The Official Blog of Jobaloo.com

For the second year in a row, FastCompany.com has put out a list of the top 25 jobs for the coming year.

Here’s how they say they arrived at this list:

Just as we did last year, we set out in search of jobs that will be in high demand, offer excellent potential salaries, and typically require some level of higher education. Using data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, we started by narrowing the field to careers that would appeal most to Fast Company readers–business and professional occupations or those in creative fields. Then, to find positions increasingly in demand, we used projected job-growth data through 2014 and ranked the occupations to find those with the greatest growth. That ranking accounted for 40% of our final score.

Compensation is always a consideration, so next we examined government data on salary levels and again looked at the difference between the 90th percentile earnings and 10th percentile earnings for each job–an indication of the opportunities for profitable growth and advancement. That ranking also made up 40% of our final score.

Finally, because we still believe that a great job requires significant investment in education, we ranked occupations by the percentage of workers in those jobs that hold a college degree or higher. This accounted for the final 20% of our score.

Top Jobs 2006 List

* Lawyer
* Personal financial advisor
* Sales manager
* Management analyst
* Computer and information systems manager
* Financial manager
* Securities, commodities, and financial services sales agent
* Marketing manager
* Computer software engineer
* Chiropractor
* Postsecondary education administrator
* Medical scientist
* Market research analyst
* Dentist
* Medical and health services manager
* Producers and directors
* Financial analyst
* Wholesale and manufacturing sales representative
* Engineering manager
* Advertising and promotions manager
* Compensation and benefits manager
* Clinical, counseling, and school psychologist
* Real estate sales agent
* Training and development manager
* Public relations manager

The list is also available as a slide show presentation.

This seems to be a common topic here at Jobaloo. Things you just don’t want to do while in the course of your job search. Some points are repeated, some are new. This article from Forbes.com opens up with three paragraphs from what the author calls one of the worst cover letters ever, in which the candidate compares her selling prowess to her days as a high school cheerleader.

They then move onto a slideshow presentation with 10 Catastrophic Job Hunting Flubs.

Don’t Dress Like A Slob

Don’t Tell Jokes

I’m somewhat underwhelmed by this list. Don’t most of those things fall under the “Duh” category? I would sincerely hope that any potential job candidate would have enough common sense to avoid the items on that list.

Or so you would think.

I’ve seen guys show up for a technical job interview in a bowling shirt, I’ve heard them trash their current employer, I’ve seen all types of typos on letters, resumes and emails. College Football coaches seem to be prone to misrepresenting themselves on their resumes.

The “Other Offers” item is one I hadn’t thought of, but again…why and how would you give out that information. “Hey, you know, I’m in demand, I’ve got an offer out there already, so you’d better move quick and make me an offer or I’m going to be gone…”. It again seems common sense that you wouldn’t take this tack.

Telling jokes might be one area where people should be cautious. Sometimes people might be tempted to crack a joke as an attempt to break the ice, or even to relax themselves. Probably not the best move, as you never know what level the other person’s sense of humor is at.

Yeah, I’ve done it.

I was trying to think of my biggest “whoops” in an interview. I can only think of one moment that I wish I had back. I was interviewing with a hospital for a position for which part of the responsibilities included being a backup for the analog phone system. VOIP was growing in popularity at the time, and was/is considered the future of business phones. I was in a group interview, there were five people firing questions at me, and one person asked my opinion of working with analog phones.

I tried to answer the question with a little humor, (Broke that last rule above) by saying that those types of phone systems were a dying breed/industry and that if I had to work with them, it probably wouldn’t be for all that long. There was a little silence in the room, and then someone mentioned that the person who had asked the question was the person who handled all the full time telephone responsibilities for the hospital. (She apparently didn’t think analog phones were a dying industry.) It was awkward for a moment there, and I knew right then and there I had no chance.

I was correct in knowing my chances were fried, of course. But the lesson was stark. You can’t let your guard down, even for a moment. You’ve got to approach each question…each minute…of the interview seriously and professionally.

So you’ve gone through the job search process and have been offered a great job with more money. The time comes to tell your current employer that you will be leaving them. You’re a bit surprised when, after handing in your notice, the boss pulls you aside and asks to speak with you. He tells you that your leaving will be a big blow to the department. He then informs you that the company would like to propose a counteroffer to the offer you received from the outside company. They’re going to match the salary…or perhaps even give you a bit more!

What do you do?

I came across a great article from a computer gaming industry website (Gamasutra.com) on the topic of counteroffers.

This is a topic that generates a lot of discussion, but seems to have a very consistent, simple answer.

NEVER ACCEPT A COUNTEROFFER.

