Employ Me Today

How To Overcome The 2 Biggest Enemies In A Job Search

2009-12-08T13:21:00.000-08:00

by Brad Remillard

The Beatles once sang, "all you need is love." In life this is true and it certainly helps during a job search, but it is not all you need. However, tough love is a good start.

A job search is tough. Few candidates are prepared for what happens in a job search. Few have had any formal training. Some will get help with their resume. Some will reach out to friends and family for guidance, but there is a whole lot more to a job search than the tactics and mechanics of the resume, networking and interviewing.

There are two enemies in most job searches that rarely get discussed. One candidates have to deal with, and few are prepared to handle is, "TIME." Many enter unemployment totally unprepared for the length of time a job search takes and how slow and long the hiring process is. They have one time frame and the company has a completely different set of priorities and time frame.

The other biggest enemy is, "themselves." As time passes and frustration sets in they start questioning themselves and their abilities. The have also gone through all the contacts in their network, have been doing the same thing over and over again for months with little results, and they are burned out. Now what?

The best thing you can do for yourself at this point is get what we refer to as an accountability partner. Accountability is something as adults we hate. That is why most can't wait to become adults. We all want to get away from this word. We want to do what we want, when we want, how we want and without anyone holding us accountable. Fine for life, but not a good thing in a job search.

An accountability partner needs to be selected very carefully. They need to be someone you respect and trust. Someone blunt and direct, who will tell it like it is, especially when you don't want to hear it. They should not be a friend or family member.

This is where the tough love enters the picture.

A good accountability partner will help you. They are not here to become your friend or buddy. Get a dog if that is what you are seeking. Their job is to encourage you when you're down and motivate you when you just don't want to go to another networking meeting or send another resume. Their job is to kick you (figuratively not literally) in the appropriate place when encouragement and motivation don't work as well as hoped. A good accountability partner knows the right buttons to push and when to push them.

They must be a person you can open up with about your job search and what is happening to you on the inside and even in your personal life. They are someone who will empathize with you, console you, feel your pain, be understanding, compassionate, never hit you when you're down, but instead picks you up, dusts you off and when all of this is completed, kicks you in the appropriate place and gets you going again.

A good accountability partner will listen to you. They will know the differences between an excuse and a real obstacle. They may be able to provide some resources to help you out when you are stalled. They won't accept excuses. They will listen to them and then kick you in the appropriate place and get you back on track.

A good accountability partner is somewhat like a good drill sergeant in the military. You hate them while you are in boot camp, but you also know that they have your best interests in mind for the upcoming battle. They are successful if, at the end of the battle, you look back and say, "Thanks, you really helped me get through this." Oh, you may still hate them, but you surely respect them.

They may or may not end up being your friend. That isn't important. What is important is that you want to refer them to every person you meet in-transition.

Finding an accountability partner (even if you have to pay one) willing to give you "TOUGH LOVE" during your search may be the best thing you do for your job search, yourself and your family.

Seven Tips for Jump Starting a Stalled Job Search

2009-11-23T15:06:00.000-08:00

by Roxanne Ravenel

A growing number of jobseekers find themselves in the midst of a long-term job search. According to Bureau of Labor Statistics, the U.S. jobless rate soared to a four-year high of 5.7% in July 2008 and the average job search took more than four months to net results. However, some critics would put this number and the number of the unemployed much higher.

Helen Kooiman, author of Suddenly Unemployed asserts, "[S]uch statistics are inaccurate indicators. They do not include those whose unemployment benefits have run out or those who don't qualify for unemployment... Such statistics also do not count welfare recipients, temps (who cannot be counted as fully employed), or others who eke out a living on so-called self-employment." Neither do such reports include what the Bureau of Labor Statistics terms "discouraged workers" or those who "were not currently looking for work specifically because they believed no jobs were available for them." Their figures reached 461,000 in July.

A long-term job search can put a tremendous financial and emotional strain on a job hunter. "It's been a demoralizing experience and it's been very difficult budgetwise. I'm a single mother," Kay Marie King says, a former non-profit executive with a wealth of experience that is currently involved in an ongoing job search. So, what can you do when weeks of a fruitless job search quickly turns to months? Here are seven tips for jump starting a stalled job search:

Tip One: Don't be so quick to blame everything on the economy (your region, your industry, etc.)

These issues certainly play a role in the current job market. However, it is easy to fixate on such factors and completely discount factors which we personally control. The next six tips cover areas that long-term jobseekers do well to revisit to jump start a stalled job search. Why is this so important? I am reminded of a woman I once interviewed that looked great on paper, but during the interview she had an incredibly offensive body odor. She remarked that she'd been on several interviews but she was "overqualified" for every position. It was a classic case of the problem (or her perception of what the problem was) not really being the problem. While most jobseekers don't have such an obvious issue, each one would still do well to take a long look in the mirror.

Tip Two: Conduct a candid self-assessment.

Look at yourself from the perspective of the potential employer. Compare your experience and qualifications to those typically required of someone in your target position. How do your skills and experience match up? Think of creative ways to to fill skill gaps and gain experience.

Tip Three: Re-examine your target position or industry.

Are you searching for work in a waning industry or oversaturated field? Is your desired position readily available in your selected geographic area? Being open to relocation may improve your chances. Can you apply your knowledge and skills to an industry that is experiencing growth?

Tip Four: Rethink your current job search.

What job search strategies are you currently using? If you are concentrating your efforts on strategies that are typically the least effective (like online job boards and newspaper ads) your job search will take much longer to yield results. Consider incorporating job search strategies that yield higher results, like networking and direct targeted mailing campaigns.

Tip Five: Re-evaluate the way you are communicating your message verbally and in print.

Communicating your message to potential employers in a clear and compelling manner is critical to job search success. Re-examine your resume. Does it communicate your value to employers by addressing how your skills and experience will meet the employer's specific needs? Practice communicating your value in response to typical interview questions, including, "Tell me about yourself."

Tip Six: Maintain your intensity level and a positive outlook.

It is easy to become discouraged over the course of a lengthy job search. Keep a positive outlook and maintain a high-level of focus and intensity throughout your job search for quicker results. Taking a systematic approach to your job search will help you to stay organized and on track during your job search. Yet, it is important to pursue other interests during your job search. Enjoy spending time with friends and family. Renew your interest in a hobby. Tackle a project you wouldn't have time to if you were working. Spending time in other pursuits provides a much-needed reprieve from the stress of a job search. You'll be energized and ready for the next leg of your job search.

Tip Seven: Build a solid support system.

If a self-guided job search has netted limited results; consider working with a career or job search coach. Your coach will help you identify any problem areas and offer suggestions for improvement. Another option is to join a local or online job search club. If a coach or job search club isn't available try building your own support network. Enlist the help of family and friends or connect with other job hunters. Taking a team approach to your job search provides an opportunity for constructive feedback, a fresh perspective, ongoing encouragement, and added accountability.

Try applying the tips above to jump start a stalled job search. Learn more about conducting a Simply Successful Job Search by visiting Indeed Jobs

Five Mistakes That Can Derail Your Job Search

2009-11-17T10:36:00.000-08:00

by: Ruth Anderson

No matter how much time and energy you invest in job seeking, critical mistakes can derail your efforts. Consider the following job search scenario. Each of the mistakes described below can put your job search off track, but all are easy to avoid.

Mistake #1: Starting with a Handicap

Your job search is underway. Time to get out your resume, dust it off, and add your most recent experience… Right?

Wrong. A strong job search starts with strategizing, and a strong resume should be the vehicle to put your strategy into action. It isn't enough to dust off an old resume – you need a revised resume that is tailored to a specific position and a specific employer.

Ask yourself… What are the top needs and preferences of this employer? How can you address the employer’s needs with specific information about your experience, strengths, and accomplishments? And how can you structure your resume to convey this key information in a quick, 30-second scan?

To avoid mistake #1, assume that your resume is much more than a personal history that simply needs a little updating. Start with a strategy, and rewrite your resume so that it speaks directly to the interests and concerns of the employer who will read it.

Mistake #2: Sending Less-Than-Your-Best

Your resume is done, and you’ve written a cover letter to accompany it. Now you’re ready to drop both in the mail in response to a job ad that especially interests you… Right?

Wrong. Have you first made very sure that you’re not sending out less than your best? Many job seekers fail to realize that both the resume and the cover letter are seen as examples of the quality of their work.

This means that all aspects of overall quality are important – including spelling, grammar, visual layout, organization, and clarity of writing. Errors will stand out like a flashing red light, and anything that makes the resume and cover letter difficult to follow may cause them to be tossed aside.

To avoid mistake #2, follow this rule of thumb: Have at least two other people read both your resume and cover letter before you send them out. Tell them your job-search strategy so that they know what you want to communicate to the employer.

Mistake #3: Cyber-Regrets

The employer has called for an interview! In addition, he’s asked that you e-mail a copy of your resume to another person in the company. That's easy – a quick note with a Word attachment… Right?

Wrong. A casual approach to the computer world can lead to embarrassing mistakes. Regrettably, e-mails usually can't be called back after clicking on the "send" button.

As before, avoid mistake #3 by treating any letter as both an opportunity to convey your qualifications and a sample of your writing. Avoid common e-mail shorthand and short, terse paragraphs – the former can come across as "unprofessional" and the latter as impersonal.

Finally, to be on the safe side, print out your e-mail and attachment to make sure that all looks well in hard copy. Then send the e-mail to at least one other person, and ask them to review both its content and appearance.

Mistake #4: The Missed Opportunity

You’ve prepared for your interview and thought over all the answers you may have to supply. There's not much more you can do… Right?

Wrong. Chances are that at some point in the interview the employer will turn the tables and say: "Do you have any questions?" If you respond by saying "no" or by turning to practical details ("What is your benefits package?"), this will be a missed opportunity.

To avoid mistake #4, think of several questions beforehand – questions that speak directly to the responsibilities and challenges of the job itself. Employers want to know how you think and what you would be like to work with; your questions are an opportunity to show that you can take on the challenges of the job in a constructive way.

Mistake #5: Letting the Ball Drop

You had a strong interview, and you're waiting to hear whether you got the job. At least now you can take a breather while you wait… Right?

Wrong. Until you have a job offer, assume that it's up to you to keep the ball in the air. First and foremost, send a thank-you letter to each person who interviewed you, making reference to one or more things that were discussed.

Second, follow up at regular Intervals to indicate your continued interest and keep your prospects alive. It’s tempting to hang back so that you “won’t be a bother” – but the job seeker who lets the ball drop may lose out to the one who is politely and persistently enthusiastic.

Need to post a job? Save 35% with Yahoo! HotJobs - Coupon Code: HJSS35 Expires 11/30

2009-11-03T18:08:00.000-08:00

Save 35% with Yahoo! HotJobs - Coupon Code: HJSS35

When the Job Search is Over, be Sure to Say Thanks

2009-10-30T10:06:00.000-07:00

by: Heather Eagar

Using a job acceptance letter when offered a position shows true professionalism. It is a way of saying “thank you” to the person who hired you, and giving them assurance that they made the right decision. You have presented yourself to them as a professional with your resume, cover letter, reference sheet, salary history, letters of recommendation, follow up note, and any other personal marketing materials you’ve used while job hunting. You went out of your way to make sure that the interview went well, and probably did your homework on the company before going in for that first interview. Now using a job acceptance letter will be a capstone on all your work, and perfect the positive professional image you’ve tried to convey throughout the job search and hiring process.

Of course, if you’ve never written one before you may have questions as to what it should contain and how it should look. Here are the basics: it should be on the same paper your resume and cover letter were on, preferably a light gray or ivory linen, laid, or parchment paper or one of the new sandstone papers. It should have a letterhead that matches the other personal marketing materials you’ve used. It should be personally addressed to the decision maker who hired you. The job acceptance letter should also be placed in either a matching business sized envelope, or a large white envelope to avoid folding, and should be personally addressed. If your own handwriting isn’t very legible, print the address, or have a friend with great handwriting address it for you.

It should also be short. Show that you respect the hiring manager’s time by being direct, while still polite. You can say everything you need to say in two or three paragraphs which are quick to read. When writing the job acceptance letter be straightforward and professional. Let the hiring manager know that you are looking forward to being a part of the team at your new company. Let him or her know that you appreciate the opportunity and will do your best. Let the decision maker know that you are aware of any special conditions of the job offer, and will adhere to them. That will avoid any misunderstandings down the road. Also make sure that the job acceptance letter states that you understand the starting date of your employment with this new organization, and assure the hiring manager that you will be there on the specified date, and time, ready to get busy. Sign it using blue ink in your pen so that they know it is not a photo copy, and hand deliver it to the decision maker’s administrative assistance. In this manner you will show yourself to be a true professional, and someone they will want to work with in the future.

4 Steps to Launching a $100K+ Executive Level Job Search Campaign That Gets You Hired in a Recession

2009-10-30T10:04:00.000-07:00

by: Karen Armon

Joy Andrews lost her position as a $100K+ executive about three months ago. Devastated, Joy took some time off to clear her head and get ready for her executive level job search campaign. But now, months later, she hasn't had many interviews and prospects are bleak. Her question to me was, "What can I do to get myself to get more interviews and get hired faster?"

In this article, I am going to give you four critical steps you must take if you want to find that $100K+ job and get hired during a recession.

Step #1 – Get organized

I am constantly amazed how executives who were driven and forceful in their jobs become lost in how to start their $100K+ executive job search. Getting organized includes these elements:

1. Treat your job search as a full time job. Totally dedicate your time to finding a job. Inform your family that your full-time job is to find a full-time job and nothing else!

2. Act as if your job search was a product or service launch. Plan your executive level job search campaign. Don't wing it. Organize your activities in a project plan and measure yourself against your milestones and sub-goals.

3. Start your day just like you would if you were employed. Did you start your day at 7:00am and end it at 6:00pm? Then do the same for your job search.

4. Create goals for every day and every event. Get a daily goal and meet it. Develop your networking goals for each event and stay until you achieve them.

Step #2 – Get help

For many, getting help is equivalent to going to the dentist. But getting help is the smartest thing to kick-start your executive level job search campaign. Getting help includes:

1. Ask for a review of your resume. There are many services available to review your resume for free. Better yet, pay an expert to write your resume.

2. Learn from the experts. There are many experts out there that write articles like this one. Many experts also have website tools that are available for free downloads. For example, I have a free eBook at: http://www.marketyourpotential.com/ebook.asp. Take advantage of these resources.

3. Get a career coach. For executives who earn more than $100K+, getting advice for your particular situation is a wise investment Make sure, however, that your coach teaches you how to fish, not just fishes for you.

4. Get a support group. When you launch a job search campaign when the headlines are awful, being upbeat and positive is extremely difficult. Get a small group of business associates and friends who can help you during this time.

Step #3 – Get real

Just a short while ago, executives could expect to find a new position in about 90 to 120 days. Now, realistically, it can take upwards of 8 to 10 months. Getting real includes:

1. Do what it takes to survive a 10-month search. Expecting your search to go faster and not preparing for the long haul is just nuts. Reduce your expenses to just what is necessary and cut back.

2. Invest in your career. Now is the time to invest in your career and not try to "do-it-yourself." Investments include coaching, books, tools, events, memberships, and travel to targeted cities.

3. Develop quantitative benchmarks and metrics. Analyze your job search results and measure them against standards. When you do this, you'll be able to improve along the way which guarantees results faster.

4. Design qualitative feedback loops. Behaviors are qualitative and you can "measure" reactions to your oral and written pitch. Their reaction is a qualitative feedback loop that you can automatically gauge.

Step #4 – Get Clear

Getting a message that is clear and succinct takes work. And trying to figure out what you want next is also hard. Getting clear includes:

1. Do extensive research on target companies and industries. The Internet has a wealth of information. My recommendation is to conduct research at least 1 hour per day – above and beyond job posting searches.

2. Test your messages within networking groups. Take someone out for coffee. Try out your verbal pitch, and get their feedback. I tell my clients that they should attend at least 2 different networking groups a week during their job search campaign.

3. Know what's happening around you. Know what's happening around the globe. Integrate current affairs into your oral and written pitch and show how you can address the issues of the day.

4. Stay focused and determined. Persistence is the key to finding a $100K+ executive level position during an economic downturn. Direction is the result and movement in your job search is guaranteed.

Speaking the “Language” of Employers: How to Get Heard

2009-10-28T11:56:00.000-07:00

by: Lisa Jordan

One of the primary roles of a workforce development provider is building strong relationships with employers. Fundamental to this role is language; you must be able to communicate with your employers using terminology they understand and appreciate.

Language does not just represent concepts and ideas; it represents an attitude and predisposition to doing things. Notice that when you shift to an accepted form of communication, meaning, as well as the general tone of a conversation, changes. In the same vein, non-profit and business language can be worlds apart in what they suggest and mean. To effectively work with employers, you must exert the effort to get into their mindset. You can do this by using widely accepted business language.

The following are tips to consider when using business language:

Stay Away From Non-Profit Jargon.

Providers from the non-profit sector often have a set of jargon specific to their field. Terms like ‘stakeholder relations’, ‘multi-systemic impact’ and ‘trickle-down effect’ are phrases that are commonplace. For an employer, however, these terms may be too technical and rather academic. If you use jargons when communicating with your employer, you might come across as elitist and exclusionary --- even if you don’t mean to.

As much as you can, use an easy conversational style that gets your point across. Employers are generally practical people; they don’t typically deal with theories and abstract principles as part of their daily grind. If you can speak in such a way that a lay person can picture what you mean, then go for that approach.

Remember, a term acceptable to you as a service provider may have a different meaning to an employer. For example, the phrase ‘mutually beneficial partnership’ has been found to be acceptable by those in the non-profit industry. However, for those in the business community, it implies unequal balance or having to give up too much to participate in the program. A better word to use is just ‘partnership.’ The term connotes good for both parties, and communicates a win-win situation.

If you must use jargons, why not learn some of the business world’s own? Maybe you can better get your points if you use terms your employers would appreciate. Terms like ‘return on investment’ and ‘customer relations’ can be used to package workforce development programs.

Avoid Acronyms

Almost every sector, whether profit or non-profit, use acronyms. But, once you’re in the habit of using acronyms, it’s easy to forget that outside of one’s group, these acronyms may not be understood. Worse, they may have a totally different meaning!

For example, CDC for non-profit organizations stands for Community Development Corporation. But, employers don’t know this. Likely the first thing they’d think about is the Center for Disease Control!

To be safe, just say the term in full and then state that henceforth, when you use such acronym, that term is what you’re referring to. It’s better to anticipate misunderstandings rather than have an entire conversation not realizing you’re not being understood!

Use Concrete Terms Rather Than the Abstract

Here is a major difference in how a non-profit and profit organization communicate. Non-profits tend to find non-measurable results as an acceptable goal for a project. For example, it’s not unusual for a non-profit program to have ‘increasing workforce diversity’ or ‘advocating social change’ as general goals. An employer would most likely find these terms too vague. Speak in concrete terms that focus on what you can do in the here and now. Stick to the measurable deliverables.

Practice, Practice, Practice

The good news is, the more that you practice communicating, the better you will become and the easier it will be for you. Communication is crucial when working to become effective in your role. This makes it imperative that you be at the top of your game at all times. Spend some time practicing with colleagues and work to establish a large volume of employer meetings to improve your communication skills over time.

About The Author
Lisa Jordan is a disability and workforce development expert. Lisa uses her keen ability to identify challenges and develop solutions so that workforce development professionals can increase their comfort level, productivity and effectiveness when working with a diverse clientele. Download Lisa’s Special Report on 5 Easy Disability Tips to Immediately Increase Agency Accessibility by visiting http://www.human-solutions.net

Why Tackling Big Tasks Doesn’t Have to Be a Big Deal

2009-10-28T11:47:00.000-07:00

by: Luc Reid
Some of the tasks that are hardest to get ourselves to do are the big, overwhelming ones like cleaning out a junk room or garage, doing a full-scale edit on a novel, or organizing papers or files. Often we think about these kinds of tasks as requiring one big push, a big chunk of time that we imagine will be available sooner or later.

That kind of approach to a task can work out badly in at least two ways. First, a task that we think of like that may never get done. Second, even if we do accomplish the task, before long we may find things quickly getting back to the same situation we were in originally. When these kinds of problems rear their ugly heads, it’s time to think about breaking the big tasks down, not only into smaller pieces, but into habits.

What I mean about breaking a task down into a habit is looking at what kind of regular behavior can make the problem go away permanently. For example, regardless of whether older papers are filed or not, if new papers keep piling up, there will always be something out of order, and more often than not it will be a big stack (or three, or twelve …). This kind of situation calls for adopting a new habit, possibly even a new rule, about how new paper is handled, regardless of the old stuff. The new habit can be based on an event (for example, every time a new paper comes into the office that isn’t actively in use, it gets recycled or filed) or on a schedule (for instance, all papers get filed every Thursday morning).

Notice that this new habit doesn’t require old problems to be taken care of before it comes into play. It’s easier to be motivated when no old problems are looming, but not letting a problem get worse is still a meaningful and relieving change from ever-renewing chaos.

New habits can even help take care of old problems. For instance, with filing the new habit might be to file each new thing as it comes in along with at least one old paper. In this way, the filing gets done slowly but also fairly painlessly, and it reinforces the value of the new habit. What’s more, doing a little bit of a task that used to seem huge and unmanageable can be very freeing and empowering, often supplying the necessary motivation to get a lot more of it done.

Alternatively, old problems can be handled in small chunks separately from new habits. For instance, you might tackle a junk room or a filing job just 15 minutes at a time whenever you have a free moment.

Regardless, clearing the old problem away can be enormously freeing in terms of the pressure it relieves. Strangely enough, under the right circumstances taking care of something you’ve been avoiding and perhaps even been a little fearful of can be powerfully enjoyable, if you can push past the initial jitters and focus on the progress you’re making and not the problems you may have had in the past.

