May 1, 2012 by Sandra Rogers.

1. GoodWill Services provides online training at GCFLearnFree.org.  It includes basic literacy skills, as well as Microsoft Office Suite training.  You can earn Continuing Education Units (CEUs) for class completion and receive feedback from an online instructor.  If you don’t need CEUs, you can simply conduct some self-study.  Both the CEU online classes and self-study options are free!  Click the image below to visit their site.

2. Did you know that you can earn college credit for your knowledge?  Perhaps you speak a second language or received on the job training in business administration.  For a nominal fee, you could take the College Level Examination Placement (CLEP) test in your area of expertise to earn college credit and save time.  Here’s what they say:

“The 33 CLEP exams are administered at college test centers and on military bases. Students must register directly with test centers to take the exams… Although CLEP is sponsored by the College Board, only colleges may grant credit toward a degree. Colleges’ CLEP policies differ; some colleges accept credit for only two or three of the exams while others accept credit for all of them. A college often grants the same amount of credit to students earning satisfactory scores on the CLEP examination as it grants to students successfully completing that course. Find out which colleges grant credit for CLEP exams.”  http://professionals.collegeboard.com/testing/clep/register

3. Another way to earn college credit for learning from life experience is through Learningcounts.org, a low-cost way to accelerate degree completion by demonstrating that the knowledge you have is at the college level.  If you have experience at work, through job training, volunteer activity, civic duty, or independent study, you may be able to earn college credit from that knowledge.  The portfolio you create is evaluated by faculty experts and recommendations are accepted at over 90 colleges nationwide. This program is sponsored by the Council of Adult & Experiential Learning (CAEL).

4.Online Education Database Library: http://oedb.org/library/features/236-open-courseware-collections. 

This library links to open courseware, broadcast learning, educational video, archives, lecture webcasts and podcasts from a range of colleges, and scholarly journals.

5. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) offers 1,800 free lecture notes, exams, and videos in a variety of subjects, along with supplemental resources on their OpenCourseWare: http://ocw.mit.edu/index.htm

6. The University of California-Berkeley, presents free podcasts and webcasts of its current and archived courses: http://webcast.berkeley.edu/.

7. Open Learning Initiative: http://oli.web.cmu.edu/openlearning/forstudents/freecourses

Carnegie Mellon University provides free online courses and course material in modern biology, French, economics, chemistry, and other subjects.

8. The Annenberg Foundation’s Web site for teacher professional development offers streaming video and course materials in a variety of subjects.  Learner.org: http://ocw.mit.edu/index.htm

was created by the Monterey Institute of Technology and Education and contains multimedia lessons and course materials: http://www.hippocampus.org/.

10.  Alison provides free online education for learners world-wide.  If you’re an instructor, you can publish your course curriculum.  It offers training certifications, too.  The only downside is that after you load each page of content, you will see an advertisement.  Hhowever, for a small annual fee,  you can learn without the ads.  http://alison.com/.  Our Alison.com referral link: http://alison.com/?signup=1&ref=795716

Posted in Alternative Education, Workforce Development | Print | No Comments »

April 27, 2012 by Sandra Rogers.

Dear Readers,

On April of 2009, I founded the 501(c)(3) nonprofit charity, BrokeButNotForLong, Inc. In January of that year, I read a disheartening article that spurred me to take on a novel pursuit—to found a nonprofit organization to assist the unemployed in the US. The article stated that the rate of suicide among veterans  was higher than the rate of servicemen killed at war. I was extremely saddened by this news and decided to assist veterans in their transition back into the community, as a worker or a student.

I thought about what skill set I could use to bring this to fruition. My love for technology and education culminated into a virtual company with a focus on social media as a career tool. I selected social media because of its high impact, low cost, and networking capabilities. Subsequently, I launched BrokeButNotForLong.org on Veteran’s Day of 2009. This was a novel idea for me because I’d never run a nonprofit charity nor hosted a website!

In 2011, we had 65,000 website visitors!  The biggest draw has been this blog, Blogging4Broke, which has over 60 professional written articles. Currently, we’re receiving nine to 11K readers a month, so we are steadily growing and looking for volunteers. If you’re interested in writing or curating one of our social media e-newspapers below, please contact sandra@brokebutnotforlong.org. Additionally, we’re interested in networking with like-minded organizations to fulfill our mission.

