We Could Be Number 1...

I know everyone is tired of seeing headlines like this that dominate local papers and websites everyday, but in Oregon, those headlines might not go away for a while. The unemployment numbers for March were released on Monday and they are not pretty. We may have the highest unemployment rate in the country when all is said and done. Michigan is the only other state that might beat us out for that distinction, but we won't know until Friday when their numbers are released. Washington state is also hurting right now as their numbers were released today. they are not as high but still higher than the national average. Though those numbers are a little troublesome, not everything is doom and gloom. Just take a look at this story, which shows us during times of crisis you need think on your feet and not always settle for the norm. However, we may not be out of the woods on the economic situation, but Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke seems to think that better times are ahead and the recession maybe slowing. Even Obama is optimistic, which he is going to be no matter the situation, but he still warns that this is far from over.

In other news highway 217 in west Portland is going to get another lane added which means that that the construction will create and sustain 490 jobs over the next two-and-a-half years. That is good news for those searching for construction jobs and for those who travel that way during the day. Also it was reported that gas prices are going to remain relatively low this summer. This is great news for those on a tight gas budget for commuting.

Lastly, for those who have jobs right now, here is what not to do to keep your job. I think most of us already know that anyways.

Portland Employment Guide April 13th - April 19th

Click on the image below to view a copy of this week's edition of The Employment Guide in Portland.

Tweet My Jobs And Other Northwest News

I am sure we have all seen various stories on who is Twittering these days. Well now you can even have jobs Tweeted to you. Twitter is basically a social network site that allows you to leave messages about what you are doing or what's going on. So, TweetMyJobs is great way to have jobs sent to you fast and electronically. Basically all you have to do is sign up and select the job channel you want, and you will start receiving jobs via text messages or by twitter. It is just as simple if you are a recruiter. All they would have to do is sign up, post the job to any of the job channels with a link to the job and TweetMyJobs will take care of the rest. Alot of the jobs that are being tweeted are coming over from Indeed.com, which helps to build volume as this website steadily grows. Even, I have tried twittering myself, but I am not that interesting compared to others that have twittered before me.

Portland might be receiving some good news on Tuesday, with the announcement that we could be 1 of 8 states to receive an electric car plant from the company Think North America. The Norwegian company has been scouting places to build car plants that could employ up to 900 people when all is said and done. The U.S. is quickly overtaking Europe as an attractive market for building electric vehicles. This could potentially re-invent the U.S. auto industry and help bring back some of the manufacturing jobs that have gone abroad.

Also, Portland Community College is having a job fair on May 5th at their Cascade Campus in north Portland. There is said to be over 40 employers on hand from AAA Oregon/Idaho to Willamette Dental.

So Portland, let us know if you receiving jobs via TweetMyJobs in the comments sections below. Let us know if they work out or if they are waste of time. Also, if you can not make the PCC job fair, remember that the Employment Guide is having theirs on June 4th at the downtown Hilton.

Portland Employment Guide April 6th - April 12th

Click on the image below to view a copy of this week's edition of The Employment Guide in Portland.

Ten Things A Recruiter Will Never Tell You

So today I came across this article that can be very helpful in today's job search. It is written by a former headhunter and executive recruiter, Deborah Walker. Here is her list of the top ten things a recruiter will never tell you:

1. Your cover letter put him off.

   You might have been thrilled to find just the right cover letter form in a book of cover letters or computer template. What you don’t realize is that a thousand other people have also found that cover letter—and the recruiter has seen them all. It makes your cover letter look like 150 other letters he has read that morning. And it makes you seem unoriginal, and not a good candidate.

   If your cover letter sounds like an exact repeat of your resume, or if it sounds pompous and self-absorbed, your cover letter and resume will be tossed or ignored. A professionally written cover letter can make the best of your accomplishments and give a fresh sound to recruiters, winning their interest.

2. Recruiters spend five to ten seconds looking at each resume.

   If your resume cannot get his attention in five to ten seconds, it will be passed over.

   In an extremely fast-paced environment, high-volume resume reading is required; recruiters are professionally trained to look for certain items. If your resume is not designed to contain what recruiters are looking for, you won’t get a second chance.

3. Your resume may be full of hidden or unsuspected red flags.

   You think you have a great resume, but there may be red flags you are not even aware of. Here are a few that cause concern for recruiters:

   • Too many jobs in a short time = Unstable candidate

   • Too many years at the same company/industry = Inflexible to change

   • Overqualified = Too expensive or won’t stay long

   • Underqualified = Long learning curve

   • Too many different types of jobs = Candidate doesn’t know what he wants

A professional resume and cover letter can avoid these misperceptions by guiding the recruiter toward your strongest accomplishments—and away from the red flags.

4. Your age is obvious from your resume.

   You may think you’ve fooled the recruiter by leaving out your college graduation date, but there are many resume cues that can betray your age. In today’s youth-oriented market, this can lead to a whole series of misconceptions:

   • Your industry knowledge is out of date

   • You don’t understand current technology

   • You won’t be able to work under younger managers

A well-written resume can prove your experience while downplaying your actual age.