About The Author
Luc Reid is a writer living in Vermont with his 12-year-old son. he has been reading, researching, and writing about cognitive psychology, positive psychology, strengths psychology, nonviolent communication, cooperative living, consensus decision-making, and other topics having to do with personal and community growth for about ten years now. His practical articles on the psychology of self-motivation and willpower appear three times a week at http://www.willpowerengine.com . (c) 2009 by Luc Reid. Willpower Engine articles are free to copy under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

Career Transition: How to Get Back in the Game After Losing Your Job

2009-10-26T07:59:00.001-07:00

Whether you are laid off, let go, or your company has closed its doors, the new buzz phrase is that you are in "job or career transition." The good news is that being in transition is much more positive and powerful than simply being unemployed. Unfortunately, many people in transition are feeling anything but positive and powerful.

Losing one's job brings up feelings of grief, fear, and many times anger. You may feel like you lost your identity when you lost your title. Even if you did not enjoy your position, when someone else makes the decision that you are to leave, you cannot help but experience rejection. Realistically though, you do not have the luxury to remain feeling dejected and rejected because it will take confidence and feeling competent to get that next career opportunity.

The following are some ways of maintaining your self-confidence during transition and some helpful tips to remind you that you lost your job, not yourself:

Expect and accept negative feelings. When we experience negative emotions like sadness, frustration, and hopelessness we either try to put those feelings out of our mind, or let them take over so that we feel engulfed by them and powerless against them. These and other negative feelings are normal during job transition. Rather than waste energy fighting back negative feelings, let the feelings roll over you; but choose not to dwell in them. After all, they are feelings not facts. Of course you can feel sad about what was but you can also feel excitement for what is to be.

Form a Board of Advisors. Now, more than any other time, you need to take pride in your accomplishments and feel good about your strengths. Most of us are not used to listing our strengths and successes. We find it much easier to see our mistakes and failures. Your board of advisors can be friends or people you have worked with who appreciate you and your gifts. Call a meeting of your "board" and ask for their help in identifying your strengths and successes.

Change negative thoughts into positive affirmations. It is natural to question yourself during job transition. It is easy to blame yourself for not being important enough or vital enough to keep your job. That pink slip may have had your name on it but it said nothing about your value. Therefore, when your mind wanders to thinking that you were not good enough, smart enough, or valuable enough, reframe those negative cognitions to more positive thoughts.

A good way to do this is to take the strength words identified by your "board" and write each on a different index card preceded by the words, "I am." Do the same with the successes starting each card with the words, "I accomplished." Post the cards around your house so that you have a constant reminder that you are not that poor "loser" that does not have a job but a vibrant, successful, capable person that any employer would be lucky to get. Keep a duplicate set of cards in your handbag and take them to job interviews. Read each one out loud before getting out of your car.

Take advantage of your time off. Just like it is difficult to stay focused on one project for hours at a time, it will be difficult to focus on your job search all day, every day. Treat this time of transition as a gift. Establish the number of hours you can be effective each day in job search. Use the other hours in the day to do things you never had time to do when you were working full-time.

Volunteering for an agency or cause close to your heart is a good way to spend that time. It can be multi-purposed; you get to use your gifts to help out others, you have an "in your face" reminder of your competency, AND, you never can tell when you could be "discovered" by a fellow volunteer and receive a referral for a job that fits your talents.

Job transition can be a confusing, emotional, and challenging time. It is important that you take control of the things that you can and let go of those you cannot. It is also important to be aware that during challenging times, people often become depressed or use unhealthy behaviors to lessen their pain. If you feel that you are struggling more than you think is normal, consult with your family doctor, a member of the clergy, a therapist, or a trusted friend. You are not alone and do not have to do this by yourself.

Quick Tips for Maintaining Self-Confidence during Job Transition

Keep a regular schedule - get up as if you were going to work, shower, dress and be ready to start your day

Practice healthy routines - now is the time to pay attention to a healthy diet, regular aerobic exercise, and getting enough sleep

Use stress management tools daily - whether it is yoga, breathing, imagery, or positive self-talk, make sure you are managing your stress

Avoid isolation - stay in touch with friends and family even if you feel like hiding out at home

Stay in the moment - avoid the "what if's" of the past or the future by taking control of what is happening today

Connect with your spirituality - spiritual or religious beliefs help center us, even being outside in the natural environment puts things in perspective

Find ways to laugh every day - even if nothing seems funny you can "fake it until you make it" by watching funny movies, reading humorous books, or even viewing silly videos on the internet.

Like what you see? Digg or ReTweet your favorite Employ Me Today! posts.

2009-10-25T16:13:00.000-07:00

If you have found our articles, tweets or job postings useful...let others know! There are many ways you can do this. We've listed a few below:

Digg
This one is the easiest. At the bottom of each post, there is a button which will send you to Digg.com where you can share the posting with people all over the world. Can you Digg it?

Facebook
You can also become our Fan on Facebook! Simply follow this link, and Become a Fan!

Twitter
If you are following us on Twitter, please Retweet anything you find worthwhile. We'd like to think that our site is a site friends tell friends about. So tell your friends about us (@employmetoday).

How To Bounce Back From Job Interview Rejection

2009-10-25T16:08:00.001-07:00

Handling job interview rejection. You've had your job interview, you're checking your emails, the post box and your phone. Then it comes through - "Dear John, we regret to inform you ..." - the polite rejection. This is not what you expected, you know you're the right candidate for this job.

Job rejection shock is a hard fact of life. It doesn't matter how good a candidate you are, one or more rejections are inevitable. Even in good times organizations usually have a number of candidates to choose from and in today's job market supply clearly exceeds demand.

What are your options now? What do you do when facing rejection? Take these simple steps and come away from the experience wiser and better equipped to manage your next job application and interview.

Contact the employer immediately

Phone or email and ask politely for constructive feedback. Ask questions like, "Where did I fall short of the requirements?", "Can you give me some advice that will help me with any future applications?" Avoid sounding defensive but rather focus on the future and suggest to the company that they can assist you by providing you with honest feedback. Listen carefully to their answers, thank them for their time and input and make good use of their advice.

Conduct an audit of your job interview keeping their feedback in mind. Ask yourself these questions:

Did I do my homework ?

Did you find out sufficient information beforehand about the organization and the job. Did you know all about the job you were interviewing for - the tasks, responsibilities, skills and abilities it involved?. How much detail did you have on the organization? Did you know your strengths, weaknesses, selling points, suitability? Was the position a good fit with your skills and abilities?

Did I make a good first impression?

First impressions are critically important in job interviews as they set the tone for the rest of the interview. Did you arrive on time? Were you appropriately dressed? When you saw how the company employees were dressed did you feel comfortable with what you were wearing? Did you greet the interviewer with a firm handshake and use the correct name?

Did I listen carefully and answer questions appropriately?

Were you clear about what the interviewer was asking you? Did you respond with the relevant information? Did the interviewer have to repeat the question to get the information he or she wanted? Were your responses fluent and well organized or did you stumble over your answers? Did you get the job interview questions you expected or were you taken by surprise?

Did I show my enthusiasm for the position?

Did you use positive words and project a positive message with your body language? Did you display confidence in your ability to do the job or were you nervous and unsure? Alternatively were you too pushy and dominated the discussion?

Did I have informed and relevant questions to ask the interviewer?

Did you prepare good and insightful questions to ask about the company, the job, the management and the industry? Were your questions based on solid information you had gathered during your interview preparation or did you quickly think up something to ask when the interviewer said, "Do you have any questions?"

Did I have the right documentation with me?

Did you have a portfolio with you that included references, work samples, extra copies of your resume? When the interviewer asked for a document were you able to produce it?

Did I close the interview and follow up appropriately?

Job interview rejection can be the result of the final minutes of the interview. Had you addressed all the interviewer's concerns before leaving? Did you restate your interest in the position and close with an expression of appreciation for the interview opportunity? Did you follow up with a thank you letter within 24 hours of the job interview?

Thinking through your job application and interview in a constructive and proactive way will allow you to work through your disappointment at job interview rejection and shift your focus to the next opportunity. Build on what you have learned and try to keep positive. Keep looking for the right opportunity and stay determined. Getting the right job requires dedication, a planned approach and a great deal of focused effort - it's a job in itself! Go through the pre interview checklist to make sure you are properly prepared to make the best impression in your job interview. Persistence, preparation and constant improvement will land you the right job.

How to boost your career with a powerful personal brand strategy

2009-10-23T09:10:00.000-07:00

Want to know how to boost your career with a powerful personal brand strategy? Check out Do IT In Public on the SavvyJobSeeker radio show. Listen to the archived show to find out how you can enter to win a free 3-month Personal PR Plan valued at $9,000.00!

More details can he found here.

Hurry! Offer ends at Midnight EST October 31, 2009. One (1) Winner will be announced and notified by November 2, 2009.

Guarantee Your Job Search Success with These 3 Golden Rules!

2009-10-23T08:53:00.000-07:00

#Jobs #Career

You're reading this because you want to get ahead. And you see job search success or a quality career change as your way to achieve that. Then, doesn't it make sense to do it the right way?

What if I told you that most folks in today's complex marketplace are doing it wrong? As a result they're taking months to accomplish what could be done successfully in a matter of days. To do right by your job search success you need to be guided by three golden rules. Master these and you virtually guarantee your job search success!

Golden Rule #1: No employer will be interested in you if he/she can't be convinced that you can make a real contribution to bottom line or that you can make the employer's job easier. If you fail to communicate that in your interviews, resume and written or spoken messages . . . you're OUT!

The burden is on you to prove you can make a difference. That means you have to research what the organizations goal are and specifically what the hiring decision-maker is looking for. And then be prepared to present specific contributions.

If you think that somehow an employer will figure out what you can do by reading between the lines of your resume or second-guessing your interview presentation . . . well, they don't have the time or interest to do that. Besides, if you can't show how you bring value, there's someone else right behind you who can.

Golden Rule #2: You are in charge of your job search success . . . and only you! If you leave your job search up to chance by using passive, uninvolved strategies you just LOST!

Hoping that posting an electronic resume to a half dozen job search services like Monster.com will get you the job you deserve is worse than wishful thinking. It's delusion! The same applies to answering endless ads or expecting recruiters or agencies to handle everything for you.

Golden Rule # 3: The most valuable assets you have that can guarantee you a speedy and lucrative job search are your CONTACTS. These are people you already know starting with relatives, friends, neighbors, religious leaders, business associates and customers, people you buy things from (like insurance, financial services, contractors, etc.).

However, you can't turn them off by asking them to find you a job. You DO want to ask them for advice by telling them about your career/job change plans and asking them to refer you someone with information about the organizations or individuals you've targeted.

The good news is that is a system that can walk you through the process step-by-step. Follow the system and you can be entertaining a job offer is as little as 14 days!

Job Search Tip: Forget The "Good Old Days!"

2009-10-23T08:50:00.000-07:00

#Jobs #Career

Remember the good old days when a job search meant answering some ads or posting a resume on some job sites or talking to an agency or two. And going on a couple interviews?

There was a time when resumes got answered. Phone calls and emails were returned. An agency or recruiter could be counted on to supply you with plenty of interviews.

Remember when you used to get a call back after an interview. Or there was someone to talk to check on your status. And employers would keep in touch to show they were still interested in you.

DREAM ON!

Those days are gone forever! Welcome to the 21st Century job search marketplace where everything's changed . . . especially since 9/11, Katrina and the roller-coaster economy.

Yet, in spite of everything you've heard, this is the most thrilling job search market we've ever seen! In fact, we've never seen anything like this!

Why? Because if you're in control . . . if you've planned in advance . . . if you've got all your ducks in a row then you're ready for some of the most incredible opportunities in a decade!

But if you're not ready . . . well, take a look at pitfalls that await you:

1. Employers' expectations have changed dramatically. They want someone who knows how to add to their bottom line with examples.

2. There are millions looking for jobs in the world marketplace. You have to stand out from the competition to get ahead.

3. Resumes don't get jobs. No one is going to hire you without meeting you face-to-face.

4. You gotta know how to ask for a job.

5. If you can't negotiate like a pro . . . you're out!

The good news is that there are advanced alternative and non-traditional strategies that can turn you into a winner in a matter of days instead of weeks and months!

A List Of Interview Questions

2009-10-21T20:09:00.000-07:00

If you wish to prepare yourself in advance for the big job interview coming up, why not familiarize yourself with some typical questions used in job interviews?

There are usually two types of questions asked in job interviews. The first set of questions we'll be discussing generally requires objective answers relating to your qualifications and work experience, as well as those that require you to expound on your personality and attitude.

DESCRIBE YOURSELF

It's a very rare occasion that you meet an individual who has experienced going to numerous job interviews and has never been asked to describe themselves. This question is usually asked at the start of the interview and your answer is usually the sole basis for the first impression your interviewer will have of you.

For that very reason, it's important to keep your answer of moderate length - not too short, but not too long either. Just give them a sneak peek of who you are.

EXPLAIN WHY YOU ARE QUALIFIED FOR THE JOB

Naturally, this is the right time to state all the positive things about you that would make you the ideal candidate for the job. Remember not to go overboard however, as that would turn your prospective employer off rather than convince them to hire you.

WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THE COMPANY AND WHY DO YOU WANT TO WORK FOR US?

The answers the interviewer would receive in response to this question will help them recognize which applicants are simply interested in the perquisites of the job (high pay, travel incentives, and so forth) and which ones sincerely desire to work for their company.

WHY DID YOU LEAVE YOUR OLD JOB?

While it's absolutely necessary that you do not lie about anything related to your previous employment; it's better, however, not to draw too much attention to anything which may make you look like an undesirable candidate for the job. If you're suddenly confronted with an unpleasant truth - showing that the interviewer has done a thorough research on your work background - just try to be as candid as you can whenever you reply to your interviewer's questions.

The second type of questions are mainly situational and let the interviewer know how you'd normally react under different circumstances. It lets the company know, for instance, how good you are at managing people, handling pressure, and interacting with clients.

DESCRIBE YOUR COPING TECHNIQUES WHEN ASKED TO DEAL WITH HIGHLY STRESSFUL SITUATIONS

The best way to answer this question is offering a specific situation where you were indeed able to cope successfully in spite of a stressful atmosphere. Explain about the factors that contributed to such an atmosphere then move on to the coping techniques you employed to keep your head clear and focused.

ARE YOU GOAL-ORIENTED?

Naturally, your answer must be YES. And to make your answer thorough and compelling, look back to your past once more and specify the most difficult goal that you were able to achieve and what you did to make that possible.

HOW DO YOU TYPICALLY DEAL WITH CONFLICTS?

People have different ways of dealing with conflicts. Whatever your answer is, it's imperative that you can show yet another past situation where your method was able to successfully diffuse tension and resolve differences.

GIVE US AN EXAMPLE OF A SITUATION WHEN YOU FAILED TO ATTAIN YOUR OBJECTIVE

No matter what experience you have in this area, it's imperative that you stress how you got back on your feet and refused to let failure hamper you from trying again!

GIVE US AN EXAMPLE OF A TIME YOU TOOK INITIATIVE AND ITS OUTCOME

This is a very important question especially if you're applying for a position of authority such as one at the managerial or executive level. Your answer must clearly emphasize your competency in leading.

This list offers some of the basic types of interview questions you will encounter. Be certain to prepare yourself, and don't go into an interview cold.

5 Types Of Bosses and How To Deal With Them

2009-10-21T20:07:00.000-07:00

Every employee may have one grievance - an impossible or eccentric boss! They have, somehow, become common factors in grumbling employees' lives. But dealing with them is a professional necessity and it is essential to understand that although they have a common thread joining them together, there are different specialty traits to their eccentric natures.

There are as many types of human characters as there are people and bosses are no exception. Below are some techniques and strategies to deal with them so that your employment is not in danger:

Dealing with Eccentric Bosses

While dealing with bosses it is better that you know that some of the eccentric traits may have brought him to where he is now.

1. The Shouting Boss: The psychology of shouting bosses is that they can get the things done only by shouting. They don't mind shouting at anyone, anywhere. Although shouting is a sign of impatience, it is also because they want to be recognized on the spot. Satisfying their ego by listening to them calms them down. Further, executing their instructions will get them your respect.

2. The Scheming Boss: He is the most dangerous of them all, always plotting to fire one person or the other. They are highly manipulative while being extremely intelligent, highly motivated and focused. His way to the top is through firing workers which he says is benefiting the company; in reality he is worried about protecting himself and his position. Being honest and acting with extreme care is the best policy when dealing with this type of boss.

3. The Just-A-Minute Boss: He is an impatient man but not rude. He wants everything to be done on the fly. He has many things in his head while talking to you and so may be unable to grasp anything you said. The next day he may surprise you with a 'you-didn't-tell-me-this'. These types hardly complete any tasks, so be prepared for big workloads at anytime. Keeping evidence of your communications (possibly through emails), or completing the communication/task on the spot is better.

4. The Bumbling Boss: This junk head is trying to hide his inadequacies behind big talk and other diversions. Although he is rather harmless, he is neither a good leader nor an inspiring one. Just because he has reached a higher position above you, he might also get a sense of false prestige. Occasionally showing his mistakes in disguise of guarding him and guiding him is your best bet.

5. The Fear Monger: The attrition rate of this boss is high because of the fear and psychosis he creates. No one wants to continue working with him; often he fires them himself before they can quit, because he thinks fear is the only way to motivate employees to work. Changing your job, and fast, is the way to deal with him.

These are just a few of the dominant personality traits that you may find during your career. You need to be aware of them in order to preserve both your job and your sanity!

Currently available hourly jobs all over the US!

2009-10-21T15:38:00.000-07:00

Are You In A Job, Career or Calling? Take This Survey!

2009-10-21T10:06:00.000-07:00

A light-hearted survey which will reveal to you whether you think of your work as a job, career, or calling - and what that says about your likely satisfaction with life.

Job, Career or Calling?

How would you describe the way you earn a living? Research by Amy Wrzensniewski, Professor of Management and Organizational Behavior at New York University, shows that most people view their work either as a job, a career, or a calling.

I've drawn inspiration from her questionnaire to offer you a light-hearted version of the test below. Answer the questions and add up your scores to find out which category you belong to - and what that says about your satisfaction with life!

1.Your Lottery numbers finally come up - you win £20 million! What do you do?

a) Quit my job immediately, check into the Hilton and start spending

b) Keep working - I love what I do

c) Take a break but probably go back to something similar, preferably at a higher level or with a bigger organisation

2. When you're working, how often do you check the time?

a) Whenever I get bored or hungry

b) Never - I'm so engrossed in what I do

c) I've arranged my desk so the office clock is permanently in my line of vision

3. What would persuade you to attend a networking event?

a) Nothing, evenings are MINE!

b) The certain knowledge that it would help my prospects...and a couple of vouchers for a free glass of wine

c) Where is it? I'll be there - I love talking about what I do

4. Would you encourage your friends or children to enter your line of work?

a) Possibly, if they were interested

b) Definitely, even if they weren't interested

c) No, I'd probably discourage them

5. What do you enjoy most about your work?

a) Payday

b) That I'm able to express my talents and passions

c) Knowing I am advancing in my organisation or chosen field

6. How would you feel if you were doing the same work in 5 years' time?

a) Great - I never get bored with it

b) A bit disappointed - I'd have hoped for a promotion by then

c) Like I'd just won tickets to watch Olympic croquet

ANSWERS Add up your points according to the key below 1a) 1 1b) 3 1c) 2 2a) 2 2b) 3 2c) 1 3a) 1 3b) 2 3c) 3 4a) 2 4b) 3 4c) 1 5a) 1 5b) 3 5c) 2 6a) 3 6b) 2 6c) 1

YOUR SCORE 9 or less - JOB You work to earn enough money to support your life outside of your job: you live for weekends and vacations. You don't necessarily dislike what you do, but it doesn't define you - it's just a job.

10 to 15 - CAREER You usually enjoy what you do, accepting that no job is perfect. Often you're kept motivated by the prospect of a promotion and better pay. You tend to rate how you're doing by comparing yourself to your colleagues and wider peers.

16 and above - CALLING You love what you do. It's not utopia - some days are better than others - but there's nothing else you would rather be doing. You feel it's helping in some small way to make the world a better place.

So how did you do? Congratulations if you made it into the calling category - Wrzensniewski's research found that people who saw their job as a calling reported the highest life satisfaction. Interestingly, it's your perception of your work, not its intrinsic nature, which counts. (In a follow up study, hospital cleaners who viewed their job as a calling talked about the impact of their work - how it allowed the hospital to run more effectively, ultimately benefiting patients).

As someone who makes a living encouraging others to find work they really love, I'm generally an advocate of the vocational or calling approach. However I'd qualify this by recognising that different people organise their lives in different ways to make themselves happy. You can have a deeply satisfying career without it being your life's purpose. The trick I believe is to listen to what makes sense to you. If a 9 to 5 job is what works for you, great. But if you're a closet calling type in career clothing, perhaps it's time for a new wardrobe.

Career Change – Step One isn’t updating your resume’

2009-10-21T10:03:00.000-07:00

When contemplating a career change, many people don't know the first step to take. Instead they turn to updating their resume. This article gives the reader a clear set of steps and process to use to help them make a career change.

I can’t count the number of times I’ve heard people talk about “updating their resume” when thinking about making a career change. If you are one of those people out there putting the polish on your resume’ as you are about to launch a job search for a new career- STOP. Your resume’ is not the place where you start your work on a career change. If you are simply looking for the same or similar position in another company, go ahead. There is a big difference between looking for a job and making a career change. Sure, at some point the process is the same and you will need to have a spiffy resume’ but it’s not the place to get started in making a career shift.

When contemplating a career shift, you are in need of something that looks like a research project. You need to do the work to help point you in a different direction. Picking a career is as hard to do at 40 as it is at 18. The world is your oyster which is a great thing but how do you find the one with the pearl? The good news is: if you are older than 18 you have more work and life experience that will give you important insight into the process and decision making.

So, where do you start? There are multiple actions you can take initially and they primarily involve self examination. Among the first steps:

-        Tests or assessments – These are good to give you more information about yourself. These assessments will give you insight on things like interests, strengths and work orientation. If you pursue these, you have to know up front that they alone will not give you the “One Big Answer” about your future career. In fact, they may in many ways tell you things you already know about yourself. So why take them? Because it will give you a starting place, it will help distill down information about you that you need to have as you embark on making a decision about a career. With any research project, you collect data from numerous sources to help create the conclusion. Among but not limited on assessments: Meyers-Briggs, Strength Finder, VISTA cards, Color Q and Holland. Many of these are in books and online.

