Jobs Eric Has Heard About

Emergency Logistics Program Manager: Closes March 29, 2010

2010-03-09T20:01:00.000-08:00

See below for a job opening at the State of Washington. They will have a total of five people that I know of leaving in 2010. One of those positions I know they are not back filling.

Emergency Logistics Program Manager
(Emergency Management Program Specialist 3)
$4,114- $5,395 (Range 58) per month, depending on qualifications

OPENS: March 8, 2010
CLOSES:
WORKING TIME: Full Time
LOCATION: Camp Murray, Tacoma, WA
RECRUITMENT # 1-03082010-EMPS3-EMD-02

The Washington Military Department’s Emergency Management Division (EMD) has one opening for an Emergency Management Program Specialist 3 in the Planning, Analysis and Logistics (PAL) Section. This position reports to the Planning, Analysis and Logistics Section Manager and is responsible for managing the Emergency Logistics Program.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES

Duties and responsibilities include but are not limited to the following:

• Provides logistics and distribution planning assistance to local jurisdictions and State agencies for directed Federal and State programs.

• Coordinates and integrates emergency logistics deliverables and plans to both internal and external stakeholders.

• Reviews local jurisdiction logistics plans for compliance with State and Federal directives.

• Develops procedures for statewide implementation of the Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC).

• In conjunction with the PAL Section Manager, develops, coordinates, and integrates section-wide Emergency Operations Centers Logistics Section policy recommendations and operation procedures.

• Coordinates and develops new emergency logistics plans and program deliverables.

• Develops logistics program budget requests annual for inclusion into section budget and tracks program costs.

• Reviews, evaluates, and coordinates with state agencies, regional partners, and local jurisdictions in developing plans and procedures implementing Federal and State directives for emergency logistics.

• Develops and coordinates Division and State plans and procedures for logistics, resource acquisition, resource typing, and commodity distribution.

• Trains state agency and local jurisdiction personnel in logistics and emergency planning processes and procedures.

Experiential Learning for New Emergency Managers

2010-02-14T10:03:00.000-08:00

Valerie Lucus has a blog posting on my recent article in Emergency Management Magazine about Cultivating Emergency Managers.

In it she shares her experience with one intern who worked for her for a summer. A great example of what we can accomplish when we work together, student and practitioner, to make for learning experiences that can last a lifetime.

Way to go Valerie!

Cultivating Emergency Managers

2010-02-13T07:46:00.000-08:00

See my latest Eric's Corner Column in Emergency Management Magazine. This is in their January-February Emergency Management Edition that is available on line now.

The topic is Cultivating Emergency Managers and specifically addresses the need to have the existing and aging leadership create opportunities and mentoring for the next generation of emergency managers.

While this is easily said, getting emergency managers from across the nation to bring in educated, but younger and less experienced staff can be a challenge. It is one of the reasons many who have gotten their emergency management degrees have been unable to find work in government.

Don't give up! The prize belongs to the person who is persistent--and maybe willing to move.

Quote of the Week

2010-02-06T17:56:00.000-08:00

Typically I only do a quote of the week at my other blog, www.disaster-zone.com but then I came across the following that fit well with the topic of jobs.

"The closest a person ever comes to perfection is when they fill out a job application form." Stanley J. Randall The resume and the job application are the places to put forward the best you have to offer. These are also the places to be honest with yourself and with others.

I'm a big believer in citing your accomplishments. If you are a recent graduate, then it is your education. Later in your career what you have done in your work life will become much more important than your education.

Unfortunately there are still unscrupulous people who will lie on their resume. At my current job the HR department has an outside firm check all the references and the educational history.

So be "perfect" but perfect in what you have accomplished, not what you wished you had accomplished.

Expires 2-5-10: King County, Washington: Emergency Management Program Coordinator

2010-01-30T12:04:00.000-08:00

Emergency Management Program Coordinator: Apply by February 5, 2010

This is another project position tied to the potential for Green River flooding. If you have family or friends in the area you could live with (it is not a permanent job) it might be the entry level job for someone with a degree in emergency management.

