Portland Employment Guide May 18th - May 24th

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Job Recovery And Does Portland Have Enough Room To Accommodate Future Jobs?

More and more reports are coming out saying that layoffs are slowing down, but does that mean that more businesses are hiring? Things are still pretty touch and go for a lot of people, but that doesn't mean that things can't turn around. I also know that we see reports like this every summer when college kids get of school, and it has not changed much since I graduated. Hang in there and keep chasing down every lead. So with that said, here is a great check list to follow compliments of Spherion Career Blog, so that when businesses do start hiring again you will be ready:

- Make sure your resume is up to date and in order, listing your most recent experience and skills.

- Start making connections by networking and meeting professionals and peers in your line of work.

- Stay in touch with those from your last place of employment - they may be able to hire you back.

- Practice your interview skills and consider taking a couple of course to refresh or learn new skills.

- Get your interview clothes in order.

- Pound the pavement. Don't just rely on job boards and web sites, make personal visits to companies and visit job fairs that will surely become more and more frequent if the job market is turning around.

- Also, take a minute to make a plan of action. Outline the type of job you want and narrow in on industries or employers that most interest you.

Have you ever wondered if the Portland area has enough land to accommodate future jobs? Well Metro in Portland is trying to figure that out. They have estimated that there will be between 1.25 million and 1.7 million more jobs in Portland region by 2030. If all goes according to plan this will be great news for the region in the next 20 years, but the debate is whether or not they need to expand urban growth boundary. So there is a lot to discuss going forward on this issue.

So Portland, if you have any tips you would like to add about job recovery or the current issue that Metro is facing please feel free to leave your comments below.

Portland Employment Guide May 11th - May 17th

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So We Should Expect The Economy To Grow By The End Of 2009?

Well according to Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, we should start pulling out of the recession and start growing by the end of the year. This is excellent news if his prediction is right and we all know Oregon could use some good news! Though the growth may not start up again until the end of the year, it is just nice to hear some good news and not bad for a change. It will still take time to come back to strength once the recession is over and people should be patient and understand that even though it is difficult. Oregon received some good news that supports what Bernanke stated in that it is recovering but still three to six months away from righting the ship. There is a possibility of growth in the second half of the year, but it all hinges on the drop in the housing market. Just hang in there and good things will happen.

On a sad note, the Portland Lumberjax will no longer call Portland home after this season. This just goes to show you that the recession is still here for the time being when you have corporate sponsors in Portland not willing to spend money. This effects several people in that there are jobs lost in the front office all the way down to the concession stands and ushers. Hopefully the MLS will do better here.

Other big news in the Northwest is that Microsoft is having more layoffs. This is apart of the first major layoff in the companies history, which is troubling for those who live in the Seattle area.

Also, be aware of a new "WebHosting" scam that is going around when you are checking your emails. Many of you that are job hunting know that your email account can be very useful so make sure to open only email that you are expect from someone.

So Portland, with the summer months fast approaching and nicer weather just around the corner, here are some job hunting tips that you can use while on vacation. Also remember that the Employment Guide is having another job fair on June 4th. Please leave your comments below.

Portland Employmentguide May 4th - May 10th

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How Can I Find a Job Without a Degree?

So here was a question that was asked on the Spherion Career Blog. The job seeker asked how he could find a job without a degree and here is what Seymour, the columnist had to say.

You're not alone, and many would say that you're even in great company. Some
of today's top professionals didn't get their college degrees, including Bill
Gates and Oracle CEO Larry Ellison. You don't have to have a college education
(and a burden of student loans) to be successful and have a rewarding career.
Vocational training or an associate's degree may be needed, and all jobs will
require on-the-job training, but many of today's fastest growing and
recession-resistant careers don't require a four-year degree.

Here are some of the tips that he recommends using when job hunting:

Do a self-assessment.
Before you launch a new career, do a little research about different career options and also about yourself. Many of today's hottest non-degree positions include sales, education, law enforcement, construction, administration, transportation, and management. Think about who you are and what you like to do in your free time. Do you like to interact with people, or are you more technical? Are you great at organizing, or do you love working with your hands? Knowing your goals and being passionate about what you want will help you to land that first position in a new career.

Once you have a goal in mind, research the position and the industry.
When you have an idea of what you want to do and why, do a little more digging and find out what you would need to do to land a job in that field. What certificates, seminars, workshops, training, or even volunteer activities would boost your attractiveness as an applicant? Find out ways to start getting experience and knowledge that will help you get the job you want. Recent experience will be a great leg up as you start to apply.

Remember that personal qualities count.
Attitude is everything, and if you're great to work with and are clearly happy with what you're doing, people will want to hire you. Think about it--would you rather work with someone who dislikes their job, or with someone who is happy to be at work? Be dependable, positive and honest and you'll be the kind of person that anyone would want to hire.

Just remember that there are plenty of people out there that choose not to go to school and are very successful. Failure is not an option when times are hard, so make sure you set a goal and do everything you can to achieve it!

Also here is a story that shows sometimes "experience" is not everything. This story to me is very frustrating to hear and if anyone else is having similar difficulty finding work, I suggest trying WiserWorker.com. This is a website that assists mature workers in finding work.

So Portland, give us some feedback on those of you trying to find a job without a degree and what tips you can offer. Please feel free to leave your comments below.

Portland Employment Guide April 27th - May 3rd

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