plus 3, Jobs available at Dolphins camp - Jupiter Courier

Jobs available at Dolphins camp - Jupiter Courier
In job search, salary information often requires digging a little deeper - Washington Post
Continued: Batter's eye gets darker paint job - Minneapolis Star Tribune
Government of Canada Helps Manitoba Youth Prepare for Jobs - Newsblaze.com

Jobs available at Dolphins camp - Jupiter Courier

Posted: 29 Jul 2010 10:49 PM PDT

Miami Dolphins coach Tony Sparano, center, walks among offensive linemen during a previous training camp in Davie. Sparano was an offensive line coach in Dallas prior to becoming Miami's head coach in 2008.

The Miami Dolphins finally have the go-to receiver they've long sought. They're set at quarterback with second-year starter Chad Henne, and Jake Long returns to anchor the offensive line.

But plenty of other starting positions are up for grabs as training camp begins Friday.

There's a void at free safety, three cornerbacks will battle for two jobs, and the defensive front seven is being revamped following the departures of Jason Taylor and Joey Porter. The offensive line faces a makeover, competition at the receiver spot opposite newcomer Brandon Marshall will be fierce, and even injury-prone Ronnie Brown faces a challenge for playing time at running back.

"There are going to be some hard decisions all over the football field to be made," coach Tony Sparano said. "That's when you know your team is getting where it needs to be."

Where the Dolphins want to be is the Super Bowl, and they've fallen short the past 25 seasons. Owner Stephen Ross has said he expects his team to play in the NFL title game this season, while most prognosticators figure a .500 season more likely.

Miami slipped to 7-9 in 2009, the second year of the Bill Parcells regime. It became a season of transition at quarterback, and Henne showed promise starting the final 13 games, but he threw only six touchdown passes to wide receivers.

To upgrade a lackluster pass-catching group, the Dolphins made Marshall their biggest offseason acquisition. The 6-foot-4 Pro Bowl wideout underwent hip surgery in May and was limited in offseason work, but he's expected to be close to 100 percent at the start of camp and figures he has plenty of time to get comfortable with Henne.

"We have a lot of practices starting in August," Marshall said. "We'll be fine. We will get a rhythm, and we will get a chance to get on the same page — not just with me, but the whole offense."

For the first time, Henne goes into camp as the No. 1 quarterback.

"It's a little bit different when you're walking into the huddle and you know that the eyes are all on you," Sparano said. "Chad now knows that's his huddle out there. So there's a little bit different swagger to him."

Brown's expected to be ready for the start of camp after missing the final seven games last year with a right foot injury. Ricky Williams replaced Brown and finished with 1,121 yards rushing, his highest total since 2003. He's 33 but could challenge for the starting job.

The offensive line is set only at tackle, with Long and Vernon Carey. Competing for playing time at receiver will be Greg Camarillo, Brian Hartline and Davone Bess. And there will be jockeying for the backup quarterback job, with Chad Pennington returning from a right shoulder injury to compete with Pat White and Tyler Thigpen.

Even more unsettled is the defense, where an offseason shakeup started with the hiring of coordinator Mike Nolan to replace Paul Pasqualoni. Topping Nolan's to-do list in training camp will be to fill all of the roles in his aggressive 3-4 scheme.

Sparano liked the defensive changes he saw during spring minicamp.

"There's an attitude here and a philosophy from a defensive standpoint of creating turnovers, of scoring with the football," Sparano said. "Those things, from a defensive-philosophy standpoint, I can see differently. Our kids are buying into it."

Randy Starks must learn a new position, switching to nose tackle, with top draft pick Jared Odrick likely to replace him at end. Newly acquired veteran Karlos Dansby, rookie Koa Misi and pass-rushing specialist Cameron Wake are being counted on as part of a revamped linebacking group that lost 16 sacks when Taylor and Porter departed.

At cornerback, veteran Will Allen returns from a left knee injury to compete with Sean Smith and Vontae Davis, who started as rookies last year.

"We're just going to figure out who the best two guys are going to be," Sparano said. "I've asked this team to understand that right now we're at 80 players, and we're going to compete, and you're going to have plenty of opportunities. But when we get this thing down, people are going to have roles, and whatever those roles are, know that this team comes first."

ALL DRAFT PICKS SIGNED

The Dolphins' eight draft picks will all be under contract when training camp starts Friday.

First-round choice Jared Odrick and second-round selection Koa Misi agreed to terms Thursday, their agents said. Odrick is a defensive end from Penn State, and Misi is an outside linebacker from Utah. They were Miami's top two choices and the last unsigned picks.

Odrick agreed to a five-year deal worth $7.13 million guaranteed, and the package could be worth up to $13 million, agent Drew Rosenhaus said. Odrick is the front-runner for a starting job as a replacement for veteran defensive end Phillip Merling, who hurt his Achilles' tendon this month and will miss the entire season.

Misi agreed to a four-year deal, agent Kenny Zuckerman said. He declined to disclose financial terms, but the deal was believed to be for about $4.5 million, with about $2.6 million guaranteed.

Misi, the 40th player taken in the draft, played mostly defensive end as a three-year starter at Utah. Reporting on time will aid his transition to linebacker, where he'll help fill a void created by the departures of Joey Porter and Jason Taylor.

