Employment Opportunity - Programming, website development skill set

My friend Brent Riggs just posted this on his website. I know he wouldn't have done so if this was not a legitimate opportunity. Read carefully and if you qualify, be sure to contact him and let him know that you saw the opportunity on my website.  I hope this will help someone find a wonderful job!



Even if this is not a job YOU are interested in, could you forward this information to people you know who might be?
You have to be located near the Indianapolis, Cincinnati, Louisville area in order to be available to travel to a central location in North Vernon, IN on occasion for development meetings. Otherwise you could work from home or your own office (or if you live close enough, you could work full time in the NV office).
The specific work activity is UI development on a web application. The application is ASP.NET built on a SQL DB database.  Skills needed/preferred for this work are:

• ASP.NET web development experience
• VB.NET server side (though C# is easily converted, so if you are C# developer, that will work)
• Client side:
• Javascript
• AJAX
• CSS
• Web Services
• Other: the application relies heavily on the DevExpress suite (www.devexpress.com); it is not required that you have experience with DevExpress but is a definite plus.  These tools are enhancements to .NET controls. DevExpress can be quickly learned by an experienced ASP.NET developer.

“UI” normally implies graphic design but that is not a requirement here as they have graphic design professionals. It would be a plus but not required.
You would work on a growing team of developers that currently includes a UI expert who is being moved to another project (this is the job opening); a SQL guru and 3 others involved in management, sales and production.
They are ready to hire immediately and this is a very good job opportunity with a growing company.
Email me and include your resume if interested and I’ll follow up.  brent@brentriggs.com

Creating Jobs in America

Today’s blog article is not going to be how to search for a job in this present economy. The situation of trying to find employment appears to be worsening instead of getting better. Serious thought is required to turn this situation around when it takes over 1,300 new jobs each month to decrease the unemployment, which now stands at 9.2% and rising. The unemployed are not going to be able to do it, it has to come from the companies who are hiring or need to be hiring and the creation of new businesses in order to solve this problem.

With the Debt Ceiling Bill passed and the government assuring us that we will not go into default on interest payments that are coming due on the Federal Government spending, we need to turn our attention to the real root of the problem! Federal Government has been overspending for a long time now, by both parties (so I am not going to point fingers people!) and we have been living beyond our means as a country.

The American people get it! Many cut up their credit cards a long time ago and are cutting back on purchases and household expenses in an effort to get back to living within their budgets.

America faces the challenge of a lack of jobs. I do not understand how the government figures that the answer to the problems is to start increasing taxes, which of course they say they want to do to anyone earning over $250K per year in order to lower the deficit. This is not the answer Washington!  Your tax base comes from the middle class and right now most of the unemployed are of the middle class. We have to figure out a way to get them back to work. Face the facts, no middle class jobs, no taxes can be paid and this is where the majority of the tax money revenues come from.

Companies are fearful of hiring now with the volatility of the stock market, the expectations of how much the new Obama Health Care plan is going to affect their bottom line and the lack of buying customers, which is reducing their bottom line profits.

At first, I had the idea that it might be wise to suggest to Washington that they gather some of the CEO’s of major companies to have round table discussions and brainstorming ideas on how they think it is possible to get companies to hire and get people back to work. How it would be possible to get new company startups to widen the employment base of companies producing products here at home in the U.S.

However, for real changes to happen, changes must start from the bottom up. There needs to be a movement at local community levels where the business leaders get together and brainstorm on how they can create more businesses and jobs at the local level. When communities work together to improve things for their residents and create growth and prosperity, the tax revenues will increase not only for their community but for their state as well.

I challenge all local communities to set up a “community think tank” on how they can bring jobs and new businesses into their communities. So put on your thinking caps America, it is time to get to the hard work at hand!  Too many of our companies have moved operations overseas, to more cost effective friendly markets and it is up to us to replenish that loss and get America rolling again!

Now What Are You Going To Do?

Start Reviewing Your Options Now!

On the front page of yahoo today, appeared a little blip “The Unemployed Need Not Apply”. Since I try to stay on top of what is happening in the job market of course I clicked on the link to find out more about this article http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/job-listings-unemployed-not-apply-133143362.html. There are ads currently by companies searching for employees who actually state that those who are unemployed are less attractive applicants and those who have been unemployed a long time need not apply!  Talk about a slap in the face!
 It is the truth and at least they are now stating up front and out for public view rather than what was once “hush hush” and only discussed behind closed doors.

Sure enough, it confirmed exactly what I have said for years and what I have been trying to stress to you all in my posts!  It is easier to get a job when you have a job and there are many reasons for this.

Your not under as much pressure to accept an offer of employment that you feel will not meet your needs because you have got to get something…… anything…. just to put food on the table and a roof over your head!

