Free Job Hunting Info

Finding Job Openings

2011-10-20T15:14:00.000-07:00

Knowing all the places took look for a job is important. Many miss out on great opportunities because they don’t even know they are out there. Make sure you are connecting with all the job openings listed.

Through our job hunting information system, you will be able to connect with virtually all openings from all worthwhile sources. But, the first thing that is important to understand here is how the public job market is formed.

When employers decide to hire someone… there is an event that leads to their decision. Typically, someone has retired, quit or been separated. Turnover leads to over 95% of all jobs opening up. Now once that decision has been made to fill a job, what do employers do first? Well, they look within their company… and they look at candidates on file in their recruiting database.

If they can’t fill a job that way, what do employers do next? Some consider referrals and those who network their executives. If that doesn’t work, they need to go public and see if they can fill their job openings.

Let’s briefly talk about public openings. Over 300,000 employers now post their openings.

You can also find openings in 2,000 newspapers, 2,100 magazines and over 1,500 job boards. Employer websites represent the fastest growing means of recruiting staff. There are more than 300,000 employers who recruit this way… and many of them recruit through their website exclusively. The sole exception may be when they go to an executive recruiter for a very senior executive. So, if you’ve pinpointed your best prospects, check out their websites.

Newspapers have declined rapidly, but in many instances can still be a good source for lower and mid-level openings for professionals. Trade magazines are a worthwhile source for those seeking middle level and upper mid-level openings. Many director and vice president openings, where industry knowledge or experience is important, can still be found in these publications.

The problem with all the job boards is simple. Once you get past the major boards, most will have only a few listings suitable for you. Even on the largest boards, a person can waste an enormous amount of time, only to find out that there are many duplicate listings, and some appear over and over again for months. By the way, whenever you respond to any type of opening, if you respond by email, also send a response by first-class mail.

One way to increase your number of opportunities is to understand the process of upgrading or downgrading ads. For example, a company advertising a Vice President position may be willing to hire an Assistant Vice President or Director, who could move up to Vice President within a year. After all, it isn’t so much the title they are after as the skills and talent. That’s an example of downgrading the opportunity you see… and encouraging you to respond to situations you might have otherwise bypassed.

For more Free Job Hunting Info be sure to follow us on Twitter, check us out on Facebook, read our blog, or visit our website!

Have a Plan

2011-10-14T13:29:00.000-07:00

Just like with most things in life, the better you plan, the better off you’ll be on your path. Looking for a good job is the same in this regard.

In today’s competitive arena most people will never get enough interviews with a hit-or-miss approach. This leaves too much to fate. Think of it this way. Chances are you’re marketing a “product” with millions of dollars of earnings capacity remaining in your career.

That much value deserves your best effort. Besides, job hunting is a numbers game. So, why take a chance at doing a lot of things haphazardly, without a well designed plan? Similar to any company who is about to market a new product, a good plan can cut job hunting time in half and save money. It also helps people produce better results, and when people generate a lot of activity in a concentrated time period, they feel better and do better. Much better.

Recapping the components of your overall marketing plan

Job hunting goals:

We surface all critical information about you and then decide on the goals that will best advance your career.

Liabilities: We identify liability issues that might restrict your success… and arrive at ways for minimizing their impact.

Assets and transferable skills: We pinpoint these and incorporate them into your resume, letters, and your personal website.

Industry alternatives: We will suggest the industry alternatives that we feel are best for you.

Action plan for getting interviews: We will lay out a step-by-step plan… a weekly agenda… that will guide your search. This is your complete track… a game plan. It will include a plan for your approach to interviewing and negotiations.

Does selling in the steel industry? Does being a doctor and a general practitioner? Career fields change at a much faster pace than most people realize. Experience has proven that if you take a narrow view of yourself, you could be making a mistake. For example, if you see yourself as a specialist (e.g., a banker), you may believe you are locked into a given career. On the other hand, you may feel you have few options because you are too much of a generalist.

The better you plan your search, the better your results. Do your homework and find out what is best for you. What do you really want?

For more Free Job Hunting Info be sure to follow us on Twitter, check us out on Facebook, read our blog, or visit our website!

Marketing Your Skills

2011-10-06T15:14:00.000-07:00

Knowing all that you have to offer is important. You may not being finding the work you want because you are not marketing yourself. This may be because you don’t realize all you have to offer. You may have skills that would crossover into other industries that you have not considered.

You’ll need to do more than just present your background. Don’t trap yourself by thinking, “This is simply who I am, where I’ve been and what I’ve done.” People fail because they never surface and communicate all that is marketable about themselves… and they never build their appeal beyond factual credentials.

Using our career history and marketability profile, our starting point will be to organize your lifetime of experiences and achievements. Whether you are a young attorney or a company president, there is probably much more to your story than meets the eye. We’ve learned that people need to identify 10 to 12 skills that can make a major difference in their career opportunities.

About 20% of the clients who come to us have settled for less, simply because they are not able to communicate their real skills. One client was earning a $65,000 base after almost 20 years. Three years later, she is earning $180,000. Another executive came to us at $125,000. Three years later, he is a CEO at many times that amount.

The key in both situations was to market their true assets. Psychologists, spiritual leaders and coaches have often said that the most restrictive limits you face are those you put on yourself. So, don’t put any limits on your thinking, and look at some factors that you may have overlooked… which will expand your marketability.

Identifying transferable skills is critical (e.g., organizing, group presentation skills, problem solving and so on).

Employers place a premium on men and women who can move from challenge to challenge, handling assignments that draw upon skills. Your experience can also be reviewed according to various “functions” that apply to most businesses, such as sales, production, accounting and human resources.

All areas in which you have knowledge should be identified. At the same time, you need to think of your experience in terms of “action words” that describe what you did, and then translate those activities into achievements, e.g., controlled, wrote, reshaped, etc.

Do you have knowledge of a job, a product, a process or a market… from work, hobbies, alumni relationships, research or suppliers? If so, it may be marketable. Personality, of course, is just a word for that combination of traits that either attracts us to someone or leaves us unimpressed. More employment decisions are based on personality and chemistry than any other factor.

For example: “He’s certainly professional and quick-thinking. I like him, and better yet, I trust him. He’ll fit in with our team. I need to get him into the firm.” The perception of your personality has to do with your interest and enthusiasm. How many people get hired because they showed real interest? A lot.

For more Free Job Hunting Info be sure to follow us on Twitter, check us out on Facebook, read our blog, or visit our website!

A Strong Interview

2011-09-26T07:54:00.000-07:00

Once you have gotten to the place where you are getting calls from businesses that want to bring you in for an interview, make sure you are ready to go. Do not think of an interview as just a simple back-and-forth of questioning. This is where the boss will get to know you and your personality so make sure you give them something to remember. No one wants to hire someone who comes off as boring, monotone or disengaged altogether. Make sure you let them know you are the person they want, without actually saying that.

Thousands of case studies can’t be wrong. In more than 5000 documented successful job searches, one of the factors people mentioned most often for their success in interviews was learning how to tell action-oriented stories that were clear examples of how they’ve contributed in the past.

When you think about it, you can see why it’s so effective. To prepare hard-hitting stories, people need to be specific about the challenges they faced, the precise actions they took to get things done, and the results.

When you are specific, you are telling a memorable story that gives you a lot of credibility, and it’s also very accurate, neither overstating nor understating your role. Employers appreciate this, they get a firm grasp of the way you operate, and how your approach would work for them.

Improving interviewing skills is just one of many things ERI does for its clients. We have to give people everything they need to in order to run a successful job search — clear goals, their best industry prospects, a better resume that neutralizes liabilities ahead of time, and dramatically greater exposure to opportunities in the public and private job markets.

Free Job Hunting Info users are 10 times more productive with whatever time they have to devote to their job search, because of our Job Market Access Center (JMAC), which puts at their fingertips 97% of the public openings right for them, and makes them 40 times more effective at accessing private openings that are not published or online. It took years and millions of dollars to develop, but it has totally changed the way people find jobs above $50,000.

Free Job Hunting Info creates a personal marketing website for them so they can network with many more people in much less time. JMAC also provides news that signals emerging jobs in a person’s area, and we also provide research on companies and industries for direct contact with employers who are good targets.

For more Free Job Hunting Info be sure to follow us on Twitter, check us out on Facebook, read our blog, or visit our website!

Create Your Own Job

2011-09-15T10:02:00.000-07:00

The job you want may not be out there, not because it is not available, but because it doesn’t exist…yet. With the world of technology changing, so too are the positions being created by companies that need to be in the mix of where their industry is going. This means the creation of new jobs.

Keep in mind this simple thought. We all hire top people when we are persuaded that the benefits of having them on board will sufficiently outweigh the dollar cost.

You can get offers, even if no job openings are said to exist.

You simply need to present yourself as a solution to a problem. The “create a job” approach is for executives who want a job tailored to their best abilities. A few examples might include an executive who can develop new products for a company, a sales executive with contacts in particular markets or a general manager who can start up a division in a specific industry.

Aside from executives, the “create a job” approach can also be considered by anyone who may have difficulty winning offers through other means. This includes those who have a narrow market for their talents, people who wish to change industries, or those who have been unemployed for a while or who want to stay in a specific geographic or industry area.

In these situations, to win the job you want, you may have to create it by making an employer aware of your ability to make contributions. The following pages will give you some guiding principles as you consider this approach. You must focus on small to medium sized firms, go directly to people with the authority to create jobs, have a clear benefit proposition, take strong initiatives in your first meetings, and stir the employer’s imagination.

The first principle to understand is that to have your best chance at creating a job, your highest probability targets are likely to be small to medium sized companies. This includes firms that are growing rapidly, bringing out new products, forming new divisions, acquiring other companies or reorganizing.

