Background Checks

Most large companies outsource background checks on potential employees. And sometimes the results are astounding. Did you ever get turned down for a job and ask for a copy of your background check? Sometimes the smallest errors can turn a 'you have the job' to 'we regret to inform you...' (alas, no job!)

I spoke to a job applicant a few days ago who had an unusual result to his background check. It seemed it had turned 'he' into a 'she' (or in this case, turned him into his wife.)

How did it happen? A simple error on the applicant's part. He used auto fill when he was filling out a job application at home. The problem? His wife had also been applying for jobs using the same computer and auto fill put her driver's license number into the application.

You would think if a company got back results where the applicants information had the same last name and same address they would presume this was an simple error. But they have so many applicants that the accuracy of your job application is your responsibility.

After he contacted the company's human resource department and the company who ran the background check to have it corrected, he eventually got the job. But only after a lot of angst. And in this economy who can take the chance on missing out on a job opportunity because they made a simple mistake?

So save yourself some anxiety and do everything you can to be sure your job application is filled in correctly. Double check any numbers, addresses, and verify your contacts. And please disable the auto fill option.

No Call Back After An Interview?

There are any number of reasons you might not be getting a call back after an interview, and some of them have nothing to do with you or the person who interviewed you and if they want to hire you.

My spouse, who until recently was one of the long term unemployed, recently applied for a job at XYZ Company (OK, OK, so it wasn't really XYZ Company, but keeping it confidential). He'd found a hot lead, the interview went well, the company liked him...and he was REJECTED!

Why? For a reason you might never suspect. No one would provide a reference for him. I don't mean a specific person, I mean the companies he worked for.

His old companies were just not answering when the company he interviewed with called for references. They were just ignoring phone calls. Or it had been more than five years since he worked there and after that amount of time they'd archived their previous employee files and would not even verify that he'd been an employee at their company.

Wow! Who would have thought? I mean he knew they all had policies of not giving references other than dates of employment but to not answer when a potential employer of a former employee called for a reference? Call me naïve, but yes, I thought they'd at least verify dates of employment.

So take the time to find someone who will write you a personal letter of reference from your old company. Or if you know someone at the company who has knowledge of your former employers and can verify where you worked even if they can't verify exact dates, be sure to provide the employer with their name, address, and current phone number and email address. Have you taken the tech route and posted your prior employers on LinkedIn? Have people write a recommendation on LinkedIn. It will remain there where employers can view it.

Provide a list of personal contacts who can verify where you have worked. It's not optimal, but in a pinch it just might be enough for the potential employer.

So just in case it's been awhile since you were employed, and especially if you worked for a company that went out of business or was taken over by another company, be sure to have a backup for your references. And good luck!

(Oh yes, in case you are interested, he got the job! One of his personal references who also happened to work for the company verified his employment.) That was a close call!

Top 10 Fun Jobs For Nerds Over 50--Or My Job Bucket List!

By the time you get to my age (a dreaded 58) you've probably had a lot of jobs or had one or two and wished you could change yours, just to try out something new. Since I've been the product of downsizing three times in the last ten years I've had a lot of time to think about what I'd like to do.

I thought long and hard about what my TOP 10 fun jobs would be--so if yours are different don't be surprised. But please feel free to add them to the 'Comment' section.  I love hearing from my readers!

Nancy's Top Ten Bucket List of 'Wishful Thinking' Jobs:

