Category Archives: Business

April Events

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Employment Event: Career Source Florida

For those looking for employment who may need some extra assistance with preparing and finding a position, a job club will be held next Friday April 24, 2015 from 0900 am until noon. The location is 609 North Powers Drive, Suite 340, Orlando, Florida 32818 at the West Colonial “Career Source” Office.

The job club will consist of networking, open dialogue about issues concerning finding the right job, resume critique and referrals to open positions that may interest you. If you would like to attend, please email Jaime Quarnoccio, 
Veteran Representative-LVER Email Address: JQuarnoccio@careersourcecf.com or phone 407-531-1231 x7339 for more information go to Career Source Florida for more information and event announcements.

All the Best,
Jenice

How to Convert Military Experience into a Civilian Resume

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Military personnel have many jobs while on active and reserve duty. Military personnel are often discharged from the military with little to no information on the process of converting military experience into civilian sector terminology. Military experience is not easily understood by the civilian sector. There are easy ways to convert military experience into civilian verbiage using job description templates found on the Internet.

It is important for military personnel to write out experience as it relates to civilian jobs. This is done utilizing job descriptions sites such as O*Net, Indeed and Career Builder. These sites provide job description information civilian sectors are using to hire applicants. Job experience should be broken down into bullets, which is the basic resume structure. A helpful book when completing this task is “Job Search, Marketing Your Military Experience By David G. Henderson.” This book provides excellent information on how to convert your military experience into civilian experience. It is an easy to understand book that provides examples and tips for converting military experience and is useful for all military forces.

Do some research on military specialties, then get detailed about what the specialty entails. Explain the experience in layman terms, and remember to keep it simple. Conduct Internet searches on “Job Descriptions” to find examples of pre-written job descriptions. Copy and paste the desired job description example and use it as a template to assist with converting military experience into civilian experience.

Create 3 resumes, a short, medium and long resume. The short resume provides a brief overview of position held and tasks. The medium adds tools and technologies of the positions. Finally, the long resume is a combination of all of experience from the first position held to present position. This includes job summary, tasks, knowledge, skills and abilities, tools and technologies of the position. Remember to create the long resume first, use the long resume to create the medium and the short resume.

Happy job hunting,

Jenice

How to Get Updates on Government Job Applications

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Once you have submitted your government application on www.usajob.gov there are specific ways to keep up with your application status. There are free tools that can be utilized on www.usajobs.gov. There are a few ways to get the status of your government application and you should check the status at least weekly.

After you have submitted your government application, wait until the job announcement closes to check the status of your application. Log into your www.usajobs.gov profile and click on the title “Application Status.” Find the announcement you wish to check on. Some government agencies link the application status the agency site. If so, you will be redirected to the agency website where you submitted your original application. You will be able to view the status of your application here.

If the agency does not use this hyperlink, it will say “no application status available” this is okay. Don’t be discouraged. Click on the job announcement title and a second window will open up. Scroll down to the bottom of the job announcement and find the point of contact. You will see contact phone number or an email address (if supplied). Contact this person and request the “Applicant Status.”

There are times the contact gives you a vague answer about the job announcement status. If this happens, ask a more specific question like “Has their been a selection for the position? Or Have I been found qualified for the position?” This will ensure you get a more detailed answer. I recommend always contacting the point of contact via email to ensure you have written documentation in case you have any issues with the job announcement in the future.

Happy Job Hunting,

Jenice

Tips for Writing a Government Resume

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First, you need to create a word document and type your “basic” resume in your desired format. Once you have your basic resume, make a folder for other more specific resumes you may need to create for job announcements you apply for. Now that you have your basic resume completed you will be able to edit the basic resume and tailor it toward government job announcements based on your qualifications and KSAs.

Second, tailor your resume. Copy and paste the “major duties” section of the job announcement into your basic resume and explain in detail how you meet the “minimum qualifications” of the job announcement. You can do this in bullet format, or in a standard resume format. Either way, you need to custom your resume. Often, applicant’s whom are selected for an interview have the qualifications posted verbatim from the job announcements.

Often, federal applications are reviewed using a “data mining” human resources information system, which assists human resources specialists with large application workload. Job announcements may have a contact number or an email address, this is public information for you to use to ensure your application was received and submitted successfully.