Given our current economy and the number of veterans returning from war, BrokeButNotForLong is an ever increasing philanthropic necessity. Our website focuses on assisting veterans, persons with disabilities, displaced workers, and rehabilitated ex offenders. However, the resources are available for anyone looking for work. In fact, we address the big picture of being unemployed and offer financial and mental health resources, as well as some good old-fashioned inspiration!  As mentioned, the site focuses on social media as a career tool.

Here are the various venues we’ve established for our niche:

1. 20-page Website: BrokeButNotForLong.org

2. Blogging4Broke: http://blog.brokebutnotforlong.org/

(We need bloggers!)

3. Weekly e-newspaper, The Employment Social Network: Paper.li

( We need a social media curator for this e-newspaper that has garnished 36K tweets thus far!)

4. Professional Twitter account @Broke4Jobs:  https://twitter.com/Broke4Jobs

5.  E-magazine, Social Media as a Career Tool: Scoop.it

(We need assistance with this e-magazine to keep the content fresh and relevant.)

4. YouTube channel:

Posted in Entrepreneurship, Philanthropy, Inspiration | Print | No Comments »

April 18, 2012 by Sandra Rogers.

Perfect Start-up Employee: Veterans | Inc.com

Posted in Entrepreneurship, Veterans, Workforce Development, Job Hunt | Print | No Comments »

March 30, 2012 by Sandra Rogers.

Dear Readers,

Our nonprofit, BrokeButNotForLong Inc., focuses on  providing you social media resources for the job hunt, as well as demonstrations.  This blog is one of those resources.  We now have over 60 professional written articles concerning job hunt strategies and inspiration. We currently have about 11,000 readers a month!  Also, I just noticed that our e-newspaper (see below) has been tweeted 32,000 times!  This is extremely motivating for me since I started this nonprofit in 2009 on  my own accord. It keeps me writing and thinking of more ways to help folks find jobs.

Unfortunately, with our odd sounding name, businesses don’t know what to think about us or the activities we do.  Our website provides all the necessary information about our legitimacy and nonprofit status.  In full disclosure, since our inception, we have only received $55 dollars in donations, and that was from my mother and a friend.  Hence, all that you see is provided to you out of my own pocket.  As for social media, the traditional business world is finally coming around to the fact it is very powerful.  I’m not sure how many folks we have helped find jobs due to the virtual nature of our work, so please leave a comment to let us know.

Here is a list of our other social media tools you might be interested in:

1. BrokeButNotForLong website: http://brokebutnotforlong.org/1.html

                2. Our e-newspaper, The Employment Social Network: http://paper.li/Broke4Jobs/1306417300#

3. Job Boards & HR Advice on Twitter @broke4jobs: https://twitter.com/#!/Broke4Jobs

4. Our e-newspaper, Social Media as a Career Tool: http://www.scoop.it/t/social-media-as-a-career-tool

5. YouTube Channel: http://youtu.be/ZylKHxq7H4I

Posted in Career Advice, Social Media, Tech Assistance, Job Hunt | Print | No Comments »

March 14, 2012 by Sandra Rogers.

Posted in Telecommuting, Job Hunt | Print | No Comments »

January 10, 2012 by Sandra Rogers.

 Dear Veterans,

View this link to find  great job resources at ClearanceJobs.com

Veteran Career Resources Roll-Up

Source: ClearanceJobs.com

Excerpt:

“Vets aren’t looking for a handout, they’re looking for an opportunity. Defense contractors largely know what a great option hiring a veteran can be – they come with valuable skills, experience and security clearances, often require little training and are eager to jump in, learn the ropes and get to work. Making the transition from service member to civilian isn’t without its struggles, however. And sometimes veterans have trouble navigating the transition. That’s why we’ve developed a host of online resources to help walk vets through some of the basics.  ” (Lyndi Kyzer)

Posted in Veterans, Job Hunt | Print | No Comments »

January 2, 2012 by Sandra Rogers.

Dear Readers,

I’m very excited about 2012 because I’ll be going back to school for my doctorate in Education.  This has been a dream of mine for many years.  I’ll continue to work full-time while I’m attending school.   Subsequently, our organization is looking for volunteer or interns.  If you’re interested in blogging for us about the job hunt, please send me an email.  Additionally, we have several social media platforms that will need tending, such as our twitter account, YouTube channel, and weekly e-newspaper.   While these don’t take up much time, they need to be consistently updated with fresh and reliable content.

