Employment Blog: Cox Communications

"I need a job!"  Perhaps you have heard this or even said it!  Perhaps someone in your family or circle of friends is looking for a job, but are they doing the searching?

As recruiters, we have noticed an increase in the number of acquaintances conducting a job search on behalf of the job seeker. If you’re considering contacting companies on behalf of the job seeker, we would encourage you not to, for a few reasons. 

• It may suggest a lack of initiative and confidence on behalf of the job seeker.
• There are privacy issues to be taken into consideration.
• It could potentially slow down the application process.

You can assist the job seeker by encouraging him/her to seek education in resume writing, interviewing, and how to present themselves in a positive manner on the phone and in person. These are tools that will benefit them as they conduct their job search! The role of the non-job seeker should be that of an emotional and supportive agent. Show the job seeker you believe in them and their ability to walk through the steps to employment on their own!  What a great satisfaction to hear (and say)... 

  “I got a job, and I did it myself!”

A special "Thank You" to Carol Kratz,

Recruiter at Cox Communications for contributing this article.   

At Cox Communications-AZ, we’re all about connecting people to what’s important to them.  Advancement.  Flexibility.  Innovation.  Challenge.  Possibilities.  Make a Cox Career Connection today.  Visit us online at www.workatcox.com now.  

(All comments are reviewed for relevance and may be posted at our discretion. All or part of a comment and the sender’s name may be cited in future posts. When appropriate, we will reply to comments as quickly as we can. By submitting comments, senders agree that the comments may be used for any purpose, without compensation to the sender.)

By choosing your attitude you choose the way you think.  Choose the way you think and you can change your perceptions and perspectives.  Changing your perceptions and perspectives can open the door to new opportunities that you never imagined.  Look beyond your immediate to-do list to see how to you are contributing to your department and/or company.  Build your strengths rather than focusing on what you aren’t getting. 

You are in control of your career and have choices to create the kind of profession you want.  It is always good to begin with considering how well you are performing in your current position.  Are you the best that you can be?  How does your current position further your progress towards your goals?  What is your development plan and how can you best follow that roadmap?  Be pro-active in your development.

Another important question is to ask, how are you viewed in the workplace? Competent, confident and helpful or adequate and mediocre?  Good employees come to work on time, do their tasks well, and have a positive attitude. Star employees do all that and more. They are focused on contributing in ways that help the company achieve their goals and objectives. They are both excellent team-players and excellent leaders when needed. They care about others and help those around them to achieve their goals.

Here are some ways you can be a star employee:

·         Be the best YOU, you can be!

·         Choose your attitude everyday.

·         Respect others.

·         Be a life long learner.

·         Go the extra mile.

·         Put others first.

·         View life from the vantage point of what is possible versus what isn’t.

A special "Thank You" to Nancy Murphy, Director Talent Development and Acquisition at Cox Communications for contributing this article.   

At Cox Communications-AZ, we’re all about connecting people to what’s important to them.  Advancement.  Flexibility.  Innovation.  Challenge.  Possibilities.  Make a Cox Career Connection today.  Visit us online at www.workatcox.com now.  

(All comments are reviewed for relevance and may be posted at our discretion. All or part of a comment and the sender’s name may be cited in future posts. When appropriate, we will reply to comments as quickly as we can. By submitting comments, senders agree that the comments may be used for any purpose, without compensation to the sender.)

You can and should apply for more than one job and at more than one company. That’s the nature of a job search.  However, multiple applications for different positions at the same company could make the hiring manager question if you know what your strengths are and what would make you happy. You may be posed with the interview question, “Why did you apply for this job?” or “What interests you about this position?”. Will your answer be direct and unequivocal, leaving the interviewer with no doubt that you are the perfect person for the job. Will you be able to make a clear case for not only your skills, but what you get satisfaction from doing?

On the other hand, if you applied to a position without doing the due-diligence of matching your skills and qualifications to the job description, you may find it a challenge to position yourself as a top candidate.

At Cox Communications Arizona, we’re all about connecting people to what’s important to them.  Advancement.  Flexibility.  Innovation.  Challenge.  Possibilities.  Make a Cox Career Connection today.  Visit us online at www.workatcox.com now.  

