If You're Fired, Will Past Employers Keep Your Secret?

Despite what some job seekers think, it is not illegal for former employers to tell reference checkers that you were fired. They can say anything they want as long as it's true.

But many companies do have policies that limit what they will reveal about past employees.

Is this a good thing or a bad thing?

I was watching an episode of CBS's "60 Minutes" recently (hmmm, maybe I watch too much TV; no wait, this is "research," so it's OK). They had a shocking story about a male hospital worker who is suspected of killing more than 40 patients in several different hospitals during the past decade. He pleaded guilty to two of the murders. 

That is very disturbing by itself... but what makes this story so incredibly worse is that his employers unwittingly helped him do it! This guy had been fired many times for a variety of reasons -- hoarding potentially harmful drugs, illegally administering unprescribed treatments, being negligent with patients -- and other alarming actions. He'd even been convicted of something (I can't recall the charge).

Yet he never had a problem getting another job at another hospital. Why? Because his former employers all had policies that prevented them from providing any information about past employees, other than job titles and dates of employment.

Apparently the hospital's lawyers were trying to protect them from lawsuits that could possibly result if something negative (and not proven as fact) was said about a past employee which prevented that employee from obtaining another job.

So even though references were checked, they revealed nothing about this criminal's activities. And he was passed along from one hospital to the next, allegedly killing patients in each one until he was finally caught.

This is a very extreme example of how such personnel policies are, in my opinion, doing more harm than good. This sword cuts both ways, after all. If you've done a truly exceptional job for your past employer, wouldn't you want that employer to be free to confirm your glowing accomplishments during a reference check?

Things are changing, thank goodness. According to the Society of Human Resource Management, employers are conducting more criminal checks than ever before. The need to provide a safe workplace is helping to drive this increase. Plus companies that were once worried about being sued by a former employee over a bad reference are now more concerned about being sued by an employer who wasn't warned about a bad employee! 

Job Vacancy Indonesia, Vacancy 

Job Interview Secrets and Best Practices That Land Job

By Steve Wong

Job Vacancy Indonesia, Employee, Vacancy    

Some job seekers always land more jobs than the others because they know a couple of job interview secrets that most people do not know. These secrets indeed are not really a "secret" because they're just the things often neglected by majority of job seekers.

Here are some best practices to help you ace in your next job interview.

1. Don't Wing It

Always attend job interviews with proper preparation. The areas you should spend time to explore are as follows:

• Research the company's information and know its products, services, recent news, goals, future plans, mission statement, work cultures, etc. Check out its web site, visit the local library and call the employer to find out the necessary information.
• Know your abilities, accomplishments and experiences as well as how you can contribute to the prospective employer. Link them with some examples.
• Find out what the key interview questions are and prepare for appropriate answers.

The level of your preparation demonstrates to the interviewer how hardworking, proactive and thorough you are on critical task like this.

2. Practice your interview questions and answers

Practice makes perfect. You should go through the questions and answers with a friend a few times until you feel comfortable to walk into the interview room. Show the employer you're confident to bring your experiences and abilities to the company.

3. Show your interest and enthusiasm on the job and the company

The first few minutes often determines if you can make it to the second interview and land the job. Make a good first impression and show your interest on the job position by using your body language, asking intelligent questions and sending a thank you note to the interviewer to reiterate your enthusiasm about the job and company.

4. Important practices

Effective Job seekers also carry out a few other job interview secrets or best practices to make them stand out from the crowd.

• Arrive 15 minutes early to check your appearance and scan the reception area for latest company news. Also, you do not want an upset employer to interview you.
• Be well-groomed and dress appropriately. Wear smart and simple, but suit the environment of the particular job.
• Be friendly and polite. Give a firm handshake to the interviewer and greet him or her by the last name with a friendly smile.
• Establish an effective two-way communication and try to agree to what the interviewer tells you.
• Don't respond questions with a "yes," or "no." Your answer should be about a minute long.
• Be attentive to the hiring manager and make good eye contact when replying his or her questions.
• Don't chew gum, smoke, or eat garlic before the meeting.
• Don't bad mouth your previous employer even if you're not happy with the company or the job.
• Don't touch on salary or benefits in the first interview.

