Here is a recent answer that I provided to someone on LikedIn regarding the changing job market.

Question: With newspapers in a quick decline, where should my students look for internships and jobs?

Free-falling revenues and major cutbacks at many newspapers are a cause for concern for my students at the University of Oklahoma College of Journalism and Mass Communication. Granted, they are learning all types of reporting/editing styles so as to keep up with changing media but some are still looking for that paper clipping to add to their portfolios. I also starting approaching freshman and prospective students with the ideas of getting internships as soon as they could. How should I, as a Career/Internship Coordinator, change my teaching tactics to fit these changes while still providing the 1,700+ students with traditional and changing resources? I’m a firm believer in networking (personal and online social) as well as being connected to various organizations and daily email news feeds to stay current on industry trends.

Answer: I would focus my efforts on networking for not only you but your students as well. They should be attending meetings for professional organizations throughout college and building their contact base. Social networking is also a great route to direct them to as they are already very savy in this department.

Here are some sites that might interest you in the local OKC area: http://www.prsaokc.com/ http://www.greatergrads.com/ You might want to consider students having internships with smaller magazines like the Gazette or Norman Living here locally. This would allow them the opportunity to learn about all areas of journalism-ads, sales, editing, reporting, instead of one. I would love to come and speak to your students more about using social networking both traditional and online to their advantage.

Kind Regards, Jessica

Dear bloggingforjobs,

I’ve been in the job search for 8 months. I’ve applied for over 150 jobs and interviewed 25 different times. I’m so fed up, frustrated, and feel like a failure. Can you please help me?

Jobless

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Dear Jobless,

I’m sorry you’ve been in the job hunt for so long. Depending upon the position you are looking for, your city’s job market, your qualifications and salary requirements, it can be a long process. As a rule of thumb for every $10,000 you will make in salary, add a month to your job search. For example, if you are in the $60,000 salary range, be prepared for your job search to last at least 6 months.

Since I have little information to go on, I recommend attending a resume and interview training. Many vo-techs or community colleges offer these free of charge or at low cost. If you are an executive level or above, I would recommend working with a Job Coach. Many firms provide you professional job search software, resume writing, and interview training for a fee of 10-15% of your new job’s annual salary. The service is not cheap, but these coaches are very connected and their job is to find you a job whether its in your current industry or not.

I also recommend reading up on industry requirements and new technology. Sometimes advanced training or certification can make all the difference. Volunteering is also a great way to develop relationships and partnerships that can aid in your job search. Take a look at my post on the 5 P’s of Marketing and creating a marketing plan that will help you in your job search.

Stay positive and best of luck in your search,

Jessica

Dear bloggingforjobs,

I’m a single mom who is re-entering the workforce after taking 9 months off to care for my sick mother. My last job before that only lasted 6 months. How do I answer the question about my gaps in employment in an interview?

Thank you,

Cindy S.

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Dear Cindy,

It is fairly common for most people to have gaps in employment especially in this day and age with working families often serving as caregivers to their young children and older parents at the same time. I recommend that you be honest. Tell them that you took off work to take care of your sick mother and let the prospective employer know that everything is taken care of and you are eager to begin working again. Don’t dwell on the subject and your prospective employer will likely do the same.

Secondly, being a parent, let alone a single mother is a full-time job in itself. As a parent, you have to juggle multiple schedules and use time management as well as motivating and influencing others daily. I’m sure that during your time off, you might have organized a fundraising drive for your son/daughter’s local scout troop or served as a camp counselor or leader in your church or other organization. These are all great skills and experiences that employers need to hear about. Shout these out the rooftops!

Best of luck in your search,

Jessica

Dear Bloggingforjobs:

I love your blog! I have been actively searching for a couple months for a new position in public relations. Several weeks ago, I discovered I am pregnant. When should I tell the employer I’m expecting? I’m afraid that if I tell them now, they won’t hire me, but I’m also afraid that if I don’t tell them, they’ll fire me. Help!!!

Reader X
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Dear Reader X,

First off, CONGRATULATIONS!!!

According to the Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978, pregnancy should be treated the same as any other short term disability. The EEOC website advices employers to treat pregnant applicants and employees the same as everyone else. A candidate cannot be discriminated against and not promoted or selected for a position because she is pregnant. However, the act of discrimination in relation to being pregnant is often hard to prove. I would recommend holding off spilling the beans to your new employer until absolutely necessary. While I trust most companies, there are those that do make hiring decisions based on only your qualifications. I recommend doing your best to keep the prospective company from giving you any reason to disqualifying you for the position.

Secondly, a company is not allowed to terminate your employment because you are pregnant. Depending upon if you qualify for the Family Medical Leave Act or FMLA, your job would be protected while you are on Leave of Absence and maternity leave. Since you will be starting a new job and will not have worked at the new company the required 12 months and 1,250 hours in a rolling year period, you won’t qualify for FMLA. However, most companies are flexible if given the appropriate amount of notice. I recommend speaking with your manager and human resources a month before the due date approaches or sooner. Use your best judgement.

To learn more about FMLA, and the specific rules and guidelines visit the U.S. Department of Labor at http://www.dol.gov/esa/whd/fmla/. To learn more about the EEOC visit http://www.eeoc.gov/.

Kind Regards,

Jessica

***I will kindly mention that I am not an employment law attorney. If you have a specific question or situation, I recommend contacting the EEOC or an employment law attorney.

Beginning next week, I will have a weekly segment called ASK the Recruiter. Please email me your question to jmiller-merrell@sbcglobal.net or visit my myspace page or linkedin page to ask your question.

One question will be selected weekly and posted on my blog. Don’t be shy. I know there’s a question you have been dying to ask a Recruiter or HR Professional.

Cheers! Jessica

Contact ME:
jmiller-merrell@sbcglobal.net
www.myspace.com/kansasgirl4133
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