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May - June 2005 Update

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The focus this month is on you if your profession is in technology, if you're a freelancer, or if you're a writer. Get the scoop on tools to help, places to be, names to know, issues you should care about.

Executive Recruiting Entrances Newsletter
Executive Recruiting Entrances
Executive Recruiting Entrances Newsletter
  IT Pros, Freelancers, and Writers May / June 2005 Issue  

In This Issue

Some Dates Worth Noting

Worth a Read

What's Been Happening

Education and Skills Assessments

Careers and Recruiting

Business and Economic Outlook

Until Next Time



Some Dates Worth Noting

For more details, either use the hyperlink or visit the Calendar

~~~~~

For additional training and education dates, see:
Lorman Education Services Fred Pryor Seminars
  • Communication
  • Management Skills
  • Professional Development
  • Women's Seminar
American Management Association Onsite Learning Seminars
HR.com Online Learning Seminars

~~~~~

Go to the Conferences-Events-Meetings folder for other events and
visit the Classes & Trainings folder for webinars and other types of classes

~~~~~
With the importance of communicating effectively on an international basis, why not download a translator for easy access to all on your computer network or office

Click here to download now!!

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Entrances Events Calendar

   Greetings Dear Readers!

This month, our freelance writers are among the featured groups. The inspiration came from making my first visit to Vroman's Bookstore last week, reputedly, the oldest in Pasadena. After finding one title in particular that just did not want to stay in the store, I decided other writers should know about these treasures.

If you have difficulty reading the emailed version, you can visit the site and read online by accessing the May / June 2005 issue after May 31.

Yvonne LaRose
Viva Voce

  • Worth a Read
  •   

    Keeping skills honed, connections open and thriving, and learning more about the craft and business are as critical as eating and paying bills. In that vein, here are several titles that I feel are worth your attention.

    writing.com: Creative Internet Strategies to Advance Your Writing Career, revised edition
    writing.com: Creative Internet Strategies to Advance Your Writing Career, revised edition
    Revised edition by Moira Anderson Allen. Now revised, updated, and expanded, this new edition includes a password to 2,000 online resources for writers! This indispensable resource tells writers how to take full advantage of Internet technologies and resources to improve skills, increase sales, and build recognition. Both experienced and novice writers will learn how to use cutting-edge tactics to uncover new domestic and international markets; to communicate and conduct writing business successfully over the Internet; to find and use writers' groups effectively; to use a Web site to promote books and articles and attract readers; to start an e-zine; and much more. 6 X 9, 288 pages; Paperback, ISBN 1-58115-270-1.

    Business & Legal Forms for Authors and Self-Publishers
    Business & Legal Forms for Authors and Self-Publishers
    Twenty ready-to-use forms with detailed instructions include: estimate, confirmation, permission, and nondisclosure forms; contracts with agents, publishers, designers, printers, sales reps, and distributors; and a licensing form for electronic rights. Revised edition with forms included in popular MAC and PC word-processing formats for easy customizing.

    Marketing Strategies for Writers
    Marketing Strategies for Writers
    A wizard at promoting his own work reveals the aggressive tactics needed for winning in today's highly competitive marketplace. He details the skills and strategies writers must master to promote themselves and their work, from researching the marketplace, to becoming lecturers, teachers, and experts in a particular field, to networking with editors and publishers, pitching to radio and TV producers, and marketing on the Internet. This invaluable guide goes beyond selling and marketing books and articles to take writing careers to new levels with these top-of-the-line resources.

    The Writer's Guide to Corporate Communications
    The Writer's Guide to Corporate Communications
    This reference contains everything the freelance writer needs to succeed in the lucrative field of corporate communications. This book is a complete guide to the techniques and creative skills needed for success. Coverage includes: how to write for videos, speeches, sales meetings, brochures, Web sites, and more; how to think creatively and strategically; how to find clients, market skills and develop a portfolio; and how to negotiate and set fees. Included are treatments and scripts, as well as exercises which provide the writer with a sample portfolio to help land assignments.

