America’s population is aging. Older individuals are living longer and therefore have a longer amount of time to enjoy retirement. But what about the empty positions they will leave behind them?

In San Francisco, the fasted growing age group is those nearing and those who are already elderly. According to a report done by the Local Workforce Investment Board of San Francisco, 13 percent of the city’s workforce was 55 or older at the time of the last census. These individuals have either already reached the age of retirement or will reach it by 2010.

The two industries this will affect the most are those of education and health care. With many older San Franciscans working these fields there is some concerns about the number of employees that will be needed to replace those who will soon decide to leave work behind and no longer search San Francisco jobs. The report found that school administrators, teachers from elementary to high school, and special education teachers all tend to be older than the average working individual.

This means that there will be many empty classrooms if enough new graduates don’t decide to be educators. In the health care industry many advanced occupations will be empty. These include medical service managers, registered nurses, clinical lab tech, and LVNs. Hopefully many of the currently young medical assistants will be able to fill these positions. For those who are entry level health care employees filling jobs in San Francisco, there will certainly be an availability of promotions with in the next few years.

The aging and retirement of 13 percent of the workforce will least affect the information technology and the hospitality industry. Even highly skilled positions in these two areas tend to be occupied by younger San Franciscans. With an abundance of youthful entry level workers, those positions that do become available when others retire will quickly be filled. If one desires to later replace their older superior, it is in their best interest to work toward good performance evaluations now. The competitions for the few coveted spots will be competitive.

There is also some concern about finding individuals to replace soon to be retiring office administrators and social service workers. The expected exodus toward retirement may cause a worker shortage in San Francisco in both fields if younger employees are recruited by human resources and trained for these positions in advance.

Hoping to avoid afore mentioned shortages, San Francisco plans to focus on attracting younger workers both to specific fields and to the city in general. The city also encourages promotions from within the industries to fulfill higher positions. The San Francisco Local Workforce Investment Board also believes that immigrant integration is extremely important at this time. According Hans Johnson of the Public Policy Institute of California, “much of tomorrow’s workforce are today’s second generation children of immigrants.”

Posted by Joel Cheesman on June 29, 2007 at 9:21 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Dear Sue:

A few months ago, a co-worker of mine told me something in confidence, which has put me in a precarious situation. I was told that two employed staff members and someone who was previously employed by our company started their own business on the side.

I have monitored the situation since I was made aware of it, and I am almost certain that their new business is in a related field. I have a hunch that they are using the resources of this company to help get their new business off the ground. These people are well liked and respected, and given lots of freedom. They have access to our software and intellectual property, and I can easily envision them utilizing these resources either before or after hours as they are without supervision.

Knowing what I know has been particularly difficult for me since I am the marketing person for our company. When I sense someone is “not on our team” anymore, I am reluctant to share information with them, and have been more cautious with everyone as a result. In addition, I have issued some new policies and directives, which is confusing for some people. As a result, I feel that some of my relationships are being damaged with other co-workers.

I don't want to be a "rat" or betray a confidence, but I also don't want the company to suffer; the business climate already has made business tough enough. Do I tell my supervisor? What do you think I should do?

- Confidant

Sue Says:

Before you do anything, you need to make sure you are dealing with true facts and not rumors. How reliable is the source of your information? Information that circulates through the grapevine often is based in truth, but the more its passed around, the further it strays further from the truth.

How can you be certain about the conclusions you have drawn from your own hunches and assumptions? While you should be concerned, you have no evidence of wrongdoing or reason to believe that these people are betraying your trust or harming the company in any way.

Before you rush to tell your supervisor, take some time to gather more information. Have you considered approaching either of the two employees you suspect are involved to ask them if what you have heard is true? They could surprise you by being open and honest about their new business venture. If they were trying to obtain privileged information as you suspect, once they realize their business is no longer a secret, they may fear being caught. That knowledge could be enough to stop them. If you talk with them and still have reason for concern, you may decide to inform your supervisor.

Your dedication to the company is admirable, but don’t let it get in the way of your relationships. Be cautious, but don’t build a wall around yourself. Gather the facts, and once you are confident in your knowledge, you will be more confident in knowing what to do.

-- Sue Morem is a professional speaker, best-selling author and syndicated columnist. Her books include How to Gain the Professional Edge, 101 Tips for Graduates, and the just released How to Get a Job and Keep It, Second Edition. You can send questions to her by email at asksue@suemorem.com or visit her web site at http://www.suemorem.com.

Read more of Sue’s articles by clicking here: Ask Sue

Posted by Candice Arnold on June 29, 2007 at 2:03 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Dear Sue:

When I first started working at this company over five years ago, I felt as though I had a dream job. I was able to work flexible hours and focus on sales, which is what I do best. Employees were respected, empowered to make decisions and encouraged to sell using their own personal style. Business was good, we were having fun and coming to work was most enjoyable.

That was then – today things are different. We have a new owner/manager who is changing the way things are done. Business has been good all along and continues to grow, but instead of allowing us to do what has worked to get us where we are, he has been changing the very things that helped us to grow to this level.

The biggest change is that instead of allowing us to focus on our sales, which we were hired to do; we are being asked to do lots of other things, including large amounts of paperwork. We are being asked to document and be accountable for every minute of our time. He has never asked for input from us and doesn’t seem to care about what we know or want. He has even commented on how ‘tight’ the employees seem to be and expressed concern that our friendship with each other could be interfering with our productivity.

Most of us are not happy with the changes, and some of us are downright miserable and considering leaving. The joy we once had for our jobs is slowly fading. Is there anything we can do?

– Unhappy

Sue Says:

There are some things you can do, and others you may need to accept. I can understand how difficult it must be to see the enjoyable job you once had slowly slip away. While I don’t doubt that some of the changes may seem extreme, not all may be as unreasonable as you think. The rules may seem excessive compared to what you’ve had in the past, but may be closer to the norm than what you are accustomed to.

You are fortunate to have worked for over five years in such a positive, flexible environment. While it would be nice to keep things as they are, very few jobs remain the same, and change dramatically over the years. An unwillingness or failure to change often results in failure to keep a job.

Anytime a new owner or manager takes over, there will be change. People need and want to do it ‘their’ way and impact the business they are responsible for. I agree that it would be nice if you were asked your opinion, but obviously your new manager isn’t asking. You see the business one way, and he sees it another. Resisting him and his ideas will get you nowhere.

You asked if there was anything you could do, and the answer is yes. You can quit and leave; you can stay and feel miserable, you can accept the changes and adapt, or say something to your manager. If you decide to approach him, be careful not to pick apart everything he has done, and focus only on the issues you find most distressing. He may or may not be open to your feedback, and his reaction could depend on your approach and attitude, so be sure to approach him in a sincere manner with a desire to see things work out.

Although you feel as though everything is being taken away from you, no matter how many changes you face, you have the freedom to respond in the manner you want, and make choices about the action you take. At this point, no one is forcing you to leave or to stay; what you choose to do is up to you. Make the right decision for yourself, and then accept it and don’t look back; the past is behind you and your future is what you make it. Good luck.

-- Sue Morem is a professional speaker, best-selling author and syndicated columnist. Her books include How to Gain the Professional Edge, 101 Tips for Graduates, and the just released How to Get a Job and Keep It, Second Edition. You can send questions to her by email at asksue@suemorem.com or visit her web site at http://www.suemorem.com.

Read more of Sue’s articles by clicking here: Ask Sue

Posted by Candice Arnold on June 29, 2007 at 2:00 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Dear Sue:

I am in the first week of a new job with a new company. The first week is so overwhelming; I am learning the structure of the new company, going through training and relearning what I thought I already knew. On top of all that, I need to get to know my coworkers, and understand that these are the people who will help me succeed in this position.

I am a shy, introverted and private person. I know how to do my job and I am good at it, but when it comes to networking, meeting, greeting and small talk, I am at a complete loss. I realize this is a weakness and I failed to relay this to my boss in the interview. Now that I am here, I realize I need to put this weakness aside and forge ahead, but I am not sure how to do it.

I don’t want to ruin a great opportunity and the chance for me to eventually move into a better position with the company. I want to master the art of small talk so that I can meet and greet and network and further my career. What are some ways for me to beat this fear I have?

– Shy

Sue Says:

I am impressed by your letter. You have identified a weakness that could negatively impact your career success, admitted you need to change and are looking for ways to improve. You have no idea how refreshing and rare your ‘problem’ is; most people focus on the inadequacy of others rather than honestly looking at themselves. So to you I say “Congratulations” – in addition to your efforts to do your job well, you are aware that the impression you make on others and the relationships you cultivate are equally important job skills to acquire.

The good news is that you can change if you want to. There are many people who appear outgoing and confident in networking with others who secretly see themselves as you see yourself. Although not easy, with a little effort, you can change your behavior. You may never see yourself as an extrovert or feel like one, but you can act like one. Some people appear comfortable talking with anyone about anything, but being comfortable with others is only part of what it takes to build good relationships. In fact, people who talk a lot may seem outgoing and charming, but often are a total bore to others.

The secret isn’t in what or how much you have to say, but in how you make people feel. Focus less on yourself and your discomfort, and more on others; you will be amazed at how positively people respond to you. You don’t need to be a great conversationalist to make a good impression; all you have to do is be sincerely interested in others and learn to ask questions that get people talking about themselves. A good place to start is by asking about a person’s job -- ”How did you get into this line of work?” “What do you like best about working here?” “What did you do before you came here?” Ask questions that are open-ended, not a question that can be answered with a yes, no or one word response.

Stay away from topics that have the potential to be offensive or controversial, and stick with neutral topics when possible. Don’t feel you have to engage in strictly business conversation; small talk shouldn’t be too intense; the weather, food, entertainment, travel, sports and some current events can be easy to use in making small talk. The more you get to know someone the more comfortable you will become in deepening the conversation.

You really don’t need to change – you can stay true to your private and quiet nature by being a good listener and sound resource for others. As you increase your comfort level, you may find you enjoy opening up to others. Don’t be too hard on yourself; as long as you have good intentions and are friendly and kind to others, you will be off to a good start.

Finally, when you meet someone, you will make a good impression if you take the time to build a genuine connection; make eye contact (long enough to remember the eye color) offer a firm handshake, repeat the person’s name and smile! A smile communicates friendliness and interest louder than words, and is in a language everyone understands.

-- Sue Morem is a professional speaker, best-selling author and syndicated columnist. Her books include How to Gain the Professional Edge, 101 Tips for Graduates, and the just released How to Get a Job and Keep It, Second Edition. You can send questions to her by email at asksue@suemorem.com or visit her web site at http://www.suemorem.com.

Read more of Sue’s articles by clicking here: Ask Sue

Posted by Candice Arnold on June 29, 2007 at 1:57 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Dear Sue:

I was interviewing at a financial firm and had a series of interviews among different areas of the firm. The Director of Human Resources was the third person that I would meet with.

I was very appropriately dressed in a black suit with a white top; the skirt came a little below the knee. The interview took place in a conference room. I was placed at the head of the conference table and the director sat to my left. I turned my body slightly towards the left so I would have better eye contact. I crossed my legs at the knee and folded my hands on my lap. In the middle of the interview he said, "You know that it is not proper etiquette to cross your legs in an interview." Now, I agree that it may have been better to have my knees and ankles locked together and tucked under my chair. However, was it more inappropriate for him to make this comment in the middle of the interview? And, is it "inappropriate" for a woman to cross her legs during an interview?

– Jen

Sue Says:

Body language plays an important role in an interview; what we communicate nonverbally (through our bodies) is a language more honest than our spoken words. People who are adept at interviewing have learned to pay attention to any and all nonverbal cues they pick up on in an interview as a means of ‘reading’ people more accurately. Some nonverbal behaviors are obvious, while others are not. Most people realize that making eye contact when talking with someone is important, and that the lack of eye contact suggests anything from shyness and insecurity to the inability to tell the truth. There are other, more subtle actions that are just as revealing. For example, rubbing the nose or covering the mouth when talking often happens when someone is uncomfortable, hiding something or telling a lie.