Your demeanor is different when you go on interviews. There is a real smile on your face, not a fake pressured one, a spring in your step, a hardy handshake and a sparkle in your eyes.

Let me share with you some of my professional background. I have held positions in the past where I did many interviews of people who were searching for work. When I was a Credit Manager for a large retail furniture store in Austin, Texas, I interviewed people for employment in the office or in the warehouse. When I worked for a permanent placement employment agency, I interviewed people from entry to professional level who needed professional assistance in finding a new position. Working for a temporary agency, I interviewed people who were out of work and needing some type of work to bring in money, as well as those who preferred working on a part-time/temporary basis rather than seeking full time employment.

I have seen the various tolls that unemployment or underemployment takes on people. It shows all over you. In your eyes, your smile, and your body language and in your voice, you cannot hide it. The sparkle is not there in your eyes, the smile is forced, no spring in your step and your body is slumped at the shoulders as if you have been beaten and broken, a weak handshake and your voice lacks confidence. The longer you are out of work, the more these things become apparent to the interviewer.

The longer you are out of work the more reclusive you become and your self-esteem gets lower and lower. You begin to question your own worth and abilities. They were there before you became unemployed and they are still there now, but you have lost confidence in yourself.

One thing that I saw back when I was in those hiring positions were many women who were entering the work force in order to help bring income in because their husbands had lost their jobs or they were women who were newly divorced and now needed to work to care for themselves and in many cases their children. They had not worked in years and they worried about how they were going to find a position that would pay them enough to handle these new responsibilities of being the breadwinner of the family.  Surprisingly enough, many of these women found work faster than the males who were looking for work. Back in those times (in the 1980’s early 1990’s) most people were able to find a new position before six months of unemployment and certainly within nine months. That is not the case in the last couple of years. Many people have been out of work as long as two and three years, even with their every effort to find employment. Companies have downsized and have not gone into a rehiring mode because of our very sluggish economy. We have not even begun to bounce back as we did back in the 1980’s and early 1990’s, when we suffered a prior recession.

If you are fortunate enough to be drawing unemployment benefits, please I beg you, ask for the free assistance that is available at many of your state unemployment offices to help you revamp your resumes, to structure a new letter of introduction and give you tips on interviewing techniques.
Attend any and every job fair that comes to your area and continue to send out your resumes and go to interviews if offered in order to keep your interviewing skills up. Utilize your networking resources, friends, church, job boards on the internet, your social network pages such as face book, linked in and my space.

Begin to look at things that you can do at home to bring in money while you continue your job search. Review my archived articles for some ideas of places to look for work using the Internet. Look at your personal skills and see if there is a way that you can market them to others to earn an income.

Get Outta Your Funk and Off the Couch!

There’s no time to be having a pity party any more with more and more joining the ranks of the unemployed (Cisco just announced the other day 10,000 cuts and 7,000 of those will be done in August) making the opportunities to finding employment even harder. Add to that the present situation of no one being able to come to an agreement on the current Federal Financial Budget and Debt Ceiling for our country and the threats being made to not send out checks that are coming from the government in August starting with Social Security and including others as well, you may not be able to count on any Unemployment checks or even Food Stamps for that matter, or a roof over your head much longer if you are making a mortgage payment or if you are getting subsidized Section 8 housing. The only one who is going to be able to save you and your family right now is YOU.

It is time to redouble or triple your efforts to try and find a “job” any job at this point in time!
I know it might not pay you what you are needing or expecting to be paid, but if you’ve been out of work for over six months, you better grab it while the grabbing is good!  Besides, having a job, any job, will help improve your outlook on life, put a spring back in your step and you will interview a whole lot better as you continue to search for that perfect position.


If there just doesn’t seem to be anything out there at all that you can find. Go to one of your local charitable organizations, a church, Habitat for Humanity and offer your services to help someone else.  There is something good for the soul when you extend a helping hand even when you yourself are struggling. You never know who you might meet that is also lending a hand. You get to talking and who knows, they might actually have a business and be looking for someone with your talents.

Are you remembering to “look outside the box” at possible jobs where your talents can be utilized?  Think about not only what you have done in positions you’ve held in the past, but also look at the things that you are passionate about doing. Do you like to hunt, fish, play golf? Perhaps you can find something at a local retail store where they specialize in those sports.
What about bowling? Ever thought of working in a bowling alley?

I have a brother, who has been working for years with the company that runs the local stadiums where pro and semi-pro soccer and football games are held. He has filled various positions for them over the years from ticket seller to seat usher and security.

The little old man across the street would go get bikes from the police impound auction yard. He would repair them and paint them up to look like brand new. He always had a reasonable price tag on them and was even known to give away plenty as well to deserving children who’s parents couldn’t afford to buy them. He also used to make wooden outdoor Christmas decorations, from wreaths aglow with multi-colored lights, to large figures of rain deer for your lawn.

