plus 3, Check Out Job Applicant Competition with this New Tool - First Coast News

Check Out Job Applicant Competition with this New Tool - First Coast News
Space shuttle workers' new mission: Find a job - Pueblo Chieftain
New York woman fired from Citibank 'for being too hot' - News.com.au
Changing careers over 50: Help is available for older ... - News-Herald

Check Out Job Applicant Competition with this New Tool - First Coast News

Posted: 03 Jun 2010 11:53 AM PDT

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CHICAGO -- You can now size up your competition when applying for a job, with the help of CareerBuilder's new tool.

HireINSIDER launched this week and is a free feature offered through CareerBuilder. It allows you to see other candidates' qualifications for jobs.

A state ment from CareerBuilder said that by getting an inside peek into this information, job seekers are able to better assess if they are a viable candidate for the job and the likelihood of an employer contacting them.

How it Works

HireINSIDER aggregates user-generated information from all applicants for a particular job listing, protecting the privacy of each applicant. The innovative technology produces a real-time Job Competition Report, summarizing:

Current number of applicants for the job in ranges
Level of education
Years of experience
Average current salaries
Top college majors of applicants
Top languages spoken
Employment status
How many applicants submitted a cover letter

CHECK OUT HireINSIDER

"HireINSIDER is a powerful tool that not only helps you to understand why you're not hearing back from an employer, it provides direction for your job search and desired career path," said Brent Rasmussen, president of CareerBuilder North America.

According to a recent survey of 250,000 job seekers, nearly 60 percent of job applicants reported they never received a response from employers they recently applied to for a job.

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Space shuttle workers' new mission: Find a job - Pueblo Chieftain

Posted: 03 Jun 2010 10:51 PM PDT

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CANAVERAL, Fla. — NASA workers will get $15 million from the federal government to help them search for new jobs and get additional training once the shuttle program ends, U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis said Wednesday.

Solis, speaking at Kennedy Space Center, said the emergency grant will assist about 3,200 contractors who work on the shuttle program full time, including those from major aerospace companies such as ASRC Aerospace Corp., Boeing and United Space Alliance. The last launch is scheduled for November.

As many as 20,000 contract and subcontract workers could be laid off, according to Labor Department estimates.

Two remaining shuttle missions are scheduled for this fall, although NASA and some members of Congress are pushing for one more flight next June.

''By no means are we somehow turning off the spigot and saying we're going to close shop here,'' Solis said. ''We're going to continue to push for more research, more technological breakthrough and continue to foster that growth that's occurred here over the last few decades.''

The grant is in addition to $40 million in aid to retrain workers that President Barack Obama promised when he visited Kennedy Space Center in April. Solis said the grant announced Wednesday is the first step to help shuttle workers transition into other jobs as the federal government works to boost the economy around Florida's so-called Space Coast, which is bracing for a big hit.

Once the shuttles retire for good, Americans will keep hitching rides to the space station on Russian rockets until U.S. private enterprise is able to take over. That's part of the plan set forth earlier this year by Obama, who wants astronauts aiming for asteroids and Mars in the next few decades. The space station is expected to keep operating until 2020.

NASA deputy administrator Lori Garver said she remains confident that Kennedy Space Center will continue to be the nation's most important space launch facility. That sentiment was echoed by business leaders and space officials in attendance.

''We're more likely to emerge out of this now stronger and more diverse than we were going in,'' said Space Florida president Frank DiBello.

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New York woman fired from Citibank 'for being too hot' - News.com.au

Posted: 04 Jun 2010 01:00 AM PDT

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A New York bank worker is in private arbitration with Citibank after claiming she was fired for being "too hot"/ News Limited

SHE was too sexy for her shirts, so sexy it hurt - her career, court papers say.

A curvy New York City woman said she was forced out of her job at Citibank because her male co-workers found her figure "too distracting",

Debrahlee Lorenzana said she was dressing professionally on the job, but her male bosses and co-workers still found her too hot to be around.

See pictures of Debrahlee Lorenzana here

Ms Lorenzana began working for Citibank as a business banking officer at their Chrysler Building branch in September 2008.

