OrlandoJobs.com releases the 2013 Central Florida Employment Survey-98% OF Central Florida Employers Surveyed will Hire this Year.

98% OF CENTRAL FLORIDA EMPLOYERS SURVEYED WILL HIRE THIS YEAR

More than 8,650 Jobs Open Now & 19,000 More Projected For 2013

 

Download entire survey at www.orlandojobs.com/whitepaper (no charge) JOB SEEKERS: On page 13, over 175 employers from Central Florida tell you why they don’t hire you.  Also, pages 16-21, we post many of the jobs uncovered in this survey.

February 13, 2013 (Orlando, FL) – OrlandoJobs.com publishes clear-cut positive findings today in an annual employment survey for the Central Florida region. Chief among the findings: 98% of the employers surveyed plan on hiring this year.  Building on encouraging results in the five years since OrlandoJobs.com began their annual survey of companies, the 2013 employment forecast for Central Florida shows concrete signs of a recovery in 2013.

 The 2013 OrlandoJobs.com Central Florida Employment Outlook Survey’s key findings:

·         Combined, this survey found more than 8,650 jobs currently open at the 198 surveyed companies.

·         In addition, more than 19,000 jobs are forecasted to be open in the last three quarters of 2013.

·         98% of companies plan on hiring at least one person in 2013.

·         89% of companies currently have open jobs, up from 75% in 2012.

·         The top six sectors leading the way in Central Florida are Leisure and Hospitality, Healthcare, Professional and Business Services, Education, Retail and Technology.

·         42% of surveyed companies are using temporary employees to help fill open positions.

·         LinkedIn.com was responsible for more than 120 Central Florida hires in the surveyed group.

·         Employers offer blunt tips to job seekers including: don’t apply if you aren’t qualified, grammar/spelling counts, be honest, and don’t be late for an interview!

 

“A positive outlook on the part of employers is pushing the Central Florida job market ever-forward in 2013, and the data in our survey results backs up those who are starting to use the word ‘recovery’ to describe the market,” says Roger Lear, President and Co-Founder of OrlandoJobs.com. “Hospitality leads the way and employers in all sectors were very clear that they are only hiring job seekers that fit the job skills.  In this recovering market, if you are underemployed or unemployed, applying to jobs that are exact matches to your skill set is the way to go because employers want proven track records to help protect their hiring investments.  For job seekers applying to any job, this is why you may not hear back from the employer.”

 

Other findings from the survey include the role that social media is playing in employment, the greatest challenges employers face, their best advice for job seekers, and the companies that are forecasting the largest number of open jobs for 2013. Download the survey in its entirety at www.orlandojobs.com/whitepaper.

 

OrlandoJobs.com is Central Florida’s #1 online job site, with an average of 110,000 visitors per month. The site was founded in 2005 by Roger Lear and Scott Kotroba, and is the official employment website of the Central Florida Human Resource Association (www.cfhra.org) along with partners WKMG Channel 6’s ClickOrlando.com and the Orlando Weekly (print and online).  President Roger Lear is a 25-year veteran leader in the executive search and internet recruiting industry. He is a board at Florida Hospital East Foundation, the Central Florida Economic Cooperative, Central Florida Employment Council and National Insurance Recruiting Association, and is a sought-after speaker on the subject of Web 2.0 and social media recruiting.

For Immediate Release

Contact: Roger Lear

President, OrlandoJobs.com

(407) 645-4224 office

(407) 925-2084 cell

roger@orlandojobs.com

Twitter: @orlandojobs

Five Common Job Search Strategy Mistakes You Have to Change in 2013

By: Roger Lear

Hard to believe it is 2013 and we are still at a relatively high unemployment rate and many of you are still either unemployed or underemployed. I thought by now companies would be hiring at a much faster pace than what is actually happening. The job search today is frustrating to many of you who are tired of applying to jobs and never hearing anything back or never getting to talk with a human.

2013 gives you an opportunity to change these five things to really help you get a better job.

1. Your resume doesn't match the job you are applying for at a company, even though you have the correct experience. Your resume reads Account Manager but the job is for a Customer Service Representative. You know you can do the job, but are passed over because the person reviewing your resume doesn't understand that account manager at your current company is the same as a customer service representative at their company. To take the mystery out of your resume, make your career objective at the top of the resume "Customer Service Professional". Just make sure your skill sets closely match the job you are applying to and they are clearly stated on your resume.