(All comments are reviewed for relevance and may be posted at our discretion. All or part of a comment and the sender’s name may be cited in future posts. When appropriate, we will reply to comments as quickly as we can. By submitting comments, senders agree that the comments may be used for any purpose, without compensation to the sender.)

Believe it or not, your email address is part of your professional image. Using addresses that are zany, provocative, or difficult to read and type don’t impress hiring managers. As a job seeker, you want to stand out in the hiring manager’s mind for your unique skills and qualifications; not your one-of-a-kind email address. 

Choose an address that has a combination of your first name, last name and initials. Avoid using long addresses that don’t make any sense.

You can’t go wrong by keeping it simple when it comes to establishing your professional email address.

….now, about your recorded voice message! 

At Cox Communications Arizona, we’re all about connecting people to what’s important to them.  Advancement.  Flexibility.  Innovation.  Challenge.  Possibilities.  Make a Cox Career Connection today.  Visit us online at www.workatcox.com now.  

(All comments are reviewed for relevance and may be posted at our discretion. All or part of a comment and the sender’s name may be cited in future posts. When appropriate, we will reply to comments as quickly as we can. By submitting comments, senders agree that the comments may be used for any purpose, without compensation to the sender.)

For the first time in history, there are four generations in the work force. The Traditionalist - born prior to 1946; the Boomers - born 1946 - 1964; Gen X - born 1965 - 1980, and the Millennials - born 1981 - 1994, all bring with them different perspectives on life and work. Although this is an exciting time, it also comes with some challenges. Working with the generations requires patience and understanding. The trick is to be open to the different ideas and philosophies that each brings. The more you know about each generation, the more you can appreciate them and their contributions. A great way to gain insights about the different generations is simply by talking to people, asking questions, and listening! Cox Communications - Diversity in the Workplace - JobingVideo At Cox Communications Arizona, we’re all about connecting people to what’s important to them. Advancement. Flexibility. Innovation. Challenge. Possibilities. Make a Cox Career Connection today. Visit us online at www.workatcox.com now. (All comments are reviewed for relevance and may be posted at our discretion. All or part of a comment and the sender’s name may be cited in future posts. When appropriate, we will reply to comments as quickly as we can. By submitting comments, senders agree that the comments may be used for any purpose, without compensation to the sender.)

Wikipedia defines telecommuting as:  

“… a work arrangement in which employees enjoy limited flexibility in working location and hours. In other words, the daily commute to a central place of work is replaced by telecommunication links. Many work from home, while others…utilize mobile telecommunications technology to work from coffee shops or myriad other locations.”

 With gas prices sky-rocketing, telecommuting is becoming more & more enticing. Although there are definite benefits, it may be worth researching the various aspects prior to making the switch. Start by asking yourself some of these questions:

·         Can you Work-From-Home and Live-From-Home (and know how to set boundaries to differentiate the two)? 

 ·         Does your leader have experience managing employees at a distance?  

·         Do you have all of the technology required to perform the duties of your job (if not, what would those expenses be)?  

·         Will you be able to avoid the distractions of your remote workplace whether it is mundane household tasks, family members, or daily life in general?   

In determining if telecommuting is the right option for you, make sure you and your employer have agreed on the objectives, advantages & disadvantages.  

At Cox Communications AZ, we're all about connecting poeple to what's important to them. Advancement. Innovation. Challenge. Possibilities. Make a Cox Career Connection today. Visit us online at www.workatcox.com .

(All comments are reviewed for relevance and may be posted at our discretion. All or part of a comment and the sender's name may be cited in future posts. When appropriate, we will reply to comments as quickly as we can. By submitting comments, senders agree that the comments may be used for any purpose, without compensation to the sender.)  

Spring has arrived in the Valley of the Sun which means time to stash away those leather boots and

Figuring out what shoes are acceptable for the office -- but comfortable enough in the heat; can be a challenge as we approach the summer months.

Platform athletic shoes and strappy sandals might be formal enough for some companies but before you go shopping for your summer work shoes, consult your company's dress code. You may have a formal policy on whether seasonal pieces like sandals and open-toed shoes are acceptable. Safety should be a prime consideration in determining shoe style.

