Overview
Overall labor market conditions deteriorated markedly in 2008 following the onset of the recession in December 2007. Although individuals in all race and ethnicity groups experienced labor market difficulties, labor market problems for blacks or African Americans and Hispanics or Latinos were especially acute in 2008. For example, in 2008, the unemployment rate was 10.1 percent for blacks and 7.6 percent for Hispanics. These figures were considerably higher than the unemployment rates for whites and Asians, at 5.2 percent and 4.0 percent, respectively.
The labor market difficulties of blacks and Hispanics are associated with many factors, not all of which are measurable. Some of these factors are their lower average levels of schooling; their tendency to be employed in occupations with high levels of unemployment; their greater concentration in the central cities of urban areas, where job opportunities may be relatively limited; and the likelihood that they experience discrimination in the workplace. These and other factors may make it especially difficult for some black and Hispanic workers to find or keep jobs as the overall demand for labor contracts during economic downturns.
Your Résumé
Many of us want a fast way to create a Résumé and we often think the easy way to do this is to find a Résumé and copy it. I've found this results in very weak Résumé because you need to market your unique set of skills and achievements ... that's why a Résumé that outlines your specific skills, qualifications and experience is so important. Having a solid and effective resume can greatly improve your chances of landing that dream job. Every Résumé is a one-of-a-kind marketing communication. It should be appropriate to your situation and do exactly what you want it to do.
With employers receiving hundreds of resumes you must make sure that your resume hooks an employer's attention within a 5-second glance. Employers make snap judgments when glancing at your Résumé. If they see unrelated job titles or skills the likelihood is very high that they will make an immediate assumption that you are not qualified for the job you want. Adding to this problem is the fact that employers don't have the time to read through each of your job descriptions to determine if you have the skills they need.
The design of your Résumé must highlight the most important information about your work experience, skills and education. At first glance this information forms the image that employers have of your skills and abilities. Résumé design should get attention but it's really the content of your resume, the descriptions you include of your skills and abilities, that determine how many interviews you generate. You will generate many more interviews by tweaking your Résumé and cover letter so that they address the specific skills each employer requests.
Another strategy that is extremely important in controlling the image that employers develop about you--is to use Power Words or verbs that match the level of position you want. Learning how to analyze the key words that employers provide in help wanted ads and job descriptions are a key element in creating powerful Résumé. In addition to the skills or needs listed by the employer, the employer will have many more needs that you should identify and address in your Résumé and cover letter.
Online Résumé - Cover Letter Preparation
• A Résumé is sometimes referred to as a “sales pitch.” How will you know if your “sales pitch” has done the job?
• What categories of information should you include in your Résumé?
• What format/style should you use to develop your Résumé?
Most people choose to state an objective on their Résumé, instead of including it in the body of their cover letter. The objective can help convince an employer that you know what you want to do and are familiar with the field. The objective on your Résumé is optional. An objective for your Résumé is not an option. As a job applicant you need to be clear about what your employment goals are. When you include an objective on your Résumé, it's important to customize the Résumé objective to match the position you are applying for. The more specific you are, the better chance you have of being considered for the job you are interested in. A good Résumé objective is one which is a powerful, strong and concise statement that can show the potential employer that you understand the needs of their business. It must show that you can bring added value to their business. The objective should relate the position that you are applying for, and it should try and persuade the employer into reading the rest of your Résumé in a positive light.
Although Résumé objective statements are a great way to draw the employer's eyes to your application, it may not always be the best way do to this. Using a Résumé objective in situations such as general applications in places like careers expositions or careers websites may not be the best idea. It also is not recommended to place objectives on Résumés when you are applying for several positions in the same organization at the same time.
It is also not recommended for people who have had several years of solid work experience on them as it does not highlight their skills to be the best of their advantage. A better way of improving your chances of getting a job when you have much experience is to have a profile at the top of your Résumé. A profile can include your best areas of expertise, your principal skills, your personal qualities and an outline of your career ambition. The profile has the same key idea behind it - to get the potential employer to look at your Résumé in a more positive light - but does it in a way to more benefit your skills and experience.
1. A Résumé is a brief account of one's professional or work experience and qualifications, often submitted with an employment application. A summary: a Résumé of the facts of the case.
2. Your Résumé is your valuable sales pitch. A Résumé is not just a list of accomplishments. It is your high-caliber selling agent, a sales pitch that will present you to your prospective employer. You need create a Résumé that works as your specialized marketing representative, presenting you to your future employer as the best possible, the obvious, choice. Keep in mind that a person is hiring you, so in this case, the first impression really is the last. Only those Résumés that catch the employer’s attention go onto step two—the job interview. When you get to the job interview, you know that your Résumé has done its job, now it’s up to you!
3. A Résumé has one purpose – to market your skills, achievements, professional background, academic history, and future potential to a prospective employer. Much like a 30-second commercial, today’s Résumé must provide maximum data as quickly as possible, differentiate you from all other candidates, and be attractively packaged.
4. You should give them both the same tips and ideas because whether your career is in a conservative industry such as banking, finance, and education, or a nontraditional sector such as entertainment and the arts, your Résumé should do and accomplish the following:
• Quickly capture the hiring manager’s attention;
• Detail the skills and qualifications you can bring to the job;
• Dovetail your past experience with the needs of the current position;
• Showcase accomplishments; and
• Provide relevant data.
