Job Seekers Don't Beat Yourselves Up!

If you have been looking for a job with no luck it is easy to start beating up on yourself. I am not in the career business in any shape or form, but I strongly suggest that you don't! Why? The problem is not you. The biggest problem in the employment scene today is recruiting and the job application process. Pure and simple it is broken.

I don't think applicants should accept blame for the mess that corporations and organizations have created. No matter what they tell you it's not your resume that is the problem.

Here is my take on why millions of applicants are unemployed or take months to find a job:

1. The online application process is a mess. Software programs designed to weed out the unqualified, efficiently send good applicants to the trash can and only a handful of applications get reviewed. Those reviewed are not always as good as the ones that did not make it through the initial screening process. What happens? Jobs are re-advertised because there are not enough "qualified" candidates or the position is filled with someone who stays three months because they were never interested in the job to begin with. 


2. Job requirements are totally ridiculous. Have you noticed that entry level jobs often require 3-5 years of experience and then a laundry list of extra skills thrown in? You must know XYZ software and used it five years in X industry. How can you know popycok corporation software if you have never worked for them? 


3. Employers would rather recruit than train. It may seem like forever ago, but corporations and organizations used to train new employees. Having a college degree opened a door and if you were about to become a Sales Representative I or an Accountant I you would receive training from a Senior Sales Representative or an Account Supervisor. You can refer back to #2, but entry level positions should not require 3-5 years or seldom any experience. If you have a Software Developer III in the office, please don't whine about not being able to find a qualified Software Developer I. When your Software Developer III takes the time to train a new developer it sharpens his/her skills and you get an employee trained the right way, your way. This was the case in trade professions, too.  Apprenticeship was a very common term not long ago. Journeymen trained those young recruits and we need to revisit why we don't do this as much as in the past. Those new office buildings in the city depend on them to get constructed and maintained. The return of apprenticeship programs is vital to rebuilding America. These are good jobs for those who choose not to attend college.


4. Recruiters and HR may be animal lovers and volunteer with  many other causes, but some think nothing of abusing applicants and wasting their time. Be realistic when posting a job. Write it and read the description as if you were an applicant. If you want to do a screening call pick up the phone, don't send an email expecting the candidate to be monitoring their mailbox. Consider applicants living outside your zip code. They may have important reasons for wanting to relocate. If an applicant sends you an email via LinkedIn, reply. The reply does not have to be anything fancy. Put it this way. If a customer sends you an email do you ignore it? Only if you want to go out of business. Doesn't someone who has showed enough interest in your company they have taken the time to apply for a job and send you an email deserve the same courtesy? Applicants are busy too, so that is not a valid excuse.


5. I have saved the hot topic for last. There is discrimination in the recruitment process. It's subtle and hidden, but it is there for sure. The typical job rejection email sums it up best. Thanks for applying, but you are not a precise fit for the position. It would really be good for the long term health and profits of most organizations to think outside the box. Employers are missing out on great employees when they only select certain types of applicants. Precise fits exclude people with different backgrounds including race, religion, age, gender and skills. View your online videos or testimonies about the organization by employees. Are you practicing the diversity you proclaim or is inclusion only something you put on your postings to comply with requirements. 

Applicants keep trying and NEVER give up. You will find an employer that deserves you. Employers you can do better. Walk the talk.

Louie the Bulldog and the Sacramento Kings

A friend of mine stopped spent the night and we have been hanging out today. His parents went to watch the Sacramento Kings play the San Antoinio Spurs. They could not get Louie a ticket so we hung-out and went for some walks. It's important to have good friends you can just hang with and watch the games.

(Louie is a Kings fan. Bulldog look in 4th quarter.)

(Exhausted after cheering for Kings. Spurs prevailed. Time to chill on the patio.)

Modify Watches is a Small Startup in San Francisco

UPDATED 3/1/2016 Picture of Running Watch Modify Watches is based in San Francisco, CA. This small company assembles and ships watches from their office in the city. These watches are designed to be personal to the buyers interests. There are many themes to select from and you can check them all out on their web site by clicking Modify Watches.