We had an intern this past year from The University of Alabama, and she was very helpful.  It also made me think the intern tasks through, so if you volunteer, I have explicit instructions and tutorials ready for you.  Social media evangelism is the current job title for the work that you do to promote something you really believe in online.  The job perk is that you can telecommute—that is you can complete the work online from your home or coffee shop.  We can arrange virtual meetings via Skype to plan.  Basically, the rest of the volunteer work would include reading emailed directions and  logging into our social media platforms to tweet or blog about job opportunities and advice.

As you may have read from my past blogs, we focus on the use of social media as a career tool.  We’d love to hear your stories about the use of these tools for landing an interview or job.  Any takers?  I surely hope so.  Also, don’t forget about all the resources we have shared on our 20-page website: http://brokebutnotforlong.org/1.html.  One of our ideas for an outreach project is to host Job Clubs and invite speakers or demonstrate how to use social media for the job hunt.  Would you like to host a Job Club in your area?  You are welcome to use our website’s resources and informational blog to share with job seekers.  Just let us know.

Thanks in advance for your consideration!

Sandra Rogers,

Founder

sandra@brokebutnotforlong.org

Posted in Internships, Volunteer!, Social Media, Philanthropy | Print | No Comments »

November 14, 2011 by Sandra Rogers.

 By Sandra Rogers

11-11-11 was our 2nd anniversary on the Web!  131 blog posts later and I’m still sending out an S.O.S. on behalf of all the unemployed.  On the car ride home this weekend, I heard the Police’s song, “Message in a Bottle” on the radio.  I realized that’s exactly what I’ve been doing on this blog—trying to send you a life-saver of helpful information or at the very least some inspiration.

For the new reader to my blog, I founded BrokeButNotForLong.org to help veterans, persons with disabilities, ex offenders and displaced workers find employment.   Each day I wonder how I can help the jobless.  Nowadays, the messages I send are delivered via tweets, blogs, Facebook, e-newspapers, YouTube, and Foursquare. My message to you: I am here for you! Contact us.

My current initiative is to create how-to videos for the use of social media as a career tool.  I created a YouTube channel, but it only has one video so far: http://youtu.be/ZylKHxq7H4I.  Our website lists the best tools for social networking for the job hunt, and we’ve blogged specifically about it.  However, I think it will be easier to understand if you see a video demonstration, as some of us are visual learners.

Lastly, I want to thank the 70,000 blog readers that visited our site this past year! I sent the first blog post of my career in 2009 not knowing who would respond or how.  Slowly I began to hear back from a few frustrated job seekers.  I’ve been actively mentoring some and passively encouraging others.  Blogging is akin to sending a message in bottle and you, my readers, are those “100 million castaways looking for a home,” as the song lyrics go.

Best of luck in not only securing your next job, but excelling in your career!
Tweet

Posted in Philanthropy, Inspiration | Print | No Comments »

November 8, 2011 by Sandra Rogers.

Have you googled yourself lately?  What does the Internet search reveal about you?  As a 21st century educator, I’m building my online reputation with one search engine optimization (SEO) keyword, blog post, tweet, or online project at a time.  In fact, I’ve been wanting to blog about personal branding for some time because blog posts achieve higher SEO status than static websites.   Personal branding is something that most HR leaders profess as essential in today’s job market.   With the plethora of free and simple Web 2.0 tools, it’s fairly easy to create your own online brand.  Currently, I’m developing one for my new company, Teacherrogers Consulting.  Since my name is common, I created my own personal brand—Teacherrogers.  If you google “teacherrogers,” you’ll find all of my online projects and activities.  

Personal branding for a 21st century educator means showing your work online, posting your teaching philosophy, tweeting resources, and engaging in some type of “open” learning and/or teaching environments.  Open environments refer to the various free professional development sessions that I’ve been involved with as an e-mentor.   My e-portfolio hosted on WordPress is my attempt to share my work online with potential employers, students, and peers.  I personally believe that sharing my teaching philosophy with others challenges me to revisit my long-held ideals about teaching.  In fact, it’s a work-in-progress on my to-do-list now instead of somewhere in the back of my mind.

