Grateful to be invited to Guest Blog for Careers in Government

This time each year we in the U.S. pause to consider our blessings, and to remind ourselves to be grateful for the love and good will that surrounds us.   One group worth receiving our favor is Veterans.  Thanks to them, the U.S. way of life is honored, treasured, and preserved.  Because of their sacrifice, certain benefits come their way, one of which is Veteran’s preference in federal hiring.  Veteran’s Preference is one way our “thank you” has real meaning.

Since Veteran’s Day is honored in November, this seems like a good time to focus on Veteran’s Preference in federal hiring.  I have been asked to serve as a guest blogger for Careers in Government, the oldest and largest, award-winning site for finding jobs in government, education and other public sector agencies.  Please read my posting and leave a comment. Thanks!!

Here is the link:
http://www.careersingovernment.com/tools/gov-talk/career-advice/interviewing/veterans-uncle-sam-really-wants/

and here is the link to my bio: http://www.careersingovernment.com/tools/author/karolt/.

Next Thursday, when we pause to give thanks, let’s make sure to be grateful for our Veterans.

Veteran’s Hiring Preference

Veteran’s Hiring Preference.

Veteran’s Hiring Preference

Veteran’s Day 2014 seems like a great day to consider how the federal government goes about hiring Veterans. To that end, here are some resources to help us to better understand Veteran’s hiring preference.

Veteran’s Services Guide on the Office of Personnel Management’s web site http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/veterans-services/vet-guide/.

Category Rating increases the number of applicants being considered for a position while preserving Veterans’ preference rights http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/hiring-authorities/competitive-hiring/#url=Category-Rating.

Delegated Examining, the traditional way the federal government hires that uses 5 or 10 point Veteran’s preference http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/hiring-authorities/competitive-hiring/#url=Types-of-Appointments

FedsHireVets, a link from USAJOBS.gov, that contains loads of information on Veteran hiring. Here is their link to explanations of various hiring programs and regulations http://www.fedshirevets.gov/veteranemployees/veteranspreference/index.aspx

Veteran’s Employment Program Offices (a part of the Veteran’s Hiring Initiative) http://www.fedshirevets.gov/AgencyDirectory/index.aspx.

If you are a Veteran, there is no doubt that Uncle Sam wants you. Navigating the federal job search process can be a challenge, but if you follow the resources shared on this blog, and also the ones shared on the Careers in Government blog, http://www.careersingovernment.com/tools/author/karolt/, you’ll figure it out soon enough. Won’t you be pleased when you start getting interviews? After all, it’s what you earned by your dedicated and unfailing military service. Thanks.

Resume Review – a reminder

Anne’s advice is as always — targeted and practical. Thanks for reminding us about our wonderful job search resource!

Anne Headley's Blog

As the fall job search season gets underway, I know you are re-thinking your interview outfit.  Switching from linen to wool, light colors to darker, is part of your challenge.

Another challenge is to make sure your resume is as current as can be.  If you have not seriously updated your new elements  document in a few years, this neglect will be obvious to all who read it.

What to do?  Get some help!  You really need such elements as hyperlinks and evidence of your involvement in social media (your choice which venue to use).

And please allow me to propose (humbly) that you check out my e-publication, Reflections on Resumes: Taking a Second Look. You can learn about little tips and tricks that will give you the confidence that you are as current as can be,  and that you are displaying your accomplishments to best advantage.  You can be reading this…

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Phone Interviewing…Can You Hear Me NOW?!

 

Phone Interviewing…Can You Hear Me NOW?!  Great ideas on telephone interviewing from career guru, Barry Davis.

Smash the Mask

I have long admired your unique way with words, Janet. There is something extremely special about the way you pull them together into wonderfully descriptive ideas. I’m looking forward to following your Geezer Goddess journey.

Paying Attention

I just listened to +Denise Wakeman’s Google+ hangout on blogging like a pro led by guest speaker and Social Networking Strategist, +Rebekah Radice.  It was interesting and inspiring.  So here I am brushing the cobwebs off my much neglected blog.  As anyone who follows me here knows, not only am I not blogging like a pro, I’m not blogging.

Some of my concerns: Where does the motivation come from?  How do I get myself to follow a regular blogging schedule?  How do I get myself to take blogging seriously?

My most recent contract as a federal career counselor ended last Tuesday.  Now I have more time to pay attention to blogging.  Which brings me to the actual point of this blog.  Where am I focusing my attention, and is it the right place for me?

We each know we do the things we pay attention to.  If I want to get something done I focus and put great effort into it.  That’s what I did with my contract.  But it’s time to move on to the next phase of my career.  Will blogging enhance it?  I sincerely believe it will and am committing to making it work.

I’m back and plan to stay on track.  Thanks, Denise Wakeman and Rebekah Radice for being the driving force for motivating me to pay attention.

Questions You Need to Ask at an Interview

Great ideas for questions to ask at an interview. Be sure to go with no fewer than three questions, but you absolutely must not ask a question where the answer has already been given, even if it is on your list.

Words of Wisdom from the Career Development Interns

You just made it through an interview with the company you really want to work for. You breathe a sigh of relief and try to discreetly wipe the sweat off your hands so that you can give a final handshake. But before you do so, the employer turns to you and asks with a smile, “Do you have any questions for me about the company or the position?”

You freeze, and your mind completely goes blank. You don’t want to ask questions that could be easily answered by looking at the website, because then that shows you came unprepared. However, you don’t want to leave without asking ANY questions, because then that shows you’re uninterested or unconfident. What should you do in this situation?

Not to worry. As you prepare for the interview, here is a list of seven appropriate questions to use as reference and tuck away into your…

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Five Low-Cost Ways to Market Your Business

Some great ideas on marketing your business

govBD

(Family Features) Just like any good sports team, every business needs a good coach. Marketing consultant John Jantsch, bestselling author of “Duct Tape Marketing” and “The Referral Engine,” has some low-cost ideas that will help you create a strong message and communicate it to the right people.

• Keep Score – If you want to determine who your ideal client is, go through your entire client list and rank your clients by profitability. Then look at your most profitable clients and identify those that are already referring business to you. Figure out the common characteristics in this group and you’ve got a pretty good picture of your ideal client.
• Find Your Zone – Once you’ve identified who you’re marketing to, you need to fine tune your message. Ask how you’re really different from your competitors, Jantsch advises. The best way to find out is to ask your…

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The job of jobhunting (3) – what’s new?

If I were to nickname Anne Headley, I would call her the Queen of Creativity. When she speaks to this issue, it is well worth our time to listen.

Anne Headley's Blog

I’ve been thinking about how a jobhunter can spend the day being effective and positive.  I’ve previously written about being conventional and academic, meaning doing obvious things like posting on job boards, responding to ads, and keeping up one’s skills and knowledge.

So what else is needed?

Creativity now comes into play – every single day.  I suspect that this part of the job search is the primary reason people seek career counseling.  Without it, you will get what you have always had, and you probably don’t want that.

Creativity means – following impulsive thoughts, paying attention to your dreams, reading something different, doing something really unusual in your community, acknowledging your intuition.  Here’s where you allow those scary thoughts about what you’ve always wanted to do.

Do you see the connection between what you seek professionally and random ideas?  Probably not, but – please trust me – a connection…

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