeLand One-Stop Résumé Writing will be in Training Room 3. The time frame will remain the same, 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

Wait. I’m not finished yet.

Wednesday is also the day for computer classes at the One-Stop in Daytona and DeLand.

The schedule for those classes beginning August 4, 2010 will be –
DeLand
9 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. Introduction to Computers 1
10:15 a.m. – 11:15 a.m. Introduction to Computers 2
11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Introduction to Computers 3

Daytona
9 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. Introduction to Computers 1
10:15 a.m. – 11:15 a.m. Introduction to Computers 2
11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Introduction to Computers 3
1:30 p.m. – 3 p.m. Intermediate Computers

Everyone must start with Introduction to Computers 1. You won’t be there long if you already have the necessary computer skills to move to Introduction to Computers 2. The same applies for this class if you have the skills already you’ll quickly move on to Introduction to Computers 3 and from there into Intermediate Computers.

The Center for Business Excellence announces newest Mini Career Link location

The Center for Business Excellence is pleased to announce its newest Mini Career Link (MCL) location. The Northwood Village Neighborhood Network Center, an affiliate of the Daytona Neighborhood Network, will offer job-search services to area residents. A computer bank, Internet access for job search and résumé creation are available at the MCL located at 1200 Ninth St., Daytona Beach.


The Northwood Village Neighborhood Networks Center opened for business on July 12... The center, along with its community partner, the Center for Business Excellence, will provide training to enhance 21st century employability skills.

In addition, this center will offer a variety of services providing residents with access to education programs and information on healthcare and social services. This community outreach effort extends to senior digital literacy, after school programming to support FCAT and GED training.

The programs at the center are in support of the Housing Authority’s Self Sufficiency and Section 8 programs. Willie W. Branch is the center’s coordinator. Hours of operation are from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday.

View Larger Map

Working from bed made easy

Advantages of working from home: go all day without shaving, wear your jammies, practice your "secret" Britney Spears choreography, play the Bee Gee greatest hits - really loud, breast-feed, wipe your rear with soft toilet paper, avoid hearing your coworker's "relevant" stories, and how can we forget, don't have to pretend to be busy all day.

Sound good? Then you might enjoy working from home.

We have a few of these jobs available - take me to this heavenly place.

FYI: you must live in Palm Coast, west of the toll bridge.

Let me pick your brain.

Here's my prediction: If I were to ask 10 random people on the street what should be done in this county to improve the economic situation, I would get 10 different answers. I also predict that if I posted my personal idea for economic betterment, you would spend more time criticizing it than sharing yours. Evil, you.

So I ask you that very question: What should be Volusia and Flagler counties’ economic strategies?

"I finally got my high school diploma! I am the happiest person in the world!!"

It seems that lately we don't hear enough good news. There is oil in the gulf, unemployment is still up, teens can't find jobs, etc. So I thought that you might like to hear some good news. Chris was a young man who worked with SaSo Training Solutions to raise his scores high enough to obtain his GED. Well he did it, after a lot of hard work that he put in, he now has his diploma in hand.

Here is the post from his facebook page the day his results came in the mail: "It came in the mail today :) MY GED SCORE had to be a 2,250 to pass, it was over 2,5000 I finally got my high school diploma! I am the happiest person in the world, SASO WILL BE PROMOTED ON ALL 43 OF MY WEBSITES! This program made me think, and it make me think very hard. When I first started this program, to be honest I had no faith in myself whatsoever, I thought I was failing at everything I did, no matter what it was."

He was quick to go in and see Brenda and Andrew at SaSo to show off his results and give high fives!

A few days later SaSo got the following letter from Chris' mother:

"Dear Andrew & Brenda: I just wanted to drop you guys a line letting you know how much I appreciate all your help with Christopher. He is still beaming about his diploma and his computer. He worked so hard and with your help and understanding he did it. I don't think that without your help he could have accomplished it at this point in his life. He has really grown and matured because of your program. You not only helped him to get his diploma but you helped him get back his self respect and showed him that anything was possible. Christopher was not in a good place when he started the program and now he wants to go to college and become a Forensic Scientist. You showed him that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. And for that I can never thank you enough."

To some getting your GED may seem small and insignificant but for many I think you will understand what a huge step this can be. To Chris we congratulate you and wish you much success on your future endeavors!

Good Article

Check out this article about unlocking your most successful career. It has a lot of good advice.

Click Here

Disturbing Job Ads

Still waiting on a response to the HUNDREDS of resumes that you have sent out to employers??? This could be one possible reason for not receiving a response.