These are the firms that need good people, often from other industries. They are free to move quickly. Large corporations are the least likely to respond to this approach. Budgets are usually allocated far in advance, and hiring practices tend to be relatively slow and methodical.

Of course, there are exceptions. All you need to do is assess your talents and contact the firms most likely to need you, regardless of their size. And if you know a market well or have talents in a particular function, just consider the industries where they would apply.

For more Free Job Hunting Info be sure to follow us on Twitter, check us out on Facebook, read our blog, or visit our website!

Consider Your Options

2011-09-09T14:10:00.000-07:00

Knowing what you have to look for, and what you should be looking for, is not always clear to people as they search for work. With the economy slowly recovering, it is important to have a keen eye when it comes to looking at the working world so you can identify the options which are best suited to you finding success, the quickest.

The first way to do this is to increase your awareness of the fastest growing industries and companies. These firms have to go outside their industry to find the best talent and skills.

The second way is to list characteristics of your industries and find similar industries. We use software to compare your industry’s characteristics with 2,500 others, e.g., 35 industries may be an 85% match.

Keep in mind that projecting some form of an “industry hook” is the next best thing to having industry experience. Group your possibilities three ways:

(1) close industry hooks, easy possibilities

(2) medium industry hooks, next best

(3) far reach or stretch industry hooks

When changing industries, you also don’t want to overlook your leverage power, the added benefits you may bring by virtue of your contacts or knowledge. You may be able to bring a team with you that helped in similar situations.

Despite our recent economic slowdown, new companies have sprung up throughout America. Established organizations are reexamining the way they do business. Medium-sized companies are expanding. New industries exist that are employing tens of thousands.

The more you appear to know about an industry, the easier it is to generate interviews. Virtually all employers look for “common ground” when hiring a new person. For example, do you have experience in or knowledge of similar product lines, distribution channels, manufacturing methods or problems in their industry? There can be other similarities. Consider the scope of operations, the role of advertising and promotion, the importance of the sales organization, the influence of labor, and other items.

Naturally, the harder it is to demonstrate knowledge of an industry, the less likely an executive is to make a move into it. That rule applies to all major disciplines: sales, marketing, finance, manufacturing and operations. It is less important in staff disciplines.

Gathering as much information as you can while you search will help to give you guidance. Most people are throwing anything and everything at the wall and seeing what sticks. This won’t work as well as having goals in mind as you are hunting for your job as you may not be as focused, which means you could be missing opportunities.

For more Free Job Hunting Info be sure to follow us on Twitter, check us out on Facebook, read our blog, or visit our website!

Job Hunting Goals

2011-09-01T08:03:00.000-07:00

When looking for a job, it is better to have goals in mind then to just want a job. You will get a job, but it is important to know what you want and where you want to go. The better your goals, the better your chances at getting a good job, quicker.

It may surprise you, but many people actually pursue the wrong job titles. However, if they understood their real transferable skills, they could be repositioned for different goals, and sometimes for much more advancement than they thought possible. Regardless of your most recent position, you need to think of yourself as “one of a kind” with diverse potentials.

We all have seen many career fields change dramatically over the last decade. Fields that once offered great opportunity have become financially confining with limited growth possibilities. Does print advertising offer the same career possibilities as it did a decade ago? Does selling in the steel industry? Does being a doctor and a general practitioner? Career fields change at a much faster pace than most people realize.

Experience has proven that if you take a narrow view of yourself, you could be making a mistake. For example, if you see yourself as a specialist (e.g., a banker), you may believe you are locked into a given career. On the other hand, you may feel you have few options because you are too much of a generalist.

More and more professionals are finding that they can have several different careers over the course of a lifetime. Sometimes you can’t see them and you stumble into them. Someone could be a radio sports broadcaster, then become an actor, then a politician… and subsequently governor of a major state and president of the United States (Ronald Reagan). And, of course, we all know many other examples, many famous and millions not so famous, but successful at many levels.

It may be that you should consider positioning yourself for more than one possible goal at this time, and running what we refer to as a “dual campaign.” For example, a logical step may be seeking a new job as a VP of Marketing. But you might also have accumulated knowledge and experience that would allow you to seek a position as a General Manager, or perhaps Chief Operating Officer, or even Chief Executive Officer in the right type of organization… in the right industry. Or you may wish to run a search for a higher paying job as a sales producer, while also exploring situations to move into a sales management role.

For more Free Job Hunting Info be sure to follow us on Twitter, check us out on Facebook, read our blog, or visit our website!

Stay Classy

2011-08-26T08:00:00.000-07:00

When you are leaving a job for any reason, make sure to be classy, and, more importantly, not to burn bridges. You never know when burning bridges will come back to haunt you, so make sure you make good choices and part on good terms.

Perhaps the ramifications will not occur immediately, but the world is a pretty small place when you think about interpersonal connections in your field.

Don’t think this applies to you? Get on Facebook and see how many of your friends and coworkers are friends with others who they did not meet through you.

Even if you are unhappy with your current place of business, play it cool. Something else will come along sooner or later, but nothing will be gained by talking ill of coworkers or the boss, or, worse, making a scene in the office.

“I was overlooked for a promotion, and while seeing red, I made it a point to make sure my boss knew that he made a mistake. I wasn’t fired, but I never moved up the ladder while at that business and got a poor reference when I left,” said Steven Jackson of Denver, a blog follower.

If you have to vent to friends and family, as we all do from time to time, make sure you pick the ones who are not associated with your job.

It is best not to express displeasure to any friend in your related felid. You never know if you might want to work with, or for, them one day and they will remember your attitude and work issues.

Some may complain to coworkers at happy hour about some of the projects they had to work on because they felt like they could be done more efficiently. When one of those co-workers was promoted at a different company, some stuff you said may come back to haunt you if you wanted to work there.

Also, just because you don’t care for your boss, doesn’t mean they are not popular with other higher-ups and business professionals, who you might want to work for one day.

Every day won’t be perfect nor will you like everyone you work with, but such is life.

Pick and choose your battles wisely, is another saying, which coincides with not burning bridges. Making a huge scene or airing dirty laundry might feel good for a moment, but if it costs a future job, you will feel like an unemployed fool.

For more Free Job Hunting Info be sure to follow us on Twitter, check us out on Facebook, read our blog, or visit our website!

Consider a Site

2011-08-10T09:49:00.000-07:00

When looking for work and trying to be noticed by employers, do all you can to make sure you are catching eyes. A great way to go about this, in addition to a great resume, is to have a personal marketing website.

Job hunting is all about getting enough of the “right people” to look at your credentials. A “Personal Marketing Website” is a website that presents your universal resume, and sometimes your biography, for those who wish to review it.

Here’s how this works at our firm. When we write resumes, we create a distinctive and professional “Personal Marketing Website.” Displaying one on the web in color, is an impressive way of presenting yourself.

It gives you a fast, no-cost way to get your presentation in front of the right decision makers. How? Because you can simply send out emails with a link to your “Personal Marketing Website.” Through our job hunting information system, all you need to do is get the names of decision makers… and emails of key employers, throughout the U.S., or the world, in industries that are right for you, or in the area where you want to live.

Can this make networking easier? Yes. For people you already know, all you do is send an email to let them know that you are open to new opportunities, and that you put up a new and unique “personal marketing website.” And, when people see your presentation, they will be far more impressed than anything you could say over the phone.

With access to our Job Market Access Center (JMAC), you can even comfortably network people you don’t know. For example, you can quickly get the names of alumni from your school who hold influential jobs, or others who worked with you some years ago, or executives in an industry or metro area… whose advice and referrals you’d appreciate.

Can this website also be used for responding to ads? Absolutely. Mention your link in a compelling email and you’ll have a surefire way to dramatically stand out from everyone else who answers an ad. The bottom line is that if you’re in the market today, and don’t have a “Personal Marketing Website,” you will be searching with an unnecessary competitive disadvantage.

Make sure you do all you can to be impressive to employers, the more work you put into you search, the more they know you will put into your work with them, it will speak volumes.

For more Free Job Hunting Info be sure to follow us on Twitter, check us out on Facebook, read our blog, or visit our website!

Don't Be Intimidated by the Interview

2011-07-27T15:05:00.000-07:00

Most people don’t like being put on the spot or public speaking in general, so the job interview can be very intimidating. If this is the case for yourself, you must get past that point and realize the interview is when you will seal the deal for your next job.

Being called in for an interview is a bigger deal these days than in the past, as a lot of applicants don’t make it to that point because of a poorly presented resume. If you have been called, you are on the right track. That is a big deal, and now it’s time to keep the momentum going.

One way to get ready for an interview is to practice, don’t go in cold. Not being ready is where a lot of worry will steam from. If you practice, you will have more confidence, which you will show to the boss. A great way to go about practicing is to think of questions that might be asked of you in the interview and then formulate your answers. If you are going for a job similar to one you have had, you already know some of the questions you may be asked. No matter what, there will always be something asked you did not think of, don’t be thrown off. Remember these questions are the best opportunity, other than your resume, to shine and get the job. An employer wants to hire someone who handles pressure well, so falling apart in the interview would be a bad sign.

Your resume showed what you can do as a professional in a position, but the interviewer now wants to meet the person behind that paper. What are you like? Will you add to the overall feeling of the office? The bottom line of the business is important, but so is how all the personalities in the office mesh. So, show your confidence, and tell why you would add to the chemistry of the office, while positive helping the company.

You will most likely be asked about your hobbies and interests outside of work. This is a great question as it gives more insight to you. Employers like people who work hard, but also know how to enjoy their free time. If you notice something in the boss’s office that shows they enjoy a hobby or sport you do, talk about it. This is a good way to make a connection and show the boss you have great taste.