Custom your resume toward the job announcement in order to ensure your application receives the attention it deserves. Keep in mind, if you over state your qualifications your application can be discarded. Be honest, detailed and exact.

Happy Job Hunting,
Jenice

How to Write Government Application KSAs (Knowledge, Skill and Ability’s)

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Federal government applications evaluated by a human resources specialists. They will review your responses to the User Information, Core Questions, and Vacancy Questions. The job specific questions will relate to the knowledge, skills and abilities required of the position. Many applications are “thrown out” because of a lack of KSAs addressed by the applicant.

IMPORTANT NOTE: ALL federal positions are advertised on www.usajobs.gov. DON’T be fooled by “other” websites that promise to advertise federal jobs for a “small cost.” Many of these “other” websites charge applicants to view federal positions and merely re-route the job links, but rest assure that these “other” websites are “pulling” information from www.usajobs.gov to get information about advertised federal positions.

No matter what agency you are applying to, the advertised job will have KSAs or Knowledge, Skills and Abilities. You need to read the entire job announcement. At times, federal agencies require applicants to submit addition information about specific job announcement KSAs. (Go to the PRINT PREVIEW button to view the entire announcement requirements)

Example job announcement KSAs:
• Knowledge of the laws and regulations governing the realty program and the ability to use sound professional judgment to resolve conflicts with other resources.
• Skilled in understanding laws and regulation and analyzing realty programs
• Ability to evaluate and process realty applications and proposals and conduct compliance examinations on authorized actions.

This statement is ALWAYS in federal job announcements:
ANSWERS TO YOUR QUESTIONS MUST BE SUPPORTED IN YOUR RESUME. If your answer(s) are not supported in your resume, or you fail to follow the instructions for the question(s), you will have your answer(s) adjusted to reflect what is provided, for failure to follow instructions.

This means if your resume does not “match” the required KSAs within the advertised job announcement, the agency may manually lower your application score. Federal applications are scored from 0 points to 100 points. Your goal is to receive as many points as possible. Human resources specialists review applications with the highest scores first.

Overall, KSAs are important and you will be evaluated based the information submitted to the job announcement. The key to writing government KSAs is to put the EXACT KSAs which are found in the job announcement within your resume or application WORD-FOR-WORD. Then go into detail about how your qualifications meet the KSAs.

Happy Job Hunting,
Jenice

How to Apply for Government Jobs

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There are many benefits to applying and earning a government position. In this economy people are looking for job stability and benefits. The government has job security, benefits and more.

In this economy, the government sector is hiring all types of positions. Many government agencies are still receiving stimulus money to create new jobs in all career fields. Government agencies are having problems finding the people to apply for the positions. That’s right, agencies are having problems finding people, because the public isn’t applying for government jobs as they did in the past. There are positions that need to be filled such as: Grounds Keepers, Administration Assistants, Administrative Secretaries, Engineers, Forest Rangers, Information Technicians, Clerks, Legal Assistants and the list goes on and on and on and on.

There are some keys factors to completing government job applications. First of all, you need to create or update a personal profile on the main free government website: www.usajobs.gov. This is a “free” website that all government jobs are posted on, no matter what government department it is. There are a ton of scams that “say” they need a payment in order for you to gain access to federal positions. This is false! It is completely FREE to search and apply for government jobs. Although, many federal agencies fill jobs using private sector personnel, USAJOBs allows applicants looking for specific positions to “searches” tailored to the seeking candidates needs.

One of the main factors is to review “eligible and qualified” factors of a job announcement you want to apply for. This part can be a bit tricky; the key is to go to the “Who May Apply” and “Requirements” tab at the top of the job announcement. Review the information. There is where the details of “Who May Apply” for the position and what the “Requirements” are for the position. If you feel you meet the requirements move on to the next step and “Apply” for the position.

Remember, when using USAJOBS your profile information is “attached” to your application when you submit it. Make sure to complete your USAJOBS profile before applying for any positions on USAJOBS. Supplemental documents are also “attached” to any application you submit via USAJOBS. Make sure that all your documents i.e. DD214, SF 50, unofficial transcripts, cover letter or training certifications are all attached to the document section of your profile.

