Off to the Black Sea!

On October 28, 2013, my wife and I are heading east to Athens to board the Pacific Princess cruising to the Black Sea.  Our ports of call include Volos, Greece, Yalta, Ukraine; Odessa, Ukraine; Constanta, Romania; Nessebar, Bulgaria; Istanbul, Turkey; Ljubljana (Koper), Slovenia; and Venice, Italy.

I am thinking that I may not be able to post weekly blogs; however, I plan to post some pictures on Facebook.  Please feel free to visit the site and leave your comments.

I remember my father-in-law always looked forward to his retirement when he could enjoy leisure time. Unfortunately, his time on the earth expired before he retired.

 

We are very fortunate to have the time and means to take such wonderful trips.  I encourage you working folks to set aside some extra funds so you can also make your senior moments memorable.

Please comment in this blog or email me at glynjordan@gmail.com your plans to enjoy your retirement days.

Thanks, Glyn

Those Bothersome Interview Questions

During an interview, you may wonder what answers the interviewer wants to hear from the ideal candidate.  I have found several websites that may be helpful for you to prepare for a job interview. 

Using Google, Bing or other search engines, you will find numerous sites with the following search argument: ‘interview questions and answers’.  However, many of these sites are trying to sell you on their program to improve your interview skills.  I have not purchased any of these programs so I do not know if they are effective. 

If you prepare for the interview by researching the organization and the position for which you are applying, the interviewer will be impressed by your interest in the position.  Further, I think that one approach in preparing for a job interview is to practice by having a friend conduct a mock interview with you. This approach should assist you in overcoming being nervous and tentative with your responses during the interview.

It is important to remember that your objective in any job interview is to get a job offer.  Your mission is to convince the interviewer that you are the best candidate for the job.  Subsequently, if you do not want the job, you can always turn any offer down.

Please comment in this blog or email me at glynjordan@gmail.com your suggestions for individual job interviews.   

Thanks, Glyn!

Getting a Job Without Experience

My wife and I have four grandchildren graduating from college this year so finding their first job is an imperative!  I think that we all either face or have faced this problem when we started out on our own.

I was an ROTC graduate so I immediately was employed by the US Army.  My wife graduated and obtained a teacher certificate so she became a substitute teacher at high schools.  We were fortunate because these initial jobs led to jobs requiring experience.

I suggest that you make a list of your target jobs and begin your job search.  There are many websites containing job ads.  In addition, career fairs, non-for-profit organizations seminars, state employment commissions, college placement services are potential sources of job leads.  I always recommend extensive use of networking with family, friends, and neighbors.

Most important, you must remember that finding a job is a full-time job and that you must maintain your energy level, and that you should avoid becoming discouraged.  The next contact you make may be the one that results in a job!   

Here are some websites that may provide leads to jobs that require little or no experience:

Companies that hire college graduates:

http://www.gradtogreat.com/tips_advice/article-companies_that_hire_college_grads.php

A Job Seeker’s Guide to Personal Branding

http://www.experience.com/entry-level-jobs/

Facebook reference:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/fbx/?set=a.10150119590439520.293495.92876024519

Please comment in this blog or email me at glynjordan@gmail.com your suggestions for individuals seeking employment who have little or no actual work experience.   

Thanks, Glyn!

How Much Should You Be Paid?

How would you answer the question ‘how much should you be paid’?   Typically the answer is ‘well it depends’.   My question is what does your pay depend on?

In my human resources class we discuss that an individual’s compensation is based on the job not the incumbent in the job.  The thinking is that a specific job is worth a given amount of money to the organization.  Organizations conduct job evaluations based on valid job descriptions to determine the relative worth of jobs within an organization.  Job descriptions typically contain the job duties, job responsibilities, and the knowledge, skills, and abilities required by a position.  The job holder should meet these requirements in order to be successful in the job.  

Based on this evaluation process and external wage surveys, pay ranges with jobs are established.    The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes The Occupational Outlook Handbook (http://www.bls.gov/ooh/) which provides many job descriptions and associated pay scales.

Please comment in this blog or email me at glynjordan@gmail.com if you know how much you should be paid and if you are in fact being paid accordingly.  

Thanks, Glyn!