By: Emily Co
A good reason to seriously consider enrolling your kids in preschool: it seems that the skills that help workers gain better job opportunities are learned in preschool, according to economist James Heckman.
Heckman found in his study that employee training programs for unskilled youth in their early 20s don’t make an impact on job prospects, and in some cases are detrimental to the worker’s quest to find a job.This is because the students are missing the abilities learned in preschool that are needed to learn new things, which Heckman terms “soft skills.” These include the ability to “pay attention and focus, being curious and open to new experiences, and being able to control your temper and not get frustrated.”
In fact, the Perry Preschool Project has data to support Heckman’s theory. In that study, researchers followed a number of subjects whom them placed in two groups — one that went to preschool two hours a day, for five days a week, and another that led normal lives without enrolling in preschool. When they followed up with the participants about 20 years later, they found that the boys who went to preschool earned 50 percent more than those who didn’t. The girls who went to preschool were 50 percent more likely to have a savings account versus the girls who didn’t.
NPR says:
If [the kids] learn these skills now, they’ll have them for the rest of their lives. But research shows that if they don’t learn them now, it becomes harder and harder as they get older. By the time the time they’re in a job training program in their twenties, it’s often too late.
Heckman is an economist so he thinks about this as a cost-benefit analysis. To him, the message is clear: If you want 21 year-olds to have jobs, the best time to train them is in the first few years of life.
By: Laura Smith-Proulx
Considering contacting a recruiter to find out about executive or leadership jobs in your field? Many job hunters assume forging connections with recruiters will put them closer to lucrative, high-level positions that aren’t otherwise advertised.
However, a successful recruiter-job seeker relationship doesn’t just happen. It’s important to understand the relationship among all involved parties (the recruiter, company, and you), get your resume in top shape, and to be ready to deal with potential objections.
These tips will help you prepare to work effectively with a recruiter—with better results from the relationship and a faster outcome for your job search:
1. Recruiters often source candidates that have been there, done that.
Career professionals and executives that have followed a straight-line, traditional career trajectory (and very few job changes) are the best candidates for working with a recruiter.
The reason? Recruiters are hired by companies to identify talent among leaders who can demonstrate commitment to a specific type of career or skill set, with steady advancement toward a senior-level role in their particular field.
2. A recruiter’s mission is to focus on the needs of their client companies.
What many job hunters fail to grasp is that recruiter job orders often contain specific detail on the background, education, career history, and competencies of the ideal candidate.
Depending upon the recruiter’s relationship with their clients, they may not be able to convince the company to take a chance on your background—especially if it’s not in line with these requirements.
A recruiter must not only be comfortable with the strength of your credentials, but confident that you represent a true personality and leadership fit within their client companies. After all, the recruiter’s professional reputation is riding on their ability to supply the all-around perfect candidate.
3. Your resume must be ready for presentation to their clients.
Too often, job seekers dash off a resume to recruiters that undercuts their abilities—making it difficult for the recruiter to promote the job hunter as a viable candidate.
If your leadership resume hasn’t had a review from colleagues or a resume professional, it can be worth your time to request a critique or suggestions. Some recruiters even refer their clients to career coaches that can elicit a strong brand message on the resume.
Others can often see qualities in your background that you’re too close to realize, and their recommendations can make the difference in the response you receive from a recruiter.
As a job hunting method, working with recruiters can be very effective, but only if you go in with an awareness of your role, fitness as a candidate, and realistic expectations.
By: Cindy Hazen
TIP 1 – CLARIFY THE ISSUE
Ask probing questions until you have a clear understanding of the problem
TIP 2 – ASK FOR THEIR SOLUTION
Often the solution is LESS than you would be willing to offer
TIP 3 – REALIZE IT CAN’T ALWAYS BE WIN/WIN
Look at the long-term value of your clients. There are times when you have to currently “lose” to “win” long term.
TIP 4 – DON’T JUST SOLVE – THRILL
Your solution should thrill your client.
Older americans are part of the strong fabric of the workplace. They bring longevity, experience and wisdom. It’s a remarkable experience to see multi-generations working in teams and side-by-side.
Each generation brings their own work history and involvement to the workplace. All generations are part of the great experience of the workplace, each with defining characteristic and at least one nickname. Potentially five generations will participate in the workforce together.
All successful workforce teams must have the common thread of treating one another with great respect and dignity.
The older employee often faces challenges when job searching later in life. The over 50 job seeker can be overlooked by the employer. Traditionally, much younger candidates are often offered the employment opportunity.
Employers have expressed concerns regarding hiring someone from the older generation. Age can be considered a liability. The employer may be concerned about the potential of longevity of the older employer, wondering how long they will really commit to the job. The employer may be concerned about the physical requirements of the job and how well the older employee may fair. The employer may also be concerned about the older employee and the cost and potential toll on a health insurance policy and the premiums for the company.
On the very positive side — older workers typically bring great work history and a very strong work ethic. They bring value and character with them to the new employer.