Crossing the legs is a means of comfort for many people, and often essential for women when wearing a skirt. It can, however, have hidden, unspoken intentions and be viewed as flirtatious or flaunting (especially if a lot of leg is exposed). Although the most proper way for a woman to cross her legs is at the ankles, many women cross them at the knee. Typically, what is noticed in an interview is not mentioned, and it is unusual that this was brought up to you. Either he relished the opportunity to make you a bit self-conscious or honestly felt he was offering you some helpful advice. As common as leg crossing is, it should be much less of a red flag than many other actions or movements.

Chances are that the person you interviewed with has made it a point to look for ‘signs’ that will help him ‘read’ people more effectively. Whatever his intentions, he has done you a favor; crossing your legs is not good for you because it decreases the circulation in your legs.

-- Sue Morem is a professional speaker, best-selling author and syndicated columnist. Her books include How to Gain the Professional Edge, 101 Tips for Graduates, and the just released How to Get a Job and Keep It, Second Edition. You can send questions to her by email at asksue@suemorem.com or visit her web site at http://www.suemorem.com.

Read more of Sue’s articles by clicking here: Ask Sue

Posted by Candice Arnold on June 28, 2007 at 1:51 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Dear Sue:

What do you think of office mates who host parties at their own residences, but only invite some of the individuals who work in the office? Our office is not big; there are only 30 of us working here and most of us have worked cohesively together for the past few years. From what I can see, there have been a handful of people who have not been included in the gatherings. Incidentally, these get-togethers have been distributed throughout the office via email and/or routing envelopes.

As one of the few left out of these gatherings, I am finding it difficult to understand. I am considering bringing this to the attention of the president. I am not doing it to merely to complain or get people into trouble, but feel that if he were to send word to everyone about office protocol that it would have some impact.

– Left out

Sue Says:

Groups and cliques are commonplace in most work environments, and it is never fun to be the one excluded. No matter what size the company, cliques can be found. The bigger the company, the more opportunity there is to find people outside a clique for you to connect with. In your small company, with just a few people being left out makes it all the more obvious and painful.

In elementary school, if kids are handing out invitations and not inviting the whole class, most are discouraged from distributing the invitations at school. It’s fun for those who are, but painful for those who are not. It used to be that valentines were given in school randomly, but now kids are instructed to bring cards for the entire class, and for the same reason; it hurts to be left out. It hurts as a kid and it hurts as an adult too.

While there may be a reason a handful of you are left out, there is a good chance that the people hosting these events are oblivious to you and the others left out, and simply are inviting the people they feel closest to.

Bringing the issue to their attention is a wise thing to do; establishing protocol will be a benefit to everyone. If you feel it is best to have the suggestion come from the president, then proceed with your plan. I am not sure it has to come from the president or anyone else – you might be the perfect person to propose the new protocol.

As long as you don’t blame anyone or have ulterior motives, the suggestion to use other means of distributing invitations could come from you. However you decide to proceed, do something; there are more people than you realize who will appreciate your efforts.

-- Sue Morem is a professional speaker, best-selling author and syndicated columnist. Her books include How to Gain the Professional Edge, 101 Tips for Graduates, and the just released How to Get a Job and Keep It, Second Edition. You can send questions to her by email at asksue@suemorem.com or visit her web site at http://www.suemorem.com.

Read more of Sue’s articles by clicking here: Ask Sue

Posted by Candice Arnold on June 28, 2007 at 1:48 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Dear Sue:

I am in desperate need of help to build a business wardrobe. I am a 42-year-old female, and have worked very little over the last 10 years as I have been a stay at home mom. It’s a typical story: my kids and husband have come first, and by the time I know it the funds are gone and the time is past.

I really do not know what is available in the stores. When I shop, I become overwhelmed. I don’t know what to buy or what looks good, so I settle for something in a hurry and by the next season it’s in the bag to be donated.

I’ve heard it’s good to mix and match, but I don’t know where to begin. Please help if you can.

- Helpless

Sue Says:

Putting together a wardrobe can be overwhelming, and while some people enjoy the process, others despise it. You don’t have to struggle or do it by yourself; utilize the expertise of wardrobe consultants and retail store clerks, whose services typically are complimentary. Shop in stores specializing in career fashions and seek out the department stores that have free personal shopping services available. You will find experts who know clothes, know how to help you build a wardrobe and can take much of the pressure off of you.

It may take time for you to determine your business style and what type of clothing you want to invest in, so start slowly and let your wardrobe evolve. I am not clear about whether you have a job or will be looking for one. Depending on your position and the standards of the company you work for, you will need to adjust what you wear to its culture. Business casual does not always translate into traditional casual wear. Every company has its own standards and expectations. It’s important to know what they are and to dress accordingly.

When you buy clothes, think basic and think mix and match. No one will notice if you wear the same pair of black pants repeatedly, but wear an unusual print, pattern or color a few times and people will remember. Trendy fashions come and go, but classic styles last for years. When shopping for work clothes, stay away from high fashion stores and seek out stores geared to working women. In addition, think quality vs. quantity. Quality constructed clothing in durable fabrics will last longer and wear better.

Look through magazines to help you identify what type of image you are drawn to. Do you like a more sophisticated look or are you drawn to a more casual, down to earth style? The more you are able to identify what you want, the easier it will be to spot items to purchase. Owning fewer pieces that you love and enjoy wearing is much more practical than having a big selection of clothes that aren’t practical or comfortable.

Finally, don’t overlook consignment and resale shops. Typically, you will find good quality clothing at great prices. Good luck!

-- Sue Morem is a professional speaker, best-selling author and syndicated columnist. Her books include How to Gain the Professional Edge, 101 Tips for Graduates, and the just released How to Get a Job and Keep It, Second Edition. You can send questions to her by email at asksue@suemorem.com or visit her web site at http://www.suemorem.com.

Read more of Sue’s articles by clicking here: Ask Sue

Posted by Candice Arnold on June 28, 2007 at 1:45 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

By Jared Jost, Salary.com®

Negotiation is a fact of life. In the workplace, your salary and benefits are the return for the service you provide to your employer. For most people, this means they want fair and equitable pay, acknowledgement for experience, and benefits that reflect a healthy work/life balance. To achieve a compensation package that matches your contribution to the company, it is likely that you will need to negotiate your salary with your employer.

Salary negotiation can be an intimidating process. There is a natural tendency to doubt your value and contribution to the company or to be worried that your employer does not see your value in the same light that you do. These are legitimate concerns, but the first step is to acknowledge it and then get it out of your head.

Once you determine that you deserve a raise, don't be the fool that rushes in. Take your time to build a compelling case and proper approach to your salary negotiation.

Finding The Right Time to Negotiate Your Salary

You can ask for a raise at any time, but there are natural 'money moments' that are more logical for negotiating. Addressing your salary at the right time will leave a better impression with your employer than if you rush in without considering the 'big picture.' Understand the goals of your team and the company – being able to position yourself as an integral piece to helping them achieve their objectives will increase your leverage in negotiating a raise. Also important is your company's financial calendar and current situation. If your company is nearing its financial year or quarter end and the outlook is rosy, that might be a good time to broach the subject. However, if numbers are tight or down, it may be best to wait until after the end of the quarter.

The most obvious occasion to negotiate your salary is when you are interviewing for a new job. But even if you've been with the company for years, there is still ample opportunity to negotiate salary. For example, the completion of a successful project, an increase in responsibilities, the start of a major company initiative or your annual performance review are all times that you can address your pay.

Start early. The conversation between you and your boss is only the first step in the negotiation process. Executive decision making and budgeting take time. Plan to initiate a conversation before you are invited to attend your review. This will eliminate the excuse, "I would love to give you a raise but the budget has already been set."

Be Prepared

It isn't wise to charge into your boss' office and demand a raise. That isn't a negotiation. It becomes a stand-off and no one likes having their back against the wall. Good negotiation is creating a give and take, working together to find common goals and ensuring you both have ways to be successful. It isn't a winner take all mentality and many employees lose their negotiating power when they aren't willing to work together.

Do your research and conduct a realistic self-assessment of your contribution and performance. Realize that although you may feel you single-handedly run the department, management may not agree. Align your accomplishments with the direct success of the company to support your rationale using specific examples. Negotiations offer you the rare opportunity to open management's eyes to things that may have otherwise gone unseen. It's up to you to make yourself shine - so shed some light on you! Be confident in your direct role towards the success of the company. Be confident in you.

Know What You're Worth

Understand what you are worth. Resources like the Salary Wizard and Personal Salary Report help you to determine what employers like yours pay employees like you in your city. By understanding your market value, you can set realistic expectations for your base salary and consider any trade-offs for benefits and work/life balance components of your compensation

Article courtesy of Salary.com®

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on June 28, 2007 at 12:43 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Dear Sue:

I am a junior in college. In addition to going to school, I work at two jobs; as a teller at a bank and as a hostess at a restaurant. The pay is about the same at each job, and I enjoy working at both, but it is becoming a bit stressful. I found out that I will have the opportunity to work as a waitress in the restaurant soon, which would enable me to make a lot more money from the tips I earn. I want to waitress, but I think that working at the bank will look better on future applications and resumes. I don’t know what to do and wonder if you have any advice.

– Working student

Sue Says:

I wish I could provide you with a clear cut answer to your question, but there are many factors to be considered before you make a decision about which job to pursue. If you need the money to pay for college and living expenses, and can prevent the amount of financial stress or debt you will incur by earning more as a waitress, then it makes sense to leave the bank. On the other hand, if earning more money would be nice, but not crucial, you have the opportunity to evaluate your situation more objectively.

Although it is an advantage to have worked in a related field prior to entering it full time, it isn’t feasible for many people. Working as a teller at a bank will be an asset for you if you plan on working at a bank once you graduate. However, if you will be pursuing work in an unrelated field, then teller experience may be no more impressive to a future employer than restaurant experience.

You have experience both places, so even if you leave the bank, it is still a part of your work experience and can be used on a future application. Don’t downplay the value you’ve gained and will continue to gain through your work in the restaurant; you’ll likely enhance your skills in relating to and working with a variety of people, learn to work under pressure, manage time and much more. It will be up to you to convey this to potential employers.

The best way to gain experience that directly relates to your chosen field is through an internship. You will find that this type of experience will pay off when you begin looking for work after graduation. An internship can vary in length; some last a few weeks, others a few months and in certain situations will lead to full time employment. College students who decide to wait for a degree before seeking related on-the-job experience may be at a professional disadvantage. Professional experience is a desired quality and an asset for job seekers. Some college students manage to have several internships, giving them a big advantage over those without this type of experience. Your experience as an intern will be perceived positively by potential employers.

Although you have a full schedule right now, consider an internship an essential part of your education. Perhaps this is something you can manage to do during the summer or at some other time prior to your graduation. A job to help support yourself through college is much different than an internship; work as an intern provides you with industry-specific experience, and although not all internships pay, some do. An internship will be an asset; it will provide you with valuable experience and be a positive addition to your resume.

-- Sue Morem is a professional speaker, best-selling author and syndicated columnist. Her books include How to Gain the Professional Edge, 101 Tips for Graduates, and the just released How to Get a Job and Keep It, Second Edition. You can send questions to her by email at asksue@suemorem.com or visit her web site at http://www.suemorem.com.

Read more of Sue’s articles by clicking here: Ask Sue

Posted by Candice Arnold on June 27, 2007 at 1:31 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Dear Sue:

I am considering pursing a new position that has recently been added to my company, and needs to be filled. It is a lateral move for me, but will be challenging and could lead to other opportunities. The assignment would not be under the direct supervision of my current manager, but I would still fall under his chain of command for performance evaluations and other personnel related issues. This concerns me because I know my supervisor does not want me to move into this position. He’d rather have me stay where I am and continue to make him look good. Two of my co-workers are interested the position, and if either one got it, it would be considered a promotion and include a pay raise.

If I take the position, this will leave an opening where I am, and I know that neither coworker is interested in it or working more closely with my manager. My work unit is rather small and I do not want to alienate myself from my coworkers, create any resentment, or upset my manager. Although other employees have put their names in the pot for this position, I haven’t yet. I know that some of the managers in higher positions would like me to apply, but I am not sure if I should. Do you have any advice for me?

– Undecided

Sue Says:

Although you remain undecided in what you think you should do, you seem quite certain about what you would like to do. While it is nice of you to consider the needs and desires of others, it could backfire on you. If the reason you pass on this opportunity is to keep your boss happy or prevent bad feelings among your coworkers, you are not guaranteed a thing. You could find that all of your efforts were in vain.