-        Self assessment – This is where you really self examine. What kinds of things do you like to do? Where do you currently excel? What do you gravitate to outside of your current job? What did you dream of doing when you were younger? Are there people you know who have fun sounding jobs? Are there causes you believe in?

-        More self assessment – Start looking for feedback. When your performance has been assessed, what strengths and weakness to you exhibit? If you were to ask a circle of friends and relatives, what kind of work do they think you would be good at? You’d be surprised at how insightful this exercise can be. They aren’t encumbered with your history yet they know you and often have some great suggestions based on what they know about you.

-        Job search – many libraries and websites have all kinds of job titles. Some titles will make almost no sense but most of them will. Start looking these over to see what might jump out at you as something interesting. You can also go to job search websites and get a vast quantity of job titles and job content to help in this step. What is it about the ones you selected that sound worthwhile?

-        Compile and research – with your mounting list of insights you can now start synthesizing into some logical groupings. These groupings are becoming what will ultimately be your new career because the baseline is from things in your research that have attracted you in some way. Don’t worry about “real” titles, but put logical elements together. You want to avoid putting basketball and surgery together, it makes no sense. You could put problem solving, math skills and detail orientation together. An important action in this step is to eliminate things. If you naturally are interested in specific job titles or elements, then focus on those. Your goal in this step is to create groupings or jobs that will become your future career.

-        Network and research – With your newly minted jobs (mind you that you may still not have official job titles), you now need to talk to people and do more research to finalize what you are looking for. In this last and final step before working on your resume’, you need to understand where this work is, titles it might be called, and any further qualifications you might need to land a job. You will know when this step is completed when you have a clear picture on what career you want to pursue. The other great thing about this step is it has just given you great input on where to start your job search, once you are ready to get started.

Hopefully, you’ll see that when making a career change, you need to do some heavy lifting to move you toward something meaningful. It is way more than simply updating your resume’. Many people don’t know what steps to take and muddle their way through life not happy with their career/job. The actions aren’t hard or difficult and the outcome is well worth the effort.

A career change can be an exciting and fun step to take. Most people have more than 2 or 3 careers in their lifetime. Since you spend so much time in your life workingFree Web Content, it’s worth the time and effort to find something you will love.

What Qualities Do You Need To Have Career Advancement?

2009-10-21T10:01:00.000-07:00

When it comes to preparing for a career people often spend ten’s of thousands of dollars on their education, clothing and development. Yet once they get into their job they find out that everything they needed to succeed wasn’t taught to them in school. Those “soft” skills are what determine if you are going to be chosen to move ahead in your career. Amazingly, managers are not simply looking for the quantity of work a person can do before offering a promotion. Therefore, slaving over paperwork into the late hours of the evening isn’t going to help you. Managers want people with substance and social grace. Here is what you need to know:

1.)     Productivity isn’t everything. Even though it is important to be productive this is not what separates you from other people. One must be both productive and efficient. Make sure that you are precise in your work with few mistakes.
2.)     Learn how to write. Many managers complain that employees don’t know how to write. Even though people are more educated than they were in the past they still can’t express themselves in clear and concise language.
3.)     Express your opinions
. A sure way to get “sidelined” is to be a quit mouse in every meeting. It is necessary to speak your mind even though many people disagree with your logic. However, don’t speak to simply be heard or contradict someone.
4.)     Don’t get involved in people’s personal affairs. One sure way to kill your career is to get involved in the problems of other coworkers. When they start arguing over trivial topics simply stay away and don’t comment.
5.)     Be a team player. Being a team player means that you are willing to work with other people in both an efficient and collaborative manner. By working with others you begin to make the necessary business connections.
6.)     Volunteer for special projects. Volunteering for special project is important. You don’t want to overload yourself with work but it is important not to shy from it either. Employees who avoid work are likely to be let go in times of financial adversity.
7.)     Don’t be a suck-up. No one likes “yes” men. You will put yourself at odds with other workers and you will lower your credibility as the person who knows what he/she is talking about.

When I graduated from my MBA program I thought I was going to tackle the business world. Eventually I learned that my education was only half of what I needed. The other half lay in the psychological ways of thinking. Yes-I was smart, motivatedFind Article, and arrogant. Yet I didn’t progress in my career that way I wanted to. Every time a promotion came by I was “sidelined” for someone I though was less worthy. Now I know that the soft skills are as important as the hard skills.

5 Promotion Secrets to Get the Job You Want

2009-10-20T15:40:00.000-07:00

You Mean I Need to Promote Myself to Get a Promotion?
Time and time again I hear the following from students in my career advancement workshops:

“My work speaks for itself…I shouldn’t have to tell anyone about my skills.”
“Why did they hire from the outside, I am already doing what’s required of that position?”
“Why did they get the job, I have more skills and experience than they do?”
“How come my name is never mentioned when promotions come up in conversation?”

The answer is…you need to promote your skills and experience. Everybody quotes the old saying, “It not what you know, but who you know.” That’s not quite right. The correct saying should be, “It not what you know but who knows what you know.” The people that can make decisions or have input on your career need to know what you know. This will only happen if you promote, promote, promote your special skills and experience.
Here are five secrets you can use to promote yourself for promotions:
1. Volunteer to Make a Difference
Volunteer for assignments that expose your skills. Look for especially challenging projects that other people have declined.
Also volunteer to mentor others within your organization. This will show and develop your leadership, management, and interpersonal skills. Keep management posted on your challenges and how you are working with the person you are mentoring to overcome these challenges.
Volunteer to write a department or organizational newsletter. This is another way to benefit a large group with your ideas while showcasing your skills and ideas.
2. Be a Solution Creator not a Problem Maker
Anybody can find problems within organizations. My experience is that you don’t need to find them…they will find you. Sometimes they have a special skill of finding problems and reporting them.
Develop the skill of looking at these problems as “opportunities for advancement,” step back and analyze the opportunity, and develop ideas for overcoming the problem. Make sure you communicate these solutions during meetings, e-mails, memos, and conversations with management. You will soon be looked upon by management as someone who can overcome obstacles and make things happen within the organization.
3. Handle the Next Level at This Level
If you are a manager and want to become a vice president then, start working like a vice president. Find a vice president that is open to mentoring you for the next level. Remember, that vice president will not be promoted to the next level unless the organization sees that the vice president has developed someone to take their spot. It might as well be you. Plus you can lighten their work load.
Explain to the vice president what you want to accomplish so that everyone has a clear understanding and that this is a win-win situation for all involved.
I hear, “I’m too busy already to do this.” Well, let me ask you, “How badly do you want the promotion?” We are all busy. It’s up to you to enhance your time management and delegation skills so that you can take on these tasks that will prepare you for the next level.
4. Announce That You Want It!
Many times employees miss out on promotions because the decision makers and career influencers do not know they are interested in being promoted.
Announce that you want to go to the next career level!
Take time to sit down with your supervisor, manager, director, etc. and let them know you are interested in going to the next level. Ask them for their honest assessment of your skills. Then ask what you need to do to be ready when the next career opportunity appears.
Also announce your career aspirations to influencers in the Human Resources Department. Remember the more people they can hire from the outside, the less work they need to do. Make it easy for them to hire you.
Announce it to any one who can influence the decision for your promotion.
5. Join Groups to Accelerate Promotions
Join committees within the organization. This shows management that you care enough to make a difference.
Also join professional groups and associations. Professional groups and associations are a perfect way to let influencers outside your organization about your skills. Don’t just join, participant in the association’s activities to show your creativity, teamwork, and other skills.
One of the most important groups that you could ever join…is Toastmasters. This is a worldwide organization with over 175,000 members dedicated to helping it’s improve their public speaking, evaluation, think-on-your-feet, and leadership skills. The main reasons you should join Toastmaster is the following:

Toastmasters give you the confidence to approach any opportunity with confidence.
Toastmaster gives you the speaking skills to stand up in front of group and present your point in a persuasive manner while others shy away from this opportunity.
You develop your leadership skills by learning how to do effective, positive, and encouraging feedback and evaluations while learning how to empower the receiver to do better.
You have the opportunity to develop your leadership skills by volunteering for positions at the club, area, state, regional, and international level. I always say if you can’t get the skills at your organization, you can get it at Toastmasters.

Join and let your organization know you’ve joined these groups. I remember a student telling me he wanted the job of Network Administrator in a large organization. He never seemed to get past the first interviews. Then he joined Toastmasters. He shared with me he gained the confidence and think-on-your-feet skills needed to master his interviews. Shortly after joining Toastmasters, he landed his dream job as Network Administrator at a major hospital. It can make the difference for you.
I challenge you to apply these techniques. You will see immediate results and go to the next level.

To Get That Job or Promotion You Must Know Your Qualifications and Be Able To Present Them Clearly

2009-10-20T15:39:00.000-07:00

The famous salesman and sales trainer Zig Ziglar used to point out to rookies that “It is not what you have got; it is what you use that makes a difference.”
To achieve steps throughout your career - your first job, a promotion, a job or a career change – you must sell the primary product - YOU.
Just as a successful sales person must know their product, you must know your qualifications and be able to communicate them clearly to employers in a resume, in a cover letter, and in interviews.
To help ensure wise job and career choice, you need to clarify what values and work preferences are important to you.
Thoroughly inventory your qualifications, including your training, education skills, and work experiences. It is vital that you identify your intrinsic values and work preferences.
Your personal career inventory will be an important source of information when you develop your resumes, cover letters, job applications, and more.
Employers may want your inventory information when considering you for a job. Included in your personal inventory are basic personal data and information are – education and professional training , work experience skills and accomplishments as well as well as people that you can utilize as references.
The first step in compiling your personal career inventory is documenting your education and training. This information includes specific dates, places, career relevant courses and activities, skills and accomplishments. In addition you will also need to document your memberships and achievements in personal and other organizations related to job and career targets. This information will help you identify or confirm an appropriate career choice, develop resumes and cover letters and prepare for job interviews.
It is as if you need to put yourself under a microscope to look at every detail properly. Ask people who know you well to help you document your accomplishments.
You should consider scholarships, honors as well as awards that you have received. Don’t forget his competitions that you have participated in describing accomplishments try to be as specific as possible. For example list - Won first place in school writing competition or voted President of the senior class.
When identifying the skills and accomplishments you achieved throughout your education, training and organizational activities, consider two kinds of skills that employers are seeking: job specific skills and job transferable competencies.
Job specific skills are the technical abilities that relate specifically to a particular job. For example in accounting, preparing a balance sheet by using accounting software customized for a client job specific skill. Front end alignment on a vehicle is a job specific skill for an auto mechanic. Operating a CAT scan machine or other medical diagnostic equipment are other job specific skills.
On the other hand transferable competencies are abilities that can be applied to more than one work environment. For example, both accountants and auto mechanics are required to have such transferable as reading, writing doing mathematics and general computer proficiency skills. Other transferable competencies include working well with others, organizing work and materials, solving problems, making decisions and managing resources.
Remember to o achieve steps throughout your career you must sell yourself.
You must know your qualifications and be able to communicate them clearly to employers in a resume, in a cover letter, and in interviews.
This is essential

The Top 5 Things To Consider When Thinking Of Changing Your Career Path

2009-10-20T14:50:00.000-07:00

Change is inevitable but that doesn't mean one cannot learn to make something worthwhile of the necessary changes that life presents us with. Careers are great; they keep you on a steady part. When you choose a career, it helps you narrow down your options and helps you build yourself better. But there comes a time in life when you just have to own up to yourself that things are not going right in your chosen career and you may have to consider changing your career path.

Here are the top 5 things to consider when thinking of changing your career path.

Fulfillment

No matter how much you are earning in your chosen career, fulfillment must never be undervalued. You need fulfillment in your job to really enjoy the benefits that come with it. A lot of people have changed jobs and careers because of lack of fulfillment and are having the time of their lives today. When you are thinking of a career change, fulfillment must be top on your list of considerations.

Your career is what takes up a lot of your time. You invest in your education and basically guide your life by it. You can't afford not to enjoy it because not enjoying your career is simply not enjoying your life. So when changing your career path you must make sure that what you are opting for gives you more fulfillment than what you presently have.

Required Skills

What are the required skills in the career you are thinking of changing to? It is very important you know you know these. You need to know what you need to get to get what you want. Do you have to go back to school? Will your present skills or education be useful in the new career? You need to really take your time to know whether you will be able to acquire the skills easily or not.

Strengths and Weaknesses

When thinking of changing careers, you must take a critical look at
yourself and consider your strengths and weaknesses. Choose a career that accommodates your strengths and weaknesses. One in which you can enjoy being yourself and make money doing it.

Money

While it is important to get fulfillment from your job and career, it is also important you review the financial implications of changing careers. You need to be realistic about your pending career change. Know how much you have to spend to get yourself ready for the change. Know how much money you will need to acquire the necessary skills and or education to enjoy the best of the new career.

Do you have the financial capability to change careers now? Will it be worth it financially, changing careers now? You really need to answer these questions to make the right decision.

Help

In making in a great decision in changing your career path, you may need help. Never hesitate to ask for it. There are specialists in the field, like career counselors, who can help you put everything in perspective and guide you in making the right decision. They also can help you in putting all the above factors to use.

3 Secrets To A Successful Career Path

2009-10-20T14:46:00.001-07:00

A fast food position is a job. Being an accountant is a career. It's important to understand the difference between the two and not just settle for the former. In the beginning, lots of people work at their "job" while also training for their "careers".

Development Issues: Careers develop over time - and you will realize whether a particular career is valuable and acceptable to you. There will come a time when you will realize the true significance of a career. Generally, career specialists are of the same opinion - that careers are progressive and change over time - what you decide to do at 18, 25 and 30 will sometimes be markedly different.

There will be occasions where you will probably may have quite different views of every profession and still remain in a dilemma as to what career to pursue. Settling down in a particular career is a decision you can make only when you determine the areas you are good at and the activities that you enjoy doing.

Secret # 2 - Be Familiar with Yourself and What You Want

One of best ways to be unsuccessful in your search for the right career is to be unclear as to what you want. In Secret # 1, it was said that it is all right not to have a specific career track (at least in the beginning), since it is impractical to believe that you can flawlessly prepare a career path.

On the other hand, you should be very observant when you are hunting for a job. You should be able to determine that a career you are submitting an application for is heading in the right direction, even though you may be a bit unclear on your long-term objectives.

The Kind of Jobs that are Appropriate for Me: Evaluate your strong points, interests, principles, and character. Make use of career guides and personality tests. Try seeking guidance from a certified career coach or therapist.

No matter what techniques or tools you use, you will be accumulating a private assessment and outline that will direct you on a suitable career path.

Secret # 3 - Identify What You Have to Offer

There is no doubt that you must be able to highlight your skills, strengths and accomplishments when applying for a position. Prospective employers simply want to know what you have to offer. They will ask you the question "What can you achieve for us?" In order to be able to answer this, you must market your skills and expertise well, as well as your ability to adapt quickly to changing environments.

Carrying out an evaluation of yourself, as supported in Secret # 2, is one method to develop your self-marketing plan. Your interests, expertise, and principles form the foundation of your career. They also give prospective employers a good idea as to who you are and how you will be valuable to their business.

New Site Design is Live!

2009-10-20T12:15:00.001-07:00

We've been working on a new site design. There are a couple additional tweeks and changes to be made, but we hope that overall you will find the new site easier to use and just as helpful. Take a look around.

How bad credit can cost you a job

2009-10-19T10:18:00.000-07:00

After two years of unemployment and three years as a contractor, Richard Becraft was offered a good civil service job with the Department of Defense in May 2002. The position paid $12,000 more than he was currently making and promised the kind of stability Becraft hadn't experienced since defense industry layoffs, a divorce and a subsequent personal bankruptcy rocked his financial world.

After a background check, however, the job offer was rescinded. The government letter that the Oxnard, Calif., man received indicated financial considerations made him a poor security risk.

The idea, Becraft said, was that his past financial troubles made it more likely I could be bribed . . . to disclose the secrets of this nation.

Becraft believes the denial was unfair -- particularly since federal law specifically prohibits an employer from using a bankruptcy as a reason not to hire, promote or keep a worker. Although employers can use other credit problems such as defaults or collection actions in their hiring decisions, Becraft insists his credit report was free of any negative marks until the bankruptcy.

I had excellent credit until then, he said.

Credit checks for job applicants
Government workers arent the only ones whose credit histories are being scrutinized. Anyone who has had trouble paying bills could find his or her finances endangered again as employers use credit information to help decide who to hire, fire or promote.

There are some indications such credit checks are on the rise. About 35% of the companies surveyed by the Society for Human Resource Management pulled the credit reports of current or potential employees last year, up from 19% in 1996.

Other experts say employers are far more interested in other kinds of background checks, including identity verification and criminal histories. (For more information on background screening, see Secrets you can keep from your employer.)

Five years ago, nearly all employers who bothered to do background checks wanted a credit report pulled, said James Lee, chief marketing officer of ChoicePoint Inc., which does 6 million background checks annually. Today, far more employers are screening their workers, Lee said, but fewer than 30% of ChoicePoints customers want credit information.

Credit has not turned out to be a good predictor of workplace theft. This is what our customers are telling us, anyway, Lee said. A better predictor is a criminal history involving bounced checks.

Lie on the application, lose the job
Job applicants are much more likely to lose a job because they have a recent criminal history or they lied on an application about their identity, experience or education, said William Greenblatt, CEO of Sterling Testing Systems Inc., a New York City background checking firm.

Of the 10,000 adverse action letters we send out monthly, very few of them are credit related, Greenblatt said. Its less than 5%.

Employers are more likely to use credit reports as a way to verify employment history and Social Security numbers, Greenblatt said. Lenders often verify employment when you apply for a loan or credit card, so a credit report is seen as a good way to double check the employers listed on a job-seekers application.

The federal government still routinely requests credit checks for employees, Lee said, but typically denies jobs or promotions only when the employee would have direct access to cash on the job, or security clearances are involved.

Clean up or clear out
You dont have to work directly for the government to be affected by its credit checks, however. Gene worked for a consulting agency that was hired to do some work for the IRS in Philadelphia. Two months after he started the IRS job, a government investigator told him his poor credit was endangering his position.

I was advised to clean up my credit report if I wanted to remain a consultant, Gene said. They gave me a month. There's not a whole lot you can do to straighten up your credit in month.

Gene insisted his credit wasn't that bad to begin with . . . no defaulted student loans or bankruptcies or anything like that. But four months after he was hired, Gene said his employer told him not to report to work anymore.

Know your rights
In the private sector, the people most likely to have their credit reviewed are those who will deal with cash or valuables, or who are financial executives, said Greenblatt, a labor attorney with 26 years experience in employee testing and screening.

Bank tellers, CFOs (chief financial officers), controllers, people who work for brokerage institutions, financial institutions, he said. Jewelry manufacturers do credit checks . . . when you're dealing with diamonds, they're easily concealed (and stolen).

If you're concerned about your credit history affecting your job prospects, here's what you should know:

An employer needs your permission to run a credit check. The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FRCA) requires your written permission any time an employer hires a third party to conduct a background check, said human resources consultant and attorney Wendy Bliss. That includes running a credit report. Of course, you likely wont get the job or promotion if you don't agree. But failing to get your okay is an FCRA violation, said Bliss, author of Legal, Effective References: How to Give and Get Them."

While other black marks can be used against you, technically a bankruptcy cannot. Under Title 11 of the U.S. Code, employers are prohibited from discriminating against someone who has filed for bankruptcy. Since most people have trouble paying their bills before they file, this is often a moot point -- the employer can point to that history as the reason for the adverse action. If an employer makes the mistake of citing your bankruptcy as the reason you were fired, not hired or denied a promotion, though, you might want to consult a labor attorney about a lawsuit.

An employer is supposed to tell you if credit information is used against you. If an employer uses credit information to deny an applicant a job, fire a current employee, rescind a job offer or cancel a promotion, federal law requires the employer to do two things:

* Before the adverse action is actually taken, the employer is supposed to provide the worker with a copy of the report and an explanation of the workers FCRA rights.

* After the action is taken, the worker must be told which company provided the credit information, given contact information and told he or she has a right to dispute the reports accuracy.

Rather than go through all this, of course, many employers simply find a less complicated excuse to give you.

Your ability to dispute the information may be of limited use, as well. If your employers decision was based on erroneous data in your credit report, for example, it could take you months to get the problem corrected -- by which time someone else will have been hired for the position you wanted.

That's another reason why its important to check your credit reports at least a couple of times a year and challenge any serious errors you find.

All that said, a couple of late payments aren't going to kill your job prospects. Employers who care about credit histories typically look for serious negative marks, such as collection actions, repossessions, foreclosures and evictions. Some are wary of people carrying enormous debts or otherwise indicating they're living well beyond their means.

If your credit problems aren't serious and relatively recent, most employers aren't going to care, Greenblatt said.

All good employers are looking for good people, Greenblatt said. They're not looking for reasons to disqualify people. Reprinted from here

Click Here to Review Your Credit Report and Score Before Your Next Employer Does!

Career-creative Harmony: Four Powerful Metaphors

2009-10-18T19:15:00.000-07:00

I'm sure you agree with me that career and creativity are two of the central defining aspects of our lives as vibrant, happy, prosperous human beings. When they exist in harmony, and in healthy a relationship to each other, they contribute to our sense of significance and the energized and inspired state we refer to as “zest for life”. One of the things you're really going to love about this article is that it outlines four powerful metaphors that you can use to clarify your perspective on your career and creativity, and forge a harmonious relationship between these two central life-facets for a happy, meaningful and prosperous life.

But before we get to those powerful metaphors, a bit of background and context. Most of us spend a huge chunk of our precious life-hours in activities directly or indirectly related to work. Yet few people plan, visualize, or craft their careers or career transitions with as much care, awareness, and dedication as buying a car, painting the house, or going on holiday.

Humans are natural creators. We all aspire to nurture our great ideas from their infancy, through the shaky days of toddler-hood and puberty, and to finally to see them living as independent and appreciated creations. Whatever else we are creating, whether in the artistic, scientific, technical, or other domains, we are also as a side-effect creating meaning within our own lives and in the world. This in turn adds to our sense of significance and our zest for life.

