Finding A Job - Types of Employment Service Firms

In the world of job hunting, many terms, such as employment agency, personnel placement service, executive search firm, and executive counseling service, are all used interchangeably. Before signing on with a firm, it is important to find out what services the firm offers, how much the services cost, and who pays.
There are six general types of service. They are: public employment services, employment agencies, executive search agencies, temporary help services, executive counseling services, and job listing services.
Public Employment Services are federally funded and state operated. This organization is operated in all 50 states. They provide internet access to America's job bank. On any given day, there are hundreds of thousands of job opportunities on any given day. They offer links to numerous employment and training programs.
Employment Agencies, which are also known as personnel placement services, work to fill specific jobs available within a company. Their main purpose is to bring applicants and employers together. Frequently, there is a placement fee. In many instances, the employer pays the fee but some states allow a business and an employee to split the fee. Or, the new employee may be billed later.
Executive Search Agencies are hired to find the "right" person for a specific job within a specific organization. These groups are sometimes referred to as "headhunters". The executive who is placed through the use of a headhunter is not asked to pay a fee. Any fee that is required is paid by the searching business, that is a basic part of the agreement between the hiring company and the headhunting firm. These firms typically subscribe to a code of ethics established by industry members.
Temporary Help Services, or temp agencies, supply workers on an as-needed basis or for a temporary amount of time. The business will pay an agreed-upon salary to the temporary agency. The temporary agency then pays the temporary employee. The wage is paid for any and all work performed by the employees.
Executive Counseling Services, also known as career counseling services, help job seekers with determining the direction of their career and making career decisions. This is done rather than helping with job placement. These firms may offer services like skill identification, self evaluation, résumé preparation, and letter writing assistance.
Job Listing Services sell information about getting a job. They frequently utilize pay-per-call 900-numbers to spread information about job listings. These companies do not provide actual job placement. They might include general lists of job openings but nothing will be done by the company to help to ensure that an individual gets a job. They might also include general tips on conducting job searches and interviews as well as broad guidance in résumé writing. These companies may also include an up-front fee.

Internal Audit Interview Tips - Auditor Careers Advice

If you are preparing for a job interview for an internal audit job there are some easy things to think about that will help you impress your interviewers. They might take some time or a little extra focus but the effort will pay off if you find that perfect job you are looking for.
Whichever type of company you might be applying to work for as an internal auditor it's worth doing your research on that business. The better you understand what the company does and how they operate the more professional you will seem in your interview. It shows a can-do attitude and a level of determination that will make you stand out over other candidates. As much of the role of an internal auditor relies on knowledge of the market it's also worth brushing up a little on their competitors, a quick search on google news or a browse of the FT will give you the edge of less well prepared interviewees.
It's also useful to try and second guess some of the questions which you expect to be asked during the interview, that way you will be better able to answer them. The easiest way to envisage what topics they may approach during the interview is to print out the job description and draw up a list of the various skills and experience they are looking for. Jot down some points you'd like to cover if they ask the question. You don't have to memorise your answers but by spending a little time on this beforehand you will have some great answers fresh in your mind.
Have a positive attitude, if you don't think you'll get the job the chances are you won't. Nobody likes arrogance but put yourself in the interviewer's head - you would go for the confident auditor who is able to positively deal with the various departments of the business rather than the shy retiring candidate even if they are well qualified.
It's inevitable during the interview that you are going to be asked some tough questions. Often it's how you react to these more probing questions that will affect the outcome of the interview. Most strong candidates should be able to answer the easy questions without too much trouble; if you are able to answer the more difficult questions you will make a much better impression. Often it's easier to respond to these difficult questions by asking a follow up question. It gives you more time to answer and it shows you a keen-ness to answer as best you can.
It's also important to make a good first impression during your interview, so dress in clothes you feel comfortable in. It's important to be smart but if you look uncomfortable your whole body language will change. It's better to look smart but comfortable and answer questions confidently as opposed to wearing a brand new suit and spending the whole interview fidgeting because you aren't used to the outfit.

