Recession Dispatch from...London

Recession Dispatch from...LondonRecession Dispatch from...LondonThe home gym is my favorite so far Why sign up to a costly health club when you can use your garden and substitute sandbags for weights?, asked the (clearly barmy) writer. Because I dont have a garden or sandbags is why. And because the cute receptionist at my gym smiles at me, sometimes.So far it doesnt seem as bad zu siche as it does in New York. Or is that just because we prefer leid to talk about it so much? After all, it is a trifle embarrassing.I dont actually know anyone who has lost his or her job, but then again, most of the people I know are self-employed media types who spend their days in coffee shops chatting on their mobiles and tapping away at their laptops. How is one supposed to tell whether they are gainfully employed or begging their parents for another loan?One pal, a heretofore hot TV director, has had no work for six months. Not that surprising, since British telly, once the envy of the world, is re duced to showing endless reruns of Friends and Frasier. So my friend is diverting his considerable creative energies into the most ambitious home improvement scheme in London. This from a man who previously couldnt change a light bulb without electrocuting himself.An architect friend with his own practice has had to let some people go, to use the charming English euphemism for axing his staff.If you have been canned, having a former empire and a peripatetic tradition comes in very handy. A friend in Cape Town has become a one-woman recruitment agency. Yes, the salaries are much lower in South Africa than they are in London, but the sun shines all day long, the beach is a 10 minute drive from the office and the wine is as cheap as chips.Four of the 50 candidates short-listed to look after a tropical Australian island for a year are Brits, a fifth is Irish. Lets hope none of them gets the job by the end of the first week he or she will be burnt to a crisp, will have antagonized the lo cal sharks and will be begging for a nice cup of tea.Perhaps thats too harsh, the English are nothing if not adaptable. The company I work for has just hired a former investment banker as its head of research, at a fifth of his previous salary. See him squirm as he places his expensively be-suited arse on our stained chairs watch him wince as makes instant coffee in our grotty kitchenette hear him sneeze as he passes our dust-encrusted 20th century PCs.Get used to it mate, youre lucky to have a job at all.On the bright side, craft goods, cloth, and sewing machine sales are all up, as people turn to making their own cushions, dresses, and gifts. Sales of British comfort foods are up, too Bisto gravy, swiss rolls, jam sandwiches and beans on toast. I realise none of this means anything to you, but imagine you are starring in a film set in post-war London Kate Winslett, looking plain in a washed-out yellow housecoat spreads margarine on a dry white loaf a kid in a sleeveless Fair Isle elektrische brcke looks up expectantly from his Dan Dare comic book the brown earthenware teapot I can longer buy from Woolworths has pride of place on the kitchen tableYou get the picture.Posted by London Jack, RecessionWire.comRecession Briefing 3.17Hired in 30 SecondsScrewed 5,000 at UBS

Top Entry-Level Administrative Assistant Skills

Top Entry-Level Administrative Assistant SkillsTop Entry-Level Administrative Assistant SkillsPerhaps youre fresh out of school and beginning your search for your first professional job as an entry-level assistant. Or maybe youre changing careers and starting to apply for administrative positions. Whatever the case, youre excited - but not sure what to expect in this line of work.Dont worry, were here to help.Whats an admin job all about?The responsibilities and day-to-day tasks in different administrative jobs can vary wildly and depend on the location, industry and company. But typical duties for four of the most common - and in-demand - entry-level administrative positions includeReceptionist - Often the first point of contact for anybody outside of the company, a receptionist primarily greets visitors and handles incoming calls. This role also takes on administrative responsibilities, such as word processing, data entry and internet research, and is expected to help busy coll eagues with similar tasks.Administrative assistant - At the entry level, administrative assistant duties involve handling telephone calls filing data entry and using office software for word processing, spreadsheets, and creating or updating presentations. Administrative assistants are often called upon to assist other admins, which may involve acting as the receptionist or covering a wide range of other office duties.Customer service representative - Professionals in this position are responsible for maintaining strong relationships with customers by placing and receiving calls. The best customer service assistants answer questions and resolve issues quickly and with confidence, so excellent communication skills are required. Other duties typically involve data entry and research to troubleshoot queries.menschenwrdig resources assistant - This professional helps with a variety of functions, including hiring staff, organizing health and welfare benefit programs, resolving employe e disputes, and handling employee departures. Not surprisingly, companies search for HR assistants with strong interpersonal skills. They should also be able to conduct internet research, screen telephone calls, maintain databases and keep sensitive material confidential.Master the fundamentalsDeveloping and polishing a few essential skills will help you succeed as an administrative professional, whether youre breaking into the field or youve landed an entry-level assistant job and want to become a superstar.Communication - Employers search for admin candidates with the ability to clearly articulate ideas to colleagues, superiors, clients and vendors in writing, over the phone and face to face.Technology skills - Candidates must be confident working with Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint savvy with social media and, in many cases, have a strong understanding of databases.Bilingualism - Proficiency in one or more foreign languages is a big advantage in todays global economy and can increase an admins salary by 12 to 15 percent.Flexibility - Entry-level administrative jobs revolve around helping others. The best admins see a need and offer to help before even being asked. Many times, this involves tasks that arent in the job description.Collaboration - Admins must be able to work seamlessly with coworkers from all over the company, which means understanding everyones role and figuring out how to be most useful to the group. The best ones also build bridges to administrative assistants in other departments - as well as people in areas like the mailroom and IT - to make interdepartmental collaboration simple and smooth.A desire to keep learning - Companies look for administrative professionals willing to take the time to enroll in continuing education classes, pursue a certification and take advantage of any training opportunities offered by the company. Such passion and enthusiasm is sometimes even rewarded with a salary bump A professional administrati ve certification, for example, can boost pay by as much as 6 percent, and a Microsoft Office Specialist certification can lead to a raise of up to 10 percent.Looking for an administrative job? We can help Upload your resume.Whatever type of administrative work you decide to do, know that companies truly appreciate their support staff In an OfficeTeam survey, more than nine in 10 respondents (94 percent) rated administrative support as important to the companys overall success. Thats because these professionals provide key support to their colleagues and managers. And the more you willingly and proactively offer to help others as an entry-level administrative professional, the more valuable you become to your team.