At least that is the gist of every article I’ve read on the subject. Some good snippets from this piece:

It gave you a nice ego boost to get a counteroffer, didn’t it? But think about it — if you are so valuable to your company, why did you have to quit before your employer made you feel wanted? Why did he wait until the eleventh hour to give you that raise you’d requested?

Because the move is purely defensive. Counteroffers aren’t about what’s best for you; they’re about what’s best for the company. Counteroffers are made by employers so they, not you, can be in control of the transition timetable.

Think about what happens when an employee gives two weeks’ notice. Suddenly it’s crunch time for your boss who needs to fill your shoes post-haste. You think he’s going to be able to find somebody of your caliber in two weeks? Hah! So rather than get himself in a bind, he’d rather string you along, letting you continue your work while he takes his sweet time reviewing resumes and interviewing candidates, many of whom would gladly step into your shoes in an instant at a lower salary. The wheels are in motion to replace you and you don’t even know it. The moment they find that special someone, well, don’t let the door hit you in the tush on the way out.

They go on note that if you do accept the counteroffer, you’ll likely be regarded by your boss and others around the office as disloyal and viewed with suspicion. In addition, it is urged to never use a job offer as a negotiating tool. It can only backfire on you, as no one wants to negotiate with a gun to their head.

There is also a very good description on the three phases your boss is likely to go through after you give your notice. It’s better to try to avoid the counteroffer discussion in the first place.

Leaving your job for another is always a dicey event. When should you give notice? For how long?

The article actually suggests cleaning up your desk before handing in your resignation, even if you intend to stick around for two weeks. More and more these days, when an employee gives their notice, companies are escorting them out immediately, rather than allowing them to hang around be a potential risk for that time.

This happened to one of our Jobaloo founders. She was courted by a company and ended up accepting the offer. She then gave two weeks notice to her employer. An hour later the manager came over and told her to clean out her desk and hand over her key. She ended up losing out on two weeks of pay. On the other hand, I’ve had good experiences with giving an employer a full two weeks notice, and things worked out very well. It’s hard to tell. Just try to be prepared for the former experience.

The article is well worth a look and has many addition tips that were not noted here.

Some other articles on counteroffers:

Beware of Counteroffers (National Business Employment Weekly)

Should You Accept a Counteroffer? (Penn Live)

Accepting a Counteroffer Can Be the Road to Ruin (Career Journal)

Weigh these factors before you accept a counteroffer. (Tech Republic)

The following excerpts are from an MSNBC interview with Doug Hardy, who is the former editor-in-chief of Monster.com. He relays some of his tips for getting that job that you’ve always wanted. Here are some highlights:

CARLSON: But how do you, know about the job you’re hoping to get. But how can you prepare for the inevitable dippy question every employer asks, what are your weaknesses? I mean, you shouldn’t tell the truth, should you?

HARDY: Well, I think there’s a way to talk about your weaknesses that shows you really know yourself. And it’s not that usual old answer about, “Well, I work too hard,” or something like that.

CARLSON: I’m just too kind, too compassionate.

HARDY: Exactly. What you really need to do is to show that you’re aware that there are places you can grow. And also, you can show in the past when you’ve had maybe a shortcoming, something you didn’t know about and found out.. But you can tell how you learn something, how you caught up quickly, how you know something better.

A little later the question of what the best cover letter that Hardy had ever seen was raised. His response:

HARDY: The best cover letter I’ve ever seen. I think it’s a kind of letter that poses a real high-interest issue for the employer. So you start by saying, “My friend, Bob, who you know, said you’ve got a real problem with customer service. And I should know, because I use your products, and your customer service stinks. However, I think I can help, and here’s how.”

He goes on a little bit to say that it is all about making a personal connection in the cover letter. Then, towards the end, he is asked about a favorite topic here at Jobaloo.com. What should you not do on a job interview…

HARDY: Well, you shouldn’t show up with all your body metal. I mean, keep it to two or three piercings, OK?

HARDY: And I think, if you want to discuss your criminal record, maybe save that for your second or your third interview.

Good plan. Keep the metal to a minimum.

In other news, we got our first bit of recognition and publicity yesterday, as the very fine BostonWorks.com Job blog gave us a little plug:

The other jobs site is jobaloo, which brings a more bare-bones approach to the career space. It simply provides Google links on the home page and populates the site with job listings from Indeed and career-themed articles from around the Web. It’s a pretty easy formula, and it just might work.

Thanks for the mention!

Having a bad day in your job search?

You mistake the CEO for a secretary.

You walk into an important meeting with your blouse and skirt tucked into your pantyhose, your rear end on display.

You deliver a powerful presentation at a business conference — and promptly fall off the stage.