For more Free Job Hunting Info be sure to follow us on Twitter, check us out on Facebook, read our blog, or visit our website!

Contacting Potential Employers

2011-07-19T10:00:00.000-07:00

Making contact with employers is the best way in which to get a job. Simply filing out a resume and sending it in may work, but it will not work as well as making contract with people.

Know the best ways to make contact to have the best chance for success. Every day we all receive direct mail. However bad junk mail looks, the ones you see again and again are working; otherwise, the senders wouldn’t be wasting their money.

One thing that makes it work in many cases is that long copy is used. That’s what it takes to motivate all of us to action from unasked-for correspondence.

Here’s an example:

Let’s say a lawn mower shop has a new product. And you and your next door neighbor are both out cutting your lawns on a hot day. However, your lawn mower breaks down. Then, the mail carrier arrives at both residences with mail that tells you all about a new lawn mower. It gives a long explanation of why it’s superior. Now, your neighbor will look at the mailing piece for two-seconds and toss it. He isn’t in the market for a lawn mower. On the other hand, they have reached you at the right time, you are likely to read it. Now when you job hunt, your situation is similar. You need to reach the right person. No one else counts.

Some people don’t believe in direct employer contact. They think that anything you send to an employer is thrown away. Certainly, this has some truth, since the great majority will throw away your materials in seconds.

But if you’ve ever needed someone with certain skills, then you know you want the easiest way to ﬁnd a good candidate. And if a good resume or letter reached you at the right time, you would take action on it. Sending the right materials, to the right person, will get the attention of some decision makers. But, timing is very critical. You need to reach a decision maker that might be looking for someone like you. Even if your timing is bad, companies scan the resumes of the better candidates into their database. Then, as they develop a need, this is usually the ﬁrst place they turn. Contacting employers directly allows you to reach potential buyers quickly. If you want, you can reach the entire universe of all your best prospects.

For more Free Job Hunting Info be sure to follow us on Twitter, check us out on Facebook, read our blog, or visit our website!

Discover More

2011-07-15T08:43:00.000-07:00

People in healthcare and energy might not be interested in considering other industries, since so many good jobs are being created there. But are they missing something? If you think your industry is in job or you can tell there the jobs are few and far between, you need to discover more.

With so many industries in trouble or not hiring, many people need to find a job in a new industry. But even for those who don’t, why not uncover all the opportunities out there for you.

For people in administration, HR, accounting, finance and legal functions, switching industries is often not a problem. But others face a challenge because they usually have no experience and little knowledge about other industries. Still, he maintains, they can improve their chances dramatically by doing three things.

1. Identify industries similar to yours

You’ll need to put some time in on search engines, but this is important and worth the effort. Search for names of industry trade magazines that interest you. Scan the headlines of articles for key information, he advises, then read the two or three lead articles. It’s surprising how informed you can become in just a week or two.

You increase your chances tenfold if you can identify characteristics of a target industry that are similar to yours — product lines, distribution channels, the markets they sell to, similar manufacturing processes, types of selling approaches, etc. The more of these you can point to, the stronger your case.”

2. Know and sell your transferable skills

Know all that you have to offer and what you can do that will crossover into another industry. You might be surprised that you are a hot commodity with another profession you never gave much though to joining.

Once you’ve identified these, it will help your case even more if you cite examples of how you used them to the benefit of past employers. Naturally, if target employers are facing similar challenges, they start to realize you are a good match.

3. Develop your selling proposition

This is a brief statement of the major benefits you bring to an employer. The more specific the better. Can you help them open new markets, develop new products, increase sales, cut costs in some area, or develop important new IT capabilities?

Make sure this is evident at the beginning of any letter or resume, and like anything else, you’ll make a more powerful impact if you give examples of how you’ve done things in the past that the employer needs done today.

For more Free Job Hunting Info be sure to follow us on Twitter, check us out on Facebook, read our blog, or visit our website!

Overcome Weakness

2011-07-12T08:23:00.000-07:00

If you are having trouble finding a job, but have a lot of experience in the field you are looking, the problem may be what else is on your resume. You may be showing liabilities that you are not aware of, which are painting you in a bad light to bosses who decide if you are the person for them.

One such liability could be age.

Today there are many dozens of either young or vibrant industries. And, in these industries there are thousands of recently formed companies with young management, and their emphasis is deﬁnitely on youth. Despite that, you are likely to ﬁ nd most of them have at least two or three senior professionals who are highly valued.

Don’t forget that several studies have shown senior employees to be more reliable. Many are just as quick to pick up new

information as other age groups. Young management teams often realize that they need to be balanced with the wisdom that extra experience brings, and will prefer an older candidate for functions such as legal, ﬁnance and administration.

Another daily reminder should be to review your beliefs and attitudes. Here is a well known fact among psychologists who study such things. We are limited or not limited according to our beliefs about ourselves and what is possible for us, and that generally we are treated by others in accord with our expectations—about how they will treat us.

Because we tend to get what we expect, and because people tend to reﬂ ect back to us the beliefs and attitudes we are projecting, you need to examine your beliefs about yourself and about what’s possible “career wise” at this stage.

If your beliefs are limiting or negative, start working on them. Recognize that all of us ﬁ lter reality through our attitudes and beliefs, so what we perceive doesn’t necessarily reﬂect reality, but just the way we are seeing it at the moment. If you have held some limiting beliefs related to age, it’s very likely that your “ﬁ lter” has been distorted toward the negative, and has been reinforced by many of those around you. So, consider writing down your beliefs in this area, not as fact, but as beliefs. Start each one with the words, “I believe.”activities require physical exertion, mention them.

If any of them are negative or limiting, then write a corresponding positive version. As you may know, any belief can be justiﬁed by the facts, depending upon which facts you focus upon. Use “selective perception” to focus on and write down all the events that support the positive beliefs and ignore any negative ones.

How to Choose Among Career Services That Sound Similar

2011-06-28T09:05:00.000-07:00

Understanding exact capabilities and knowing what questions to ask

Selecting a firm to help advance your career is an important decision. The field includes firms ranging from career and outplacement counselors to various types of marketing companies. When they speak of their capabilities, some might give you the impression that they do the same things we do.

This is one reason we go to great lengths to educate you with our videos, literature and high-content website. We want you to fully understand what we can do for you and our specific guarantees. While we have a close personal relationship with clients, we are far more than an advisory service. We do most of the hard work of job hunting for you, including all of the writing… supplying the openings you need… the contacts you need… and the leads you need. We also distribute your credentials… and do much more. If you are choosing a career service, this guide will make sure you ask the right questions.

1—How will they collect your background information?

If you’re told to write everything out longhand… be concerned. The most comprehensive way to gather everything that’s critical about you… is to do it through a highly structured series of online forms supplemented by personal discussions. This allows several staff members to review the information... and it gives you a valuable document for permanent reference.

The specific online profiles we use include n Our marketability profile; n Our career history profile; and n Our industry characteristics profile. Together they give us the information we need to get started on a personalized marketing plan for you, as well as all the resumes and letters we write.

2—Will they help with what needs to be done… before you start a search?

· Your career / industry options should be identified.

· The goals you should pursue need to be clarified.

· Solutions for liabilities must be provided.

· The specific transferable skills you should market need to be pinpointed.

· A weekly campaign action plan to guide your search should be provided.

Too often counseling firms will claim to address these issues, but they do so only with a broad brush. These are all critical to the speed and effectiveness of your search. They need to be addressed with specificity and clarity. And, some of these items should be provided to you in writing. We will provide you with a personal marketing plan. As part of it, we review your career and industry options and recommend goals. And, we supply your solutions for liabilities, pinpoint your transferable skills and give you a customized weekly action agenda… all in writing.

For more Free Job Hunting Info be sure to follow us on Twitter, check us out on Facebook, read our blog, or visit our website!

A Good Attitude

2011-06-22T12:40:00.000-07:00

A good attitude goes a long way when looking for a job. You may start out with your hopes high and feeling confident, but after a few times of hearing “no,” you may start to get down and feel sorry for yourself. This is a mistake that will take its tolls on how you present yourself to companies while trying to find gainful employment.

It is tough out there right now, so you have to keep plugging away and know that you will have to fight for every opportunity you are presented with. With so many looking for work right now, you have got to make sure you stand out. You, like everyone else, will hear “no” sometimes, but you need to learn for the situation and keep moving forward until you are hired.

Being bitter, and other negative feeling for yourself or businesses, will not do any good. They will hold you back and take effect on how you go about finding a job. You may even get to a point where you just give up because you think you won’t catch a break, this is a terrible idea. So don’t go down that slippery slope. Have you head in the game the entire time you are looking for a job.

Look at every opportunity you are given when going after a certain job and take what you can learn from it. If a business likes something on your resume and the way you presented yourself, then you know that is in good shape, but if you are told you could have done something differently, or feel as though you could have expressed an idea or skill better, then make sure you do so next time you are in front of a possible future boss.

If you start getting bitter or angry, it really will start to come through when you are presenting yourself to people. You may not even realize it, but your demeanor does change and people can pick up when something is a little off. Negative emotions tend to give a certain impression, no matter how good you think you are at hiding them. So, if you keep a good outlook, than this wont be a problem and you will have a greater chance of finding that new job at a quicker pace. Learn all you can when you hear “no,” and have a plan of attack when you are ready to move forward to hear, “welcome aboard.”

For more Free Job Hunting Info be sure to follow us on Twitter, check us out on Facebook, read our blog, or visit our website!