How do think you will feel if you decline this position because your boss would prefer you stay where you are if your boss receives a promotion in the near future and moves on without you?

What will you do if your coworkers aren’t offered the position and it is filled by someone you don’t know and didn’t give consideration to?

How will you react if the managers in the higher positions express their disappointment in you for your lack of initiative? After all, they wanted you to apply and you didn’t; this might irritate them.

How many opportunities are you willing to pass up in an attempt to make others happy, and what will you do the next time a position becomes available?

It is impossible to predict how others will respond, and unlikely that you will ever be able to please everyone no matter how hard you try. I am not suggesting you intentionally cause problems; it is nice of you take the needs of others into consideration and a wonderful quality. You just need to make sure that you take your needs into consideration too.

If the new position isn’t that important to you right now, but working with your boss and coworkers is, then stay where you are because you know it is what you want to do. However, if you want to apply for the position, think you can get it, and decide not to because you fear the reaction of others, think again. If others can manipulate and control you, they will, and they won’t respect you. If you take control of yourself and your career and respect others in the process, you will earn respect in return. If you apply for this position and get it, you should have a frank discussion with your boss and let him know how difficult a choice it was for you, and your reasons for moving on. Your boss may be disappointed, but if he cares about you at all, should realize that it was a good move for you and be able to understand your decision. If he is angry or lashes out at you, let him know you will support him in whatever way you can, and then move enthusiastically into that new position and pat yourself on the back for making the right decision.

-- Sue Morem is a professional speaker, best-selling author and syndicated columnist. Her books include How to Gain the Professional Edge, 101 Tips for Graduates, and the just released How to Get a Job and Keep It, Second Edition. You can send questions to her by email at asksue@suemorem.com or visit her web site at http://www.suemorem.com.

Read more of Sue’s articles by clicking here: Ask Sue

Posted by Candice Arnold on June 27, 2007 at 1:28 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Dear Sue:

I work for a publishing firm with nothing but miserable, single and pathetic women. I got married last year, and instead of that time being the happiest time of my life, the girls in my area displayed jealous and rude behavior and made me miserable.

Typically when someone in my department gets married or has a baby, we have a shower for the person. When I got married I didn't even get a lousy wedding card. The big boss even felt bad about it and forced these pathetic girls in the department to give me a "late" wedding shower.

These girls always try to compete with me, and I know they hope my marriage will fail. They constantly brag about themselves and look at my big diamond with envious eyes. I really do hate them. It bothers me a lot to think that people on this earth exist like them.

I am pregnant now, and when they find out I'm afraid I'm going to receive the same disgusting unwelcome attitude and treatment from these girls.

How should I act around these girls and how can I avoid them? I am tired of the mental anguish they put me through.

– Pregnant and anxious

Sue Says:

First of all, let me congratulate you on your pregnancy. You need to take care of yourself now, and getting all worked up about the women you work with isn’t good for you. You have painted a grim picture of your coworkers, and it's easy to understand your frustration based on your perception of your situation. My perception, however, differs from yours, and I hope you will be open to what I have to say.

Although you believe you are singled out and the target of your coworkers jealousy and animosity, you gave no indication as to how long this has gone on or why these women have reason to be so jealous of you. Being envious of someone’s marriage or diamond ring (which is not an uncommon initial reaction) is very different than the rude and hostile behavior you are describing. I don’t know the people you are describing, and haven’t experienced what you have. I can only draw my conclusions based on the information you have provided. My initial reaction, based on the tone of your letter, is that this isn’t all about the ‘pathetic’ women you are describing.

There are always two sides to every story. If these women were asked why you were the target of their animosity, what do you think they would say? Would they say it is because you are too lucky, too happy or too wealthy? Would they say it’s because you are so ‘together’ that you remind them of their own shortcomings?

Is it possible they might say that you have a ‘better than thou’ attitude, a sense of entitlement and high expectations?

Showers, gifts and cards are nice to receive, but not required from coworkers, and should be given out of desire, not obligation. If your relationship with these women is as lousy as you say, I can’t understand why you would want to spend time with them at a shower or receive anything from them. More importantly, since you expect these women to be happy for you and shower you with gifts, are you willing to reciprocate? When was the last time you acknowledged a celebration someone had, gave a card or gift or expressed joy for someone else? Is it possible that you’ve been so absorbed in your engagement, your wedding and your pregnancy that you’ve neglected the events taking place in other people’s lives?

Its one thing to feel left out or hurt by the actions of others, and quite another to feel the hate and disgust you've expressed. The anger you have toward these women must be difficult to mask; there is a good chance you are perpetuating the very behavior you despise.

I am not suggesting you are entirely responsible, but it's likely you have contributed in some way to the tension you feel with these women. There may or may not be a chance for reconciliation; it’s up to you to find out. You can attempt to resolve some of the issues that stand between you or leave it alone. You can stick with your assumptions as to why they are the way they are or start asking questions in an effort to find out. You can assume some responsibility for the way things are or continue to blame others. You can modify your behavior in an attempt toward a more cordial relationship or do nothing and wait for others to change. The choice is yours.

I know you are concerned about the best way to announce your pregnancy: if you announced it today, chances are you'd be disappointed with the reaction you'd receive. Hold off the announcement for awhile and try to restore some dignity with these women. Don't concern yourself with ways to share information about yourself. Instead, focus more on learning information about others, and pay closer attention to what you say and how you act every single day. You can't count on these women to create harmony, so if it's important to you, it's up to you to make something happen.

-- Sue Morem is a professional speaker, best-selling author and syndicated columnist. Her books include How to Gain the Professional Edge, 101 Tips for Graduates, and the just released How to Get a Job and Keep It, Second Edition. You can send questions to her by email at asksue@suemorem.com or visit her web site at http://www.suemorem.com.

Read more of Sue’s articles by clicking here: Ask Sue

Posted by Candice Arnold on June 27, 2007 at 1:25 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

By Lindsey Pollak, author of Getting from College to Career: 90 Things to Do Before You Join the Real World

I spoke at a student conference this past weekend and gave out dozens of my business cards to the attendees. Over the past few days I’ve received several emails, which shows that the students took my advice to follow up with contacts who might lead to job opportunities. I love all the follow-up. But I have to be honest: After a while, all of the emails started to blend together in my mind. What can I say? I get a lot of emails and read a lot of them on the tiny screen of a BlackBerry.

But there is one email I definitely remember: the first one I received after the event. That person impressed me as a go-getter who was really serious about following up and connecting with me.

It’s not always easy to contact a person you may have met only once, especially if you are shy or super busy. But you must maintain momentum if you meet someone at a networking event with whom you’d like to develop a relationship. Make the first move…quickly.

The best time to follow up is directly after meeting someone, while you’re still fresh in his or her mind. This is the case if you’ve met someone anywhere—a networking event, during a volunteer project, at a neighbor’s barbecue, or on an airplane. Send a brief “It was so nice to meet you” email (phone calls can sometimes be intrusive) and suggest a specific next step. Remember, it’s easier for someone to say yes to a specific request, rather than a generic “We should get together!” You might invite the person for coffee, lunch, or a scheduled phone call for an informational interview.

If you’re not interested in meeting with or speaking to this person in the near future but you want to forge a connection, you can still send a short message saying that you would like to keep in touch, and ask the person if it’s okay to drop a note once in a while. Networking is about building and maintaining relationships. You can go out and meet dozens of people, but what’s the point if you never keep in touch with them?

I know that being the first to follow up sounds like a lot of effort, but I urge you not to sit around and wait for people to follow up with you. Never forget that at this stage of your life, you are the one who is seeking information and contacts. Most people will be happy to offer you guidance and information when you ask for it, but it’s doubtful they’ll contact you to offer unsolicited advice or job opportunities.

As a general rule, in the Real World lots of things will happen only if you make the first move. So go forth and follow up!

Lindsey Pollak is the author of Getting from College to Career: 90 Things to Do Before You Join the Real World. She is a frequent speaker on college campuses around the country. For more information, visit www.GettingfromCollegetoCareer.com.

Posted by Lindsey Pollak on June 26, 2007 at 2:10 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Dear Sue:

I just discovered that I have been charging long distance phone calls to my company unknowingly. I call my mother frequently to make sure she is okay. She lives in town half the year and out of town the other half. I always call her cell phone and just realized that because her cell phone is based out of town that I have probably been charged a fee for all my calls to her.

It never occurred to me that by calling her cell phone I was making a long distance call, so I always dialed direct when I called from work. But due to a discussion I had with a friend, I now realize that all of the calls I’ve made may have cost my company money.

Here is my dilemma: I am not absolutely certain that these calls have cost money, but I am guessing they have. No one from my company has ever said anything, so they may or may not even know. Do I say something and offer to pay for the calls if there has been a fee? This would require someone going through all of the past phone bills for a couple of years, which would take a lot of time. Or do I say nothing, but stop the calls? Part of me thinks that they may not have even noticed my calls and that the charges are probably minimal, but what if they discovered it somehow and traced the calls to me?

What should I do? I am tempted to leave well enough alone and not do a thing except stop making direct calls.

– In a quandary

Sue Says:

You could do nothing and the chances that you will be caught probably are minimal, but you wouldn’t be asking for advice if you were okay with leaving things as they are. Besides, you always run the risk that someone will find out and then what will you do?

You need to determine what you can live with and be comfortable with in the long term. If you speak up and admit that you have inadvertently made personal long distance calls, you will probably feel better. In addition, your employer will most likely respect your honesty. Upon learning about the charges, there is a good chance that your employer will choose to let it go and not want to take the time to review old bills or charge you for the calls, however, be prepared to pay if you are requested to.

You are the one who knows what is you need to do, but keep in mind that if you do nothing, it will always be in the back of your mind. Once you deal with it, you will not have to worry about any confrontation with the issue in the future.

-- Sue Morem is a professional speaker, best-selling author and syndicated columnist. Her books include How to Gain the Professional Edge, 101 Tips for Graduates, and the just released How to Get a Job and Keep It, Second Edition. You can send questions to her by email at asksue@suemorem.com or visit her web site at http://www.suemorem.com.

Read more of Sue’s articles by clicking here: Ask Sue

Posted by Candice Arnold on June 26, 2007 at 1:22 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Dear Sue:

I have an issue with my coworker. We work together, but lately I am doing all the work. He comes and goes as he pleases and neglects his work, but manages to keep his job. He’s up on the latest gossip, and socializes most of the day. He brown-noses with the boss and complains about his workload, which has resulted in extra work for me.

I am busy all day long. I do not need to socialize when I am at work and I’m not interested in the rumor mill. I am more concerned about doing a good job than being well-liked.

My resentment toward my coworker is growing, and I’m afraid I will say something I will regret some day. Do you have any suggestions on how to deal with such an irritating coworker?

– Irritated

Sue Says:

I want to acknowledge your frustration; you are conscientious, and I understand how difficult it must be for you to work with someone who defies your principles. The two of you appear to be complete opposites; he focuses on people, and you focus on your work. Your resentment toward your coworker is understandable; why should he keep his job if he isn’t working?

The most obvious answer isn’t the only one; effectiveness is measured in many ways.

You’re more interested in doing a good job than being well-liked, yet he considers being well-liked an important aspect of doing a good job. Are you irritated due to the increase in your workload or are you upset because your coworker manages to get by without working as hard as you?

Hard work, knowledge and skill are essential to any job, but not the only indicators of success. It is equally important to have the ability to work well with others, communicate effectively, resolve problems, and present yourself in a positive manner. The people who master all areas have an advantage over those who do not. It is the leadership skills that are possessed and displayed that often determine who will get a job, keep a job or move ahead.

Evaluate the source of your frustration before you determine how to proceed. Identify your main concerns, which should be about you and no one else. You shouldn’t focus on how much your coworker socializes, but can address your concerns about your added workload.

I realize your coworker is a problem for you, but I’m not convinced he has to be. You know he likes to socialize, so take the time to talk with him each day. If you can establish a relationship with him, he may not feel the need to come a go as frequently in order to fulfill his social needs.

Don’t wait to address your concerns until you say something you will regret. If you decide to say something, look closely at yourself before you do. Seek feedback on your own job performance. It’s easy to cast blame and identify the shortcomings of others, but much more difficult to objectively evaluate ourselves.