Happy USAJOB Hunting
Jenice

How to Answer Key Interview Questions: Education

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We all know that education is vital in today’s job market. The fact is education comes in all arrays of quality and may be obtain in a variety of ways. You don’t have to have a degree to be considered educated, but you do have to have proof that you completed an educational program for which you are claiming you acquired the knowledge from.

During your interviews selecting officials may want to know: What courses you liked most while attending school? What courses did you like least? These questions are steered toward the selecting official finding out more about you and what types topics interests you. This could be a mode of examining your personality traits or rating your ability to be trained on the job you are interviewing for.

The next possible question: Why did you choose your course of study? This question is geared toward the selecting official gaining a deeper understanding of your professional agenda. This question is asked with the intentions of understanding the applicant’s passion for the field. Be honest and be short. Don’t give a long answer; the selecting official doesn’t want to know your entire educational background, only what pertains to the position you are applying for. Keep it short and sweet unless asked additional questions. Examples of experiences with training programs should show what you learned and how you applied the knowledge.

Selecting officials want to know if you prepared for the interview. Make sure to practice answering these questions on your own or with a friend. It is helpful to use an audio device for you to review and critique yourself. This will improve you interviewing skills.

Happy Job Hunting,
Jenice

How to Answer Key Interview Questions: Training Information

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Training and education are core elements of the job force. Without training and education work experience will only get you so far. With training, education and experience you will practically be handed more opportunities than you will know what to do with. But, inflating education and training accomplishments on your resume will hurt you in the long run. Be honest and factual with what you have been trained on and what you need training in. Always include On the Job Training (OJT), this is as valuable as formal education.

Some questions you will be asked: What training have you had including grade school or college? Many applicants are finding that they need additional education and training, but experience goes hand and hand with education and training. With this question you need to elaborate on any certifications you many have as well as any courses online you have taken as well. Online courses from an accredited school are important to discuss. There are ways of obtain knowledge if you have not obtained formal education

Interviewers will also ask you: What workshops, OJT or other training do you have? This is an open-ended question targeted toward learning more about ability to be trained. If you are human resources professional, they will want to know if you have been to any staffing or employee relations workshops. If you are information technology professional they will want to know if you have been to any fiber optic, customer service or trouble shooting workshops. If you haven’t been to any workshops or OJT, state that and also state your interest in developing your skills for the benefit of the company. The new job market wants to understand your ability to want to learn and grow as well has your past training background.

One of the last questions you WILL be asked is: Do you have any skills that are not listed on your resume or in your application? This is a great opportunity for you to “talk yourself up.” This means that you have an opportunity to talk as much about you and your skills and how unique you are. This is your time to shine, so don’t put every single detail on your resume. Give yourself some “room” to talk about yourself.

Happy Job Hunting
Jenice

How to Answer Key Interview Questions: Work Experience

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We all have had an interview at one time or another in our professional careers. Interviews are hard enough as it is with getting through the first cuts of other qualified applicants, now that you have the interview all set up there are some questions that will be asked of you during the interview. The key to an interview is not one single thing, yet many items that you will be evaluated on.

Work Experience

Your work experience will be the first items up for “conversation” after the small talk with a selecting official. They will want to know: Why are you interested in the job? This isn’t a trick question; it’s a question the selecting official really wants to know. Are you looking for a career change? Are you looking for a new position because you were laid off? The key to answering this question is to be honest, don’t give your whole life story – but be honest.
Many government agencies like to know that the applicants have done some research on the organization. So, the next question will likely be: Why are you interested in working for this organization? This is an open ended question that can be short and sweet. You should make some kind of reference to the research you have done on the organization. For example, if you are interviewing for a Fire Fighter position – you could answer with something to the reference of “I am interested in working for this organization because I agree with the mission statement of saving lives and preserving the wild life.” Yes, it is cheesy, but if it’s true you should say it. Again, you need to be as professionally honest as possible. This will also come into handy with the next question: What do you know about the company? You will be able to elaborate on the previous answer you gave about the previous question.

The next question is vitally important: What do you feel you can contribute to this organization? This is a question that you MUST answer with YOU in mind for what YOU can contribute to the company. For many selecting officials this question is a “make or break” factor. If an applicant starts with what they feel they need from a company instead of what they CAN and WILL contribute to a company, the interview will be cut short. The key is to stay focused on what YOU can BRING to the COMPANY, not what you want from the company.