Our careers are themselves powerful sources of creative opportunity, and forces for creation. But most aspiring creators soon come up against internal and external obstacles which seriously limit the chances of their creations surviving or flourishing as significant entities in the world.

Why use metaphors? Metaphor is a powerful creative mind-tool. Perhaps it is the most powerful, as it forms the basis of many of our other creative tools such as picture, story, symbol, and creative thinking. A metaphor is simply a statement or reference relating one thing or situation to another seemingly unrelated thing or situation.

Metaphors form such a natural part of our language and thinking that we often do not notice them. But the metaphors we use have a profound effect on how we view ourselves, our lives, our careers, and our organizations. They also influence the outcomes of our ventures. For example, a CEO who sees herself as the general of an army is likely to have a very different leadership style to one who sees herself as the conductor of an orchestra. She is also likely to build a very different kind of organization with very different results.

Metaphors are useful for making information more palatable to our minds by allowing us to organize and structure separate bits of information into meaningful, coherent, and satisfying frameworks. The four metaphors I present in this article look at four possible relationship between career and creativity and conform to an overarching metaphorical theme of creating a piece of art such as a painting, a story, a sculpture, or a song.

THE FOUR METAPHORS

1. Career as Paintbrush:
The first metaphor refers to using the elements and resources of your career in a creative way to bring about value for your clients, employers, the target market, and other stakeholders. Here the elements and resources of your career are used as artistic tools and resources, and would correspond metaphorically to the painter's paints and brushes, the singers voice, the musician's instrument, or the writer's pen.

2. Career as Painting:
The second metaphor relates to applying your creativity to design, craft, and create your ideal career. Here your career itself becomes the art-form, similar to a painting or sculpture. It is the object or artifact to be created. One benefit of seeing your career as a work of art, is that a creative process can be used in its crafting.

3. Career as Artist's Patron:
The third situation is where your career serves as a patron of your artistic or creative endeavor. Here, the person's creative pursuits might not be directly related to her career, as in the case of an accountant who is also a weekend sculptor, or an engineer who writes poetry. So what exactly is the relationship of the patron (career) to the creative endeavor? I believe that in its most healthy and harmonious form it is a reciprocal relationship where the career, as patron, supports the creative endeavor financially and materially, and the creative process and products energize and inspire the career, giving it an added significance and meaning.

4. Career as Artist's Model:
The fourth and final metaphor refers to using artistic modes such as storytelling, collage, poetry, and art-journaling to reflect on and enhance your understanding, inspiration and engagement with your career. Here your career serves as the subject of your art, in the same way as a painter's model or landscape might serve as the subject for a painting, and a lyricist's personal experiences might serve as the subject matter for writing a song. This kind of creative engagement with career as artistic subject is a valuable reflective tool for enriching your inner map of your career and the broader career landscape. This, in turn, can help you stay on-track for all the other career-creative goals embodied in the three previous metaphors.

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION
In summary, the four metaphors are: career as paintbrush, career as painting, career as artist's patron, and career as artist's model. By internalizing these four metaphors for career-creative harmony, you can visualize and craft your career and creative endeavors in a powerful and complementary way to ensure yourself a life of career-creative harmony and zest.

The Career Makeover: 7 Steps to Achieving Your Goals

2009-10-18T19:11:00.000-07:00

Makeovers on television shows and in magazines are enticing for women the world over. Of course the reason they are so popular, is because the idea of getting a fresh start in life is a golden key we have all dreamt about at one time or another. No matter what their lives are like, everyone has something they wish could be different – their home, their body, their friends, and even their career.

Career makeovers are not a new concept and if you think about it, making over your career will automatically set a chain reaction in motion that will affect all aspects of your life, particularly those that are unsatisfactory. If you’ve ever changed jobs or industries, worked with a recruiter, drafted a new resume or pursued additional education to increase your job prospects or opportunities, you’ve already taken steps to improve or “make over” your career.

Here are some ideas which can take your career makeover to a whole new level!

1. Look inside yourself. How do you perceive yourself? Are you confident? Do you like yourself? Are you proud of your accomplishments? What is your attitude to life, on working, on the value that you bring to your job? How do you feel about your career? Do you feel in control of your future? Working on your “inner self” is of critical importance when it comes to creating a career makeover. If your internal thoughts are not consistent with the actions that you need to take, you’ll continually feel a sense of disconnect. Others will feel it too. All change starts on the inside. If you need support in this area, consider counseling or coaching, whichever is most appropriate for your situation. Until the inner issues are resolved or healed, it can be very challenging to take the necessary steps that lead to a fulfilling career.

2. Get balanced. A key component of effectively managing your career starts with managing your time efficiently. Do you keep your work life separate from your home life? Do you take work home in the evenings or weekends? Do you talk about work ALL THE TIME? Do you take time to recharge your batteries so that you feel refreshed? This is probably one of the most difficult areas when it comes to career makeovers. It takes a lot of courage to “draw the line” when it comes to balancing your life. Many women feel that if they don’t give everything to their job, then they won’t have a job, yet, the opposite is actually true. If you’re working for a company which does not allow you to set boundaries around your time, you WILL burn out. Before this happens it is probably best that you start looking for a new position. It’s a difficult choice to make, but ultimately it’s up to you to set boundaries around what types of treatment you will accept from others – including your employer. If you can’t achieve work/life balance in your current job, you will never be able to give it your best, simply because you will not be at your best which in turn will affect your future career prospects.

3. Get your relationships in check. They say birds of a feather flock together. Are your friends dragging you down? ( I was told my friends were holding me back by a naturopath when I was in my early 20’s I was VERY angry with him and protective of my friends – but a year later when I had taken a grip of my life and moved on, I realized he had been completely right!) Is your network of friends and associates supportive of you and your goals, or are they constantly telling you that your dreams are too lofty? Do they drag you into their gossip or do they inspire you with thoughtful conversation? In essence your ambition can be affected by the people around you and because of this your personal and professional relationships will have a tremendous influence on your career success. Therefore, to get your relationships in check, evaluate your friendships and acquaintances. It might be time to start gently letting go of some of the relationships that aren’t serving you, which will allow you to fill the empty spaces with new friends who will support you. Make sure you’re forging relationships with the people who see your value, and surround yourself with mentors who are helpful in assisting you to move forward.

4. Begin with a vision. Having an idea of where you want to go is one of the most important steps in your career makeover. Until you know where you want to be or what you want to have, it’s impossible to decide on the correct steps to get you there. How do you envision your ideal life? What type of job would make you happy? What brings you the most joy? What type of position would you like to see yourself working in 5 years time? Give yourself permission to think about what you really want, dare to dream a little. Remember what seems impossible today is only so because you haven’t had the opportunity to break the journey from here to there down into manageable chunks – now you are ready to start working on your career makeover.

5. Be the change. Once you have a vision of what you think you might want. It’s now time to assess where you are now. What are your strengths and your weaknesses? What skills do you have? Which ones will you need in order to achieve your career vision? You need to know where you are now versus where you want to be in the future. The rest is about managing the “gap” in between. Here is where the career makeover really takes place and this is the secret to making it possible…

6. Start at the end and work backwards. Imagine you have your dream job and are living your dream life. What was the final step you had to take to make this all possible, now what was the step before that? Work this process through until you arrive back at where you are today. Now you are aware of these steps, you know what you have to do to achieve your goals in manageable chunks. Your next course of action is to develop a plan for achieving these goals thereby giving each part of the process a timeline.

7. Now hone your skills. One of the most obvious ways to create a career makeover is to work on your skills. Whether you go back to school to earn an advanced degree or take training classes here and there, anything that you can do to improve yourself can benefit your career. Learn more about your industry; attend conferences where you can keep abreast of the latest trends. Network with possible mentors. Buy books written by leaders in your field. Read industry periodicals and other materials that deep your knowledge. Check with your human resources department to find out what types of internal training opportunities are available. Take advantage of your company’s tuition reimbursement programs. Continuing your education is essential no matter how you do it. Studying will not be a chore. If you are doing work you love you will be passionate about absorbing as much information about your field as you can!

And finally plan for the future.
No matter who you are or whom you know, you career will have its ups and downs. These days it’s unrealistic to think you’ll have a job for life. You might be transferred, demoted, or get a new boss that you don’t enjoy. You could even lose your job because of a downturn in your industry. These are realities of work life today. To lessen the possibility of your becoming an economic statistic it’s always a good idea to have options. This means you need to think about your exit plan. What would you do if you wanted to leave, or lost your job for whatever reason? Even the people who are happy in their jobs today should have an exit strategy, so take my advice and start working on it now. Don’t wait until it’s too late and you’re in panic mode.

In conclusion, always remember, no matter what career or life choices you make, ALL women need a strategic career plan. Your career makeover is ultimately your responsibility. You are the master of your life and it’s up to you to make a plan. Once you have a clear plan, take the steps that lead you to fulfilling your ultimate vision. One powerful way of helping you stay on track is by working with a coach who can help you make the transition more quickly. A good coach gives you support you need, helps you to stay focused and on track. With proper guidance, you will quickly find yourself achieving your career goals.

Career in Transition? Stop Talking, Start Doing.

2009-10-18T11:19:00.000-07:00

If I had ten dollars for every time someone has come up to me after an event and said, "I've always wanted to write a book," I could be retired. I'm serious.

It is a sad refrain because, almost every time someone says it, I can tell that the book will never be written.

If you really want to write your book, you write your book. If you truly want to go back to school, you go back to school. If you want to take off a year and travel, you take off a year and travel. Whatever. You shut up and find a way. I'm one of those people who believes that, if you really want to do something, you make up your mind and do it. One of my mentors was a single parent who, when left with two small children, drove a taxi to get herself through law school and went on to become a much-admired judge.

We are capable of accomplishing so much if we just dare to commit and get started. When I hear the "I really want to write a book" line, I tell people of Rick Light, the service manager at my local Goodyear store. Rick once saw a box of books in the back of my car and mentioned he was writing a novel. Every time I see him, he tells me how it's going. He spends every single lunch hour in the public library. He takes index cards and writes several paragraphs or phrases and perhaps sketches out a scene. Then, he goes home and types it all into his computer. He's been doing this for a few years now, and I've always known he'd finish his book, which he did. Unfortunately, a break-in by vandals left him with no original and no backup. Did he give up? No. He started all over and will not stop until he has a new, better draft. He bolsters his vision with the kind of determination needed to create success.

This is an era where millions of people are rethinking what they will do with their careers. If you've been pushed to the edge by a layoff, you probably feel like you are staring into the abyss. But, how you rise out of this adversity depends entirely on whether you can do what Rick did. Figure out what you want to do, make up your mind to do it, and persevere - through anything by doing it one small step at a time.

I know it is easier said than done - and that's the point. If it is worth doing, and if your success is worth having, you've got to suffer the pain to earn your reward. Don't judge your success by what comes easy - judge it by what comes hard. My motto is "Fall down seven times, get up eight." It comes from a Chinese proverb that so simply sets the course that one must take in life because the obstacles are inevitable. They just are. When I started writing my first book, I hoped I could have written, sold and published it in six short months before it exploded onto the best-seller list and made me rich and famous. Things didn't play out that way at all. I suffered humiliating rejections and obstacles that repeatedly tested whether I had the mettle to earn my success. Getting up every time I fell down required me to find strength when I had none.

Fortunately, I had a support group that kept cheering for me when I couldn't cheer for myself. Count on your friends to keep you moving forward. There were so many key moments when I felt like giving up, but others inspired me to stay in the game. If you don't seek out that kind of positive energy, you'll get stuck in the defeatism that destroys dreams. If you've been stopped along the way, don't give in to bitterness. Reach out to your friends and tell them what you need in order to continue toward a positive outcome.

I recognize that many of us feel like we are stuck in the 2009 vortex of negativity that makes it impossible to break through to do what we really want to do. The old notion that we should do what we love seems to be a luxury in a time when people are worried how they are even going to pay their electric bills. But, I still believe that we can do what we are meant to do - if we really want to do it. The challenges of this hard economic year may mean our steps are smaller and our progress slowed. Still, we can do what we truly want to do.

I always tell the aspiring authors the same thing. "If you write a page a day, you'll be done in a year. You've just got to start it and finish it."

The question is the same for them as it is for you. Do you really want to do it? And if so, what's stopping you from getting started?

Asking For a Raise Is Your Career "Rite of Passage"

2009-10-18T11:17:00.000-07:00

"Asking for a raise ... will help you break through to the next level of your career faster than any other single action."

When was the last time you asked for a raise? I don’t know very many people who have actually asked for a raise. Many have talked about it but few have followed through. Is it fear? Mostly. Is it a sense of self-worth or lack thereof? Partly. Do they all deserve the raise? Usually. If you know you’ve earned one shouldn’t you get it? Yes!

The thought of asking for a raise immediately conjures the fear of rejection, upsetting the boss, seeming ungrateful and even thoughts that you’re not worth more. It is understandably terrifying for most people but forget those fears and negative thoughts. Asking for a raise (or promotion or more vacation time, etc) will help you break through to the next level of your career faster than any other single action. It’s not about the money it’s about establishing who you are in the eyes of your boss.

Asking for a raise will show your boss that:

1. You value yourself

2. You expect to grow and evolve

3. You want to be valued by the company

4. You are willing to go after what you want

A rite of passage results in a leap forward in maturity. Regardless of whether you get the raise, when you ask for one you are taking a leap to show who you are and what you think of yourself. The worst that’s going to happen is your boss will say no and you’ll be no better off financially. On the other hand you could get the raise AND your boss will now be forced to recognize your value to the company (because they probably don’t want to lose you) and your sense of self-worth, which nobody can argue with. Assuming you work hard to prove your work ethic and performance before asking then you’ll have everything to gain and little to lose.

Tips For Obtaining Recommendation Letters

2009-10-17T16:22:00.000-07:00

If you are just out of school and entering the workforce, or simply changing jobs, chances are you will need a few recommendation letters to get you to the next step of your career. Don't be nervous about asking for these. Any business person who is high up in the corporate ladder knows that writing recommendation letters is a normal part of business. Don't feel bad or afraid to ask your boss, supervisor, or professor to write you one. There are, however, certain things you can do to make sure the recommendation letters you receive are the best they can be.

When choosing who to ask to write you a recommendation letter, choose someone who knows you well. Honestly ask that person if they'd be able to write you a positive one. It will save you both a lot of time if you ask upfront if they see you as being qualified enough to get a recommendation from them.

Make sure the letter writer knows exactly what you want the recommendation letter to highlight about you. It goes without saying that you should choose people who are satisfied with your work to write the letters. So if there is anything you want the letter to reference, such as a promotion or award you won, don't hesitate to ask them to include it.

You should have at least three recommendation letters. They don't all have to be former employees. Professors, teachers, advisors, and even clients make good candidates (This is why you never want to "Burn Bridges" with anyone). Provide the letter writer any updated information about you (such as a resume) especially if time has passed since you last worked with them.

Make sure you give the letter writer ample time to write it. Writing recommendation letters isn't on the top of a busy person's list. Asking for a completed letter by the end of the week (or worse, by the end of the day) is simply unprofessional. Give the person at least a month and let them know the exact deadline well in advance.

Don't ask to read recommendation letters. The writer will either mail it to the appropriate place (in which case you should provide a pre-addressed stamped envelope) or give it to you sealed. Try not to agonize over it. If you have a good relationship with the letter writer, you should have nothing to worry about.

Let Your Dreams Lead You to a New Career

2009-10-17T16:19:00.000-07:00

Everyone has dreams, but all too often they let these dreams fall to the wayside and end up wondering years later whatever happed to all of the dreams that they had when they were younger. This doesn't have to be the case, however; it's possible to not only hold on to your dreams but also to make them come true by letting them influence your life and your career choices. Instead of simply saying that they're nothing more than dreams, you can make a conscious decision to embrace those dreams and see them through to the end. Not only will you get to see your dreams become real, but you will find that by letting them influence the work that you do and the direction that your life takes you will be much more satisfied with your life's work in general.

Recognizing Your Dreams
In order to live your dreams and let them lead you to your dream career, you will first need to realize exactly what your dreams are. Take some time to consider the things that you want and what you would like to see come to pass in your life; these aren't the fanciful obsessions that you might get from time to time that will pass in a matter of days or weeks, but are instead the lifelong ambitions that you've held on to ever since you were introduced to the concept. Look into your heart, see what's really important to you and what you would like most of all to see happen in your life, and that is where you will find your dreams.

Relating Your Dreams to Your Work
When you start seriously thinking about your dreams and comparing them to your life as it is right now, you might wonder how you're ever going to be able to reach your dreams from the place that you are in life. Look at your job and the things that you do, and try and imagine what it would take in order to reach your dreams from this starting point. For some people this might be easy, and you might have been living out portions of your dreams without even realizing it for quite some time. You may notice that your volunteer work is what you love.

For others this could be a rather difficult task, however, since they may have taken the job that was needed at the time and then never really got a chance to start working toward their dreams again. Consider where in your career you are, and whether it's possible to get where you want to be within that same career path. If it's not, then you should start researching different career options until you find the one that will take you to your dreams and help you make them come true.

Using Your Work to Follow Your Dreams
When you can see yourself reaching your dreams from the career that you have, then it's time to start putting your energy into following your career path to the point where you can reach your dreams. Set goals for yourself and for your career, and keep trying after every setback until those goals are reached. It might not always be easy, but once you have the career that's right for you making it to your dreams will seem to be a natural progression.

Do's And Don'ts Of Career Change

2009-10-17T16:17:00.000-07:00

A career change can be riddled with mistakes and ambiguity for many people, even those in mid-career. This, as a consequence, relegates them to where they are despite additions to their job and personal skill sets and the larger market scenario. This small but indicative list of career changes Dos and Don'ts will help to make things clearer.

Career Change Don'ts

- Never come out any job before you have another one. Don't quit a job on impulse, only when you have a solid plan. Leaving a job too early will have obvious negative effects. You could easily find yourself without a job with no leads in sight.
- A career change cannot be spontaneous but must be the result of a well-planned and well thought out decision. Do not plan to change your career in just minutes.
- Don't change your career just for the sake of big/instant money or glamour; rather, give some real thought as to whether you are really interested in switching to another career. Sure, the new career might seem great at first, but will you still enjoy it after several years?
- Don't have unrealistic expectations from the career that you are going to choose.
- Don't pay attention to rumors or gossip or even react to them during your job change process.
- Don't spread the word about your leaving the job until it is confirmed in writing.
- Don't leave your 'safe' job until you know where and how you will be compensated.
- Don't leave the job for until you have ensured that you will not have to pay your monthly bills from your savings
- Don't ever spread misinformation about your past employer

The Dos of Career Change

- While still in your current job, you can gather information or rather work part-time for the career you have chosen. It will give you some idea of the scope and nature of your target job.
- While still in your present career, learn as much as you can and plan to take that knowledge with you.
- List your strengths and qualities in fields you that you already excel. Identify your need for a career change.
- If it is sheer frustration or stress and all other aspects are fine in your present job, then target these two problems rather going for a career change.
- Maintain a positive relationship with your present organization and leave the job on a positive note.
- As soon as you join your new employer, get down to business without wasting time; you will have lot to learn in a new environment.

"I Hate My Job"

2009-10-16T14:20:00.000-07:00

If you're one of the lucky ones, someone who actually loves their job, then you are indeed a fortunate soul. Some people like some aspects of their job, ie they like their colleagues but can't stand their boss, or vice versa. Or they like the actual work they do but can't stand one of their colleagues. It is so rare for someone to actually 'love' their job in all its entirety.

So what to do if you hate your job?

Well, you can't just up and quit. Not if you have a mortgage to pay and family to feed.

But even in these trying and difficult economic times (when people tell us we're lucky to even have a job), you owe it to yourself to look to the future and plan ahead. Think about what you would like to do, what you would love to do even. We all spend so much time at work, typically eight hours a day minimum and then you have the commute on top - life is simply too short to do this day in, day out, at a job that doesn't do it for you.

Really take the time to think about what you would actually enjoy. What are your talents? What would you be happy doing for eight hours a day, so that you no longer have to clock watch?

Yes of course, salary is important. But so is fulfillment in one's work, a pleasant working environment, good friendships by way of colleagues, personal growth, challenge and the opportunity for promotion.

So get out the pen and paper and do some brainstorming. List all the pros and cons of your current job. Then do likewise for what you think would be your ideal job. Then go further and do some research on the actual type of work you could do, that would make you happy.

When you are happy in your work, you'll feel better about yourself. You'll give more to your job and your company. You'll feel satisfied at the end of each day, like it's actually been worthwhile being there. You'll be much nicer to be around when you get home to your family. You'll be better company when you're out with your friends.

So make the commitment. If you don't love your current job, think long term about your future. Plan ahead and make it happen. Even if you have to take baby steps to do it!

Vision Directed Interviews: How to Succeed within Interviews

2009-10-16T08:36:00.000-07:00

You've probably read numerous job interview tips which list the ways to respond to the difficult interview questions: Tell me about Yourself; What are your work-related weaknesses?; Why are you leaving your current employer? These are the usual dreaded questions that we all expect to hear from interviewers. Typically interviewees are advised to create well-prepared and rehearsed scripts to respond to these dreaded questions. And so, during the course of the interview, interviewees sit on the edge of their seats waiting to respond, trying to remember the correct answers. And consequently, the interview becomes a race, a highly tense setting designed to stay one step ahead of the other with scripted conversation and pre-planned positioning and second-guessing. The possibility of authentically assessing the merits of the position and being able to evaluate how you might fit within the company's culture and mission is minimized in this scenario.

Optimally, the interviewer and the interviewee should operate within the same mental space. To effectively hire someone who fits within the organizational game plan, as well as the specific position, the interviewer needs to ensure that the questions will provide opportunities for detailed, authentic discourse. At a minimum, the interviewer is looking for information regarding situations/projects/tasks/assignments in which you've handled, the specific steps undertaken to achieve results, and the direct results accomplished.