    The Power of Networking: The Power of Using Your Contacts to Advance Your Career
    The Power of Networking: The Power of Using Your Contacts to Advance Your Career
    This text identifies what networking is and shows how to use networking to your advantage. It demonstrates how networks are built up, how they can be used in career progression, practicalities of networking, and making use of them in your company or the job market.


    Getting the exact job you want with the company you want is either highly improbable or a cinch. It's highly improbable if you play by the old rules, a cinch if you play by the new rules and go about your task in the ways suggested by David Perry in Career Guide for the High-Tech Professional. If you're willing to look upon finding a job as a job unto itself, you're going to reap exceptional rewards from this book. It does not contain shortcuts, tricks, or anything unethical. But it does feature ultra-solid advice along with the rich details of landing the job of a lifetime. Career Guide for the High-Tech Professional is filled with job-finding wisdom and the actual things you must say in your cover letter, on your resume, and during your interviews. Nothing is left to chance. Every detail is covered.

    Trying to figure out the right job or career for you? Check out the WetFeet Insider Guides

    The Library - Periodicals

  • What’s Been Happening
  •   
    • As with last time, the focus centered on re-opening Career Coach Corner for your use.
    • We've had two career development chats that focused on answering questions about career search and promotion issues. More are on the way and will be a regular feature.
    • Also in the near future there will be online networking and an online jobs fair.
    • L.A. Metro Recruiters and HR managers online networking meeting: June 3, 10 a.m. in the Entrances Chat Room. Featured topic: Search Efficiencies for Better Management. Speaker: Sean Gately
    • There's been a recruiters roundtable to discuss industry ethics and issues related to maintaining a unified standard in the industry. The next roundtable meeting will be announced to the discussion lists.
    • The navigation bar is better linked in order to create better interactivity with the rest of the site clusters.
    • More articles are available to help you with a successful job search and promotion are now available.
    New articles:

    Career Coach Corner

  • Education and Skills Assessments
  •    Sometimes you need to have the [knowledge] tools to do the job. You've been in the trenches for a good amount of time and you think you've learned there is to know in order to be qualified for that management slot that's been just at your fingertips for oh so long. Now that you have a shot at it -- proving yourself, that is -- you don't understand how the project could have gone so wrong and so far off schedule. (Ahem. We won't talk about budget.)

    It appears there were a few more things to know; a little more preparation to be the best fit for the job. It's okay. There are many options for getting that fine tuned information to make the edge. One method is to identify and get a mentor. Another is learning what information you may be missing so you can hone up on it.

    The other thing you can do is check a course listing from a Project Management curriculum to see what skills are emphasized. For example, look at the Online Courses offered in the Project Management curriculum for Training Online. Are you aware it's important to know how to schedule and estimate resources? If you knew that supply chain has a lot of milestones for activity tracking but didn't have a complete understanding (or appreciation) of them, perhaps you should investigate some of the related courses that touch on those skills and integrate the knowledge into your reservoir of resources.

    It takes a talented, knowledgeable leader to know what to do, whether they know it, how to find the ones who do to support the project, and how to garner all of those resources into their own armory. Be one!

    Even though we're talking about the more creative, risk takers this month, those interested in earning the extra edge with an MBA want to know more about how to get in. For additional advice, see

    • Looking for Value-Added Résumés where you'll be told why Robert H. Smith B-school applicants need to not only list their achievements but also explain how they fortified their own leadership skills.
    • Stepping Onto the Right Career Path
      Prospective MBAs need to ask themselves what they expect from their degrees and future careers, says author Ira Wolfe.