With the right approach, you may be able to gain the support of your coworker, and might gain a friend as well. It may not be what you are looking for, but could be just what you need.

-- Sue Morem is a professional speaker, best-selling author and syndicated columnist. Her books include How to Gain the Professional Edge, 101 Tips for Graduates, and the just released How to Get a Job and Keep It, Second Edition. You can send questions to her by email at asksue@suemorem.com or visit her web site at http://www.suemorem.com.

Read more of Sue’s articles by clicking here: Ask Sue

Posted by Candice Arnold on June 26, 2007 at 1:19 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Dear Sue:

I am too meek, and am looking for ways to become more forceful at work.

- Meek

Sue Says:

Your choice of words has thrown me. I believe I understand the intent of your question, but I am not sure that becoming more forceful is the answer. Forcing opinions, ideas or desires on others rarely works, and is not a positive thing to do.

It is important to appear self-assured and to speak up; if you have an opinion, you should express it; when you have an issue with someone you should deal with it, and when you want something, you should go for it. You probably need to work on becoming more assertive.

Think of people you know who have the traits you desire, and pay attention to their style and manner. You can learn a lot by observing others.

Conduct a self-inventory: In what ways do you think you appear meek?

-Do you carry yourself apologetically or confidently?
-Do you have good posture? do you stand up straight and hold your head high?
-Do you look at people when in conversation and make eye contact?
-Do you speak up when you have something to say and speak audibly, but not too softly?
-Do you ask questions or make requests when you need to?
-Do you wear clothing that supports your desired intention? Darker colors and simple styles convey strength; Lighter colors and frilly styles soften an image.
-There are many factors that impact the way you are perceived. Once you identify specific areas to focus on, you can begin to make changes and become the person you want to be.

-- Sue Morem is a professional speaker, best-selling author and syndicated columnist. Her books include How to Gain the Professional Edge, 101 Tips for Graduates, and the just released How to Get a Job and Keep It, Second Edition. You can send questions to her by email at asksue@suemorem.com or visit her web site at http://www.suemorem.com.

Read more of Sue’s articles by clicking here: Ask Sue

Posted by Candice Arnold on June 26, 2007 at 1:13 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Dear Sue:

I work in a Customer Service environment that is very high paced. I encountered a problem recently that caused some chaos with one of my accounts. Although I would take responsibility if I was the cause of the mistake, the problem had nothing to do with me.

My customer sent in some incorrect information. It should have been caught, but wasn’t because the person working with her at the time had not been trained to catch the error. I have a great relationship with this customer, and when I discovered the error I thought I should be forthright by bringing the matter to their attention. I wanted to let them know what happened, and assure them that I would correct the mistake as soon as possible. I sent a copy of my correspondence to the individual who made the errors, and to both of our bosses.

When the individual who made the errors received my e-mail she made a point of thanking me for informing her. Unfortunately, our bosses reacted differently. Neither one appreciated what I had done, nor was I prepared for the confrontation that followed. I was called into a conference room and reprimanded by both her boss and mine. I was told that I should never send an e-mail like the one I sent without seeking management approval first. My loyalty was questioned and I was reprimanded for blaming the company for the mistake and making us all look bad.

I feel was treated unfairly, and scolded for trying to inform my customer and prevent a bigger problem. In an attempt to make some sense out of what happened, I asked several friends who work outside of the company to read the e-mail I sent and give me their honest opinion. Everyone has told me that the e-mail was well-written and that it was clear I brought the errors to everyone’s attention in order to correct the problem. It was the most professional solution and the customer needed to be informed.

I have a review coming up and I want to bring this up for discussion, but don’t want it to turn into another confrontation. How do I bring this up in my review?

– Trying to provide good service

Sue Says:

Be clear about your objective; what is your intent in bringing the situation up to your boss? If your goal is to convince him that he was wrong and receive an apology, it’s unlikely it will happen and you’re probably setting yourself up for another confrontation. If you’d like to gain a better understanding as to why he found your letter so upsetting in order to determine how to handle similar situations in the future, you may have better luck.

Although it is not too late to inquire, I wonder why you’ve decided to wait until your review to bring this up for discussion. What stopped you from going to your boss within days of the initial confrontation to talk with him? It’s a good idea to allow enough time for everyone to calm down, but important not to avoid resolution by coming to closure after a confrontation.

There are a few things you can do to prepare for your review; however, sharing your friends’ opinions about the e-mail you sent is not one of them. I am sure your boss wouldn’t be too pleased to learn that the e-mail in question was circulating to an even broader audience than he originally thought.

What you can do is reinforce your positive attributes and contributions, in addition to reinforcing your feelings of loyalty to your customers and the company. You can tell your boss that you were troubled by his strong response while assuring him that your intention never was to make the company or anyone look bad.

To prevent any problems that may occur in the future, ask him how you should have handled the situation, and what he’d like you to do in the future if you are faced with a similar set of circumstances. Unless he is holding a grudge that he can’t let go of, he should be receptive to your desire to learn from your mistakes.

You never know how he’ll respond; perhaps by now he’ll feel he overreacted that day, but don’t count on it. What you can anticipate is to gain an understanding of his expectations and the proper procedures for dealing with customers and problems. To prevent similar problems, you need a clear understanding of what you did wrong and the knowledge to do what’s right in the future.

-- Sue Morem is a professional speaker, best-selling author and syndicated columnist. Her books include How to Gain the Professional Edge, 101 Tips for Graduates, and the just released How to Get a Job and Keep It, Second Edition. You can send questions to her by email at asksue@suemorem.com or visit her web site at http://www.suemorem.com.

Read more of Sue’s articles by clicking here: Ask Sue

Posted by Candice Arnold on June 25, 2007 at 1:10 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Dear Sue:

I am a recent college grad looking for a job. I know several people who are executives at various levels in different companies. I feel I have enough contacts that I should be able to find a job. I know some of them better than others and am not sure how to ask them for help. Do I just e-mail them and say, “I need a job, can you help me out?” or is there a more professional way to ask a contact for a job or a referral?

– Recent graduate

Sue Says:

You are fortunate to have contacts at many levels, and wise to use them in your job search. To answer your questions; no, you shouldn’t e-mail anyone to say you need a job, and yes; there is a more professional way to ask for a job or a referral.

Your contacts should be one of many tools you use in your job search, however, don’t assume that because you have contacts that they will find you a job. Finding a job is up to you, and you need to use all of your resources; your contacts are one of many resources. With that said, review your contacts to determine how you think each one can help you.

Do you have a specific area of interest or qualification? Are you looking for a particular type of job? If you call someone and generically ask for help finding job, you will likely receive a generic answer.

If you really want people to help you, find out how they can help you. Do your research; find out all you can about the accomplishments of the person you are contacting and learn about the companies and industries they work in.

Before you make contact, have a specific reason for making contact. Then keep in mind that people are busy. The higher the position, the more likely you aren’t the only one asking for his or her time.

Your first connection should be with a personal letter. Remind the person who you are and what your connection is; don’t assume everyone will make the connection or recognize your name. After you mention that you have recently graduated and are looking for a job, it is best to identify the reason you are contacting this individual -- Do you want to learn more about the industry or company? Do you want to learn about his or her path to success? Do you want advice on how to get into the industry or company? Would you like a referral to the hiring manager or someone else? The clearer you are about your objectives, the more this person can help you. Then ask for what you want; do you want an appointment, a referral, a job or advice? Include a resume with your letter and your plan to follow up.

You can follow up with a phone call or e-mail or both. Then it becomes tricky; you may or may not receive a response. It is up to you to continue to make an effort to make a connection, but you do not want to become a pest. I know that this is most important to you, but your wants and needs may not be of concern to the person you are contacting. If you don’t receive any type of response after the third try, back off. You’ve made your needs known, you’ve sent out your resume, and for whatever reason, this person is not able to help you right now.

You can follow up again in the future, but leave it alone for a while. You are fortunate you have many contacts; contact them all. The more people you contact, the better your chances of success. Good luck!

-- Sue Morem is a professional speaker, best-selling author and syndicated columnist. Her books include How to Gain the Professional Edge, 101 Tips for Graduates, and the just released How to Get a Job and Keep It, Second Edition. You can send questions to her by email at asksue@suemorem.com or visit her web site at http://www.suemorem.com.

Read more of Sue’s articles by clicking here: Ask Sue

Posted by Candice Arnold on June 25, 2007 at 1:06 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Dear Sue:

I work for a great company. I manage a group of about 20 people, who are more like family than coworkers. Several weeks ago, I was approached by another company and offered a job opportunity I couldn’t refuse. The most difficult thing for me now will be saying goodbye to the great group of people I work with.

My boss and I are going to announce my departure next week at a luncheon. I know it will be emotional. Do you have any advice on how I can say goodbye?

– Leaving

Sue Says:

Saying good bye is never easy, and it sounds as though you may not be the only one who will have a difficult time controlling your emotions. If you are concerned about becoming emotional, you don’t have to be. An emotional farewell is not a bad thing. The emotions you have are a positive reflection of the relationships you have developed with the people you've managed. I realize it won’t be the same once you are gone, but unless you are moving far away, you will be able to stay in touch with anyone, if you chose to do so.

My advice: Let your feelings show. Tell this great group of people what you have told me. Let them know they've become more like family than coworkers, and saying good bye is the most difficult aspect of moving on. If you think it will be too difficult to say, prepare something in writing. You may decide to read it or have someone else read it for you.

Good luck with your new opportunity. I have a feeling that once you are in your new position awhile, you’ll meet some wonderful people, who someday, will feel like family too.

-- Sue Morem is a professional speaker, best-selling author and syndicated columnist. Her books include How to Gain the Professional Edge, 101 Tips for Graduates, and the just released How to Get a Job and Keep It, Second Edition. You can send questions to her by email at asksue@suemorem.com or visit her web site at http://www.suemorem.com.

Read more of Sue’s articles by clicking here: Ask Sue

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Posted by Candice Arnold on June 25, 2007 at 11:54 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

by Linda M. Lopeke

Unless you are very wealthy or extremely good at winning lotteries, you can expect to be working for 40 years of your life or more. And while not everyone has what it takes to become a top executive, you do have complete control over how far you go and how much you earn in your career.

You can crack the corporate success code! But only if you stop making career-killing mistakes…

Here are the Top 5 Career-Killing Mistakes People Still Make & Then Wonder Why They’re Not Advancing Their Careers:

Career Killing-Mistake #1: Not knowing the real purpose of your resume.

Of all the things critical to landing a great job, having a great resume isn't on the list because that's not its real purpose! And you cannot create a killer resume if you don't know what that purpose actually is.

The purpose of your resume is not to get the job. It’s to be selected for the short-list of people that the employer wants to interview. This decision is made in less than 10 seconds and NOT by the hiring manager. It’s usually an administrative assistant who looks at the submissions and it takes him/her at least 3 seconds to look at your name! Not understanding this means most resumes are thrown in the trash immediately

Career-Killing Mistake #2: Not getting the answer to the most important question of all before you start answering your interviewer's questions.

The hiring decision is made in the first four minutes of a job interview. Everything that happens after this only serves to reinforce your interviewer’s decision. You HAVE to get the answer to this question before time is up: Are they looking to hire MORE people like those they already have on the team/in the department or are they looking for people who are DIFFERENT from those already on staff to inject new blood/fresh thinking into their organization? The answer to this question will determine how you respond to their questions. Otherwise, you’ll just be wasting their time and yours.

Career-Killing Mistake #3: Believing the key to success is working hard and putting in long hours then making sure your boss knows about it.

Most people believe ensuring people know how hard you are working is the #1 key to getting ahead. No -- A thousand times no! This is actually one of the fastest ways to hold yourself back in your career! In fact only 3% of people working hard ever experience success. And this career-killing mistake is not good for your health either.

Career-Killing Mistake #4: Not doing the one thing that renders all on-the-job competition irrelevant.

The one thing is taking ACTION. Taking action requires no special tools or intelligence. And 98% of your co-workers will NOT be doing it.

In any organization there are always a bazillion things that need to be done. However, 10% of the employee population will make professional commitments to getting thing one with enthusiasm. And only 2% ever actually take action.

Management has to constantly CHASE and FOLLOW UP with the other 98% if they want to make sure things are getting done. So what this means is if you work in a department of 100 people, only 10 people will have high potential and only 2 people will be in direct competition for raises and promotions

So, if you’re not taking action you are automatically keeping yourself from getting ahead and won’t be taking home the paycheck you deserve.

