I’m glad that Amanda was ‘assisted’ by Wozniak. Let’s see what happens in the next few months and what executive level job she lands. Her initial entry is spot on except for the part stating that Transition/Transforming America had moved.

My dealings with slick Eddie have been horrible at best. I filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau after TA refused to return my money. After dealing with these crooks for 2 months, I realized that they don’t have the ‘ins’ with the hiring managers. They don’t have an exclusive job posting site. Their career counseling is a joke and that they were J L Kirk and Associates reincarnated. The BBB offered us the opportunity to go to arbitration to resolve the issue but Eddie declined to go through that process. He knew that he would lose. Do a search of Transition/Transforming America on the BBB site and see what they have to say. It will be updated the week of 4/7.

Slick Eddie wants to defer the real issues by blaming me, the person who paid them $3,450 (yes Amanda, they change the price for how much they believe they can con from someone) instead of conducting business as an honest business person would do. If you have a disgruntled client, you do everthing in your power, including arbitration, to satisfy that client.

Don’t let Eddie deny that they are not an off-shoot of J L Kirk and Associates. I have many connections between the two companies. The 2 easiest to explain are, #1 I have 3 emails that were mistakenly forwarded to me by TA’s VP Rick Hirsch on 2/11/08. They were sent to him by Kirk Leipzig on 2/5/08. #2. The resume template they use was authored by a guy named Tom Beal. Tom Beal is an ex-employee of J L Kirk. I could list more but it will come out in later in a different media venue.

Stay as far away from these snake oil salesmen. Look up J L Kirk and Associates on ripoff report, google them and see the pattern. I won’t be surprised by the response that slick Eddie’s puts here on the ripoff report. Obviously he is nervous about his con being exposed if he is even looking at this report. Disregard anything that this con man states.

DO NOT pay them money or waste your time with Transition/Transforming America. Tell everyone you know about these crooks. They need to be put out of business.

Lyle
Brentwood, Tennessee
U.S.A.

According to Transition America, the Nation’s Premier Career Search Specialist, it may have, if you agree with this definition of insanity: doing the same thing over and over, but expecting a different result.

Many otherwise-intelligent people find themselves without work for 6, 12, 18 months or longer. Yet they continue to do the same things — network the same way, send out the same resume, search the same Web sites for openings — long after they should have changed their approach.

It’s time to stop the job search insanity.

Here’s how you can do it, by asking yourself three “magic” questions once a week…

Transition America: Question #1: What’s working?
Ask yourself this every Sunday evening or Monday morning, before you plan your job search activities for the week.

If you’re like most folks, you spend most of your time networking, applying for advertised jobs, posting your resume on Web sites, doing volunteer projects and/or going to informational interviews.

Now, what’s working? Which of your job-search methods produced the most interviews or callbacks from employers last week? Do more of that this week!

Believe it or not, this is a radical concept for some job seekers. They often react to each day’s events without having a written plan of attack. But not you. Find out what’s working — and do more of it.

TRANSITION AMERICA: Question #2: What’s not working?
If you honestly ask this question, the answer may upset you. But the outcome will ultimately help you get hired faster.

Example: if you’ve sent out the same resume to apply for 77 jobs you were perfect for, and didn’t get called for interviews, guess what? That resume is not working. Or the way you sent it out — email, fax and/or mail — is not working.

It’s time to change your approach.

Don’t be like the laid-off manager profiled in a March 2003 issue of The Wall Street Journal. He sent out 700 resumes and got only two
interviews. But instead of changing his resume or the way he distributed it, he resorted to holding up a sign along a Boston road that said, “I NEED A JOB.”
What’s not working in your job search? Change it. Or stop doing it! (That man with the sign did get hired, by the way, but only after his plight became national news. Don’t depend on that happening to you.)

TRANSITION AMERICA: Question #3: What’s next?
It’s not enough to know what’s working and what’s not in your job
hunt. You have to plan effectively for the week ahead, according to Transition America. To do that, ask yourself, “What’s next in my search?”

Because … you get just 24 hours each day. After eating, sleeping, etc., you have about 14 hours to spend looking for work. You’ll never get those hours back. Make the most of them!

