Wiser Worker Blog

It has many meaning to many people and we all look at ambition different, accordingly to Webster’s  this is the definition of ambition.   What does it mean to you?  To me: if you work hard enough and have the skills nothing can stop you from achieving your goals.

What do you suppose Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor used to drive her ambitions all these years? They are calling her story an all American once in a lifetime story. However I think it’s a modern day tail of what happens if you work hard and applied yourself. Ms. Sotomayer probably hasn’t taken many lavish vacations and probably hasn’t worked less than 60 hours a week in many years. Because where she is is where she always saw herself to be and that place is the Supreme Court.

Ambition means something different to each of us.  Everyone who speaks the term hears a message that applies to only them.  Ambition can mean finding a good job that gives you the ability to meet your financial obligations or it can mean something as large as being appointed to the Supreme Court.  

What’s important is this:  Are you are ambitious enough to make yourself happy? If you can answer this questions with confidence than you can hold head up high!

It’s the and well that will get you in trouble, every time. Over the last few months I have come up on this topic in both my professional and personal life. It seems that the line gets blurred between right and wrongs so often that it’s socially acceptable to live in the world of grey. I was watching a news show and the topic was this very one, where the line between right and wrong goes astray. The person being interviewed contented that he didn’t lie because he left out the specifics of the story and therefore he was telling the truth.

The reason I bring this very topic up, is when in the workplace we are often left to judge right and wrong and make decisions for our organizations. You may even find yourself in a situation before you even get the job. The most important point to remember is this: in the workplace there is NO grey only right and wrong. You have to hold yourself and your coworkers to high standards to honesty in the workplace because dishonesty has no place at work.

It starts at the interview you will be asked questions in the interview and also may be asked to fill out an application. You need to fill it out as completely and answer questions truthfully. If you are fail to answer any and all questions honestly you may find yourself in deep water and most probably unemployed.

Really when we get to the end of the day honesty is the best policy.

Well maybe not return as a student but as a leader, one of our very special clients Corinthian Colleges is looking for a very special person to fill their open position as leader of their schools the official title is a Vice President.  However the title doesn’t really fit they type of person they are looking for, they are looking for a person who likes no LOVES to work with people.  Someone who is bright, energetic and motivated and has a desire to make a difference and change lives.

This position was made for someone who has the drive to make changes and make a difference in the community they live in. This job is the perfect job for someone who may be reentering the career world.  This is an excellent opportunity for those looking to begin an exciting and rewarding second career! 

Good Luck!

Confidence can be a hard thing to come by, easy to lose and all too often hard to hold on to. Confidence comes and goes with passing situations; it’s possible to be confident in one area of your life but lack complete confidence in another say job search. It’s not uncommon for people to be weak in the area of confidence when searching for a job.  However if there was a time when you need confidence it’s then.

I like to think of confidence as an old friend who comes and goes in your life based on how they are treated. When you are good to confidence it will stick close by and never let you down but if you mistreat confidence it will be gone and down the road before you know it.  Treat yourself well and you will find that you and most likely you will never be short of confidence.

When searching for a job; know with confidence that you are the best candidate for the job.  If you lack the confidence the interviewer will surly see. I found a great article for the folks over at Mind Tools on confidence and it’s worth a glance.  Even if it’s just a refresher your after.

Here’s a quick list to start your road to better confidence:

1.    Dress Sharp when you look good you are sure to feel good.

2.    Walk with Purpose know where you are going and head that way.

3.    Keep your shoulder up and look people in the eye when you speak to them.

4.    Speak your mind in a thoughtful way and be heard!

Good luck on your road to self confidence and treat yourself well.

Now you might think because I manage a job board in this fast paced world I might be somewhat adapted to change.   Well that couldn’t be further from the truth, in fact truth be told I usually fight change kicking and screaming, and I never win.  Change Happens. However, as I age I’m getting more comfortable with change but sadly I’m not sure I will ever accept it with open arms. Baby Steps……right? I especially like when people quip that the only constant in life is change, oh boy does that get me excited!

My point today is that change is going to happen regardless and the only way to lessen the effect is expect change and accept it.  The biggest and scariest change happens is when you discover you have to look for a new job or perhaps a new career.  Especially if you are looking at a career change, where do you start?  Never fear you have tools to get you navigate through the task of finding your new employment home.  

AARP Foundation WorkSearch -Whether you’re looking to re-enter the workforce or upgrade from your current job, AARP can help you.

WiserWorker.com- Job Board designed for older workers, easy to navigate and find a job in markets across the country.  

You’re not alone in the quest to seek out a job and don’t worry to the best of my knowledge change has never killed anyone and in fact after change is over I am always happy with change. It’s getting and living with change that will make you stronger.

Good Luck to you and give me a shout out if you need help!

When you enter a interview….it’s a question your likely to encounter and goes something like this: What are your expectations for this position if you were to be the candidate chosen? Stop and think how you would answer this question, and before you speak realize there isn’t a right or wrong answer. What your response can indicate is how much time you have invested into determining if this is the right position for you.

