Orlando Job Fair Research

In today's video we look at 3 ways to research companies that will be at a job fair before you get to the event. The idea here is to engage employers with educated conversations, questions and calls to action. Having this information will put you out and above your competition and keep your name on the recruiter's mind.

Enjoy the video and see you on the 21st Orlando!

Orlando Job Fair Research

-Greg

Pre-Register for the job fair now by clicking this link.

Orlando Health Care Jobs

This week the JobSpot had an opportunity to speak with Ryan Irwin from Hi-Tech Institute about the Orlando Health Care industry and more importantly about the jobs and careers our local community can expect to see, both currently and in the future.

JobSpot: Is the health care industry growing like the media is making it out to be and what are current graduates career forecasts looking like?

Ryan: Yes it is. With the aging population and continued specialization in health care the job opportunity is strong and it is projected to continue to be that way.

JobSpot: What things can students do, during their time on campus to improve their resume and career opportunities for the day graduation comes?

Ryan: The first thing is to focus on their education and make sure they doing well in school. Second, is to be networking and getting involved in various campus activities to show they are involved and going above and beyond.

JobSpot: What do you see as strong points for people looking to move or start a career in Orlando and Central Florida?

Ryan: Like I mentioned before we have a growing health care industry here which provides job opportunity for graduates. It is a great place to live and if you are motivated to succeed you will find the opportunities here!

JobSpot: Thanks Ryan for answering some of our questions about the local market. With the trends that we have seen here at the Employment Guide and Health Career Web, there is much to be explored in the health care field, but as with any profession, you need to the drive, determination and work ethic, coupled with knowledge and networking to make your future a success.

Job Seeking Has Hit The MTV Level

If you thought your job search was made for tv, with all the drama of your family and friends, interviews gone crazy and an education that you are paying good ole Uncle Sam for every month, then you were right!

This week MTV announced a new series about the job seeking process of recent college grads called 'MTV Hired.' The show will follow

"recent college graduates as they pursue the daunting task of finding employment in today's difficult economic climate."

They have 20 episodes slated for this year and according to their pres release, the job market is pretty tough and filled with qualified competition:

In today's cutthroat economy, finding a job is like searching for a needle in a haystack. For every job opening there are thousands of applicants desperate to be hired. From the over-qualified to the un-employable, one thing is certain: jobs are yours to win or lose during an interview. Blow the interview -- and its back to the unemployment line. Nail it, and there is a paycheck with your name on it. In each resume-clenching episode, "MTV Hired" looks into the diverse professions that the job market has to offer including personal training, shoe designing, event coordinating, and many more. Viewers will also meet an employer looking to fill a position, get to know the hungry job applicants, sit in on the interviews, and be there when one lucky person lands the job of their dreams. Who will stand out and who will crack under pressure? Find out on "MTV Hired."

If you want to enter the real life "Hired" we encourage you to pre-register for our little reality series called the Orlando Job Fair. It is happening on Wednesday, April 21st at the Lowndes Shakespeare Theatre from 10am - 2pm.

You can learn more and register in the Job Fair section of the Orlando Employment Guide.

What are your thoughts on the show and do you think your job search is made for tv? Tell us in the comments below.

-Greg

Who Is On The Other Side?

photo by Sienna Blakney

Do you remember "To Whom It May Concern?"
Do you still use that tag line? Why?

In a recent blog post by Ashley Campbell on Blogging 4 Jobs she stated that using this line is the Kiss of Death during your job search. More specifically:

Unfortunately, gone are the days when just anyone has a shot. It seems that if you want to even be considered for a job, you must know someone. To get an interview with a company to which you have zero personal connections is nearly unheard of.

Ashley brings up a great point. Now that social media is not a fad, but an actual business tool, for both customers and employees, there are more ways than ever to connect with a company. Not knowing who you are sending your resume to over the interwebs is a new age cardinal sin in today's market.

Look, you are up against stiff competition. Going through the motions is just not going to cut it. What makes you stand out from the pack? What extra miles did you walk on to ensure that the recruiter knew you were the right person for the job?

I was reading a blog post from Shoemoney on a competition that he won a few days back. Essentially it was a referral competition. Whoever sent over the most referrals for a new product was to win $5,000 in Apple products. Pretty cool prize.

Now, Shoemoney is a household name in Internet Marketing and has more Twitter followers and blog readers than many people can imagine. And they are loyal. When he won the contest many called it unfair, like he obviously should win because he has bigger numbers than the rest of the people that entered.

Shoemoney is not one to let this slide so he responds (warning: there is some NSFW language in the image):


What he basically said was - yea, I have more stuff going on that you guys, but I also tried really hard to win. And everyone else just went through the motions.

