15 posts tagged “employment”
Between 2 loads of washing and scrubbing up after the dog threw up not once, but twice on the carpet (thanks a lot!) I reworked that pesky resume and have it away for a look by another set of eyes. Nth time the charm? At least today feels a bit productive
The attached photo is for to show what you as an owner get into when the pet you have is a Golden Retriever.
In the past 2 weeks I've found three open positions, 2 of which are for European Auto manufacturers, with job descriptions right up my alley! Wasted no time in applying to all. For one of the auto manufacturers, I could not apply on line as a technical glitch on their website prevented me from answering one of the 'must' questions and submitting my application. Called and was told to send my stuff in by snail mail.
The other Euro OEM's ad was a couple of weeks ago and have heard nothing, which makes me a bit nervous.
The last was a heads up from Auto Gal about a post at the Japanese embassy, again pretty much up my alley job description wise. I looked at the announcement and saw the deadline was 7/27, but sent in my stuff anyway.
Kinda feel that if none of these works out I may as well forget about re-entering the professional work force and start flipping burgers.
Its finally gotten through his teenage head that if he wants more adult play toys, like a car, he's going to need a job, even if its only part-time.
He's not had much luck yet. He's applied to a couple of places, Blockbuster and Caribou Coffee and perhaps he'll get a nibble. He applied to the store where his mother works, but they turned him down. He asked me about Dick's Sporting Goods, i.e., 'Dad, is Dicks' a good place to work?'
Good question. Told him that when viewing things broadly, yes there are companies which are thought of as good employers, like his mother's employer, large international automobile manufacturer #1, and others. But, I told him, what really makes the difference is one's direct supervisor. One could be working for angels, but if your supervisor is a shit, just an empty suit, or outright hostile, your job will not be fun. So its not really a question of whether Dick's is good/bad, but pretty much a crap shoot as to who will supervise him and hold well/poorly the person does it.
Just to show how careful-how much salt one needs to take with customized job posting from Internet job boards.
Based on my resume, which includes staff management, corporate advocacy, negotiating, consensus-building, language skills, working in diverse corporate organizations, problem analysis/ solving reporting, this was among the posted offered to me
What's scary is that the computer parsing of my info says this is a fair match!
Buffer/Polisher
Beretta USA Corp. - Accokeek, MD (Average number of applicants)
(Fair Match)
Posted: 4/30/2009
Got this 'gem' in the e-mail. Have redacted some information to protect the guilty and added italics for emphasis.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Dear _______
- Have an interest in being your own boss and possess an entrepreneurial spirit?
- Enjoy working with a team, which has a proven success method for generating income even during difficult times?
- Like taking on new endeavors and have a passion for change?
- Have access to some capital to invest in your own future?
If you answered yes to these questions, we should talk. I came across a business opportunity; a white collar, business-to-business franchise with low overhead. Start-up capital is required, but it is in the $75,000 range. There are currently over 1,000 offices in 26 countries. This is not MLM. If you have been in management working for someone else, this may be the perfect time to leverage those business skills, take charge of your own professional destiny and invest in yourself.
Based upon your background and experience this opportunity should be of interest to you.
If this is of interest to you and you want to find out more about this opportunity, e-mail me at Please include your contact information with a telephone number when replying.
You owe it to yourself to determine if this type of change is the right opportunity for you. Let's spend 15 or 20 minutes speaking about this potentially very rewarding and interesting opportunity and see if it makes sense for you.
Kind Regards,
Executive Recruiter
P.S. I reached out to you specifically because I feel you may be qualified, but professionals know professionals. So if you know of anyone that may be qualified and open to making a move forward in their career, please feel free to forward this email to them
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
There may be a sucker born every minute, but I'm not one of them..
Just one of those things in life, which leads to a rant. One organization to which I had applied to sent me back a test of sorts, which is a good thing, as it shows you the applicant are under more than just causal consideration.
Worked on it and turn it around in a day. I was then contacted by the HR person and was told what I had submitted was very good and I was asked about compensation. I was asked about a salary figure that was more that my final salary at Large International Automobile Manufacturer #2, but less that my salary at Large International Manufacturer #1, and I said I could live with that. Ok, I was told and the next step would be that he (the HR person) would speak to the hiring manager and get back to me at the end of the week.
The end of the week came and went, and no word. Waited about another week and sent an e-mail thanking them first for contacting me and to simply ask whether I was still under consideration as a candidate.
That too was about a week ago and I've heard nothing. Now I do realize I was among many, many, who applied for this position, and having been on the hiring side, I also know it is impractical, and can be a problem (the applicant goes to EEOC and files a complaint about being discriminated against in hiring) to rely to all applicants. And yes, there are also distractions: meetings,conferemces, key people out on business, illnesses, etc. Here though, I simply asked whether I was still a candidate and a simple e-mail in return telling me 'Yes'/'No' was all I asked. Not given an answer is just plan discourteous, unprofessional, and rude and reflects badly on the organization.
And most important of all, the shoe may very well be on the other foot one day.
Got an e-mail from an organization I submitted by resume to; thought it was a "thanks but....,' note, but no. Seems I tickled their fancy a bit and attached was a document with 4 questions they would like me to expound on.
Wife sniffed at this, but I explained to her this is a good thing for it means you under serious consideration. So I have gotten off my butt intellectually, but am on it physically, to write out a draft response, finalize it this afternoon, and send it back for them to look at.
Just for the hell of it, I submitted my resume for a 'free', 'p[professional review. Should have known better. Got a call and e-mails from a company, who I was told has been in business since 1963, helping people like me and that, oh, there'd be a charge for their services.
That ran up lots of red flags. I was told that for a fee of $1,470 or so, my resume would be professionally reviewed and edited and that they'd then send out a broadcast mail to at least 100 of the hiring decision makers in my area.
Ok, first 'professionally reviewed' can mean anything. Anyone being paid to do this, regardless of qualifications or time to review it, is doing this 'professionally'. Second, sending out a broadcast mailing of 100 or so copies of my resume does not strike me as being close to those who do the hiring and its something I could do. Third, as I have said before, being on the other side of the hiring table, I think I can, and a good interviewer can, spot a canned resume a mile away -not good for the person seeking a job. Second a broadcast, e-mails may get a bite or two, but putting one in the position on the other side, getting an unsolicited resume isn't one to the better ways to get one's foot in the door.
So I politely declined, telling them I do not have the financial resources for this and I don't, but that's beside the point. Paying someone to find a job for you is not a smart thing to do.
The person hoping to snare me was quite persistent, more persistent than I've seen in the past from such firms, appealing to my business sense by telling me if my plan was a business plan and it was failing, what would I do? I would not throw good money after bad.
I need a job, but I am not that desperate to clutch at questionable straws.
Got a call from the mother of one of son's buddies, who works at a local hospital. Seems the hospital's charitable foundation is looking for a director for fundraising and would I be interested.
Hell, yes! While its quite a departure form my to-date career, one thing learned through this hiatus is assessing what are my core skills and looking at where I can apply them. Fundraising is an area where these skills come into play.
I had a disagreement with Pound Salt on how to present or package myself. His advice was to mention either in the cover letter or resume about my fund-raising experience and how I am well-connected. My fundraising experience is very limited and my connections? Well, hardy the stuff to boast about in a job interview, and thus to me there is a line, fine I'll admit about spinning one's qualifications and experience to a new job and just misrepresenting yourself.
But in any case the resume and cover letter are one their way and as I have many times in the past, will wait and see.
Its telling your son he can't have something he wants, not because its unsafe, unhealthy, or out of parental prerogative, but simply because we can't afford it now.