1. Book Reviewer-Yeah, I know I can do it for free on Amazon etc. but the idea of reading and getting paid for it makes my day.  I don't care what it is, I don't care if it's short, long or in between.  I don't care if it's a book, magazine or online, I read it all!
2. Continuity Editor-I don't even know if they have these for books but I HATE when I'm reading a book and all of a sudden the continuity is off! If someone was wearing a red tie at the beginning of the chapter one would think by the end he'd still be wearing the same color!
3. Antique Hunter-I don't want sell them you understand, I want to find what people are looking for so THEY can buy it.  I am a huge fan of spending OPM (other people's money), just ask my mom at Christmas time when she's looking for the best price for a present or a neat gift for someone, who does she call? That would be me! Or my art collector friends whose collections are full of the results of my hunting. I'm not a pro, but I love the hunt!
4. Antiquarian bookseller-I do love HUNTING for valuable, one of a kind or rare items, coupled with my love of books this job lures me like a siren!  Hunting for first editions or other rare books -- pure joy.  Am I an expert? By no means! As I said, this is a 'wishful thinking' list!
5. Venture Capitalist-I love the excitement of taking something small and making it grow and thrive! Or taking an already existing and taking it to the next level.  I want to be a SHARK on  Shark Tank!  OK, OK, I know I need cash to do that, but it's wishful thinking!
6. Fashion Designer-This one I admit is total pie in the sky. I have NO talent in that direction but I do love vintage clothes or historical costumes. So maybe what I really need is to be someone who does costume designs for historical re-enactments or movies.  Face it, how many people took one look at Bella's dress in Twilight and recognized it as a knock off of an old Yves St. Laurent? Yeah, I know, I'm a nerd!  An OLD nerd!
7. Leather Collector-sounds kinky huh? but no, it's really kind of boring.  At least as leather collecting goes. This one is mild, but an obsession! I could do it in my sleep! My Pinterest board is filled with shoes, handbags,gloves, coats, anything made from good leather. Why do I want to travel? To go to countries where they have fabulous leather shoes and gloves etc. Shoes I fall in love with. Shoes I can't afford. Shoes that don't fit my lifestyle but oh how I love them all. High heels, flats, medium heels or even sandals or sneakers. I love shoes. I'm a mini-Imelda Marcos. And don't get me started on handbags.or gloves, or coats, or vests, yes if it's leather I want it. And a job that revolved around leather...please.... (well not a kinky one ...)
8. I want to decide what to sell on QVC.  OK.  Yeah.  I know.  I can hear you going... QVC?  Is she nuts? I admit, I do not shop on QVC.  But I love seeing what you can sell on QVC.  Or with a good infomercial!  Talking someone into buying something they don't really need or want... fun!
9. I want to be Ellen DeGeneris' personal assistant. Fact is, I LIKE Ellen. I don't just like her show. She's one fun lady! Anyone who starts her TV show off by dancing--you can't help but like her. I think it would be a kick to work for her. (yeah, I know, I live in Philadelphia, I guess Ellen will just have to move here huh?)
10. Last but not least? I want to be Dr. Seuss! OK, I know, hard to do. He's like...uh dead. That part I'm not interested in. But he was a one of a kind act. But I want to be an adult who maintains their sense of whimsy, their childlike wonder and outlook on the world. Dr. Seuss did that in spades.

What's on your bucket list of wishful thinking jobs? Leave me comments and let me know. Oh and if you're Ellen... I'm available! For you I would desert my blogging!

Have You Considered Temping?

I  know, a lot of us have been out of work for a long time. Some of us have had part time jobs but all of us are hunting for that elusive full time job that will give us benefits! I never appreciated my health benefits so much until I didn't have them! So where to look for work?

If you live in Delaware County, try Monarch, and temp agency in Springfield PA.  The women who run it are great about placing you and the great thing about temping... it can evolve into a full time job.  There are plenty of other agencies out there, just not ones I have personal experience with. It will also depend on your skill set, some are in bigger demand than others.


What does a temp job give you? Current work experience and a new reference! Golden in this age of long term unemployment! So give it a try!


Need to brush up on job skills? Why not head out to Delaware County Community College?  They offer regular classes for credit but also have adult education classes too. Don't leave any stone unturned, sometimes you need to update your skills in order to be more marketable! Happy Hunting!

Elevator Speeches and Employment

I was job hunting (OK, I admit it, I'm one of those people who are always 'looking' even when I don't want to change my job. I'm just...curious what is out there.) But in the course of reviewing a job possibility I came across this info from the Rapid Learning Institute. And of course, as a blogger, I head right to their blog where I found a post by Michael Boyette titled "375-year-old Sales Wisdom.

