Job Search #10: Build a Personal Brand

In obtaining a new position your identity is key. As with advertising the association with a 'brand' creates an effective connection. Professional branding is important for anyone who is job searching or building their career. It's important to create a personal brand that portrays you in a professional light and which provides employers and contacts with a strong positive impression of you as a high-caliber individual.

For articles presenting this approach see several articles here.

Job Search #9: Use Social Networking

Social networking can be an integral part of your job search or career building - if you use it correctly. If not used correctly, even information you consider private like a photo posted on Facebook or a random comment on Twitter, could cost you your job and unexpectedly damage your career.

Social media participation is an essential tool in networking with potential professional contacts, staying in touch with current and former contacts, advancing your career, and keeping in touch with the world

To find tips on what you shouldn't do when it comes to social media and your career - and that's just as important as what you should do, see the complete set of references here.

Job Search #8: Find Contacts at a Company

It's not only who you know personally who can help. It's also who the people you know can refer you to. Those people may be able to assist you, as well. How do you find connections at companies? It's actually simple and easy to search online to find contacts at your companies of interest. Asking for help, the old fashioned way, still works, too.

See the article with additional hints here.

Job Search #7: Build a Career Network

The best time to build a solid network is before you need it.  Career networking doesn’t have to be intimidating and job search networking is still the top way people find new jobs.

The importance of career networking shouldn't be discounted when you are in the midst of a job search. In fact, your career network should become a part of your daily work and career-related endeavors, as well as part of your job search.

For further discussions on career development, see the complete article here.

Job Search #6: Fast Track Your Job Search

What can you do when you have to find a job fast? It's not easy, but there are steps you can take to expedite your job search.

Spending some time to get your job search in order, keeping it organized, focused, and on the fast track will help you find a job faster than if you don't have a plan in place.

Rather than missing your job search targets, you'll be spending your time job searching in an effective manner if you take it one step at a time - and stay on top of managing job search process.  See the full article here.

  

Here are some suggestions.

• Plan and Organize Your Search
• Write Your Resume
• Create a Personal Cover Letter Template
• Create/Update Your Professional Profilles
• Select Job Search Websites
• Use Your Words

For more insight, click here.

Job Search #5: Finding Job Listings

Here are the best sites to find job listings including job search engine sites, job boards, company websites, niche job sites, social media and professional networking sites, jobs listed by type of job seeker and location, and more top job listing sites.

Here is a valuable outline of finding best sites for particular job listings.

1. Top 5 Best Job Sites for Students
2. Best Job Search Engines
3. More Good Job Sites
4. Best Local Job Sites
5. Jobs Listed by Career Field/Industry
6. Jobs Listed by Location

For more info, click here.

Job Search #4: E-mail Etiquette

Job search email etiquette including choosing an email account, formatting your email messages, what to put in the Subject Line of your message, how to create an email signature, and how to send email messages when job searching.

When you are using email to job search, it's important that all your communications are as professional as they would be if you were writing an old-fashioned paper letter. Here's information on what to include in your job search emails, how to format your email, and how to make sure your email message is read.

For more information, click here.

Job Search #3: Effective Cover Letters

The objective of writing cover letters is to obtain a reading of your resume and help you win the interview

When you are a writing a cover letter, there is specific information that needs to be included. Your cover letter will include a contact section, a salutation, information on why you are qualified for the job, a closing, and your signature.

To see what to include in your cover letter, how to write it, its format, and cover letter examples, see the full article here.

Job Search #2: Resume Strategies

The resume is often the first impersonal impression you will make with a potential employer. The development your resume consists of many components:  resume writing,  the creation of a professional resume, its format, and the presentation of your value to the employer.

These components need to be integrated into a final professional version. For a comprehensive description of these many aspects of a resume, each with a comprehensive discussion, see the complete resource here.

Job Search #1: When to start a search

When it comes to starting your job search, there’s no time like the present—except, maybe, if the present happens to be during a major life change, a big project at work, or the summertime.

Career experts say job seekers should always be actively looking. The stars will never align perfectly in your job search and if you wait for them to do so, a great opportunity could be missed. 

The best time to look for a new job is when you don’t need one; you just want one. For the complete discussion see the article here.

Moms’ jobs can make a difference …

The Church surveys and research make some projections for the sisters of the Church. Two thirds of all sisters will at one point be the principal breadwinner for their family. This comes about with the husband’s loss of employment, unexpected death or divorce, or a sister remaining single.