Classic work blunders. The kind that make you legendary among your co-workers. The kind that make you cringe with embarrassment.

Don’t fret. A recent survey of 150 senior executives at Fortune 1000 companies found that workplace gaffes happen to even the most polished executives.

Making a presentation with one’s zipper open, addressing the CEO by the wrong name and even falling asleep during a meeting were among the responses received by search firm OfficeTeam when it asked the executives to share their most embarrassing moments at work.

Read the rest of this article, which appeared in the Hamilton Spectator, and was written by Naomi Powell.

One of the other items in there, which should be added to our “What not to do” list is…Don’t bring your mom to the job interview.

From an article by Scott Reeves on Forbes.com.

Partway through the very good article, there is a link to a slideshow type presentation that lists out ten top job hunting tips from ten top recruiters. Here are the tips, with my own brief notes in parenthesis beside them.

Small Details (Prepare)

Corporate Culture (Know what to wear)

Kill the cell phone (File under: Sense, Common)

Breaking News (Check the news for the company the day of your interview)

Work Samples (Bring them)

First Impression (Spellcheck the resume)

Keep it Short (Resume & Cover letter max two pages each)

Play it straight (Don’t fudge it or dumb it down)

Be Memorable (But don’t wear the plaid pants)

Say Thanks (Your mom raised you right, didn’t she?)

We’re pleased to announce the launch of a new website and blog…Jobaloo. The purpose of this new site is to provide assistance to those who are searching for work, but find the huge websites out there to be confusing and difficult to navigate. We’re trying to meet your needs in a way that is going to be simple, easy and fun. Some of the features of our site:

We feature an integrated Indeed.com job search box on each page. Just type in your zipcode and a couple of descriptive words, and you’ll get specific results based on that information. It couldn’t be easier.

We’ve got plenty of articles and content to help you out with whatever phase you find yourself.

Career Choices and Decisions

Search Process

Networking

Interviewing

In addition, on the home page of Jobaloo.com, you’ll find the latest news articles regarding Job hunting, and on this Jobaloo Blog, we’ll look at articles more in depth, plus bring you tips, advice, answer questions related to job searches, resumes, cover letters and interviewing and also have a little fun while we’re at it.

Keep checking back, as we’re only just beginning with the site, and have a lot more to do in the coming weeks and months.

If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment, or to email us at admin-at-jobaloo.com.

Thinking about changing your life and career completely? Career Journal says you can do it five different ways. I’m a little skeptical on the painless part, however.

The ways they mention are: (Comments mine)

1. Build on functional skills.. (Ok, makes sense, take what you know and apply it to a different field. )

2. Return to school. (Good in theory and it does work IF you can do it. The financial and time considerations are more than some people can tackle. )

3. Start a parallel career. (The time thing is again a factor, but some can swing it. But keep quiet about it in your current workplace. As they mention, moonlighting isn’t always looked upon favorably.)

4. Make an internal move. (This might be the most practical. The company already knows you, might be comfortable letting you try something else. This is how I moved from customer service to the IT field at one of my old employers.)

5. Go cold turkey. (Yikes. Who has the money set aside to do this? Especially with no guarantees of finding another job…even in your old field if your plans don’t work and you have to go back to what you’re experienced at.)

Amy Lindgren, St. Paul Pioneer Press

Plenty of good tips in this article, which is broken down into three sections, “Pre-Job search”, “Job Search” and “Extra Credit”.

Here is what she has in the “Pre-Job Search” section. Go to the article to check out the other segments:

PRE-JOB SEARCH

• Review past jobs and duties to determine strengths and likes.

• Use the above list to identify potential new jobs.

• Review the local market to find 25 to 50 potential employers for above jobs.

• Begin researching employers; prioritize list according to most appealing places to work.

• Develop resume targeted to best of the above employers, highlighting relevant abilities, experience and training.

• If possible, develop a portfolio that illustrates highlights from past work; at minimum, gather positive performance reviews, letters of recommendation and other show-and-tell items.

• Identify people to serve as references; ask permission to use their names and contact information on a reference page.

• Talk with experts in targeted fields to determine if further training is advised.

• Review finances to determine bottom line for salary and hire date.

• Consider image update; buy interview outfit.

• Review current access to computer, printer and Internet systems. Update if necessary to remove barriers to efficiency.

• Review e-mail and phone systems. Do you have a way to receive messages? Are your outgoing message and e-mail address professional?

From CareerJournal.com, here are the six essentials you need when beginning your job search. The article goes on to flesh out each of these points, so it’s worth going to the article to check out the full content.

1. Write a resume.

2. Start Networking.

3. Search online.

4. Write a cover letter.

5. Prepare for an interview.

6. Sharpen your negotiating skills.