Greenville JobSpot

Awhile back I wrote a post over at the Charlotte Job Spot on Personal Brand and the Job Search. Basically cautioning job seekers to be mindful of what they put out there on the web because essentially if you post something for your friends to see, more than likely, your potential employer can see it too.



Today while browsing through the latest kirtsy links in Internet and Technology, I found this: Bosses Could Be Banned from Digging Up Facebook Dirt. Now this article is from a paper in London and so it doesn't really have a whole lot to do with us at present. However, the controversy over whether or not it's right to penalize someone for their online profiles is still being debated.



Whether you think it's fair or not, the fact is that it's happening. Facebook and Myspace are easy ways for your employer to see what kind of individual you are. I always feel like it's better to be safe than sorry and to keep your profile pictures down to an appropriate level. There's no need to share with the world the photos of your binge drinking adventures. Utlize privacy features of websites, too. What can hurt you can be turned into something that can help you. Your profile can project you in a positive way depending on the information you provide. Show off your wide array of interests or your expertise in your field.

- Rosie Reilman

If you're looking for work, you might want to stop by the 2008 Upstate Workforce Investment Board Job Fair today, April 29th at First Baptist Church of Spartanburg (209 E Saint John St) from 10am – 4pm. Presented By Upstate Workforce Investment Board in partnership with Upstate Career Source.

The Employment Guide, employmentguide.com and healthcareerweb.com have joined forces to host the first Carolinas Healthcare Virtual Job Fair.



Simply visit any of the Carolina home pages of employmentguide.com during the week of May 19th through May 25th and click on the Virtual Job Fair Banner. Presto.....you can view hundreds of healthcare jobs in the Carolinas, and you can even apply online. Find a Job On Your Schedule!


A New Career With A Top Healthcare Provider in North or South Carolina is Only A Click Away!
Access The Job Fair Anytime Between Monday May, 19th and Sunday May, 25th.

For More Information, watch our video by clicking on the box below.

Are you a company driver or owner-operator looking to make big money in trucking? Let me share with you a little industry secret...

Typically, owner-operators lease on and get their loads from motor carriers. Carriers often get their loads from freight brokers. Brokers, in turn, usually deal with shippers directly but sometimes take their loads from other brokers ("double-brokering"). Therefore, when you haul for a motor carrier, you have at least one-- if not three "middle men" in between you and the shipper.

You could be a company driver and make $0.45/mile. Or you could get your own truck and lease on to a carrier and earn $1.15/mile. Or, you could cut out the middle men and earn the whole rate that shippers pay. Put another way, you could have 75% of the pizza... or the whole pizza pie. The way to make the most money in trucking is to operate as an independent owner-operator with your own operating authority... and work with shippers directly.

As a USDOT Practitioner, I've worked with thousands of truckers just like you through my consulting practice and professional development workshops. I've helped them take the next step in trucking.

Read the rest of this article by James P. Lamb, USDOT/FMC PractitionerPresident, DOTAuthority.com, Inc. at CareersinGear.com

At the Employment Guide Job Spot, Kevin Donlin wrote a guest post about Tips for New Grads landing their first job. It was pretty standard advice from networking more to compensate for a weaker economy, having perserverance through thick and thin but without being annoying to recruiters, getting experience when you have none, and fixing up your resume. All good advice but the fifth tip was particularly interesting to me and I wanted to reiterate it.

Get used to competition.

Here's what Kevin says:

"As a student, you were graded on your efforts alone. If you scored 90 percent on a test, you got an A -- no matter how anyone else did. As a job hunter, employers grade you against your peers. Suddenly, a performance that might otherwise have earned an A might earn you an F -- failure to get hired -- because another candidate did just a little better," says Vogt.

To compete in today's job market, start with your mindset. Whether you're writing resumes and cover letters, preparing for interviews, or out there networking, keep reminding yourself that good enough is... not. According to Vogt, "Your #1 job-search thought at all times must be this: How can I outdo my peers?"

In conjunction to our Employment Guide to Careers and the help of the Department of Labor Career Guide, I'll be doing a blog post series on different careers that are popular on EmploymentGuide.com. This hopefully will give you insight as to what a particular job will entail, the types of qualifications and skills that you'll need to get the job and any other relevant information. Please feel free to comment or email suggestions as to what you'd like to see in this series.