Career-Killing Mistake #5: Not setting up an employment file at home and not checking what the employer has in your personnel file once a year.

No one will ever care more about your career than you do. Create your own employment file and keep it at home.

Also, once a year, make an appointment with Human Resources to review your personnel file. Mistakes happen. Only you can make sure all the good things that should be in your file are actually there. Opinions (strong ones) of your worth to the employer are formed on the basis of what is found in that file. Don’t let the wrong ones be made about you.

The Best Way to Avoid These Career-Killing Mistakes

These career-killing mistakes and many others people still make at work have one thing in common. They are all easily preventable. The best way to do that is to get a good mentor. Someone more experienced, who can guide your way and keep you from making these mistakes in the first place!

Career Advancement Expert Linda M. Lopeke can help you turn your college degree or new job into a corporate career worth hundreds of thousands of dollars over the course of your professional lifetime with her SmartStart Success virtual mentoring programs. Linda dares you to take the $1,000 cash-for-college challenge and test your office smarts at www.smartstartcoach.com

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on June 22, 2007 at 5:24 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Dear Sue:

How do you deal with difficult people at work? I work with someone who always snaps when anyone asks a question or makes a suggestion. This is becoming a huge problem for all of us. I want to help, but what can I do?

- A concerned employee

Sue Says:

Difficult people can make things difficult for everyone, yet they rarely see themselves as the difficult one. If you are willing to talk with this person, consider an approach that won’t put him or her on the defense. Talking over lunch, a break, or away from your work environment might help. Don’t speak for anyone but yourself; speak for yourself, and about your concerns.

Rather than making assumptions or placing blame, begin the conversation by asking questions. Take ownership for your concerns and ways you may be contributing to the problems you’ve identified. Is it possible you (or others) too freely make suggestions or are a nuisance to your coworker? Perhaps you (or others) make too many suggestions or ask questions in a manner that put others on the defensive.

There is a chance your coworker will not change no matter what you try to do. If the problem continues after you’ve tried to address it, you’ll need to talk with your supervisor or someone else about your concerns.

-- Sue Morem is a professional speaker, best-selling author and syndicated columnist. Her books include How to Gain the Professional Edge, 101 Tips for Graduates, and the just released How to Get a Job and Keep It, Second Edition. You can send questions to her by email at asksue@suemorem.com or visit her web site at http://www.suemorem.com.

Read more of Sue’s articles by clicking here: Ask Sue

Posted by Candice Arnold on June 22, 2007 at 11:50 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Dear Sue:

Is it okay for me to sleep during a break at work? On more than one occasion, I’ve used my lunch or break time to sleep. I don’t see anything wrong with putting my head on my desk when I am tired, but my coworker does. I say I’m not sleeping on the job—I’m sleeping on my break. He disagrees. He says it’s not ever acceptable to sleep at work. Who's right?

- Sleepy

Sue says:

You both are. You shouldn’t be sleeping when you’re supposed to be working. If you use your break to sleep and wake up in time to get back to work when you should, there’s no reason you shouldn’t be able to sleep on your break. However, where you sleep may be a bigger issue than the sleeping itself.

It’s one thing for someone to walk by and see you eating lunch at your desk, and another to walk by seeing you sleeping at your desk! You might know you’re napping instead of eating, but other people may not.

Sleepiness on the job is a common and growing problem. The results of the National Sleep Foundation’s 2002 Sleep in America Poll found that over 80% of American adults link inadequate sleep with impaired daytime performance and behavior. Lack of enough sleep can make it difficult to perform daily activities and produce quality work. When sleepy, it is more difficult to make careful, thought-out decisions or listen carefully to others.

Inadequate sleep can lead to costly and dangerous mistakes, yet two-thirds of those surveyed say they are likely to accept their sleepiness and keep going, disregarding its effects.

Napping at work can be valuable--it is the norm in some European countries, and a growing number of American companies are providing nap rooms to allow their employees to sleep on the job.

Most sleepiness is due to the lack of enough quality sleep. For a better nights sleep, NSF recommends going to bed and waking up the same time every day, regular exercise, less (or no) caffeine, and avoiding nicotine and alcohol. Never eat a heavy meal or drink too many fluids late at night. Unwinding before going to bed can help ensure a good night's sleep; try to establish a relaxing routine.

Get to the root of your sleepiness, and rule out any medical conditions causing your drowsiness.

If you’re still requiring sleep at work, using your breaks to sleep could be the solution. Talk with your superiors before you make it a habit, and determine the best place for you to take your naps. Gaining their support is important, and will prevent any misunderstandings about your ability to stay awake at work.

Sleep responsibly: Always wake up on time (a vibrating alarm clock is advised), and don’t sleep in public if you suspect you snore. If your sleep begins to disrupts others, you’ll be dealing with a bigger, and much more embarrassing, problem.

-- Sue Morem is a professional speaker, best-selling author and syndicated columnist. Her books include How to Gain the Professional Edge, 101 Tips for Graduates, and the just released How to Get a Job and Keep It, Second Edition. You can send questions to her by email at asksue@suemorem.com or visit her web site at http://www.suemorem.com.

Read more of Sue’s articles by clicking here: Ask Sue

Posted by Candice Arnold on June 22, 2007 at 11:45 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Dear Sue:

What is the big deal about networking? I’ve going to be looking for a job soon, and everyone tells me I need to network. I am not the type of person to go to big events, or call people and ask for help. What exactly do I need to do?

- Need to network

Sue says:

Take the “work” out of network—it doesn’t have to be difficult or complex. Don’t worry going to events that make you feel uncomfortable; there are other, less stressful ways to network. In fact, I have a hunch you already are using your “network” of people. If “everyone” is suggesting you network, then whoever “everyone” is must be people in your own “network.” Whether you realize it of not, you have been networking by talking with the people you know.

Networking doesn’t have to difficult. Do you talk to, and keep in touch with, your family and friends? Do you talk to your neighbors, initiate conversations with people you meet, or belong to any clubs or organizations? Do you use the Internet—instant messaging or use message boards?
If you do any of the above, you may be networking and not even realize it!

It is estimated that as much as 70 percent of all positions will be found as a result of networking with others. When it comes to increasing your chances of finding a job, it is well worth it.

When you network, your “network” of people will help you and “work” for you. The more people who know what type of job you are looking for, the more likely someone will know someone else who knows someone else who knows someone hiring for that position.

There are more effective ways of networking than others. Just calling someone to tell them you are looking for work is fine to do with people you know, but if you limit yourself only to those people, you may be missing out on other opportunities.

You don’t have to go to a networking event to network. All you need to do is begin to expand the network you already have. Begin by working with and expanding the network you already have. If you’ve told people you are looking for work, have you told them what type of work you are looking for or asked if they know anyone who might be in a related field?

Most people are happy to connect people with other people. Don't limit yourself to your friends and family. Talk with the people you meet at your church or synagogue, athletic club, or any other type of organization you belong to. The more people who know you are looking for work, the better.

Although you don’t think networking events will interest you, you may want to consider giving them a try. It is much easier to network with people in an atmosphere designed to help you get exactly what you need.

“Everyone” can’t be wrong—listen to what they are saying, and start by asking "everyone" for someone else to network with. Good luck.

-- Sue Morem is a professional speaker, best-selling author and syndicated columnist. Her books include How to Gain the Professional Edge, 101 Tips for Graduates, and the just released How to Get a Job and Keep It, Second Edition. You can send questions to her by email at asksue@suemorem.com or visit her web site at http://www.suemorem.com.

Read more of Sue’s articles by clicking here: Ask Sue

Posted by Candice Arnold on June 22, 2007 at 11:42 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Whenever I recommend business cards to a student, I always get the same worried response: “But I don’t work anywhere yet. What will be on my card?”

The answer is that you don’t need a title, or a company, or a fax number, or even a street address to have a business card. All you need is your name, a phone number (which can be a cell phone—with an appropriately professional message, of course!), and an email address. If you’re a student, it’s nice to include your university and year of graduation, but it’s not required. And that’s it.

Even if it feels a bit awkward to have business cards before you have a job, you need a way to give people your contact information when you meet them. Writing your phone number on a cocktail napkin or ATM receipt is cute at a party, but it sends the wrong message when you’re networking professionally. Show that you are prepared to meet people by having business cards at the ready. I am totally impressed when I meet a student who has cards. It shows an eagerness to have the appropriate tools for the working world.

Personally, I never go anywhere without my business cards—the gym, weddings, the beach, the bathroom. I keep cards in my wallet, all my bags, and my office. Why am I so obsessive about it? Because I never want to miss an opportunity to stay in touch with someone because neither of us happens to have a pen.

As for business card etiquette, you should request someone else’s business card—“May I have your card?” is all you need to say—before offering your own. And, when someone gives you his or her card, it’s polite to read it before stowing it away in your pocket, purse, or card holder.

If your name is difficult to pronounce, consider including a phonetic spelling in parentheses on your business card. Likewise, if your name is pretty common, consider including your middle initial to differentiate yourself: John K. Doe or Jane M. Smith.

And, when you get your new job and you don’t need your personal business cards any longer, you can always use the leftover cards as bookmarks, luggage tags, or scrap paper to make celebratory confetti.

Lindsey Pollak is the author of Getting from College to Career: 90 Things to Do Before You Join the Real World. She is a frequent speaker on college campuses around the country. For more information, visit www.GettingfromCollegetoCareer.com.

Posted by Lindsey Pollak on June 21, 2007 at 1:32 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Dear Sue:

Is it okay to play practical jokes on people? I supervised a worker who always slept at his desk during his lunch break. As he slept during lunch one day, I conspired with the rest of the staff. We set the clock ahead so that it was a few minutes after quitting time. We took our coats, left the office, and waited outside the door. We called the office to wake him up, and then watched him bolt through the door toward the parking lot as he headed for home. He took it good-naturedly.

Another time when I was traveling in Europe with our division VP, he asked me to hand-carry home a large box of delicate wine glasses, while he stayed on for more business. I did him the favor, but evened the score by opening the box, replacing the glasses with castoff laboratory glassware, then stomping on the box until the contents were broken beyond recognition. I left the mess on his conference table for him to discover when he returned. He, too, took it good-naturedly. Is anything wrong with having some fun?

- Joker

Sue says:

Obviously, you enjoy playing practical jokes, and have gotten by with your shenanigans over the years. However, there must be a reason you are asking my opinion, and I wonder if it is because not all of your “victims” are as good natured as the two you wrote about.

The problem with playing practical jokes on people is that you literally are “playing” with them. The more people you involve, the more likely someone will feel embarrassed or picked on. Jokes can backfire, and you never know when you might really upset someone by something you did in the name of fun.

The two situations you describe both took a considerable amount of effort, time and planning. I can’t help but think you should be able to find more constructive ways to use your time. What do you gain from playing jokes? Is it really just for fun or do you derive pleasure out of temporality upsetting or embarrassing someone? And what will you do when one of your jokes backfires and someone becomes upset with you?

I’m all for adding some fun to the day, but beware; what’s funny to one person can be humiliating to another. You are better off looking for other ways to have fun and bond with the people you work with.

-- Sue Morem is a professional speaker, best-selling author and syndicated columnist. Her books include How to Gain the Professional Edge, 101 Tips for Graduates, and the just released How to Get a Job and Keep It, Second Edition. You can send questions to her by email at asksue@suemorem.com or visit her web site at http://www.suemorem.com.

Read more of Sue’s articles by clicking here: Ask Sue

Posted by Candice Arnold on June 21, 2007 at 11:35 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Dear Sue:

I went to a fairly expensive college in the Midwest from 1988 to 1991. I left, very foolishly, before finishing just 2 classes needed to earn my degree. I subsequently finished those two classes, one within 2 years of leaving, and one in 2001. From what I have learned, though, I needed to complete both of these classes within 7 years of leaving, i.e. by 1998.

It seems that if I wanted to try again to complete my degree, I would have to attend 2 more years of classes, many of them the same ones I took years ago. I'm not in a financial position to do that.

I am now in a job search where it seems every position requires a degree. How can I discuss this clearly and concisely on my resume when applying for these positions? Do I just mention that I attended the school and what my major was? Do you have any suggestions? Please help!