It’s been said that every hour of planning saves five hours of doing. So start spending an hour every week scheduling what’s next in your job search.

When you do, you’ll work smarter, not harder. You’ll find yourself doing more of what works, less of what doesn’t and what’s next? How about a new job?! For more information about Transition America, visit us at http://www.americatransition.com/.

TRANSITION AMERICA:

Also Transition America notices that landing a great job is not just about getting an offer and earning a paycheck. Loving your job is about finding the right company culture for you, according to Transition America, the Nation’s Premier Career Search Specialist. It’s about working in an environment aligned with your values and beliefs. Working at a company with values inconsistent with yours is stressful and unrewarding. As Transition America said: ‘The quality of your work life is also directly correlated to your supervisor’s attitudes, values, and beliefs. A person’s values significantly affect their behavior and hence how you are treated. No matter how great the position, if you’re working in a caustic, understaffed, and unethical culture, you’ll feel unfulfilled.”

According to Transition America you have to plan effectively for the week ahead. To do that you should answer the Transition America’s question: “What’s next in my search?”. Transition America explained: “Because … you get just 24 hours each day. After eating, sleeping, etc., you have about 14 hours to spend looking for work. You’ll never get those hours back. Make the most of them!It’s been said that every hour of planning saves five hours of doing. So start spending an hour every week scheduling what’s next in your job search.“

And back to Transition America’s discussion : ‘ Each military installation offers or participates in an outplacement program that is usually offered near the end of your military career. Perhaps, a little too near the end, as most of us would like to know where our next paycheck will be coming from well before we hang up the uniform. “

For more information on Transition America’s military programs, please fill out Transition America’s free evaluation and someone from our military division will contact you. Visit us at http://www.americatransition.com/.

 According to Transition America- the Nation’s Career Search Specialist, prospective employers will routinely check job references from your past companies, in order to hire a qualified employee from a large pool of candidates. Checking references is the only real means they have of verifying the skills and experience you presented in your resume and interview.

One poor reference could cost you the job, while a few great and pre-screened references could solidify your new place of employment. Don’t leave your future to chance. If possible, have someone find out what your past employers are saying about you, says Transition America. This reference check needs to provide you with a written assessment of their findings. However, be sure not put your references on your resume, you never want to give to much information up front. Just be prepared to provide your references when asked, and know what they are going to be saying about you. For more info on Transition America, visit us at http://www.americatransition.com/.

Transition America said:“Organizational culture is composed of the values, behaviors, beliefs, and norms that permeate the group. Culture is expressed through words and behaviors of each employee. Culture is like a recipe where each person is an ingredient. Company or department leadership set the overall tone.”

According to Transition America, interviewers say “the candidate fits” or “doesn’t fit” to describe a candidate’s qualifications. What interviewers are really saying is the candidate fits or doesn’t fit the company culture.

Transition America:

“To perpetuate corporate culture, companies hire people they feel “fit” and reject qualified candidates whom they believe “don’t fit” their culture. During each interview, you have an opportunity to assess how the culture aligns with your values. Rarely will you find an environment totally aligned with your values. “Also Transition America advised:You can however, find organizations where the culture and your values can coexist.

Clues to company culture are found in interviewer behavior and their words. Below is a list of organizational cultural indicators according to Transition America.
• How you are treated?
• What phrases are frequently used by the interviewers?
• Is there an unspoken tone to the questions you’re asked?
• How does the environment feel to you?
• How prepared are the interviewers? Are they on time?
• Were you given an interview schedule?
• Were you treated like a prisoner or a guest?
• Are your responses to their questions treated with suspicion or professional curiosity?
• How considerate is the company recruiter?

Questions you can ask about organizational culture are listed below by Transition America
• Please describe the company or department culture in three words or three phrases.
• How does the company (team) handle conflict or differing opinions?
• How does the company recognize employee accomplishments?
• Does the company have a “Code of Ethics?¨
• Please describe the leadership or managerial style at your company?
• What qualities do the most successful employees in your company possess?
• What is the company’s attitude towards professional and educational advancement?
Job interviews are business events where your talents are evaluated. Interviews are also your opportunity to evaluate how the company’s culture compliments your values.