INTERNET Employment Resources
The following are job and career sites on the Internet that you may find useful in your employment search. These are sites that we feel provide helpful information for job seekers and career advice for professionals.
(Click on the links below - Last updated 01-14-10)
• 4Jobs (Job Search - Post & Search Resumes)
• Alameda County Transit (AC Transit)(New!)
• Alameda County (California) Employment
• Association of Bay Area Governments - Jobs
• BaJobs (California - BayArea Job Site)
• BayArea Careers - (California (Bay Area))
• Bay Area Rapid Transit (B.A.R.T.)
• Best Jobs USA (Employment - All 50 States)
• Bio-Technology & Medical Positions
• Boeing Company (Aerospace, Chemical, Civil, Electrical, Manufacturing, Mechanical, Software, Systems engineering, or Computer Science)
• Burger King(New!)
• California Apprenticeship Program Information
• California Employment Development Department
• California Jobs ("Caljobs")
• California State Personnel Board
• Career.com (Job Search - Post & Search Resumes)
• Careerbabe (2005 Career & Resume Guide)
• Careerboard (Employment - Dallas, Ohio, Michigan, Kentucky, PA)
• Career Builder (Job Search - Post & Search Resumes)
• Career Magazine (Career Job Searching & Online Resume Posting)
• Career Mosiac (Online Job Searching & College Recruiting)
• Career Overview (Career and Job Search Resources Guide)
• Career Path (Career tests, Career advice & Resources)
• Career Services @ Virginia Tech (Resume formats and samples)
• Career Resource Center (Links to all states)
• Central Valley Jobs (Job listings for California's Northern San Joaquin Valley)
• College Graduate Employment Network
• Cool Works® (Seasonal job or career in nature environments)
• Dice (Hi-Tech employment)
• East Bay Works Career Site (California)
• Ed Join (California County Superintendents Educ. Svcs. Assoc. - Educ. Jobs.)
• Employment911 (Job search & Resume site)
• Employment.com (National Job Searching)
• Employment Guide (The online version of the Newspaper)
• Employment Security Commission of North Carolina (Employer Websites)
• Employment Security Commission of North Carolina (Jobs, U.I.B. Claims)
• Employment Spot (Jobs, Resume Posting & Employment Information)
• Employment Wizard (For resources and information on Employment)
• Federal Bureau of Investigations (F.B.I. - Employment Site)
• Federal Jobs (Official USA site)
• FedEx
• Google Jobs(New!)
• Intuit (Software Development)(New!)
• Job Assistance (Employment Assistance for the Disabled)
• Job Central (National Labor Exchange - All 50 States)
• Job Hunt (Private Industry Council (PIC) of San Luis Obispo County)
• Job Salary Information
• Law Careers (Employment in the Legal Profession)
• Marriot Hotels (Warning-->>>Click here)(New!)
• McDonald's (Management Opportunities)(New!)
• msn.Careers.com (Microsoft w/careerbuilders.com)
• Oregon Employment Department (The Oregon Employment Department)
• Rite-Aid
• Starbucks (Download Application)(New!)
• Student Jobs (Jobs for students with the United States Government)
• Sun Micro-Systems (Tech. Employment)
• Transportation Security Administration (Airports, etc.)
• True Careers (Job Search & Career Advice)
• United Parcel Service (On-line Application Center)
• Union Employment Positions (Organized Labor)
• United States Office of Personnel Management (Federal - Official USA Site)
• United States Postal Service Jobs
• Virginia Employment Commission (Employment in Virginia)
• Walgreens(New!)
• Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (On-line Hiring Center)
• Yahoo! Careers(New!)
More Sites will be added! Stay Tuned.
• Related Video Links (Click on the links below)
• How to Apply for a Job. - #1
• How to Find a Job Online. - #2
• How to make a Job Search Plan. - #3
• How to Network for a Job. - #4
• How to Optimize a Resume. - #5
• How to Promote Experiences in a Job Interview - #6
• How to get a Job on a Cruise Ship
• Related Employment Information Links (Click on the links below)
• 411 (Information)
• Avoiding Common Resume Mistakes
• Cal Jobs - Website
• DisabilityInfo (Info. for disabled employees or applicants)
• Federal Citizen Information Center (Employment Information)
• How to Get a Job with a Criminal Record
• Occupational Employment Statistics (OES)
• Practice Your Typing Skills
• Resume formats and samples
• United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (Job Discrimination Complaints)
• Related Informational Blog Links (Click on the links below)
Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)
Overview
The FLSA establishes minimum wage, overtime pay, recordkeeping, and youth employment standards affecting employees in the private sector and in Federal, State, and local governments. Covered nonexempt workers are entitled to a minimum wage of not less than $7.25 per hour effective July 24, 2009. Overtime pay at a rate not less than one and one-half times the regular rate of pay is required after 40 hours of work in a workweek.
FLSA Minimum Wage: The federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour effective July 24, 2009. Many states also have minimum wage laws. In cases where an employee is subject to both state and federal minimum wage laws, the employee is entitled to the higher minimum wage.
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