Texas Jobing Community Blogs

“You're bad news, Lance. You're not interested enough in growing old.”  Charles E. Boles (Black Bart, 1948)

Growing old is something we should all look forward to. After all, the available alternative is not too good.  Yet, for many elderly loved ones the medical system is so complicated that it puts them at risk.  For those people, Cardiovascular Home Care offers the "Safe Choices" program.

Safe Choices is designed to address issues specific to elderly populations. Certified Geriatric Care Managers work with various disciplines to:

• Coordinate medical care
• Reduce fall risks
• Improve medication management
• Address hygiene/nutrition issues
• Assist in financial planning
• Identify available resources

All of which greatly reduces the risk of costly hospitalizations. By preventing these problems, patients can have longer, happier lives.  

Safe Choices is a Medicare qualified program but is also available through private pay and major insurance. Patients do not have to have a cardiovascular diagnosis to be accepted into the Safe Choices program.

Caring for an elderly loved one is often an overwhelming issue. You don't know whether to call the doctor, the ER or a nursing home. Our program can help you feel better knowing you have made Safe Choices.

If you feel you would be a good member of the Safe Choices team, please see our ads here on Jobing or at www.happynurses.info.

If you are a caregiver or a discharge planner that would like more information on Safe Choices please call 817.847.8888 x121.

The room was abuzz with excitement as the 2009 Pinnacle Awards, sponsored by ADP, were announced during a luncheon at the SHRM Leadership Conference in Washington, DC. Each year, the Pinnacle Awards recognize outstanding projects designed and implemented by SHRM chapters and state councils. Each award carries a $1,000 prize for the chapter/council as well as a special Pinnacle lapel pin. Projects are judged by an internal SHRM staff committee and an external committee made up of SHRM members. This year saw entries from 45 chapters and eight state councils. A total of nine awards were presented—seven to chapters and two to state councils.

Winners of the 2009 Pinnacle Awards are:

Evansville-Area Human Resource Association (Indiana)

Human Resources Management Association of New Orleans (Lousiana)

Human Resources Management Association of New Mexico (Albuquerque)

Susquehanna Human Resource Management Association (Pennsylvania)

Austin Human Resource Management Association (Texas)

Mid-Cities Human Resource Association (Texas)

Raleigh-Wake Human Resource Management Association and Triangle SHRM (North Carolina)

New Hampshire SHRM State Council

Garden State Council – SHRM, Inc.

 

If you want to learn how to create a job search strategy for the holidays:

Mark your calendars for Tuesday November 24th at 9PM EST, 8PM CST, or 6PM PST for JobRadioUSA’s Episode 21 “How to Conduct an Effective Holiday Job Search.”

Duncan Mathison - author of Unlock the Hidden Job Market - will discuss:

1.       Why the holiday season is a great time to conduct your job search

2.       How to create a holiday job search schedule to move you one step closer to landing your next opportunity

3.       How to contact hiring managers of your targeted companies to uncover hidden opportunities

4.       Additional methods to generate job leads during the holidays

5.       How to land a seasonal holiday job (if you choose to do so)

You can access the show by either dialing 347-838-9326 or visiting http://www.blogtalkradio.com/thecareercatalyst.

Feel free to share this information with fellow job seekers.

During the Q&A session, Duncan will reveal:

·  How jobseekers can use holiday events to ultimately generate job leads or referrals

·  The essential signs that a jobseeker’s holiday networking is working

·  The power of volunteering during the holidays

·  Why holding back on a vacation during the holidays may be ideal

This will be a great show. Likewise, I look forward to your live participation Tuesday night.

Meanwhile, visit http://www.blogtalkradio.com/thecareercatalyst and listen to any of the previous 22 career shows you may have missed.

There are over 350 definitions of Leadership. Most dynamic leaders agree it’s about influencing others in order to reach new heights. However, along the way many mistakes are made and some are career ending. Make plans to attend this complimentary session presented by Jack Smalley, SPHR, as he reviews the "Lessons Learned from the Top 10 Leadership Mistakes" on Thursday, December 3rd at the Make-A-Wish Foundation of North Texas at 6655 Deseo, Irving, TX 75039 (off Riverside Dr., just north of Royal Lane).

Great leadership can move men, women and mountains but the Top 10 Leadership Mistakes can cause irreparable damage to our followers and our mission. Excellent leadership begins long before we enter our career and continues well beyond our retirement through our mentors and who we decide to mentor.