To further identify myself on the Web, I started using my full name: Sandra Annette Rogers.  Nowadays, it’s important to not only put yourself out there, but evaluate how others perceive you.  As for social networking, there was definitely a titanic wave of enthusiasm for Google+;  however, I’m playing it safe on the shoreline to see where the the  first wave riders end up.  My first instinct about Google+ is that it’s a bit too labor-intensive and redundant.  Moreover, I’ve already established many online bridges for personal learning networks (PLNs).   I’m willing to build new ones; I just don’t want to start from scratch!

Are you on the shore or riding the wave when it comes to personal branding?  Perhaps you joined several online learning communities and then never went back to complete your profile or never really got involved.  All these attempts will remain online forever plotting your digital pathway, so make sure you cull your online image from time to time.  Set up Google Alerts on your name or any other phrase; these alerts are sent to your Gmail account.  Let me know if you need any help.

Best Wishes,

Sandra Annette Rogers

P. S. I succumbed to the intrigue of Google+.  I’ll let you know how it works out for me.

Note: This article was previously published on my eportfolio blog on WordPress: http://teacherrogers.wordpress.com/2011/10/20/personal-branding-for-the-21st-century-educator/

Tweet

Posted in Career Advice, Professional Dev., Social Media, Job Hunt | Print | No Comments »

September 24, 2011 by Sandra Rogers.

Posted in Career Advice, Social Media, Tech Assistance, Job Hunt | Print | 1 Comment »

September 21, 2011 by Sandra Rogers.

Wired Campus - The Chronicle of Higher Education
By Josh Keller—”Most colleges are underprepared for the wave of veterans returning from wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the largest influx since after the Vietnam War. The same is true of many employers.

It’s not that the colleges and companies aren’t looking for veterans, says Gunnar Counselman, the founder and chief executive of Fidelis College. But they often do a poor job of understanding how to attract veterans and help them acclimate to civilian life once they return, he says.

Fidelis, a San Francisco-based startup, seeks to help military members graduate from college. The company’s students will take lower-division courses at an affiliated online college while on active duty and then transfer to a traditional university. When they graduate, Fidelis will place them with employers it knows are looking to hire veterans.

Colleges and the employers will pay Fidelis for its coaching services aimed at helping students make a successful transition. “It’s like a talent agency for the military,” says Mr. Counselman.”

Sandra’s Note:  This sounds wonderful!   Please share this news with veterans.

Posted in Career Advice, Professional Dev., Veterans, Tech Assistance | Print | No Comments »

September 14, 2011 by Sandra Rogers.

Teachers Cash In On Their Own Expertise | MindShift
“All told, teachers made over $2 million this past year via TPT, which is fast becoming a sort of Etsy for educators. Classroom activities, printable worksheets, exams even Powerpoint presentations for grades preK through 12 and across just about all disciplines are available among the thousands of items on the site, which got its start in 2006 but recently got a spiffy makeover. The pricing sweet spot for individual items seems to be around $3.50, Edelman says. Customers buy in groups, with typical customers spending about $14 per order about three items.”

To read more, click on the link.

Sandra’s note: I believe this company is legitimate.  It was featured on my professional teachers’ newsletter.  Moreover, I signed up for the  chance to sell some of my teacher-made material.  I haven’t posted any items for sale yet, but they already approved my teaching blog on their site!  Look for TeacherRogers Blog at: http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Blogs.

Tweet

Posted in Entrepreneurship | Print | No Comments »

September 8, 2011 by Broke_Intern.

Thirty-something years after finishing high school, I’m still a student.  Rather than attending college, I accepted a job offer and joined the work force, but I never gave up on attaining my bachelor’s degree.  As a non-traditional student in my mid-thirties, I finally earned an associate’s degree and continued taking a few courses, but I struggled with juggling work, school, and family.  Since my children are now grown, I decided to try college again, only this time I know I’ll succeed because of The University of Alabama’s New College LifeTrack program.

Adult students in the New College LifeTrack program can take courses on their own schedule, and attendance on campus is not required except for the orientation course.  In fact, one of my classmates is a ferry boat captain in Canada.  This program is an excellent choice for active military personnel and veterans as well.  I was very pleased that all of my former college coursework transferred.  In addition, credit may be granted for prior learning.  For example, I received two hours of credit for a course I took through my employer.  Also, credit may be given for documenting life experience learning.  Financial aid is available, and many scholarships are offered to adult learners through the Office of Continuing Studies.

