Parents are starting to feel a greater pinch as more and more college graduates join the “boomerang” generation . The recession, along with the natural inflation that comes with tuition and rent, are squeezing college students and post-grads, sending them back home to mom and dad. An email I received from IBISWorld highlights this growing reality:

“We can expect to see a surge in the boomerang generation [ages 18-24] returning home and continuing financial dependency on parents due to a scarce and competitive job market,” said Toon van Beeck, senior analyst at IBISWorld. “This phenomenon has become more apparent in recent years, with higher costs in tuition and rent making transitioning into adulthood increasingly difficult. Thanks to the recession, many parents will get prolonged time with their kids until their debt is paid off or market conditions improve .”

For the most part, mom and dad pick up the bill. Additionally, it is worth noting that even married children are moving back in. The incident of foreclosures, job loss and other factors means that sometimes children, their spouses and their children are moving in further inflating costs.

Should you let your adult children have a free ride?

While it may seem cruel to charge rent and demand help around the house, the fact of the matter is that the costs of taking care of adult children (and sometimes their families) can become a burden on parents. The obvious solution is to ask for help with the cooking, cleaning and yardwork . Additionally, make it clear that you expect your adult children to look for jobs while they are staying with you. And, if they do have some sort of employment, you might ask them to chip in for utilities costs and groceries. After all, you are a victim of the recession as well.

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I am watching the movie The Pursuit of Happiness with Will Smith. He is sitting in front of a group of business men in an interview. And he is not dressed appropriately. He spent the night in jail and ran all the way to the interview just to be on time. He has paint in his hair, a t-shirt on and a dirty jacket that won’t zip up. In the world of movies he might just get the job. In the real world, it would be difficult to believe that he might actually be considered for the position. It’s possible but not probable in the real world. There’s a commercial break so I don’t know the outcome yet. but that’s okay for the purposes of this post. I don’t need the outcome of the movie. I am impressed by his passion, his persistence, and his willingness to tell the truth about why he is not dressed appropriately for the interview.

Here’s the thing - he has differentiated himself from every other candidate. He is willing to do whatever it takes to get an internship that has no salary and no guarantees of employment - in his pursuit of employment. What are you willing to do in your pursuit of employment? And what price are you willing to pay to have it? Too many people are struggling in their job search, frustrated, scared, angry. Those emotions or feelings will not move you forward in your pursuit of employment. You have to get past the negative emotions and decide first what you want, and then decide that nothing will stop you from getting the job you want.

In the pursuit of employment in this market it is going to take persistence, clarity, focus, determination and a willingness to differentiate your self from the competition. Take time to become an expert on who you are and what you can bring to an organization. Look for ways to communicate your skills, connect with your network and use them to help bridge you into organizations. If you can avoid traditional access points in - sending a resume and cover letter, you will find more success. Networking is one critical key to successful pursuit of employment. But beyond networking, your pursuit of employment will lead to a job offer if you can identify organizational problems that you can provide solutions to. If you are a savvy problem solver, you will find that the window for your pursuit of employment will decrease.

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Why in the world would you take a new job and then have a bad attitude and jeopardize your new job? I have a friend who has a new employee that has been working for the organization for less than a month and they have already had to write the woman up. She has a bad attitude and she doesn’t want anyone to tell her what to do. They are attempting to give her feedback about the job so that she can do the job better and she doesn’t want to hear it. How can that be?

If you invest 30 days or more looking for a job why in the world would you have a bad attitude about being there, working, collecting a pay check? When you say “yes” to a new job, there should be little to no issues in the first 30, 60 or 90 days or more.

If you have been graced with employment in this market, consider the consequences of your bad attitude if you can’t get your act together. In the case of this employee my friend is dealing with, the organization has attempted to discuss their concerns with her about her attitude. They don’t want to terminate her employment, but she is unwilling to hear the feedback. As a result, they will eventually impose consequences on her and she will lose her new job.

As an employee, if things are not going well for you after you start a new job. Do some self inventory. Check in with yourself. What can you do differently to move past any feelings of frustration and anger so that you don’t lose your job? Find someone to talk to about what ever is bothering you. It may be safer to speak to someone who doesn’t work for the organization. Be honest about what is bothering you and problem solve a solution. If it is a bad fit and you realize that early in the job, it’s ok to leave the job. Better that you leave on your terms than to be fired for a bad attitude.

Here’s a thought, if you’re going to have an attitude, why not choose to have a good one. Choose to be pleasant. Choose to listen, choose to speak up when you need to, rather than holding back or holding on to issues that maybe with a few conversations, you could work through with your employer. Whether the place you find yourself working every day is working fro you or not, you can choose how you respond to the situations you find your self in and you can definitely choose your ATTITUDE!