This detailed and interactive session covers the following leadership mistakes with real life stories and examples such as:
• Too Much Talking and Not Enough Walking
• Assuming Your Best Employees Require Little Recognition
• Accepting Mediocre Performance

Our employees play a major role in delivering our successes or allowing us to fail. By avoiding and learning from these mistakes our employees will stand by us through the challenging times ahead and 100% support us in overcoming all obstacles along the way.

Event Information:

3.0 Hours of HRCI Credits (Pending Strategic Approval)
Date: Thursday, December 3, 2009
Time: Registration : 12:30 – 1:00 PM; Session: 1:00 – 4:00 PM
Where: Make-A-Wish Foundation of North Texas
6655 Deseo, Irving, TX 75039; (Off Riverside Dr, just north of Royal Lane)
Cost: Complimentary to invited guests
RSVP: To register, go to www.irvingexpress.com, or send email to: mike.overby@expresspros.com

 

Over the next few weeks I will discuss how to use Twitter and Facebook during the job search. For this post, I will share how to source job leads, locate targeted companies, and create a targeted company list.

1. Visit www.twitterjobsearch.com, sign in to Twitter, and click on the Allow Access button (if this is your first time using TwitterJobSearch).

2. Next complete your TwitterJobSearch profile by providing contact details, your skills, and URLs to your LinkedIn and online resume. You can log in to LinkedIn and click on “View My Profile” to obtain your public profile URL (located above the Summary).

3. To source job leads, click on the Browse button in the upper right of the screen, and type your job function in the search field. For example, I typed “corporate strategy” and retrieved 3500+ results. You can also use the categories and subcategories located under Browse Jobs on TwitterJobSearch’s home page.

4. Next refine your search using the filters on the right of your screen which include: Date, Job Title, Country, City, Salary, Job Type, and so on. For example, I clicked on “United States” under the Country filter and then clicked on “Dallas” under the City filter.

5. After setting up your search, click on the Subscribe button (on the right of your screen above the filters) to automatically have relevant jobs sent to your RSS reader.

6. Next follow individuals of interest who tweeted jobs (by clicking on their twitter name and the follow button) to ultimately network and establish relationships with.

7. To follow targeted companies that are recruiting and posting jobs on Twitter, visit the two links below:

http://tweepml.org/Employers-Recruiting-on-Twitter/

http://tweepml.org/Top-10-Companies-Recruiting-on-Twitter/ 

Then deselect the companies you do not want to follow, click on the Sign in on Twitter button at the bottom of the screen, and click on the Allow Access button. In an upcoming post I will discuss how to determine if specific companies are on Twitter.

8. Next place your targeted companies in a list. To do so log in to your regular Twitter account, click on the Create a new list button in the upper left of your screen, type the name of this list, select the appropriate privacy setting, and click on the Create list button.

Click on your following icon to locate the individuals and companies you are following. For each of the targeted companies (you are following), click on the manage list icon under actions, and select the targeted company list (you just created).

Click on the Home button and under the Lists section on the right of your screen, click on your targeted company list, and you will only see the tweets from these companies.

At Pennsylvania Life SENIOR Solutions®, we specialize in working with America ’s seniors, helping them to understand Medicare and the changes in Medicare that can affect them in their health care and in their retirement. We are then able to offer solutions to these changes via our many different insurance products. We focus on providing information on the four main areas of concern that most retirees face today.

One of the areas that are a major concern for this country’s seniors is Long Term Care. Long Term Care refers to the type of personal care services you may need if you become unable to care for yourself because of a loss of functional capacity or cognitive impairment.

Long Term Care is different from traditional medical care. Traditional medical care treats physical problems directly in an attempt to permanently cure or control them. Long Term Care services help you maintain your ability to perform normal daily activities. These services could include personal assistance or custodial care and skilled care provided in your home, an adult day care center, a nursing home, or an assisted living facility.

Our nation’s retirees work for many years, accumulating their retirement funds to carry them thru their “golden years.” After laboring for 30, 40 or sometimes as much as 50 years, the retiree’s hope is that the carefully saved “nest-egg” will last thru another 15 or 20 years or so, of well deserved rest and relaxation. And with today’s technology, life expectancies have greatly increased from what they were in the days of our parents, grandparents and great grandparents. And of course the longer we live, the chances of having health problems in our later years increase drastically.