Emergency Management Program Coordinator

The Emergency Management Program Coordinator will serve as principal coordinator in King County for mass care and shelter activities through the Regional Communications and Emergency Coordination Center (RCECC) during emergencies and disasters, with a special emphasis on the Green River Valley. The successful candidate will work along with regional partners in the planning and implementation of efforts to provide shelter, feeding, and other emergency mass care services to disaster survivors. In addition, the successful candidate will coordinate training and exercise initiatives for the Office of Emergency Management.

Expired 2-5-10: King County, Washington: Emergency Management Program Manager

2010-01-30T11:59:00.000-08:00

This is a King County OEM job that you have to apply for by February 5, 2010.

Note that it is a term limited project--so don't get too excited about the salary unless you already live here in the Seattle Metro area:

Emergency Management Program Manager

The Emergency Management Program Manager will serve as lead staff person for King County Office of Emergency Management’s mass care and sheltering efforts through the Regional Communications and Emergency Coordination Center (RCECC) during emergencies and disasters, with a special emphasis on the Green River Valley. The successful candidate will oversee the delivery of an effective ESF-6 program, including pre-planning efforts and implementation during emergency activations. In addition, the successful candidate will manage efforts to update the multi-jurisdictional Regional Hazard Mitigation Plan.

Twitter for Jobs

2010-01-01T15:28:00.000-08:00

Back 20 years ago when I was transitioning out of the Army and into the civilian workforce the research aspect of job hunting was something I emphasized. Today that aspect of the job search is so much easier with the Internet.

Another job search arrow in the search quiver of today is Twitter. Check out Eleven Twitter Tips--Job Search in 140 Characters

Great tools if you use them!

Who You Are Matters

2009-12-18T05:31:00.000-08:00

"85% of your workplace success is due to your personal skills." Arden Clise

I ran across this quote this morning in the Puget Sound Business Journal. Since I did over 60 interviews with people earlier this week--this message rang loud and clear for me.

Yes, you need to meet minimum qualifications, but people hire people they like. You need to let your personality shine through in a job interview. Hiding behind a mask of seriousness and no emotion will typically doom your interview (unless of course you are an engineer being interviewed by other engineers).

Maybe who you are does not match the needs or the personality of the organization. So be it!

Southwest Airlines hires for personality as the major component of their interview process. Everything else can be trained. Which is not a bad way to think about the team you are trying to build.

If you have been looking, looking, and looking for work--do not despair. My guess is that things will pick up again later in 2010. Remember that you can't catch any fish if you don't have lines in the water, so keep searching, applying, and fine tuning the resume for each position.

And, smile during your interviews!

Job Interviewing Tips

2009-12-08T21:28:00.000-08:00

Today I participated in seven job interviews, and in the next five days I'll do 65 more. Here are a few interview tips:

Arrive in plenty of time to be prepared and on time for the interview. There is nothing wrong with being 30 minutes early. Park somewhere near the interview location if you want to be sure not to be late.
Smile during the interview and let your personality show. No one wants to hire a grump.
Don't cross your arms during the interview--it is bad body language.
Watch what you do with your hands. Being expressive with them is fine, but don't fidget with your ID card, play with your hair, etc.
Short concise answers are best. Plan on a one to two minute response per question.
Practice, practice, practice before the interview. There are common questions you should be prepared to respond to.
Have a few good questions about the job or the organization to ask at the end of the session.

There are of course hundreds more tips that could be added--but these came off the top of my head for what I experienced today.

Dancing with the Stars -- and Getting Hired

2009-11-26T12:15:00.000-08:00

Looking for a job is a full time job in itself. Reading books on job hunting, fine tuning your resume for different jobs can keep you busy along with networking. Remember that you can learn a lot from the most unusual places--watching Dancing with the Stars being one of them.

