Am I Required to Report All Income to the IRS?

Lisa, our Applicant Coordinator, found a funny and important article online. If you haven't done your taxes already, please don't forget! You've got about two weeks left!

http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/2009/03/20/am-i-required-to-report-all-income-to-the-irs/

Creative Alternatives to Layoffs

As an alternative to laying off additional staff, many employers are requiring 1-2 week unpaid furloughs. Read more about the topic:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123542559566852689.html

I've heard of several local companies who are doing this. Although it's not ideal, it's a creative way to hang on to staff as long as possible. Most HR staff and managers do not want to lose their employees...

Urban League Clothing Drive This Week!

Please stop by to drop off your unwanted (but clean and in good repair) business attire to the Urban League county office at 8960 Jennings Station Road on the following dates:

Monday, March 30th, 2009 – Friday, April 3rd, 2009 (8:30a – 5:00p)
Tuesday & Thursday (our office is open until 7:00p)
Saturday, April 4th, 2009 (10:00am – 1:00pm)

Pass It On!!!

For more information, contact Hollis Whitinig- (314) 388-9840 ext 106.

Twitter netiquette

Heard a great story on NPR the other day about the "Cisco Fatty". MSNBC featured her again today. Please watch and (hopefully!) learn from this gal's mistake!



Please don't let this deter you from using networking sites like Twitter- it's actually kind of an important job tool. Just remember to watch what you say when the world is watching! That goes for anything verbal or in writing.

Funny Commercial

After such a heavy day of blogging and Twitting about the unemployment rate, this was some much needed comic relief!

Don't try this at home!

Networking "Just Right"

A big buzzword right now is "networking". The concept isn't a new one, but in the midst of all the recent layoffs, job seekers are being told that they need to "network, network, network" to get a job. And it's absolutely true! Unfortunately, many don't know how to network properly. In the Goldilocks story, it took her a few tries to get it "just right", as it does with many job seekers.

One of the biggest mistakes is to connect with the wrong people and expect too much- we'll call the people who do this Papa Bears. The first group of people you should connect with are your peers, including former co-workers and vendors with whom you've worked with in the past. Then, if you can, reach out to people a step above them- supervisors, business managers or possibly a VP (if the person has time!). Papa Bears start right at the top and expect to connect to the Company Presidents or CEO's. Or they try and connect with people they don't know, assuming that the person will take the time to figure out who they are.

Papa Bears also have a tendency to overburden their networks. It's not OK to expect a recruiter to spend 30 minutes of unscheduled time on the phone, discussing your qualifications or resume ideas...for the second time. Nor is it acceptable to email a contact every other day to see if they have any job leads or additional people for you to contact. Recently, I had a job seeker tell me that she wouldn't take "no" for an answer when her request for an informational interview was refused...not OK!

On the other hand, we have the seekers who are too hesitant to ask for help- we'll call them the Mama Bears. For Mama Bears, the notion of picking up the phone or emailing their resume to a colleague is just too much, as they fear they will be "bothering" others. As long as the feeling is mutual, there's nothing wrong with contacting people you know and respect and let them know you're looking for a job. Ask if they know anyone at ABC Company, where you are trying to land a job. Make a list and keep track of whom you contact (and how it results!) is an organized way of managing your search.

Mama Bears are the same people who assume that if they apply for enough jobs online, someone will contact them. Unfortunately, this is not the case in today's market. Mama Bears need to learn that getting out of the house and meeting new people is more likely to lead to a job than crossing your fingers with the hopes that a hiring manager or recruiter will call.

It takes time and practice to learn the ways of the Goldilocks, who gets it "just right". By no means are we suggesting that you break into someone's house and steal their food or try out their furniture! Rather, it is suggested that you test out both ends of the spectrum and see what works for you to find that "happy medium" between aggressive and a pushover.

At SSI, we are offering Outplacement assistance to our applicants- one of the topics we cover is networking. We coach people on how to do this, the right way. If you feel this is an issue that you require assistance, contact SSI and we'll see what we can do!

Some articles of interest on this topic:

http://web.mit.edu/career/www/workshops/networking/etiquette.html



http://hotjobs.yahoo.com/networking/Will_Social_Networking_Get_You_a_Job__20060911-082016.html?subtopic=Networking+Tips



http://kevin.lexblog.com/2008/08/articles/social-networking-1/social-networking-etiquette-connect-like-you-mean-it/

Nice note from a Former Applicant

We received an email from a former applicant yesterday, with a very nice compliment:

"I will definitely pass the word about Staffing Solutions. You guys are the best staffing company I have ever worked with!"

In times like this, it's nice to know that our services are appreciated!

A Retiree Returns to Work

Watch this interesting video from the Wall Street Journal online. The Baby Boomers may be retiring, but many are finding themselves going back to work...which is often good thing!

Come to the fair prepared

Attended the Saint Louis Community College - Meramec job fair yesterday. All in all, there were some great candidates there (and the weather was amazing!). But a few seekers stuck out in my mind...and I thought it best to remind people of how to prepare for a job fair.

1. Do some research. Find out what companies are attending and learn about them in advance. The more you know, the more you’re able to converse with the company rep.

2. Deliver key messages quickly. Recruiters don’t have a lot of time to spend one-on-one, so be prepared. When asked what kinds of positions you’re seeking, have a succinct answer. Be able to sum up your education/work experience in a few sentences.

3. Plan some questions. Always go into an interview (or a situation that could lead to an interview) with questions ready to go. Ask the recruiter about his/her experiences at the company, inquire about skill or qualities that the company is seeking or about the hiring process.
4. Get the representative’s business card. If your conversation with the company representative goes well, get his/her card and follow up with a thank-you email. Even if s/he doesn’t remember you at first, extending such an effort makes a lasting impression.

5. Take advantage of the obvious. Some recruiters bring copies of current job postings, while other companies will have a newsletter at their booth. Find out as much as you can about the organization for future reference.

6. Dress appropriately. Dress like you are going on an interview for the job you are seeking. I saw a guy yesterday wearing a "Scarface" t-shirt, headphones and tinted glasses. Not sure what job he was looking for, but he can rest assured that Staffing Solutions won't be calling.

7. Be organized. Bring plenty of resumes with you. Keep it in a nice folder so you don’t stain or wrinkle them. Have some paper and make notes of each representative you meet.

8. Be Polite. Smile and shake hands when meeting a representative. You would be surprised at all of the seekers who walk by a representative's booth, look at their information on the table and don't acknowledge the person standing there! At the very least, smile and say, "hello".

FREE resume copies at Fedex/Kinko's

With the employment crisis being what it is, FedEx/Kinko's wants to help...

For TUESDAY, MARCH 10 ONLY, you can take your RESUME to ANY AREA FEDEX/KINKO Store and have up to 20 Resumes copied for FREE.

One of our clients called to verify and apparently, it's true. Please pass along.

College Hiring Down 22 Percent

In a recent panel discussion for the Missouri Career Center, many job seekers were afraid that companies might discriminate against them due to their age (most were from the Baby Boomer generation). Unfortunately, it seems like the current job market is affecting all age groups, including Gen Y-ers.
http://www.collegerecruiter.com/weblog/2009/03/college_hiring_2.php