As an interviewee, you have to be able to deliver this information....no matter the question. Additionally, as an interviewee, the only way you'll be able to respond with full confidence (without referring to a script) is by ensuring that you've done your homework. To confidently manage the interview, it's important to know where you're heading - - to know your vision. Everything else should flow directly from your career or personal vision. Every tactic you undertake to find the new job, the new career opportunity, or the promotion should emanate from your established vision. In this manner, you will be able to hit the answers to those dreaded questions without feeling nervous because the interview is not the most important tactic - - it's one step within a strategy. It's your well-crafted vision that's essential, not a well-prepared and rehearsed script based on someone else's words. Authentic interviews happen when you're able to effectively convey your vision, your passion, your success stories.

Another great Youtube video on Finding a Recession Proof Job

2009-10-14T12:29:00.000-07:00

Even during an economic downturn, some careers are safe. Career consultant Maggie Mistal explains which industries are recession proof, no matter what the overall job market is doing.

How to find recession proof jobs

What is a recession-proof job?
* Jobs that cant be outsourced
* Jobs for which there is a great demand

What are some top recession-proof industries?

Health Care
* Baby Boomers are aging and they will require increased health services.
* In addition to health care and care giving jobs, there are traditional functions such as marketing, legal and accounting that serve the health care industry.

Education
* Baby Boomer teachers will begin retiring.
* There will always be a demand for education services.

How can job-seekers translate their existing skills into the health or education field?
* Make a list of skills that transfer no matter the type of job function you are doing, such as communication, writing, presentation skills, problem solving and team skills.

When targeting recession proof jobs in the health or education industry, how can job-seekers rewrite their resume to be more relevant?
* Go to the Bureau of Labor Statistics website.
* Look at the Occupational Outlook Handbook, which lists all kinds of jobs.
* Search for the jobs that have skills and requirements that most closely match your experience.
* On your resume, highlight the skills and experience youve attained that match up with the job you are seeking.

What are some good websites for searching for top recession proof jobs in the health and education industries?
* Indeed Jobs aggregates job opportunities from many other nationally recognized job search sites.
* Because health and education jobs are localized, check out your local hospital or board of education websites. it may help to search those jobs locally.

What types of information are you looking for as a job seeker?

2009-10-14T11:28:00.000-07:00

We want to here from you. What types of information are relevant to you as a job seeker in this current market? Information, job posting, interview tips? What would you like to see more of? Less?

Respond to this post or Tweet back on Twitter. We'll post the best answers in a poll so that all of our readers can vote. We will then take the voice of the people into consideration as we continue to develop this site.

Thank you!

Employ Me Today! staff

Eight Steps On How to Get Hired

2009-10-14T08:42:00.000-07:00

Nowadays getting hired is very difficult. It is more than just passing a resume, applying and forever hoping to get hired. Well it is time to stop hoping and start really getting hired.

Here are the steps on how to get pass job searching and start working.

Self Analysis

To start job searching you must first analyze yourself on what you want to be. You can be a Bum, an Entrepreneur, a Young Professional, or a Student Seeking Higher Studies. If you choose to be a Bum, Entrepreneur or a Student then you should stop reading this article and continue to pursue the career path that you chose. However, if you choose to become a Young Professional continue reading because all the information you need to get hired is in this article.

Preparation

Why do we need to prepare before job searching? Because Companies/Employers are very selective and among the numerous number of applicants they have they will choose the most deserving and who will make their company more productive. They are not looking to teach you, they are looking to get instant results from you. The other reason is competition, if you had an experience in working you may have a distinct advantage but nevertheless it is still the Companies/Employers that will have the decision when hiring an applicant.

Looking For a Company

Where do we look for a company that are hiring? A lot of companies post their job vacancy in, for example, newspaper ads, radio, TV, job fair, employment agencies, Internet, and if your University has College Placement Office they can provide you a job vacancy listing also. Another way of looking for a company is through Networking, when looking for a company you must always be resourceful; ask the people you know that is working for a company if they have an opening. When you find a company then you must prepare for the next step.

Resume

Books, magazines and the internet are the example of the resources you can get on how to make a presentable resume but the only point is be true to on what you will write. Don’t put on your resume what you do not know.

Cover Letter

Just like in making a resume there are a lot of resources in how to make a cover letter. Before you make a letter make sure that you know where to send the cover letter that you will make. It should be either on the Human Resource Supervisor or the Employer.

Interview

If the Company/Employer called your for an interview, you must also prepare for it. Again, why do we need to prepare? As I have written earlier companies are very selective. So what do we need to prepare?

Check Company

Why do we need to check the company? If you where ask by the interviewer what do you know about the company? What do you think your answer will be? It is much better if you know the history of the company as well as the product or services that they offer to their clients. You don’t exactly need to know all the information of the company, just a bit of knowledge about them is well enough.

What is the Job About?

You don’t apply for a job not knowing what the job is all about. It is foolishness in your part to apply for it. Before applying for the job position make sure you qualify for the requirements the company is asking for.

During the interview, the interviewer may it be the Human Resource Supervisor or the Employer will not just look at your credentials in your resume but also your personality as well. You must show the interviewer maturity, right attitude, and presentable appearance. It is important to make yourself presentable because you are offering your services to them and if they see you not well dressed they may think that you take their company for granted.

If you comply with what the company needs and they believe that you will be an asset to them in terms of productivity of their company. Automatically you will get hired and the very next day you can see yourself working in the company.

But if you see yourself not get hired, the answer lies in you; The Company doesn’t necessarily want you but you just don’t want to get hired, just as plain as simple as that.

A Diverse Corporate Board is More Important than Ever

2009-10-13T15:43:00.000-07:00

In trying economic times, corporate board members face complex challenges and are forced to make difficult decisions. The caliber of the individuals sitting around the boardroom table can mean the difference between a company’s long-term success and failure. Bringing experienced, savvy women and people of color on the board is a smart move in any economic environment, but it is particularly important now. Diverse voices can sometimes better identify new opportunities, provide a different point of view, and bring fresh ideas and solutions to the discussion. Diversity pays dividends—as boards with more diversity outperform their counterparts.

In the past, and in large degree even today, board members tend to be drawn to people they know when they look to fill board openings—those who have sat next to them on other boards, are part of their personal network, or appear often on the business pages of newspapers or websites. It is natural for people to seek familiarity when confronted with uncertainty. However, bringing on board members for the sake of comfort is the opposite of what companies should do.

A survey conducted in 2006 by the National Association of Corporate Directors found that two out of three board nominating committees favored diversity initiatives to attract more women and people of color as directors. While these initiatives might not be top of mind right now, there is ample evidence that they should be. Research shows that companies with a diverse board perform better.

According to Catalyst, a nonprofit organization that studies inclusive workplaces, companies with higher percentages of women board directors, on average, outperform those with the lowest percentages of women board directors on a variety of financial measures. For example, return on equity for companies with the highest number of women directors was 53% higher than for those in the bottom quartile.

Nevertheless, the percentage of women and minorities on corporate boards remains low. A report on Fortune 100 boards released by the Alliance for Board Diversity in January 2008 found that women and minority men held just 28.5% of board member seats in 2006, the most recent year for which information is available. The percentage remained flat from the previous study done in 2004.

African American men held 7.14 percent of board seats on Fortune 100 boards in 2006, down from 7.78 percent in 2006. African American women held fewer than 3% of board seats in both studies.

Among Fortune 500 companies, women held 15.2% of board director positions in 2008, compared to 14.8% in 2007, according to Catalyst. Women of color held 3.2% of board director positions.

Hispanics held 3.1% of all Fortune 500 board seats in 2006, according to a study by the Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility. Hispanic women held 44 board seats, or less than 1%, of all Fortune 500 corporate directorships.

While boards often say that they cannot find female or minority candidates with the experience required to serve on a board, they may need to broaden their search. For example, rising stars who head large divisions or senior functional leaders may be excellent candidates and eager to make a contribution. If a board faces a particular strategic challenge in information systems, marketing, or M&A, talented functional leaders can bring perspective and a specific depth of experience to the table. In addition, recently retired women and minority executives can bring current thinking and the gift of time to devote to board service.

Where do companies find these people? They are not often the “obvious” candidates. Search firms with diversity practices, such as Heidrick & Struggles, are a good place to turn. Kevin Kelly, CEO of Heidrick & Struggles, says “we are committed to ensuring our candidate slates are diverse.” Associations serving women and minority professionals, such as Women Corporate Directors, Catalyst, The Executive Leadership Council, and the Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility also can help identify board-ready individuals from diverse backgrounds. Susan Staatsburg, cofounder of Women Corporate Directors recently said “WCD believes on-the-ground networking in major cities around the globe can help link talented women with board opportunities.”

The economic recession presents an opportunity for boards of directors to expand their vision of who should sit on the board. Recruiting women and minority directors can result in the fresh ideas necessary to address today’s issues, as well as tomorrow’s.

Job Search Engines: Effective Job-Hunting Tools

2009-10-13T11:16:00.000-07:00

Nowadays, looking for a job is easy; this is because of the tools available online.

One effective tool for job hunting is job search engine
. It allows you to look for job vacancies on a certain area or even globally.

What these job search engines do is create a bank of jobs, which came from different companies. Then, they categorized the collected data so that job seekers can easily locate a job appropriate for them.

This also provide convenience to job seekers since the search process has been narrowed down into just job listings instead of using a regular search engine that may provide you a long list of results and some may not even be associated with the job you are looking for.

Another advantage of using job search engines is their large job bank. If you are looking for job and does not have restrictions on the job location, then using job search engines is good for you.

Unlike the job ads in newspapers, which can only provide you limited search ads and you cannot go back to the ads posted the other day, job search engines provides a wide range of selection and are searchable as long as the job is still offered by the company.

However, some job search engines are limited only to certain regions or countries so you may want to check the services offered before choosing a job search engine.

Job search engines are also easy to use because all you have to do is using the search box. They even list the job per category so you can also view all job listings for a specific job position.

Some job search engine also great features offered by, which will make your job-hunting much easier. These include:

Free resume posting.

Job search engines often allow you to post your resume. Then, the job search engine will use this information so it can identify which job is right for you.

Instead of looking for a job yourself, the job search engine will send you an email with the list of new job posting which matches your preferred job, credentials and work experience (based on the resume you posted).

View company profile.

Knowing the background of the company that you are applying for is important so that you know if you share the same vision with what the company has. Also, from the profile, you can see what the company can offer to you.

This can help you decide if you really would like to be part of the company before even applying to them. You can also make comparison among companies if ever they posted same job openings. Thus, you can first collect and just select the best later on.

Customizable search.

If you would like to narrow your search and would view only job openings that meet your preset criteria, utilizing the customizable search can do this. Criteria can be job location, expected salary, schedule preference, category search or employment type.

Get job advice.

Some search engine sites even extend their help by providing tips and advice about your job or job hunting. You can look up for articles about resume writing, preparing for an interview, etc.

You may even send an email to them or chat with their agent about a problem you are having with your job or if you are having difficulty looking for a job.

With the many services and features of job search engines, they can effectively help you in landing to your dream job.

To see a list of our recommended job search sites, please see the menu above.

Organizing for Top Results: the Foundation of a Fast, Successful Job Search

2009-10-13T11:13:00.000-07:00

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the average length of unemployment is about 18 weeks. But this statistic accounts for all industries, sectors, and professional levels. While you may be one of the lucky few, other statistics indicate that the average job search for a professional or mid-manager can take six months (25-26 weeks) or more. Of course, if you are changing careers, your job search may be even longer. And if you are currently employed, your search will often take longer simply because you have less time to devote to it.

Clearly, for most professionals, the days of just going through the Sunday paper and sending out a few resumes is over. Today, conducting a multi-pronged search is critical. While the individual techniques and tactics of job searching are relatively simple, there are multiple steps you have to take, often simultaneously, and you will be dealing with massive amounts of information. Unless you find a way to keep this information organized in an easily maintained and managed system, you can quickly become overwhelmed, bogged down, and confused. If you let yourself get caught up in the details, you can easily lose sight of the big picture and lose momentum. An organized plan and system will help keep you motivated, moving forward, and focused on achieving the ultimate goal.

In this excerpt from "Secrets of a Successful Job Search: 7 Simple Steps to Land the Job You Want in Half the Time," I will describe a simple, easy-to-maintain system that you can begin using today to immediately improve the efficiency and productivity of your job search.

The 4 Major Job Search Phases

In the overall job search process, there are essentially four key phases:

1) Option evaluation, goal setting & campaign planning

2) Job search & follow-up campaign

3) Job offers & negotiations

4) Accept and begin new job

At the start of your search, it is essential to create a system to schedule, track, and log all of your activities for the first three phases. At the very least, you need a calendaring system, a system of logging inter-related and follow-up activities, a contact management system, and a filing system. Create the Ultimate Job Search Filing System The foundation of your organizational system will be your filing system. It is possible to do this on your computer, to use a traditional filing method, or to use a large three-ring binder. Because it allows you to physically pick it up and carry it with you anywhere, I actually prefer the three-ring binder method, so that is what I will describe in this article. But if you prefer one of the other methods, just adapt these suggestions accordingly. Before you go any further, I suggest going out and buying a large three-ring binder right now. A large-capacity one like a 4 or 5 inch will be easiest. You will also need some tab sheets to label the sections. Some hole-punched pocket sheets that allow you to store loose sheets of paper and computer disks would also be really helpful. Now you will want to use the tabs to create 9 categories:

1) Career Vision & Job Target

Begin your filing system by including a very clear written statement of your current job target in a divided section named "Career Vision & Job Target." You should also include a written copy of your Personal Branding Statement. In this same binder, you can keep copies of any assessments you may have completed recently or in the past, to help you in setting your career goals. This is also the place where you will want to keep references, printouts, or copies of any industry or profession-related articles or research related to your job target.

2) Career Marketing Documents

In this section, store clean master copies of your resume, biography, all job search letters and correspondence, a list of references, a salary history, and any other documents that you might use in your search. This is also a good place to keep letters of reference written for you by others, copies of awards, educational transcripts, training certificates, and any other documents supporting and proving your qualifications.

3) Company & Industry Research

This section is a great place keep printouts or copies of any articles or other research that you have collected on companies that interest you and that you have targeted or plan to target during your search. This is also a good place to store research on industry trends and competitive data of relevance to these companies.

4) Job Advertisements

While you should keep more detailed activity logs elsewhere, in the Job Advertisements section of your filing binder, you should keep a copy of every ad you have answered along with some basic notes about the date you responded and the documents that you sent.

5) Internet Job Searching

The Internet Job Searching section is a perfect place to keep records of the websites you are using in your job search, places where you have posted your resume, and any passwords and user names associated with the sites.

6) Networking & Referrals

Again, you should keep more thorough records and logs elsewhere, but the Networking and Referrals section is a good place to keep a hard-copy printout of your networking address book along with any notes of information you want to remember in relation to particular individuals.

7) Recruiters & Agencies

In the recruiters and agencies section, you should keep detailed notes about every headhunter firm or job search agency you have worked with or contacted.

8) Interview Preparation

The interview preparation section can be used to keep all of the notes you will accumulate as you prepare for interviews. This is also a good place to keep notes on questions you want to ask during interviews and notes about interviews you have been on.

9) Salary Research

In the Salary Research section, you can keep data and research you have collected to help you define your own market value and to prepare for salary negotiations once you have been offered a job.

In short, this binder gives you the ability to store all of the documentation related to your job search in one central place. Keeping accurate, up-to-date records of your job search activities, logs of contacts you have made, and step-by-step, calendared plans of the activities you must complete in order to reach your job search goals will pay you back for your effort multiple times over through a faster and more successful job search. By creating a plan and system for your job search, you will always know where to focus your attention and what you should be doing next.

But remember, while this step of getting organized and creating your job search system is a critically important one, you must remember to NOT get bogged down. It is important to be organized but it is also critical that you get started on your search. Don't let not having a perfect system prevent you from moving forward. At the most, spend just a couple of days establishing your organizational system.

9 Keys to Job Search & Career Success

2009-10-13T11:12:00.000-07:00

In recent months, the job market has become increasingly competitive. But even as the economy slows, and there are increasing numbers of job seekers in the job market, there are many professionals who have been incredibly successful in conducting fast, effective job searches. What do they have in common? How are they doing it? Here are nine tips to speed your own job search and drive it to a fast, successful conclusion.

Know what you want and go after it. Starting a job search without knowing what you want will almost certainly end in frustration. Think about it: If you don't know what you want and what your job target is, how will you know who to contact and how to conduct your search? If you are uncertain about your career goals, it is critical that you spend some time and energy now - before launching your search - on self-introspection and analysis. Knowing what YOU want, what YOU are passionate about, and what YOU bring to the table will provide you with a confidence that simply can't and won't be matched by many of your competitors in the job market. This is the crucial first step to any job search and is essential for long-term career success as well.

Know and sell your personal brand. When you think about your next career move, how would things be different for you if employers and recruiters actually sought you out? Personal branding (the process of clarifying and communicating what makes you and your unique value proposition different and special) allows you to make a name for yourself. It differentiates you from your peers and helps to position you as a leader in your field - as a specialist and an authority who knows how to do a job and fill a particular niche in the workplace better than anyone else. Once you are clear on your personal brand, you can use it to project a cohesive brand image and value proposition throughout all your job search activities, and do so in a way that addresses the specific concerns of your target audience. By knowing and promoting your brand, you achieve instant, precision-like focus that positions you as the ideal candidate for the specific type of opportunity that interests you. You gain immediate competitive advantage.

Be able to clearly articulate who you are and what you have to offer. While this may feel uncomfortable to you, the simple truth is that a job search is a sales and marketing campaign: a sales and marketing campaign in which YOU are the product. Through the process of personal branding, you must identify what differentiates you and paint a compelling portrait of your unique value proposition. But, don't stop with just promoting this in your resume and then become tongue-tied when someone asks about you and your candidacy. You will hear the "what do you do?" or "tell me about yourself?" questions over and over, both during your job search and throughout your entire career. Don't wing it! Preparation is the key to confidence and the key to making a lasting, positive, and memorable first impression. Be ready with a 30-60 second pitch that immediately and confidently conveys to the listener who you are as a professional and what it is that you offer.

Make their first impression your best impression. Take a hard look at your resume. Like it or not, your resume is your first introduction to most employers, and your only chance to make a good first impression. Effective resumes are highly focused marketing pieces that are strategically written and designed to sell YOU as THE best solution to a potential employer's needs and problems. Your resume should be written to convey and illustrate your unique value proposition, with succinct "stories" that differentiate you from your competitors in the job market. Does your resume accomplish these goals? Is it focused effectively? Does it accurately present you in the way that you wish to be presented? If not, it is time to rewrite.

Network, network, network...and then network some more. At least 80% of all the jobs are found through the "hidden" job market, also known as the "unpublished" job market. These are jobs typically landed through word of mouth and referrals as opposed to answering ads, posting your resume to internet databases, or other techniques meant to target the remaining 20% of all jobs in the published market. It stands to reason that if the vast majority of the jobs are to be found in this hidden market, that you should spend the majority of your job search time working to crack it. There is no more effective job search technique than networking. So, even if it feels a little uncomfortable at first, just get out there and do it. Make networking a part of your daily routine and plan to spend the majority of your job search time on networking activities (approximately three-fourths of your time is a good estimate). The more you network, the faster your current job search will come to a successful conclusion and the faster and more successful any future job searches will be.

Plan and execute a multi-pronged job search campaign. Yes, networking is essential, but other job search techniques are also important. An effective job search campaign is a multi-pronged one that includes the strategic, planned, methodical use of a variety of job search approaches. Answering ads alone is almost never enough. Neither is working with headhunters, using internet job search sources, or researching and targeting specific employers. But, when you combine all these approaches with networking, carefully evaluate and prioritize the approaches based on relative effectiveness, and then launch an integrated, multi-pronged job search campaign, you will always come out ahead. The best job search is one in which the job seeker approaches it as if it was a job itself.

Build a support team. While your preparation will certainly ease the whole process, job searching can be a grueling and very stressful experience. So, I want to remind you that you don't have to go through it alone. You should build a support team around you of people who can help you stay motivated and on track while giving you honest feedback and helping you stay accountable to the goals you set for yourself. Family and friends, past and present managers, your peers and colleagues, financial advisors, and professionals in the careers industry such as career counselors, coaches, and resume writers all make excellent people to add to your team. By assembling a good mix of people to support you, from a diversity of backgrounds and professions, you will receive a variety of different perspectives, ideas, and insights that can be very helpful. You should consider joining a job search support club or group - a local one if one is available or an online one. If you have been provided with outplacement services by your former employer, by all means take advantage of the office space and resources offered. The point is that you don't have to and shouldn't conduct your search in isolation. Surround yourself with a team that will help and support you. Above all, recognize when you need support and don't be afraid to ask for assistance and guidance.

Always follow up. Following up on all of your contacts and your activities can do more to influence your success in achieving your job target than anything else. A hand-written thank you note or a more formal, typed thank you letter after speaking with a networking contact, attending an informational interview, or after attending an actual job interview can make a lasting positive impression that gives you a distinct competitive advantage. A follow-up phone call on every resume you send, whether it is a resume sent cold, in response to an ad, or based on a referral from one of your networking contacts can make all the difference in whether your resume is actually read and considered or not. A consistent method of follow up is key and you must make the time in your schedule to do so. Follow up will positively influence decision-makers, it will help key the process moving along, it will show your interest and your professionalism, and it will position you above the competition.

Adopt a "failure is not an option" attitude and make finding a job a job itself. Celebrate your accomplishments daily and weekly, but recognize that a successful job search requires persistence and consistent effort. The more "feelers" you put out, the more contacts you make, the more resumes you put into the hands of hiring authorities, and the more face-to-face interviews you go on, the faster you will achieve your job target. It can be difficult to remain motivated when you don't immediately see results but remind yourself that job searching is a process and that it takes time. Reward yourself not just for the results, but for the effort.