Another retired gentleman I know made wooden rocking horses .

At the craft fair there was a man who specialized in nothing but various sizes of wooden cutting boards, a woman who made home crafted jewelry, another who made homemade quilts and another who specialized in baby clothes.


I hate to sound like an old military drill sergeant, up in your face scolding you or your mama when she used to get after you to get your chores done, but maybe this is just what you need to get you motivated once again.

I know it is difficult to be both underemployed and unemployed. I’ve been there and done that several times in my life. It is hard to be upbeat and enthusiastic when all you hear are “No’s” and “Sorry, you are over qualified for the position” not just day after day but month after month.
Depression sets in as well as anger!  All you want is a chance to work, to prove to them you are as good in person as you say you are on paper. Many of you have families who are also counting on you for support and that makes it all the harder!

Try to stay positive no matter how hard you have to work at it. There are those of us out here who are more than happy to try and give you some suggestions and ideas. I wish I could say it was possible to hire each and every one of you that need a job, but I don’t own a company.

Are you having a problem trying to come up with some ideas?  Go ahead and leave a comment or email me. Give me a quick summary of your prior jobs and duties. Tell me about the things you enjoy doing that you think could lead you to being employed and I will see what I can do to come up with some ideas for you.

  
 

For the Men Who Are Searching for Jobs

I know that I have really been stressing the need for health care workers in my last few posts and I certainly realize that not all men are interested in this field so let me branch off and look at some other opportunities that might be to your liking.

School Bus Drivers are always needed. Granted you have a split shift, getting up early in the morning to take children to school and then returning mid afternoon to pick them up and take them home. This might not be good for a person who is faint of heart and doesn’t like the noise that a busload of children can make when they are in confined spaces because they can get noisy and they can get rowdy!  This position would be great for someone who is looking for temporary work, because it would leave the middle part of the day for looking for work, getting resumes sent out and interviewing. It would be a source of a reasonable income and would also provide you with a current work history.

Substitute Teacher is another opportunity worth exploring. Perhaps you don’t want to work with elementary aged students, but there are also opportunities available at the Junior and Senior High levels. When you are called for work, you have the choice of accepting or rejecting the assignment and they could either be for half a day or a full day. There were many times once I got into doing substitute teaching, where I would be requested by a teacher to fill in for several days in a row. I also had a full week’s assignment while a teacher took a leave of absence for a family emergency.

Auto Mechanics are always in demand if your skills are good. This is one occupation which will always require a good reputable person.

Plumbers are also one of those fields where most homeowners are not capable of fixing most plumbing problems. Granted this is a job that can get down and dirty, but it also pays very well for your skills. There is also a need for plumbers for new home construction as well as for renovation work.

Electricians are also in demand, not just for new construction but for home renovation work as well. Most cities require any major electrical work to be done by a certified person and must be inspected by the City upon completion.

City Parks and Recreation Departments often have part-time or temporary summer jobs. Go be a life guard at a city park.

Computer Technicians will always be needed for those of us who fall in the “dummies” category that do not know how to do any of the technical repair things to our computers.

EMT or Emergency Medical Technicians to work in hospitals, on ambulances or with fire departments are and always will be in demand.

If you do like the idea of working in the health field, look at working as a C.N.A. or Certified Nurse Assistant. These positions are needed in nursing homes, assisted living facilities and hospitals. The training is inexpensive and doesn't take long to complete.

Dietitians are also needed in hospitals, nursing homes and assisted living facilities if you enjoy cooking and planning healthy meals. Many upscale spas and resorts now have dietitians on staff who work with the Chefs in these facilities to create menus of healthy selections for their clientele.

Hospitality Industry careers are also on the up rise believe it or not. Work in hotels, on cruise ships or theme park settings and the salaries are pretty good, even if you just work at the front desk as a reservation specialist. There are other positions within the industry that also pay well, such as in the Banquet and Catering division or as an Accountant.


Shift Manager at Fast Food Restaurants may not sound like an exciting career choice but believe it or not, many opportunities are available in this industry. There are many opportunities to move up the corporate ladder and even buy a franchise.  There is a huge turnover in this industry and even though it started out as these facilities hiring young high school and college students to fill their staffing needs, more and more are now hiring the over 30 age group because of their commitment to work hard and their knowledge of what customer service is all about.
I have seen many a worker, that I would have considered of retirement age, now working at nationally known chain fast food establishments.

Check your local Junior Colleges or your Technical Colleges for courses that you can take in auto mechanics, plumbing, electrical and computer technician fields and the hospitality industry. These classes are reasonably priced and will give you the basics to get employed at an apprentice level with most businesses. If you are already employed in one of these fields, many employers will help you get additional education, by picking up all or part of the tuition costs if you complete the course. They will often do the reimbursement on a graded scale, depending on your grade in the course.

