Challenges for the Older Job Hunter

I occasionally write a blog post for the Atlanta Journal Constitution online version of the paper. Here is the link to Job Hunting Challenges for the Older Worker, that appeared in the March 12, 2009 issue. Feel free to comment in either area.

EFCA: Biden, Unions and Congress Start "The Dance"

The Employee Free Choice Act, popularily referred to as the "card check" bill was introduced into both houses of Congress on March 10th. Debate has started, but so far support has eroded for the bill in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. The bill’s fate increasingly hinges on Sens. Blanche L. Lincoln (D-Ark.) and Mary L. Landrieu (D-La.) — two wavering moderates who would love to dodge the controversy. But the White House has pulled out the big guns for support. Vice President Joe Biden appeared in front of an executive meeting of the AFL-CIO. He was very vocal in his support of EFCA. According to Politico.com "Vice President Joe Biden wasn’t exactly restrained in remarks to an AFL-CIO gathering in Miami last Thursday, saying, 'You all brought me to the dance a long time ago, and it’s time we start dancing.'"

The bill is significant. According to one study passage of the bill could eliminate over 600,000 jobs. Let me remind you of the provisions of the bill.

1. EFCA would eliminate the secret ballot election that is normally required for your employees to select a union, and replace it with a much less formal "card check" process that is controlled by the union and is secretive, selective, and susceptible to abuse and coercion.
   
2. Even more alarming are provisions in EFCA that would require so-called "interest arbitration" of the first contract once a union gets in. Under these provisions, if the first contract is not negotiated to conclusion between the parties within a relatively short 120-day period, the contract dispute would be referred to an arbitrator who would then determine the contract terms for a two-year period with no right of appeal.

Most of the attention has been focused on the first provision and there has been a backlash against it. Several states are even introducing legislation to preserve secret ballot elections in their states.

However, most labor negotiators that I know and have read about are more concerned with the second provision. Few first time contracts are negotiated in 6 months, much less 120 days. The failure to do so enforces an arbitrator designed contract, one that will not be in the best interest of the company.

I am playing "seer and soothesayer" and making a prediction. I predict we will see an attempt to "compromise" on the "card check" provision to make EFCA more palatable to the public while maintaining the more harmful "interest arbitration" provision.

I have written my Congressional representatives, both House and Senate, and expressed my opinion. I suggest you do the same. Guess we will have to see if President Obama is waiting to tap Joe Biden and cut in to dance with the AFL-CIO on this one. New Labor Secretary Hilda Solis has already been at the dance and has been filling in her dance card too.

March Madness II: The Next Round

Follow this link to Fistful of Talent to vote on the next round of great HR blogs. HR Observations made it to the next round, so vote if you would. I was mentioned as a possible "Cinderella". So take a look and read some good blogs.

Outsourcing HR: Having Resumes Screened In India

With the onslaught of resumes that recruiters are receiving these days it is no suprise that they are looking for ways to make the job easier. An article in the WallStreet Journal online Career section on March 5th, entitled "Did You Get My Resume?" details several methods recruiters are using to streamline the process. These include:

1. Use of artifcial intelligent software to prescreen resumes. This goes beyond "keyword" searches which is how applicants used to be able to get around resume reader screening. Today an employer can put in a profile of experiences and have the software look for matches.


2. Use of online personality tests. If you don't match the profile of successful job incumbents you don't make it through the prescreening process. (I might have some questions about validity on this one.)


3. Finally, many employers are using "offshore" resume screeners. Resume screeners, actual people, living in India or the Phillipines read resumes overnight and have them sorted for the recruiters when they come to work in the morning. Now this is "outsourced" HR!

I am not too sure how I would like to have my resume screened by someone in the Phillipines, but that is just me. I would like to hear from some recruiters about how you handle the resume screening process.

Improve Your Voice To Improve Your Career

How many times have you been suprised by someone who "looks" like they should have a great speaking voice yet ends up having a voice that is unpleasant to the ear in one way or another? Perhaps they have a high pitched or squeeky voice, or too much of an accent or regionality in their voice. I know I have been disappointed a number of times. I expect a leader to "sound" like a leader and a president to "sound" presidential. I think the sound of McCain versus the sound of Obama made a difference in the past election. Some of you may suffer from the same malady. You may not have crediblity in your position because you don't "sound" credible.

Well did you know you can do something about that? It happens all the time. Actors have voice coaches and it works (with the exception of Kevin Costner in Robin Hood.) Hugh Laurie, the actor who portrays Dr. House, has a heavy English accent when he is himself, but he sounds 100% American when in character. Business people have discovered that having a voice coach can improve their opportunities in the workplace.

According to an article in the DallasNews.com more and more business people are using voice and speech coaches. The article, Voice Coaches' Work Strikes a Chord, states that "A great voice makes you sound more interesting, more intelligent and more trustworthy. It helps you get ahead." The article further states that "The Voice and Speech Trainers Association, meanwhile, estimates that a third of its members now work with the general public rather than sticking with actors and voiceover artists."