10 Tips When Searching For A Job

By James A. Russell

Job Vacancy Indonesia, Employee, Vacancy  

1. Know Yourself
The first thing that you should do is figure out your interests. Use these interests to set you apart from the crowd.

2. Take a career assessment test
These are available numerous places online. After you take this test, you should get a good idea about what you like in a job environment.

3. Talk to other people
Look to friends, co-workers, and family to tell you what you do best. They can give you a different perspective from your own. Hearing your strengths and weakness from other people can help you determine what kind of job you should be looking for.

4. What are YOU looking for?
Compare different aspects of a job. Are you more interested in a job that you are going to enjoy or a high salary? Are you planning to have the weekends off to spend time with your friends and family?

5. Take charge
Nowadays, you are likely to bounce around from company to company. On average, you are likely to work for five companies during your working career. Pick a certain career track and try to stay on that path.

6. Do you fit in the company?
Agreeing with the ideals and goals of the company you are working for is very important. Take note of what the company stands for and compare that with your own ideals. You should feel comfortable working in a company. Make sure that the company works for you, not only that you work for the company.

7. Keep Your Options Open
Choosing a new career path can lead to a lot of change, both personally and professionally. There are tons of opportunities available to you.

8. The key is balance.
When you are in your 20s and 30s, you spend a lot of time on the job. As you get into your 40s, your personal life will become more important. It is important to find a career that will allow you to balance you work and personal life.

9. Don't Hang Around
If you are not satisfied with your career, do not hesitate to look around for another one. Make sure that you are in control of your career and that you are doing something that you want to be doing.

10. Make a schedule
The best way to stay organized is by making a schedule. If you are applying for many different jobs and get some interviews, you are going to want to keep track of everything that is going on. The best way to do this is by creating a schedule.

How to Create a Professional Portfolio for Medical Device Sales Interviews

By Joy Bridges

Job Vacancy Indonesia, Employee, Vacancy

 

What is a professional portfolio?

A professional portfolio gives employers a more vivid and complete picture of who you are as an employee. It showcases your skills and accomplishments using a variety of materials so you stand out from other candidates and "stick" in the hiring manager's mind.

What does a professional portfolio look like?

• A three ring binder is best. It should be durable, easily altered, and professional. You may be changing the content per interview so avoid permanent binding.
• Organized with a table of contents and tabs for each section
• Or show off your technological skill with an easily navigable website instead

How should you customize your professional portfolio for the medical device industry?

The first section of your binder should be reserved for a targeted resume. The best resumes include the name of the companies you worked for and the specific medical devices those companies were responsible for. Be specific.

Example: Smith & Nephew, Inc. - Orthopedic DivisionSold joint reconstruction, trauma fixation, and clinical therapy devices to Orthopedists, Podiatrists, clinic and office staff, patients, and insurance companies in southwestern Texas.

Those keywords capture the attention of recruiters and hiring managers that were given specific skill sets to look for in a candidate. Explaining your specific sphere of influence implies that you already have relationships within the region, which can help when you start a new career in the same state or territory. Include these keywords in your cover letter as well.

After the basics, a professional portfolio takes shape based upon your own personality, skills, and industry experience. Here are some examples of what a professional portfolio could include.

• Concrete evidence of your sales results: One of the best profiles I've seen included corporate emails that applauded the candidate for the amount of revenue he made for the company. These testimonials and evidences of your sales results are more interesting than a bullet pointed list on a resume, but still showcase your professional achievements.
• Copies of certificates and awards
• A 30-60-90 day action plan: What can you do for the company? How will you do it? Hiring a new employee is an investment for any company and an action plan will show your potential employer just how serious you are about the return on investment.
• Letters of recommendation: include any good reports from employer evaluations, testimonials from colleagues, etc.