How to Uncover Job Leads

2011-06-13T14:29:00.000-07:00

Everyday events occur that cause decision makers at companies to start privately looking for new employees. The key to successfully uncovering these job leads is to know what kinds of news events are signals to emerging jobs. Employers will often start the process of hiring when these types of events appear in the news:

· An employer receives a new capital.

· A firm kicks off a new product.

· There’s word of new local business operations.

· New contracts are being awarded.

· Relocations are planned.

· There are major licensing agreements.

· Growth expectations or record sales and profits are announced.

If you are able to uncover leads in the news, you most likely can get in the door first and generally, these positions will be less competitive than published openings. If you’re looking for a job, acting on leads should be one of your key strategies. After you uncover a good lead, your next step should be to write a letter or a brief memo or email, linking to your personal marketing website or attached to your resume, in response to a news event. Consider the following examples of brief memos.

· Today’s news indicated that you’re expanding to Georgia. Maybe I can help. As you can see from the attached resume, I’ve had five years of solid experience in plant operations.

· I would like to have the opportunity to tell you how my energy, plus years of experience in your field, can be a winning combination for you.

· My background is a perfect match for the qualities you are looking for to manage the new division. My resume will support this, and I am very much interested in your company.

· Your company was recommended to me by a friend who saw today’s article in the Chicago Tribune. May we have a brief talk?

Have a Game Plan

2011-06-08T07:21:00.000-07:00

For a company, a marketing plan outlines the specific actions they intend to take in order to interest their target audience in their product or service and persuade them to buy the product or service they’re offering. Similar to any company who is about to market a new product with a marketing plan, a personal action plan can help you communicate your value to your target audience – employers.

Entering a job search with a good game plan can cut job hunting time in half, save you money, and often can mean the difference between landing your next great job or remaining unemployed. In today’s competitive job market, a personal action plan can be especially beneficial. Most people will never get enough interviews with a hit-or-miss approach because it leaves too much to chance.

A personal action plan is your blueprint for marketing yourself to potential employers. It’s your step-by-step track to follow on your job hunt that should consist of the following facets:

Surface the right information about yourself and set clear goals. Set goals that will increase your chances of landing a job and advancing your career. These goals can be anything from specific job titles to income goals.

Pinpoint what you should be marketing, especially your transferable skills. All of your assets and skills need to be identified. Then, they need to be incorporated into your resume, cover letter and personal marketing website.

Identify industry alternatives to target. Look into what else is out there. The key is to identify industries with characteristics that match those where you have experience or where your degree can translate.

If you have liabilities, you need strategies to neutralize them. If you have liabilities, such as little related work experience, that may restrict your success in the job hunt, as part of your personal marketing plan, arrive at ways for minimizing their impact in all written materials and conversations.

You need a step-by-step game plan to get your story told to all the right people. You want to lay out a step-by-step plan that will guide you in a search. This should be a weekly agenda that includes a plan for how you will search and a plan for interviewing if you are given the opportunity.

Often when it comes to job searching, equally talented people can produce widely varying results – one will struggle while the other moves with speed. The ones that see results rapidly during their job hunt usually have the benefit of a good game plan.

Unconventional Job Hunting Advice for Today's Unconventional Job Market

2011-04-26T20:24:00.000-07:00

All too often, you’ll see a lot of the same tips when it comes to job hunting in today’s job market. How to dress; what to include or not include on your resume; how to answer questions; etc. Here, we’ll offer up some of the things you won’t hear all that often in your career search but still is helpful everyday advice that you can actually use.

Monday’s Too Tense and Friday’s Too Casual: Hit the In-Between Days

Haven’t heard from an employer and are nervous about when to contact them? It happens to everybody. The general rule is to give them some breathing room before contacting them even after they’ve said they will contact you. If they say they’ll contact you on a Monday, give them a week or so before you rush into that phone call. But more importantly, choose your days in which to contact them wisely. Nobody likes Mondays, even employers. And Fridays are one of those days where the attitude is going to be as casual as the dress code. Instead, opt for the days that are in-between. Tuesdays and Thursdays are those days when people are focused and into their work, so they’ll make perfect days to make that phone call to inquire whether or not they’ve come to a decision and to remind them of your strengths.

What’s Your Name Again?
Going into a new place (any new place!) can be difficult and confusing. You’re meeting new people on a minute-by-minute basis and often in flurries. It’s difficult to keep in mind and remember the name of every new person who crosses your path. However, remember one’s name shows that your personable and personal – people just like it. And while it seems small, it can go a long way in making an impression. If you’re one who finds it difficult to remember people’s name, associate a person’s eye color with their name when you first meet them. Studies show this association helps in memory retention, and later, you’ll be able to recall their name simply because you recognized a color during that first encounter. If all else fails and you find yourself in an interview unable to recall who’s sitting across from you, look for nameplates, diplomas and other items that might shed a little light on their identity.

Don't Come in Early (But Never Come in Late)
Interviews are always tricky situations. What to wear, what to bring, what to say - everything feels premeditated, and it should! But adding awkward onto awkward isn't going to help the situation out either. And timing is crucial to everything. While it's good to show up to an interview early (and always prepared) it's never a good thing to show up too early, and it's never a good thing to show up late. Instead, exercise moderation. Walking in seven minutes before the scheduled interview is the perfect time to insure that you won't be waiting long and you'll still be punctual.

6 Ways to Go Beyond Your Current Network in Your Job Search

2011-04-03T14:38:00.000-07:00

There are a lot of discouraged job seekers out there and with good reason. The unemployment rate has remained relatively unchanged for quite some time. If you don’t have much of a network and you’re not getting any responses when you answer advertisements, here are six things you can do.

1. Get Active; Don’t Just Do What Everyone Else Does

Answering advertisements and going to recruiters are passive approaches. All you’re doing is throwing your hat in the ring with hundreds of other job seekers. The odds are high. Why limit yourself to them?

Instead, take the initiative. Contact employers who have not advertised, but are most likely to need your talents. Jobs are often filled by referrals, networking, recruiting from competitor firms or a letter hitting the desk of a decision maker at just the right time. It could be yours, but simply applying to advertisements isn’t enough.

2. Make Enough Contacts

How many you need will vary. But whether it is answering ads or contacting employers, you need to beat the high odds by making a lot of contacts. Only one person will get hired out of 300 candidates and only two or three out of 100 employers will have a need at the moment you contact them.

3. Get Creative in Your Networking

Instead of just asking a few friends to let you know if they hear of anything, get creative. Develop ideas about how you can make contributions to employers, especially in light of trends in their industry. Then identify key people in companies in the industry, and write them, letting them know you’d appreciate feedback from a knowledgeable source as to whether your ideas would be beneficial.

Follow up with a phone call, and when you do, even if they don’t think much of what you proposed, you’ve added to your network! You can thank them and ask if there is anyone else they’d advise you to talk with or any actions they’d recommend.

4. Pay Attention to Events

When you read business news, ask yourself, might this signal an opportunity for me? Research companies making progress or changes and send a short note mentioning the event to a decision maker in the company with your résumé attached. It makes a positive impression and you might get in the door for an emerging job before there is any competition.

What kind of events? Almost anything – new products, new contracts, expansions, reorganizations, relocations, leases signed, profit increases or even problems can be a sign of a job in the formative stages.

5. Contact More Recruiters

Don’t limit yourself to just a few you know about or those who have advertised an opening. The chance of one recruiter having a job right for you the moment you contact them is very small. As with ads, events and employer contacts, you can increase your chances for success by contacting dozens or hundreds.

6. Contact Growth Companies

Why? Because they are adding people in many functions when other companies are not.

Don’t worry if you are not in their industry. They are often in newer industries, and can’t find enough people with industry experience. So they are forced to look elsewhere for people with the right skills. Just be sure to sell yourself to them about how you will contribute and how the skills you’ve honed in other industries can work for them.

One quick way to identify growth firms: find out its SIC or NAICS Code, then go to the library and look up all the companies in your area who are listed under that code. A reference librarian will guide you.

If you want more great tips and updates from Free Job Hunting Info, be sure to follow our Twitter feed and 'like' our page on Facebook!

Think Ahead

2011-03-22T10:09:00.001-07:00

So you've impressed an employer with your resume, but now comes the interview. You can't let your nerves get the best of you. The best way to go into an interview with the most confidence, is to plan ahead and quiz yourself with questions you think you may be asked. No interview is exactly like another, but some questions are bound to resurface depending on your profession. You might be taken by surprise by some questions, but there are others you should expect to be asked. Go into detail when explaining what you bring to the company with examples from your past. Use these work examples to show why you have all the necessary experience to add to the overall success of the business.

Be direct in the interview. The best way to do this is to think of questions before the interview and answer them in the most detailed explanation, without droning on. No doubt your new job will have stressful times. The interview is a way for your boss to see how you handle stress and being put on the spot. All the other pieces to the puzzle may be there for you to be a great addition to the organization, but there may be another candidate who gets the position because they were more prepared and confident in the interview.

So, to review the plan:

1. Think of questions you have been asked before in previous interviews. Find out from friends in the same line of work what they were asked.

2. Formulate what your answers to these questions are going to be.

3. Know there will be at least one question you didn’t plan on being asked, so when the time comes, you don’t feel completely sideswiped.

Going over your resume and talking about your skills will happen in the interview no matter what. The interview is the time for the boss to see who you are. They want to see what your personally is like and what you will bring to the feel of the business, not just the bottom line. Know that the interview is when you will seal the deal for your next career opportunity.

Tap into tech to advance your job hunt

2011-03-03T13:49:00.000-08:00

There's a whole world at your fingertips in terms of tools you could be leveraging to shift your job hunt into another gear. The beauty of it is most of the resources out there on the Internet are free, easy to use and extremely accessible. Not to mention, there are resources galore to get you started (like this blog for instance). So here we offer up some quick ideas to take your job search out of the dark age and into the digital age.