There are a series of questions that are often asked in conjunction with each other: Why did you leave you last job? What would your last employer say about you? Would your last employer re-hire you? And Give me an example of a situation where you had to make a decision? What was the situation? What was the decision? And what was the result? Now, these questions are called “character questions.” These are designed to “weed out” the real applicants from those whom have not been so honest during the interview. The best advice I can give is to be honest, have professional examples in mind before the interview and take your time answering the questions. You can ask the selecting official to re-state the questions, you can write the questions down and you have all the time in the world. REMEMBER: YOU are there because they saw something in your resume, phone interview or overall application that they liked.

Happy Job Hunting,

Jenice Armstead

Monday Morning Mindset – Human Capital Worth

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This week focuses on knowing and understanding your human capital worth. In this difficult job economy, it’s important to understand and notate your knowledge, skills and abilities to your field of development. You are your best marketing manager. You have the ability to annotate everything that you “bring to the table.” Without you, an organization or company would be crippled in the ability to be successful. Make sure to notate all the projects, collateral duties and other contributions you make throughout the year. Employees are typically reviewed on an annual basis. The annual evaluation process is a form of documenting your human capital worth within the organization. The annual evaluation displays what you “brought to the table” for the entire year. It is your responsibility to dictate and annotate all contributing factors, which shows your human capital worth within the organization. When you start keeping track of your professional significance, your professional productivity will show your actual annual growth. The growth may come from personal accomplishments or professional accomplishments. Either way you will grow your human capital worth.

Wisdom Wednesday: Documents Required for Applying to Government Jobs

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Merit Promotion (Current & Past Federal Employees or Eligible Veteran Status)

There are many documents that are required by government agencies for applications. It is important you understand the difference in required documents for a Merit announcement you are applying to, and a DEU announcement.  I have listed the required documents and if you all have any additional questions, pls email or comment and I will ensure you get an answer. I am HERE for YOU.

– If you are applying for consideration as a Veteran under the Veterans’ Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA) or Veterans’ Recruitment Appointment (VRA), you MUST submit evidence of eligibility, such as: DD-214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, or Standard Form 15, Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference, and the proof requested on the form.

– If you are applying for consideration under a special hiring authority such as a person with a disability, Peace Corp or Vista volunteer, you MUST submit the appropriate supporting documentation to be considered by the closing date of this vacancy announcement; e.g. “certification” statement (contact your Vocational Rehabilitation Office) that identifies you as a person with a disability and that describes your ability to perform the essential duties of this position, Standard Form-50, etc.

– If you applying for consideration as a Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) eligible, you MUST submit the appropriate supporting documentation as proof of program eligibility.

– If you are applying and are a current or former federal employee with Career or Career-Conditional status, submit your most recent SF-50, “Notification of Personnel Action”, (NOT an award SF-50) which shows your status.

– If you are qualifying with education, you must submit a copy of your college transcripts.

– If the position you are applying for requires specific NWCG red card qualifications or training, you must provide a copy of your IQCS report.

Delegating Examining Unit (Open to ALL Public Candidates)

– If you are applying for Veteran Preference, you MUST submit evidence of eligibility, such as; DD-214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, or Standard Form 15, Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference, and the proof requested on the form. You must clearly identify your claim for veterans preference on your application.

KEEP IN MIND: ANSWERS TO YOUR JOB QUESTIONS MUST BE SUPPORTED IN YOUR RESUME. If your answer(s) are not supported in your resume, or you fail to follow the instructions for the question(s), agencies will lower your answer(s) to reflect what was provided, for failure to follow instructions.  Stay motivated and GO GET YOUR GOVERNMENT JOB.