 

Remedy to Convert the Disadvantages of Call Center Outsourcing Into Advantages

By Morris Jane

Job Vacancy Indonesia, Employee, Vacancy  

Gone are the days when outsourcing was considered as unneeded complication and something unwanted and unwelcome guests in business premises. With the time, economies and markets, business owners have not only softened their approach towards call centre outsourcing but also made them a significant extension of their business given the profits and cost control associated to BPO services.
Some main advantages that are associated with offshore call centre services
1) Concentration on Core issues: Your team does not have to spend time on time consuming issues like taking calls or telemarketing. Instead, they can focus on core functional issues of a business.
2) Best Minds working for you: Call centers are platforms that ensure that best minds, best of technology and best of resources are available for you.
3) High Quality in Lower Costs: Lower costs of call centers do not intend lower quality. You get world class services on offshore rates.
4) Data Management and Security: Thanks to the rigorous data safety management your company does not get lost on data and information. Every piece of information you confide with them remains secured and valid.
5) Margins Saving: You cut costs considerably. With call centre outsourcing, you can save up to 40 to 60 percent on operational costs like administrative, recruitment expenses across all levels of business.
6) Streamlined and Tighter Work Operations: Your work operations are managed properly thanks to the proper application and software like CRM deployed.
7) Embracing New Technologies: Today when new technologies are emerging on daily basis, call centre offers you opportunities to deploy new technologies like Cisco for your business resulting in advancement of your business and saved costs.
Disadvantages:
1) Distance: Distance is what makes business owners distant to outsourcing.
2) Costs: For the starters, the margin falls short than expected. That happens mainly because of misunderstanding, lack of proper communication or mismanagement.
3) Tall Tales and Lies: Sometimes, call centre owners offers something they do not specialize or present themselves they are not. That irks off most of business.
4) Lack of Professionalism and Finances: This is a situation when call centers lack of necessitate funds to run an operation smoothly or have to leave in mid-way. Sometimes, due to incapable HR policies or high attrition rates, they employ agents that lack basic skills of being an agent.
The Remedy:
What we need to understand that these disadvantages can happen with onshore and near-shore call centers as well. Fear of deals would go wrong have not stopped you from working then why should it be the case with outsourcing? However, experts insist that you outsource safe and risk free. When you outsource, you are not suppose to send all your work to third party service provider and go to vacation. Instead, outsource something that is consuming most of the working time of your in-house team and wreaking havoc on financial front like call answering, telemarketing, appointment scheduling, credit card processing or finance and admin outsourcing. This would not only be cost saving but also, productive.
You need to develop mutual trust and understanding with your call center outsourcing and call center service provider as you would do with any of your on-shore partner. They are operating at distance that does not mean that they do not understand the analytics of market or mathematics of business. You just need to be patient and understanding with them.

Morris Jane is associated with Vcare Corporation and working as a Sr. Marketing Manager. Vcare encompasses the range of varied support services such as call centre outsourcing services, F&A Outsourcing services, email/chat support, research wings, outbound, inbound call center services, back office support, Software Development, IVR Services and Infrastructure Management solutions.

Recruitment Jobs Using Job Boards

By Steven T Reid

Job Vacancy Indonesia, Employee, Vacancy   

Recruitment jobs specialists rely heavily on job boards when finding new employees for various careers in different industries. Job boards are crucial when someone is looking for a new job because it puts their name out there and lets all of the recruitment jobs specialists know that they are interested in starting a new career with their organization. Job boards typically have an area where employers with openings in their companies can contract out to employment professionals to post on these job portals. Job portals also allow job seekers to post their resume on them so employment occupations professionals can search through the various resumes and find the perfect employee they are looking for.

Recruitment job specialists are always on the lookout for new employees in management positions. If you have had a lot of experience in a particular field, it would be well advised to post your resume on various job boards. Recruitment jobs specialists will then be able to see that you have had many years in the field and can consider you for an opening in a management position to the employers that they are working for. A management position can be a fantastic step forward for many people, leading to a higher salary and a more satisfying work experience.

Job portals for graphic design occupations are great for getting your portfolio out in the digital world. Many employment jobs professionals will look through job portals for graphic design positions and can present potential employees body of work directly to employers for a quick decision as to if they would be a good fit to the company. The graphic design industry is highly competitive, but also highly lucrative if the recruitment occupation professionals can find the right place for you in a prestigious graphic design firm. So if you are looking for a new career in graphic design, be sure to post your portfolio on graphic design job boards.

If you are looking at careers in the telecommunications industry, there are a great variety of job boards that employment occupation specialists use to find the great new employee. The telecommunications industry is a vast field with positions in all types of employment. One of the largest sectors of the telecommunications field is in retail sales, and there are many job portals that list these available positions. Posting your resume on a job board for careers in telecommunications retail sales positions can help recruitment jobs specialists seek you out and get you started in your new career today. Another sector of the telecommunications industry is in the technical field. Many electrical engineers go into the telecommunications industry because of the high pay and rewarding nature of the work, as such there are many employment jobs specialists that are always on the hunt for highly qualified electrical engineers. By posting your electrical engineering resume on various online job boards, recruitment jobs specialists will know that you are the hunt for a new, high paying career in the telecommunications industry.