2. Poor online communication skills. In today's world, applying to jobs at most companies requires you to send them an email with a resume attached or you apply via an applicant tracking system (ATS). You have total control of your message, but many of you blow the opportunity to shine by failing to write clear, concise and targeted messages to the hiring authorities. In addition, many messages have bad grammar and spelling errors. You are not texting a hiring authority, you are communicating your career information.

3. Attitude adjustment needed. Many jobseekers have been through a lot of disappointments in the last couple years. Many may think they will never be hired because they are too old, had too many jobs, have no skill sets, have bad credit and many other excuses. When you get an interview, instead of really concentrating on how to get that job, you may find yourself assuming this may just be another dead end. If you come across disgruntled in the interview (I already had one of those this week), you will never get hired. Forget the past and concentrate on your skill set and attitude.

4. Be prepared. It still amazes me with all the information available about companies online these days, how many jobseekers go to interviews with very little knowledge of the company that could be their future workplace. Use LinkedIn.com and Glassdoor.com to find out all you can about the company and its culture. See if the company uses Twitter or Facebook and see what they are talking about. Look for similarities in your strengths with the people who work at the company.

5. No job search plan. Many jobseekers spend all of their time applying to online jobs that might fit their background. When you hit the apply button, it feels like you are accomplishing something when in reality you are probably wasting your time. Your job search plan needs to include finding jobs that match your background and skills sets. Employers are hiring skill matches today. Use online job boards, but also do research in your marketplace to discover companies that you may have never heard of. Once you identify these companies, go to their website career page and see if you qualify for any of their jobs.

Get a Great Job with an Awesome Online Presence

By: Roger Lear

As our world gets more digital, your online identity will be accessed by anyone who wants to find you online. It is already happening today. You have heard all the stories. You apply to a job and the company checks Facebook, LinkedIn,  Twitter, Flickr or just Google’s your name. Depending on the person doing this research, and what they find, will have a direct effect on if you even get an interview.

The statistics are that 85% of hiring managers Google a candidate before, or after, an interview and 45% of employers user Twitter, and Facebook, to research potential candidates. (Source: Microsoft Survey-Online Reputation on the Hiring Process)
While I believe that sites like Facebook and Google+ are “social networks” and should remain this way, the above statistic shows employers do not care. Imagine if you are up for a job and neck and neck with another candidate. Instead of the employer bringing you both back for another round of interviews, they make their final choice by comparing Facebook pages! Sound outrageous? It is and it is happening.

No matter what your thoughts are on this, you can control what an employer sees when they search for you on the internet. Here are the steps:

1. Google your own name. Depending on how active you are on the internet will determine the results. LinkedIn, Facebook, Pinterest and any social media site you belong to should come up first. If you are quoted in news stories, part of a directory, and member of an association or any organization where your name is on a website, this will also appear in the search results.
2. During a job search, the simple thing to do is to make all your social media accounts private. If you do that, employers cannot see any of your profiles.
3. Keeping your profiles public can help your employment chances. If your LinkedIn or Facebook account shows your commitment to previous jobs, the community, philanthropy or hobbies, this information may actually help an employer understand you better in addition to your resume. If your hobby is gardening and you have pictures of your prized tomatoes, does this help you get a job? It may if the hiring authority likes vegetables!
4. Get rid of negative information. Employers are humans too. Most actually like to see that you have a life outside of work. According to a study of 31,000 employers, the top areas of concerns for employers who look into social network sites are a) information about drug and alcohol use b) inappropriate photos c) bad communication skills d) Bad mouthing former employers e) unprofessional screen names. (Career Builder)
5. Add information to help your cause. Are you a member of an insurance association? Chamber? Hospitality group? Did you win any recent awards? Take a picture of yourself with the award and post it to Facebook or any of your accounts. Your friends will comment on it and employers will take notice. Online profiles can enhance your image.

Politicians have it bad. If you Google their name, they don’t have much control on the positive and negative articles written about them. The good news is that you do have control on what an employer sees about you. Building a great online reputation today is a must because employers looking for this information is becoming the norm.