For more information: USAJOBS FAQs

Happy 1st Birthday Pep Talks Vol. 4

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Pep Talks Vol 4 – Answering Training Questions provides the reader with an overview of different training questions an employer may ask the candidate.  The Pep Talks Book Series is an introduction to a new way of interviewing and obtaining a job in today’s competitive market. The Pep Talks Book Series is all about giving the reader an advantage over their competitors when working toward the goal of gaining more knowledge and understanding in this new job market. This new job market is all about unconventional ways of obtaining knowledge while gaining the desired employment. The Pep Talks Book Series explains how the new Job market knowledge and understanding how to better improve the chances of being “individually recognized” as a professional are vital. The Pep Talks Book Series assists with building job confidence and self-esteem along with providing detailed examples for the reader to use for interviews. The Pep Talks Book Series are designed to assist the reader in planning, executing, and managing their own career and potential growth in their field of choice. Each section has an interactive “fill in the blank” area for guiding the reader with critical thinking activity examples to assist with brainstorming, and “Confidence Boosters” provide the reader with constant motivation for obtaining their “dream career.” The Pep Talks Book Series can serve the newly looking or the long-term job seeker with methods that will assist with the career search and provide motivation for future endeavors.  The entire Pep Talks series is dedicated to the job seeker.  Whether newly looked, or experience professional Pep Talks has something for everyone.

Happy 1st Birthday to Pep Talks Vol 4 – Answering Training Questions

Pep Talks Vol 4

Excerpt from Pep Talks Vol 4 

 

Types of Interview Questions Employers Can Ask

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Interview questions are used to help the selecting official of a business or company to make a decision on whom would be the best pick for a job position. There are many varieties of questions that may be asked to include: General questions, yes or no questions, part questions, Open – ended questions, scenario questions, and general questions.

General questions consists of simple informal information. Some examples of general questions are “What is your full legal name? Do you have any other alias you go by? Where do you live? What were your previous jobs?” These are simple questions that really have nothing to do with the interview itself.

Yes or no questions are normally asked in an written application form, such as the initial application. A yes or no question example is “Are you available for morning shifts? Do you have ample transportation? Do you have a passport?” All yes or no questions have an opportunity to be explained if need be. An example of a explainable yes or no question is “Are you a convicted felon? If yes, please explain your convictions.”

Part questions are the questions that have separate parts to them and are used to establish personality or behavior. A good part question example is “What is your definition of a leader and give an example when you were in a leadership role for an organization?  This could be a trick question, in the sense of seeing if you are being factual toward the information in your resume you provide. Or it could be way for the interviewer to get a better idea of how your professional mind works.  Either way, it is important to take your time answering these questions.

Open – ended questions are questions that give you an opportunity to explain how you may or may not handle a situation or event by telling a story of events. An open – ended question may help with seeing how you will handle stressful situations. An example of an open – ended question is “What do you feel would be a good resolution to an employee conflict?” or “Why do you believe you are the best candidate for this position?” These are just a few examples, which are used for open – ended questions.

Scenario questions are the most common, these questions consist of a series of questions designed to show your responses and how you would handle a series of events happening at one time. A good example of a scenario question is “Give me an example of a time where you had to handle a conflict situation? What was the conflict? Whom did the conflict happen with? What was your involvement? What did you do to resolve the conflict and how was the conflict resolved? Most of the time the interviewer will repeat the question if the candidate needs it repeated. It is recommended that the applicant write the questions down as they are being asked of them.

Happy Interviewing

Groupon Offer

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Three Professional Resumes Or Professional Resume with Cover Letter from Smarter Not Harder (Up to 72% Off)

Jenice Armstead, Smarter Not Harder has launched her first Groupon for the Tampa, Fl area. Do you need a cover letter, resume or both? Then check out Groupon, Tampa, Fl and search Jenice Armstead, Smarter Not Harder Resume Services.

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If you need resume services and don’t live in Tampa, Fl … NO PROBLEM we can meet in my “Virtual Office” using Blackboard Collaborative – you will still receive the same individual services and detailed attention toward your professional needs.

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Interview Questions – How to Answer The Hard Ones with Ease

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How do you work under pressure?

Interview questions are used to help the selecting official of a business or company to make a decision on whom would be the best pick for a job position. There are many varieties of questions that may be asked to include: General questions, yes or no questions, behavior questions, Open – ended questions, scenario questions, and general questions. The question of “How do you work under pressure?” is sure to come up during the duration of an interview.