4 Tips for Job Seekers Whose Resumes Contain Glaring Red Flags

4 Tips for Job Seekers Whose Resumes Contain Glaring Red Flags 4 Tips for Job Seekers Whose Resumes Contain Glaring Red Flags The act of preparing a resume can be fairly straightforward, assuming you can tick all the right boxes e.g., a good education, some blue-ribbon achievements to brag about, and absolutely no red flags.But for you otherwise fine candidates out there whose resumes unfortunately contain a few warning signs that can handicap your application, preparing a winning resume can be a bit more difficult.Heres are four of the most common resume red flags, along with some tips to help you address them and make your resumesparkle nonetheless1.UnemploymentResearch from the Pew Charitable Trust shows that the long-term unemployed (those who have been unemployed for six months or longer) have to send 3.5 times as many resumes as the short-term unemployed to get an interview. Like it or not, employers view unemployment as a big red flag.What can you do? Rather then just leave a part of your work historyblank, turn your period of unemployment into something positive by listing your achievements and the new skills learned during this period. This will show employers that you have the initiative to stay productive, even when times are tough.2. Job HoppingAttitudes toward job hopping are changing among millennnials, but people older than 35 still see it as a largely negative thing.Because job hopping is still viewed with suspicion by many hiring managers, its important to display your short tenures inthe most positive light possible. Here are a few ways to do that- List all your achievements, including things you did at your briefest roles.- Demonstrate that you fulfilled the requirements of each contract/short-tenure position to show you are reliable.- Outline any key skills that you learned in each post to show how muchyou learned from job hopping.3. An Incomplete EducationEven though Steve Jobs, Oprah, Bill Gates,and many other wildly successful people l eft schoolbefore earning their degrees, being a college dropout is still a majorred flag to most employers.Therefore, its vital that you frame your decision to leave school in a flattering light.Did you leave to start a business, write a book, or join some major venture or initiative? Then include this information on your resume Demonstrate what you achieved in place of completing your degree. Anything less than this will look pretty questionableon your resume.4. Youve Been FiredThis is perhaps theall-time worst resume red flag, andit requires some serious damage control.Itgenerally does not make sense to state that you have been fired in your resume or cover letter, but whatever you do, dont mislead the employer in any way.Simply include the start and end dates of your employment dont fudgethe numbers.If your employer asks you at interview, youll need to be completely truthful aboutwhy you left. In fact, even if they dont ask, its probably best to make it known. Otherwise, the emp loyer may find out from a background check, and that may make them feel like you mislead them.Of course, youll need to go on aPR offensive when explaining why you were fired. Here are a few tips to keep in mind while spinning your firing in a positive light- Dont badmouth past employers or managers.- Explain the reason for dismissal.- Where appropriate, be accepting of what happened to you.- Be prepared to answer any questions around it until the interviewer is satisfied.- Outline the lessons you have learned.- Explain thesteps you have taken to make sure the situation doesnt happen toyou again.Finally, its important to remember that no one is perfect. Most employers know this, and many of them are more skeptical of resumes that look too perfect than resumes with a few warts. Having hiccups and red flags on your resume is a factof life. The thing that will set you apart from other candidates is how positively you present those red flags and how constructively you deal with the adver sity that created them in the first place.Master the art of closing deals and making placements. Take our Recruiter Certification Program today. Were SHRM certified. Learn at your own pace during this 12-week program. Access over 20 courses. Great for those who want to break into recruiting, or recruiters who want to further their career.