There is little opportunity for a mom with the responsibility of a child to move beyond minimum wage work. To make a shift is almost impossible for a family without help. They have to work hard to make the day-to-day.

The biggest motivator for moms is the financial security that a "non-traditional" job can offer. For more details on this topic, see the full article on a Wyoming program here.

Job Longevity Shows Commitment

Reporting your longevity on each job is an essential part of your resume. Employers look for you to stick with a job two years or more to convey your commitment; job hopping is not a favorable attribute. Your resume should have beginning month and year for each employer reported.

To make the most of your job experience review the topic of longevity and how to convey it here.

Display Your Career Passion!

Ever wonder what employers look for when they recruit candidates? Well now you can stop wondering because we're going to tell you. 

We recently conducted a survey in conjunction with Millennial Branding, a Gen Y research and consulting firm, to learn what hiring managers are looking for when they search for candidates, the disconnects between employers, job candidates, and the generations that currently make up the workforce. To check out the infographic presented, click here

Career Fair Checklist for Career Fair Success

Are you planning to attend a career fair soon? Are you searching for pointers to help you succeed at the career fair? Do you know the activities job-seekers should perform before, during, and after the career fair?

Please note that it is important to prepare 10 to 15 hours for each Job Fair with regards to the companies being represented. You need to research each company to more fully understand the scope of their products and/or services, marketing strategies, and needs or solutions that you may offer them. For specific in-depth suggestions of 1) what to do in preparation before attending a Job Fair plus 2) guidelines on what activities to pursue while at the Job Fair as well as 3) what activities to accomplish following the Job Fair, click here for a fantastic list of do’s and don’t’s.

Special bonus, this employment blog maintains an up-to-date list of Colorado Front Range Job Fairs.  Click here for daily updates.  For easier reading in your Internet browser to enlarge type size, use the control key plus the + key. To reduce the type size, use the control key plus the – key.

Best 100 Colorado Companies for Flexible Jobs

Based on years of researching companies that hire for telecommuting, part-time, flextime, or freelance jobs, FlexJobs has compiled the best list of 100 of companies located in Colorado that specifically have hired for jobs with at least one of these flexible working options. Below you will find the company profiles on Colorado employers such as Catholic Health Initiatives, Imagine!, and Niche Technologies Inc., as well as each company's telecommuting, part-time, freelance, and flexible job posting history, a staff-written description, and the company's headquarters and website.

The purpose of the free Colorado List of Best Companies for Flexible Jobs is to help people in Colorado to easily find and research the legitimate employers embracing workplace flexibility.

If you you're looking for a job in Colorado, click here.  This guide is excellent and free as a resource for jobs!

10 Best-Paying Jobs Of The Future

If you decided on a new career path today, wouldn't you like to know which jobs will be in high demand and pay the most once you were out of school? To serve as a guide, 24/7 Wall St. has identified the best-paying jobs of the future. These jobs will grow the most in the next decade and have median incomes well above the national average. Almost without exception, these occupations will be in highest demand

One change that will create high demands for some professions is the increasing amount of data available to businesses.  For more info, click here

Reasons for Changing Jobs

During the time the economy struggled, it was important just to have a job. As the economy improves, you may consider the opportunity to change jobs. Carefully consider the reasons you come up with to justify a significant decision.

Don’t overreact. Leaving a job to minimize pain should not be the primary reason for accepting another job. Both negative and positive motivators must be considered; as well as extrinsic (short-term) motivators, and intrinsic (long-term).

See an interesting diagram in the full article to assist your decision making here.

Nonverbal First Impressions

It begins even before you say your first word in an interview. As the interviewer walks toward you to shake hands, an opinion is already being formed. And as you sit waiting to spew out your answers to questions you've prepared for, you are already being judged by your appearance, posture, smile or your nervous look.

• The nonverbal messages
• The Handshake
• Your Posture 
• Eye  Contact 
• Your Hands 
•  Don't Fidget

Preparing what you have to say is important, but practicing how you will say it is imperative. The nonverbal message can speak louder than the verbal message you're sending. For details on the above see the complete article here.

Cover Letter for over 50

Searching for a new job when you are over 50 can produce anxiety, but you can create a cover letter that makes you stand out as a highly desirable job candidate. The first thing that employers notice about your application is your cover letter, so it is important for it to be effective.

Your cover letter is a tool to get you noticed by employers; it should be customized for the job you are seeking. Draft a compelling message for each position, and let employers know why you want to work for them and how your skills and experience are useful for the position.

For more information on the letter content, see the complete article here.