5. Your resume indicates you are not a good "cultural fit" for his clients.

   Your resume reveals more about you than you know. Your personal information or extracurricular activities may actually make a negative impression on recruiters or potential employers. Even the way you phrase your job experience can prove that you don’t belong in his client’s workplace.

   This is one area where a strong resume, particularly one written by a professional with past recruiting expertise, can definitely win you the interview. A strong resume allows the recruiter to sell you to his clients with ease.

6. The recruiter’s first motivation is earning commissions.

   The recruiter’s loyalty is not to you; it is to the companies that pay his commission. Those employers are interested in the bottom line—and so is he. Don’t expect a recruiter to be personally interested in your career goals; he only wants to talk to you if you match the qualifications of the job openings he has to offer.

   It is up to YOU to make him understand what a great asset you would be to his clients—and therefore to him as well. A professionally written resume and cover letter will help display your quantifiable accomplishments and marketable skills to your best advantage.

7. He doesn’t care why the employer didn’t want you for a second interview.

   If the employer isn’t interested in you, then neither is the recruiter. Recruiters don’t feel any obligation to tell you why you didn’t make the cut; he has other jobs to fill and other candidates to fill them. As much as we’d like to think otherwise, recruiters have to focus on jobs that pay them, not on improving your interview techniques.

   It pays to work on your interviewing skills well before you get to that stage. A career coach can help you polish those skills. You can’t rely on the recruiter to do that for you.

8. He doesn’t care why the employer didn’t make you the offer.

   Recruiters don’t want to admit that they knew you were the second choice all along or that the employer was just interviewing you to go through the motions. Maybe the top candidate was even someone else he sent in.

   You have to be aware that you are in competition at all times—even with other job seekers your recruiter represents. As such, you have to be prepared to wow the recruiters and employers with a top-notch resume and cover letter, one that will win everyone’s attention, and hone the interview skills that will win you the offer.

9. He won’t tell you the real reason the position you want is on hold.

   Again, a recruiter’s first loyalty is to the companies that pay his commission. So he is not going to tell you that the employer just ordered a budget cut or that they are having a management crisis. And you will be left to wonder if the company put the job on hold to avoid hiring you.

   By honing your interview skills, you will be able to determine those hidden concerns and rely on your own judgment, not your recruiter’s.

10. He won’t tell you the true salary range for the position.

    For internal, corporate recruiters, it is in their best interest to keep the salary range low. It makes them look good if they can have a positive impact on the bottom line, and what better way to save thousands of dollars than by negotiating low?

    For third-party recruiters, their commission is often based on your salary, so they will try to inflate the salary range. This seems like it could work in your benefit—until you find yourself priced out of a job.

    You can avoid leaving dollars on the table and avoid pricing yourself out of a job only by learning negotiation skills that can earn you the salary you truly deserve.

So Portland, if found these tips to be helpful check out some more useful tips here. As always Portland you can always find other useful tips on the blog or at our home page. If anyone has anymore useful job searching tips please feel free to post them in the comment section below.

Portland Employment Guide March 30th - April 5th

Click on the image below to view a copy of this week's edition of The Employment Guide in Portland.

MLS Coming To Portland And Other Northwest News

In the last week, Portland received great news that it was going to land a new MLS expansion team. In 2011 the Portland Timbers will officially become Portland's second major sports franchise. The is great news for those who like sports and those who are looking to work in sports. Bringing a professional sports team to PGE Park will only increase the need for employment with concession stands and box office help. With the Timber's at PGE Park, the Portland Beaver's needed a new home and one of the deal makers on bringing the MLS to Portland was building a new stadium for the Beavers. This will also help with the unemployment issues with bringing in a construction crew to design and build a new stadium. It was also draw more businesses to the Rose Quarter area, which does not have nearly as many places to eat or drink like PGE Park.

In other good news, the FedEx Ground Plant near Troutdale is ahead of schedule in its developement which plans on being a hub for employment, commerical activity, and other spinoff developments. Being that it is the largest construction project in Multnomah County, it will provide lots of local jobs for local people. Also, C.E. John Co. Is ready to open their new riverfront office on the Columbia River. The building will only have one occupant and is looking for up to three more. This could be an ideal location for those looking to expand their business or start a new one. Even the Oregon Zoo is looking to hire for the summer. Those jobs maybe part time, but there are opportunities out there, even when times are tough.

With Seattle PI going web only last week, the Oregonian is gearing up for tough times. They are amidst an expense-reduction plan that will include pay cuts, furloughs, and lay offs for part time employees. This maybe a tough time to break into the journalism business with so many newspapers facing crisis. Even Intel, which is Oregon's largest employer is going through a challenging situation. They are trying to propose letting their employees trade their worthless stocks for fewer options at a lower price. If the shareholders approve, the company hopes to restore options incentive value at a time when it is freezing pay across the board, cutting jobs, and trimming other perks.

Want to see how Oregon spends federal stimulus dollars? Check this website out.