Here are some lessons to be learned:

It is not always the most talented person that gets hired. Donnie Osmond while good was not the acknowledged leader on the show. Mya had strutted her stuff all season with higher scores. If you are the "expert" it doesn't guarantee you that you will be hired. There are other factors at work. Donnie won!
Like-ability is a huge factor in being selected. Mya had the raw talent and the expertise, but Donnie showed he wanted to win, was excited about the possibility of winning and never gave up. He was persistent. Like-ability also won over talent when Kelly was selected over the more talented swimsuit model. Smile during your interview and show that you have a personality. Only engineers and scientists get hired "just for their expertise."
At one point in the show series Donnie admitted that he was not having fun anymore on the show. Instead of quitting and just getting by, he dug down deep within himself and willed what I call "false enthusiasm" to get through the tough spots before rebounding later in the series. Some days you just have to pick yourself up and be self-motivated.
Mya and her partner had a discussion before the finale on the show about what routine to do. She wanted to "go for it" going all out and doing something that had never been done before. Her partner convinced her to play it safe and do a Broadway Tune. Her dancing was good, but the judges and the public where disappointed in the fact that her dancing was good, but nothing special. They expected more. Donnie on the other had a great routine--going all out. Even Kelly who came in at 3rd place did not hold back and did a routine that was more difficult than her talent level. But she went for it! Lesson: Don't hold back, go for it, don't leave anything on the floor.

Volunteer for Committees and Conferences

2009-11-23T18:55:00.001-08:00

If you are looking for experiences and the ability to meet people and expand your network of people you know--volunteer to help with a professional organization's committees.

That is the easy part. The hard part will be participating and making a positive contribution to the group's efforts. Do the dirty jobs no one wants to do to start out. Be dependable and do what you say you are going to do. The worst thing that could happen is to get a bad reputation out of your volunteer efforts.

Hopefully your work will be noticed and it will provide a positive reference for when it comes time to have people refer you to jobs in the profession.

College or Technical College?

2009-11-12T16:56:00.000-08:00

Just in the past few weeks it has been reinforced for me how important a college degree is to finding employment. Many classes of jobs that only required a high school degree in years past require an AA now, and if your goal is a supervisory position--in many cases you will need a four year degree.

Governing Magazine had a column on What Kind of Training Leads to 21st-Century Jobs?

One of the messages given there is the importance of technical training that normally only comes from community colleges and technical schools. While we are transitioning from a manufacturing economy to a service industry based society we still need technicians who understand the systems being designed for the 21st century.

King County Grants Specialist: Closes 11/13/09

2009-11-12T09:14:00.000-08:00

Just in case someone picks up on this since the deadline is tomorrow:

King County OEM Grant Specialist

The Office of Emergency Management administers several grants from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to assist regional emergency management partners in implementing projects to improve regional capabilities to respond effectively to catastrophic disasters and terrorist events. The Grant Specialist will be responsible for assisting in the day-to-day management of these grants to include tracking of projects, grant financial reconciliation, and contract administration. Working closely with the staff Accountant, the Grant Specialist will also review and ensure timely reimbursement of project invoices and will assist in the preparation of the annual Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards (SEFA). This position also provides programmatic technical assistance to subrecipient agencies to ensure compliance with all applicable local, state and federal grant rules and regulations.

Tweet Your Way to a Job

2009-11-11T05:37:00.000-08:00

Besides blogging I'm also on Twitter. My blog postings are automatically carried there--but, they are delayed in being posted.

I came across two different Twitter sites for you to check out.

Tweetajob
TwitterJobSearch

Check them out to help broaden your job search efforts.

Emergency Preparedness Manager - City of Bellevue

2009-10-04T07:06:00.000-07:00

Emergency Preparedness Manager

The City of Bellevue, WA seeks a highly qualified professional to manage the City’s emergency preparedness efforts and to oversee its Emergency Preparedness Division of the Fire Department. This position ensures the strategic objectives and functional requirements are met in the development, maintenance and testing of a comprehensive, all-hazard emergency management program for the City and Bellevue community. Under the direction of the City’s Fire Chief, the Emergency Preparedness Manager will administer the local emergency management program for the City in coordination with the county emergency management program; organize and direct those community services and activities pertinent to the emergency preparedness of the City; assist in training local emergency management personnel; coordinate emergency management functions of the government assigned to emergency management responsibilities; coordinate response to actual disasters, emergencies, the logistics of county/state/federal field teams and survey teams, mitigation requests, and disaster assistance centers; and supervise professional, technical and clerical staff.