If your workplace adopts a Business Casual dress policy, do not forget the first word is "business" and casual does not mean a day at the park.

Enjoy the season, but when it comes to office footwear, always err on the side of conservative.

At Cox Communications Arizona, we are all about connecting people to what is important to them. Advancement. Flexibility. Innovation. Challenge. Possibilities. Make a Cox Career Connection today. Visit us online at www.workatcox.com now.

Comments Disclaimer:

(All comments are reviewed for relevance and may be posted at our discretion. All or part of a comment and the senders name may be cited in future posts. When appropriate, we will reply to comments as quickly as we can. By submitting comments, senders agree that the comments may be used for any purpose, without compensation to the sender.)

To this day, I still get questions from job seekers about the age old question regarding appropriate length of a resume. We've probably all heard advice one way or another, the most popular probably being to never go over a page. Well, I'm not a certified resume writing consultant, and I didn't stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night, but after over ten years of reading every conceivable style of resume known to mankind, I can tell you from my experience that the best resumes are not limited by length.

This doesn't mean that a great resume can't or shouldn't be limited to a page. If the amount of experience that you want to portray accurately and in enough detail to properly sell yourself to employers can fit on one page, great. If you need to go to two or three pages to accomplish this, then I say go for it. Let's face it, if you've spent 20 - 30 plus years in the workplace at a number of different employers, your experience and qualifications most likely will not be able to adequately fit onto one page. Also, keep in mind in this digital age that most resumes are submitted electronically; I hardly notice anymore how long the resume file is. Sell yourself. Tell your story. Make sure the information is accurate, and appropriate for the job you're applying for. Now, if the length of your resume is starting to rival the novel, War and Peace, well then yeah, you may want to scale it back a bit.

Happy resume writing!

What's on my nightstand? Professional Development Reading: Crucial Conversations by Kerry Patterson

Leisure Reading: 1491, by Charles C. Mann

What's in my iPod? Grateful Dead, Dozin' at the Knick, Discs 1 & 2

At Cox Communications Arizona, we're all about connecting people to what's important to them. Advancement. Flexibility. Innovation. Challenge. Possibilities. Make a Cox Career Connection today. Visit us online at www.workatcox.com now.

Comments Disclaimer: Comments are highly invited. However, all comments are reviewed for relevance and may be posted at our discretion. All or part of a comment and sender's name may be cited in future posts. When appropriate, we will reply to comments as quickly as we can. By submitting comments, senders agree that the comments may be used for any purpose, without compensation to the sender.

Career fairs provide a great opportunity to network with potential employers so it is especially important that you present yourself in a professional manner.

Many employers conduct on-the-spot interviews, therefore if the company you have targeted as an employer of choice will be there, do your homework to find out what their dress code policy is and mirror yourself to it. Rolling out of bed with morning hair and heading straight to the car is probably not a good idea.

Always present yourself as a positive future addition to the employer. SMILE...it speaks volumes!

At Cox Communications-AZ, we're all about connecting people to what's important to them. Advancement. Flexibility. Innovation. Challenge. Possibilities. Make a Cox Career Connection today. Visit us at www.workatcox.com now.

(All comments are reviewed for relevance and may be posted at our discretion. All or part of a comment and the senders name may be cited in future posts. When appropriate, we will reply to comments as quickly as we can. By submitting comments, senders agree that the comments may be used for any purpose, without compensation to the sender.)

Please feel free to stop by our Cox Communications Jobing Blog every couple of weeks to see what's new to assist you in your job search.

We will be updating this blog regularly with various topics and insights on current trends we're seeing in the recruitment of new employees, and hope that you too will share your thoughts on what we have had to say.

Stay tuned!!

At Cox Communications Arizona, we're all about connecting people to what's important to them. Advancement. Flexibility. Innovation. Challenge. Possibilities. Make a Cox Career Connection today. Visit us online at www.workatcox.com now.

Comments Disclaimer: Comments are highly invited. However, all comments are reviewed for relevance and may be posted at our discretion. All or part of a comment and sender's name may be cited in future posts. When appropriate, we will reply to comments as quickly as we can. By submitting comments, senders agree that the comments may be used for any purpose, without compensation to the sender.