Flextime

An Alternative Work Schedule

 

Job Vacancy Indonesia, Employee, Vacancy

 

Flextime: A Definition Flextime allows an employee to select the hours he or she will work. There are usually specified limits set by the employer. Employees on a flexible schedule may work a compressed (or condensed) work week or may work a regular work week. Those working a condensed week may work four ten-hour days, rather than five eight-hour days. Those who work a five-day week may work hours other than the typical "nine to five." Who Needs Flextime? Many people could probably benefit from a flexible work schedule. Take, for instance, the following examples. Bob's elderly mother is recovering from hip replacement surgery. She wants Bob to accompany her to physical therapy from 4:00 to 5:00 three afternoons a week. "I made it as late in the day as possible -- can't you leave work early?" Mom asks. Mary's son is starting kindergarten. Before that he went to a daycare center which stayed open until 6 p.m. Now he'll arrive home at 3:30 p.m., a few hours before Mary even gets off work. The class Samantha needs to complete her degree meets only at 10 a.m. twice a week. For financial reasons, she must work full time, which means 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Everyone Benefits As you can see from the prior examples, many people could benefit from a flexible work schedule. But for an employer to institute flextime, the company would want to benefit as well. The obvious benefit to an employer is the ability to accomodate employees who have trouble balancing their work and their family. In order to retain those employees, it would be in the company's best interests to allow their staff to have a flexible schedule. A less obvious benefit would be a decrease in overhead costs. Employees working flexible schedules can share expensive equipment such as computers, and even desk space, as long as their schedules don't overlap. A company, if it chooses to, can even respond to calls from customers during more hours, if some people begin work prior to 9 a.m. and others stay later than 5 p.m. This works well if the company deals with customers in other time zones. Flextime is good for the environment too. With some workers commuting four days each week, not five, fewer cars are out on the road. Fewer cars equals less air pollution, and less congestion on the roads. Staggered schedules also help eliminate traffic problems.

Getting Your Boss Onboard It's not difficult to see the benefits of flextime, at least from an employee's point of view. Now comes the hard part -- convincing your boss that it makes sense. As they say "Ya gotta have a plan." Don't just walk into your boss's office all fired up about how this is going to make your< life easier. Your boss wants to know how it's going to make his or her life easier. Your first step should be talking to co-workers and coming up with a plan. Your boss's biggest concern will probably be that the office will be a ghost town on Fridays and Mondays, since many people may want a condensed work week and a long weekend. Come up with a rotating schedule which will allow everyone to get an occassional long weekend. Your boss won't want everyone leaving work early. Come up with a schedule that allows the office to be manned throughout the day. Now that you have a well thought out plan to present to your boss, you have to put it into writing. Show how flexible scheduling can benefit your employer. You can include articles that demonstrate how flexible schedules have succeeded: Flexible Hours Create Productive, Satisfied Workers Case Studies: Presented by WSU Cooperative Extension Energy Program in Collaboration with Commuter Challenge Set up an appointment to present the plan. Then give your boss time to give your plan some thought. Be prepared to answer any questions he or she may have. Assure your employer that any scheduling conflicts will be worked out among the staff.

 

Ten Things To Do Today To Be A Better Manager

By F. John Reh

Job Vacancy Indonesia, Employee, Vacancy

Listed below are ten things you can do to become a better manager. Pick one. Do it today. Pick another one for tomorrow. In two weeks you will be a better manager.

1. Select the best people

As a manager, you are only as good as the people on your team. Give yourself a better chance to succeed by picking the best people from the start.

Read Job Interview Questions to Ask to learn to be better at selecting the best candidate for the job.

2. Be a motivator

Human beings do things because we want to. Sometimes we want to because the consequences of not wanting to do something are unpleasant. However, most of the time we want to do things because of what we get out of it.