- Shoulda Woulda Coulda

Sue Says:

The first thing you need to do is become absolutely certain about what it will take for you to get your degree. I am not convinced you have thoroughly investigated your options or determined if there is any way around what “seems” to be an expensive and lengthy process to obtain your degree. Do whatever you can to expedite the process.

Meanwhile, you can, and should, mention the school you attended and your major. If and when you are questioned about it, be honest; tell people what you have told me. And, don’t assume that the lack of a degree will prohibit you from getting a job. You have the education, and you have experience—which others may or may not have. Embellish on the qualities and qualifications you have, not on those you lack.

As you continue your job search, your success, or lack of it, will determine what you do. Don’t assume you will be hindered, but if you find that your lack of degree is the reason you cannot find the type of job you want, then pursue it, no matter how slow the process.

It is never too late to complete what you started, but don’t be too hard on yourself. Not only are there many successful people without degrees working jobs that require them—there are many people like you, who are close to having a degree, but do not. Good luck.

-- Sue Morem is a professional speaker, best-selling author and syndicated columnist. Her books include How to Gain the Professional Edge, 101 Tips for Graduates, and the just released How to Get a Job and Keep It, Second Edition. You can send questions to her by email at asksue@suemorem.com or visit her web site at http://www.suemorem.com.

Read more of Sue’s articles by clicking here: Ask Sue

Posted by Candice Arnold on June 21, 2007 at 11:32 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Dear Sue:

I am looking at making some changes in my work and looking at a job with the option of doing my work at home. I like the idea of working at home some of the time, but I’m not sure how I feel about never having to leave the house again. Does working at home work for most people? Homeward Bound.

Sue Says:

The thought of working at home is appealing to most people, and for good reason. The thought of having more time to spend at home with family is at the top of the list. While many women make the decision to work at home to be with their young children, it can be challenging when you have small children at home with you.

When people look at the amount of time spent commuting, going to work without ever stepping out of the house is a time saver and a stress reducer. The pace is slower; you aren’t burdened with people problems, and have more time to yourself.

If you are used to working alone, motivated to do your work, and a self-disciplined, then you’ll probably do just fine. However, if you thrive on the energy of others, are easily distracted, have trouble prioritizing, and difficulty setting boundaries with others, your stress level might go up instead of down.

Before you make a decision, evaluate yourself:

* Do you have enough self-discipline to set, and stick to, a regular work schedule?
* Will you be able to resist doing other, non work related tasks, and get your work done during
work hours?
* Will you be motivated to get up and get to work with no time clock to punch, and no one to
reprimand you if you don’t start work on time?
* Will you able to say no when friends and family try to make you feel guilty for working
instead of paying attention to them?
* Your success will depend upon the environment you choose; is your home set up for a home
office? Do you have space to create a designated work area that will be off limits to everyone
but you?

Set yourself up to succeed. Consider the following:

* Install a phone line designated as your business line. You are the only one who should
answer this phone.
* Set up voice mail.
* Create an e-mail address specifically for your business
* Get up at the same time each day.
* Establish regular work hours and breaks; begin and end your day on time and try not to work
during non-working hours.
* Keep your work area clean and tidy.
* Shower, shave, do your hair, and get dressed for work each day. Not only will you be
prepared if you need to run out to deliver something or attend an impromptu meeting, but you
will feel more like working than lounging when you’re out of your pajamas and wearing regular
clothes.
* Stay involved; attend networking and other industry-related events, and get out for breakfast
or lunch and stay connected with people.
* There are millions of people who have made the decision to work from home, and more and
more people are joining them by doing the same. It may be challenging at times, but you
can make it work if you want it to. You’ll never know if you don’t give it a try.

-- Sue Morem is a professional speaker, best-selling author and syndicated columnist. Her books include How to Gain the Professional Edge, 101 Tips for Graduates, and the just released How to Get a Job and Keep It, Second Edition. You can send questions to her by email at asksue@suemorem.com or visit her web site at http://www.suemorem.com.

Read more of Sue’s articles by clicking here: Ask Sue

Posted by Candice Arnold on June 21, 2007 at 11:25 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

“12 Blogs to Follow”

Today is Day 12! In less than two weeks, you’ve come a long way toward getting your next job. (Maybe you’ve found success already? If so, please contact me at dperry@perrymartel.com.)

Because today’s job market is nothing like last year’s -- or even last week’s! -- you have to find a way to keep up with the latest career trends, tactics and news.

But who has time to make job hunting into a hobby? I know I don’t. Neither do you.

So here is a time-saving list of 12 blogs for Guerrilla Job Hunters you should bookmark and visit as your job search needs change in the coming days, weeks and years.

1. Recruiting Animal and Recruiting Bloggers are the best two clearinghouses of job search and recruiting info you will find online. In particular, Michael (the Animal) has some of the finest writers on recruiting and job hunting contributing to his site.
   
2. Interbiz – run by John Sumzer, THE industry pundit on all things recruiting. Attracting and recruiting top talent is the first step in building a superior workforce, and John demystifies this multi-billion dollar industry every day.
   
3. Brazen Careerist – written by career smarts guru Penelope Trunk. There’s plenty to learn from this witty writer, who previously founded three of her own companies. Her energy and insight are fabulous. Her book, Brazen Careerist: New Rules for Success, is due out in May 2007.
   
4. Bold Career -- Ian Christie is a former senior director at Monster.com, and retained executive search consultant turned career coach. He’s a man in the know and a passionate believer in the power of the individual to achieve great things. Good stuff.
   
5. Career Hub – A daily dose of advice from some of America’s best career coaches who share their creative ideas for job hunting. My personal favorites include:
   • Louise Fletcher,
     
   • George Bloomgren,
     
   • Heather Mundell and
     
   • Jan Melnick
   
   
6. The Day In Recruiting is a daily collection of blogs for and by recruiters. A clever guerrilla job hunter always wants to gather intelligence on how the other side operates. If you want to be found, you should know where and how recruiters are looking! My favorites include:
   • Recruiting.com -- run by Jobster, which in itself you should check out.
     
   • Cheezhead -- the infamous Joel Cheesman is shaking up the multi-billion dollar job board industry.
     is a hot not to be missed.
     
   • The CareerXroads Annex -- Gerry Crispin understands job hunting and recruiting from the inside out. You’ll love his ideas.
     
   • Jim Stroud -- He writes like a drill sergeant on two pots of coffee, with insights for candidates and recruiters alike.
     
   • Tom Frisk -- He dishes up advice on the “wild side”
7. PassingNotes -- If you want to learn how to dig up information on potential employers, this is THE place to start. Plus, you’ll learn how to become more visible to recruiters, should you ever want to skew the results in your favor.
   
8. Secrets of the Job Hunt – CM Russell does an excellent job of demystifying how hiring manager and recruiters think and work, so you can get on their radar.
   
9. Paul DeBettignies – Are you a nerd? A geek? You’ll enjoy this collection of links to career-related resources. Paul is an entertaining and informative writer, as well.
   
10. Your Hr Guy’s blog -- Straightforward practical advice, served up with humor and just a touch of compassion. If you ever wanted to know why your phone calls weren’t returned, even after the best job interview of your life, this blog will tell you.
    
11. Career Journal – OK, it’s technically not a blog. But you can’t miss this daily advice dished up by career counselors and headhunters from across America. A must read.
    
12. College Recruiter – If you’re straight out of school, or simply hope your child won’t move back home and live in your basement, this blog is for you. It’s chock full of tips, tricks and tactics to get new grads move from the dorm room to the board room.

I recommend each of these 12 blogs because of the timely, updated advice they offer. There’s something for everyone here, just as there’s a job for you out there.

Happy hunting!

Article by David E. Perry Managing Partner of Perry-Martel International Inc., co-author Guerrilla Marketing for Job Hunters and Career Guide for the High Tech Professional. Readers may download 3 free chapters at www.gm4jh.com

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on June 21, 2007 at 10:53 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

“11 More Ways to Find a Job Today”

It’s Day 11! We’re almost done with this 12-part series.

Today we’re going to do something different. (That’s a mindset you should adopt, by the way, if you want to stand out in today’s crowded job market.)

Today I’m going to present 11 links to longer articles I’ve written in the past. If networking or cold-calling on employers isn’t for you, no problem. Just click on and follow one of the article links below to learn more about each job search tip.

The following tips certainly are “different.” Yet, each has helped someone find a job in the past. Why not you, too?

1. Send half your resume
   
2. Write a prospecting letter
   
3. Send a letter stating you’re over qualified.
   
4. Do a competitive analysis
   
5. Call Human Resources
   
6. Send your press kit
   
7. Hold a contest or lottery and sell tickets
   
8. Get a job-search buddy
   
9. Use personal letterhead and envelopes
   
10. Get your tribe to help
    
11. Become "the expert"

When using the above Guerrilla Job Search tactics, keep the following points in mind:

• Be bold.
  
• Be passionate.
  
• Be creative.
  
• Be tasteful.
  
• Be safety conscious.
  
• Be image conscious.
  
• Enlist a personal army of helpers.
  
• Offer a reward to anyone who helps you get an interview or job.
  
• Involve the media whenever you can.

Bottom line: if you do what every other job hunter is doing, you’ll be in the same boat as all those people who gripe about the economy, heartless employers, rude HR types, “bad luck,” etc.

Be different, by following any or all of the 11 tips you read about today. Then, please send me your success stories at dperry@perrymartel.com.

Article by David E. Perry Managing Partner of Perry-Martel International Inc., co-author Guerrilla Marketing for Job Hunters and Career Guide for the High Tech Professional. Readers may download 3 free chapters at www.gm4jh.com

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on June 21, 2007 at 10:40 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

In case you have not heard of the Brazen Careerist aka Penelope Trunk, hold onto your hat! She was interviewed recently by Guy Kawasaki in his blog posting Ten Questions with Penelope Trunk: Career Guidance for This Century and, as usual, her answers are thought provoking and perhaps even controversial.

My absolute favorite answer (#2) has to do with the importance of competency versus likeability. Her answer reminded me of an article on likeability and competence in the Harvard Business Review comparing the merits of incompetent, likeable worker versus a competent, unlikeable worker. It seems employers say that competence is more desirable than likeability in employees - if it comes down to a choice. But in actual practice, the reverse was found to be true in the organizations studied by two professors (one at Harvard Business School and the other at Duke University's Fuqua School of Business). Likeability trumps competence every time!

The criteria of competence and likeability form a matrix, yielding four possibilities: the competent and likeable star, the competent but unlikeable jerk, the likeable but incompetent fool, and the incompetent total jerk. It would seem all organizations are clamoring for the first type of employee, but what if you do not fall into that category? Would coaching to improve your likeability improve your odds for career success? I'd love to hear your take on it. By the way, Guy's 10 questions turned into 12; as usual, he over-delivers!

Cross-posted at Career Goddess Blog . Article courtesy of Careerhub. The Careerhub blog connects job seekers with experts in career counseling, resume writing, personal branding and recruiting.

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on June 20, 2007 at 4:48 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

“10 Super Motivators”

Welcome to this tenth day of our 12-day series of job search articles!
On the day you realize that the basic aim of every company is to stay in business, your job search can make a quantum leap. Because that’s the day you can position yourself as a walking, talking, living, breathing SOLUTION – someone who can keep them in business.

When you start thinking of yourself as a solution to employers’ problems, you will stand out from the hordes of ordinary job seekers who think only about their own problems in finding a job.

“Solution selling” is in vogue all across America for a very good reason – it works. In solution selling, you begin by understanding the needs of your customer’s business. Only then do you suggest how your product can fill those needs. Solution sales people focus on the benefits of their product, not the features. And the benefits they emphasize are ones they know the buyer needs, based on the research they’ve done and the “pain points” they’ve uncovered.

As a job hunter, you will increase your value exponentially when you focus on the employer’s needs and how you can solve their problems. Here are 10 of the best resources to help you do just that …

1) Peter Clayton – Peter is the “voice” of job hunting. His TotalPicture.com site should become your daily source of job hunting insight and intelligence. Not only does Peter podcast interviews with some of the world’s finest job-hunting experts, he also interviews the employers and the thought leaders in Human Capital Management, so you can understand how employers think and what they’re looking for in new hires. I can’t believe this is free!