Pay range is $6,509 --$8,981 a month.

Survey Says: Government Jobs Desirable

2009-10-03T10:04:00.000-07:00

A Career Builder Survey of 2,900 workers showed:

88% of survey respondents were interested in government jobs
47% said they were interested in state or local government jobs.
21% cited job stability as an attractive part of government jobs.
16% cited training opportunities
13% cited a chance to make a difference

What is your reason for either working for government now, or being interested in working in government?

I always say that if you want to be an emergency manager, you need to be a "true believer" not just think of it as a job.

The survey information above came from American City and County.

Follow-up

2009-09-08T05:59:00.000-07:00

This past weekend I asked an owner of an accounting firm what job tip he would recommend. He said, "Follow-up." People are busy and they have a lot to do with their regular work. Sometimes the hiring process gets stalled for no good reason.

Bill suggested the job candidate follow-up with the firm that is doing the hiring.

Personally I favor handwritten notes following an interview or perhaps a more formal letter is appropriate. It is an easy way to set yourself apart from the other candidates.

Who Gets Hired?

2009-08-21T06:08:00.000-07:00

It would be great if life were fair. Then the most deserving, most talented, best fit person for the job would be the successful candidate. Life is not fair!

This is both bad and good news. It means that you can beat out the best candidate by:

Being more engaging
Networking more
Being persistent in your job search
Working at getting a job vs. just sending out resumes
Being enthusiastic about the job
Knowing more about the company/organization then the other guy
The list can go on!

Life is not fair--use it to your advantage. Out hustle the other candidates!

August 16-Job Hunting Tip of the Week

2009-08-16T08:41:00.000-07:00

Build Your Network with Informational Interviews: It may be that you don’t know anyone in the discipline or profession that you are seeking to enter. One way to build that network and make connections with people in the business is to conduct informational interviews with key people working in the field.

In doing this the telephone is your friend. Ring them up and in a short (under 30 seconds) make your pitch for wanting to meet with them.

SAMPLE: Hello, this is Eric Holdeman, I’m completing my military service and I am in the process of investigating the field of emergency management as a future career path. Would you be available for a 20-30 minute informational interview next ________ at _______ o’clock?

Even better is to say the name of someone who referred you to the person. But, that is a subject for another future “Tip of the Week.”

Job Hunting is a Person to Person Business

2009-08-10T05:58:00.000-07:00

In this Internet age of Monster.com and web resumes the people part of getting hired can get lost in the hubbub of sending out resumes. Your end goal is to be able to meet people face to face. Sometimes the best way to do that is to hand deliver your resume to the potential employer so that they can check you out as a person, and just not a piece of paper.

References

2009-08-02T11:39:00.000-07:00

References are part of any normal hiring process. It is good to line yours up in advance of a potential employers request for references.

Be sure to ask your references if they will "be your reference." I have had a number of calls from employers doing a reference check and the person providing my name did not ask if I would be one for them.

When you do ask someone to be a reference for you be sure to ask, "Is there anything about my abilities, character, or personality that you think is a negative?" You might find it hard to ask that question, but it is better to know the answer up front, than not know what the reference is telling potential employers.

Deputy Director, City of Seattle Office of Emergency Management

2009-07-19T17:00:00.000-07:00

Offer Pending: This would be a great job for someone who already has a strong background in emergency management. Seattle OEM has good political support in the City for EM, a new facility, nationally known director, plenty (by comparison to many) of staff.

