For Veterans’ Day, U.S. Department of Labor encourages employers to participate in 25-day, nationwide ‘blitz’ of job fairs

Events are latest effort of HireVetsFirst campaign to connect employers and veterans

WASHINGTON, D.C. — In observance of Veterans’ Day, the U.S. Department of Labor today announced plans for a 25-day blitz of 107 veterans’ job fairs to be held in every state, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico between October 23 and November 16.

“The qualities America’s service members are known for — discipline, a strong work ethic, leadership and technical skills — are in high demand by employers,” said U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao. “These job fairs are an important part of our effort to help America’s service men and women transition back to civilian life when their tours of duty end and a tremendous opportunity for employers looking for great workers.”

“The United States military is the finest, most technologically advanced in the world,” said Charles S. Ciccolella, assistant secretary of labor for the department’s Veterans’ Employment and Training Service (VETS). “Our nation invests billions of dollars annually to train America’s armed forces, instilling and developing valuable hard skills in our service members. Equally important are the skills service members learn, such as loyalty, discipline, selflessness, leadership, and the ability to follow instructions and perform under pressure. These are all inherent to the military culture. The HireVetsFirst campaign is about increasing employer awareness of the skills veterans bring to their businesses, and to encourage employers to hire veterans, not just out of a sense of patriotism, but because it makes good sense for employers who want to grow their businesses.”

A list of job fair locations by state and more information about the HireVetsFirst campaign are available at www.hirevetsfirst.gov. For more information on all the veterans’ employment programs offered by VETS, visit www.dol.gov/vets.

Help a Soldier Win a Free Home for the Holidays

The Hope Lives Foundation requests entries nationwide for 2007 home giveaway

Pittsburgh (PRWEB) October 19, 2007 — It sounds too good to be true. However, in this case, it’s real. The Hope Lives Foundation, a non-profit organization based in North Huntingdon, will select a deserving member of the armed forces who is serving or has served in Iraq or Afghanistan to receive a newly refurbished, debt-free home – no strings attached – as a gift for the holidays.

Unbelievable? Not really. Just ask Kevin Martin. In 2005, the National Guard Sergeant was transporting supplies between Kuwait and Iraq when his sister entered him in the free home giveaway. After never having a home of his own, the divorced father of five, who volunteered to serve in Iraq to support his family, won a free home in McKeesport.

Home for the Holidays is the brainchild of real estate investing expert Jim Toner who founded The Hope Lives Foundation to provide temporary housing to displaced families in support of his local Salvation Army. Concerned for soldiers returning from the war, Toner expanded The Hope Lives Foundation to include the offer of the gift of a lifetime – a Home for the Holidays for a deserving veteran.

Now through Friday, Dec. 7, The Hope Lives Foundation is accepting entries from throughout the nation for this year’s Home for the Holidays award. There is no fee to enter and nominations will be judged on the following criteria:

1. At least one family member must be serving or have served in the ongoing conflict in Iraq or Afghanistan.
2. The nomination entry should include information on any hardships the family is experiencing or has experienced due the deployment.
3. The home is being given away totally free of charge to the recipient who may reside in the home or sell it. However, he or she must be able to maintain the financial obligations such as real estate taxes associated with ownership or sale.
4. The family must be willing to participate in publicity.

Anyone who wants to enter a deserving veteran should call (412) 673-9800 or visit www.thehopelivesfoundation.org for an entry form. Entries should be mailed to: The Hope Lives Foundation, Home for the Holidays, 112 Arona Road, North Huntingdon, PA 15642. All entries must be received by Friday, Dec. 7, 2007.

Transcripts and news footage from the coverage of the 2005 home giveaway are available upon request.

The Employment Situation in America: September 2007

The employment situation in America as of September, 2007 was positive because employment rose.  Further, the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 4.7 percent of the population being out of work according to the United States Department of Labor.

Nonfarm payroll employment rose by 110,000 after an increase of 89,000 in August, 2007.  Jobs continued to be added in industries such food services, professional services, health care and technical services.  Employment areas that trended down were construction and manufacturing.  The average hourly earnings for employees rose by 0.4 percent, or 7 cents.

The total number of unemployed people as of September, 2007 were 7.2 million.  This time last year there were 6.9 million people unemployed, so this is an increase in the number of folks out of work.  The total employment was 146.3 million and the civilian labor force was 153.5 million and both rose during September.  There are 1.3 million people marginally attached to labor who want to work and are seeking employment and only 276,000 discouraged workers who believe there are no jobs available for them.

With these statistics in mind, there are many jobs opening up in a number of industries.  If you are looking for a position, have a professional resume writer revamp your resume and go for that dream job during a great time for seek employment.