Write a Persuasive Cover Letter

You put a lot of thought and work into developing a professional resume, but may lose steam when it comes to the cover letter. When you submit a resume for a job posting or to a referral, you may be asked to submit a cover letter. There is at least a 50% chance that your cover letter will actually be read.

A well-written persuasive cover letter is a powerful addition to your suite of career marketing documents. So transform your existing cover letter from boring to attention-grabbing in five steps.

See the five steps with examples in the full article here.

100 Potential Interview Questions

While there are as many different possible interview questions as there are interviewers, it always helps to be ready for anything. So here is a list of 100 potential interview questions. Will you face them all? No interviewer would be that cruel. Will you face a few? Probably.

You be well-served by being ready even if you're not asked these exact questions.  In reviewing these questions try to formulate an answer or be ready with a personal example you can elaborate on.  

Find the complete list here. 

Strategies for a Career Change

People are becoming more apt to take action to become upwardly mobile. According to the Wall Street Journal, nearly 40 percent of all people seeking new jobs are also trying to change careers.

Think through the process or method you will use to accomplish your goals; accept that there is a level of risk involved. Younger workers have an easier time changing career, but if you have been in a profession for several decades, it may be difficult to match your current salary with an entry-level position.

The article outlines three key elements of the process:

• Accept the Risk
• Avoid the Traps
• New Career Choices

For more on these topics, see the complete article here.

Benefits of career networking

Networking is the key to obtaining a new job. It is also the key to advancing in your currently employed position. Using networking while employed is a career strategy.

For many people, professional networking feels forced and uncomfortable. In industries where who you know is as important as what you can do, however, networking is a crucial business skill. It can lead to new job opportunities, mutually beneficial partnerships and exciting business ideas. With a few simple strategies, you can develop better networking abilities quickly.

To see three networking strategies to use to advance your current career, see the complete article here.

Job Search Site List

The internet provides a vast resource of information relating to job searching. In order to make effective use of these resources an organized and disciplined approach to your job search is appropriate.  While job leads are necessary, the fact remains that networking and personal contacts are the most effective path to a job interview and ultimately an offer. Using the internet to identify available job openings and then using networking to get an inside track can provide a powerful search strategy.

The following compilation of sites was prepared by Karla Nuzman, an employment Specialist.  It presents an extensive set of site addresses broken into useful career categories.

COMPANIES	CONSTRUCTION	ENERGY
ENGINEERING	FELONS	FINANCE – BANKING
GENERAL	GOVERNMENT JOBS	HEALTHCARE
HOSPITALITY	IT– TECHNOLOGY	JOURNALISM – BROADCASTING
	REGIONS – LOCATIONS

For multiple web sites for Job Searches by career, click here.

Top 10 Best Job Sites

 Looking for a good position is never easy, especially in tough employment markets. But even so, there are hundreds of thousands of jobs available at any given time, if one knows where to look. Many of them are posted on job boards.

A job board’s primary function is to connect companies with potential employees. And as recent studies show, companies find nearly 25% of their external new hires through these sites. Surveys have also found that up to 32% of job seekers found their jobs by either responding to an ad or posting a resume on a job board.

To see the top sites click here.

Smart career moves to make by 30

For people in their twenties, life can be a rich time for personal self-discovery—a period when you’re more willing to take risks and maybe even make mistakes along the way. These can also be some of the most formative years for your career.

When you graduate, you may have an idea of what you want to be when you “grow up,” but may not have an idea of just how to get there. You don’t want to leave everything to chance - especially if it affects your future earning power.

Career experts and coaches have their opinions on the top dos—and don’ts—for the younger generation of career builders. For those past ‘twenty something’ look to see what you did right, or not so. Here are 30 savvy moves to make at each stage of your career before you hit 30, or might be able to catch up on after. See the complete article here.

Your Interview: hard questions, best answers

There are many challenging interview questions that you may be asked in a job interview.  You need to be quick on your feet with good answers. By reviewing tough questions and formulating good personal responses reflecting on your experience with actual situations, you prepare yourself.  Review typical questions and consider an appropriate response, based on your background and skills. 

There aren't necessarily any right or wrong answers, but carefully consider the job you are applying for, your abilities, and the company culture before you respond.

For a set of questions to test your wit and skills, see the full article here.

Tips for how to find a job

If someone started looking for a job today, there is no way of knowing how long it will take. You have to make looking for a job a job in itself. It needs to be a 24-hours-a-day, seven-day-a-week, 365-days-a-year job.

