Honolulu Star-Bulletin Business Briefs /2005/09/19/

[ FAST FACTS HAWAII ]

Job fair tomorrow at Blaisdell Center

Job seekers who have a spare $2 might want to attend tomorrow's large job fair at Neal Blaisdell Center, where more than 160 businesses and government agencies will have booths with information about jobs they have to offer. Students with a valid ID can get in for $1.

Called Job Quest, the event will run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and feature recruiters for jobs ranging from entry-level to management positions.

Beth Busch, Job Quest executive director, said the current job market has produced a large employer turnout for the fair and additional companies have been signing up daily. She said that by tomorrow there could be up to 200 exhibitors at the event.

The fair is sponsored by Oahu WorkLinks, Altres Staffing and Success Advertising. For more information, call 536-7222 or go online to www.successhi.com

Get the most out of your 401(k)

Plenty of people pile some income into a 401(k) plan through work, and then essentially forget about it. Out of sight, out of spending range, right?

The trouble is, these funds might not be doing all they could or should to help fortify your retirement security. Scott Revare, chief executive of Smart401(k) LLC, an Overland Park, Kan.-based Web site, has a few tips for research you ought to do on your company's plan:

» Check for a self-directed brokerage account option. For those that have the expertise or access to an adviser to help select funds, this can provide an opportunity to maximize returns.
» Use any "auto-rebalance" option. Periodically, you need to rebalance your investment percentages to keep them from skewing toward any one asset class. Many plans now offer to do this for you each quarter.
» Review new fund options. Well-run plans review their fund roster periodically and will dump any underperforming funds. Check into whether your company has done this and what new investments might be on offer.
» Seize any education or advisory options. Not only do your investments come with prospectuses, most 401(k) providers have abundant online offerings for novice investors. Investigate them and ask whether your company plans, or would plan, any sort of financial education seminars or classes.

Don't forget to give thanks

Your resume sparkles, the interview went well and the company said they'd be in touch. All done for now, right?

Nope. You forgot to send the thank-you note to all those folks who just interviewed you -- a potential kiss of death to your employment prospects, according to a survey of 650 hiring managers by CareerBuilder.com.

Nearly 15 percent of those said they would not hire a candidate who did not follow up with a thanks, and 32 percent said they'd think less of the person who did not write.

What do these look like?

» Three paragraphs only. First: thank you. Second: Sell again with a reminder of your qualifications. Third: Affirm your interest in the job.
» Be specific. Generic correspondence is a bad idea. Tailor your note to the job and relationship you've developed with the person filling the position.
» Fill in blanks. The note of thanks allows you an exquisite opportunity to add any details or skills you forgot in the interview, and you can also attempt to ease any reservations you heard from them.