The training is not inexpensive at about a $100 per lesson for a minimum of 6 lessons and lots of practice. But if you feel your career is being held back it might be worth it.

And for you jobseekers, who make a recruiter cringe everytime you open your mouth, it might be worthwhile to stand out from the crowd. A great voice will not get you a job by itself (unless you are doing voice over), but it will make you noticeable and memorable. If nothing more it may help you feel better about yourself. As one person said "That gives me a level of confidence I never had before – which may be the biggest benefit."

Check it out.

March Madness Comes to the Carnival of HR

The Carnival of HR is visited by March Madness. It is a tournament of the best of HR blogs. Take a look and vote for the "teams" you find the most interesting. This is a unique way of reading the best and expressing an opinion at the same time. Of course I would like you to vote for me, but I will leave that to your discretion. So go visit March Madness.

Some Inspiration

When you are constantly bombarded from all sides with bad news it is easy to feel down. Just yesterday I posted a comment on Twitter (tweeted) something to the effect that things were so bad I was just hoping to be able to afford the better brand of dog food to eat when I retire. In my consulting practice I have been dealing with many clients who are cutting back and letting people go. I have older friends who are having very difficult times in finding jobs and who have been the object of ageism. The stock market is down and the government is head in a direction I think is dangerous. So this usually very optimistic HR guy is feeling pretty pessimistic. And when you feel that way it leaks into your work.

But then I read Kris Dunn's post 4 Reasons Why Ayn Rand and "Atlas Shrugged" Should Guide Your Career Choices... This is Kris Dunn at his finest. As a result of this excellent post I feel better and more ready to work harder and smarter for my good, the good of my family, the good of my future, the good of my company and the good of my fellow employees. Kris says "... don't get frozen career-wise in a recession. Do what you are good at and do it aggressively." He offers four reasons for doing this. I will let you link to his post to read them. However, I will quote him one more time with this great statement. "The quickest way to become part of the body count? By not bringing your A-game and being selfish when it comes to demanding top performance and creativity when you're on the job."

So read him and get inspired. You might even want to read Ayn Rand, I am going to try.

Networking Is More Than Just Adding A Contact on Social Media

Dan Schawbel, a personal branding expert, put a link about LinkedIn on Twitter. The article is entitled LinkedIn Skyrockets As Job Losses Mount. Apparently more and more people join as they are getting laid off. I have seen alot of people join and I have advised alot of people to join. I think it is important to be connected on social media. Here is my profile. However, there are some fundamentals about networking that are important to remember, regardless if that is done through LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, email, in person or on the telephone. These fundamentals include:

1. Actually connect with the person, don't just add them as a contact. They really serve no purpose just being on a list.


2. Don't start off immediately with an appeal to "help me find a job."


3. Pay attention to what is said about or by the person you are contacting. Try to connect with them through some interest of theirs.


4. Keep in touch with them by emailing or snail mailing some item about that interest. You may have noticed they went to a particular school or they support a particular team or they have a favorite author, etc.


5. FOLLOW UP with them, and don't wait to do it. Keith Ferrazzi talks about the importance of this in his Greenlight Community blogs.


6. STAY IN TOUCH. Don't let the contact die. People are busy. They are not going to remember you and your particular need if they do not hear from you on occassion.


7. And lastly, stay in touch even AFTER you become employed. You never know, you may need them again and it is much easier to keep the contact than it is to start them up again.

Oh, and a good tip to be interesting to people is to be interested in them. I suggest you read Keith Ferrazzi's Never Eat Dinner Alone or Harvey Mackay's Swim With the Sharks.

Is This The Truth At Your WorkPlace?

This financial crisis is forcing companies to make tough decisions, there is a risk that we might need to lay off Andre ....

I could not resist this photograph. And I chuckled. But it did make me think too. Is this the truth at your workplace? If so, perhaps you need to rethink things.

Job Sharing: "Unlikely To Be Popular in the U.S."

The title of this post is a quote from an article entitled "Japan turns to 'work-sharing' to avoid layoffs" which appeared in the Herald Tribune, online. The article describes how Japanese companies are having employees share jobs and thus avoid getting laid off. Job sharing is popular in Europe, especially in countries that provide unemployment benefits to make up for the short-fall. Japan's culture, as well as practical and legal reasons, increase the likelihood of the success of the program. An economics professor at McGill University, in Canada, said the practice is unlikely to work in the US "where companies prefer to "concentrate the misery in a few people," and simply reduce workers."

I know some companies in the U.S. do job sharing. But the practice is not widespread. There are a number of things that would hinder the practice in the U.S., such as COBRA, lack of unemployment benefits, unions and attitudes. However, given the success of it in other countries I wonder why this was not "required" of companies in the new "stimulus" bill.

What do you think? Would it work? Is anyone doing it? Do you think it will come?