The disturbing fact is that national statistics now show that when all of us reach the age of 65, there is a 40% chance of needing some type of Long Term Care (nursing home, assisted living, adult daycare or home health care) sometime in our remaining life. And by the time we reach the age of 75, it jumps to a 75% chance that we’ll need some type of Long Term Care sometime in our remaining life. And at an average cost of between $3000 and $5000 per month for this care, this is a huge area of concern for most seniors!

How can one protect themselves from such a devastating blow to their assets? Most seniors are surprised to learn the Medicare is not the answer. Since Medicare only pays for 100 days of long term care (20 days at 100% coverage and 80 days of co-pays) only when their care is considered “skilled care,” one must find other alternatives to protect themselves.

There are normally only 3 ways to protect yourself. The first way is to “self-insure,” or be “rich.” However, the cost of a nursing home stay could easily reach $70,000 or more per year. Depending on the services you need and the costs in your area, average rates might be $200 a day or more. This could quickly drain ones retirement fund. The second way is Medicaid. Medicaid is a state and federal assistance program for eligible individuals with low incomes. To qualify for Medicaid, you must meet state and federal guidelines for income and assets. In Texas , one must “spend down” their monthly assets to their last $2000 (amount varies from state to state), an amount that is actually below the national poverty level. The third way is to be insured. This can be accomplished by transferring the risk to an insurance company, much like one would do by transferring the risk of needing care from a doctor or a hospital to their health insurance carrier.

The federal government realizes the importance of having Long Term Care Insurance. Long Term Care Insurance is now actually offered to federal employees, but only at the expense of that employee. Also now available are “Tax Qualified” Long Term Care Insurance policies. These policies make a “write off” available to eligible individuals who qualify by having the necessary medical deductions (consult a tax attorney or CPA), allowing them to “write off” a portion or all of the premiums paid for their Long Term Care policy.

Is Long Term care Insurance right for you?  To find out more information about Long Term Care, here are a few agencies and phone numbers for you to contact.

Medicare

1-800-Medicare (1-800-633-4227)

www.medicare.gov

Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services

1-800-252-9240

www.dads.state.tx.us

“Own Your Future” Long Term Care Awareness Campaign

www.ownyourfuturetexas.org

Texas Department of State Health Services

1-888-963-7111

www.dshs.state.tx.us

Texas Health and Human Services Commission’s Medicaid Hot Line

1-800-252-8263

www.hhsc.state.tx.us

Social Security Administration Toll-free Hot Line

1-800-772-1213

www.ssa.gov

 

The hustle and bustle of the holidays is upon us. Many put their job search on hold during the holidays, yet there are so many prime opportunities to further your career and to learn about new opportunities during this busy season. It's all about focus, being social with friends, family and colleagues, and best of all having fun! The holidays present a great opportunity to get out and network. Here are a few special tips for networking during the holiday season.

• Be open to invitations. The holiday parties or social events put on by your friends, neighbors and your professional affiliations are often a great way to mingle with professionals who you wouldn't otherwise see on a regular basis. These are often the most attended events of the entire year.
• It's not about you. I say that a little tongue in cheek because yes, you want to eventually turn your network into your greatest resource for your next career. However, if you find an interest in another person, they will naturally find an interest in you. Always start conversations with people at networking events with questions about them. What's new in their lives and their careers? What do they see for 2010? Are there any challenges they'll be facing? The conversation will eventually turn back to you for your turn. I promise.
• Be ready to brag... a bit. Be ready with just a few stories that really demonstrate real accomplishments. When asked about what you've been up to, be sure to answer with more than just "Work has been really busy."
• Share your goals. If one of your goals is to obtain a new post as an Accounting Supervisor, then share it. You never know who might be able to help you accomplish your goal. Find out from each person you talk to who in their organization is responsible for that type of work. Ask whether you can follow up and receive an introduction.
• Be a source of professional cheer. Go ahead. Be the life of the party... within reason. Your behavior at social events will reflect on your professional life too. Be a resource to others, bring joy and good cheer. They will remember it later.

Happy Thanksgiving and Enjoy this Holiday Networking Season!

Buffy Wehner is the Community Relations Manager for Jobing.com in Dallas.  She twitters under @JobingDallas, and you can find her on Facebook under facebook.com/dallasjobs

Right now, seems like so much fear is present in the workplace.  Fear can be detrimental to both the employee and the employer.  Fear stops productivity, it creates suspicion and generally produces negativity.  So what are we to do?