Your Career Dreams Start With An Associates Degree

Although they are planning for college, not every student can immediately enroll in a four year university. Perhaps it's financial reasons that stop their entry, or a lower grade point average, or they have to immediately enter the workforce. A lot of these students will be taking online classes from their local community college and others will be attending on-campus as they pursue the start of a degree path - the associates degree.
There are many community colleges that serve many students who are in the pursuit of higher education, but are not taking that pursuit out of their locality and into a four year college or university. Because community colleges are run by the state or the local government, education offered at these local venues is at a fraction of the cost. Students who choose to enroll in these community colleges also find that their education is just as competitive as one offered at a traditional four year university or college.
In order to receive the associates degree, a student must complete approximately two years of course work; the equivalent is 60 credit hours. There are many different majors offered in a community college, as well as many different career training programs. Students have the option of pursuing a transfer degree or pursuing a career or professional degree. Either way, students will spend time at community colleges in order to fulfill requirements.
The transfer degree is the degree of choice for students who have the desire to attend a four year college or university. These students might not have had the grades in high school or they may lack financial support even after all the methods of financial aid have been exhausted and this educational path is what is open to them. Many students also choose to go to community college for a transfer degree as it allows them to complete the liberal arts requirements for a bachelors degree.
There are two major types of transfer degrees. The Associate of Arts is for students who have a concentration in a degree program from the humanities or from the social sciences. The Associate of Science degree is for any student who has a concentration in the natural sciences, computers or mathematics.
The career or professional degree track is for students who have a desire to be part of the workforce once they have completed the course work for their specific career or professional degree program. Many of these careers are in the service industry or in the public service sector. Others are in the various trades. The majority of students who choose these programs know what they would like to do. They also might have an aversion to taking liberal arts classes.
There are three different types of degrees for career and professional degree students. The three different types of degrees are the Associate in Industrial Technology, the Associate in Applied Sciences, and the Associate in Occupational Studies.

Career Switch From Journalism to Public Relations - Research, Communication Skills Transfer Smoothly

As the economy squeezes news editors, reporters and producers into new careers, many emerge into the public relations field. Aside from any initial hesitation about "going to the dark side," it can be a smooth glide from one form of information delivery to another.

That was my experience after three decades on editing desks in New York, New Jersey and Michigan -- my version of a path many others have taken successfully. "I was hired for my first PR position many years ago because of my journalism experience, and I know many others who have made a successful transition," says Christopher Trela, an independent practitioner in Costa Mesa, Calif.

But one veteran PR executive in Washington, D.C., thinks we're generally ill-prepared for the profession. Richard Mintz, owner and managing director of The Harbour Group in Washington, D.C., boldly waves a red flag at PR aspirants whose first career involved bylines and the Five W's.

"Journalists by their nature don't make great advocates or public relations people because they're trained to be objective rather than to take sides," he told Atlantic magazine blogger Jeffrey Goldberg in January 2010. "They also tend to work alone, and they have no business experience."

Those comments in a post headlined The Great Journalism Exodus score one out of three for accuracy, based on my background and that of other newsroom emigrants. Overlap "between the two fields is galactic," says Jill Parker Landsman, who brought seven years of reporting and editing experience to her position as communications director at the Northern Virginia Association of Realtors.

Business imperatives are recognized

Direct business administration know-how typically isn't a tool carried out of newsrooms, it's true. That's not to say all journalists are clueless about management, marketing and bottom lines - life-and-death issues in their industry. As Goldberg notes at the start of his post: "Friends in the public relations business... tell me they are inundated with calls from journalists looking to escape our profession before it dies, as opposed to after it dies."

Characterizing journalists as rigidly objective and solitary doesn't describe professionals accustomed to flexibility, point-of-view narratives and teamwork. While balanced fairness is the goal, journalism requires subjective decisions about themes, sources, word choices, quote selection and presentation sequence. Reporters and editors work closely with photographers, graphic artists, page designers and online producers - a newsroom version of account teams.

Mintz also seems to overlook or devalue reflexes that accompany newsgathering experience.