Restaurant Jobs: Waitresses and Waiters / Servers

On the Job
Every restaurant or café is different when it comes to what it requires of it's servers. But there are some general tasks that you can expect to do. These are listed below.

• Bring wine selections to tables with appropriate glasses, and pour the wines for customers.
• Check patrons' identification to ensure that they meet minimum age requirements for consumption of alcoholic beverages.
• Check with customers to ensure that they are enjoying their meals and take action to correct any problems.
• Clean tables or counters after patrons have finished dining.
• Collect payments from customers.
• Describe and recommend wines/dishes to customers.
• Escort customers to their tables.
• Explain how various menu items are prepared, describing ingredients and cooking methods.
• Fill salt, pepper, sugar, cream, condiment, and napkin containers.
• Garnish and decorate dishes in preparation for serving.
• Inform customers of daily specials.
• Perform food preparation duties such as preparing salads, appetizers, and cold dishes, portioning desserts, and brewing coffee.
• Prepare checks that itemize and total meal costs and sales taxes.
• Prepare hot, cold, and mixed drinks for patrons, and chill bottles of wine.
• Prepare tables for meals, including setting up items such as linens, silverware, and glassware.
• Present menus to patrons and answer questions about menu items, making recommendations upon request.
• Remove dishes and glasses from tables or counters, and take them to kitchen for cleaning.
• Serve food or beverages to patrons, and prepare or serve specialty dishes at tables as required.
• Stock service areas with supplies such as coffee, food, tableware, and linens.
• Take orders from patrons for food or beverages.
• Write patrons' food orders on order slips, memorize orders, or enter orders into computers for transmittal to kitchen staff.
  

Benefits and Salary
$5.79 to $10.16 an hour. Although some combined food preparation and serving workers receive a part of their earnings as tips, fast-food workers usually do not. Tipped employees are those who customarily and regularly receive more than $30 a month in tips. The employer may consider tips as part of wages, but the employer must pay at least $2.13 an hour in direct wages.

Many employers provide free meals and furnish uniforms, but some may deduct from wages the cost, or fair value, of any meals or lodging provided. Food and beverage service workers who work full time often receive typical benefits, but part-time workers usually do not.

Daily Routine & Work Environment
Waiters and Waitresses are constantly moving around in a fast-paced environment. You'll have to weave in and out of tables and other coworkers, deliver food and drinks to your table in a timely manner. Food and beverage service workers are on their feet most of the time and often carry heavy trays of food, dishes, and glassware. During busy dining periods, they are under pressure to serve customers quickly and efficiently. The work is relatively safe, but care must be taken to avoid slips, falls, and burns. Food service and drinking establishments typically maintain long dining hours and offer flexible and varied work opportunities. Many food and beverage serving and related workers work evenings, weekends, and holidays.

Experience & Required Education
There are no specific educational requirements for most food and beverage service jobs. Many employers prefer to hire high school graduates for waiter and waitress, bartender, and host and hostess positions, but completion of high school usually is not required for fast-food workers, counter attendants, dishwashers, and dining room attendants and bartender helpers. For many people, a job as a food and beverage service worker serves as a source of immediate income, rather than a career. Many are full-time students or homemakers. Food and beverage service jobs are a major source of part-time employment for high school and college students. It also serves as a great way to gain customer service experience.

All new employees usually receive some training from their employer. They learn safe food handling procedures and sanitation practices, for example. Some employers, particularly those in fast-food restaurants, teach new workers using self-study programs, on-line programs, audiovisual presentations, and instructional booklets that explain food preparation and service skills. But most food and beverage serving and related workers pick up their skills by observing and working with more experienced workers. Some full-service restaurants also provide new dining room employees with some form of classroom training that alternates with periods of on-the-job work experience. These training programs communicate the operating philosophy of the restaurant, help establish a personal rapport with other staff, teach formal serving techniques, and instill a desire to work as a team. They also provide an opportunity to discuss customer service situations and the proper ways of handling unpleasant circumstances or unruly patrons.

Personality
Those likely to enjoy a job in waiting or as a server, you'll enjoy working directly with the public. You're constantly on your feet and on the go so this is a good job for someone who doesn't like to sit still during the day. Most times waiting staff develop relationships with "regulars" or customers who will visit daily or regularly. Sometimes when waiting you'll deal with some upset customers and can sometimes be high stress so individuals who can handle these types of situations calmly would be a good fit.

Read more about being a Waiter or Waitress or Food and Beverage Servers

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