    ~~~ Recruiter Tools ~~~

    Recruiting Online Recruiting Courses
    Are you looking for new ways to sharpen your online recruiting skills? Glenn Gutmacher offers online courses to do just that. He offers a daily job listing and newsfeed, samples of his courses, career counseling (for the recruiter), and outsourcing services. Stop by. Have a look around. Make your choices. Let Glenn know Viva sent you that way.

    You HR pros will want to stay up to date on the buzz in your industry specialty by tuning in to the free online courses and webcasts offered by HR.com. See some of the courses offered by visiting the "Classes & Trainings" folder of the Bulletins.

    Raising funds is one of the biggest challenges you'll face as you start up a new business or expand an existing one. Get the edge you need with BusinessWeek Online Courses by enrolling in the free online course, "Raising Capital for Your Small Business."

    Education Options
    Okay, it's great to go to school, but which one should you choose and how do you finance this high fallutin' extra education?

    Last time we talked about scholarships. But let's get serious about the education regimen.

    Free School Finder - Find the Right Schools for You!
    See which of the top online and local schools can meet your needs. Our database of schools allows you to specify your interests and see which schools are right for you! You'll be able to choose the types of programs that interest you and we will show you all the top schools that you can choose from - both online and local! Whether you would like to get an Associate's Degree, Bachelor's Degree or Master's Degree we can help you pinpoint the best schools.
    Get Started - Find Matching Schools

    ~~~~~

    For more information on education options, visit the Education Center.

    ~~~ Assessments ~~~

    So you're ready to have your skills or knowledge tested in order to earn a new certification and continue moving up the ladder -- or into a new department. Are you ready? Have you taken the practice exams in order to feel comfortable as you go through the test?

    For those in the IT or MIS Department, one of your preparation first steps should be making certain you've taken as many practice tests as possible. Enter Transcender. The list of vendors is long. That means you've got a lot of options when it comes to the variety of exam prep materials.

    You can Save $40 with Transcender's online practice exams. or you can use the NEW! Transcender Study Guides to help you pass your IT exams. Or you can use both.

    More assessment options can be found in the Resource Center or Assessments.

    CERA Education Center

  • Careers and Recruiting
  •   


    ~~~ Employment News ~~~
    • You didn't get the job offer. You knew you were the perfect match but it just didn't happen. According to Prime Candidate contributing writer Gurney, there are at least 15 reasons for not getting the job.
    • Never fear, Michael Purdy says it's The Listener [who] Wins
    • Inroads are being made into traditionally male-dominated industries. See what the Bureau of Labor Statistics says are the Jobs that have become less male-dominated
    • It is said that the Korean and Hispanic segments of our population are the fastest growing in the nation. Thus, much attention is given to those segments by federal govementment agencies. Women are still pushing their way forward and up. To assist them in their drive, the Department of Labor launched a program called Las Mujeres y el Dinero (Women and Money) to help Hispanic women learn more about insuring their economic security. Contact the Department to learn when the lectures will return and whether other minority groups will be included.
    • You writers will want to check the 101 Best Web Sites for Writers
    • Any contractor or vendor needs to know When to drop-kick a client.
    ~~~ Management ~~~

    You'd think some things are obvious when it comes to best practices. Still, it's good to talk about them so that we're listening, being persuaded, moved to do what others have in order to achieve success:

    • See who's rewriting the rules on workplace diversity and Best Practices Even Better
    • Winning can look different, depending on your perspective. However, with now 95 seats on Fortune 500 corporations (one less than last year), there are catalysts for change that make minorities Ready for Progress
    • Also take a look at those who make up the Hispanic Business 2005 Corporate Elite Directory
    • Bureau analysts have considered employment health benefits, particularly Trends in employer-provided mental health and substance abuse benefits. The article presents and compares data from the Bureau's 1997 Employee Benefits Survey and the 2000 and 2002 NCS5 and provides brief background, historical, and economic perspectives on the topics of mental health and substance abuse care -- things you may want to take into consideration with your own programs.