This is a question that causes many people to feel intimidated because they are not exactly sure what to say or what not to say. Working under pressure is a skill, not everyone is able to work under pressure. It is important to state that. By stating this fact, you are showing the interview panel or manager that you have an understanding of what working under pressure consists of. You are showing them that you understand that not everyone is able to work under pressure; this is where you show off your skills and start to talk about what working under pressure means to you. You can give examples of times where you were required to work under pressure.

While you speak about your experience with working under pressure it is important to give specific time and job positions where you worked under pressure. This shows the interview panel that you took that situation seriously and that you are more than capable of working under pressure. Even if you are not asked to do so, be sure to give the situation of when you worked under pressure, the outcome of your working under pressure and what the result was of the event, which you were working under pressure.

This is a difficult interview question to answer, but if you come mentally prepared to answer this question you are sure to impress the interview panel or manager as well as give yourself a reminder of how competent you are and reaffirming your professional ability. Happy job hunting, you can do or be anything you want with persistence.

Understanding Strategic Management

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Strategic management is a combination of external and internal environmental analysis, strategic direction, business and corporate strategy formulation, strategic control and strategic restructuring. Strategic management is the ability to analysis and organizations strengths and weakness. The resource an organization has is as important as the operating capital of the organization. It is important that the organization is aware of all business opportunities and conditions for which an opportunity can be taken. Just because a organization has analyzed and hypnotized over the possible threats does not necessarily mean the organization will not incur financial damages, this merely gives an “educated view point” to what could or could not happen in the organization.

Strategic management is vital and important to all organizations, without stratgtic management and organization would have no foundation to build upon. With the ability to analyze and learn from the business environment stratgtic management serves as a key element for organizations to establish goals, execute goals and satisfy key organizational stakeholders. Strategic management includes having a direction to the types of objectives the organization will peruse, long term goals are important for the overall mission of the organization. A well established strategic direction will give an organization the leverage needed to provide guidance to managers and employees who are in the positions to carry out and perform the duties for organizational growth.

There are many processes to stratgtic management starting with external and internal analysis. The external environment focuses on socio-cutural, economic, technological and political forces. With these of focus an organization is able to better understand the needs to their external environment as well as set logical goals to improve on services of their external enviornment. The external environment is broad and must be properly evaluated by the organization; competitive markets may include suppliers and existing organizations with similar mission statements.

Internal analysis consists of organizational resources and competitive advantages. Organization must have a healthy understanding of their sustainable competitive advantage as well as resource interconnectedness. The organizations human resources department is a fragment of top management involvement that must be included in all operational decisions. Employee recruitment, training and rewards are all facets of keeping an organization competitive.

Overall, the stratgic management process is all about the stratgic thinking focus of an organization. Although stratgic managment is a learned skill, most organizations figure it is a part of a creative professional business process needed to ensure an organization is successful. The focus is simple, to include long term growth, keeping external and internal points of communication flowing and keeping a competitive edge.

Reference: Harrison; St. John (2008) Foundations in Strategic Management. Publisher: South-Western Foundations in Strategic Management The External Environment

Jenice Armstead

Motivating & Understanding the “Online Student”

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Message from Prof. Jenice Armstead

In my professional opinion, lecturing is a compilation of instructing students to understand a topic or concept and the ability to properly explain a topic with ease to students whom are less familiar with the topic. It takes practice to find what “type” of lecturing which is right for the students to receive the most out of the course. Lectures seem to have been given a “bum rap” because of the student’s perception of what a lecture is. When in fact, all topics have the potential of being exciting for all student-learning experiences. Traditional lecturing has strengths and weakness, which is one of the reasons I am always looking for ways to improve my course interaction and lecturing techniques for my students.

Motivating my students is one of the most important aspects of teaching. Positive learning environments stimulate academic growth of a student. Obtaining new online learning technologies is a way for improving lecturing techniques and developing a well-rounded academic environment for my students. As a professor, I utilized the “Learning Studio” for course interaction, discussion, electronic handouts, academic journals, class chats and assignment submissions. Learning online takes patience, dedication, motivation and constant communication. Without these key elements the success of a student is next to impossible. Professors and instructors have to be engaged and ensure that the lectures are interactive as well as informative. Implementing “interactive” learning methods and other new technology advances provide students with high opportunities for success in all courses.