How To Job Search During The Holidays

2009-10-13T11:11:00.000-07:00

With the holidays now in full swing, there’s a tendency to want to relax and put your job search activities on the back burner. Many job seekers think that employers have stopped any hiring they might be considering and will ramp up in the New Year. If you buy into that, you’re missing 6-8 valuable weeks of search time. I recently helped a job seeker with interviewing preparation. She beat out 20 other applicants and got her permanent position right before Thanksgiving. She even got paid for the holiday time off even though she’d only been there for a week. The reality is employers seek candidates year round and even extend offers during this time. Karen Lewis, Careers in the Key of Life, agrees. She says, "don't approach the job search with the attitude that it's the holiday season and therefore, opportunities will be limited. Life, and work, goes on 365 days a year. Assume that people leave their jobs every day, openings are created everyday, so forge ahead. Planned Happenstance occurs sometimes when you least expect it!

In collaboration with some other job search professionals, I came up with a few tips for job seeking during the holidays. We all agreed that connecting with people is the most important thing you can do in the job search and especially during the holidays. Your job search activities should include those that connect you to hiring managers and those who can give you good leads. You also need to be prepared to make your pitch and present your qualifications should the opportunity arise. The tips below will help you in important ways as you continue or begin a job search during the holidays.

Holiday Job Search Tip #1: Connect With As Many People As Possible
The holiday season is the perfect time to connect with people and make new contacts. Built into the holidays are numerous occasions for reaching out. You can send greeting cards and holiday updates, attend parties and events, and volunteer with churches or community organizations.

Sally Gelardin, job search expert, suggests sending out entertaining, not boring, holiday e-cards to all of your contacts. They’re conversation starters. People appreciate the diversion of well-written personable cards and are more likely to respond to an electronic card. To make a more memorable impression, Sally further suggests writing something humorous on the card such as, "I don't usually have the time to send out personalized holiday cards, but since I am in the midst of a job hunt, I have the good fortune this year to have a bit more time on my hands...." or "Since I have time and like to keep up my skills, I'm volunteering with Santa this year, handing out free resume reviews…" You can fill in the blanks as appropriate.

It’s also important to attend as many parties and holiday events as possible. These are great opportunities to network and learn of new opportunities. To make the most of the networking opportunities, career coach, Linda Artel, suggests having your 30-second introduction ready and use it whenever it seems appropriate. She advises that you get names and cards when you can. If requested, send your resume before the holidays and follow up shortly after New Year’s. This is a great way to get into the hiring manager’s pipeline. Career Advisor, Megan Pittsley encourages job seekers attend Chambers of Commerce mixers, professional association meetings, alumni gatherings, and singles groups, to name a few. Those are great opportunities to network where people are out and about and make connections while others tend to take the holidays off!

Shahrzad Arasteh, Certified Professional Resume Writer, offers an additional perspective. She says, "Attend those holiday parties and gatherings! Engaging in meaningful social interactions is good for your physical and psychological health. Not only does attending holiday gatherings provide the opportunity for you to build and strengthen relationships and your network, but you might learn of potential job opportunities and receive advice/information that will be helpful to you in your job search. Allowing the conversation to flow naturally, you might casually and very briefly let others know what you are looking for, or what skills you wish to use in your next opportunity. Keep in mind that the gathering is a social one, not a business networking event, but do appropriately share a brief comment or two about your current career goals. You never know if one of your conversation partners will end up being the one to give you advice (or even a job offer) leading to your next success!"

Holiday Job Search Tip #2: Stick To Your Job Search Plan
If you’ve been in job search mode for a couple months, by now you might be feeling a little discouraged because you haven’t seen your desired result- a job. It’s at this time that you really want to power through and continue your job search. Since, many other job seekers will be taking a break during the holidays, you’ll stay ahead of the competition. It’s important to stick to your plan so you can keep your momentum. If you think your job search plan and approaches could use some help, go get that help. I work with job seekers all the time and after talking with them for a few minutes I can pinpoint right where they need to focus more attention. You can do that on your own, too. A book I recommend is Get Hired Now! It’s a quick read and will definitely get your job search on track. I also hosted a teleclass in November called, 3 Secrets to Creating Luck in Your Job Search in which I outline three important factors for success in your job search. If you’d like a copy of the recording, send me a request by email, and I will send you the download link.

Holiday Job Search Tip #3: Polish Your Presentation
As you continue your job search during the holidays, you’ll be meeting new people and adding them to your network. The people you’ve already met might also be taking the time to check into your qualifications. You need to make sure you’re presenting yourself well in all mediums. Update and polish your resume to make sure it accurately and effectively reflects your relevant qualifications and accomplishments. You’ve probably heard that hiring managers use online sources more and more to get an impression of candidates. If you have profiles on linkedin, facebook or any other social media tool, make sure your profile is updated and professional looking. If you’re not confident about your interviewing, practice and hone your presentation skills. Enlist the help of a friend or family member. The toughest interview I ever had was a mock interview my sister gave me years ago. Since then, I’ve gotten every job I’ve interviewed for. Be vigilant about making the most positive impression you can.

Holiday Job Search Tip #4: Volunteer And Help Others
The holiday season is a time of year when many of us are asked to donate our time to help others. However, not only is volunteering good for society, according to job search expert, Judi Garcia, volunteering is a good way to increase your self-esteem and confidence while in the job search. She advises job seekers consider volunteering in their local communities because helping others is time well spent, while also networking with community and other professionals. Also, you never know when a job idea or opportunity can show up. Volunteering in the community can lead to a mentoring or leadership role as a board member, and looks good on a resume.

Finding Recession Proof Employment

2009-10-13T08:02:00.000-07:00

Preventing a lay off due to the current economic conditions is challenging and sometimes there is very little you can do. Job security seems to be a thing of the past, but there are a number of industries and jobs that tend to be more isolated from the effects of a declining economy. If you are looking for work or are hoping to transition from a risky job to a more recession-proof career path, the following positions may be of interest to you:

Pharmacy Technician

This position requires some education but nothing like becoming a doctor! The need for medicines will grow despite of an economy so there will not be a lower need for pharmacists and staff any time soon. As the ‘baby-boomer’ generation enters their retirement years, health issues increase. Plus, there will always be a need for family medicine to cure common viruses and illnesses.

Medical

If you are considering what field of study to enter for college, you may want to consider such medical positions as CNA (Certified Nursing Associates) and Dental Assistants. The health field holds promise not only because of the numbers of people who require these services, but because they are not currently overrun with workers. You can often find entry level positions as a CNA or Dental Assist with great health benefits and reasonable pay.

Public Sector Jobs

Recession doesn't influence police, fire, ambulance, or some positions in the local government. These are good jobs that pay well and offer great benefits, and while it may be difficult to get these positions (usually a degree of politics is involved for being hired), if you can get a position in the public sector you have an improved chance of riding out recessions.

Teacher’s Aide

You don't need a college degree to assist a teacher as a teacher’s aide. There will always be a need for schools. As teachers and assistants retire, they replace with new employees. Pay is reasonable and often the positions offer benefits. The time off you receive is great since you'll follow the school schedule for the most part, and it makes this position ideal for parents with school aged children.

Child Care

Starting your own unlicensed child care service from your home isn't difficult to do. You may have friends who trust you to watch their children in exchange for a fee. It's even possible to start a licensed child care out of your home with a bit of planning and training. Despite a recession, parents need daycare because most families require that both parents work in order to make ends meet.

Auto Mechanics

Since cars are not going anywhere anytime soon, there will always be a need for automobile mechanics to repair and maintain vehicles. Decreasing economic conditions actually improve the industry outlook for employment because people keep their vehicles longer which causes an increase in necessary repairs.

Computer support and repair

Many jobs in corporations depend on computer specialists to keep their businesses running, but anyone who repairs or supports existing computers will find work to be plentiful as more people attempt to start their own businesses when they are laid off.

If you find yourself laid off from your job, maybe it is time for a change. Try to work in an industry that is more recession proof than others to secure your financial future.

Tips for Grads Looking for Employment During the Recession

2009-10-13T07:58:00.000-07:00

Being a college grad in the middle of a recession is one of the toughest times to try to find a job. Unfortunately, there are thousands of students who have recently graduated – or are about to cross the stage – who will be looking for employment with 4 million others who have recently been laid off. So how can someone with very little experience compete against candidates who have years of know-how and education under their belts? There are a few tips to consider that can help to make the job search a little simpler. Let’s take a look at what they are …

Take Advantage of Your Youth

One benefit that recent grads have over professionals who have been in their chosen industry for years is youth. While it’s true that many employers like to play it safe with an employee who has tons of experience, some employers understand the need to stay ahead of the curve in most all industries due in large part to constant technological advancements in the business world. This gives a great advantage to the recent grad. One reason for this advantage is that students who have recently graduated have been “raised” in these newer technologies and know them like the backs of their hands. Also, by having recently studied them, recent grads are able to take them and move forward with fresh perspectives that veteran employees may not offer. So as a recent grad, it’s good to amplify any technological expertise you have, as well as any other fresh perspectives you can bring to the table when applying for jobs. If you do, your youth may just offer you a major advantage in your job search.

Apply for jobs with Kohl's on SnagAJob.com

Describe Your Experience Creatively

In addition to focusing on the fresh perspective your youth can bring to a company, it’s good to put a creative spin any experience you have. This is especially true if your list of jobs and skills stops halfway through the first page. Unfortunately, your competition will have tons of expertise under their belts, so it’s your job to spruce up your experiences to make yourself more competitive. For instance, if you have yet to hold a job, but you have volunteered for a number of organizations, you can focus any skills acquired from these experiences (along with extracurricular activities and other events you’ve participated in that can be added to the list) to heighten your chances of being hired.

Make Use of Your Contacts

Another tip to consider when conducting a job search during a recession is making use of your contacts. Sometimes, when there aren’t many job openings in comparison to the number of talented individuals applying for them, who you know means much more than what you know. So if you have good relationships with professors, campus officials, or employees from various internships, now is the time to start networking. Also, joining social networks and organizations geared toward your field can help you create new professional contacts.

Finding a job in the recession can be difficult for anyone, but even more so for a recent grad. But don’t give up hope that you’ll find that great job. With a fresh perspective, creativity and some confident networking skills, you’ll snatch up a great job in no time.

Employer-employee Contracts and At-Will Employment

2009-10-13T07:56:00.000-07:00

Employer-employee relations are guided by the terms and conditions of the employment contract.

An employment contract is a legal agreement that is agreed upon by both the employer and the employee.

An employment contract usually contains the following:

• Name of the employer

• Name of the employee

• Job title and description

• Address of the workplace

• Details of payment

• Hours worked each week

• Holiday entitlement

• Sickness entitlement

• Grievance arrangements

• Termination of contracts notice

• Redundancy

• Disciplinary procedures

• Signatures of both the employer and the employee

In the United States, most employment contracts do not contain duration of tenure as most employees are considered to be at-will.

This means that the employer and the employee are free to terminate the employment contract anytime for any cause.

However, there are three exceptions where a firing of an at-will employee which may be the basis for a wrongful termination.

The three exceptions are:

• Breach of contract – This occurs if the employer expressly or implicitly stated a promise to an employee about a degree of job security. These statements could normally be found on employee’s handbooks or memorandums given to employees when they are hired. Courts usually interpret these as unilateral contracts where the employer promises the employee that he/she will not be terminated except for just cause.

• Breach of an implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing – This occurs when an employee contends that the employer has indicated in various ways that the employee will be given job security and will be treated fairly. Repeated promotions, pay increases, length of service, and positive performance reviews could be interpreted as signs that as long as they do their job satisfactorily then their job will be secure.

• Violations of public policy – This occurs when the termination of an employee violates or undermines existing federal and state laws. The following are examples of violations of public policy:

o Terminating an employee because he/she availed of the Family Medical Leave benefits. That right was given to the employee by the state and firing him/her over it undermines the state as well.

o Terminating an employee because he/she refuses to commit illegal act.

o Termination of an employee did not follow procedures. The company’s employee handbook usually contains the proper procedures that must be followed when an employee is terminated. If the procedure was not followed, the employee may file for wrongful termination charges.

Employment at-will still remains unclear in many states. Legislatures and court decisions continue to shape and answer the debate over how to protect employees from wrongful termination while still allowing employers the freedom to make personnel changes.

Employers now are taking measures to guard themselves against wrongful termination suits by adding express employment-at will causes to employment contracts and deleted potentially troublesome statement from their handbooks.

Employees should consult with an expert wrongful termination attorney to know if they have a winning case against their employers.

Personal Pluses That Ace A Job Interview

2009-10-12T18:09:00.000-07:00

As the business world has become more competitive for the shrinking markets available to them, companies have shifted their focus from hiring the most educated or experienced graduate, to hiring those employees with personal pluses as well as the job skills.

Right now, you may be in an entry-level job, gaining experience and hoping to work your way up. This is also the time (if you haven't learned them while growing up), to develop your people skills as well. Because these tend to be the "soft" sell features that make candidates stand out at an interview.

Promptness is one attribute that employers appreciate. It doesn't come naturally, but it doesn't take a great deal of work to acquire either. A little planning, or putting thought into your daily routines and habits, mean you are not only on time for work, but for outside activities as well.

Personality also goes a long way, when an employer is considering equally qualified candidates. Do you enjoy your work? Have you had good experiences with previous employers? If not, don't make those incidents a focus during your interview. Instead, highlight the positive aspects of past jobs, and how they have helped to make you suited for the position related to the interview. And don't ooze friendliness. Leave that to your puppy at home. Interviewers can spot a phony as soon as they show their orthodontist's handiwork. Be your natural, sincere self. Your real personality will show through, and sometimes will count for more than the degree on your graduation certificate.

People skills are now being considered one of the most valuable assets that any employee can have, no matter what their role. It's not just the customer service part of the job that counts, but how well you function as part of a team, and part of what may be a small, and highly motivated company where there can be periods of intense and concentrated work that tests both your professional skills and your temper. Having an even "keel", and knowing how to deal with those who don't, is a talent that will follow you from job to job, in written recommendations, and in how you present yourself at an interview.

With the number of people seeking work, either as new graduates or recently laid off employees, you need to put not only your best foot forward, but your best "self". A company can go to any institute and hire a person trained to a particular skill. What they are really looking for when they grant interviews, is someone with the technical skills and personality pluses.

Career Changes for Baby Boomers: Ability, Not Age, Matters

2009-10-12T18:08:00.000-07:00

Baby boomers. They're the generation born between 1946 and 1964. They came of age in the early 70s and early 80s. They're the generation that made changes and waves, worked harder and longer, put off marriage and children, did things differently than previous generations.

Whether because of financial necessity or because they have something to offer, baby boomers are staying in the workforce longer. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and projections indicate that by 2010 there should be 18.5 million boomers ages 45 to 49 in the labor force, as compared to 14.7 in 1995, and 16.8 million versus 10.6 million in the 50- to 54-years-old range.

They're still making changes. They're retiring later, or not at all. If not downsized or laid off, boomers often continue to work. When they don't choose to continue in the same career, it doesn't mean they're ready to stop contributing, and sometimes they're making transitions to new careers.

"On average there are three to five career changes in a person's lifetime and that's pretty common," says Kevin Gaw, Director of Career Development, University of Nevada, Reno. "It's pretty common that a layoff ends up being a great opportunity for someone to find something that's more suited to them, too."

But it can be challenging to a baby boomer to be suddenly confronted with a career change. They were raised in a world where you got your education, then got your job, and while you may not have stayed with the job until you retired, you would probably stay in the same profession. "It can be jarring to realize you have to transfer your skill set to another area," says Gaw.

In 2004, Gaw's office worked with 208 alumni. Nearly 7.5 percent were going through a career change, three percent because of a forced situation such as layoff or company closure or relocation. The rest of them just wanted to do something different. When you?re faced with an important career shift, there are things you can to do make it easier on yourself and achieve a more enjoyable, productive career change.

• Look at your skills. Determine which are transferable to other jobs.

• Find your passion. What do you love to do? "It's not about the money," Gaw says. "The money isn't what makes us happy. What makes us happy is doing something that's meaningful to us."

• Look at reality. If you want to be an astronaut but can't do math, Gaw says, the reality is it's unlikely. People need to work through that disappointment and maybe change that passion to a hobby rather than a vocation.

• Determine whether you want to make a radical career change? say from legal secretary to Web designer? or stay within the same profession.

• If you like the company you're with but feel the need for change, see if they can retain and retrain you. If it comes down to a complete career change, there are also some things you can do to help create a whole new career for yourself.

• Promote yourself rather than your age. Once you get into a position and can show off your skills, you'll be known for those skills rather than your years.

• Start slow. Before investing heavily in education, determine if it's the right career path for you.

• Network. Many non-entry level positions are found by references. Join professional organizations in the field you want to enter.

• Consider working for yourself. A job market survey conducted in 2005 by global outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc., quoted on thematuremarket.com, indicated that of 3000 job seekers, 13 percent chose to work for themselves, and 86.6 percent of them were over 40.

Another option is to leverage your experience and teach or train. Moving into training and coaching people just entering the profession you're leaving is a fairly informal move. Teaching requires state licensing, and there are programs helping place retiring workers into teaching positions. The University of Nevada Department of Curriculum, Teaching and Learning takes executives through a first-time licensing program and puts them in the schools in just a couple semesters, often teaching in high-needs areas like math, science and languages. Likewise, IBM unveiled their Transition to Teaching program in September, reimbursing them for tuition and providing stipends while they student teach. Many of their executives are highly trained in math and computer sciences.

Whether making a career change to a new profession or a new position, Gaw says such changes are a normal life pattern. "It's a good thing to be open to change. The challenge is recognizing skill sets and knowing how to capitalize on them and present them to the new opportunities."

Body Language Speaks Louder Than Words

2009-10-12T18:07:00.000-07:00

Has it ever occurred to you how much you are saying to people even when you are not speaking? Unless you are a master of disguise, you are constantly sending messages about your true thoughts and feelings whether you are using words or not.

Studies show that your words account for only 7% of the messages you convey. The remaining 93% is non-verbal. 55% of communication is based on what people see and the other 38% is transmitted through tone of voice. So think about it. In the business setting, people can see what you are not saying. If your body language doesn't match your words, you are wasting your time.

Eye contact is the most obvious way you communicate. When you are looking at the other person, you show interest. When you fail to make eye contact, you give the impression that the other person is of no importance. Maintain eye contact about 60% of the time in order to look interested, but not aggressive.

Facial expression is another form of non-verbal communication. A smile sends a positive message and is appropriate in all but a life and death situation. Smiling adds warmth and an aura of confidence. Others will be more receptive if you remember to check your expression.

Your mouth gives clues, too, and not just when you are speaking. Mouth movements, such as pursing your lips or twisting them to one side, can indicate that you are thinking about what you are hearing or that you are holding something back.

The position of your head speaks to people. Keeping your head straight, which is not the same as keeping your head on straight, will make you appear self-assured and authoritative. People will take you seriously. Tilt your head to one side if you want to come across as friendly and open.

How receptive you are is suggested by where you place your arms. Arms crossed or folded over your chest say that you have shut other people out and have no interest in them or what they are saying. This position can also say, "I don't agree with you." You might just be cold, but unless you shiver at the same time, the person in front of you may get the wrong message.

How you use your arms can help or hurt your image as well. Waving them about may show enthusiasm to some, but others see this gesture as one of uncertainty and immaturity. The best place for your arms is by your side. You will look confident and relaxed. If this is hard for you, do what you always do when you want to get better at something - practice. After a while, it will feel natural.

The angle of your body gives an indication to others about what's going through your head. Leaning in says, "Tell me more." Leaning away signals you've heard enough. Adding a nod of your head is another way to affirm that you are listening.

Posture is just as important as your grandmother always said it was. Sit or stand erect if you want to be seen as alert and enthusiastic. When you slump in your chair or lean on the wall, you look tired. No one wants to do business with someone who has no energy.

Control your hands by paying attention to where they are. In the business world, particularly when you deal with people from other cultures, your hands need to be seen. That would mean you should keep them out of your pockets and you should resist the urge to put them under the table or behind your back. Having your hands anywhere above the neck, fidgeting with your hair or rubbing your face, is unprofessional.

Legs talk, too. A lot of movement indicates nervousness. How and where you cross them tells others how you feel. The preferred positions for the polished professional are feet flat on the floor or legs crossed at the ankles. The least professional and most offensive position is resting one leg or ankle on top of your other knee. Some people call this the "Figure Four." It can make you look arrogant.

The distance you keep from others is crucial if you want to establish good rapport. Standing too close or "in someone's face" will mark you as pushy. Positioning yourself too far away will make you seem standoffish. Neither is what you want so find the happy medium. Most importantly, do what makes the other person feel comfortable. If the person with whom you are speaking keeps backing away from you, stop. Either that person needs space or you need a breath mint.

You may not be aware of what you are saying with your body, but others will get the message. Make sure it's the one you want to send.

A Cosmopolitan Job Search

2009-10-12T18:06:00.000-07:00

With increased globalization and cosmopolitan approaches to life, the job hunting process is also undergoing changes. People are increasingly looking for jobs outside the borders or their countries, in various fields regardless of their education, and in a more competitive world then ever. While the companies from developed countries are struggling to hire the most qualified work force, it is becoming more likely that this work force will be coming from countries in transition or developing states. As an example, Eastern Europe was able to supply the EU labor market with increased numbers of highly educated professionals who were willing to work for less.

When you are looking for a job, and you care less about the country this job will take you to, but you are more concerned about you role in the job, it is important to take the following into consideration:

Particularities of job search approaches
When looking for jobs outside any state borders, we cannot assume that the job search process is the same worldwide. While the overall process may be the same, there are certain things that are done differently. In some countries it is important that you call the employer to discuss the job before applying, while in others you are discouraged from contacting the employer. These are details you should be aware of so that you can have a successful application process. It might be best for you to:
- Contact people who work in the country of application (even if it is on a forum and you don't personally know the people you are addressing) and talk to them about the recruitment process they went through;
- Take a look at a few resumes of people who work in the country of destination and check if your resume follows a similar pattern (at the same time don't try too hard to make yourself blend, differences can be positive in bringing your resume forward in front of an employer);
- Learn more about the culture of the country you seek employment in and incorporate this knowledge in your job search strategy and decision making.