    • Many talk about the issue of outsourcing jobs. See what HireStrategy CEO Paul Villella has to say about the importance of Benefits of 'Insourcing' Are Often Overlooked.
    ~~~ Legal ~~~
    • Labor law enforcement is important not only to the constituent groups and to lawyers but also to the Labor Department. To emphasize the importance of diversity, read the September 2004 Labor Beacon on Strong Enforcement Of Labor Laws Continues To Benefit Minority Communities
    • Consider the issues facing a frequently forgotten minority group -- Asians. This month, Secretary Chao's department held its annual Summit, seeking to increase diversity in senior positions for the federal workforce. To support this initiative, the Department also has available a new APA Federal Career Guide.
    ~~~ Recruiting ~~~
    • Many of you already know of Eliyon, the company that helps supply the extra twist on getting inside information on people and companies. Are you aware they have merged with and become ZoomInfo?
    • The Advantage covers some critical considerations about employment posters, their content, and considerations in choosing a supplier.
    • Of equal importance, Bill Truesdell also discusses a new cottage industry, those who aid in fooling the drug test.
    • Not long ago, someone asked me where they might find SAP pros (as in IT professionals well versed and experienced with the software known by the acronym SAP). What I discovered is this a very narrow specialty; the folks are hard to find. But I found a place that specializes in just that niche. SAP Pros has job posting and database searching for very reasonable rates. Looks like a place to bookmark after you've explored.
    Visit Recruiter Tools for more resources and Entrances Bulletins for more Industry News.

    Job Board Opportunities

    Click the logo to search for sample project postings; then
    Distribute Your Freelance Resume to 1000s
    Employers, feel free to search the site for potential contractors and post your projects.


    CollegeRecruiter.com

    Featured Employers:

    • Office Depot
    • International Food Policy Research Institute
    • Conagra Foods
    • MonierLifetile
    • Opinions Ltd.
    • River Region Health System
    • Granite Construction Company - Northern California Branch
    • AMPRO Staffing
    • Hardware Distribution Warehouses
    Search the site for your dream job: Click Here.
    Use the Resume Banks and Services for candidates, employers and recruiters.

    Employers: Post Your Opportunities.

    Job.com Gear For Your Career

    • 05/21 IL Programmer Analyst , Levy Home Entertainment - Responsible for business/problem analysis and solving, software development and maintenance, unit and system testing, impact analysis and technical documentation. 5+ years software development (RPG) and analysis, RPG IV and ILE skills.
    • 05/21 IL Senior Security Analyst , Morningstar - to support its award-winning Morningstar.com Web site. Morningstar.com is consistently rated as one of the top investment sites by publications such as Barrons and Forbes.
    • 05/20 IL Web Designer , Shaker Recruitment Adv. & Comm. - As an experienced Web Designer, youll step right into a variety of projects including Web site design and development, tile/banner creation and a range of interactive product offerings. Seek a diligent team player with strong graphic design
    • 05/14 NJ Graphic/Packaging Designer , Shelcore Toys - Shelcore Toys is seeking a creative and energetic full-time Packaging Artist for their in-house art department. Competitive wages and full benefits provided. Job requires 2+ years of packaging experience. Proficiency in Mac, Photoshop and Illus - Industry: Arts / Media / Graphics
    • 05/18 NJ Production Editor for Major Publishing Company , SmartStaff Personnel - Production Editor for Major Publishing Company
    • 05/16 NJ Print Production Dept. Manager , APP Consulting - Manage the production and pre-press department of this Company
    Post Your Resume FREE to Job.com and receive a free resume evaluation and career consultation.
    Click here to Post your Job on Job.com, one of the Top 5 job sites on the Internet!

    ~~~~~

    There are new opportunities posted in the Bulletins. Visit the Career Opportunities folder for details. Some opportunities have descriptions that include code initials [SB] after the date. Use the link in my screen name for those postings in order to get more [free] details, send your resume to me, schedule a time for us to discuss you and your qualifications [free], and work out some convenient times to meet either online or by phone [also free].