If You Use USAJOBS.com – Read This Advisory About Information Being Compromised

Are you seeking a coveted Federal position though the USAJOBS website?  If so, you should be aware of a recent advisory about information online being compromised.

According to the USAJOBS website, Infostealer.Monstres, a malicious software, gained unauthorized access to the Monster.com resume database for the purpose of stealing job seekers’ contact information.  Since Monster Worldwide is the technology provider for USAJOBS, some of the contact information was captured such as name, address, telephone and email address.  The U.S. Office of Personnel Management was assured by Monster Worldwide that Social Security Numbers were not compromised because of IT security shields.  Monster Worldwide has identified and closed down an illegal server that was accessing job seeker information and additional safeguards are currently being implemented to protect the safety of Federal job seekers.

Take note that USAJOBS will never request information through unsolicited email and only communicates in direct response to an email from you.  Emails that appear to come from Monster.com and want you to click on a link may be counterfeit emails for “phishing”.  If you get a suspicious email, email it with the full header information to mayday@fedjobs.gov.  You can also direct any questions you have to that email address.

USAJOBS is already going through measures to safeguard information so you can continue to have the convenience of applying for Federal jobs online.

Hot Federal Jobs According to USAJOBS.com

If you are seeking a coveted Federal position, the first place to look is the USAJOBS website.  This official website is filled with information about applying for Federal positions and lists a variety of available Federal jobs that you can apply for online.

Check out the hot jobs in the Federal government by clicking on the link at the USA jobs website. A key to landing the ideal position is to stay up to date about the latest trends in Federal hiring.  Accordingly, the USAJOBS website updates their page of top 50 federal occupations with the most openings in the last calendar month every week.

Consider the recent positions that were considered to be the hot jobs at USAJOBS:

-nursing;
-secretary;
-contract specialist;
-accountant;
-project manager;
-supply clerk/technician; and
-human relations specialist.

Clearly there are numerous options in a variety of areas when it comes to selecting a Federal job.  Each position has different requirements for applying and the guideline needs to be followed carefully to be considered for the job.  In a competitive Federal job marketplace, you can get an edge over the other applicants by having a professional resume writer prepare your application.  Using a resume writer who is familiar with Federal specifications is a solid investment in your professional future.

The Basics of the Army Resume Builder Process

The Army Resume Builder has modernized, simplified and shortened the application process by combining both the former Resume Builder and questionnaire into one application that offers multiple benefits to applicants.

Now user friendly and menu driven, the Army Resume Resumix Builder no longer requires that applicants spend time scrolling down one long page. It also provides  “copy/cut” and “paste” capabilities  that allow applicants to copy or cut information from your current resume or prepared answers into Resume Builder.

The Army Resume Builder offers worksheet formats for work experience, education and additional information, thus organizing applicants’ information into a correct and easy-to-use format that automatically puts new job experience entries at the beginning of the resume. Users can opt to enter job experience in one large text box versus six individual boxes, thereby allowing more flexibility, or  use the worksheet formats for entering work experience, education and additional information.  This design ensures that information is submitted in proper format.

The Army Resume Builder also provides more help menus and wizards to assist applicants in answering questions and entering information. In fact. it’s so easy to use no applicant should have any problems providing the Army with the information it needs!

Telework Positions in the Federal Government: They are Available

Did you know that telework is available when you work for the Federal government?  Telework, which is also referred to as telecommuting, allows you to do your work at a location other than your “official duty station”.  Because of portable computers and multiple communication devices, employees can work almost anywhere some of the time, offering greater flexibility.  The Federal government realizes this wave of the future and has make coveted Federal positions available where employees can take advantage of telework opportunities.

The General Services Administration (GSA) and Office of Personnel Management (OPM) have established a joint web site on Telework to provide access to guidance issued by both of these agencies.  There is information for employees considering telework and who may already be doing so and for managers and supervisors who supervise teleworkers as well as for coordinators for agency telework.

In fact, as of June 2007, the U.S. Office of Personnel management issued a Report on the Status of Telework in the Federal Government to summarize their findings from 2005 regarding telework achievements.  There are also Telework Training Courses available online.  With innovative telecommuting opportunities available with the Federal government, it is an ideal time to pursue a secure, well-paying Federal job.  Consider investing in a professional resume writer who is familiar with the requirements for applying for a Federal position and who can maximize your skills and expertise on paper so you stand above the many other applicants.

USAJOBS.com is a Great Place to Start Your Federal Job Search

If you are looking to land a desirable job with the Federal Government, the ideal place to find information and Federal job listings is USAJOBS where you can discover employment opportunities around the world. Located on the web at www.usajobs.gov, USAJOBS has a database of over 20,000 fantastic public service work opportunities.