1. Tap into LinkedIn
LinkedIn is the our society's answer to the old-fashioned Rolodex. All the professional contacts and connections you've made in your career can now be stored in one convenient website. But there's a lot more to it than just that. In addition to the people you already know, making connections with those who have influence in companies that you want to work for is also a good idea. LinkedIn also provides the option of recommending coworkers you have worked with or work with currently. By recommending someone and writing something casting them in a positive light, you open up the door and increase the likelihood that they'll recommend you back. But there's also groups targeting specific industries that you can join to keep up with the latest news in your field.

2. Be a social media butterfly
This isn't so much a recommendation as it is a requirement. More and more employers are looking for and expecting some sort of social media presence to find out more about you and make sure you're keeping up with current trends. Do: post and share messages related to your industry or field of expertise; offer to help people out and be a resource. Don't: post anything that could make you look bad. i.e. Those pictures from your best friend's party in Mexico.

3. Get your blog on
Another great way to establish your cred as an expert in your specialty is to start blogging. There's numerous free blogs out there from Blogger to Wordpress that one can sign up for quickly and customize easily. Once signed up, start sharing insights, links or offering up advice. Then you can start promoting your new blog to people interested in your industry or thought leaders via your social media and LinkedIn.

4. Post on a job board
Careerbuilder, Indeed and a slew of others - there's a plethora of job boards out there that you can use to look for a new position. The results they yield can sometimes be negligible because they are so saturated with resumes and applicants. But employers do use them and look for people that fit the qualifications for positions they open. It's something that if you're not doing, you should be.

6. Hit up a website - your own.
Back in the '90s, the Internet was a cryptic and esoteric place reserved for coders and web developers. So if you wanted to find a way to secure your own spot in cyberspace, those were the people you had to call. Not so anymore. Now, there are plenty of intuitive, easy-to-use sites with WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) tools to get a professional looking website up quickly and easily. In only a few minutes you can set up something with your resume and a bio for free! And if you're willing to pay the cost for a domain name, many of those sites can connect your own personal web address to the site to take it a professional step further. Need ideas? Visit sites like Wix and Moonbuilder.

The new discrimination in job hunting

2011-02-17T14:16:00.000-08:00

Lately there's been stories in the news when it comes to employers discriminating against certain types of job seekers, discrimination that isn't the typical kind seen over the years.

One group in particular that is calling foul is one that doesn't seem to make a lot of sense to turn away: the unemployed. With about 14 million people unemployed as of January's report, that certainly doesn't bode well for those looking for work.

But on Feb. 16, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to examine the complaints and to determine whether or not discrimination is taking place and the legality of it. A University of Colorado professor testified that companies are posting advertisements for employment with the stipulation that the candidate must currently be employed.

A low blow, really.

In addition to the unemployed, another demographic is also getting turned away at the door -- that of people who smoke. In keeping with a trend that began picking up steam a couple of years ago but is seeing more activity as of late, employers are going a step further to banning tobacco and implementing a 'smoker-free' placeplace, with some even going so far as to require urine tests to make sure employees are clean of any tobacco-related products.

While it remains to be seen what both of these situations will mean in terms of legal ramifications, one aspect of today's economy is clear: it really is an employer's market right now and it could be that way for quite some time.

To get more information from Free Job Hunting Info, check out Free Job Hunting Info's website, follow Free Job Hunting Info on Twitter or friend Free Job Hunting info on Facebook.

Breathe new life into your boring, old cover letter

2011-02-11T12:51:00.000-08:00

Imagine for a second that you're a hiring manager and a big part of your job is writing cover letters.

We know, horrifyingly boring, right?

That's why one of the best ways to get an employer's attention is to have a good cover letter that actually gets their attention and breaks them out of their coma induced by reading the same cover letter over and over and over again.

Here are seven quick tips that you can start implementing to make sure your cover letter gets you a job and doesn't put someone else to sleep.

1. Lose the 'To whom it may concern'
Seriously, not the best start in terms of the whole 'oh, whatever is coming up is going to be fascinating, I bet" department. Lose it. Same with the 'Dear sirs or madames.' Find out the person's name who is doing the hiring, and use that. Or if you don't know it, then cut to the chase and just start the letter. That's what's important.

2. Don't start off asking for a job or saying you have interest in the job
We're guessing if they received a cover letter, something might tip them off that you're looking for a job and are interested in the positon. Just a guess. A cover letter gives employers a chance to get to know you and what you have to offer. Don't make it overly personal; keep it professional. But consider what really defines you professionally. What do you really bring to the table? What is your strongest quality? A cover letter is the elevator speech to sell yourself to someone else. Give yourself a definition.

3. Make it a story
People like to read stories; what they don't like to read is a listing of a person's skills and abilities in paragraph form, and often these are lost in all the clutter and conjuctions desperately trying to bind them together anyway. Use examples of accomplishments in your past to make your skills come to life. The key is in these examples and stories because that gives an employer evidence of the results you're capable of.

4. Channel a little Hemmingway
No, we're not expecting this to be that good. Nobody is. But one aspect of ole Ernest was his ability to write short, to the point sentences. They grabbed your attention. They got to the point. Subject. Verb. This is how we traditionally speak and what people like to read. The moment you start adding flowerly language to the equation, it gets clumsy and the information gets lost. Keep it simple, and Papa would be pround.

5. Take the time for tailoring
Taking the time to redo your cover letter with each position can be a pain, yes. But it's the hard work that often yields the best results, or any results for that matter. So each time you respond to an advertised job, look at the requirements and skills, and change your letter to fit those requirements. We're not saying you have to completely start from scratch each time, but make this information fit within appropriate areas.

6. Stay on point
Salary requirements, why you're looking, reasons for leaving past jobs - this is neither the time nor the place. Always remember this is about selling you for the future, not for digging up the past or bringing up things that don't need to be brought up.

7. Enthusiasm, enthusiasm, enthusiasm
We apply this rule a lot. That's because no matter which aspect of job hunting your engaging in, from interviews to phone calls, enthusiasm will carry you far and get an employer's attention. Don't be desperate and pleading, but be excited and genuinely interested in the new challenges and how you can put your skills to task in order to solve them.

Mistakes you're probably making in your job search (but can fix pretty quickly)

2011-02-07T15:36:00.000-08:00

Everybody makes mistakes, and the best mistakes you can make are the ones you can learn from and/or fix relatively quickly. For your job search, we offer common mistakes people make these days and how to fix them.
Not getting help
We say this a lot. Probably because it's really, really important in a job search. You have to be networking, and today it's easier than ever to do. People want to help you. Seriously. If you've ever helped a friend in his job search, then you'll know what we mean. It gives people a sense of satisfaction knowing they did something for a friend. Take advantage of the opportunities you have to meet and further your job search with others and with people others know.

Using the same resume you made for a class back in college
Writing a resume is like a job in itself. It's time consuming, painstakingly detailed and you need to go over it again and again to make it perfect. If you look up 'weekend killer' in a dictionary, a resume is probably sitting there. But you really have to take the initiative to reassess your resume and make sure that it's current and really sells everything you have to offer.

Not knowing what you want
Finding a job is a numbers game, meaning the more positions you apply for, the odds are going to be better that you will get a response. But that's not going to get you very far if you don't fit the position and the position doesn't fit you. Everybody struggles with the question, "what do I really want to do?" And no one is going to be able to answer that question except for you. But seriously consider it and refocus your search with goals in mind. Maybe first consider what you definitely don't want and work your way inward from there.

You're not plugged in
Wouldn't it be cool if you could have all of your job hunting materials essentially with you, essentially all of the time and you could essentially just give them to whoever you wanted to instantly? Well, check out this thing called "Internet." Now, it's easier than ever to create a website. Spend a few hours online researching it, and get your website up and running. It doesn't have to be extravagant, just simple and elegant. Employers will be impressed with anything moreso than nothing...well, that's not always true, so be tasteful with the site so it doesn't look like a crazy 90s MySpace page.

It's the Network

2011-01-25T10:23:00.000-08:00

Breaking down what you need to know about networking when you're looking for a job
Networking. You hear the word everywhere. It's one of the most important aspects of job hunting, but it's also one of the most nebulous.

As anyone who has considered how best to go about networking will tell you, it raises a lot of questions.

How do you network? Are there tried and true methods? Strategies? Or is it all just alley-cat charm and working a room? What is the line between networking and simply annoying?

For clarification, the idea of professional networking is making professional contacts who can help you in your career path or provide you with additional contacts who can.

And truth be told, there isn't any 2+2=4 formula that can make you walk into a networking situation as a guru of the craft. A lot of it is in fact just practice, confidence and simply being yourself.

Though, that doesn't mean there aren't a couple of guideposts to light your way through the networking dark.

Here's a quick run through for those new to networking and those who need a reminder or two:

The Best Ingredients Get the Best Results
Only approach a networking situation with the best materials possible. Go over your resume and make sure it's completely clear of any typos. Get a business card for quick exchanging of contact info. And use it! Make sure you never leave the house or meet anyone that could make a difference in your career hunt without a business card on you.

Get a Focus, and Stay Focused
Sit down, and develop a list of people you want to meet, in industries of interest, and find a way to meet them. Don't be afraid to send an e-mail saying you respect them and would value their advice. Join local groups and trade organizations in the area. Or jump into the digital realm and connect with them on either Facebook or LinkedIn.

Take an Opportunity with Every Opportunity
Wherever and whenever you go, make sure to make a few contacts. Introduce yourself. Sitting on the sidelines is the opposite of getting in the game, so get over your fear and reservations. You never know when or where you could meet the person that could truly help you with getting a job. And as Wayne Gretzky once said, "You miss 100 percent of the shots you don't take."