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Yesterday’s non-farm payrolls data showed a rather dramatic drop off in job loss for the month of May. While the numbers of the unemployed are still staggering when compared with recent history (the last 10-15 years), the fact that lost jobs grew by “only” 345,000 instead of the expected 525,000 has many analysts declaring the end of the recession.

However, the recession may not be over yet — especially with regard to us “regular folks.” And, while the end is probably in sight, it’s not quite time to rest on our laurels. Kiplinger has a Recession Survival Quiz that can educate you while at the same time helping you determine what sort of shape you are in. The questions deal with credit cards, mortgages, retirement and employment. I missed one of the ten questions on the quiz, and I’m a recession survivor!

Have you taken the Recession Survival Quiz?

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Does age matter in the employment market? In a word “Yes”. But it doesn’t have to. I believe that most people in the job market don’t spend enough time investing in a strategy for their job search. As people, we prefer the road of least resistance. We want to find the easiest way to get what we want and need. But that is not going to get you the results you want or need in your job search. It is going to take sweat equity and elbow grease to work through your job search. From finding potential job opportunities, to getting the interview and converting it into a job offer that you will say “yes” to. Finding a job in this market will not be an easy task, but it is doable, no matter how old you are.

Unfortunately older job seekers seem to struggle with their age when sitting in front of hiring managers and recruiters. Many times as an older job seeker they go into an interview with a fixed belief that they will not get the job. I believe that is a mistake. I am a firm believer that what you think or believe about yourself will be precisely what you have as a result. So if you think you can’t get a job today because of your age, you are absolutely correct. If you believe no one will hire you because of your age, you’re right again.

Here’s the point - if you believe that you have skills and abilities of value to an employer, now you have a launching pad, a place to begin to develop your job search strategy. You will find a job and your age will fade in the eyes of the hiring manager as you share how you will add value to their organization. That is the key! Knowing who you are, understanding their business, identifying problems you can solve and being able to articulate those things to the hiring manager. If you can do that, age will be a data point on your application, but the organization won’t care. Employers are looking for people that can hit the ground running, demonstrate flexibility, and solve problems. Can you do those things? Notice that none of these things has anything to do with age.

As an older job seeker, get your age out of your head. Focus on your skills and abilities. Update gaps in your skills. If you are not comfortable with computers, get comfortable. If you need to strengthen your written and oral communication skills, work on them so that they are not deal breakers. It is your responsibility to keep your skills current. Don’t let your age be a data point for why you are not employed. Go after the jobs you want and don’t let anything get in your way!

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If you have gaps on your resume, don’t make the assumption that organizations will give you a pass. You need to have an answer about gaps. Preparing how you will answer them prior to the interview is very important. If your gaps are real and you didn’t work, say so. However, if you did work. Than you want to account for the time by communicating what you were doing during the unaccounted for time on your resume.

Keep in mind, if you were working and you didn’t include that information on your resume or application, you will then create questions about what you are trying to hide or why you weren’t completely forth coming. It is better that you account for all jobs prior to the organizations seeing a gap. Error on the side of communicating all pertinent information to a potential employer, rather than making them ask a question and then creating a question mark about your candidacy because you weren’t completely candid up front.

If your gap was due to a sickness, that should be a simple explanation. You don’t have to give all of the details, but give them enough information to make an assessment about the validity of what you are saying.

Whatever you do, remember that by omitting information you could potentially create questions about your past by having unexplained gaps in your work history. Volunteer work is a credible explanation. If you were doing volunteer work while you were looking for full time employment, include that information on your resume and/or applications. You definitely want to include volunteer work that is consistent with your skills and abilities.

Back to my original thought, how to explain gaps on your resume - Don’t have gaps. Account for all jobs, both paid and unpaid jobs. Don’t omit jobs even jobs you worked for a short period of time. It is better to be upfront about what you have been up to than for the hiring manager or recruiter to ask about a gap and now you have to explain both the gap and why you chose not to include the information on your resume.

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According to the Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index, American consumer confidence jumped in April from 26.9% to39.2%. Short-term outlook significantly improved, as far fewer people anticipate business orsening over the next six months. The percentage of people expecting the economy to improve is still low at 15.6%, but that number too is up from 9.6% in March.

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People also had a more optimistic view of employment, according to the report. The percentage of people expecting the job outlook to improve saw a boost from just 7.3% to 13.9%, and fewer peopl expect to see the job market to get even worse than it is right now.