2) Guy Kawasaki – Guy launched the first Mac computer and hasn’t stopped innovating since. His views on capturing the interest of prospects (that’s employers for you) are always ‘fresh” and on target. His “How to Change the World” blog is billed as “practical blog for impractical people. Be sure to check it out.

3) Jeffrey Gitomer –This site is a treasure-trove of sales, service and success information. Get his free Sales Caffeine Newsletter delivered to your email inbox every Tuesday and you’ll get a jolt of inspiration and rational thought. It’s unlike anything else you’ve ever read.

4) Bill Vick – Bill is one of America’s most experienced recruiters, a speaker, an author and a very generous man. In particular, he’s generous with his knowledge of the inner workings of the $197-billion dollar recruitment industry in America – insight that you as a job hunter should devour!

5) Tom Peters – His business book, “In Search of Excellence,” set the standard. Today, if you want to understand the burning issues among executives at potential employers, this site is the place to start. His 100 Ways to Succeed are both insightful and entertaining. Have a look!

6) Tony Parinello – He’s made a made a science out of selling to executives -- exactly the sort of people you target with your “sales” pitch about hiring you. Tony’s book helped my company excel through the tech-wreck of 2000-2006. His email and letter writing tactics will get you in front of more CEOs faster than anything else you can do.

7) Oprah Winfrey – No one has done more to inspire, coach and cajole people to be successful than Oprah Winfrey. You can’t watch 5 minutes of her show without feeling upbeat. And that’s important, considering how hard it can be to stay upbeat during a job search. To live your best life, check out these tips and explore her Web site.

8) Brian Tracy – He’s a prolific writer on sales and human potential. A major source of stress during a job hunt is “fear of rejection,” and Brian’s weekly sales tips will teach you how to blow past the negatives and get to that one Yes you need to get hired. His selling techniques can be applied immediately to your job hunt.

9) Liz Ryan – She’s the CEO and Founder of WorldWIT, a leading network for women in business and technology. Upbeat and personable, she not only writes to inspire, she conducts informative and uplifting biweekly podcasts on networking, with plenty of tips for job hunters. She’s also a My Linkedin* Power Forum moderator with my LinkedIn Power Forum Chief Encouragement Officer Vincent Wright.

10) Jay Levinson – He revolutionized how marketers do business by defying the conventional wisdom that effective marketing means spending big bucks. His highly successful marketing strategies rely on creativity, imagination and energy -- instead of money -- to get the job done. He was my co-author in Guerrilla Marketing for Job Hunters , wherein we show you how to combine the power of guerrilla marketing with the strategies top recruiters use to increase your job-hunting success.

The tidal wave of economic change … pressure to increase shareholder value every quarter … outsourcing … rightsizing -- they all have completely overturned the job market we once knew.

Today, your competition for the best jobs has never been tougher. No matter how talented you may be, there are hordes of others vying for that top spot. And in the end, there can be only one winner.

As a Guerilla Job-Hunter, you must stay pumped and implement a smart, multi-pronged plan of attack to beat the competition. Game on!

Article by David E. Perry Managing Partner of Perry-Martel International Inc., co-author Guerrilla Marketing for Job Hunters and Career Guide for the High Tech Professional. Readers may download 3 free chapters at www.gm4jh.com

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on June 20, 2007 at 10:00 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Just because you don’t see any red lines after you let your computer review your cover letter, don’t push the ‘send’ button quite yet advises WallStJobs.com founder, Robert Graber. "There has been a tendency to equate perfect spelling with perfect grammar and it can create some amusing, but self-destructive correspondence," he notes.

"While we have noticed an improvement in the overall accuracy of resume content," Graber said, "it is the cover letter, with its more conversational format, that has been the document where we find the most gaffes."

Graber has some suggestions to help avoid embarrassing cover-letter-calamities, "Try reading the letter backwards. Many mistakes occur because we tend to get into a reading rhythm when we proof read. By reversing the words, we break the flow of the wording and errors tend to stand out more. When you re-read the letter again, stop after each word to alter your normal pacing. Again, this helps to highlight individual words and can help you focus on unusual spelling and syntax."

With cover letters becoming increasingly important as a way to focus on skills and accomplishments that might not be evident in a resume, it is essential that all job seekers take the time to be certain that all their career correspondence is error-free.

"A second set of eyes always helps," advises Graber. "Have at least one other person review your material before you submit it. This is that rare case where the more people who are involved, the better the final project will likely be."

-- WallStJobs.com, a premier recruiting source exclusively for financial service professionals, is a member of the Jobosaurus family of uniquely specialized recruiting sites.

Posted by Steven Rothberg, CollegeRecruiter.com on June 20, 2007 at 8:08 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Las Vegas, Nevada has recently experienced an increase in number of individuals without employment. During the month of May, the city's unemployment rate rose to 4.6%. For the first time in five years the areas percentage of the population without jobs is higher than the National average, which is currently 4.5%. The last time the city experienced an unemployment rate higher than that of the country was in March of 2002.

Several different factors have been listed as the cause for the recent rise in unemployment and people hitting hard times looking for Las Vegas jobs. Continued decline in the sale of new and existing homes in the area was cited as having a significant effect on the city's ability to provide and create new jobs for those without current employment. Less homes being built means a significantly lower number of construction jobs. The last major commercial property built in the area was the Red-Rock casino/hotel, which opened in April 2006.

Overall casino jobs in Las Vegas fell 1.4 percent in the last year, a large part of which was caused by the closing of the Stardust casino/hotel and the New Frontier, which is expected to close in the near future.

The unemployment rate of those who work in food preparation and service increased by 58 percent since the beginning of 2006. Many believe that the recent smoking ban is partially to blame. Others cite the increase in the states minimum wage, which occurred last November, as part of the problem.

Terry Johnson, the director of Nevada's Department of Employment, Training, and Rehabilitation, was quoted saying “People are continuing to move to Nevada at a tremendous pace, but unfortunately, the labor market has not been able to absorb that growth as quickly as in the past.” With the population continuing to grow faster than jobs are created, the rise in unemployment was inevitable.

The good news is that several major business additions are expected in the next several years which could possibly reduce the number of individuals without jobs. These include the Las Vegas Sand Corp.'s $2.6 billion Palazzo, Wynn Resorts Ltd.'s $2.1 billion Encore, MGM Mirage Inc.'s $7.4 billion CityCenter, and Boyd Gaming Corp.'s $4.4 Echelon. Over the next five years it is also expected that approximately 40,000 something new hotel rooms will have to be created. Johnson said that these additions “will mark Las Vegas' largest expansion ever.”

In the immediate future AT&T Inc. says they will be relocating formerly outsourced customer service positions to the Reno and Las Vegas area starting this year. The 650 new positions will be union represented.

Posted by Joel Cheesman on June 20, 2007 at 7:33 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

“Nine Tools for Researching Leads”

There are a number of free services you can subscribe to that will bring information on hot new companies – all potential employers -- straight to your desktop every morning. For example, nearly every newspaper on the web has some sort of “news alert” function, and you should subscribe to as many as needed to cover your career.
Here are nine of the Top 50+ sources for job leads covered in my book, Guerrilla Marketing for Job Hunters:

1) ZoomInfo – ZoomInfo is the research tool I use the most. Are you in it? You should be! And listing yourself or checking your profile is free. When you register and create a ZoomInfo web summary, job opportunities can find you. An excellent resource.

2) America’s Career InfoNet – Their research tools for industry and occupations are second to none and they’re free. Check it out for yourself.

3) Just Sell – This tool will email you a description of every company that has received new funding each week. The free report is divided by state or province and includes a description of the company and the purpose for each round of funding, and often includes the email addresses of senior executives.

4) The Money Tree Survey – This is a quarterly study of venture capital investment activity in the United States. It’s a collaboration between PricewaterhouseCoopers, Thomson Venture Economics and the National Venture Capital Association. The information is excellent and it’s the only industry-endorsed research of its kind.

5) PE Week Wire – I get this free update every day. It’s the only industry publication that tracks and researches private equity deals for the entire venture capital market. The weekly newsletter and daily web updates give you in-depth news on industry trends, companies seeking investors, participating firms, deal conditions and more. It’s a valuable resource for me.

6) Dow Jones Venture Capital -- Tech, Life Sciences, HealthCare – Dow Jones Venture Capital tracks it and reports on it. Their conferences are second to none.

7) Vault – Their industry career guides are world famous. That you’ll find thousands of career opportunities on their web site is a nice bonus.

8) F***** Company – It’s the web site that can’t be named in polite company. If you’re worried that a potential employer isn’t being entirely honest about its financial prospects, check them out here.

9) Google Alerts -- These email updates delivered to your email address once a day are based on information you tell Google to watch for. I use Google Alerts to find leads on companies who have hired new VPs of Sales because these executives might need my services to help staff their teams. Experiment with it to find your own mix of industry and employment news.

The fundamental truth of job hunting is that it’s not always pleasant. It’s all about being rejected and ignored. And nobody enjoys that.

So, to make the process as quick and painless as possible, you need to feed your opportunity funnel the way a salesperson feeds his/her sales funnel. And the nine research tools we’ve covered here will accelerate your job search.

Article by David E. Perry Managing Partner of Perry-Martel International Inc., co-author Guerrilla Marketing for Job Hunters and Career Guide for the High Tech Professional. Readers may download 3 free chapters at www.gm4jh.com

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on June 19, 2007 at 8:14 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

In every interview you are an actor. Your role is the job seeker. Just as Hollywood's top stars practice and prepare, so will you. Every actor knows that verbal messages are enhanced by body language, facial expression, voice intonation and props. When the job interview spotlight shines on you, you begin a one-time-only performance. So make your words, body language, and voice work to aid you in landing the job. Here are some tips:

Deal with Nervousness
A little nervousness can actually aid you in being sharp and improve your performance. But heart-thumping, face-twitching, voice-quivering nervousness will reflect poorly on you and the strong self-confident, "I can solve your problems" impression you are trying to make. To rid your body of nervous tension, just before you go into the interview find a private spot outside or in the restroom, shake out your arms, legs, and hands. Take a couple of deep breaths. This physical exercise releases tension that has built up and helps calm you. Then, close your eyes and visualize a scene about winning, seeing yourself as the “winner.” This visualization helps get you into a positive, “I can do it” framework.

Come Prepared
The night before the interview pack up what you need to bring. Always have extra résumés — yes, they do lose them and misplace them. Bring your list of references. Be sure all addresses, emails, and phone numbers are current and accurate. Include any work samples and the list of questions you intend to ask. Have absolute clear directions, and if you don’t know where you are going, find it the night before. Being late is a major no-no.

Pass The First Impression
Before you even say hello, the employer's mind is evaluating attire, hygiene, style, and formulating an opinion as to whether or not you should represent their organization. Especially in today’s more casual, dressed-down workplace, appearance counts a great deal with employers. Therefore, dress professionally. Greet the interviewer with a smile, and offer a firm handshake. Nothing creates a poorer impression than a weak, couple-of-fingers handshake.

Non-Verbal Clues
Movements, gestures, posture and facial expressions are an important part of your overall performance. A sincere smile sends a warm, confident message. Eye contact is one of the most important things employers notice about you. It conveys confidence that your message is believable. Don’t be robotic. Smile often, and be yourself. Douse vocal intonations to make your point so you’ll seem personable.

Offer Support Documentation
Every employer loves to see proof that you can do their job. It’s impressive to bring samples that demonstrate your abilities to do the job. Some examples: a spreadsheet that is an efficient tracking system, reports you have written, materials you have created, brochures that list you as a panelist or speaker, etc.

Listen
Hear the employer’s questions, hear their needs, hear their expectations. If you listen carefully, employers often reveal everything you need to know. It is frustrating for the interviewer to ask questions that never get answered, so listen closely. Many employers reveal their "hidden agendas," those few things that really influence their decision. Paying close attention allows you to really address their true needs and land the job.

See if you are ready to face employers questions…take this Interactive Interview Readiness Quiz

© Copyright 2007 Robin Ryan. All rights reserved.