If you’re like me and desire to attain that elusive bachelor’s degree, check out the New College LifeTrack program at The University of Alabama.  My son will graduate from college in May 2013, and my goal is to graduate then as well.  Hopefully, we will enjoy a cap-and-gown photography session together.

Intern Blogger,

Linda McIntosh

Tweet

Posted in Professional Dev., Inspiration | Print | 2 Comments »

September 2, 2011 by Sandra Rogers.

I’ve been working on a list of items needed to prepare for a hurricane.  My friends and family on Facebook have been assisting me with the creation of this list.   Here’s what we have thus far:

1) At least $100 cash to $500 if possible—1s, 5s, 10s, 20s, 50s, 100s and a roll of quarters—because ATMs or credit card machines may not work

2) A large ice chest with ice, healthy drinks, snacks & any extra medications needed

3) A bath tub full of water in case it’s cut off

4) Batteries and flashlights (or solar powered or hand-cranked flashlights),  candles, manual can openers, and don’t assume the batteries in the junk drawer are still good

5) Remove any items around the outside of the house that could be lifted by strong wind

6) A first aid kit—check to see if it still has everything in it

7) An emergency evacuation  plan

Note that you have about 40-50 gallons of fresh water stored in water heater

9) A hose to drain H2O heater

10) 5 gallon buckets

11) Duct tape

12) Ben & Jerry’s or your favorite ice cream!  (Maybe Rocky Road)

13) Make sure your car’s gas tank is full - gas pumps run on electricity, so if the power goes out - no gas (and gas cans if you get stranded)

14) Keep shoes on at all times and by the bed. Foot injuries are most common after storm destruction.  Select thick-soled and closed-toe shoes.

15) A weather radio

16) A small grill that uses those little green propane tanks - or your large back yard grill will do.

What are your ideas to add to our list?  Please post your ideas below in the comment box.  Your comments can be anonymous.  Thanks to all those who shared their ideas.

Your Blogger,

Sandra Rogers

Tweet

Posted in Disaster Relief | Print | 1 Comment »

August 24, 2011 by Sandra Rogers.

Posted in Career Advice, Job Hunt | Print | 3 Comments »

August 21, 2011 by Broke_Intern.

by Linda McIntosh

On Thursday, August 25, the Mobile Chamber of Commerce is hosting the Mobile Business Expo where members can publicize their organizations. This free-to-the-public event will take place from 1:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. in the Mobile Convention Center Exhibit Hall. More than two hundred exhibitor booths will be set up, and BrokeButNotForLong will be among them in booth #128. In addition, we are very excited that Still Serving Veterans will be joining us.

Per their website, Still Serving Veterans was created in 2005 to help veterans, including wounded warriors, adjust to civilian life after serving their country. Many veterans return home from combat with severe disabilities and/or post-traumatic stress disorder. These veterans and their families may benefit from emotional and vocational counseling, but sometimes finding aid is difficult. Still Serving Veterans, based in Huntsville, Alabama, has stepped up to provide this assistance. Compassionate case workers assist Still Serving Veterans in accomplishing its mission: “To empower Veterans including wounded warriors, and their families, by helping them reintegrate into the workforce and community via counseling, coaching, guiding, job transition, and assistance in obtaining all Veterans Administration (VA) benefits to which they are entitled.” Still Serving Veterans knows what services are available and can show veterans how to apply for them.

BrokeButNotForLong is collaborating with Still Serving Veterans to encourage companies to hire veterans as well as to provide career coaching. Our  mutual goals for this event include:

* Advocate hiring veterans and persons with disabilities
* Inform businesses of tax incentives for hiring
* Educate businesses of the resources of SSV

Please join us at the Mobile Business Expo in booth #128. Remember, admission is free. Also, if you’d like to make a donation to help us assist veterans in their career search, please use the following link to donate at Razoo.com: Online fundraising for BROKEBUTNOTFORLONG INC.

Posted in Hiring Incentives, Disabilities, Veterans, Philanthropy | Print | 3 Comments »

August 9, 2011 by Sandra Rogers.

Presidential Update for Companies Hiring Veterans: Obama’s proposed new “Returning Heroes Tax Credit” gives $2,400 to companies for each veteran they hire who has been unemployed for less than six months and $4,800 for those unemployed for half a year or more, administration officials said. And the existing “Wounded Warriors Tax Credit” — paid out for hiring wounded veterans — would be doubled to $9,600 for taking on someone unemployed for six months or longer.