The Conference Board, based in New York, polls 5,000 people every month for their consumer confidence study. Overall confidence saw the biggest jump since almost a year ago.

The boost in consumer confidence bodes well for retailers, who hope that the worst is over for 2009. As shoppers begin to think that the future looks brighter, they will likely spend more money, which is an important step to the economy recovering.

The first report from the 2008 National Study of the Changing Workforce has been released today, and it shows that for the first time, young women entering the workforce have just as lofty career goals as men. In addition, becoming a mother doesn’t change these ambitions, as was the case in the past.

The study is the only of its kind to look at over thirty years of data about life at work and at home. Says Ellen Galinsky, the lead author of the study,

“Our findings are striking and surprising,” said Ellen Galinsky, president and co-founder of Families and Work Institute and lead author of the study. “There are many firsts in this study — the first time that younger men and women feel the same about job advancement and the first time that there is no statistically significant difference between men and women in their views of appropriate gender roles.”

Companies can use this research to improve employee satisfaction and recruiting techniques. This report also shows that companies need to realize that different generations think about career goals very differently.

Here are some of the most notable statistics from the study:

• In 1992, 80% of men and 72% of women under the age of 29 wanted jobs with greater responsibility. Today the figure is 67% of men and 66% of women.
• Children do not decrease the want for more job responsibility, as was the case in the past.
• Employed fathers spend more time at home with the children than they did in the past. The figures for employed mothers spending time at home with the kids has not changed.
• In 2008, 26% of women in duel-income households earned at least 10% more than their spouses. That number was just 15% in 1997.

You can read other study findings here.

A substitute teacher is a person who teaches a class when the regular teacher is unavailable due to illness, personal leave, job dissatisfaction, or any other reason that keeps a regular teacher from performing their duties. As I was discussing the upcoming school year today with a teacher, I realized that she has been substitute teacher this entire school year. She is a certified teacher with about five years experience. She didn’t land a contract for the current academic year. When we discussed it last fall, I suggested that she consider becoming a substitute teacher. As we discussed next school year, she reminded me about my conversation with her last fall. I thought it might be a job for you to consider if you are struggling to find a job right now. There are always substitute teaching jobs available.

Here are some things to consider if this job interest you:

1. Go online and check the qualifications they will consider for a substitute teacher
2. Select at least school districts to apply
3. Determine the grade levels you are interested in teaching
4. Complete the application process. Include all supporting documents they may request
5. Prepare for your interviw
6. If you have never taught before, not to fear, do some research - talk to someone who does teach
7. Determine your transferable skills and communicate them

Be ready for the unexpected. You never know where substitute teaching will take you from day to day. You might spend one day teaching high school science, two days later teaching math. You have the freedom to choose which assignments to pursue at whichever schools you wish. You can take a day off whenever it is necessary in your schedule. There is freedom to manage your schedule from week to week and day to day.

Make sure you like children. If you don’t like children, don’t apply. The students in our schools need people who care. My purpose in sharing this job opportunity is to continue to give ideas for those of you who may want to consider this option. Everyone doesn’t need to be a substitute teacher. If it is something that will help you get back on your feet, than go for it!

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From the comfort of your home you can search for jobs online. I could actually stop writing this post and publish it, however it would be of little value for you if you are a job seeker. That is my point - if all you do from the comfort of your home is search for jobs online, or hang out on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn, there would be very few results from your job search.

From the comfort of your home, you can relax, develop your job search strategy, research organizations and update your resume and cover letter. Once that fun stuff is complete, you must get dressed and get out. There are people for you to meet and places for you to go.

What are your plans for tomorrow? For next week? From the comfort of your home, you can watch television. Watch CNN, MSNBC and Fox News. They have a lot of bad news about the current climate in our country. Or you could get up and out and make something happen that will move you forward in your life.

I love my home, it is comfortable, warm and cozy. But if I remain in the comfort of my home, I wouldn’t have a job for too long. And if you don’t have a job, but you need one, than get out of the comfort of your home so you will have a home to come back to.

From the comfort of your home life is happening. I talk to job seekers every single day. Most of them are struggling to find something in this difficult market. That is real. I understand how difficult it is. The problem is that most job seekers are looking for jobs from the comfort of their home rather than getting out there - in the field, and knocking on doors. Get your self in front of hiring managers. If you are not sure how to do it, get CREATIVE! You will not find hiring managers from the comfort of your home. It’s up to you! Enjoy the comfort of your home! But don’t use it as an excuse to for remaining unemployed. Get up and out there and make something happen. At the end of the day, go back to the comfort of your home and get your plan for tomorrow!

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