"I use my skills to help my company make better decisions on how to place stories, land coverage and shape releases that will capture the attention of journalists," says Ed Garsten, an electronic communication manager who joined Chrysler in 2005 after more than 30 years in journalism. "My colleagues turn to me often and ask, 'Will journalists buy this?' That empowers me to be truthful to them.... I'm fitting in very well." He had worked for CNN, AP and The Detroit News.

Aleta Walther, a marketing communications consultant in San Clemente, is familiar with bias against journalists among some executives. "I had a PR friend, a VP at an agency, tell me that he would never hire a journalist," she recalls. "In the next breath he asked me if I was available to assist on a new business proposal. I never told him I was a hard-core reporter at one time."

Steven Forsythe of Peachtree City, Ga., traded newspapers for corporate communications more than 30 years ago -- and still uses a vivid memory as a reality check. "Many PR people would have been dismayed to see the comments we wrote on their inane releases or photos, posted on a newsroom bulletin board for laughs. I have tried to make sure that never happens to mine," says the top communicator at Global Aviation Holdings near Atlanta.

Credibility with clients

From San Diego, agency CEO Tom Gable reports job inquiries from "lots of terrific talent" leaving the Los Angeles Times, San Diego Union-Tribune and other West Coast papers. "Relating to journalists is just one factor" in their favor," says Gable, a former business editor of his city's daily. "I would rate writing and story-telling abilities higher, as well as credibility in being able to tell a client that the story they think belongs on the front page of the WSJ probably would only make [a trade journal's] new product briefs."

Another Californian, former newspaper reporter and editor Michele M. Horaney, believes "PR people with a news coverage background have a leg up over folks who got PR degrees and have never written a news story." Horaney, now communications director of a nonprofit political research organization in Berkeley, adds: "Being able to write and do research from an 'in the news' and 'in the public's interest' perspective is invaluable."

Naturally, switching career tracks can present a few hurdles at first. "The hardest thing for journalists to learn is to write in someone else's voice," comments print veteran Retha Lindsey Fielding, chief communication officer at a nonprofit in Austin, Texas. "It just doesn't feel right at first."

Former TV news producer Bev Carlson, a board member of Nebraska's chapter of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), knows "many former newsroom co-workers who have transitioned into highly successful public relations careers. It all depends on the person and their willingness to be flexible and learn." Carlson adds from Omaha: "Former journalists are outstanding in the research aspect of putting together PR strategy. And since journalists -- the good ones -- have the innate training to be quick studies on anything, the learning curve for the other aspects of the job doesn't have to be painful."

Speaking of adjustment pain, Garsten at Chrysler acknowledges he "still can't stand the stultifying pace of decision-making" outside the world of deadlines every minute. Overall, these career re-inventors take pride in something I also appreciate: Delivering clear, accurate, timely information that audiences can use. The content differs, obviously, but the challenges do resemble those of journalism.

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What Does it Take to Become a Police Officer?

There are people who have already decided to become a police officer when they were younger, while there are some who decided to become one later on at some point in their life. However, whatever your decision may be, becoming a police officer is a difficult task and one needs to get ready to tackle several steps first. Having a career in public service is indeed very challenging, diverse, and fulfilling at the same time. Law enforcement opportunities greatly vary from state to state. If you want to become a police officer, it is better to start young. But before doing so, what does it take to become a police officer?
To become a police officer, you need to start with education. Remember that police departments require a basic high school education. Moreover, after graduating high school, an Associates or Bachelors degree is required. Many colleges in the US offer criminal justice programs for people who are interested to become a officer. These programs involve education regarding legal issues, human behavior, computer systems, and other subjects that tackle law enforcement matters. If your training is an advanced one, then you are most likely to become an officer. This will definitely help you in the future.
Keeping tabs about what does it take to become an officer could help you during your application. Another requirement is the physical and moral fitness. For your body to be in good condition, you should participate in outdoor sports or have a regular exercise. In addition, one should also pass a background check to become an officer. Those people who have incurred bad records such as drug convictions, traffic violations, or any other illegal activities are immediately rejected. You should also avoid getting involved in any illegal situations that may ruin your good records if you want to become a police officer.
Furthermore, you will also have to undergo a civil service examination. This is administered by the police department you are applying to. If you are too worried about passing the said examination, worry no more. Many companies are now offering study guides which will help you. What does it take to become a police officer through this test? This civil service examination is offered if there are vacancies available in a certain police department. Once opened, grab the opportunity and be sure that you pass the exam and most likely you are a step ahead to become an officer.
A physical exam is required of all applicants. This test will assess your strength, agility, hearing and vision. Once you have passed the tests, you will then take a lie detector and drug tests respectively. Officials in your department will conduct the lie detector test interview. After this, you will enter into a police academy to undergo training, which will take three months to one year.