Shut Up and Listen
There are some misconceptions about what it means to networking, and a lot of people think that it's a situation where they can take the opportunity to tell a contact as much as they can about themselves. Not. The. Case. Networking is actually more about listening than talking because at its core it's about connecting. Who ever likes a one-sided conversation? Take the time to listen and learn from whomever you're networking with.

Be Memory-able
Always commit to memory names of the people you're meeting. Is a little insulting if you have to keep asking during a meeting. A good trick of remembering names is looking at a person's eye color and associating the name with the color in your mind. Experts say that this 'color-word' association increases memory retention.

Don't Be Fooled into Thinking You're Fooling Anybody
People know when they're being networked. Don't think that you're tricky. But this doesn't mean that people don't want to help, it just means that you shouldn't try to be their best friend in the world. Be yourself and know the nature of the relationship.

Job Interview 101

2011-01-17T15:03:00.000-08:00

Most people think they are pretty skilled at interviewing and pretty slick at answering questions. But, surprisingly, people still make really elementary and basic mistakes when it comes time to get in the interviewing hot seat.

So while a lot of this stuff might seem basic, we think it's necessary studying for the big job test. From handshakes to dressing up for an interview, we present this quick guide of 'Interviewing 101.' If you're a beginner, you'll need it; if you're a veteran job seeker, it'll still pay to review it.

There will be a test on this material at the end of the week. Oh come on, we're kidding...kind of.

Do Your Homework
Sure, it takes a bit of time and can be a little boring and kind of a pain. But you really, really need to go into an interview knowing what you're getting into, who the company is and what they do. Check websites, find previous press releases, run Google searches. Do whatever you can to really get to know a company. We're talking a half hour to 45 minutes MINIMUM for each job search. Before you go in, write down questions you could ask at the end of the interview and points of interest that you found out about the firm. Just don't whip out your crib sheet during the interview.

Come Prepared
Ever have to fill out one of those corporate templates online where you're copying and pasting all the information from your resume into Internet fields? Yeah, those are about as fun to fill out as they are for interviewers to read once they're printed out. Always bring an extended, more comprehensive copy of your resume with you into an interview. In fact, bring at least four copies in case there's more than one interviewer. If you have a portfolio, clips or any other documentation that you feel would help land you the job, bring those too. Just make sure you have something to put them in that looks professional, and leave the bike messenger bag at home. Speaking of looking professional...

Dress for Success
Looking the part of a professional isn't as simple as it sounds. There's a lot of nuance to it: sometimes you can overdress, you can underdress, you can dress in a way that doesn't fit into a company culture. It seems cut and dry, but there are actually a good deal of opportunities for failure. When going over the arrangements for the interview, don't be afraid to ask a couple questions about dress code. It might feel a little silly, but you'll feel a lot sillier when you walk into an interview not looking like everyone else. For men and women, the rules for dressing are essentially the same. Sure, you want to look good, but consider that you don't want to look too good. You're going to a job interview not the club. Dress conservatively, with commonplace colors like blue and gray. A light spritz of perfume and cologne is fine, but don't go nuts. And if you're a smoker, try to hold out until after the interview.

Shake It
From fistbumps to high fives and all sorts of crazy interactions, the importance of the handshake has been going the way of the fedora of the '50s. And that's not a good thing. Because when you first meet someone, there's no more literal of a first impression than a handshake. Some tips: be firm, not loose, but don't go crazy; always shake with the right; don't flail your arms up and down like a bridge in an earthquake; and be firm, this bears repeating.

Get a Plan, and Remember: Enthusiasm and Attitude Are Everything
Identify the type of interviewer you are interviewing with because there's a lot of different types. Are they aggressive? Are they casual? Are they all business? Tailor your responses and yourself to their personality. Try to take queues from them and try to match it. And know what's important to the interviewer; pick up on the type of questions they're focusing on. But know that there are a few universal rules. For instance, usually one of the primary reasons an employer wants to hire you is because of longevity. Emphasize that you want to work there and you want to be there for awhile. Ask about promotion opportunities and areas of growth. But most of all, pay attention to that first part and really emphasize that you want to work there. Really get enthusiastic about it. Employers want to hire someone who really wants the position.

Be Prepared for the Tough Questions, Both Answering Them and Asking Them
We've covered the topic of how to answer the tough interview questions before, and the truth is, there are a lot of sites and articles all around the Internet that will try to tell you the most common questions and the best way to answer them. But like any important test, no matter how much you try, you're never going to 100 percent know what questions are going to be asked and won't be able to know how to answer them with any type of exactitude. But similarly, studying and preparing goes a long way. If you've paid attention and did your homework beforehand, just be yourself and roll with the punches. While these articles can be really helpful in giving you an idea of what to expect, the most important thing is not to use any canned answers. Instead give answers that are informed, classy and professional. If they ask your biggest professional weakness, really consider your biggest professional weakness. But while honesty is a great policy, make sure you frame the truth properly. Too much honesty could be really, really damaging. The same rules hold true for the questions you ask at the end of the interview, which are often more telling than the answers you give. If you know your stuff, you're going to be fine.

Relax
Know that any type of interview jitter is completely normal and everyone has experienced the same feelings of nervousness before. The interviewer is going to expect you to be a little nervous. Knowing and understanding that is important because you'll only be less nervous the less nervous you are about your nervousness.

Sometimes It's Not the Answer, but the Question That Makes the Difference in a Job Interview

2011-01-10T15:30:00.000-08:00

In a job interview, you're going to get asked some difficult questions. You know this; you've probably prepared for this.

But what you might not be priming for is the questions you're given the opportunity to ask at the end of an interview. Oftentimes, this is a chance to show your interest in the position, your ability to show you're educated on the firm and your future ideas about what this position might mean to you. In short, there's a lot of potential for taking the interview to the next level and adding a personal touch for you to be remembered.

Here's some advice on the type of questions you want to ask to start getting the employer to start asking positive questions about you:

Are there opportunities for advancement and promotion?
This type of question shows that you are ambitious and driven, and it illustrates that you feel you have a future with the firm and will be there for awhile.

What do you think I bring to the company?
This is a question that you can really turn to your advantage and one where listening is key. Pick up on what they think you can do for them and then emphasize that in a response.

What is the general atmosphere and environment of the company like?
Unlike the other questions, this is more for your benefit. It will give you a better idea if the position and the company is what you want out of a job. Sometimes, even if it's a good job, if it's not a fit for you, you'll be happier in the long run walking away.

What will my primary responsibilities be?
This will give you an actual, clear picture of what the job will entail rather than generalizations of what they need, which is what employers put in advertisements and postings.

When will you expect a decision to be made?
This just helps give you peace of mind and eliminates the inevitable wondering that comes after an interview. Not to mention, it gives you an idea of when you can engage in a follow-up if you haven't heard anything without being a pest.

Sidestep the Common Unemployment Obstacles

2011-01-07T10:24:00.000-08:00

With a new year here, it's time for a fresh start. But when you're unemployed, it's hard to elevate your motivation and keep your momentum going, especially for those who have been unemployed for an extended period of time. Make sure you don't fall into these common traps of unemployment.

1. Not Jumping on Your First Offer
So it isn't everything you hoped for. OK, fine. But if there's opportunity for growth and there are challenges to engage in, then it should be considered with a good deal of thought. Not simply dismissed.

2. Jumping on Your First Offer
Yeah, it contradicts the first tip, but they're just two sides to the same coin. If you know in your heart and mind that a position isn't right for you, doesn't challenge you in any way and is devoid of any sort of personal growth, then just walk away. Walk away.

3. Not Being Open to Relocation
You probably like the place you live and have your entire life there. That's why it's called 'living' somewhere. But if your job search hasn't yielded much in the way of interviews, opportunities or offers, then it might be time to consider packing it up and heading to a place that offers more opportunities and is witnessing industry growth.

4. Not Taking Advantage of Your Friends
OK, that sounds bad, but it's true! So many people are afraid to reach out to their friends and the people they know for contacts, introductions or information, even when their friends offer up help! Anyone will tell you, networking is perhaps the most common way people end up in the positions they end up in. And the truth is, people like helping people, so don't be coy and put your pride away and take people up on the offer - every offer.

5. Feeling Sorry for Yourself
Being unemployed can suck. It really, really can. But what good is moping around and acting sullen doing for anyone? It's not good for you, and it's certainly not good for those around you. Take it day by day. Positivity can be an exercise and an effort just like anything else. At first, it has to be consciously willed. Given some time, it just starts to happen naturally, without effort.

6. Holding out for an Unrealistic Income
Times are tough right now, and incomes aren't going to be what they were for similar positions in the past. You have to weigh the reality of what is happening with what your desired salary and benefits are. If you do get an offer, consider it a two-step move: you get to work in a new environment and still keep your resume in circulation.

7. Not Facing and Embracing Change
Even in 10 years, a lot has changed, and the job market is no exception. Some jobs have disappeared; some jobs have exploded. Seriously consider transitioning into a different field or industry where you think your skill set can add value. A lot of times, new industries don't have enough people to fill the positions they have or don't know what they need, simply because they're new.

8. Forgetting About Yourself
You have the time, don't forget about taking care of numero uno: you. Attitude and physical fitness go hand in hand. Setting some time aside to exercise will make you feel a whole lot better in the long run. It'll build your confidence, you'll look better and you'll feel better too. Like anything, it's just falling into the routine. Force yourself at first, and soon, it'll just be part of your day. And don't forget, attitude is directly connected to success.

