Plan Your Career by Julie Desmond

Julie Desmond is Talent Manager for Express Employment Professionals. Write to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

(Plan Your Career) What are you working for?

Monday, 19 October 2009 17:30 Julie Desmond

Hunting for hats and gloves last week (October?) I was reminded of a friend who might be coming up short in the winter clothes column this fall. This family was driving by an apartment complex and saw fire trucks, ambulances and many, many residents: adults, children, infants and grandparents standing outside in mid-MN-winter, watching everything they owned burn to the ground. Some were in stocking feet. Few had jackets or hats. And it was cold. This friend and her family wheeled back to the apartment complex and the parents threw their coats, hats and mittens to the residents. The children followed the parents’ lead and handed their jackets and boots out through the car window.

(Plan Your Career) 20 weeks to a new career

Tuesday, 13 October 2009 15:34 Julie Desmond

I keep telling people there are jobs out there. Alex Tittle shares that belief. Mr. Tittle contends that high school graduates and GED holders who are willing to work hard and willing to learn can find jobs now. And he should know. Mr. Tittle is Education Director for Summit Academy OIC in Minneapolis, and he has seen firsthand the benefits of great training and mentorship.

(Plan Your Career) Who needs it? Why resumes matter less than ever

Wednesday, 30 September 2009 15:20 Julie Desmond

You do need a resume, and it has to be flawless. But its details matter less than ever if you are looking for work right now. Your resume today is a reminder for the person you interview with about things they already know, because they likely already know you through Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, friends of friends or professional circles. Do not imagine for a minute that sending an unsolicited resume to a company is going to get you a job. It might, but there are other ways, and they are faster and more effective.

(Plan Your Career) New teams need time for team building

Monday, 28 September 2009 14:31 Julie Desmond

Try this: divide your team into groups of three or four; put two silver dollars on the table and direct each group to decide who gets the money.

Teams, departments and companies need to interact and negotiate effectively in order to be productive, but with all the reorganization going on in business these days, chances are good you are working with or for people you hardly know. But who has time for team building when time and money and staff are all in high demand?

(Plan Your Career) Too many options: Focus on the familiar to improve job prospects

Thursday, 17 September 2009 15:53 Julie Desmond

“I can do that,” T repeats to himself every time he reads an ad for a job opening. And he is right. Job seekers with a wide range of skills and a deep experience base are blessed with a strong sense of what is possible. They learn quickly and readily apply old knowledge to new tasks. And no one wants to hire them.

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