Yesterday I ran across an article that I just could not quite wrap my head around-- Disturbing Job Ads: 'The Unemployed Will Not Be Considered'. As someone who works with MANY amazing/qualified people who lost their previous job through no fault of their own, I find the practice beyond absurd. How will we ever turn things around if this is indeed a wide spread practice?

I am not alone in my feelings. Judy Conti, a federal advocacy coordinator for the National Employment Law Project is quoted in the article saying the following. "A company's choice to ignore unemployed applicants and recycle the current workforce ignores the effect of the recession on millions of highly-qualified workers and could prolong the unemployment crisis".

Please take the time to read this article. Tell me what your reaction is, tell me how it made you feel.

Your Résumé

Here are some questions you should ask yourself BEFORE you submit your résumé.
1. Does my résumé emphasize the skills the employer is seeking? You should customize your résumé for each job you apply for. Different employers have different priorities for jobs, even if the job title is the same.
2. Does my Qualifications Summary or Objective market my abilities for the job I’m applying for? If you send out a résumé that says you’re looking to use your experience in the hospitality industry and to advance your career in that field but the job you’re applying for is in a different career field, what do you think is going to happen? Most likely the employer receiving your résumé is going to look at your Qualifications Summary or Objective and see that you’re interested in the hospitality industry. They will think to themselves, “That’s nice, but I don’t have any positions in the hospitality industry.” And then they will put your résumé in the No Interview pile.
3. Are my job skills prioritized in the order of importance to the employer? Look at the job description and make sure the skills you have that the employer is looking for are listed on your résumé in the same order they appear in the job description. For example, an employer lists: team player, computer skills, interpersonal skills, and strong customer service experience, as skills they are looking for. You have the skills and you want the job. Then your résumé should highlight those skills and abilities in the order the employers lists them.
4. PROOFREAD! The truth is that that one word should be enough, however, experience has taught me, it isn’t enough. Just know this, one misspelled word or incorrect word usage can cost you an interview.
5. One to two pages should be sufficient to cover the last 10 to 15 years. The only way you should go back farther is if for example, you’ve been employed by the same employer for the past 20 years or more.
I could go on, however instead let me encourage you to attend your local One-Stop Employment Center’s résumé writing workshop – Seven Steps to Promoting Yourself.
Here is the link Workshop Calendars to the One Stop Employment Center’s web site calendars. Each center has a separate calendar.

The Center for Business Excellence One-Stop Employment System Offers Short-Term Training Scholarships to Those Who Qualify

Do you need to brush up your skills to be competitive in today’s job market?

Fall classes at area learning institutions will be filling up soon, so now’s the time to find out how your local One-Stop Employment System can help you make a career transition.

You've thought about this for a while, so don’t wait another day! Attend the “Next Step to Success” workshop to learn more about training scholarship opportunities as well as other no-cost job readiness services your One-Stop Employment System can provide, such as interview preparation, résumé writing and career planning.

Center locations and “Next Step to Success” workshop days and times are as follows:

The Daytona Center is located at 359 Bill France Blvd. behind the Volusia Mall. The DeLand Center is located 1382 S. Woodland Blvd. in Woodland Plaza. Workshops are held at the Daytona and DeLand Centers every Tuesday at 8:45 a.m.

The Flagler Center is located at 20 Airport Rd., Suite E across the street from Flagler/Palm Coast High School. Workshops are held every Tuesday at 1:15 p.m.

You will need to arrive at least 15 minutes early to ensure admittance to the workshop. You will also be required to register as a job seeker in Employ Florida Marketplace prior to the workshop. You can do this in advance at www.employflorida.com on any computer or arrive early and use a computer at the center. All centers are open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

If you have questions, please call our Training Information Hotline at (386) 323-7095. Please leave your name, telephone number and brief message after the tone and a staff member will get back with you within 24 business hours.

Building Analyst Certification Course

The Building Analyst Professional Certification course at Daytona State College is looking to gain traction in the community. The work of the Center for Community and Professional Education is part of an overall community effort to propel Volusia and Flagler Counties into the coming Green Age. The Building Analyst Professional Certification Course slated for July 26th -30th is the second in a line of upcoming green certification courses being brought to the local community by the college. For more info on this course and upcoming certifications, trainings, etc click here.

On Line Information

I often tell the young adults that I work with that you must beware what you read on the Internet. Although information is only a few key strokes away, what you get may be wrong.