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In job search, salary information often requires digging a little deeper - Washington Post

Posted: 07 Aug 2010 05:21 AM PDT

-- Talk to people who already hold the job you want. "Don't be a researcher. Be a networker," Rowson said. Connect with them on LinkedIn or through professional associations. Ask for career advice and insights -- including salary ranges.

Keary agreed that people are a great source -- if handled gingerly. "People are interested in the subject" of salaries, she said, though many would rather discuss them in third-person generalities. Ask about a fair salary for someone with 10 years of experience in that field. "Make it clear that you're not prying into their personal business," she said.

You also may want to find out how the organization treats its staff. "You'll hear the horror stories first," she said, including tales of those who went years without a raise. Dig deeper and ask a variety of people about compensation history and practices.

Most jobs have established pay ranges, and government jobs have pay grades that can be found online. Ranges may be broad, especially for management jobs. It's tricky to determine where you would fall within a stated pay range. Among the factors are years of experience, technical prowess and standout abilities. "You've got to be conservative. You can't overestimate your worth" or you may get kicked out of the running, Rowson said.

Many experts suggest you hold off on discussing pay and benefits until late in the hiring process, after a job has been offered or you're at least a finalist.

Candidates may want to have three figures in mind -- or stashed as a note on their mobile phones -- as they begin to discuss pay, said Mary E. Hayward, director of career services for the SIT Graduate Institute in Brattleboro, Vt.

The first number is the market salary for the job you want. The second is your highest expectation of what you could earn. And the third is the lowest pay you would accept.

Try to be collaborative in salary discussions. "Don't accept the first offer," Hayward said, since it's probably a low-ball offer.

Employers will be more likely to negotiate a higher salary or better benefits if you have demonstrated your qualifications and any extras you bring to the position, Hayward said. She recommends developing a list of bargaining points ahead of time. "What this gets down to is you're marketing a product," she said. "And the product is you."

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Continued: Batter's eye gets darker paint job - Minneapolis Star Tribune

Posted: 28 Jul 2010 06:47 PM PDT

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Government of Canada Helps Manitoba Youth Prepare for Jobs - Newsblaze.com

Posted: 23 Jul 2010 07:04 AM PDT

Published: July 23, 2010

VIRDEN, MANITOBA - (Marketwire - July 23, 2010) - Local youth who face barriers to employment will get job preparation training and work experience through the Government of Canada's support for an employment project. Mr. Merv Tweed, Member of Parliament for Brandon-Souris, made the announcement today on behalf of the Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development.

"In today's environment, it is more important than ever that youth develop the skills they need to participate and succeed in the job market," said Mr. Tweed. "By supporting this project, we are helping local youth develop the skills, knowledge and work experience they need to reach their full potential."

The Virden Employment Skills Centre will receive $10,440 in federal Skills Link funding to support its youth employment project, which will help 10 youth facing employment barriers develop life and job skills to ease their transition to work or return to school.

"We're thankful for the support we've received for this project, as it will allow us to address specific labour market issues facing the Virden area," said Ms. Marla Lesaichuk, Chair of the Virden Employment Skills Centre. "Participants are provided with labour market information, along with personal development skills tools, that will help them in their career search."

The federal government is working with the provinces and territories, community organizations and other stakeholders to provide Canadians with the training, skills and opportunities they need to get jobs and contribute to their communities.

Through the 2010 "Jobs and Growth Budget," the Government of Canada committed an additional $60 million to the Skills Link and Career Focus programs. This additional one-time investment will enable more young Canadians to gain the experience and skills they need to successfully participate in the labour market while the economy recovers.

Skills Link is part of the Government of Canada's strategy to create the best educated, most skilled and most flexible workforce in the world. The Government underscored its commitment to this strategy in Canada's Economic Action Plan. A key component of the Plan is to create more and better opportunities for Canadian workers through skills development. To learn more about Canada's Economic Action Plan, visit www.actionplan.gc.ca.

The Skills Link program is delivered by Service Canada, which provides one-stop personalized services for Government of Canada programs, services and benefits. For more information about this program, visit www.servicecanada.gc.ca, call 1 800 O-Canada or drop by your local Service Canada Centre.

This news release is available in alternative formats upon request.

BACKGROUNDER

The Virden Employment Skills Centre provides employment-related services to unemployed individuals in the Virden area. The project participants will receive career counselling, including aptitude testing, and will develop a goal-oriented action plan. They will also attend employability workshops that focus on such topics as communications, thinking and problem solving, teamwork and job preparation skills.

As part of the Government of Canada's Youth Employment Strategy, the Skills Link program is one of three programs that help young Canadians, particularly those facing barriers to employment, obtain career information, develop skills, gain work experience, find good jobs and stay employed. The other two programs are Summer Work Experience and Career Focus.

Skills Link focuses on helping youth facing barriers to employment, such as single parents, Aboriginal youth, young persons with disabilities, recent immigrants, youth living in rural and remote areas, and youth who have dropped out of high school. It offers a client-centred approach based on assessing an individual's specific needs. The program supports youth in developing basic and advanced employment skills. Eligible participants between 15 and 30 years of age-who are not receiving Employment Insurance benefits-are assisted through a coordinated approach, offering longer-term supports and services that can help them find and keep a job.

819-994-5559

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