Cultural differences
Being cosmopolitan in your job search does not mean you have to be ignorant of culture and life outside the borders of your country, or assume that everything is the same everywhere. The world is very diverse, and you are cosmopolitan when you learn to embrace the differences and respect various cultures. Before you apply for a job in another country - take a few hours time to learn more about the country, the people, and the culture of that place. Knowledge of the culture will help you prepare a resume and a job search strategy that will generate results. This process will also help you decide if you would really be happy in that country. When you want to have a life outside the office, this becomes even more important. As an example, I know a job seeker from the US who decided to move to a company in the UK, and without making any research assumed that London would be the same as Los Angeles. It does not quite work this way.

Honesty and integrity
Applying for a job thousands of miles away does not mean that the employer or recruiter will never check your background. Make sure that in your application you provide only verifiable information, and that you can support the provided data with more details during the interview. Also, make sure you can undertake legal employment in that country, and do not forge any documents that will help you get that job. It is not only dishonest - it is also not worth it.

The world is a very small yet diverse place, and every culture has a certain impact on the overall life and job-hunting process of its people. If you are looking to apply for a job outside the boundaries of your country, make sure you understand what you are getting yourself into. This will help your put together a successful job search strategy. I understand that this is complicated when you are looking at 10 or more countries at the same time, but who said life of a cosmopolitan careerist is easy.

Great YouTube Video: How To Find A Job During A Recession

2009-10-12T17:59:00.000-07:00

The Ideal Resume

2009-10-12T17:46:00.000-07:00

The first impression employers always look at is one’s resume. Given the many that apply, this usually takes about 30 seconds and so with the limited words, one must be sure that the resume is well written and grammatically correct. The resume must say almost everything about the person. This should always start with pertinent information such as the person’s name, age, address, contact number and social security number. The details here are needed so if one is considered to be a potential employer, it will be easy for the company to get in touch with the applicant and be scheduled for an interview.Next is the career objective which is the reason why the applicant wants to apply for the position. By putting a strong goal in mind and not a general one, the employer will see that this person has a direction which is why that person wants to work for the company.The next section should include the relevant skills and knowledge one has had in the current and previous jobs as well as highlighting one’s major accomplishments. By putting in detail the things one has done in that position and experiences learned from it, that information is already basis for the employer to see the potential the applicant has for that position. It shows the qualities one possesses and the benefits one can contribute to the further growth of the company.After that, the resume should show one’s educational background. Some companies prefer someone with a degree in a certain field, a licensed professional to do the job or one who possesses a master’s degree. By showing one’s credentials, it is a good indicator of the type of training one has possessed in school and the accomplishments one has achieved in the course of one’s career. The latter section should provide details such as hobbiesFree Articles, interests and character references. Employers look at potential applicants who not only have the qualifications for the job but also those who also those who are well rounded. Being active in a certain organization and be seen as a leader in a group shows one’s social skills with others. Character references do the same and give people an idea how one performed working with that person.There is no ideal resume. It depends on the job. It is an important step one must pass before being called for that first interview.

CareerBuilder.com's Most-Searched Keywords by Bosses

2009-10-12T16:01:00.000-07:00

CareerBuilder recently surveyed 3,100 hiring managers and found that nearly half of them had caught prospective employees in a definitive lie during the review process. More helpful to the honest job-seekers out there, though, are the terms those managers are scanning for in resumes. Here's four of the top nine from CareerBuilder:

* problem-solving and decision-making skills (50 percent)
* oral and written communications (44 percent)
* customer service or retention (34 percent)
* performance and productivity improvement (32 percent)

Of course, other job-seeking portals with different salary and professional markets will have varied results, as we've previously noted, but it's helpful to see a few terms that seem to have common pull amongst the hiring. Hit the link for the next five results.

7 Ways A More Aggressive Job Search Produces Better Results

2009-10-12T13:34:00.000-07:00

Is your job search producing lackluster results at best? Don't settle for a job search that just creeps along! Instead, consider taking a more aggressive approach to take fuller advantage of high performing tactics.

You need to know that an aggressive job search techniques are unconventional, often radical, and always strategic. And they work! They outperform traditional job search strategies in 7 key ways:

(1) Make your aggressive tactics proactive: If you have been in the job market very long this is the way it is typically done. Traditionally you submit your resume and cover letter, then passively sit back and wait for a call. Hopefully to an interview. But in an aggressive job search, you set the pace for your campaign through weekly networking calls or emails. These should include weekly follow-up contacts with hiring managers that you have sent your email and cover letter to. These will include both posted or anticipated job openings. By making 10 - 15 such calls each week, you can increase the pace of your results. And affect your search exponentially.

(2) Target your aggressive job search tactics: If you spend all your time only seeking online job postings, then you're missing out on all kinds of highly targeted job leads. Instead focus on specific industries, employers, geographic areas, and position types to help you magnify the number of interviews and job offers you receive. Don't make the mistake of applying for everything you see. Doing that may make you feel productive, but such a shot-gun approach to job searching ultimately fails to help you secure the position you desire. For several years I was in sales and the companies I worked for pushed cold calling. I hate cold calling because it is unproductive. So I focused in applying the above techniques to sales. They worked. I was always way ahead of my peers who spent their time cold calling.

(3) Aggressive job search tactics are consistent: If you sit back and wait for the interesting jobs to show up on job boards and in ads, you are guaranteeing failure or at best prolonging the agony of job searching.

If you submit 8-10 resumes in some weeks, say, and only 1-2 in others, then you are setting yourself up for failure. However by leveraging an aggressive job search will enable you to consistently submit 25 or more resumes per week, which in turn will produce a regular series of job interviews. And a series of interviews boosts your odds of receiving one or more job offers. That’s the plan after all, isn’t it?

(4) Aggressive job search tactics are customized: No matter how you figure, a job search is something of a numbers game just as it is in the sales scenario I mentioned above. The philosophy behind traditional job search tactics of blasting your resume to hundreds of employers all at once, is a job is a job, is a job. But that leaves no room for you to target specific industry segments or position types. A more aggressive job search technique will stress your individuality by weaving your personality and career-related values into your resume, cover letter, and interview responses that boosts the odds that hiring managers looking for someone like you will actually find you. If you read through the articles on our website ResumeHelpBlog.com you will find that is our basic philosophy because all jobs are not created equal.

(5) Aggressive job search tactics are free or low-cost: If you took advantage of all the job search offers available on the Internet, you could easily spend hundreds and possibly thousands of dollars, and still see little to no positive results. The good news, though, is that by using an aggressive job search technique by their very nature either free or extremely low-cost. Many HR consulting firms who work with job seekers will often stress that they give you hundreds of hiring employer names to contact (that's how they justify their high fees). Did you know that you can access that same information on the Internet for free? You will be surprised at what you can find on the Internet, or maybe not surprised at all.

(6) An aggressive job search tactic will restore balance to your life: Many things in life output and effort, yet overlook the power of automation. Searching for a job is no different. By taking advantage of automated functions in your pc's software and on online job search tools, you could save time every week. Life is too short, to spend all your time hunting down job leads. Enhance the quality of your life by automating your job search in every way possible.

(7) And finally aggressive job search tactics will penetrate the Hidden Job Market: One of the greatest weaknesses of traditional job search methods is that they focus on the Visible Job Market, or those jobs that are both currently available and known outside the hiring organization. A major company where my daughter works hires that way and pays a bonus for referrals. My daughter has helped several friends find work with this firm and in the process has pocketed several hundred dollars in bonuses. Almost three quarters of all jobs are never advertised in the Visible Job Market. Most companies would prefer to promote from within or hire from a referral of a trusted employee. So what does a smart job seeker do? They tell everyone they know that they are available. You have to leverage the power of the aggressive job search tactics to penetrate the Hidden Job Market as much as possible.

You don't have to wait for a hot economy to land the job you really want. By taking advantage of as many aggressive job search tactics as possible, you will dramatically shorten your job search while boosting the interviews and offers you land.

Learn How To Job Search The Right Way

2009-10-12T13:32:00.000-07:00

If you knew something wasn't working, would you keep doing it, expecting the results to change? For most people the answer would be no, but for the majority of people looking for jobs, this is exactly what they are doing. They are submitting resumes in the same old fashion and getting no replies. They are attending job fairs and never getting any return calls. Stop this madness now and learn the new approach towards getting a job.

Don't wait for the human resource department to give you a call. Don't wait for that email response. Call them back after a day to see if they received your resume. Then schedule a time to call them back 4-5 business days later. Be persistence without sounding desperate.

Stop sending resumes without meeting with the humans behind the job postings. Have you ever been hired by computer? No! So this idea that you can send resumes all day and expect a job, is nonsense. The computer is useful for finding job openings but a human is who will hire you. Pick up the phone and talk to a human about a job.

Build your network of friends. There are jobs but you need to meet the people. Spend 2 hours a day inviting your network to get coffee. Keep what works and toss out the rest. Think of the job search as a job and aim for efficiency. Have more than one cover letter on hand. Create resumes with different themes and objectives. If you sent out 10 resumes, five with your website address and five without a website, and the five with your website received the most attention, then you should know what tactic is working. Eliminate the garbage from the previous days and work with the stuff that brought you closer to a human hiring you.

The human element of job searching might seem simple and basic but a lot of people still spend the majority of their day, wasting away on computer, without it getting them any closer to a job. It is time to get social with your job search. Use what works in finding a job and discard the rest.

The Top 5 Best Performing Public Job Sectors During The Recession And Beyond...

2009-10-12T11:16:00.000-07:00

Many officials and economists around the world claim that in spring 2009 the global economy passed the critical test for what lies ahead. Although, nobody can guarantee with certainty that the recession is over many believe that the economy showed glimpses of recovery. The stable and in some cases increasing prices in the housing market, the latest rally in the stock markets in Europe, Asia and the US are some of the reasons to be more optimistic for the future.

Nevertheless, both Ben Bernanke, the president of the Federal Reserve in the US and Dominique Strauss-Kahn, the head of IMF, claimed that the situation is still fragile and the recovery will be slow. With plans to inject even more money into troubled companies and sectors (the so called “statistical easiness”) it is almost certain that it will take longer than initially thought for economies to fully recover. In the UK, the Governor of the Bank of England Mervin King is under new pressures to print more money as GDP slumps again.

One of the sectors mainly affected by the recent developments in the economy is the labour market. The unemployment index has reached record levels in the UK and Europe and predictions are less promising for 2010. Latest data from the British Chambers of Commerce economic survey indicate that the UK recession is still very serious and that unemployment can be expected to grow rapidly in 2009 and 2010. So which job sectors can be considered “safe” and how the economic situation will affect the jobs market? We will analyse in this article the top 5 best performing public job sectors and which the safest career choices are at a time of economic slowdown. Are you safe in your existing job or do you welcome the opportunity to try something new?

This is a list (in no particular order) of the top 5 best performing public job sectors according to Public Jobs Direct. The analysis refers to the sector as a whole and presents future plans that strengthen will their performance.

Education

Latest figure show that the education sector is still going strong and for certain disciplines such as science teachers the situation is even more promising. With shortages for such skills across the majority of schools in the UK the demand for teachers is on the increase. The new plans of the government to invest in building more schools also gives a boost in the employment activity for this sector.

Health and Social Care

Similar to education health and social care seems to be a “recession-proof” sector. The government in an effort to reduce unemployment is not adopting job cutting practices in this sector and on the contrary continues to hire new personnel. Doctors, administrative staff and social care workers are still high in demand. The social care reform plan than was launched in early 2008 outlines the roadmap to help councils redesign and reshape their services and systems over the next 3 years.

Public Transport

Public spending on infrastructure is one of the popular measures governments adopt in order to stimulate the economy in situations such as a recession. Investing in public transport development helps both the employment market and at the same time improves the local communities. With the 2012 Olympics just 3 years away the government is planning to invest in certain infrastructure improvements such are trains and busses. Moreover a £1bn plan to electrify the main rail route between London and Swansea has been announced by the government.

Renewable Energy

This is another sector where the government is planning to invest heavily in the next few years. The prime minister unveiled that the plan is “to build up Britain's clean power supply in order to reach the EU-imposed target of producing 15% of the country's energy from renewable sources by 2020”. With a total investment that exceeds £100 billion the estimate is that the renewable energy programme would generate around 160,000 jobs.

IT

Despite some major job losses in the short term mainly in the financial sector, the IT sector is proving quite resistant in the mid to long term. After all, we live in a technology driven world. Many companies have the standard practice of cutting jobs in the IT infrastructure and outsource their operation in the short terms. But the demand for highly technical and skilled professionals drives the market. Companies will usually invest in new projects and systems (both software and hardware) in order prepare their in-house operations for the “day after the recession”. The demand for talented software designers and developers is currently growing and there seems to be an increasing trend for the next 4 years.

Targeted Resumes Equals Job Search Success

2009-10-12T11:15:00.001-07:00

Over the course of my career as a Career Coach and Resume Writing Strategist, I have written in excess of 10,000 resumes for job seekers at all levels from entry level, management, and technical to senior level executives from fortune 100 companies. There are thousands of books, journals and websites with tips and strategies on writing an effective resume. Writing a resume is challenging however, with the right information and focus you can write a resume that is high impact, credible and engaging.

Whether you are writing an executive resume, management resume, and entry-level resume or for a profession such as the law or engineering, your resume should clearly show your qualifications and how it fits the requirements of the job. For this article, I will focus on the management resume to illustrate targeted and effective resume writing techniques.

Complete a skills inventory

When a writing a management resume, the first step is to perform an in-depth skills analysis to identify your value, core competences and successes to write your management resume. It is important to know that an effective management resume should be relevant, convey your work experiences quickly and concisely and in a manner that makes you stand out from your competitors. To complete a skills inventory, ask yourself the following questions:

• What am I good at?

• How have my past employers describe?

• What makes me a great manager? Or What is my management style?

• What skills do I use to meet my goals?

Cater to the Employer’s skills requirement

You should determine what the requirements are for the jobs or careers you are targeting by carefully reviewing the job descriptions. For instance, some managerial careers require abilities such as strategic thinking, leadership, reliability, teamwork, attention to detail and communication. If you possess these core strengths, you should ensure that they are written on your resume. When writing your management resume, you should create a short profile or career summary that outlines your core skills and abilities and encapsulates your career goals and are specific to the needs outlined by the employer. For example “Certified Real Property Administrator with 15 years of experience managing high-asset-value commercial, retail and mixed use property portfolios in Vancouver, Calgary and Toronto.” This sentence clearly shows to a future employer knows how many years of experience the candidate has, his areas of expertise and the relevant Canadian markets in which he has experiences.

Focus on the employer’s needs

An effectively written resume will focus on the requirements of the employer and not the needs of the application. Many job seekers make the mistake of stating in their resume objectives what they want from a job i.e. advancement, security and challenge. They neglect to inform the employer of what they bring to the table - such as leadership, problem solving, critical thinking, business acumen and other core strengths that would be of immediate value to an employer.

Tailor your resume

When writing a management resume or any other level resume for that matter, one size definitely does not fit all. You should always tailor your resume for reach job or occupation of interest. For example, if you are targeting accounting and want to use your innate sales abilities, do not use the same resumes for both career paths. Write a targeted resume for each career path with an eye on highlighting how your transferable skills and experience relates to that job by using action words, verbs and terms specific to the job you are targeting in your resume.

Green Job Growth Set to Explode in U.S.

2009-10-12T11:15:00.000-07:00

The huge potential for growth in green jobs is being mandated and funded. The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 require large utilities to obtain 15 percent of their electricity from new renewable resources such as solar and wind by 2020. On May 18th, 2009, Secretary of the Department of Energy Chu announced the first 16 of the 100 standards that much be addressed by September in order to clear the way for the expenditure of Stimulus Package funds towards expanding the Smart Grid.

Small and medium-sized businesses particularly are predicted to expand the green jobs market rapidly over the next ten years with considerable financial support for the investment markets and government. The Cleantech Network reports that venture capitalists have put $1.74 billion into North American and European green technology start ups in just the third quarter of 2007.

Additionally, the energy crisis and the large number of retirements expected over the next 10 years in public utilities are contributing to the transition to a greener economy. According to the President of the Association of Energy Engineers, Rusty Hodopp, 41 percent of its members plan to retire within the next ten years.

The skill set that workers need to have in place is varied and multiple within the five green energy industries of wind, solar, biomass, geothermal, and smart grid.

Currently, Germany and Spain each generate 5 percent of their energy from the wind while U.S. total is only .5 percent. Wind power ranked second to biomass as a renewable energy job source as of 2006 in the U. S. The capacity to create all the energy needed for the entire country from just wind power is estimated to be within boundaries of four states—Texas, North Dakota, Kansas, and South Dakota, according to a U.S. Conference of Mayors Report.

Since 2000 installation of solar panels has increased by 45 percent each year and the industry growing by 35 percent each year. It is working on reducing cost associated with manufacturing and installation.

In the U. S. biomass is very research-oriented with a focus on corn ethanol. Biomass is used in Brazil with 40 percent of its transportation fuel made by using sugar cane. It reduces the carbon footprint of the consumer, but only by about 15 percent as energy must be used to convert plant and animal material into clean energy.

Smart Grid refers to increasing the proportion of renewable energy in the mix of energy sources to decrease vulnerability to terrorist attacks as well as brown-outs and black-outs. President Obama sited Xcel’s efforts to make Boulder, Colorado the country’s first smart grid city in his introduction of the Stimulus Package.

These emerging industries have companies throughout the world many of which have job listings across the disciplines on line. The common bond in this green jobs field market is the need for engineering professional or technical training experience. Many of the companies are also looking for team players with open communication styles. It seems prudent to develop our green jobs with the necessary skills and flexibility to adapt to our greener economy.

How to Research Any Job Market

2009-10-12T11:14:00.000-07:00

A lot of job seekers today just jump on the queue, without prior knowledge about the company or market they are applying to. What happens after? They end up more disappointed and frustrated.

Only those who understand how to stand out can get the job. More so, remember no one will recruit a liability not even to talk of a novice. Never worry you are about to be exploded!

So let roll!

In carrying out your job search, you need to have several kinds of information at your disposal. You will need to research industry trends, details about the particular company you are or will be applying to, even details about the human resources manager. What I am saying is that, assuming you are applying to bank now, which common today, you first like to know about what is happening in industry which is BANKING, ok! Then later you will move to the particular bank you are applying to and the type of HR manager they have.

Cleared? Fine, let's ride on.

While carrying out these research put in mind the following questions so that it can serve as a guide during your search. They are;

What is it about this industry do I need to know so that I can ask and answer questions intelligently?

where can I get information about them?

What type of information am I looking for?

What do I need to know about the HR manager that will help me to write a better application letter and also be able to answer questions more confidently during the interview?

Remember carrying out a research is not like eating your best food, and that is why many job seekers shy away from it. If you consider the rate at which people are employed through a newspaper advert. You will found out that only a few find their job via these means.

Once you can research the market properly, then you will have a better idea of what you going in for. More importantly you will be able to tailor your CV and application letter more effectively due to the level of information you have at your disposal.

Now, How to carry out the research!

As you start off, researching the company trends, what you will be looking for are:

The main growth area.

The main players in the market.

The main challenges and problems facing the industry.

Now you know what you will look for, and then make a visit to the nearest university library or any other well equipped library around you search for their reference guide on your chosen industry trends. If this do not work then you go on-line and make your search on the common search engines, this does not take much time to find out.

Now next step is for you to narrow down your search to some specific companies which you are aiming for in your job search. While doing this, keep in mind these key facts about each of these organizations. These can be categorizing into six, they are;

Strong and weak point.

Major challenges.

Organizational structure.

Organizational culture.

Company size like: number of staff, profit, market share, profit, etc.

Main competitors.

To make the search easier for you, get hold of the companies report, or as I said earlier go online and get your hand on this information.

If this do not work find a means of speaking to their employees about what it is like working for that particular company, ask them about their competitors, strength and weakness, every other thing you deemed fit.

Now we are done with the company, let's move further to your specific job.

In doing this effectively you will need to know the following things;

What will be your task and responsibilities

What is the required qualification?

The typical salary job

What are their human resources like?

Laying your hand on a thing like this will make you better prepared with your CV and most importantly the interview.

WARNING

If you do not do your research so well, the company may say or do something that will as been ignorant of their business, which may ruin your opportunity of been taken. But if you do it will you will increase your chances by 100%.

For you to do it right it is better you have a file for all this research so that you can keep a track of those information it can be of help during your interview.

ACTION PLAN QUESTIONS

1. Why do you need to research your Job market?

2. How do I carry out the search?

3. What do I need to know about my chosen company?

4. What questions do I need answered as regard the Job I am looking for?

How To Beat The Competition and Get That Job!

2009-10-12T09:44:00.000-07:00

Several hundred thousand graduates leave university each year whilst some take the opportunity to travel before entering the world of work the priority, for the vast majority, is to enter their chosen field as quickly as possible.

Bearing in mind the current economic state-high unemployment combined an increasing amount of graduates' competition for jobs, places on graduate schemes and the like, has never been so fierce. As such, to tip the scales of success in their favour, it is imperative that steps are taken to secure a head start over the competition.

Lets look at the three areas that, with the correct approach can give a serious advantage over your rivals.

1. Get the best possible classification of degree that you are able.

2. Gain experience and develop transferable skills that employers are looking for.

3. Prepare properly for the application and assessment process and make sure that you have the ability to deliver what a prospective employer is looking for.

Getting the best possible classification of degree

This is self-explanatory; a candidate with a higher classification will automatically stand out from those with a lesser grade. That said the right interpersonal skills and qualities are also vital to an employer and so selling yourself and your individual qualities during the assessment process can give you the edge over a better qualified candidate.

Gain experience and develop transferable skills that employers are looking for.

Each university will have a careers service staffed with specialist advisers whose role is to offer expert help and guidance, it’s a free service provided for your benefit so use it to your advantage. Unfortunately many students’ make the mistake of not seeking out the services of a counsellor until the final year (sometimes even the final term) of university, clearly this is the incorrect approach, the sooner advice is sought the better.

A careers counsellor can help in two ways, firstly by suggesting suitable career options dependant upon the subject studied, interests and personality type; secondly to help the person successfully secure a position within their chosen field.