Modify Watches allow you to switch out the time pieces within the band, thus the name Modify! Modify Watches have time pieces created for specific non-profits and I would bet they would love to hear from yours, too. A good way to have comradarie within your organization and to make others aware of your organization and its goals.

I have included a picture of my own watches, but I also purchased one for my daughter who is a high school running coach. Her watch is not only cool, but encourages the support of girls/women in running. This is just one example of a theme supporting important things in our lives while doing something practical, letting us know what time it is! :-)

Here is a picture of the Girls Running Watch. I gave it to my daughter and it was received with a Big Smile!


There is a SF Giants theme going on for sure!


I carry a smart phone like everyone else, but enjoy an occasional disconnect and power off. While wearing my cool Modify Watch, I can give myself a break from the constant communications and still meet up with a friend for lunch and be there on time.

The cool factor is a 10.

(I am not affiliated with Modify Watches, just one of their fans.)

Magpie Caterers Downtown Sacramento, CA

My favorite place to eat in Sacramento is at Magpie Caterers in Downtown Sacramento. Magpies is on 16th Street and P Street. They moved there in the fall for more space after much success at their R Street location.

What is good about Magpie? The food is very fresh and has lots of flavor. They have a good selection of beers and wines. In their new location a full bar menu is offered. Their bakery items are totally awesome. I usually get one of their chocolate chunk cookies to go because I'm too full from dinner.

(Awesome Burger! Just right!)

Here is the link to the Magpie web site.

SF Giants Madison Bumgarner Opening Day Pitcher at Miller Park in Milwaukee

(CORRECTION!!!) Thanks to comment from Don and for bringing this to my attention! Madison Bumgarner pitching opening day in Milwaukee's Miller Park. The opening day pitcher at SF AT&T Park later that week has yet to be reported. Here is a link to SF Giants page showing this: CLICK HERE.

It comes as no shock to SF Giants fans that Madison Bumgarner will be the starting pitcher on Opening Day (Correction-In Milwaukee not AT&T). There have been several pitching changes over the past season. Bumgarner is ready to go and so are the rest of the SF Giants.

More good news from the Giants web site is Hunter Pence, Joe Panik and Angel Pagan are reporting to spring training healthy and ready to go. With Denard Span ready to start in center-field it looks like Pagan will move to left-field. Pagan is a great teammate and should be able to make the move, even though center-field is his preferred spot. It's all about winning and as we get older change is necessary, baseball players are not excluded.

This blogger is looking forward to a fun 2016 baseball season with many posts on this blog right after attending SF Giants games and consuming great bratwursts and IPA's.

For my one or two readers stay tuned for more regular posts.

Louisville Basketball Recruiting Scandal

On the front pages of sports sections across America this morning are the headlines of the University of Louisville basketball recruiting violations allegations. Under the cloud of these allegations and the ongoing investigation, the University of Louisville has decided to self-impose a postseason playing ban. Allegations are that a former staffer paid for strippers to dance and have sex with recruits.

This post is not about the allegations. This blogger thinks the wrong people get punished when the punishment is a ban from playing in the post season. The NCAA should come up with ways to punish schools and staff members who violate recruiting rules. Banning the school from tournament play punishes those who had nothing to do with rule breaking. Athletes currently on the team had nothing to do with allegations. School adminstrators should always have their eyes and ears open and should be held accountable for overseeing staff. This blogger thinks the NCAA should hit the school in the pocketbook hard enough to discourage this type of behavior. Punish those who should be overseeing recruitment not the student athletes who are there for an education and the opportunity to participate in the basketball program. The current punishment also penalizes athletes who are not on scholarship since they will not get to play in the post season tournament.

If $ came out of the paychecks of coaches, athletic directors and those supervising recruitment these types of events are less likely to occur. Banning the team from tournament play punishes players and fans who had nothing to do with the violations and lets those who should be held accountable off the hook.