Disabled Access Tax Incentives:  Small businesses are eligible for two tax incentives to help cover the cost of providing reasonable accommodations for employees or customers with disabilities, such as sign language interpreters, readers, materials in alternative format (Braille or large print), the purchase of adaptive equipment, the modification of existing equipment, or the removal of architectural barriers.  For more information about properly claiming this and other tax credits, refer to IRS Publication 334, Tax Guide For Small Business and Form 8826, Disabled Access Credit.

Work Opportunity Tax Credit Program (WOTC): This program encourages employers to hire targeted groups of job seekers by offering them a federal income tax credit. Targeted groups include: veterans, summer youth, Title IV-A recipients, Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF), ex felons, SSI recipients, SNAP recipients (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), and Long-term Family Assistance recipients.  The WOTC can reduce an employer’s federal tax liability by up to $2,400 per new hire: http://www.doleta.gov/business/Incentives/opptax/.

The VA Training Program allows eligible disabled veterans to receive training or work experience at the VA.  Please visit the Office of Personnel Management’s (OPM) Web site for more information:   http://www.opm.gov/veterans.

Resources for Employment & Disability Information Network (READi-Net) helps employers with the following employment needs regarding persons with disabilities: recruiting services, financial incentives, disability management, employer training, ADA resources, electronic recruiting, and technical assistance.  Therefore, contact your local Alabama Department of Rehabilitative Services (ADRS) representative at 205-290-4457 or www.rehab.alabama.gov/employers.  READi-Net is affiliated with the National Employment Team (NET). Contact them to find out the name of your state disability office.

Troops to Teachers: Our new http://www.jobs2teach.doded.mil Schools can register to gain access to the Troops to Teachers database to search for recruiting new teachers and learn about the tax incentives for hiring veterans.

Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment (HIRE) Act: Did you get your tax credit if you hired an unemployed worker last year?  Employers who hired unemployed workers from February 3, 2010 to January 1, 2011 qualified for a 6.2 % payroll tax incentive, in effect exempting therm from their share of Social Security taxes on wages paid to those workers after March 18, 2010.  The employer and employee’s shares of Medicare taxes would also still apply to those wages.  In addition, for each worker retained for at least a year, businesses may claim an additional general business tax credit, up to $1000 per worker, when they file their 2011 income tax returns.

Federal Bonding Program:  This program provides fidelity bonding insurance coverage to individuals with criminal histories and other high-risk job applicants who are qualified, but fail to get jobs because regular commercial bonding is denied due to their backgrounds.  The US Department of Labor (DOL) created this program to guarantee the job honesty of at-risk job seekers.  Federal financing of Fidelity Bond insurance, issued free-of-charge to employers, enables the delivery of bonding services as a unique job placement tool. Contact your State Employment Service for the for issuance of a federal bond from the DOL.

*****Sierra Group Foundation Project shows specific tax incentives per state: http://employmentincentives.com/state_incentives/state_incentives_intro.htm#fl

Tweet

Posted in Hiring Incentives, Exoffenders, Disabilities, Veterans, Workforce Development | Print | 4 Comments »

August 2, 2011 by Sandra Rogers.

AW2 Community Support Network

This site has the most extensive outreach program for veterans that I’ve seen yet.  Here’s a little about what the site offers:

AW2 Community Support Network
Career Training or Education, Human Resources Support, and Employment Opportunities

Each organization listed in the AW2 Community Support Network offers services that are either covered by insurance or free to AW2 Soldiers, Veterans, and their Families. AW2 Soldiers, Veterans, and Families are encouraged to contact these organizations directly for more information about the services they offer.

Posted in Veterans, Job Hunt | Print | 1 Comment »

July 18, 2011 by Broke_Intern.

by Linda McIntosh

A very interesting article entitled “Pulling off the Ultimate Career Makeover,” from the July 4, 2011, issue of Fortune, emphasizes the importance of personal reinvention in today’s economy, where career changes are becoming the norm.  The article highlights the stories of five people in various industries who lost their jobs because of changes in business paradigms or layoffs.  Rather than becoming victims to their circumstances, these people took control of their situations and reinvented themselves through “learning by doing.”  Their success stories reveal several strategies for changing careers.

