Don’t let job data deter you
Do you allow fluctuations in the nation's monthly employment report to influence your job search? Did you, for example, lose confidence about your ability to find a job in August after the disappointing July job data was reported? No one could blame you if you did. Within 24 hours of that data being released, some media reports wondered aloud if it signaled a "double dip" in the economy.
Just a few weeks later, however, the Bureau of Labor Statistics employment report told a very different story. According to the September BLS report, 144,000 additional payroll jobs were added to the U.S. economy during August. The report also included upward revisions to the June and July payroll job data that represented 59,000 more new jobs
during those months. According to the new report, the U.S. economy saw a net gain of 1.7 million jobs from August 2003 to August 2004.
Data from the monthly "household" employment survey for August showed a similar growth trend.
"Total employment, including self-employed and others not counted in the [monthly] payrolls estimate, was 139.68 million in August, " said Ron Bird, chief economist for the Employment Policy Foundation. "Over the prior 12 months, total household employment increased 1.988 million.
"The preliminary payroll data for August suggests the employment recovery may be accelerating. The report indicated that the July [job] gain was over twice as large as originally thought. Moreover, the preliminary report of 144,000 new jobs in August was nearly twice the revised gain of 73,000 jobs in July."
Data also reveals that the nation's unemployment rate dropped slightly to 5.4% during August.
Staffing and outplacement executives urge job hunters to remain focused on their mission and not allow month-to-month fluctuations in national job data to deter or discourage them.
Noting that he is encouraged by the hiring taking place across several industries and job categories, David Pahl, managing partner for Princeton Search Group in Orange, reminds job hunters to make sure they present their work experience effectively.
Accenting work accomplishments is a must, Pahl said.
"The phrase 'I accomplished this' evokes far more employer interest than 'I was responsible for this,' " he said. "It's especially important to focus on any bottom-line benefits your achievements produced for your employer. Even if you don't know the specific dollar benefit the results achieved, making a reference to the general benefit, whether it's increased revenues or reduced expenditures, will resonate with prospective employers."
Pahl also urged unemployed job hunters to make sure their resumes include descriptions of temporary and contract assignments they've done while between jobs and reference any bottom-line benefits their performance in those jobs produced.
To present temporary work most effectively, list all the assignments performed under one staffing company as a unit, suggested Diane Domeyer, executive director of the Menlo Park-based staffing company OfficeTeam, which has more than 40 offices throughout California.
"Instead of entering each assignment as a separate position, list the staffing firm as your employer," she said. "Include responsibilities and accomplishments from the individual assignments as bullet points within this section."
Domeyer also recommends highlighting the nature of the work performed rather than its duration.
"Describe specific activities," she said. "Instead of saying you 'covered administrative assistant duties during an employee's maternity leave,' provide details such as 'supported a staff of 25, developed a new client database and updated the company's intranet site.'."
Tailoring your resume to the job you are pursuing is also advised.
"Employers look for candidates with industry experience, so devote more space to describing your work in relevant fields," Domeyer said.
Being prepared for telephone screens is another key to enhancing the results of your job search, said Cindy Sawyer, senior vice president in Atlanta for Lee Hecht Harrison, a global career management company with 10 California offices, including ones in Los Angeles, Woodland Hills and Pasadena.
"Decisions regarding whether or not to proceed with in-person interviews are typically made at the conclusion of a phone screen," she said.
With so much riding on telephone screens, Sawyer recommends people prepare for such conversations as they would for face-to-face interviews.
"Think through your responses to some commonly asked questions and practice prior to the phone screen," she said. "You may also find it helpful to prepare bullet points in advance as a way to organize your thoughts. Be careful, however, not to read your answers. You may come across as stiff and too rehearsed."
Sawyer also urges job hunters to learn about the prospective employer in advance of a telephone screen.
"This will help you answer the common question, 'What do you know about our company?' " she said.
Sawyer said that longer telephone interviews may also include questions about how you handled particular work challenges. According to Sawyer, interviewers with "questions like these are attempting to see if past experience has prepared you for the challenges you may face in the employer's open position."
Just a few weeks later, however, the Bureau of Labor Statistics employment report told a very different story. According to the September BLS report, 144,000 additional payroll jobs were added to the U.S. economy during August. The report also included upward revisions to the June and July payroll job data that represented 59,000 more new jobs
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Data from the monthly "household" employment survey for August showed a similar growth trend.
"Total employment, including self-employed and others not counted in the [monthly] payrolls estimate, was 139.68 million in August, " said Ron Bird, chief economist for the Employment Policy Foundation. "Over the prior 12 months, total household employment increased 1.988 million.
"The preliminary payroll data for August suggests the employment recovery may be accelerating. The report indicated that the July [job] gain was over twice as large as originally thought. Moreover, the preliminary report of 144,000 new jobs in August was nearly twice the revised gain of 73,000 jobs in July."
Data also reveals that the nation's unemployment rate dropped slightly to 5.4% during August.
Staffing and outplacement executives urge job hunters to remain focused on their mission and not allow month-to-month fluctuations in national job data to deter or discourage them.
Noting that he is encouraged by the hiring taking place across several industries and job categories, David Pahl, managing partner for Princeton Search Group in Orange, reminds job hunters to make sure they present their work experience effectively.
Accenting work accomplishments is a must, Pahl said.
"The phrase 'I accomplished this' evokes far more employer interest than 'I was responsible for this,' " he said. "It's especially important to focus on any bottom-line benefits your achievements produced for your employer. Even if you don't know the specific dollar benefit the results achieved, making a reference to the general benefit, whether it's increased revenues or reduced expenditures, will resonate with prospective employers."
Pahl also urged unemployed job hunters to make sure their resumes include descriptions of temporary and contract assignments they've done while between jobs and reference any bottom-line benefits their performance in those jobs produced.
To present temporary work most effectively, list all the assignments performed under one staffing company as a unit, suggested Diane Domeyer, executive director of the Menlo Park-based staffing company OfficeTeam, which has more than 40 offices throughout California.
"Instead of entering each assignment as a separate position, list the staffing firm as your employer," she said. "Include responsibilities and accomplishments from the individual assignments as bullet points within this section."
Domeyer also recommends highlighting the nature of the work performed rather than its duration.
"Describe specific activities," she said. "Instead of saying you 'covered administrative assistant duties during an employee's maternity leave,' provide details such as 'supported a staff of 25, developed a new client database and updated the company's intranet site.'."
Tailoring your resume to the job you are pursuing is also advised.
"Employers look for candidates with industry experience, so devote more space to describing your work in relevant fields," Domeyer said.
Being prepared for telephone screens is another key to enhancing the results of your job search, said Cindy Sawyer, senior vice president in Atlanta for Lee Hecht Harrison, a global career management company with 10 California offices, including ones in Los Angeles, Woodland Hills and Pasadena.
"Decisions regarding whether or not to proceed with in-person interviews are typically made at the conclusion of a phone screen," she said.
With so much riding on telephone screens, Sawyer recommends people prepare for such conversations as they would for face-to-face interviews.
"Think through your responses to some commonly asked questions and practice prior to the phone screen," she said. "You may also find it helpful to prepare bullet points in advance as a way to organize your thoughts. Be careful, however, not to read your answers. You may come across as stiff and too rehearsed."
Sawyer also urges job hunters to learn about the prospective employer in advance of a telephone screen.
"This will help you answer the common question, 'What do you know about our company?' " she said.
Sawyer said that longer telephone interviews may also include questions about how you handled particular work challenges. According to Sawyer, interviewers with "questions like these are attempting to see if past experience has prepared you for the challenges you may face in the employer's open position."