Regardless as to whether you have a particular profession in mind, it remains imperative that you seek advice as soon as possible. It may well be that there are things that you could be doing, during the duration of your degree that will have an impact on your search for work later down the line. For example law students’ may find that summer employment in a solicitors office or the undertaking mini pupillages’ may well have a profound impact when it comes to securing a training contract or pupillage proper.

A career’s counsellor can advise accordingly, not only with regards to gaining practical experience but also regarding the development of skills demanded within your chosen vocation. It is crucial for example, that someone with a desire to enter the world of sales and marketing not only has excellent negotiation skills but can demonstrate to a prospective employer during the application process, how they have used the skill in real situations. Thus over the duration of your degree, whether through academia, via work paid or voluntary, you must have involved yourself in an environment that has enabled you, not only to develop the particular skill but also to facilitate examples from which you are able to draw.

Prepare properly for the application and assessment process and make sure that you have the ability to deliver what a prospective employer is looking for.

This third area which demands a prepared and competent approach is the successful completion of the application process-and a science in itself!

Again the careers advisor can point you in the right direction when it comes to finding opportunities some even have links with major or local employers. They can also give sound advice when it comes to the application and assessment procedure, however the greater the preparation and more extensive your knowledge the better.

An organised student will begin in their search for employment well in advance of graduation. Of course the Internet is the ideal research tool where information can be found on most companies along with their current vacancies and any recruitment schemes that maybe available to you once you’ve graduated. You should also keep an eye out for recruitment events such as job fairs and ‘milk rounds’ as they also offer the opportunity to network, build contacts and forge relationships, to hand out CV’s to speak personally with recruiters and to sell yourself.

Home Based Business Tips

2009-10-12T09:42:00.000-07:00

A work from home business is now seen as an alternative to the 9-5 job, five days a week. Making money online is becoming increasingly popular as people begin to think differently. With the cost of everything increasing, more people are taking charge of their financial situation. They are setting up businesses at home so that they can earn an income and get a better work-life balance.

The internet is full of various opportunities. There are many genuine ways of making money. However, you need to be aware of scams that don't deliver the goods. You need to be wary and check out credentials before parting with your cash.

The internet has so many opportunities it might be hard to choose which one is best for you. How to get started and the business opportunity to choose is the biggest challenge. Here are some questions to think about.

Is this the right work from home business idea for me? Do I need a lot of experience to succeed in this business? How much money do I need to get started? Is it a proven work from home business?

Here are some of the best and quickest ways to earn an income with your own home business.

Affiliate Programs & Other People's Products

Affiliate programs are a very easy and quick way to start with your home business. Affiliate programs are a way of making money by promoting other people's products or services. You receive a commission which will vary greatly. Check out the commission paid for products you feel comfortable with promoting.

The advantage of affiliate programs is that you only need to lay out a small amount of cash to get started to pay for your website and paying for ongoing promotions.

Your sole aim is to advertise your website and promote products and services. Create as many sales as possible and gradually increase your commission checks.

Private Label Resell Rights Products

These are products that are already created. You claim ownership and market them as your own. Key advantage of this is that you don't have to create your own product and can be in your own home business very quickly.

Resell Rights Products

These are products that are already created and available to anyone who can pay for the resell rights to market them. You get to market a product which is already created. Sometimes they come with their own website so you can be up and running in your own home business pretty quickly.

Create Your Own Product!

Sounds scary? Needn't be. All of us know a bit about something. Just think of things that you enjoy, what you know, what you do. Put it in to an e-book or product. Use what you know and start making money from your own business.

These are just some of the ways in which you can easily start to earn money from your own online home business. Working from home can generate extra income and potentially, a great deal of money. These are proven methods. They just need you to apply them.

By Richard Harley

A List of Tough Job Interview Questions For Tough Times

2009-10-12T09:40:00.000-07:00

The information presented here is designed to provide a benefit to anyone who must answer questions during the dreaded job interview. The main point presented here is that the key to a successful job interview is preparation. The following discussion expounds on this key point.

While some tough job interview questions take us off guard, others we can see coming a mile away. How we answer job interview questions will make the difference between getting and not getting the job. We all have questions that we'd rather not be asked during an interview. But how can one prepare completely for a tough interview?

The answer to this question really comes down to intense preparatory work. In a nutshell, do your homework. Make sure that you know your resume thoroughly and expect questions to come from your work history. Also, expect questions about the company you want to work for and the type of future you want in that company, and finally, expect questions about you. You should use several large lists of questions in preparation for the interview. Below, you will find a list of tough job interview questions, which should be helpful in preparation for the job interview.

While the questions below are pretty standard and can be expected at most job interviews, you should also create your own questions. In creating your questions in preparation for an interview, you really need to sit down and think through what you would ask if you were the interviewer. Remember that the person interviewing you has a job to do as well. If you can provide a good answer to most of the questions below, and to the questions you have created, you have increased the probability of obtaining the job you are seeking.

Obviously during a job interview, regardless of your personality, you need to be congenial and polite. Try not to appear nervous as well. Most importantly, try to appear confident in yourself but not to the point of appearing cocky. Remember, the interviewer is not only trying to select the best candidate for the job, they also want to be sure that you will be compatible with other employees you will be working with. Also, remember that the interviewer is trying their best to find any red flags that may be present in your past work history.

The following is a list of questions you can expect at most job interviews. You most likely will not be asked all of these questions, but you can expect some of them. Many of these questions come from About.com, and some were created by our staff.

Job Interview Questions: Work History

What is the name of the company you worked for and what titles or positions did you hold?

In a nutshell, describe what you did at your previous company.

When were your employed by this company?

What were your expectations for your previous job and to what extent were they met?

What were your starting and final levels of compensation?

What were your responsibilities?

What major challenges and problems did you face? How did you handle them?

What did you like or dislike about your previous job?

Which was most and least rewarding?

What was the biggest accomplishment and failure in this position?

Why are you leaving your current job?

Why were you fired?

What was the most enjoyable aspect of your previous job?

Job Interview Questions: About Your Supervisors and Co-Workers.

What was it like working for your supervisor?

What do you expect from a supervisor?

Who was your best boss and who was the worst?

What is the ideal co-worker?

What is the ideal boss?

Job Interview Questions: About You

What is your greatest weakness?

What is your greatest strength?

In terms of your current or last position, describe a typical work week for yourself.

Do you take work home with you?

How many hours do you normally work per week including work completed at home?

How would you describe the pace at which you work?

How do you handle stress and pressure?

In terms of your career, what motivates you to move upward and attain further success?

What are your salary expectations?

What do you find are the most difficult decisions to make?

Tell me about yourself.

What has been the greatest disappointment in your life?

What has been your greatest accomplishments in your life?

What are you passionate about?

What are your pet peeves?

What do people most often criticize about you?

When was the last time you were angry? What happened?

If you could relive the last 10 years of your life, what would you do differently?

If the people who know you were asked why you should be hired, what would they say?

Do you prefer to work independently or on a team?

Give some examples of teamwork.

Were you responsible for any major projects at your last position, and if so, please describe in a nutshell the project you were responsible for.

What type of work environment do you prefer?

How do you evaluate success?

Have you ever given a work related presentation to a group of people greater then 10, and if so, how did that work out?

If you know your boss is 100% wrong about something how would you handle it?

Describe a difficult work situation or project and how you overcame it.

Describe a time when your workload was heavy and how you handled it.

What have you been doing since your last job?

Job Interview Questions: About the New Job and the Company

What interests you about this job?

Why do you want this job?

What applicable attributes or experience do you have?

Are you overqualified for this job?

What can you do for this company?

What do you know about this company?

Why do you want to work here?

What challenges are you looking for in a position?

What can you contribute to this company?

Are you willing to travel?

Is there anything I haven't told you about the job or company that you would like to know?

How do you plan to move up within our company?

What is the highest level you wish to be promoted within our company?

Why should we select you for this job?

Job Interview Questions: The Future

What are you looking for in your next job?

What are your career goals for the next five years and ten years?

How do you plan to achieve those goals?

How long would you like to stay with our company and why?

What are your salary requirements - both short-term and long-term?

What will you do if you don't get this position?

Once again, the key to a successful job interview is preparation. When you are completely prepared, you will tend to be less nervous. Of course, it is highly likely you will be presented with a question or two that you did not expect. This is why preparation also entails having the knowledge base that you can expect the interviewer will tap into.

Here I am not talking about the knowledge needed to do the job. That should be a given anyway, otherwise you would have not been asked to be at the interview. Here I am talking about knowing yourself and your attitudes, and being able to present your attitudes in a way the interviewer can appreciate. It does not hurt to let the interviewer know what really makes you tick, if the interview goes in that direction.

Make sure that you display an enthusiastic attitude. Make sure you present to the interviewer a willingness to learn and a desire to advance in the company you are about to potentially work for. You do not want to appear as if you are lacking seriousness and definitely do not appear cavalier. Try to appear enthusiastic and positive in a mature and professional way. If you are naturally an enthusiastic and positive type of person, then half the battle is won. The point is to be your self, but try to present the best of who you are.

Remember this, many employers prefer a less educated candidate with fewer credentials who is bright and willing to learn, over one who is more prepared but lacks the proper attitude. A good example of this is the entrepreneur who wants to launch a new business. For him or her who is starting a new venture, hiring someone who is bright and has the right attitude is extremely important. More important then previous education. In this case, the entrepreneur is looking for someone who is not afraid to take risks and is very much goal oriented. Here it is very important that you display to the interviewer your ability to work as part of a team. The 9 to 5 type worker who expects to work basically the same hours 5 days a week would not fit well here. And the interviewer needs to know this.

To conclude, in the end, most interviewers are looking for the right attitude for the job they are trying to fill. If you also have the right credentials along with the right attitude, then your chances are increased tremendously. If you can answer most of the above questions, display an enthusiastic attitude, and present yourself in the best possible way, this should result in you obtaining the job you are seeking.

Using Craig's List to Find a Job

2009-10-12T09:32:00.000-07:00

Craig's List (a.k.a. craigslist.org) is an enormous, widely-distributed, mostly-free online classifieds site. Organized by location, Craigslist offers all of the traditional classified ad sections plus quite a bit more. It is a simple site, organized by location - city or state or country - and it is gradually expanding to additional locations.

Each Craigslist site has the same "look" and organization - but not content - as all the others, with many categories of classified ads, including jobs and gigs (projects), as well as events, housing, and things for sale.

2 Important Cautions

Craig's List is different from most sites you have used in looking for a job because the cost of posting a job is non-existent (a.k.a. free!) or very low cost ($25 to $75), in comparison with most job sites. That difference is a major benefit of using Craigslist since it attracts postings from employers of every size. However, as with most things, there can also be a downside.

1.) Watch out for scams.
The Craigslist people work hard to minimize the scams posted, and visitors can "flag" postings that they think are inappropriate or badly categorized. However, since posting an entry is free for most categories and locations, there is abuse by scammers, scammer wannabe's, and just plain inept people. So, be careful. To help their visitors, Craigslist has a section called "avoiding scams and fraud." Be sure to read it!

2.) Protect your privacy if you post your resume.
There is a category where people can post their resumes. Those postings will be visible to anyone who visits the site, so limit the contact information and details that you include. Anyone, including your current boss, can view your resume on Craigslist if you post it there. See Job-Hunt's CyberSafe resume article for tips on methods to use to protect your privacy while enabling your job search.

Finding the "Right" Craigslist

To find the Craig's List for your state or town, or where you want to live, go to Craig's List and select the location you want from the lists of links on the right side of every Craig's List home page. Just click on the appropriate location link from those listed. The new home page will look like the one you just left except there should be a different name in the heading at the top of the page. If you pick a state with several local Craig's Lists, you will get a page that offers you a choice of towns and cities in that state.

Understanding Craigslist

The listings are organized by category, in reverse chronological order which means that the newest ones are at the top, with yesterday's next, and so on to the oldest at the end. So you can pick a category and/or a sub-category to see the listings. Listings may be mis-categorized by the people who post them, so focusing on a sub-category can be a mistake if something you want is listed in a sub-category you don't check (more below).

Finding the Jobs (and Gigs) in the "jobs" Column

Near the top center of the home page, you'll find the column heading -"jobs".

To get started, just browse through the job postings by clicking on the word "jobs" and scrolling down to see what was posted today (so far), yesterday, the day before yesterday, etc. as far back as you want to go. I like to browse through everything posted recently (last few days) in Jobs so that I don't miss something that is in an unexpected category.

Below the jobs on the home page are the "gigs."" Gigs" are mostly short-term jobs, also organized into sub-categories and presented in reverse chronological order. Browsing through the gigs is usually very interesting in most locations. Sometimes you can end up with a permanent job starting out with a "gig;" sometimes you'll just make enough money to cover your bills until you get a "real job;" and sometimes you're just adding experience to your resume (and maybe a skill or two, too).

Searching in Craigslist

Craigslist also has a search function that works very well. They provide different search capabilities depending on what page of Craigslist you are visiting. If you select the category or subcategory for "jobs" or "gigs," you get an advanced search function that provides you with good fine tuning capabilities for that category. Pick the category or subcategory you want, and then search through the postings using the usual key words and the fine tuning.

If you type your query into the search bar on the Craig's List home page, select the part of Craigslist you want to search through from the drop down list (e.g. "for sale," "events," "jobs," "gigs," etc.) for a simple keyword search.

Networking with Craigslist

Networking is still the best way to find a job! And, in addition to the jobs and gigs, Craigslist's "community" and "discussion forum" sections may also be helpful to your job search. In the community section, you'll find activities, groups, events, volunteers, classes, and politics. All of those are potential sources of opportunities for networking. And, volunteering to help less fortunate people in your community usually makes you feel better about yourself while you help someone else (and network, too). In the discussion forums, there is a "jobs" discussion group, although at this point there isn't a separate forum for each location - the forums are combined into one very large one.

Subscribing to Craigslist Updates

Craigslist offer RSS feeds for most categories and sub-categories. Just click on the RSS feed button - or on the Add to My Yahoo button at the bottom right of each page to subscribe to updates of that page's contents.

Reprinted from here

---------------------------------------------
About the author...

Online job search expert Susan P. Joyce has been observing the online job search world and teaching online job search skills since 1995. Susan is a two-time layoff "graduate" who has worked in human resources at Harvard University and in a compensation consulting firm. In 1998, her company, NETability, Inc. purchased Job-Hunt.org, and Susan has been editor and publisher of Job-Hunt since then. Follow Susan on Twitter at @jobhuntorg.

The Reverse Job Interview

2009-10-12T09:30:00.000-07:00

As the global workforce scrambles in the wake of the current economic turmoil, more and more candidates are vying for a shrinking number of jobs. Competition is even fiercer in the corporate arena where employees have been laid off by the thousands. So it seems crazy to worry about what you're getting yourself into when you're applying for work. What do you care if your immediate supervisor is a raving madman or the guy in the next cube can hardly wait to glom onto your best ideas and present them as his own? After all, your main concern is to simply land a steady gig.

The last thing in the world you want is to call attention to yourself by being too nosy about your prospective employer. Right?

Wrong.

One classic mistake made by job candidates is to not ask many questions when they're being grilled. A majority of HR professionals and senior management actually welcome the curious and concerned applicant. It shows initiative. Interest. And guts.

That's not to say you shouldn't be concerned about timing. Don't start blurting out questions from the get-go. There's a protocol for the way interviews work. We've all been there, and we know what the score is when it comes to being engaging, looking the interviewer in the eye and having thoughtful answers at the ready. What you're waiting for is that moment after the person with your resume in front of them has finished their inquisition, looks up and says, "Do you have any questions?"

Make them count. "Where's the lunchroom at?" isn't the critical first impression for which you want to be remembered.

Remember the examples up above? The raving madman boss? The conniving cubemate? Time to find out what you're getting into. In I Hate People!, the book I co-wrote with Jonathan Littman, that boss is what we call a Bulldozer, ready to run right over anyone. And Switchblade is the name we give to associates happy to call your ideas their own and grab all the credit. They're all part of the Ten Least Wanted and the door's just been opened for you, the hard-working, self-motivated Soloist, to find out how deeply they've infested your potential new employer.

Tact counts. It not only can get you more information than a clumsy question, but you're likely to be valued for your discretion. So instead of asking, "Is the boss a jerk?", try "I'd like to know what kind of person I'll be working for -- how would you sum up his personality?"

"Oh, Mr. Jekyll is very outgoing," replies the interviewer. "He's gregarious, high-energy and always wants to make sure people understand their assignments."

Uh, oh. In reality Jekyll is likely to often morph into Hyde, a Bulldozer. Time to get out your Soloist decoder ring. "Outgoing" means "In your face." "Gregarious" translates to "loud and obnoxious." "High energy" usually means the guy refuses to stay in his office and may pop into your cube at any moment, while the last bit of information tells you that Jekyll is also a Minute Man who thinks people are boobs and need constant hand-holding to get the job done.

You're beginning to see how probing the Ten Least Wanted can help you preview the people at your prospective company.

Ask to see the company rules and your interviewer will likely hand you a three-ring binder crammed full with the company's employee policies. Is it filled with pages and really heavy? Then it's likely going to be weighing you down from the minute you get the job. And then there's always at least one stickler for the rules -- we call them Spreadsheets, who will be enforcing these rules like a referee. Try asking, "Who's the most cautious in the office -- the one who makes sure we stick to the plan?" If your interviewer says, "Ms. Nickerson is up to speed on corporate policy. In fact, she helped us compile them," then BAM -- there's your Spreadsheet. If you get this job, Ms. N is going to be watching you like a hawk.

The reverse interview isn't just about the people. Scope out the environment. If you ask, "What's the workspace set-up?" the words you want to hear have "office" and "privacy" mixed in. What you're likely to hear is "cubicle" or "team spaces" or "open office plan." These may be accompanied by the deceptive adjective, "friendly."

None of this is unexpected, but keep in mind that your neighbors' ongoing daily interruptions (around 73 a day, according to recent research figures) are likely to become your interruptions as well. Make sure you tag this bit of information with the follow-up query: "Is it cool to wear headphones at your desk to help increase productivity?" If you can't shut out the yammering, sound effects and ring-tones of your cubies' worlds, this may not be the gig you want.

Finally, float a few questions to find out if there's the potential to shave off a little time for yourself. The Soloist flourishes when there's the opportunity for a little alone time, or a chance to scoot out of the office once in a while -- either to leave early or for a chunk of time in the middle of the day. "Will the company support me getting a little outside education or activities to broaden my skill set?" is a safe way to break the ice. You may be pleasantly surprised to find that your new prospective employer not only supports, but encourages such initiative.

They may help to pay your way to conferences and symposiums. If you're given a cold "anything you do on your own time is fine," then you can bet just the opposite is true. Spreadsheets will probably be combing through your Facebook profile round the clock to make sure you don't have any naked party pictures that might embarrass the company.

Weigh how involved and engaged the interviewer has been by the questions you got to ask. If he or she seems like they have more they'd like to say, give them the chance: "Is there anything else about the company you'd like to tell me before we finish?"

You'll find out a little more that will tell you if this is the right place for you. Even better, you'll handily close out the interview on your terms.

12 Tips to Getting a Job in Any Market

2009-10-12T09:20:00.000-07:00

With almost 16 million people out of work, more and more people are finding themselves in the job market having to land a job in a market where more jobs are being lost. This is the toughest environment in 50 years to get a job in and you better have your best game on to do so. While the consensus is that no one is hiring, apply the tips in this article exactly as they are written and I assure you that you will not just get a job but get the job you want!

1. Decide that you are going to get a job and eliminate all other options. Treat unemployment benefits like the plague and a non-option. Unemployment benefits will not prove beneficial to you in the future as they will ultimately destroy your job prospects going forward.

2. Spend more time replacing the lost job than you spent at the job you lost! Take the attitude that getting a job is your job and if you have to spend 50 hours a week doing so do it!

3. Even if you have to take something you consider beneath you, it is better to stay connected in the workforce with less pay than disconnected from the workforce with unemployment benefits! (Refer to #1 again.)

4. Disregard all the talk that no one is hiring! There are always companies looking for productive-solution oriented people that can help their company grow. While there are 16 million people without work, most companies have not gone out of business. Have the attitude that you will find a job and stay away from other unemployed people, as they are likely to contaminate your attitude.

5. Do NOT rely on your resume. While it needs to be current and list all of your accomplishments, do not rely on it to land your job -- it won't! Companies don't hire resumes they hire people that can help move the company forward. A resume will not get you a job!

6. Do NOT rely on others to get you your next job. Headhunters and recruiters are representing many people and no one is going to present you better than you will. Go into this endeavor with the belief that you are the ONLY one that will make this happen!

7. Do NOT rely on the HR department and do every thing to bypass them even though this is not politically correct. Find out who knows the players in the company and get your story in front of the decision makers of the company. It is the decision makers that have the most invested in moving the company forward.

8. Do NOT depend on the Internet or on social networking sites. They may be a good place to get a date or play poker but it will not get you a job. Let the other 16 million depend on the 'net' while you get yourself, your resume and your story in front of decision makers.

9. In the interview do NOT talk about what you have done in the past, talk about what you can do to create for the company in the future. Make big claims as to what you will and can do for the company.

10. Do NOT go into an interview to be interviewed, go in to sell your self. Avoid communicating from the viewpoint of what the company can do for you but rather what you can do for the company. Check out my book, Sell to Survive as it will show you exactly how to sell yourself to decision makers about why you are 'The One'.

11. Approach every opportunity understanding that the only thing a company is interested in today is REVENUE. Anyone that can directly or indirectly assist in revenue creation is desirable! Those that can sell their ability and willingness to do whatever it takes to assist in adding revenue to the company are always desirable regardless of the overall job market. Things like being a team player, loyallty, and dependability may be some of your attributes, but they will not land you a job in this environment.

12. Do NOT go into any interview talking about how you have been let go wrongly. Nor do you ever want to mention anything negative about your last employer or position. Approach your current situation as a new opportunity to create a new life for yourself and carry that attitude with you into every interview. It takes a lot of pressure to create a diamond and this may be the very thing that it takes so that you hit your full potential! Take this time to bury yourself in positive books and audio programs so that you bring the best you to every interview. Check out my "The Rules of Success" audio program to get your head right because your attitude is going to be 90% of the interview.

Reprinted from here