SF Chronicle: Job Market May Have Hit Bottom

What goes up, must come down ... so is true with Unemployment Rates. The San Francisco Chronicle recently reported that based on January employment statistics, the job market may have hit bottom.

It means that things may get worse, but only marginally .... and the building blocks for recovery are there. Healthy, profitable businesses are still still running lean operations (notice the long lines at banks and popular department stores) This will eventually change as consumers start looking for a better customer experience and not necessarily the best price ...and retailers will be forced to increase staff to normal levels. Not to mention all the turn over from over-worked and stressed employees that are asked to do more than usual as companies stretch the capabilities of their workers.

If you haven't found a job in a while ... don't be discouraged. Keep looking, there are companies making lots of money taking advantage of a desperate (and cheap) labor market. Once they realize that 100's of applicants won't be applying to every opening they have, they will start to treat their workers better and the people that apply to work their better. Keep trying and keep looking.

CA Jobs List - California State Open Jobs
209 Valley Jobs - San Joaquin Open Jobs

Kohl's Still Hiring In Elk Grove, CA

If you are looking for full or part time retail work in Elk Grove, CA, there might not be a better place to apply then Kohl's.  The company has been able to withstand the recession, and continue hiring during a time when many large retail chains are cutting back it's workforce.

The current job openings at the Kohl's in Elk Grove include: Merchandiser, Salesperson, Assistant Manager, Stock Clerk, and Customer Service Representative.  

To apply, just visit CA Jobs List for a complete list of Kohl's California jobs, and be sure to check out the other career and job openings in California!

San Joaquin County WorkNet Job Fair: Stockton, CA April 1, 2010

If you are looking for a job in the central valley, be sure to attend the 8th Annual Job & Resource Fair on Thursday, April 1, 2010, from 10:00am – 3:00pm, at the beautiful Stockton Arena.

There will be hundreds of employers seeking San Joaquin Valley's top talent. Be sure to dress sharp and bring a few copies of your resume to hand out to employers. Take advantage of this great opportunity.

As a reminder, many of the best San Joaquin Valley Jobs can be found at www.209valleyjobs.com and www.cajobslist.com

Don't Forget To Spell Check Resumes

One of the funniest resume titles we've seen here at CA Jobs List was an email to us saying "Looking for a fool time job." It seems like common sense to spell check, but about 1 in 3 resumes have spelling or grammatical errors.

It's one thing to mess up in a blog post. It will happen here quite often. But to blow your chance with a potential employer simply because you didn't read over your resume and email is a shame. Especially now that the job market is so rough, you need to give yourself every opportunity to land that job in California that you are looking for.

If you need to spell check something, just type in "spell check" in your favorite search engine and use the one that you like the best. I use Orangoo, but there are a bunch out there. Orangoo is only able to spell checks documents and does not check for grammatical errors.... like "fool time job" which would not be caught by a spell checker alone.  Be sure to proof read your stuff!

Only 30 Minutes a Day to Improve Your Job Hunting

Have you spent time filling out resumes and forms only to not get hired? ...Or worse yet....not even an interview? This is common now in the California Job Market as employers feel empowered because they know there is a large population ready to work. Employers can be more selective as they know the next wave of resumes is only a job posting away.

The main thing to understand is to not take this personally. Businesses are in existence to make money, not make people feel good about themselves..that includes employees and potential employees. The best thing to do is take action each day to get yourself in front of these companies and get yourself noticed.

Instead of doing all my job hunting on one day or even a few days out of the month, I take 30 Minuets each day to work on something that will help me get my next job. Typically I start with going over my resume and adding things that I think are appropriate. Then I check to see if there are any new opportunities in my area. This is particularly important because so many applicants apply quickly to jobs, you want to be one of the first to apply especially if the job interests you. If you only search for jobs once a week or less...by the time you apply 100's if not 1,000's of people will have applied before you. After I locate a job I am qualified for, I apply and I am done for the day.

The next day I start the entire process over taking 30 minuets to find a new job. Instead of sitting around waiting for the previous employer to call me back (which as you know is rare these days) I can move onto another potential employer. After a week has passed I will have applied to at least 7 openings...which will increase my chances of getting hired and finding a new job.

So take 30 minuets each day to find a new job this month and you will be better prepared for the competitive job market that awaits.

Pro Sports Jobs In California -Baseball-

Here are a few job openings at baseball teams from California.

Los Angeles Dodgers - Los Angeles, CA
ASSISTANT MECHANIC

Los Angeles Dodgers - Los Angeles, CA
SECURITY OFFICER

Los Angeles Dodgers - Los Angeles, CA
STADIUM SERVICES ASSISTANT MANAGER

Los Angeles Dodgers - Los Angeles, CA
STADIUM OPERATIONS ASSISTANT

Oakland Athletics - Oakland, CA
Ticket Services Representative

Oakland Athletics - Oakland, CA
Sales and Ticket Operations Coordinator

San Diego Padres - San Diego, CA
Director, Creative Services

San Diego Padres - San Diego, CA
Ticket Operations Agent

Inland Empire 66ers - San Bernardino, CA
Stadium Operations Intern
Salary: Unpaid

Modesto Nuts Minor League Baseball Club - Modesto, CA
General Internship
Salary:$800/Month

California Company Profile: Target

When retail is doing well, Target is one of the easiest places in California to get a job. There is a Target Store in just about every CA city, and a store that size needs workers from entry level, to management.  The wages that Target pays are typical retail rates, and are competitive with other large retail chains.

Throughout 2009 and 2010, Target has been cutting back on employees and weekly hours for their workforce. Some low level Target Team Member employees sometimes receive less then a 10 hour work week. Part time Target Team Members sometimes feel the economic crunch because of this. Another tactic Target employs is not covering shifts for Team Members who "call off" or "no call, no show." Meaning many Target stores are left under staffed.

Target does have a dedicated human resource team that stresses Team Members take necessary breaks and lunches. Some have even criticized Target for being to Team Member friendly, in that they will hardly ever fire someone for repeated no call no shows. Some Target stores even have a policy that allows 3 per month!

If you are thinking about getting a job at a California Target keep these things in mind:

Does Target Drug Test: YES - 24 Hour Notice -
Does Target Backround Check: YES - Goes Back 7 Years -
Breaks: 1 paid every 4 hours -Do not have to clock out -
Lunches: 1 non-paid if working more then 4 1/2 hours. (30 minn-1 hour depending on store location)

Expected CA Target Hourly Wages:

Cashier: $8.00 - $9.00
Cart Attendant: $8.00 - $9.00
Guest Service Team Member:  $8.00 - $9.00
Photo Lab Team Member:  $8.50 - $10.00
Starbucks Team Member: $9.00 - $11.00
Food Avenue Team Member: $8.00 - $9.00
Guest Service Attendant (GSA): $8.50 - $10.00
Sales Floor: $8.00 - $9.00
Team Leader/Manager: $10.00 - $15.00