9. Displaying a Bad Mood
A bad mood is just going to alienate those around you and put you deeper and deeper into a funk. Use other outlets for your anger. Run, draw, play music, work out. Do something to let all those negative feelings and frustrations out.

10. Succumbing to Financial Pressure
Sometimes, there's nothing more stressful than the stress that comes along with financial problems. But the trick is not letting that stress to overwhelm your ambition and job search. If times are hard, you might have to borrow or get a temporary, part-time job. Do what you have to.

New Year, New Job Hunt

2010-12-30T09:39:00.000-08:00

As the new year prepares to roll in, it seems that a little hope is coming in with it. Hiring is up; jobless claims are slightly down. If you're unemployed, now is the time to start thinking positive and start rethinking your job search, particularly if your current methods have yielded not so much as an interview. Here's some quick tips on how to reinvent your job search just in time for your resolution.

Reconsider the Companies You're Going After and the Jobs You're Applying for
Ask yourself if you really even want some of the jobs you're applying for, and then think about the companies and positions you really want. Chances are, if you find something you really have a passion in obtaining, you're going to approach your job search with a renewed passion and interest and employers will note that! Just because they're not advertising doesn't mean you can't start sending out resumes, making contact and networking.

Review Your Resume, and Start Using More Than One
Probably the best card you've got in your bag of tricks, your resume is your handshake, your presentation, your hello, your everything to that first introduction with a potential employer. You have to make it count, and if you think the one you drew up years ago using a Microsoft Word template is going to cut it, you're about as flat wrong as the design that thing is based on. Instead, rethink the way you're approaching your resume. It isn't so much about a comprehensive history of what you've done, but the good things you're capable of doing in the future. Put your skills up at the top, and make multiple resumes for multiple scenarios. Make a short resume for introductions and answering ads, a longer one for interviews and an electronic one loaded with keywords for sending out via email.

Rethink the Interview, and Redirect the Control of It Back in Your Favor
Your alley-cat charm has gotten you pretty far in life, sure. But don't rely on it alone when walking into an interview. Be confident, not just in yourself and in your abilities, but also in your knowledge and research. Commit yourself to really looking up as much information as you can before walking into an interview. Get serious about spending at least an hour (minimum!) on every company you interview with. Not only will it impress the interviewer, but when they ask if you have any questions, you won't just sit there doe-eyed. Another important technique is to write down and commit to memory stories about how you improved a situation, process or result with your contribution in your last job. Make the stories interesting and tell them like a story you'd like to hear. People forget resumes and what tie or dress you wore (unless they're really hideous), but they remember a clever story or anecdote.

Recognize Your Values and Strengths, and Know the Value of Patience
When you're looking for a job, especially for an extended length of time, it's easy to get down on yourself and fail to recognize all your talents and worth. But know that you have great abilities and skills that a lot of employers would love to have. Oftentimes it's not about not having the right skills and experience -- it's about finding the right fit. Remember a job hunt is a numbers game and one that sometimes takes a bit of time.

Dead Language: What Words and Terms You Shouldn't Be Using on Your Resume

2010-12-16T12:18:00.000-08:00

Team player. Exceeds expectations. Goal oriented. Yawn.

We've seen, read and heard about all these terms a thousand times before, and we'll probably hear all of them a thousand times again. And for employers viewing hundreds of resumes day in and day out, it's a sobering thought to think how often they see certain terms over and over again.

The crew over at Lifehacker (a fantastically resourceful site with stuff about technology, everyday fixes to problems and more) recently compiled a list of words to avoid so it doesn't look like everyone else's.

The words listed were:

Results-oriented professional
Cross-functional teams
More than [x] years of progressively responsible experience
Superior (or excellent) communication skills
Strong work ethic
Met or exceeded expectations
Proven track record of success
Works well with all levels of staff
Team player
Bottom-line orientation

Reading the list you might immediately phrases you've heard and probably use. It might be time to give your resume another once over because with more than 30 million resumes in circulation, according to job expert Bob J. Gerberg, you can't afford to be lost in the shuffle.

To Give Your Time and Honest Effort Is to Receive a Job This Holiday Season

2010-12-08T13:15:00.000-08:00

With the economy both difficult and picking up, a lot of people are looking for some extra work to make it through this holiday season. The Los Angeles Times recently reported that this season employers could pick up extra temporary workers by as much as 30 percent. Good news for those looking.

In keeping with that, why not share some good tips for those looking for work this time of year.

Make an Impression
It doesn't matter if you're day job is chief executive officer; if you're interested in moonlighting for a coffee shop or a cafe, dress for success and make sure you look and act professional.

You Know What They Say About the Early Bird...
It's never too early to start your search, so the sooner the better. If you haven't started already, do it now. Not tomorrow, not next week. Start right now. It only increases your odds of landing a job.

Location, Location, Location
Look around you, and consider whether or not there's any businesses near your current job or house that would be a good fit for you. It'll make working there even more convenient for you, and it enables you to have a little bit more in terms of hours.

Do What You Know
You'll have a much better chance of getting in the door if you find something related to your experience, interests or even hobbies. While it doesn't have to be exactly what you do for the rest of the 40 hours a week or the same industry, it'll help if you can bring some ideas to the table. And if you're interested in the work you're doing, it'll make working there go from unbearable to unbeatable.

Bring a Resume
OK, so you're resume might show that you're maybe a little overqualified. But temp work isn't about that. Bringing a resume and pointing to your experience and abilities only shows that you really do want the job and have credentials and stability to back it up.

In the End, It All Comes Down to Attitude
Never act like you're doing them a favor working for them or that you're looking for holiday work just because you have to. Always be enthusiastic and positive. Smile a lot. They're looking for someone to perk up the holidays, not the Grinch.

How to Answer the Toughest Interview Questions

2010-12-02T08:54:00.000-08:00

Expect some difficult and almost out-of-place questions when interviewing these days. Being prepared and knowing what some of them are ahead of time gives you an edge over the competition. Here's a list of some tough interview questions and how best to answer them.

What’s your biggest weakness?

Don’t admit anything that’s a major weakness if you have one, but be honest, nonetheless. Saying that you are impatient about getting things done is an example of something that the employer could view favorably.

Why are you leaving your current job?

Here it’s best to emphasize that you are looking for new challenges, more responsibility and expanded knowledge in your field. Never talk trash about your old company – it’s just bad form. Say you enjoyed working there.

How long will you stay with us?

Stressing that you’re looking for a career is the best way to answer this question, but also say you’re a relist and if you aren’t doing the job they expect of you, then you understand going separate ways.

What are your short-term objectives?

Keep your answers focused on the job for which you’re interviewing, catering them around objectives specific to that company.

Why have you been unemployed so long?

Simply pointing to the economy and tough market may not be enough. Instead say that you’re selectively looking for the right opportunity and company that fit your skills and have not yet found it.

What’s your major accomplishment in your last job?

Pick those that seem to line up well with the major elements of the open position. The goal is to always show the interviewer your accomplishments line up with the company’s needs.

Why do you want to work for us?

In this instance, point out that from what you’ve learned from your research of the firm and based on what you’ve heard you think you could be a valuable addition to the company and a good fit for the position.

Get Positively Positive for Positive Results in Your Job Search

2010-11-26T12:57:00.000-08:00

What do all winners have in common? Answer: a positive attitude. It will separate you from the many who give up, settle for less or stay in unattractive situations.

Here's six guidelines to convert that negative energy into positive energy and get the fire of your job search rekindled.

1. Develop Positive Beliefs

Now is a good time to remind yourself of all the good things you have done. Write down positive things you've done and can do. Make it as long and complete as possible. You'll find it really reassuring. It will provide reinforcement for the positive attitude you must maintain. All you need is short sentences. Keep it simple.

2. Get Rid of Negative Beliefs

Having now built a set of positive beliefs about yourself, your second step is to get rid of beliefs that might inhibit your will to succeed. Get rid of the whole "The world is just grim and nothing is good" attitude. If you believe there is opportunity, then you will start seeing opportunity.

3. Set Your Expectations High

Our expectations affect what happens to us. Whether it's a leading scientist, educator, salesperson, movie personality or industry leader, you'll find that each of them had very positive expectations of themselves and their future. Picture yourself setting and achieving high goals. Positive visualizations can become a continuous process of reinforcement that will give you a new-found power and self-confidence.

4. Put Positive Expectations to Work

For instance, if someone tells you that an interview can take only 15 minutes, recognize it's a screening interview and build expectations that it will allow you to showcase your potential. Your expectations affect your actions and they affect your results. In that way, your will to succeed can and does make things happen.

5. Project a Positive Attitude

Talk to people about your positive expectations. When you do this, it reaffirms your commitment. Put yourself on the line. Let these ideas flow into your attitude, and begin to reach out and help others. Why? Once again, experts tell us this is a give-and-get world. Eventually, it reaches the point where it becomes obvious to anyone who meets you, that you project a lot of confidence about yourself. A spring in your step, a firm handshake, a confident look in your eye and comments that reveal a positive outlook can all help you project good feelings to the outside world.

6. Make Things Happen by Getting into Action

If you look at achievers in any field, you will find they are very active people. It's a simple fact that taking action is in itself like taking an energy tonic. Choose any kind of example you like. the head of a college breathing new life into an institution, a company president turning around a money-losing operation, a football coach turning a losing team into winners or a test pilot setting a new speed record. They are so intent on their actions, there is no room for doubt and indecision. You can do the same thing.

The Filling out Applications Survival Guide

2010-11-18T08:28:00.000-08:00

OK, part-time jobs, holiday jobs, full-time jobs -- a lot of them are going to put you through that fun, fun process of filling out applications. In some countries crimes are punished by filling out job applications. Alright, that's not true, but if you've ever filled out a bunch of applications, you could probably imagine how it would be possible.