How Does This Relate To Your Job Search

It has everything to do with looking for a job! If you are blindly filling out online applications, crossing your fingers and hoping to get a call back, you are not doing what you need to do to find that job opportunity that will get the paychecks coming in.

• If you are a sales professional - go and sell yourself.
• If you want to be in marketing, start a blog, start networking and market something.
• If you are in IT, go build something, help out a nonprofit or post an ad on Craigslist for freelance work.

Doing these things get you in front of people. Sometimes these people are the right people. Then you no longer have the "to whom it may concern" mentality. You have the abundance mentality of knowing that you did everything within your power to get that job, win that promotion or get the freelance gig.

Don't expect anything. Go out and create your own future. Get motivated. Be driven by something.

Please share your thoughts in the comments below. What are you doing to get rid of the "to whom it may concern" mentality?

-Greg

Orlando Employers Speak On Interview Success

photo by laverrue

This week on the JobSpot, we asked employers and hiring managers about their interview process - more specifically, what is the number one thing that makes a successful interview?

The answers are both what you would expect and also eye opening to hear it from the person that is responsible for hiring you and getting you those much needed paychecks every week.

Brady Keys from Alpha Airports (retail industry) looks to your past to determine your future success:

When we go into the interview process, we are looking for a detailed account of their previous work experiences. We want them to explain actual situations and examples and have the interviewee articulate on their work. We also look at the longevity of their experience.

Patrick O'Brien, General Sales Manager for the Orlando Employment Guide stated:

I look for someone who is willing to and able to learn and someone who can think outside of the box (i.e. doesn't need to be scripted, but can have an easy well thought out flowing conversation with an individual).

One of the most important things to me during the interview process is the questions they ask. I think this gives good insight into their motivations, gives good insight in how they can be consultative in an interview and gives good insight into how they work and think.

Julie from Banker's Life and Casualty

For Banker's Life, they stated first impressions with the way the interviewee dresses as the thing that can make or break an interview before it even starts. Jeans are a 100% no-no, even in their business casual environment.

Tom from Banker's Life Continued

Because our agents work on commissions:

PHD level

P - "Poor". Tired of feeling like they are underpaid or
underappreciated in jobs where they have been paid an hourly rate or
salary.

H - "Hungry". The hunger for a better quality of life. The realization
that in order to obtain higher status in lifestyle comes with higher
risks.

D- "Desire". The realization that no on owes them anything and that
they will need to commit 100% of their time and energies to learn a new
business and career that will not happen overnight and without
challenges.

Aaron Smith, Vice-President at Makk Maketing Concepts stated:

As far as we are concerned, the number one thing is enthusiasm (sense of urgency, hunger, punctuality, internal motor, etc).

The Weinbach Group / Fairmount Turnberry Hospitality stated:

We look for interviewees that are friendly with good listening skills.

Ruthie Sanchez, Sales Manager for the South Florida and JacksonvilleEmployment Guide stated that her applicants need...

Energy on the first phone call. How they interact with me on the first phone call, is indicative of how they may interact with cold calls. The second thing is follow up. Depending on how you follow up with me, may also be indicative you would follow up with a potential client.

I look for good energy on the phone, they must be engaging on the phone because after all, we are telephone sales.

A hiring representative from restaurant chain Applebees wants their applicants to be themselves going on to say

That they be themselves and don’t answer the questions the way they think I want them answered.

Dylan from G2SecureStaff picked a bone with Gen-Y Interviewees

As a proud card-carrying Generation-X'er, I've noticed the new generation affectionately known as Gen-Y or Millenial all but refuse to wear proper attire (i.e. a minimum of business casual) to interviews or on their job finding quests. It's actually quite vexing and it shows a lack of enthusiasm on the part of the applicant. It does not matter how menial the job may be, an applicant in jeans and a t-shirt are an absolute deal breaker for me.

The Visiting Angels, a senior home care center, noted that their ideal candidate should also be weary of their first impressions.

Appearance, groomed for success. Positive attitude is how they put it.

So if you were taking notes or keeping score, here are some things that you need to prepare for when going in on an interview:

• Your first impression. Dress the part and look professional even in a business casual environment.
• Be honest and answer questions with integrity. They can see right through rehearsed, generic answers. Bring specifics, numbers and past experiences into the conversations.
• Be yourself. People hire people and if you can show that you are a special one that can contribute to their organization, you are interviewing in the right direction.
• Interview for the right positions. Ruthie Sanchez stated it best when she said her sales reps need to have energy and be able to close. Customer service reps should be happy and be great at listening and so on.

What are your thoughts on these tips and processes from recruiters? These are the people that have the power to bring you into an organization and by all accounts, they say matters and it matters a great deal for your future.

Happy hunting Orlando!

Remember our next job fair in Orlando is on Wednesday, April 21st at the Lowndes Shakespeare Center. More information is coming soon to the Orlando JobSpot.

-Greg