First of all, make sure that your fears are REAL.  Check the facts, ask questions, do some of your own research.  Too many times we let everyone else tell us how we are supposed to feel.  Fear, after all, is an emotion.

If indeed you find you have reason to be fearful, create an ACTION PLAN.  I realize that you have little or no control over company staff reductions, the market or whether your company decides to sell.  You do have control over HOW YOU WILL REACT.  Immediately cut your expenses in half (don't wait for the pink slip).  Let everyone know that this holiday season you are limited in your gifting and get creative with homemade gifts.  Stop going to Starbucks for coffee and take your lunch to work.  Make a game out of seeing how much money YOU CAN'T SPEND  and build yourself some savings to fall back on.

Don't just 'update' your resume, create a marketing brochure that focuses on what you can do to help a company make or save money in the form of 'accomplishment statements'.  It is not enough to list your duties and responsibilities by employer, you have to clearly and concisely communicate who you are, what you are good at, and how you can contribute to the success of potential employers.  Once again, don't wait for the pink slip.

Start identifying a number of organizations that you believe can use your specific skills and do some research.  Create your marketing 'hit list' and know exactly who to contact.  Begin networking at every opportunity.  Time to start attending your industry association meetings and getting in contact with colleagues.  Get out there!

Believe me, doing these things will begin to chase that Fear away, because you will FEEL more in control.  The truth of the matter is that each and every one of us are more in control than we think we are.  Fear, after all, is an emotion and how we FEEL is up to us!

Now you will be way ahead of the game if and when you get that pink slip . . . and maybe you might find an opportunity instead of waiting for opportunity to find you.

Opportunity doesn't knock, it whispers, so start listening!

Doctor B

Keywords are a central feature of our business day.  We use them to search our resume databases and to parse through the profiles and resumes posted on job boards and social networking sites.  The problem, of course, is that we pesky humans have a bad habit of using different words to express the same idea.  That variability in human expression makes it difficult to know which keywords will actually identify the best candidates for each of your openings.

So, what should you do?  How can you select the right keywords when there are so many competing alternatives?  The answer, I think, is to create a keyword taxonomy—an annotated list of search terms—that is rich in the language of the top talent in the specific career fields for which you are recruiting.  Think of it as a “set of master keys in words” that can unlock the candidate databases you are probing.

Creating such a tool is not particularly difficult.  Doing so, however, is a departure from the current practice in many organizations.  It involves temporarily stepping outside the press of individual, day-to-day assignments and taking a longer term view of how keywords can best serve your recruiting strategy.  Here’s what I mean.

The rule of thumb in developing a list of keywords has usually been to rely on the information provided to us in a job description or requisition.  The problem with this approach, of course, is that those documents are typically formulated by hiring managers—one of the least articulate populations on the planet.  The terminology they provide, therefore, is necessary but insufficient to unlock the best talent in an ATS or job board database.  It is a part of the master keyword set, but not all of it.

How can you fill in the gaps?
I suggest you borrow a page from your colleagues in sales and marketing and form a focus group.  Such a group is only useful, however, if it is composed of the right participants.  You’re trying to uncover the language used by the best talent for your openings, so your focus group should be populated with the same kind of people.  And, you have a ready source of such individuals among your organization’s “A” level performers in the career fields for which you’re recruiting.  They, better than anyone else, know exactly which terms their peers will use to describe their qualifications.

Top performers are usually very busy, however, so you may have a hard time breaking them free for such an exercise.  If that’s the case in your organization, you can also build your set of master keywords by conducting a similar survey with your new hires during their orientation.  This approach is clearly more challenging to implement, however, because you will have to base your selection of the group’s participants not on their demonstrated excellence at work, but on your judgment of how they are likely to perform once they are on-the-job.

In either case, your focus group will yield the best results if its work is conducted in three steps.

· First, build your baseline.  Ask the participants to list all of the terms they would use to describe the qualifications required for an individual to be able to perform their job effectively.  These attributes can include specific skills, occupational and/or industry knowledge, prior work experience, personality and any other factors that would bear on their ability to contribute.  If the group has a hard time knowing where to begin, ask them to review one or more of the keyword references that are currently available.  These include Google’s Keyword Tool, which will suggest keywords based on previous Google searches; Wordtracker, an online research tool; and WEDDLE’s 3 volume set, Finding Needles in a Haystack, which lists over 25,000 keywords and keyword phrases, across 5400 job and position titles in 28 industries and professions.