The older workforce often needs much less training when it comes to learning the culture of the new workplace. The older employee has a budget, knows they need a paycheck and they get to work each day, arriving on time and doing what is expected of them.
The older employee offers a unique stability to the team, as they are often not interested in job hopping, but are ready for commitment. They are a great asset, loyal and generally satisfied with where they are in life.
The older applicant should focus on the positive and be prepared to face some potential challenges in the job search. There are no insurmountable challenges.
For starters, consider an update to everything when it comes to the job search. Update your resume. Your resume should not show every job over the last 40 years. Use a resume format that organizes your skills, experience, abilities and education versus listing specifics and details of decades of employment. Never include your age, date of birth, or dates related to your education. Use your resume as your tool to sell yourself and to be invited to an interview. Don’t allow the resume to eliminate you.
Once you are invited to the interview, forget your actual age. Focus on a professional demeanor. Present yourself in an updated manner. Confidently let the employer know that you are extremely valuable as a potential employee. Present yourself as a viable candidate; demonstrate your appeal and your desirable contributions. Update your wardrobe for interviewing. Update your hair color and style. If you want to be a serious contender, competing with generations of candidates, you’ll need to show the employer you are older, but still have a lot to offer. Do not focus on anything you cannot change.
By: Kathryn Harris
from: Articlebase
Sales is a vital part of any company’s endeavors to promote a product. No matter the product or service offered by a company, it needs to sell for the success of the company. Thus, salespersons are the backbone of the company and thus play one of the most important roles in the running of the company. Sales jobs extend over all sectors and industries. Without a salesperson doing what is required to sell the product, it is difficult for the company to be successful. That is the reason that a good salesperson is an asset to the employer. A good salesperson has a few qualities and characteristics that enable him to be good at what he does. Powers of persuasion are an important trait in this regard in addition to many others. While there is no quick formula that tells how to be good at sales jobs there are a few tricks of the trade that can be applied in order to achieve the best sales of your products. The pysche of customers is very important when you are trying to sell them something and thus needs to be taken into account.
There are several areas of sales. Among these, one of the most in-demand sales jobs is the medical sales job. This is an exciting and rewarding field that translates into good money and respectability. The health care sector is a fascinating field of work and thus invites those who really want to make a difference. This involves medical device sales, laboratory sales, imaging sales and biotech sales. With the correct background one can really excel at such a sales job. In this area a bit of expertise is required and one needs to have some background knowledge about what one is selling.
Another lucrative option is a software sales job. Software is a hot area right now, and software devices are much in demand.
When you are entering into sales you will get an entry level sales job. This may be slightly challenging in the beginning as the area of work will be new to you. However the trick is to persevere and improve your technique as this will make your life easier and promote you to a better sales job.
Sales management is another thing that one should keep in mind. In a sales job, it is very important to plan ahead and set goals for yourself that are both achievable and challenging at the same time. This will help you realize your true potential and help you excel at your job.
Sales can help make or break a company. Thus your passion about your product will be reflected on your client and spell a better deal for the company. Conviction and persistence goes a long way in securing the best deals to make your company successful.
Sales is a vital part of any company’s endeavors to promote a product. No matter the product or service offered by a company, it needs to sell for the success of the company whose brainchild the product is. Thus salespersons are the backbone of the company and thus play one of the most important roles in the running of the company. Sales jobs extend over all sectors and industries. Without a salesperson doing what is required to sell the product, it is difficult for the company to be successful. That is the reason that a good salesperson is an asset to the employer. A good salesperson has a few quality and characteristics that enable him to be good at what he does. Powers of persuasion are an important trait in this regard in addition to many others. While there is no quick formula that tells how to be good at sales jobs there are a few tricks of the trade that can be applied in order to achieve the best sales of your products. The pysche of customers is very important when you are trying to sell them something and thus needs to be taken into account.
There are several areas of sales. Among these, one of the most in-demand sales jobs is the medical sales job. This is an exciting and rewarding field that translates into good money and respectability. The health care sector is a fascinating field of work and thus invites those who really want to make a difference. This involves medical device sales, laboratory sales, imaging sales and biotech sales. With the correct background one can really excel at such a sales job. In this area a bit of expertise is required and one needs to have some background knowledge about what one is selling.
Another lucrative option is a software sales job. Software is a hot area right now, and software devices are much in demand. Thus if you are selling software related devices, you have little work to do as this anything software related is currently selling like hot cakes.
When you are entering into sales you will get an entry level sales job. This may be slightly challenging in the beginning as the area of work will be new to you. However the trick is to persevere and improve your technique as this will make your life easier and promote you to a better sales job.
Sales management is another thing that one should keep in mind. In a sales job, it is very important to plan ahead and set goals for yourself that are both achievable and challenging at the same time. This will help you realize your true potential and help you excel at your job.
Sales can help make or break a company. Thus your passion about your product will be reflected on your client and spell a better deal for the company. Conviction and persistence goes a long way in securing the best deals to make your company successful.