After implementing the “Learning Studio” for all of my courses, my students are much more involved with the topics and are not afraid to ask questions or give an opinion during class. That was a part of my goal for implementing “interactive” lecture methods. I wanted my students to feel a sense of community and comfort with the topics being discussed. It has showed to be very effective in that student participation and communication has increased tremendously. When stimulating my students I use “blended” teaching methods. My students are heavily involved with the lectures. I make sure to have interactive questions for them to engage in the “Learning Studio.” I also make sure to have power point slides and direct “Live” Internet links to stimulate discussion among my students. The Socratic Methods are useful when teaching human resources and business management. The “Asking Instead of Telling” works especially when I want to have the class discussion on job structures and business ethics.

The four dimensions/factors for successful lecturing are: Attention (A), Relevance (R), Confidence (C), and Satisfaction (S) are attributed to learning comprehension (Guven, 2009). The attention span of a student is directly effective how the student learns. Is the student not attentive in your class? Why not? The lecture may need more “Pizzazz.” The way to give some life to a lecture is to involve you students more with their interests of the topic, or implement more of your real life professional experience into it. This is where the online relevance comes into place. How relevant is the topic to current events? Is there a way to implement current events into the topic? There is always something going on in the news or related to the Saint Leo Core Values one could use to increase the relevance of the topic. While building up the knowledge base of the student, the confidence of the student will increase. Which will increase student satisfaction of the learning experience overall (Guven, 2009). The success of the student in an online program strongly depends on the interaction, creativeness and motivation of the student as does it for the professor/instructor.

References

Guven, M. (2009). The Epistemological Beliefs of Distance Education Students. Turkish
Online Journal Of Distance Education (TOJDE), 10(3), 217-246.

Palloff, R. M., & Pratt, K. (2003). The Virtual Student : A Profile and Guide to Working
with Online Learners. Jossey-Bass.

Garlikov, R. (2012). The Socratic Method. Retrieved September 13, 2012, from
http://www.garlikov.com/Soc_Meth.html

Prof. Jenice Armstead

Prof. Jenice Armstead

Wisdom Wednesday: Earning Veteran’s Preference

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There are many factors to “earning” veteran’s preference when applying for a federal or government job.

The Office of Personnel has created a “Veteran’s Guide” to help those agencies ensure they are giving veteran’s the right preferences, this guide is the all tell all on seeing if a veteran has status or not. Yes, you read that right, just because you are a veteran doesn’t mean that you automatically are able to apply for government jobs. In order to apply you have to be a veteran and stipulations apply.

First thing is first, you must be a veteran or have some other kind of veteran status. This is just one of many criteria one must meet to become eligible for veterans status. To receive preference, a veteran must have been discharged or released from active duty in the Armed Forces under honorable conditions (i.e., with an honorable or general discharge). This is crucial because, if you have a dishonorable discharge you are disqualified from veteran status.

Note: Military retirees at the rank of major, lieutenant commander, or higher are not eligible for preference in appointment unless they are disabled veterans upon being discharged or separated from the military.

The key is know what type of Veteran’s preference you have, the following explains what Veteran’s preference actually is:

5-Point Preference (TP)
Five points are added to the passing examination score or rating of a veteran who served:
During a war; or

During the period April 28, 1952 through July 1, 1955; or

For more than 180 consecutive days, other than for training, any part of which occurred after January 31, 1955, and before October 15, 1976; or

During the Gulf War from August 2, 1990, through January 2, 1992; or

For more than 180 consecutive days, other than for training, any part of which occurred during the period beginning September 11, 2001, and ending on the date prescribed by Presidential proclamation or by law as the last day of Operation Iraqi Freedom; or

In a campaign or expedition for which a campaign medal has been authorized. Any Armed Forces Expeditionary medal or campaign badge, including El Salvador, Lebanon, Grenada, Panama, Southwest Asia, Somalia, and Haiti, qualifies for preference.

A campaign medal holder or Gulf War veteran who originally enlisted after September 7, 1980, (or began active duty on or after October 14, 1982, and has not previously completed 24 months of continuous active duty) must have served continuously for 24 months or the full period called or ordered to active duty. The 24-month service requirement does not apply to 10-point preference eligibles separated for disability incurred or aggravated in the line of duty, or to veterans separated for hardship or other reasons under 10 U.S.C. 1171 or 1173.