I remember when writing my research papers in high school that we had to use the library - and OMG the card catalog - to research the information needed for school papers. This of course would be something I am sure kids today can't reference to unless of course they have seen The Breakfast Club. You might remember the scene where Judd Nelson is sitting on top of what looks like a filing cabinet - THAT is the card catalog and he is pulling out cards and shoving them back in the wrong place. This would have reeked havoc on anyone back then actually trying to get information for a research paper.

Today you can just sit down at your laptop (or phone) and it is right there at your finger tips. But BEWARE not everything you read is accurate. After you read information it is important to look to see who is writing it and where did they get their information from. Just like in any situation where you are using the Internet there is no guarantee that the person at the other end is who they say they are or that they know what they are talking about. Case in point is a fabulously funny story that made me laugh out loud and then think. Even those you follow on twitter don't necessarily know what they are talking about. I hope you find it funny, and remember when you are driving down the informational highway that the billboard signs might sound factual but who really put up them up? Dig a little deeper and make sure that you know what you are getting is factual.

Click here to read more about the hoax.

What, you want me to volunteer????

Yes, when I suggest this to job seekers most people’s first response is, “Are you crazy lady? I need job!” Please hear me out as I have a couple of success stories of when volunteering resulted in getting a great job.

The first story is mine. When I was 25 I worked at local university. A good job, but not a great fit for me. Imagine being a 25 year old female sitting in the middle of a very large office, surrounded by 100 male flight instructors just as the movie Top Gun was released. Twenty-two years later hearing the sound track from Top Gun can still set off flashbacks! I knew I had to find another job!

I wanted to transition into a helping/people type of profession, but lacked the skills and experience that I needed. That is when I decided to volunteer with a couple of local agencies where I thought I might eventually like to work. After volunteering for one of the agencies for nine months, I was hired as a permanent full-time employee doing exactly what I wanted to do! I only volunteered two hours a week for that agency, but it gave me needed experience in the field and it got my face in front of the right people.

Art, a recent member of our Pro-Net group, got his dream job through volunteering. He too, was trying to reinvent himself. Art said that the one action that significantly helped him get the job, were the few hours each month he spent doing volunteer research for the agency that eventually hired him. Art now has a great job that combines his knowledge from his previous career and the knowledge that he gained through volunteering. He now is employed doing research on using virtual reality for addictions treatment.

By now, it is obvious to you that I’m a huge fan of volunteering. As a job seeker you should be too. Volunteering will allow you to substantiate yourself to potential employers, help you network with people outside of your usual circles and it just plain makes you feel good.

You make a living by what you get, but you make a life by what you give.
-- Winston Churchill

Lots of Experience versus Little Experience

You have a degree and you have experience. Does that mean you’re more likely to get the job you apply for? What if you have both? Does it increase your chance of being hired? Yes and no. Hiring is a complicated process.
Why? Because it’s not always the most experienced or the one with the greater level of education that gets the job.
Why not? Because a great deal of the decision about who to hire for a position is based on, wait for it, yes, personality. Are you a good fit for the company? Will you get along with the people already working at the company? Will you work well under the management style the company uses?
Employers know that turnover costs them a sizable amount of money. The lower their turnover the greater their profits, especially if they have a team of people that work well together.
Think about this scenario from the employer’s point of view. The interview process has reduced the number of potential candidates to two. Candidate Number One has been doing the type of work in question for many years, seems to know a great deal about the job, also very set in ways, gave the impression that he/she knows all there is to know about job and has nothing to learn. Candidate Number Two less than six months experience on the job, enthusiastic and eager to learn, friendly personality, yet respectful.
Who do you think is going to get hired?
Let’s face it from the interviewer’s notes Candidate Number One has an attitude problem and is use to doing things a certain way. If this company doesn’t do things exactly the same way Candidate Number One is accustomed to, there will be problems.
On the other hand, Candidate Number Two lacks experience which can be a good thing. Candidate Number Two also lacks preconceived ideas about how the job should be done. From the interviewer’s notes Candidate Number Two is the better candidate for the job.

Vouchers still available for no cost online computer training

What is Elevate America?
The Center for Business Excellence has received 1,077 no-cost vouchers for on-line training in Microsoft General E-Learning Courses and IT Professional Courses and for Exams for certification in Microsoft General E-Learning Courses. About 500 vouchers are still available for residents of Volusia and Flagler counties.

Since the program began in May, more than 500 vouchers have been requested, many by unemployed people looking to improve their computer skills. Microsoft has provided the vouchers through a partnership with Workforce Florida and the Agency for Workforce Innovation. The program is part of an initiative to strengthen the Florida economy and increase national and global competitiveness by providing the technical skills and knowledge to Florida’s workforce.