Many men are now also electing to go ahead and work at home while they are out looking for full time employment. There are many virtual call centers (I have listed some in prior posts that are reliable and honest ) that will hire men either as an employee or as an independent contractor. You do need to know how to type, most require a typing speed of at least 25wpm, have a good speaking voice and be able to convince people to buy products or services.

With our current unemployment rate now affecting 1 out of every 4 people in this country, it is imperative that we get our workforce back to work!  I do hope that some of my suggestions are helpful to some of you.

Medical Professions Are Still The Way To Go!

I keep checking all over the Internet for new ideas for all of you who are still looking for positions to either work at home or work out in the brick and mortar world and the positions hiring continue to be those that are connected to the medical industry. This truly does make sense as our population longevity increases, these seniors will need more and more care. 

The other day, there were some lists created of what are considered to be the most currently stressful jobs and those that are the least stressful jobs in today's economic climate and I thought I would go ahead and post them for you here.

Careers with the greatest amount of stress:
Real Estate Agent
EMT
Stockbroker
Architect
Advertising Account Executive
Newscaster
Photo Journalist
Sales Corporation Executive
Public Relations Executive
Commercial Airlines Pilot

Careers with the least amount of stress:
Audiologist
Dietitian
Software Engineer
Computer Programmer
Dental Hygienist
Speech Pathologist
Philosopher -  Teaching in college or universities
Mathematician - in an academic or government position
Occupational Therapist
Chiropractor

I know that some of you are considering going back to college and are looking into professions where you won't have to worry so much about the economy pulling the rug out from underneath you in the future.  Hopefully some of these positions above will give you some ideas of new career paths to look at.


All I know is that I continue to read where more companies are planning some major cutbacks and layoffs which is not at all encouraging to the workforce who are presently without a job and have been looking for a long time now.
All I can tell you is 1. Don't expect to return to the workforce at a salary you were making prior to being laid off, if you have been out of work for six months or more. 2. Be sure to continue with your networking of friends, neighbors, former co-workers, putting out the "feelers" because what might not have been available several months ago may be available now. 3. Continue to follow up on all of your resumes to see if anyone is in a hiring mode yet and to let them know you are still interested. 4. Be willing to accept a lower starting salary than you originally thought you needed 5. Be willing to relocate if the opportunity comes along.

Some of us, are not able to have the luxuries of as many opportunities to either go back to school and change careers or to relocate if the opportunity came along. Many of us are no longer in the age brackets that prospective employers are looking at to fill their ranks.

Oklahoma Job Fair April 20th

In the Norman Transcript newspaper today, was the announcement of a Job Fair in our area to be held at
Moore Norman Technology Center located at the Franklin Road Campus which is at 12th & Franklin in Norman, Oklahoma. Use the North Dining Room Entrance, Entrance A.  It will be held from 9AM to 3PM.

Many businesses are participating and will be giving on-site interviews, so be sure to bring your resumes and dress in business attire. In addition, there will also be job search workshops offered free to attendees

The following businesses have already signed up to be present at the job fair:
Businesses to be represented at this year’s event are: Aerotek, AFLAC, American Staff Corp., APEX Systems, Arvest Bank, Avon, Best Buy-Geek Squad, Bob Moore Auto Group, Braums, CMP Corporation, Community Action Agency of Oklahoma, Creative Floors, Dell, Department of Justice Federal Bureau of Prisons, DeVry University, Dish Network, Elite Medical Solutions, Farmers Insurance, Jacobi Kelly Personnel, Learning Care Group, Mary Kay, Maurice’s, MidFirst Bank, Norman Public Library, Oklahoma Blood Institute, Oklahoma City University, Oklahoma Department of Transportation, Oklahoma National Guard, Primerica/Koehn Enterprises, Pro-Presenters, Resource MFG, Rose State College, Sitel, Sooner Medical Solutions, State of Oklahoma Office of Personnel Management, Target, Thunderbird Youth Academy, Tinker Air Force Base, UPS, Vaughan Foods, Frontline Home Health, Plumbers & Pipefitters Apprenticeship, First American Bank, Oklahoma Natural Gas, Oklahoma City Community College, First Staffing Group USA and IBC Bank.

Employer registration is free and there is still time to reserve space at the event.If you are a business and interested in having a booth at the MNTC Spring Job Fair, or who need additional information on how to host a table, should contact the MNTC Employment Advisor at 364-5763, extension 7293.

I would encourage anyone in the Oklahoma Metro area who is looking for work to be sure to plan on attending this Job Fair. I have heard excellent reports from those attending prior events as to not only the opportunity to find out more about the many companies that are looking for employees but the ability to walk away with a new career in hand!