When veterans with 5 point (TP) status apply for federal positions, 5 points are automatically added to their application scores. Yes, federal applications receive scores. When you complete a federal application you receive a score from 1 – 100 percent, applicant scores are tallied up once the announcement has closed. If your application did not receive a “high enough” score you should be contacted by the human resources of the position for which you applied. If you have any additional questions about your application, contact the human resources office of the agency for which you applied.

References:
Veterans Job Information: http://www.fedshirevets.gov/job/index.aspx
Veteran’s Guide: http://www.opm.gov/staffingPortal/Vetguide.asp

How to Answer Personal Interview Questions

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What Important Rewards Do You Expect from Your Career?

IInterview questions are vital to the hiring process of any company, the key to answering interviewing questions is to practice answering them over and over again with professionalism and honestly.

When answering personal questions, it is important to keep a professional mindset while deciding how to answer the question. Personal questions about work ethic, work life, and over all work experience are not inappropriate. These are considered personal questions in relation to work. Remember that any personal questions dealing with sexuality, religion and political party preference or any other topics not allowed, under the Equal Opportunity Employment Commission (EEOC) these topics should not be asked during any interview.

This is a random personal work question that may or may not be asked by many employers. It is important to focus on the main subject of this question. The main subject is “important rewards” this is the main subject of this question because if you don’t plan on receiving any awards then that should be stated, but ensure to back it up with something positive such as “I don’t plan on receiving any awards because most of my work is behind the scenes and the work I complete for my clients is reward enough.” Your answer doesn’t have to be that cheesy, but it is important to always back a negative perceived answer with a more positive response.

If you have already received rewards from the work you have completed or done for previous employers it is important to mention this as well. Make sure to give details of what work was completed and the specific reward and time period for which the reward was received. Taking in mind that some positions on your resume are shorter than others, if there are awards you have received from related work or a retired status make sure to mention these awards for the position time frame. This helps the interviewer to realize that you take your work seriously and strive for greatness.

This is a difficult interview question to answer, but if you come mentally prepared to answer this question or a similar question, you are sure to impress the interview panel as well as give yourself a reminder of how competent you are and reaffirming your professional ability. Happy job hunting, you can do or be anything you want with persistence.

For more information go to “Pep Talks” the series

Welcome to “Smarter Not Harder LLC”

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Dr. Jenice Armstead started “Smarter Not Harder HR” to provide a necessary and innovate service for growing human capital value and organizational management.

Smarter Not Harder LLC provides services to both individuals and businesses.  Individual services include: mentor coaching, resume development, government job application assistance, business proposal assistance and help with how to start a business.  Business services include:  human resource management, human resource development, implementation and training courses for organizations to grow their human capital value.

Smarter Not Harder LLC portfolio includes management and technical resources, providing solutions devoted to job description development, job classification, job Stress Management, Affirmative Action Plans, Diversity & Inclusion and Government Regulation/Compliance. Our focus is to assist organizations manage human resources management, occupational safety standards and increase productivity.

Smarter Not Harder LLC delivers customer-value through addressing the challenges of a changing economy.  Showing organization strategies as the foundation for human capital value to constantly grow and develop employees.  The workplace is ever changing.

Smarter Not Harder LLC provides interactive subject matter expert knowledge for business solutions that make organizations more effective and efficient.  Smarter Not Harder has all of your human resources management needs in one place.

Smarter Not Harder LLC Services Include:

Individuals:  Cover Letter & Resume Services, interview preparation, professional portfolio development (Subject Matter Expert in Federal Hiring/Interviewing)

Organizations:

Employee Handbook Review, Customized Employee Handbook, Workplace Policies, Customized New Hire Booklets, Customized Separation Booklets, Evaluation Program Development, Disciplinary Actions, Performance Management, Complete HR Library with Customized Documents

Special Projects:

Compliance Audit, Termination/ conducted on-site, New Hire Orientation, Candidate Screenings, Workplace Investigations, Sexual Harassment Trainings, Management Trainings, Job Description Development, Department Development and On-Site Support

 

For more information about Smarter Not Harder LLC:

contactme@jenicearmstead.com

For more information about Smarter Not Harder HR services email:
Jenicearmstead@gmail.com

Jenice Armstead