· Second, restate the terms in order of their importance.  Ask the group to prioritize each of their terms according to its impact on an individual’s job performance.  While there may be some disagreement among the group about the placement of specific terms, encourage them to arrive at a consensus rank ordering of the overall list.

· Third, group the terms into search baskets.  The best way to probe a resume or profile database is to conduct your search in concentric circles of ever greater specificity.  This approach enables you to hone in on and eventually determine a reasonable slate of the most qualified prospects in a database.  Therefore, ask the group to break their list into the following categories: absolutely critical, very important, somewhat important and nice to have.

Those four baskets of search terms should then be added to the terms you derived from the hiring manager’s job description or requisition.  If those documents enable you to do so, assign each of those terms to one of the categories used in Step 3 above.  If not, the most politic course to assign them to the absolutely critical category.  The resulting integrated list of search terms is your set of master keywords.

The above process is clearly labor and time intensive so think of it as an investment to develop an asset.  The product you create—your keyword taxonomy—is just such a resource.  It is a state-of-the-art search tool that can be used over and over again by the entire recruiting team.  No less important, that tool gives them a genuine competitive advantage because it will increase both their efficiency and their performance.  It should, therefore, be password protected and carefully monitored.  As with all assets, it will require updating from time-to-time, but the effort involved will be substantially less than of the original development.

Keywords are typically viewed as one of the basic tools in our profession.  For better or worse, everybody uses them so it’s easy to assume they have little or no differentiating value.  When forged into a powerful asset, however, keywords can help an organization unlock talent other employers can’t reach.  That’s why no recruiting team should be without “a set of master keys in words.”

Thanks for reading,

Peter

Visit me at Weddles.com

Peter Weddle is the author of over two dozen employment-related books, including Recognizing Richard Rabbit, a fable of self-discovery for working adults, and Work Strong, Your Personal Career Fitness System.

© Copyright 2009 WEDDLE’s LLC.  All Rights Reserved.

Log on to the internet, read the WSJ, or pick up Business Week and you will see the pundits  obsessed with the message that the economy is still stalled. Really…! Comparisons are drawn with the current economic condition against the hey days of 2008 before the subprime and financial markets meltdown. The stock market reacts on short term visibility of today’s profit (lack of).

It is the corporate leaders who base business decisions on longer term strategies that serve to strengthen corporate positions and financial stability. Yet, during economic contractions the opposite atmosphere seems to be prevalent. Comparisons of our job base or financial conditions always seem to be compared with the last apex showing how far off pace from last year (and sometimes longer) we still are.

Marc Andreessen, who Fortune magazine describes as “the most connected, prescient, right-place-right-time force in Silicon Valley”, sees the recessionary fog lifting. Formerly one of the founders of Netscape, his latest endeavor has been establishing a venture capital fund focused on domestic companies offering web based technology solutions. Fortune noted that while the first quarter of 2009 marked the lowest level of venture capital investment in over a decade, Andreessen exceeded his target of raising $250 million by raising $300. In an attempt to put this feat in perspective, this sum was less than 1/3 of the biggest boom year venture funds. So where does our attention fall? Is our attempt to place where we are today in comparison to record highs designed to create cautious optimism or manifests in hesitant steps of paranoia that timing may not be right?

Now is the time for aggressive movement, for steps to implement change, restructure operations or bring on more fire power by adding exceptional talent. This is not to get ready for the recovery we crave or to be ahead of some business cycle curve. The wave has started, there are signs in Silicon Valley, in the car industry of the Upper Mid West, the financial markets of major money centers, in domestic and international energy markets. Warren Buffet spoke extensively at the end of 2008 of the negative feedback loop we were stuck in and that the frenzy of negative information was more intense than any other time in his investment career. “Our recovery won’t happen until we find a way to exert pressure against this loop. That’s when we will be able to step forward again”.

Reports are finally appearing containing positive outlooks. Reuters recently quoted Michael Dell, Chief Executive officer of Dell Computers as saying “the business climate was improving and repeated his expectation for a "powerful" hardware refresh cycle beginning next year”. While noting that there are still obstacles to the recovery, Dell sounded optimistic about the upcoming year as the tech sector makes its way out of a crushing recession that has severely impacted end-demand.