There's always the opportunity of working in the temporary arena. People should be calling temporary employment firms to find light industrial jobs, or jobs that will make a minimum wage or maybe a little more. For example, if you've been an accountant your whole life, there are opportunities out there, and you might be able to find some temporary jobs.

Develop a system of looking for a job. This way, you focus on the process without having to worry about the results. Keep track of the calls you make and the interviews you get. That way you can follow up on the interviews.

For a comprehensive outline see the full article here.

Tips for networking when job hunting

Try networking, it really does work. At least 60%  of all jobs are found by networking. Develop contacts - friends, family, neighbors, college alumni, people in associations - anyone who might help generate information and job leads.

You can take a direct approach and ask for job leads or try a less formal approach and ask for information and advice. Contact everyone you know. You may be surprised by the people they know.

For a complete copy of the article on networking see it here.

Cover Letter, before and after

In addition to a cover letter being specific in linking your abilities and experience directly to the job requirements, the letter has to also grab the reader.  It may be that the cover letter gets the reviewer to read the resume or in a pursal of your resume they want a confirmation their impression from the cover letter.

In any case an example of a real cover letter in ‘before and after’ versions can give you some pointers on the possible improvements you might incorporate in your introduction. For a brief comparison of the two versions see the examples here.

Ready for your video interview?

As if mentally preparing for a job interview wasn’t hard enough, now you need to look good on camera, too.

More companies are making video interviews an integral step in the hiring process. Depending on the survey, from 30 percent to 60 percent of organizations conduct some portion of job interviews via webcam.  There are things you can do to be ready, including knowing where to look, practicing and making sure you’re talking from an appropriately work-like setting.

Here are the recommend preparations for a video interview:

1. Get the gear
2. Talk from an office setting
3. Declutter and remove noisemakers
4. Adjust the lighting
5. Dress appropriately
6. Look into the camera
7. Practice
8. Be on time

For the details on these video savy topics, see the full article here.

Re-Employed? Pick up the pieces

One of the ugliest features of the Great Recession and its dreary aftermath has been the high rate of long-term unemployment, which the Labor Department defines as being jobless for 27 weeks or longer.  About 1.4 million people altogether were long-termers as of January 2014.

Today, the economy is improving and the jobless rate is falling, but that leaves lots of newly employed Americans picking up the pieces of their financial lives thrown off the rails by the recession.

What if you're 50?  You don't have as much time to make up for lost earnings and forfeited retirement contributions. But there are steps you can take to get your retirement plans, and your finances in general, back on track.

• Celebrate (in moderation).
• Assess the damage and set a new budget.
• Start saving and tackle debt.
• Get a checkup.
• Catch up on retirement.
• Plan on it happening again.

For the details of these steps see the complete article here.

Exact words for salary negotiations

You have the most power to negotiate a salary after you've impressed your future employer in interviews, but before you sign an official job offer. Most employees will informally offer you the job before they give you anything to sign, and this is a good time to talk about what you want.

Your new employer wants to hire you, and has no desire to keep interviewing. More than anything, they're anxious for you to start work. This is the time; ask for more money.

For pointers on strategy and language, see the full article here.

Strategies for job seekers over 40

The recent recession battered all segments of the U.S. economy, erasing 8 million private sector jobs in the process.  For every job opening, there are at least five out-of-work Americans.

Middle-aged professionals have been hit particularly hard.  There are inherent difficulties that older workers face when having to compete against younger applicants in the new economic environment.

If you are 40 or older and looking to re-join the workplace or move up in your career, there are several extra strategies that need to be part of your job-hunting process. That’s because age discrimination still exists in subtle forms.

You need to be aware of the stereotypes that pervade the marketplace concerning older workers and learn how to overcome the barriers that hiring managers may put in your way because of your age. See the complete article here.

Things Never to Say to Your Boss

“Think before you speak” is always a good policy  …

At work it's even more important. Saying the wrong thing to your boss can do serious damage to your career -- and some of the things bosses don't like to hear may surprise you. 

Checking with some managers came up with a list of nine phrases they strongly dislike.  To see the list of what not to say and what you should say instead, see the complete article here.

Baby Boomer Job Hunting

People in their 50s and 60s might have a lower overall unemployment rate than their younger counterparts. But when they lose a job, they have a harder time returning to the workforce. Midlife and older job hunters are concerned that their age will hurt their chances of landing work, especially if they’re looking while unemployed.

66 percent of people ages 55 to 64 who are unemployed have been out of work for more than six months, according to an analysis of 2012 census data. That’s more than twice the number of those under 25 who’ve been out of work six months or more.