It's no different at work, people do good work for the pay, or the prestige, or the recognition. They do bad work because they want to take it easy and still get paid. They work really hard because they want to impress someone. To motivate your people better, figure out what they want and how you can give that to them for doing what you want them to do.

Here are some ideas:

• The Lesson of the Red Horse
• Employee Motivation Is Key

3. Build Your Team

It is not enough that people are motivated to succeed at work. They have to work together as a team to accomplish the group's objective. After all, if we just want them to all "do their own thing" we don't need you as a manager to mold them into a team, do we?

Here are some ways to improve your team building skills:

• There Is No "I" In Team
• Team Building

4. Be a Leader, Not Only a Manager

You have built the best team from the best employee available. You motivated them to peak performance. What is missing? Motivating a team is worthless unless you provide direction; unless you turn that motivation toward a goal and lead the team to it. It is the ability to lead others that truly sets a manager apart from their peers. Remember that leaders are found at all levels of the organization, so be one.

Here are a couple of examples, one good and one bad:

• The Best Leader I Ever Knew
• The Toxic Boss Syndrome

5. Improve as a Communicator

Communication may be the single most important skill of a manager. After all, all the others depend on it. You can't be a leader if you can't communicate your vision. You can't motivate people if they can't understand what you want. Communication skills can be improved through practice. Here are two exercises you can use to improve your ability to communicate effectively.

• Getting Your Point Across
• Writing for Business

6. Get Better At Managing Money

To stay in business, a company has to make money. That means bringing money in the door and it means spending less than you bring in. Depending on your function in the organization, you may have more influence on one area or the other, but you need to understand both. You can help your company, your employees, and yourself be getting better at managing the company's money.

Don't be put off by the numbers, or by the fact that "it's math". Start learning more about money management by reading these articles:

• How To Read An Income Statement
• But Am I Making Any Money?

7. Get Better at Managing Time

The one thing you will probably have less of at work than money is time. The better you get at managing time, yours and others, the more effective you will be as a manager. Here are two key skills:

• Project Management 101
• Pareto's Principle - The 80-20 Rule

8. Improve Yourself

Don't focus so hard on your people that you forget about yourself. Identify the areas in which you are weak and improve them. The fact that you are reading this article shows you understand the concept. You need to put it into practice.

• Management Tips for Personal Development
• Management Books You Need To Read

9. Practice Ethical Management

Enron-like scandals have really driven home the point about how important ethics is in business. If you want to avoid similar mistakes, here are some things to consider:

• Lessons Learned From Enron
• Business Ethics Resources

10. Take a Break

You are less effective as a manager if you are over-stressed. You are less tolerant. You snap at people more. No one wants to be anywhere near you. Take a break. Give yourself a chance to relax and recharge your batteries. Your increased productivity when you return will more than make up for the time you take off. Have a good laugh or go lie on a beach somewhere.

• Business Humor
• Do I Dare Take Vacation?

Bottom Line

Management is a skill that can be learned. You can improve as a manager by working every day to get better. Bookmark this page and come back every day for the next two weeks. If you pick one subject each day, and work on improving in that area, you will be a better manager before you know it. And others will notice it too.

Career Profile - Network Engineer

From Laura Schneider

Job Vacancy Indonesia, Employee, Vacancy

Network Engineer - Overview

A Network Engineer is involved in the design and maintenance of both the hardware and software necessary for a computer network. They are high level technical analysts with a specialty in Local Area Networks (LANs) or Wide Area Networks (WANs).

Education for Network Engineers

Many colleges now offer degrees in Network Engineering. The University of Colorado at Boulder, for example, has a great reputation. Drexel University offers a graduate degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering. There are now MBA programs that specialize in Network Management, such as the program offered by If you are looking for an online program for Network Engineering, Westwood College offers a BS in Network Engineering.

Becoming a Network Engineer

Network Engineers usually have a Bachelors degree or higher. They may have had internships or specialty projects within the Network Design and Engineering field. There are often entry level positions to start out in, with increasing responsibility and specialization as you acquire years of experience and specialty certifications.

Career Paths for Network Engineers

Network Engineers are typically promoted to senior level engineers and may focus extensively on specialty areas such as design, performance optimization or network security. Compensation for Network Engineers is excellent. Many of the top paying jobs within the IT field are in Network Engineering. Several of the Highest Paying Certifications in Information Technology are within the Networking realm.