Looking for a job involves a wide range of responsibilities: preparing a resume, looking at ads, contacting employers, calling and visiting friends and acquaintances, follow ups, interviews. While none of us ever plan to be out of work for very long, it can be very useful to immediately start documenting your activities and your feelings to provide a road map of where you have been and where you want to go. It helps to have a central location for recording your daily actions so you don’t miss anything important or forget a critical deadline. It is also reassuring to have somewhere to go when you’re feeling blue and too lethargic to go anywhere or do anything you consider “productive.” Continue reading →

“When I was a child, I always thought the world was mine, A stomping ground for me, full of opportunities. I always had this attitude that I was going to go out into the world and do all the things I wanted to do.” ?Madonna

So, what happens to the diva or Adonis in us? What happens to the girl or boy who is convinced of their career choices, bold enough to use their imagination, and powerful enough to take risks and survive setbacks? Continue reading →

We have been studying the labor rates of Oil, Lube and Filter Quick Lube Facilities and we are finding that the pay is lower than you might expect. We also believe this is part of the problem with recruiting and retaining key employees. The average employee at a Quick Lube is a little under $7.00, which is lower than you would expect and certainly lower than the customer is thinking you are paying. This maybe why the average employee only stays employed about 1.8 years and then leaves for greener employment. Continue reading →

Well what is a good mechanic worth these days? You cannot place a value on them simply as labor units as they teach in management school, they are worth more than money. So why not treat them with respect and dignity and pay them what they are worth, we believe that the national averages are too low. There is a partial report on the Automotive and Trucking Sector from the Fed’s Beige Book, June 2002. Continue reading →

People work to live, but most also live to work. A study on the meaning of work conducted back in 1987 revealed a strong attachment to work as a way of life. The study found that 86 percent of people would continue working even if they had enough money never to work another day. There could be no better indication that work is not simply a matter of putting food on the table, but is core to the being of most adults. Continue reading →

The interview is the “beauty contest” part of the job search process. Interviewers get to compare candidates by asking them similar questions and comparing the answers. Being just the right person for the job won’t help you if you blow the interview.

Here are ten tips to help you come out of the interview with a job offer.

1. Show responsibility by arriving on time.

Nothing sets you off on the wrong foot more than arriving late for an interview. No matter what reason you have, it won’t completely erase the impression that you are disorganized and irresponsible. Continue reading →

Use a resume as a foot in the door

When you go to college, they don’t really teach you how to advance your career. In order to get the jobs you want, you need to know how to write an effective resume that will win you interviews. In order to be successful, you need to look at resumes as marketing brochures. Writing good resumes demands that you understand their purpose. They just need to have enough information to attract the recruiter and the hiring manager. Continue reading →

Jobs and employment on the Costa Blanca

The Council of Europe regulations forced Spain to end all restrictions on the free circulation of European Union workers as of January 1st, 1992 – which means that all EU citizens can work in Spain under the same conditions as Spaniards complete with employment contracts and employers contributions into the Spanish Social Security system on your behalf, giving both yourself and your dependants, access to the Spanish National Health Service. These rights extend even to family members who are non EU nationals. Continue reading →

Many people in the last decade have experienced either a layoff or termination in their lives or the lives of somebody they know. While many of these people affected have experienced outplacement-consulting services, some have not and they may be in for a rude awakening – corporations no longer “take care of you”. Managing your career in these times require you to have a game plan and an understanding of yourself and human behavior. That is why outplacement consulting and career coaches have become so popular and are being sought out by individuals, not just corporations. A career coach can help you manage more than just your career, they can help you communicate better and get along with others better. Continue reading →

Many people in the last decade have experienced for themselves either a layoff or termination. Some of these people affected have experienced outplacement-consulting services. This is a fancy word for “help” in finding a new job. Many have also heard the adage that it is better to get a new job while you are still employed.

I will address why finding a job is an ongoing process of managing your career for yourself; and how a career coach can help more than just your career Continue reading →