USAJOBS has also simplified the process of finding Federal jobs and made it into three easy steps. First, you create an accounts at “My USAJOBS” if you want to create and post resumes, have jobs emailed to you and attract employers. Although this step is helpful, it is not required to search for Federal jobs at USAJOBS. Your second step is to check out all the available Federal positions at “Search Jobs” by entering your desired job information. You can also search Federal jobs by phone at 1-703-724-1850 or TDD 1-978-461-8404. When you search for Federal jobs online, you can apply online instantly. The third step is to review the fact sheets for advice on getting a Government job at http://www.usajobs.gov/faq.asp.

Specialized forms and resumes may be required to apply for Federal jobs. Each vacancy posting lists the requirements for applying for the position which must be followed for consideration. If you fail to follow the requirements for applying for a Federal job, your resume will not even be considered amongst the numerous other applicants. Hiring a professional resume writer who is familiar with Federal application specifications is a solid investment in your future which could mean the difference between getting that great Federal job – or not even getting an interview.

OPM Director Testifies on Federal Employment Benefits

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Office of Personnel Management Director Linda M. Springer today urged lawmakers to approve legislation on a range of workplace rules and employee benefits to help the federal government build an effective work force, including the ability to retain older, more experienced employees.She also urged support for legislation that would enhance agencies’ efforts to rehire retirees on a limited basis. If approved, agencies could more easily re-employ experienced individuals to mitigate the loss of valued baby boom-era employees who are expected to retire in large numbers in the coming years.

Appearing before the House Subcommittee on Federal Workforce, Postal Service and the District of Columbia, Springer said the federal government “has long been a recognized leader in employer-sponsored benefits,” helping to ensure agencies have a competitive advantage in recruiting and retaining top talent.

“We must continue to offer a full range of benefits that effectively meets the needs of all our employees, retirees, and their families,” said Springer.

Three proposals are currently before Congress:

• Part-Time Reemployment of Annuitants: would allow agencies to re-employ retired federal employees on a limited basis (temporary appointments, on part-time or full-time basis) without reducing their salary by the amount of their annuity. The additional service would not increase annuity payments.

• Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Improvements Act of 2007: would permit the Blue Cross Blue Shield Service Benefit Plan to offer a third level of benefits, which current law limits to two levels. If approved, Blue Cross Blue Shield would be free to offer a High Deductible Health Plan and compete in the growing market for this health-care product.

Another proposal would remove annuity computation penalties against employees covered under the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) who adopt a part-time work schedule toward the end of their careers. Springer told the subcommittee that passage would help agencies retain experienced and still-productive employees who wish to ease into retirement, instead of retiring outright. Enactment also would enable agencies to hold on to valued employees who could further groom their eventual replacements

Springer summarized for subcommittee Members the current package of federal employee benefits, including the Federal Employees Group Life Insurance (FEGLI) Program and Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program, which began in 1954 and 1960, respectively. She also highlighted recent benefits additions, including long-term care insurance, flexible spending accounts, and dental and vision insurance.

OPM Partners with LULAC in Recruiting Outreach

Agency’s Role includes presentations at organization’s Federal Training Institute and Youth-Collegiate Forum

Chicago – As part of its continuing drive to draw on the strengths of the nation’s diversity in its Federal recruiting outreach, U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Director Linda Springer announced the agency’s multi-pronged participation in this week’s Annual Convention of the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC).

“We’re happy to partner with LULAC in efforts to strengthen the leadership and entry-level ranks of the Federal Government,” said Kevin Mahoney, Associate Director for OPM’s Human Capital Leadership and Merit System Accountability Division, commenting on OPM’s participation in the organization’s Federal Training Institute and Youth-Collegiate Federal Career Forum, which are taking place over the next four days during the annual LULAC convention.

During LULAC’s Federal Training Institute (FTI) – an initiative designed to enhance the leadership competencies of mid-and senior-level Federal employees – Charles Cranford, Program Director of OPM’s Eastern Management Development Center, is the featured speaker on the subject of “How To’s for Emerging Leaders in a Diverse Society.”

OPM’s Robert Seidner, a Human Resources Evaluator with the agency’s Chicago office, is also among the featured panelists during the FTI’s session on “Diversified Recruitment Strategies and User Friendly Websites.”

Seidner will also make the opening presentation entitled “Why Work for the Federal Government?” at LULAC’s Youth Collegiate Federal Career Forum on Friday, July 13. During the latter presentation, Seidner will discuss the panorama of opportunities available in the nation’s civilian workforce and how to navigate www.USAJOBS.gov