Ageism is one reason it’s harder for older workers to find a job. Potential employers fear – justly or not – that older workers won’t be able to keep up, won’t know the latest technology or will put in a few years and then retire. To counter these fears and get strategies for success, see the entire article here.

Job Search Tax Deductions

When you're job searching, it's important to keep track of your job search expenses, because these costs may be a tax deduction when you file your income taxes.

If you've been looking for a job in the same line of work you're currently in, many of your expenses like phone calls, the costs of preparing and copying your resume, and career counseling are deductible. You don't have to be out of work to have some of your costs qualify as a deductible expense, but only expenses that exceed 2% percent of your income count.

Be sure to include as income your severance and unemployment, they are taxable. See the complete article here.

Resume, elaborate: Problem, Solution, Results

Use the PSR – for “problem, solution, results” — methodology to punch up your experience bullets and provide a brief project summary.

So what is this magical PSR methodology? In a nutshell, it’s a classic writing technique that authors have been using for years. Instead of providing information in a vacuum, you lure in reviewers by defining the challenge you’ve faced, your course of action and the results you achieved.

• Define the Problem
• Describe the Solution
• Outline Your Impact

The final step is to edit all of this into powerful accomplishment bullets, project summaries and interview vignettes. For more detail and an example, see the complete article here.

Interviewing, a Comprehensive Discussion

Considering that your resume has been successful in getting a call to interview, you need to understand the interviewing process. In a labor market where there are many qualified candidates competing for the same position, how you do on the interview can often determine whether you get the job. 

Here are topics you might find enlightening in your interview preparation:

• Types of Interviews
• Interviewing Strategies
• Illegal Questions
• Who gets Hired?
• Negotiating Your Compensation Package
• More Information About The Interview

For the complete discussion see the complete article here.

Tech Skills, the Disconnect

There is a current Tech demand; tech unemploymently  low. The advertised job specifications broadcast an extensive 'Wish List' few candidates can satisfy.  It’s a continuing complaint: Employers who need skilled IT professionals say they can’t find people to fill their open jobs. But job seekers say it’s getting harder and harder to find a job. Why the disconnect?

Average U.S. tech salaries rose 2.6 percent during 2012, according to the latest Dice Salary Survey.  Employers are rewarding those with the needed experience and certifications at much higher rates.

With a ‘tight market’ on the Tech side, be sure to make the most of every applicable skill you have in your resume. Remember you are replying to a Wish List; you need be just good enough to get the interview invitation. The pendulum is on the candidate’s side — “if you have the right skills, of course.”  For the complete article, click here.

Reasons For and Against Improving Economy

Employment opportunities are directly related to the economy. There has been some improvement overall in the last year. The popular news figures released for the un-employed is down to 6.7 percent (BLS U-3); while the realistic U-6 statistic is at 13.1. With this level, one out of every seven working adults is challenged for employment. The U-6 includes those unemployed that have also used up their benefits and those who have given up looking for work.

USA Today presents an article reviewing four reasons the economy is improving and four reasons it might not improve. Having some basic understanding of the factors that influence the economy can help appreciating the dilemma of being un-employed. See the complete article here.

Eight Top Articles from 2013

There have been many articles presented on this blog over the last year. Here are the most popular 8 from the Beyond.com site, one of the sites watched for employment tips. 

1. 5 Ways to Tell if Your Interview Went Well
2. 5 Myths That Hurt a Job Search
3. Can You Lose a Job for Being Too Attractive?
4. Six Reasons Your Search Has Stalled
5. Getting the Job When You're Underqualified
6. Four Job Qualifications You Don't Really Need
7. Six Tips for a Solid Resume
8. The Top Four Career Lies

The full article at Beyond.com can be found here

Getting the Job When You're Underqualified

When you're changing careers, getting your foot in the door can often be the most difficult part. Even though you may have tons of experience in your industry, which could carry over to the new career, odds are good that you don't meet every requirement on the employer's list.

So, how can you get a job when you're underqualified?

First, it's important to know that when an employer advertises a job opening, most of their list of requirements is a wish list. They are qualifications that the employer would like to find, but they aren't set in stone. Even if you don't meet all of them, you can still apply for the job.

In order to land a job you aren't completely qualified for, you have to consider what your qualifications are. Do you meet at least 80 percent of their advertised requirements? If you were the hiring manager, why would you hire someone with your skills? The answer to these questions will help you determine how to market yourself.

To learn the "rest of the procedures" to follow, click here.