General E- Learning courses are on-line, self paced and include training on Microsoft products such as Office 2003, Office 2007 and Vista. Courses include:

Access
Excel
Outlook
PowerPoint
Word

IT Professional E-learning vouchers are also on-line, self paced and include courses in:

Microsoft SQL Server
Windows Operating Systems and Exchange Server

Please visit https://www.microsoftelearning.com/catalog/default.aspx for details of available General E-Learning and IT Professional E-Learning courses.

Who is Eligible?
Any person with a basic level of computer proficiency who is looking to increase his/her computer skills and knowledge to become competitive in today’s increasingly technical job market.

What is the Process?

1. General E-Learning and IT professional voucher recipients must activate their vouchers before Aug. 21, 2010. Once activated E-Learning vouchers are good for 12 months.

2. Certification Exam voucher recipients must activate and use their vouchers at a Certiport testing site before Aug. 21, 2010.

3. Vouchers cannot be activated after Aug. 21, 2010.

4. Individuals will need to register for E-learning and IT professional vouchers and Certification Exam vouchers at: http://elevateamerica.floridajobs.org

5. Vouchers will be issued on a first come first serve basis.

6. Vouchers will be issued by the Center for Business Excellence through e-mail after the on-line application is completed and an e-mail is returned asking recipients to commit to using the voucher.

7. Once vouchers are issued, individuals will need to activate the E-Learning voucher by logging on to:http://www.microsoft.com/about/corporatecitizenship/us/communityinvestment/elevateamerica.aspx.Once on the site, click redeems a voucher and follow the directions.

8. Any PC can be used to take the E-Learning courses. All that is needed is access to the internet and Internet Explorer 6.0 or higher.

9. Certification exams must be taken at select CertiPort testing locations. There is one site in Volusia County and one in Flagler County. Certiport testing locations that can be found at http://www.certiport.com/Portal/Pages/LocatorView.aspx

10. Volusia and Flagler Certiport sites charge a proctoring fee of $20 per exam.

Questions? Contact elevateamerica@cbe-fvc.org

Do you TED.com? If you don’t already, this will blow your mind.

Okay, I will write this blog entry assuming that you have never heard of TED.com. So I will lead off by saying, “Holy mackerel, dude (or dudette)!!! Your life is about to change…

TED.com is the awesomest, incrediblest, entertainingest, and educationalest website EVER. Period.

Imagine a place like youtube.com, but all the videos in it are presentations from the world’s most brilliant minds. They talk about many, many different topics that revolve around Technology, Entertainment, and Design (hence the name “TED.") Each presentation lasts anywhere from 5 minutes to half-an-hour.

So here’s my belief: If you watch one of these videos every day, within a short period of time your mind will expand; you will start seeing the world in a different light; and you will start spotting opportunities where no one else does. Does that sound like power!? Heck yeah!

I am not saying that you will find a job as a direct result of watching TED videos, but if anything will put you in the right frame of mind, this will.

Here is a little token to get you started in the wonderful world TED.

Oh, and one more thing… post a comment here to let me know what you think about TED.com.

MERGING OF LOCAL ADDICTION CENTERS: Why the heck should you care?

With this post we are not implying that you have a substance addiction problem (…do you?) We just want to point out a couple of things that are implicit in this article:

• If you stay abreast of these types of changes in our community, you may stumble upon new employment opportunities. Think about it – two organizations coming together face many challenges, like the need to coordinate departments… new responsibilities… setting up new facilities… etc, etc. You get the point.
• It’s cool to know that these types of mergers occur, because they are often indicators of growth in the community. Think about what happens with all the supporting industries that sustain the operations of these treatment agencies – their businesses go up too!

…and if you DO have a substance addiction problem, never mind the points above. Just go to these agencies for help; get you life on track, AND THEN pay attention to the two points above.

Go to the article.

Who said that looking for a job was stressful?

Who am I kidding... Yes, job hunting takes a huge toll on your emotions. It sucks. But hey, try reading this article to see if you find a de-stressing idea that you like.

Tips for de-stressing yourself during your job search.

While we are on the topic, here are some things that I did to relax while I looked for a job:

• Went to the gym
• Went fishing
• Spent a couple of hours on the phone every day (which doubled up as networking time)
• Pretended that I was in the "Top Chef" show and prepared an elaborate meal
• Went window shopping to my favorite stores