This does not mean that we are no longer dealing with financial pressures, economic uncertainty or that jobs will be created immediately with zest and gusto. What it should signal is now is the time to be taking steps to strengthen our systems and operations, to look for additional fire power in adding a key employee who can bring impact if one becomes available, to foster an atmosphere of hope and enthusiasm for the teams which we are responsible.

We gain traction by taking steps, not standing still. Is there a step you can take before the end of the year that would serve as a catalyst in improved productivity, systems enhancements or overall morale? Could pointing your group’s attention toward completing a project within the next ninety days offer a sense of accomplishment no matter how dire your current circumstances are? Waiting for the future does nothing to encourage or inspire those in our charge.  Specific targeted steps will, no matter how small.

We have enjoyed being protected here in Houston from the fallen economy impact in our country and globally. I’ve talked to several people that I consider not only historians, but people that have had their finger on the pulse of our economy for many years. They are saying the worst of the economy has not yet hit Houston. It’s coming, but it’s not here. Houston was hoping the rest of the country could pull itself out of the hole, get back on track and not affect Houston. It didn’t’ work. A friend of mine is a Human Resource guru and said he is able to pick the best from all the applicants; able to hire an overly qualified person for the same dollars he was hiring a person that fit the job. In other words, more employee for the bucks. Our city, our country, our world is changing and it will never be the way it was a couple of years ago. People that were making $15 an hour a year ago and lost their job will now be re-entering the workforce at minimum wage. There are USA citizens working in other countries that can not come home because their salary would be cut in half.

If you have a job, express your thankfulness to your boss. If you have not been laid off that means you must be a key person and your company needs you. Work to keep that company number one. Involve yourself in every part of the company to keep it above the competition. Every time the company phone rings you should think of it as a time that the caller will receive outstanding service from you and your company, but more importantly that call means you still have a job. If the phone doesn’t ring, you won’t have a job very long. You may get stressed at work, feel overworked, you may be grumpy, but look at it from the other side. You have a job. If you constantly complain about being stressed, overworked, grumpy, then maybe it’s time you move on and let some one else have your job. And to the sayers of “I can get a job anywhere”, I say whoa to you, you should rethink that statement. Yes you can get a job at about half the salary you are currently making. The grass always looks greener on the other side.

Be thoughtful to the folks that are unemployed. If you can help them, please do. If you can’t, please refer them to a church or organization that can help them. The holidays are upon us. Please consider giving in any way you can so to share with others what you have. We are brothers and sisters, created to care for one another.

As you know, we are all facing challenging times.  The recruiting and staffing profession has been especially affected by the current economy.

The DFW SMA would like to provide support to our fellow staffing and recruiting colleagues during this transition.  Therefore, we are extending an invitation to anyone in our profession  (not just members or past members) who are unemployed, a one-time opportunity to join or extend their membership for up to one year, at no cost!

The DFW SMA believes this continued affiliation of our profession will help transitioning HR professionals stay current on the issues impacting the HR profession and provide them with the needed resources to assist them in their job search.
Sorry, no refunds will be given for renewals already paid and processed.

This one-time opportunity must be activated by December 2009 and the "in transition" membership will be active until December 31, 2010.  If you would like to learn more about the complementary DFW SMA membership for those in transition, please contact Diana Meisenhelter, VP of Membership at Diana@RivieraAdvisors.com or at 972-307-5637.

If you would like to check out a meeting - register for our next event at www.dfwsma.org!  Our next meeting is November 18th at 11:30 a.m. - right here in DFW!

 

The Wall Street Journal ran an article this week titled More Job Seekers Scramble To Erase Their Criminal Past discussing how job seekers are seeking to legally delete their criminal records for minor offenses.

Though written from the job seeker's point of view, the article does a fair job of highlighting the increasing flexibility by legislatures and courts to erase or limit the use by employers of "minor" criminal offenses. There was, however, one significant error by the author related to the legal use of criminal records.

As a background screening firm, we typically only become aware of expunged or sealed records when they appear in the so-called "national" criminal records databases and we are unable to verify them with the court. Expunged records legally no longer exist and employers should not even be aware of them, much less use them when evaluating someone for employment. Otherwise they risk litigation from the aggrieved employment applicant, as one local bank found out recently.  (This is a key reason why we always verify any criminal records from a database before we report them to our clients.)