1. Pare down your expenses.  When David Kahn, former Blockbuster franchise owner, realized that his business model was no  longer viable, he downsized his home and vehicle.  He recommends going “into survivor mode.”  After a short stint as a Subway franchise owner, Kahn founded Yogurt Mountain and owns 35 stores.
2. Reevaluate your skill set.  Tom Murray, formerly a strategic development and communications director for a Best Buy subsidiary, charted what he likes to do as well as what he is good at in order to determine his next job move.  This exercise released him from being industry specific.  He now works for PointB, a consulting firm.
3. Exploit the power of social media.  When Mike Merrill was laid off from his job as a sales executive at NetApp, he immediately began reinventing himself through blogging and social media, such as LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter.  Merrill eventually landed his current job as director of marketing for ReachLocal, an internet marketing firm, after an employee saw one of his presentations on social media.
4. Consider contract employment.  When the dotcom bubble burst, Mae Tai O’Malley lost her job as an attorney.  She began performing legal work on a contract basis and created her own firm, Paragon Legal, which provides project-based legal assignments in other firms.  Her business model is reshaping the legal industry.
5. Update your technical skills.  When mystery writer Paul Levine realized that the sale of used books on Amazon would severely diminish his royalty income, he accessed Amazon’s “Direct Publishing” page to learn the art of e-publishing.  Levine bought the rights to his out-of-print books and now e-publishes both his new works and his formerly published books on the internet.

Of all the strategies explored in the article, exploiting the power of social media was the most important strategy for making a career change.  The “Social Media as a Career Tool” page on the www.brokebutnotforlong.org website is an excellent resource for personal reinvention.  In fact, the website provides a myriad of information about job searching in today’s market.  Additionally, they have a newly formed group on LinkedIn.com to engage job seekers in discussion of the use of social media.

Tweet

Posted in Career Advice, Internships, Social Media, Job Hunt | Print | 3 Comments »

July 13, 2011 by Sandra Rogers.

BrokeButNotForLong, Inc., strives to reduce ex offender recidivism by assisting them virtually with the job hunt.  Hence, our overall goal is to reduce crime. There aren’t many job resources available for them, as is evident in the few items posted here.  Contact us if you have more resources to share, and we’ll post them on our site.

1.  iSeek.org has a Web page on their site specifically for exoffenders on the job hunt. They cover barriers to employment, background checks, and resume writing: http://www.iseek.org/guide/exoffenders/index.html.

2.  H.I.R.E. Resources is a national network for both employers, ex offenders and those practitioners involved in criminal justice: http://www.hirenetwork.org/resource.html

3.  Goodwill Services offers job and literacy training for ex offenders.  They even offer services pre-release: http://www.goodwill.org/goodwill-for-you/specialized-services/people-with-criminal-backgrounds/

4. The Next Step offers job board with “Felon-Friendly Employers”, as part of the Cooperative of Felon-Friendly Employers (COFFE) database: https://www.thenextstep99.com/?ES=Y&EST=exoffenders

5. Jail to Job is a blog for ex offenders with advice from an anonymous author at Believe Publications.  Since the author appears to know what he or she is writing about, and given the recent and ongoing postings, we suggest taking a look at this: http://jailtojob.com/wordpress/.

6.  CV.net provides resume and cover letter writing advice, as well as disclosure rules:

http://www.cvtips.com/job_search_ex_offender.html

7. Bureau of Prisons (BOP) Exoffender Resources: This Web page provides to the Department of Labor’s employment sites like the CareerOneStop, as well as information about financial aid and transcripts (including GEDs).

http://www.bop.gov/inmate_programs/itb_references.jsp

8. Those ex-offenders who are veterans should contact their local office of Veterans Affairs for assistance. They have a wide range of programs that can be helpful including rehabilitation services. The Internet website for the VA is http://www.va.gov, or you can contact their national toll free number at 1-800-827-1000. Local offices are listed in the government pages of the telephone book.

9. Employment Information Handbook for Exoffenders from the Department of Labor has a plethora of information on apprenticeships, unemployment insurance, and federal bonding programs to name a few.   

Visit our website for more information: http://brokebutnotforlong.org/13.html

Tweet

Posted in Exoffenders, Job Hunt | Print | 5 Comments »