Their first set of 'must do's' have to do with prospecting. And like any good miner you should always be 'prospecting' and seeing what's out there. If you'd been prospecting before you last job loss you'd already have had your LinkedIn profile set up, you'd have been actively networking, your resume would be up to date (and you'd always carry a copy in your car). You'd be out there connecting with people, because you just never know when that person will go from 'not very important' to 'becoming your new best friend or job contact.'

Prospecting

• In times of prosperity, prepare for adversity.
• Have the gift of discovery.
• Put yourself in the center of things.
• Do – and be seen doing.
• Distinguish people of words from people of deeds.
• Never contend with someone who has nothing to lose.

Then they talk about 'making the sale.' What too many people who are interviewing for jobs fail to realize is you are 'the product' and you are always 'selling  yourself.'  Some of their excellent points fit very well for job hunters or salesmen alike.

You want to make that sale so keep the expectation alive. Know your worth and what salary you would accept for another job. Always be prepared with an elevator speech about yourself. Include your strongest qualities and a description of your job.

For anyone not familiar with an elevator speech it's what you could tell someone in a very short period of time about yourself, hitting all the high points without overdoing it. Less is often more, and more enticing! Stop and think how you could incorporate their ideas into your job hunting. It should help you to

Making the sale

• Keep expectation alive.
• Know how to get your price.
• Know your strongest quality.
• Never exaggerate.
• Make people depend on you.
• Do not explain too much.

And as a professional you should manage your reputation. Be sure that the 'you' people meet is the one who has self-respect and integrity. So in an attempt to 'sell yourself into a job' don't lie! Be up front and honest. It pays off in the end.

Managing your reputation

• Be a person of integrity.
• Do not parade your position.
• Never lose your self-respect.

Good luck job hunting. I hope this helps.  Even if you only take a few ideas from this it should help you narrow your elevator speech and be concise when describing yourself to a potential employer.

How LinkedIn Helped My Husband Get A Job

Amazingly enough, right after I posted last, my husband got a job. How? Through someone I knew from LinkedIn. Yes, he's over 50. Yes, he's been unemployed for nearly 2 years. Finally, finally and at last, a job.

Yes, it's not the job of his dreams.(He's not getting to beta test all the new computers and televisions or building media rooms--every man's dream job!) No, he's not making more money than at his last job. But he's very happy with the opportunity to show what he can do. He is thrilled to be back in the job force. Thank you Linked In! Without it he might never have found this opportunity.  And that's what it's all about. Finding an opportunity. Finding the right opportunity. For YOU!

So I am here to tell you, "IT CAN HAPPEN TO YOU!" You don't have to be a blogger. But you do need to have a presence online.

And what's the old saw? "It's not what you know, it's who you know?" So true! So get out there. LinkedIn can be your best friend!

What's LinkedIn? LinkedIn "helps you find past and present colleagues and classmates quickly. LinkedIn makes staying in touch simple. Discover inside connections when you're looking for a job or new business opportunity." Set up a profile and be active on LinkedIn. It could net you a new job or just a great new professional connection.

Also sites like Meetup can help you network and re-work you resume. Meetup lets you put in your city or zip code and look for other groups of people who have similar interests. Whether you network with a group of others people who are searching for a new job or get together for tennis to socially expand your network, meetups are fun and often free! Meetup challenges you to "Do Something, Learn Something, Share Something, Change Something." I love the concept!

One of the things that happen to the long term unemployed is they lose hope. But by taking action you are generating 'hope.' That's why being and staying active is critical.

And frankly, there is no guarantee this will be the last time he's unemployed. Companies change. Their personnel needs change. The best you can do is stay prepared. Keep your resume updated. Keep in touch with people you used to work with.

Whether you use Facebook or LinkedIn, or any of the other social media sites (there's a new one every day!) stay active and involved.

Does this mean I'll stop writing this blog? No way! The problem of being over 50 and unemployed is still out there. It affects thousands of my friends and neighbors. It could affect you.

Job Hunting Using Social Media

Source: t3n.de via Kelby on Pinterest