DEPUTY DIRECTOR OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT (OEM)

Status:
Full Time ~ Exempt

Filing Dates:
Sunday July 19, 2009 to Tuesday August 11, 2009

Salary:
$37.95 to $56.92 an hour

Location:
Seattle Office of Emergency Management ~ 105 5th Av S, Seattle

Position Duties: The Seattle Police Department is actively searching for an executive professional to join our highly motivated team at the Seattle Office of Emergency Management. This position will develop and promote with the Seattle Office of Emergency Management (OEM) Director all aspects of the city-wide comprehensive emergency management program; Work in partnership with the OEM Director to develop, prioritize, and achieve emergency management goals and objectives; Act on behalf of the Director when she is unavailable; Work with high level officials, including those in elected positions, on a variety of emergency management issues; Assist in developing the OEM budget and oversee the Office’s operating fund; Seek and manage grant funding; Supervise professional staff including management of work assignments and work load; Provide professional development and training opportunities for OEM staff; Engage citizens, interns, students and volunteers in emergency preparedness missions; Write employee performance appraisals and effectively resolve personnel issues; Evaluate various elements of the City’s emergency management program according to established standards as identified in the Emergency Management Accreditation Program; Actively work with members of the Disaster Management Committee to promote emergency management work programs; Ensure that federal, state and local requirements governing emergency management programs are adhered to locally; Coordinate and act as a City advocate for emergency management issues with the federal, state and regional agencies including the drafting of appropriate legislation; Serve as the City’s applicant agent in Presidentially declared disasters for recovery reimbursement and hazard mitigation grant funding; Serve in a leadership role during activations of the City’s Emergency Operations Center by working with all sections including policy, operations, plans, logistics, administration, and the members of the joint information system; Support city-wide participation in disaster response and recovery to other jurisdictions through mutual aid, Emergency Management Assistance Compact, and other resource sharing opportunities; Carry a pager, cell phone and other communications devices 24 hours a day and be available to respond to the EOC when necessary; Ensure that the Staff Duty Officer program is in place 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

How to Apply: Apply online at http://www.seattle.gov/jobs/

Job Hunting Tip

2009-07-18T07:48:00.000-07:00

There are plenty of books on writing resumes. Now with on-line applications being so popular you have to be careful about gimmicks.

For me I like a functional resume. One that combines what you have done in the past by topics such as:

Planning
Organizing
Collaboration
Teamwork

All jobs have these types of elements. If you are a someone looking to change careers it is also the best way to show your transferable skills. Having a list of jobs that you performed and some scope description rounds out the resume, so people have a sense of how you gained the experience you are claiming.

Emergency Management Planner - NYC

2009-06-29T18:11:00.000-07:00

Emergency Management Planner - NYC

Ecology and Environment, Inc. is a fully integrated environmental consulting firm whose underlying philosophy is its worldwide commitment to supporting sustainable development through responsible environmental stewardship. As part of its commitment to building resilient communities, E & E has developed a multifaceted nation-wide emergency management program to assist clients in meeting the emergency management, public health, community security, and environmental planning needs. We are seeking a qualified candidate to support emergency initiatives in our New York City Office.
Responsibilities

Working with regional and national teams to support all phases of emergency management and homeland security planning, including: planning, training and exercises, response implementation and after-action assessments
Serve as technical resource for project implementation with some task-level management functions
Coordinate logistics for and supporting client meetings, meetings with program partners, and outreach events.
Support the development of proposals, marketing materials, and other related products.
Work in team environment for the design of plans, training, exercise and other program support efforts.

Requirements
· BS/MS in emergency management, public administration, urban planning or a related field
· 2-5 years related experience
· Knowledge of OSHA standards including NFPA 1600, NRF, CPG-101, and HAZWOPER, CIMS is preferred
· Experience in creating standard documents such as Comprehensive Emergency Management Plans, Incident Action Plans, and exercise documentation (ExPlans, handbooks, EEGs, etc)
· Completion of FEMA EMI IS-100, 200, 700, 800 and the Professional Development Series is preferred.
· Willingness to work odd hours in support of emergencies and disasters
· Excellent written and oral communication and computer skills
· Some travel should be expected.

E & E offers opportunities for growth in a team-oriented environment, competitive benefits package; including medical, dental, 401k and retirement plan. Please view our website at www.ene.com to apply on-line. Join our team and make a difference

Job Hunting Tip

2009-06-27T09:31:00.000-07:00

The phone is your friend. Let your fingers do the walking. While it might feel scary calling someone who doesn't know you, how scary is being unemployed?

Most people like to help other people. Let them help you by calling them and making that connection. Networking and relationships is what it is all about.

Watch for more tips coming in the future.