Benefits of Working in the Public Sector

There are some people who aren't too happy with financial planners and others in the financial sector right now because of the state of the economy in many countries across the world. However, that doesn't mean that there aren't great jobs for people who want to work in the public sector in a financial job. Things are generally only going to get better from here, and that means that you'll have a steady job that you feel good about, each and every day. The future of finance jobs is looking good, because these kinds of jobs are always needed. Right now things are a little shaky, but that can be a great time to train for a career that will be getting stronger in the future.

If you haven't considered a career in finance in the public sector, it may be time for you to rethink your options. There are a lot of different kinds of finance jobs, too, and working in that sector doesn't mean you have to be working with a stock exchange. You can work with a bank, or even with a large organization or company. Working with a public sector bank or other organization gives you a lot of opportunity for growth, and finance will rebound just as the rest of the economy and job sector will rebound.

Even now, highly-skilled people with degrees and experience in finance are being sought after and are still very popular. Some college students train specifically for careers in finance and public sector jobs because they realize the potential that they have for employment when their schooling is done. Others go into it not so much because they want to but because they feel as though it is one of the best opportunities for a strong pay check and personal wealth available to them. No matter what the reasons, there are many benefits to being in the financial sector, and a good pay check is one of them. There can also be perks such as travel and company vehicles, and most people really do want to listen to what the financial person has to say. Their own personal livelihood might depend on it, as well as the livelihood of the company or organization for which the person works. For people who aren't sure about what they want to do with their lives, a career in finance in the public sector is definitely worth thinking about.

The Advantages of Working in the Public Sector

More and more people are looking to the public sector as a place where they can have a greater degree of job security and insurance, but it is important to remember that jobs in this area, no matter the field, all have a significant factor where service of the greater good is important. Are you someone who might be happy working in the public sector? Do you love the idea of moving forward and getting the results that you need?

First, you should consider how you are going to get a job in the public sector. There are many different requirements that you will have to meet, but although they are going to be more stringent and more unbending than what you might experience when you are looking at the private sector, you will find that it is not all that different when it comes to getting a job. There are a number of different areas that you have to report if you are looking at working in the public sector. For instance, your employment and criminal records needs to be unblemished. Especially as you climb higher into the upper areas of federal government, you are also going to need to have a clean credit record. Remember that a record that is less than spotless can be overcome, but it will take a lot of work.

It also helps to know that when you are thinking about getting a position in the public sector, you should pull in any favors you might have. Do you know anyone who works in the public sector that you are applying for? If so, you might want to look into asking them to help you. Also, you will need to think about the kind of testing you need to undergo. In many cases, you are going to need to deal with things like civil service exams, drug exams, and basic competency levels. There is going to be a lot of competition for these jobs and at the end of the day, you will find that there are a number of ways to prepare for them. The more time you put into preparing, the better off you are going to be.

If you are interested in getting into the public center, remember that you should always apply for the job that you are interested in, even if you might not think that you will get it. Remember that being patient is a real virtue because public sector jobs can take an embarrassingly long time to get going. This is something that you need to take into account, especially if you need to consider how long it will take you to get working.

Take out some time to make sure you get the kind of work you need in the public sector; this will not only help your job search, it will also help you build a successful public sector career.