"Shortly after the commencement of her employment, branch manager Craig Fisher and assistant branch manager Peter Claibourne began articulating inappropriate and sexist comments concerning plaintiff's clothing and appearance," her court filings said.

"The improper comments made to plaintiff by Fisher and Claibourne included, but were not limited to, advising her that she must refrain from wearing certain items of clothing, in particular, turtleneck tops, pencil skirts, fitted business suits, or other properly tailored clothing.

Ms Lorenzana "complained to management, pointing out that other female colleagues wore similar professional attire" and that some dressed far more provocatively, her court filing said.

She was also told that "as a result of her tall stature, coupled with her curvaceous figure, she should not wear classic high heeled business shoes, as this purportedly drew attention to her body in a manner that was upsetting to her easily distracted male managers".

The fed-up woman made a formal complaint to human resources in May of last year, and asked for a transfer to another branch, according to the court filing. The transfer didn't go through, and she was stripped of some of her duties, and then not given proper training for her new ones, the suit said.

She was finally transferred in July, but matters didn't improve at the next branch, where she was chided for failing to recruit new customers despite being given an out of the way post on the second floor, her filings say. She was fired that August.

"The purported reasons for plaintiff's termination included that she failed to meet the required new account opening quotas, in addition to the credulity-straining assertion that her clothing choices were 'inappropriate'," the suit said.

Ms Lorenzana's gender discrimination suit was dismissed last month because her deal with Citibank called for any disputes to be settled in private arbitration. She's pressing on with her case there.

Citibank did not immediately return a call for comment.

Read more at The New York Post.

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Changing careers over 50: Help is available for older ... - News-Herald

Posted: 04 Jun 2010 03:37 AM PDT

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By Paula Evans Neuman

Nearly one-quarter of the job seekers enrolled with the No Worker Left Behind program at the Michigan Works Service Center in Southgate are 50 and older.

"We do have additional resources for customers that are 55-plus years old that want help with their job search," said Program Manager Lisa Wayne.

No Worker Left Behind is a state agency offering assistance to the unemployed or those whose family income is $40,000 a year or less.

The agency offers up to two years of free tuition at colleges and training programs to help people gain job skills.

"Qualifying workers must pursue a degree or other occupational certification in a high-demand occupation, emerging industry or entrepreneurship program," according to the agency.

NWLB also offers job banks where seekers can post resumes; a resource library; and workshops on interviewing, networking and resume writing.

"Anyone interested should come into our center (Room 170, 15100 North Line Road, Southgate) to inquire," Wayne said.

She and other staff members offer some advice for older workers seeking employment.

"Remember to focus on your positive attributes," Wayne said. "What do you have to offer that an employer will benefit from most? Think of your career search as a full-time job.

"Utilize all possible resources, contacts and opportunities available to you. You are not old — you are experienced.

"If you are lacking skills, you may have to look at re-training or skills upgrading to stay competitive."

Career Development Facilitator Barbara Reed advises those seeking a career change to hone in on their interests, as well as their skills.

If you are laid off, consider it as an opportunity to go into whatever your passion is, said Patricia Henisse, assistant executive director of workforce development programs.

"We can help and guide them with our professional staff, and may be able to pay for training in this career," she said.

"Also, they may want to explore being an entrepreneur — something they have maybe thought about and desired, but have stayed in a job to support the family before."

Resumes shouldn't be limited to lists of work history and bullet items, said Intake Specialist Jenny Vaughn.

"I would suggest spending some time developing a good resume that highlights transferable skills and experience," she said.

"Seek out resources that will help you create a solid resume and cover letter, so you are representing yourself to employers in the best possible way."

Keep an open mind about possible new occupations, suggested Donna Stangis, career development facilitator.

"Now more than ever it becomes important to focus on what (employment) areas are experiencing growth," said Devon O'Reilly, intake specialist.

"Do some thinking on what transferable skills you have that you may be able to take into a new and expanding field.

"Your experience is your most valuable tool, and should never be looked at as a negative."

AARP also offers assistance to older people seeking jobs at www.aarpworksearch.org.

Other Internet resources for older job seekers include Seniors4Hire at www.seniors4hire.org, and the Senior Job Bank at www.seniorjobbank.com.