Ideally before you interview for any potion you should have a clear picture of what you expect beyond your weekly paycheck. Some of my expectations of my job at WiserWorker.com are as follows:

Clear expectation of what my career path looks like both now and in the future.

What’s expected of me by my superiors.

What my customers expect from me - both internal and external.

What and how I will be compensated.

I have a clear understanding of my schedule.

So take a deep breath and decide what you want out of what your next job. Find out if they can and will meet your expectations and if you can meet theirs. It’s important to set those expectations from the very start because if you don’t you run the risk of being let down or even worse letting your employer down.

Over the last year I have written several times about scams; particularly how to avoid them.  It seems that as we as a country tries to dig out of this economic shape we are in we are in the more we see scams surface.  I will never understand how people can prey on others in a time of need but that’s not the topic of the day. 

The topic is avoiding being a victim, only you can protect yourself.  Each one of us has the ability to navigate and avoid scams; we just have to make smart choices.  The best place to start is by remembering this: “If it sounds too good to be true, then perhaps it is.”  People by nature like to take the road most traveled because well it’s easy; the problem the road most traveled is where the scam artists live and find their victims.  

Anyone who is searching for a job knows that the job market is tough right now, so naturally that’s the latest place we are seeing a new crop of scam artists.  In a recent article in The Arizona Republic the reporter highlighted all the possible ways to scam the unsuspecting job seeker some of these were new and some of them we have talked about after reading the article I noted one commonality among all the potential scams. They ALL involved the job seeker sending in money to gain information or for an interview.

You have heard me say it before but I will say it again:  You are looking for a job where you will EARN a living; this should not cost you anything. Anyone who wants money to help you look for a job is probably not on the up and up. Protect yourself and don’t become a victim. Look for a job the traditional way online at wiserworker.com, its hard word to find a job. Nothing worth anything comes free in life. 

DON’T take any shortcuts that you will end up regretting!

In honor of the dedication, commitment, and tireless effort of the nearly 2.9 million registered nurses nationwide, our sister site HealthCareerWeb.com has announced an exciting contest to honor of National Nurses Week May 6, 2009 to May 12, 2009. Nurses who visit HealthCareerWeb.com will be able to register for a drawing of a Coach, Cricket Signature Satchel.

HealthCareerWeb.com will celebrate National Nurses Week, which kicks off with National RN Recognition Day on May 6, 2009.  This celebration ends on May 12, 2009, which is the birthday of Florence Nightingale — the founder of modern nursing.

National RN Recognition Day acknowledges the tremendous value of nursing and educates the public about the role nurses play in meeting the health care needs of the American people.  According to a study published in the journal of Health Affairs, evidence shows that 67,000 lives and $4 million dollars could be saved annually if hospitals invest in appropriate Registered Nurse (RN) staffing and hours of nursing care per patient.

If your life calling has been nursing, WiserWorker.com and HealthCareerWeb.com would like to thank you for your tireless service. Please visit HealthCareerWeb.com this week to take part in this exciting contest drawing. 

Hopefully you don’t have the swine flu, but there’s nothing worse than finally finding a job only to end up sick. It happens and all too often in fact…. why does this happen? Well it’s simple when you are pounding the pavement in pursuit of a job you are bound to encounter germs.

How can you put your defenses up and ward off the ever present germs that are out there in the job seeking world? I found the following useful tips at the Center for Disease Control:

Avoid close contact: How do you avoid contact when interviewing?  Well you can’t what you can do it this: wash your hands frequently and if you can’t get to a washroom use antibacterial gel. Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth with unclean hands.

Cover your mouth and nose: if you do have to cough or sneeze cover your nose and mouth and wash your hands before contacting other people.

Clean your hands: Wash your hands, this must be important because I am mentioning it again…..   

Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth: with dirty hands especially……

Practice other good health habits: gets lots of rest, drink LOTS of water.

Stay Home: If you are sick stay home.

It’s a real threat out there and it’s called the flu, make sure you ward off the germs that can stop you in your tracks. It’s no fun to finally find the perfect job only to have to call in sick.  At WiserWorker.com we want you to be well and in tip top shape to start your new job!

Whoever said this is a genius, it’s one of my favorite pick me ups when I am feeling particularly frustrated on any situation.  I have been known to thrown this out a group of people…..I don’t know what we are going to do…but it better be pretty great because…..and here it comes….”Failure is not an Option.”

It’s a group of words that just works! The phrase instantly gets the blood flowing and the troops lining up. I read an article that used this quote today and it’s not important what the article was about, what’s important is my reaction. I instantly was reenergized and launched into my next project; because in the world of searching for a job “Failure is certainly not an Option.“  WiserWorker.com is open 24 hours a day with the latest most up to date job postings, a robust resource section and finally a dedicated blog that talks about topics that matter most to the older worker.

At WiserWorker.com we are working to make this site better for the end user-YOU. If there is something you would like to change let me know, there is nothing I like more than talking to job seekers. You can reach me at 1-888-606-7896 Ext 238 or my email is amy.hoster@wiserworker.com.

Just remember as a job seeker I know searching for a job can be difficult but remember “Failure is not an Option.”