Cowlitz County Express Job Seekers Blog

Micromanaging from a distance isn’t fun. Working from home has its benefits. You don’t have to commute to work, you can wear whatever you want, and you might have a bit more leeway in setting your own schedule. However, there are definite disadvantages as well. And one of those is working for a difficult boss. Some managers might be great at managing their team in the workplace, but terrible at communicating remotely. Others may be less-than-stellar managers in general and managing remotely just makes their controlling tendencies even more evident. Regardless of what type of remote boss you’re working for, we wanted to provide a few ways to make interactions easier. Communicate (but not too much) Some managers find it difficult to know an employee is working if they can’t physically see them typing away at their keyboard or workstation. These types of managers can get thrown for a loop from working remotely and might start checking in with you numerous times throughout the day. This is fine, but if …

Your first managerial position can be both exciting and nerve-wracking. You want to show your company that you were the right choice for this promotion, but sometimes it can be hard to figure out where to start. You may face some growing pains when you get started, so the key thing to remember is that you’re new to this management thing. It’s okay to take time to adjust to the role. Here are a few things to keep in mind. Start Studying Before the Promotion When a promotion is coming, you’ll typically have some idea that it’s about to happen. For example, your boss might ask if you’re interested in the position. When that happens, immediately start thinking about the management styles you’ve worked under in the past. What did you like? What did you think could be improved? Your own management style, at least at first, will be a combination of what you liked from previous managers. You’ll be able to grow from there. Know Your Team As a …

According to a survey conducted by Everest College as reported by GlobalNewswire, 92% of people are stressed by at least one thing about the job interview process. Interviews are stressful because job applicants don’t always know what to expect. That’s where Answering the Interview Question comes in. The posts shared in this series detail how to handle the toughest interview questions to relieve some of that stress. If you missed the series, here’s a recap of some of our favorite pieces. Why Are You Leaving Your Current Job/Company? Your answer will vary depending on your own reasons for leaving your last or current job, but these answers are a good starting point. “There weren’t many opportunities for advancement at XYZ company, and I’m ready to move on to the next phase of my career.” You might be tempted to say something like “they wouldn’t ever give me a promotion so I quit,” but that doesn’t reflect very well on you as an employee. Keep things simple and avoid complaining about …

Alright, so you have the resume basics down. You used descriptive words, formatted everything beautifully, added certifications relevant to the job you want, and avoided the typical resume pitfalls. And you got interviews because of it. But you still want to take your resume one step further. Here’s what you can do to really put your resume over the top. Tailor Your Resume to Each Job Application This one takes some time, but it’s definitely worth it. The best way to stand out is to change your resume to match the job you’re applying for. Look for words in the job description and edit your resume to contain those same words. Also take a peek at the company mission statement and website and work that messaging into your resume, too. Why do this? Because potential employers notice. If you tailor your resume for their company and position, it shows you went the extra mile. Most people don’t do it, so you’ll be sure to stand out. Specify Specifically There’s a …

Learn about a career as a market research analyst. Despite already having experience with several jobs, many working adults are unable to answer the age-old question, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” Our monthly Job Spotlight blog series is designed to help answer that question. In this series, we review all the basics of specific jobs, from pay and duties, to why people do the jobs they do. Market Research Analyst In this month’s Job Spotlight, we’re diving into what it takes to be a market research analyst. Key qualities include attention to detail, and strong analytical and mathematical abilities. Required Education: Typically, at least a bachelor’s degree. Pay This varies depending on a variety of factors (e.g. experience, geographic area, industry, etc.), but market research analysts can make as much as $63,790 a year. What Market Research Analysts Do: market research Analysts deal with a variety of responsibilities, including: Monitoring and predicting sales trends Measuring campaign efficacy Creating and reviewing surveys and polls Brainstorming new …

As a result of COVID-19, many businesses have had to revamp the way they conduct operations. Changes can vary from social distancing at work to prohibiting outside visitors and vendors from entering the building to video interviews, remote work arrangements, and more. We want to hear how your employer adjusted to the pandemic, and which changes you think will stick around after the pandemic ends. Let us know by voting in our poll! View Survey

The job search used to be quite a bit simpler. You’d visit the place you wanted to work at, fill out a few forms, and wait for a call. With the advent of the internet and online forms, quite a few steps were added. Find the company’s website, fill out their forms, wait for an email, then maybe get a telephone interview. And that’s not even counting online job boards. Social Media But there’s one other thing that’s changed the job search landscape drastically: social media. Websites like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram can be great for finding job opportunities but can also harm your chances of getting a job. As noted by Business News Daily, a 2018 CareerBuilder survey noted that “70% of employers use social media to screen candidates during the hiring process, and about 43% of employers use social media to check on current employees.” Are Job Seekers Censoring Their Posts? Given that content potential employers see as “inappropriate” can harm job seekers’ chances of getting a job, …

COVID-19 has changed what work looks like across the country. According to Global Workplace Analytics, about 56% of the U.S. workforce holds a job that could partially be accomplished with remote work. However, only 3.6% of the workforce works at home half the time or more. They go on to estimate that 25 – 30% of the workforce will work from home on a multiple-days-a-week basis by the end of 2021. That’s a huge change for both employers and employees. However, for those looking to change their career path, these uncertain times present an unprecedented opportunity. Jobs that individuals couldn’t accept because they required a move are now open to anyone in the country. Try Out Working from Home Changing your career path starts with figuring out if working from home is right for you. Although the benefits can be enormous, working remotely comes with its own share of unique problems. Airtasker found that remote employees work 1.4 more days per month than those still working in the office. That …

Whether you’re looking to give your resume a bit of a boost or just hoping to learn more about working while the world adjusts to COVID-19, there are a number of organizations providing free training during this difficult time. Topics range from contact tracing to learning how to work remotely, and more. Training to Keep Everyone Safe Companies want to keep their employees and customers safe, which has led to a marked increase in contact tracer positions. According to the CDC, contact tracers “quickly locate and talk with the patients, assist in arranging for patients to isolate themselves, and work with patients to identify people with whom the patients have been in close contact so the contact tracer can locate them.” Purdue University is offering a free contact tracing course that “provides the information you need to help public health agencies track and limit the spread of the novel coronavirus, or COVID-19.” The course is a $295 value and takes six to eight hours to complete. Working Remotely Working from …

Although some schools have opened their doors this year despite the pandemic, many are choosing to open virtually. This means many parents are working at home alongside their children. And kids are great! We all love our children. But that doesn’t mean it’s always easy to work while they are at home. Helping the kids with their school work, while trying to do your work as well can be a major distraction. Here are some tips to successfully work with your kids at home during COVID-19. Create a routine and stick to it. This is especially important for younger children. As noted by YaleMedicine, schedules are important for children. “The disruption of routines and schedules can be stress-inducing to children,” says Eli Lebowitz, PhD, director of the Child Study Center’s Program for Anxiety Disorders, adding that sticking to healthy habits is also important. “You don’t want to sleep until ‘whenever,’ not get dressed, or eat in an unregulated way,” he says. “This isn’t one big vacation, because that would make returning …