To make the whole ordeal a little easier, here are some quick tips to make a painful process slightly less painless and more effective in getting you a job.

- Try to avoid filling out the application right there. You're only going to rush it and you probably don't have all the information they need on you. Go home; take your time; write neatly; use a pen you like instead of one of those imprisoned on a chain. When you're not in a hurry, you're going to fill out a much neater, more prepared resume.

- If a salary or pay objective is available, leave it blank. Putting something there might hurt your chances at negotiating to a level acceptable for you and also might cause you to be excluded. This is a discussion better for an interview.

- Be wary of questions regarding arrests, denial of credit, etc. Be careful about how you answer, and a lot of the time, it's illegal for employers to even ask these types of questions, depending on your state.

- When asked to fill out that part where they want your entire employment history (complete with addresses), only give brief information and refer them to your resume, which brings us to the next tip.

- Attach your resume. This only gives them more background and makes you appear more professional.

- And when you return your application, also attach a cover letter. Make sure it states your qualifications and clearly illustrates your enthusiasm to work there. Doing this really sets you ahead of all the other apps.

The Interview

2010-11-15T13:14:00.000-08:00

Not only should you have confidence in your interviewing skills, that part of securing a job should be what you look forward to the most. Why? Because that is when you are going to sell what a hot commodity you are.

The interview is when you reassure the boss not only do they need someone with your skill set, they need you because you have the talents mastered better than any other person they might come across.

Don't go into an interview "cold." Practice before an interview. Think of points you want to make and the quickest, most eloquent way to make them. Don't babble on.

Think of questions that might come up in the interview and the best way to answer them. Don't be on your heels in an interview, but don't be too aggressive either. Be confident and hold your own, just the way you would once you have the job.

5 Things the Unemployed Can Learn From Conan O'Brien

2010-11-09T08:12:00.000-08:00

OK, the tweets, the commercials, the hype – all of it has been barreling down the PR tunnel and into viewers heads for months now. And last night viewers got their favorite pompadour back on their TV sets. Conan is back.

After a much-publicized departure from NBC and their golden boy Leno, Mr. O’Brien found himself in a unique position of being without a job. Now while it may seem glib to compare the millions of Americans without a job to a talk show host who received millions in compensation to leave when he had millions to begin with, there is a lot to be gleaned in Conan’s job search that could help the unemployed.

1. Positivity and Humor Do Wonders for the Soul

Remember to laugh and enjoy yourself. Seriously. It’s a lot easier said than done, I know. But negativity can be a powerful force that will just drag you down and others with you, and it’s certainly not going to help your job search. Force yourself to smile.

2. Go Where Your Strengths Are and Use Them

No employer knows your strengths as well as you. Recognize your strengths. Write them down. Once you’ve done that, begin identifying companies and industries that fit your skills. Be proactive and contact them before they advertise an opening. Being in a job where you contribute and use your abilities will only add to your happiness and self-worth too.

3. Recognize the Reasons You are No Longer at Your Other Job and What You Learned

Maybe you were laid off, maybe you were fired, maybe you quit. It’s easy to look back, but it’s always better to learn. Understand clearly your reasons for the departure from your former job and ask yourself what you took away from the experience.

4. Taking Some Time Off to Regroup Is Perfectly Normal – Just Make Sure It Isn’t Too Much Time

Reflection and reconsideration are now available with the time you have, and sure, you might want to really soul-search. Go for it, but that isn’t the same as being idle. Always keep your mind and eyes open and prepare resumes, cover letters and marketing plans to be ready when opportunity arises. Exercise, stay active, get dressed for work every day, even though you’re unemployed.

5. Never Give Up

Who knows? Maybe someday you’ll be a star with a pompadour and a co-host too. But don’t let the attitude of ‘can’t’ take over your life. Never stop trying.

How To Get a Job Interview: Why Having 4 Resumes can Bring in 4x the Results

2010-11-08T14:08:00.000-08:00

A common question is, "How do I make a resume?"

But the real thing you should be asking is, "How do I make three resumes?"

Right now you're probably asking, "Why do I need four?" or "Seriously, why all these questions?"

OK, no more questions, but let's talk about why having three resumes can enable your job search to get results and what types of resumes you'll need.

What's the Point? And Hey, I Thought You Said There Wouldn't Be Anymore Questions

You need the right tool for the job. That's a fact. And looking for a job isn't any different. There's all sorts of different scenarios out there: interviews, online ads, networking opportunities. So it's best to have a variety of resumes to fit each situation. That way, you'll be prepared and, at the same time, be able to identify the situation and understand which resume would be the best to present. The right tool for the job hunt if you will.

A Universal Resume

This is the most essential - a one-page document that serves to introduce you. A lot of people believe you need to tell your whole story in this initial resume. But you'll get more results if it's short, punchy and gets their attention. Make it an advertisement for the future not an epitaph for the past. It's never a bad idea to make it ready for keywords in case the employer uses scanning software.

An Internet Resume

This one needs to be even shorter, usually no more than two-thirds of one page. This is what you send in an e-mail or other means of electronic communication. It needs to be heavy in the keyword department and preferably in a common format such as a Word document so you can submit it via websites as well.

A Quick-Response Resume

The third resume makes it easy for you to respond quickly to emerging situations you read about. It positions the text on the right-hand side of the page so you can write handwritten notes and dispatch a resume with a cover letter.

An Interview Resume

This is the big one at about 2 to 3 pages. It is for a presentation during or after interviews when employers want to know more. It's designed to intentionally reveal more about you. Since it reveals more about your industry experiences, it could keep you from getting in the door if you used it up front. But once you've got the interview, this can be a more compelling sales document.

Another Day, Another Job Report; More Job Tips from the Front Lines for the (Still) Unemployed

2010-11-05T12:39:00.000-07:00

Today, there was news that the job market added 151,000 positions last month, which makes it the best news since May when they grew by nearly a third of that.

The problem is that unemployment remained steady at 9.6 percent, leaving many still frustrated in their job search.

If you're one of those people, we'd like to offer up some unemployment advice for how to deal with being unemployed.

1. Get some support from your former employer
Counseling, maintaining benefits, networking, all of these are ways a former employer might be able to help. It's best to try to keep the relationship open and positive, so that they can help you in the future.

2. Build your job hunting knowledge and get your resumes created
You need to build your knowledge every day until you have a new job. Hit up help sites, learn new skills. You'd be really surprised at everything you can learn for free on the Internet.

3. Get yourself a mentor and become innovative
Find someone you respect, and meet with them to discuss ideas, leads and potential people to contact. Make it a rule to select three new people or companies each day to explore possibilities.

4. Be active, proactive and positive
Devote two hours a day to sending out letters or putting out phone calls based on a specific plan of action. Exercise, positive thoughts come more easily to people who stay fit.

Social Media and Jobs: When Virtual Life Meets Real Life

2010-11-03T13:09:00.000-07:00

There was a story that came out a few years ago that established what many job seekers feared: employers are checking your Facebook page before they hire you.

No kidding. If you're a serious job seeker, you should already know that those bachelor party pics probably aren't the best thing to show the world, much less employers or colleagues.

But take it a step further, and consider that your Facebook page could be used as a platform to promote yourself and a networking tool.

Personal marketing websites are becoming more and more popular for both employers and those on the job hunt as a way to review employment history, skills and education.

Robert J. Gerberg from SET Careers, a personal marketing firm, says that creating a website to market yourself can significantly speed your search.

So be it Facebook, Wordpress or a site you develop, throw up your resume, your employment history and a little bit about yourself on the web, and when you reach out to employers, include a link to the site.

It's better than having embarrassing pictures on there. Just sayin'.

Good News on the Job Front

2010-10-26T12:36:00.000-07:00

Recently, the New York Times reported that U.S. jobless claims fell more than expected last week and initial claims for state unemployment benefits fell 23,000 to a seasonally adjusted 452,000.

That's good news for the economy and the country, but there still are plenty of individuals out of work, and if you're one of them, chances are frustration at not hearing callbacks or getting interviews can set in.

It's important to try and be creative, network and improve your resume, but most of all, don't give up.

Some Things are Even More Scary Than Being Unemployed

2010-10-25T13:44:00.001-07:00

A lot of people are unemployed, and there’s no doubt that it can be scary. But it’s always good to consider what you could be doing.

Recently, a site spotlighted the top 10 scariest jobs, and I got to say I’m glad I don’t have to deal with cadavers, towering heights and bugs on a day to day basis.

It’s a good reminder to keep your job search going and don’t sell yourself short. Sometimes, the alternatives are really scary to consider.

Dissecting Unemployment: What Drives It and What Can Help It

2010-10-25T13:41:00.001-07:00

In today’s media cycle, not a day seems to go by that you don’t hear the word ‘unemployment.’ And with the national unemployment rate stagnant and nearly every state feeling the effects of the unemployed, the media should be talking about it.

Talk is fine. Solutions are better. That’s why it was encouraging to Federal Open Market Committee debating whether or not the high unemployment of recent years is cyclical or structural, meaning if monetary government changes could affect unemployment or if it’s just the nature of the beast that is the current economy. Interesting to consider, and it’s encouraging, as in order to overcome something, it’s best to first understand it.

Will the Real Unemployment Rate Please Stand Up

2010-10-22T08:35:00.000-07:00

Halloween is right around the corner, and if you’re looking for a costume idea to really scare someone, consider dressing up as the real unemployment rate.

That’s because economist John Williams is saying the rate is actually at 22.5 nationwide, instead of the 9.6 percent the government is reporting.

Scary stuff, but I think it’s worth noting that Williams has been singing this song for awhile, even back in 2006.