For folks who get in minor legal scrapes and have met the court's requirements, expunction or non-disclosure orders make sense. And certainly the wrongly accused should have a means of erasing their history with the criminal justice system. Some states, however, seem to be tipping the scales in favor of offenders rather than allowing employers to make reasonable and educated hiring decisions.

There was one significant error in the article of which readers should be aware. The article claimed:

Companies can make hiring decisions based on conviction records, but not on arrests that haven't resulted in convictions, according to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

That’s not accurate. First of all, the EEOC’s protections are for individuals in protected classes and don’t generally apply to white individuals.

Even where individuals are in a protected class, the EEOC has specific guidelines allowing for the use of non-conviction records. Basically, before making an adverse employment decision based upon non-conviction criminal records the employer must ensure that:

• The alleged conduct is related to the position sought including review of the nature and gravity of the offense, the time that has passed since the arrest, and the nature of the position sought and
• There is a likelihood that the individual engaged in the conduct alleged.

However, there are other instances where cases are dismissed or not prosecuted but still may be of legitimate interest to an employer. For instance, if an individual has been accused of domestic violence on multiple occasions but each charge was dismissed “at the request of the complaining witness,” an employer considering the individual for a care-giving role with vulnerable populations would be wise to review those circumstances more closely before hiring the individual.

Employers should be aware that California and some other state’s laws go beyond the EEOC’s guidelines in restricting the use of non-conviction information. Additionally, the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act limits the reporting of non-conviction information by background screening companies to seven years after the arrest or final dismissal.

Mike Coffey is president of Imperative Information Group, a Fort Worth, Texas-based background investigations and business due diligence firm dedicated to clients who can't afford a cheap background check. For more information about Imperative Information Group's services, contact Mike at 877-HR-FACTS  (877-473-2287) or visit us online at http://www.imperativeinfo.com.

 

You have prepared for traditional and behavioral interviews. You have accomplishment stories that demonstrate you are a problem solver who can increase revenue and/or decrease cost. Now let’s imagine that a potential interviewer wants to learn more about your problem solving abilities. Likewise, the interviewer gives you a case interview. Are you prepared to ace it?

A case interview consists of the interviewer presenting a problem and asking the interviewee to come up with a solution. It is typically a real life business situation an interviewer encountered. Most importantly, case interviews are used to measure a candidate’s business acumen, executive presence, and ability to think quickly under pressure. They are also utilized to measure a candidate’s problem solving, analytical, communication, and listening skills.

If you are ever presented with a case interview, below are tactics you can use to maximize your performance.

1. Verify the information you received - you will be given an initial set of facts including the situation and the problem you need to solve. For example, “Our client is a global industrial engineering firm that manufactures wind turbines. Revenue is increasing while profit is declining. Our client wants to improve profit. What do you suggest the company do?” Afterwards, verbally paraphrase this information to ensure you understand the problem you need to solve.

2. Structure your thoughts - next you should take up to 60 seconds to structure your thoughts. This entails breaking down the problem into components and subcomponents. For this case interview, your components could be revenue, cost, and competition. The revenue and cost subcomponents would be price and volume and fixed and variable cost, respectively. The subcomponents for competition could be competitor benchmarks, actions, and so on.

3. Share the path you are going to take - verbally share your structure with the interviewer. To ensure you are going down the right path, state “Unless you suggest otherwise, I am going to start with revenue.” Likewise, the interviewer can point you in the right direction just in case revenue is not the main issue.

4. Next ask probing questions - you should ask thoughtful questions to acquire the information you need to ultimately crack the case. You should also ask questions in a structured fashion. For example, gather all the information you need for revenue before asking questions to acquire cost data. Then obtain all of the facts you need for cost before moving on to competition.

5. Perform calculations out loud - you will be given facts, figures, and/or charts to use to perform calculations. It is vital that you perform these calculations out loud so the interviewer can correct you if you make a mistake. If you perform your calculations silently and the final results are incorrect, the interviewer will have no idea where you made a mistake.

6. Structure your recommendations - once you have all of the information you need, take up to 60 seconds to structure your recommendations. This will also give you time to prioritize the supporting details for your solutions and identify potential risks and implications.

7. Deliver your solutions - finally present your solutions or recommendations with confidence and list the supporting details. Next mention the potential risks and implications and/or discuss potential next steps.

Nonetheless, feel free to listen to Carole Martin’s “Personal Branding During the Interview Process,” which was a good show. Click here: http://tinyurl.com/yekyfgh  to listen to this podcast.

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