    Distribution and Writing

    Recession? What recession? ResumeXposure.com can distribute your resume to thousands of recruiters. Take charge of your career search.

    Maybe you're not at the distribution milestone. You need some help with writing [re-writing] the resume and cover letter. ResumeEdge: Certified Professional Resume Writers edit and write your resumes and cover letters. Get an Edge.

    Visit the Career Center or Recruiter Tools for more resources.

    CERA Career Center

  • Business and Economic Outlook
  •    Certain business trends are happening in the technology sector. These are impacting not just the jobs that people are doing but the way people are doing business.
    • Moving IT Forward - Peter Coffee covers the gamut of trends from RFID and Wi-Fi to M&As and SarbOx.
    • It seems as though MS is courting, and Aruba and Cisco are willing to be courted, into the WLAN replacement territory. Learn more about the New gear from Wi-Fi duo
    • The word on spyware is getting confusing. Learn how the criteria is now so hazy that PC security issues make 'Spyware' label slippery.
    Names in the News
    What's happening with these folks? You'll want to read and be in the know about: There are just some things that you need to know about doing business online.
    • CareerXroads evaluates hundreds of sites and then reports their useability for job seekers. See what two studies said were important when it comes to banking and financial sites when they talk about Studies show what it takes to be a top site
    • You may want to test your business crystal ball or at least compare it to Hispanic Business's as they look at The Year Ahead for 2005 generally, and
    • The [2005] Tech Track
    • Last month, we talked about how workers have had an across-the-board salary cut compared with the cost of living / consumer price index. As if you needed further confirmation, see Consumer price index, 2004: Consumer inflation was higher in 2004, reflecting higher prices for energy, new and used motor vehicles, and shelter.
    • In light of the fact that there are over 40 million small and home-based businesses in the United States compared with 8,000 that employ more than 1,000 workers, we need to pay close attention to the importance of thinking small. Let's Get Small
    • With the SMB market in mind, BusinessWeek shows us which are the 100 Best Small Companies
    • While we learn that Orlando Ayala of MicroSoft has A Macro View at Microsft with SMBs in mind.
    Dow Theory Forecast, provider of advice on buying, selling, and holding common stocks since 1946, now offers a monthly newsletter with a very lucrative introductory subscription price. Get more details about subscribing to Dow Theory Forecasts - Proven Stock Advice!

    Visit Recruiter Tools for more resources and Entrances Bulletins for more Industry information about trends.

    For more business and economy news, visit the Periodicals to get the latest news or do research for related information.



    ~~~ Business & Career Security ~~~
    • Why workers sabotage office computers
      Workers sabotage computers to get revenge on employers, finds a study paid for by the Department of Homeland Security. So that's why they do it!
    • Review: palmOne's LifeDrive redefines the PDA
      With a 4-Gbyte microdrive and 64 MBs of RAM, the new LifeDrive PDA from palmOne breaks new ground in the PDA market, according to this review, which states that its built-in WiFi and Bluetooth support, crisp screen, quality speaker and other features will appeal to corporate execs and "the digital elite."
    • Searching to Break Even
      At what point does it make sense to install a system to improve the retrieval of information from your company's intranet, servers and even your e-mail inbox? This Premium calculator evaluates the cost of installing so-called categorization, classification and search software, and identifies the number of employees that would have to use the system to reach the break-even point.
    Check the Virus Alerts Center to see what's out there and find the best protection for your needs.

    Automatic online backup - Protect your data from viruses,crashes, theft, and accidents. 5GB of online hard disc Xdrive FREE TRIAL

    CERA Virus Alerts Center

  • Until Next Time
  •    I'm here to serve your needs. If there is a particular business, recruiting or career matter you would like to see discussed or made available on the site, please feel free to send me a note requesting it to ylarose@entrance-s.com

    Thanks for reading.

    May all of your endeavors be Entrances through the doors of opportunity, advancement and success!

    Viva

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