Robin Ryan has appeared on Oprah and Dr. Phil is considered America’s top career coach. Robin has a busy career counseling practice providing individual career coaching, resume writing services, interview preparation, salary negotiations, and outplacement, to clients nationwide. She is the best-selling author of:60 Seconds & You're Hired!; Soaring On Your Strengths; What to Do with the Rest of Your Life; Winning Resumes ; and Winning Cover Letters . A dynamic national speaker, Robin has spoken to over 1200 audiences sharing her insights on how to improve their lives and obtain greater success. Contact Robin at: 425.226.0414, or email: RobinRyan@aol.com, or visit her website: www.robinryan.com

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on June 19, 2007 at 7:50 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

“8 Unwritten Resume Rules”

There are a number of unwritten rules you should follow when writing your resume, if you want to get hired faster for the job you deserve.

In fact, there are eight of unwritten rules. Here they are …

1) Give ‘em What They Want
You have – at most -- 30 seconds to convince a reader that your resume warrants a complete read. But you may have even less time than that!

A recent poll I conducted among fellow recruiters revealed that most of them spend less than 15 seconds on the first page of your resume. The often never get past your email note or cover letter, let alone your carefully worded “Objective.” And, frankly, human resource managers are no more patient.

So, the first rule of resume writing is to write one that gets to the point – FAST. you must make sure readers can find what they want in your resume – FAST. This requires you to do a lot of careful planning about every word in your resume!

2) Be Relevant
Presumably, hiring authorities reading your resume have a job you’re interested in, so show how your experience fits their requirements. Never assume people can or will “read between the lines” and figure out your value. They don’t have time and they don’t care about you – yet.

3) Target Your Reader
You must understand who your “reader” is, because different people are looking for different things in your resume:

• Recruiters look for “hot” marketable skills because they want to make money placing you. If your skill set is not in high demand, they won’t call unless you are an exact fit for a job order they have.
  
• HR folks look for an exact skill fit with a job first, then your stability, then your personality type.
  
• Hiring managers look for skill sets first, then how flexible you are and finally your ability to learn on the job.

4) Use Bullets
Bulleted sentences, that is. We live in a PowerPoint world. So, write in a style that exudes action and energy – be punchy, concise and easy to read. This lets reader to get the gist of your main points quickly. You can elaborate later, at the interview!

5) Highlight your Strengths
Which of your strengths are most relevant to your reader? They should go first in your resume. Always put your top accomplishments where they will get read in the first 15 seconds.

6) Demonstrate Results
Use ###, %%%, and $$$ to emphasize your accomplishments. Remember that one million dollars is less likely to be noticed than $1,000,000. Numbers and symbols jump off the page.

7) Be Concise
Your resume should not contain one more word than needed to make your point. Because you’ll never bore anyone into hiring you. In fact, you might want to be a tease!

8) Connect The DOTS for them
Make it easy for readers to see how you fit their job requirements. Before writing your resume, research newspapers, job boards and Internet ads for positions that are similar to the ones you’ll be seeking.

Make sure to include the latest “buzzwords” in your resume. Example: common keywords and phrases like “JAVA or Audit Trail or channel management or DWDM” should map to the bullets in your resume.

Scientists and senior executives should prepare an appendix of publications and papers as well. Technical people need a separate Technical Summary page for easy identification of skills.

Article by David E. Perry Managing Partner of Perry-Martel International Inc., co-author Guerrilla Marketing for Job Hunters and Career Guide for the High Tech Professional. Readers may download 3 free chapters at www.gm4jh.com

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on June 19, 2007 at 6:02 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

A Human Resources Manager, working at a Fortune 500 company, asked for my help in writing her resume. She told me: “Thousands of resumes have passed through my hands but when it comes to writing my own I have a difficult time doing it.” She isn’t alone in her concerns. Most people find resume writing challenging. A resume is nothing more than a slick piece of advertising, but an important piece, especially in today’s job market.

Employers report that most resumes get only a 15-20 second glance. If you don’t capture the reviewer’s attention and interest quickly they will pass you by and call in someone else for the interview.

There is one effective technique that you can use that dramatically improves your resume. In our national survey of 600 hiring managers, the overwhelming majority said the most important part of your resume is the Summary of Qualifications section. Employers reported that this was one of the very first areas they read and when the summary demonstrates solid ability to perform the job it catches their attention and they slow down and give the applicant more careful consideration.

Hiring managers also reported only about 5% of resumes received contained this key section, and I never write a resume without it. It’s just too powerful to leave out. This section usually consists of four to six sentences that present an overview of your experience, accomplishments, talents, work habits and skills. Think of it as a mini-outline of you; a highly influential summation of the specifics you bring to the job.

Here is a good example from one of the resumes I wrote for a client:

Summary of Qualifications

Enthusiastic, customer service oriented individual with extensive experience satisfying customer needs. Track record as a hard working individual with record of dependability and punctuality. Strong exposure to clothing and fashion merchandising. Experience planning and coordinating special events.

It’s easy to see by reading this brief summary how this candidate is qualified to perform as a store sales rep with her sites set on become a fashion department manager someday. . Indeed, she got several interviews and accepted a very promising job at Nordstrom’s in the management training area.

The Summary of Qualifications, which speaks volumes by consolidating the best you have to bring to the job, really makes you stand out and pulls the employer in for a closer look. Be sure that your resume has this essential section. It comes right after your name, address and career objective. One caution – employers complain that many people lie on their resume. Exaggeration! Misrepresentation! LYING is a deadly error. Don’t do it! Employers do more background checks now than ever before so when you get caught, and sooner or later you will get exposed, you’ll likely be fired. Only solid facts and verifiable experience should highlight your experience and accomplishments.

Now take the resume assessment quiz resume assessment quiz to evaluate your resume.
© Copyright 2007 Robin Ryan. All rights reserved.

Robin Ryan has appeared on Oprah and Dr. Phil is considered America’s top career coach. Robin has a busy career counseling practice providing individual career coaching, resume writing services, interview preparation, salary negotiations, and outplacement, to clients nationwide. She is the best-selling author of:60 Seconds & You're Hired!; Soaring On Your Strengths; What to Do with the Rest of Your Life; Winning Resumes ; and Winning Cover Letters . A dynamic national speaker, Robin has spoken to over 1200 audiences sharing her insights on how to improve their lives and obtain greater success. Contact Robin at: 425.226.0414, or email: RobinRyan@aol.com, or visit her website: www.robinryan.com

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on June 19, 2007 at 4:38 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

by Robin Ryan

The 60 Second Sell™ is a tool that helps you target your skills to meet the employer's needs. It allows you to summarize your most marketable strengths in a brief and concise manner. The 60 Second Sell is a customized, 60-second memorized statement that summarizes and links together your FIVE top selling points to perform that employer’s specific job. Successful job hunters praised the tool for several reasons:

• It was effective in capturing the employer's attention.
• It provided an excellent concise answer to tricky questions.
• It was very easy to use the formula.
• It provided a strategy plan for managing an interview. When to Use It

  Most interviews are over before they ever really get started. You have to immediately capture the employer’s attention, get them tuned in to you as a true top-notch candidate. The 60 Second Sell™ is effective because it demonstrates your strengths and illustrates how you will fill the employer's needs. That is the key to its success, and yours. Hiring Managers complain that people ramble saying some people take 20 minutes offering a life story to for their first answer. After the first minute or two, they say you have totally lost their attention. Starting with a 60 Second Sell solves this problem and engages the hiring manager immediately and concisely by stating here’s exactly HOW I can do your job.

  Be Memorable — End With a Convincing Close

  Most seasoned interviewers will tell you that it is easy to forget a person the minute they walk out the door. Employers often sit back at the end of the day, look at the resumes and wonder who was who.

  Using the 60 Second Sell™ ensures repetition of your major strengths. Closing the interview with your 60 Second Sell™, leaves the employer with your most marketable attributes fresh in their minds as they fill out their evaluation form.
  
  © Copyright 2007 Robin Ryan. All rights reserved.

  Robin Ryan has appeared on Oprah and Dr. Phil is considered America’s top career coach. Robin has a busy career counseling practice providing individual career coaching, resume writing services, interview preparation, salary negotiations, and outplacement, to clients nationwide. She is the best-selling author of:60 Seconds & You're Hired!; Soaring On Your Strengths; What to Do with the Rest of Your Life; Winning Resumes ; and Winning Cover Letters . A dynamic national speaker, Robin has spoken to over 1200 audiences sharing her insights on how to improve their lives and obtain greater success. Contact Robin at: 425.226.0414, or email: RobinRyan@aol.com, or visit her website: www.robinryan.com
  

  Posted by Sarah Ennenga on June 19, 2007 at 10:17 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Article 22

Women and networking
By Penelope Trunk

One of the reasons the glass ceiling persists is because networking is key to getting ahead and women are not as effective as men at building a network. For one thing, men, more than women, are likely to be invited out to dinner (since men are doing the inviting). Also, men, more than women, are likely to have the time to network outside the office (since women are the primary caretakers of children even when both spouses work.)

If you are a woman who thinks you do not have a problem networking, you are wrong: When men entertain clients at basketball games and strip clubs you are not invited. Don’t tell me you don’t work with men like that. How would you know? They’d never tell you. Additionally, men talk differently to men than to women. The subtext of an all-male conversation is let’s-be-friends. The subtext of a male-female conversation is let’s-have-sex.

So women need to approach networking differently than men. Women are at a disadvantage and need to figure out ways to get ahead in the game. Here are some times when men don’t typically network, but women can:

1. During work hours. While men tend to network before and after work, women usually feel too strapped for time for that. So women should concentrate on creating a network during office hours. This means setting aside time to speak informally with people inside your office and taking long lunches with people from other companies. This sort of schedule requires careful planning to start and maintain relationships – something women are usually better at than men.
   
2. During family time. Most moms work. So get to know the parents at soccer games, at gymnastics practice, you never know who might be there, especially on the weekend. In many cases, you will spend as much time with these parents as you do with some of your co-workers. So make the time count for your career.
   
3. During book clubs. The recent flurry of book club groups has not caught on among men, but women love them – even high-powered women you’d expect to be too busy to read Middlemarch. So while you’re at the book club, don’t be timid about letting people know what you do, and how you can help them. In that context, they are likely to reciprocate.
   
4. At the gym. It doesn’t matter how busy you are, how many kids you have, you have to get some form of exercise. Sadly, most moms do not take this advice to heart, so the women at the gym are usually the single, no-kids, high-power types – great for networking. If you start going on a regular schedule, you’ll meet the other people who are on your schedule – men and women.

Penelope Trunk is the New York-based author of Brazen Careerist. She has started Internet divisions at Fortune 500 companies, founded two technology-focused companies, endured an IPO, a buyout and a bankruptcy. Contact her at: penelope@penelopetrunk.com

A War Story

One of our clients worked for a large financial institution and desperately wanted to move up in the company, but kept hitting barriers in HR (not enough experience, not the right education, etc.). When working on her resume and job search campaign, she mentioned that the person she really needed to get in front of was a divisional President. Since she couldn’t work “within the system” at her firm to show him how great she was, we devised a long-range plan to work around it.

The President in question sat on the board of a local non-profit, a cause that both he and my client were passionate about. This was her way in. She volunteered her services with the organization and quickly developed a name for herself as a dynamic and innovative thinker who could really make things happen. Within a short time, she found an opportunity to meet her President at a fundraising Gala and introduced herself as the person who worked on the ”X” campaign. She also mentioned that she happened to work for the same company (what a coincidence).

The initial contact was made, over the next year she did more great things for the non-profit, had more opportunities to shine, and quickly found herself on his radar. At one of their next meetings, she mentioned where she’d really like to see herself in their company, threw in a few of her ideas, and asked his advice. Knowing now how good she was, he recommended a few people and even offered to contact them himself on her behalf. With a strong testimonial from the company’s President, it wasn’t long before she landed a high-profile strategic role more suited to her abilities (she also stayed on with the non-profit where she continued to do great work and has been asked to fill a major leadership position on a full time basis). A unique case where shining outside the company helped her move up inside it.
Compliments of Ross Macpherson, President Career Quest, www.yourcareerquest.com

Article by David E. Perry Managing Partner of Perry-Martel International Inc., co-author Guerrilla Marketing for Job Hunters and Career Guide for the High Tech Professional. Readers may download 3 free chapters at www.gm4jh.com

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on June 19, 2007 at 9:47 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Gone are the days when job seekers were limited to browsing the Help Wanted section of their local paper in hopes of finding a new position. With at least one computer in most American homes, the possibility of jump starting one's career is literally only as far away as the distance between them and their keyboard.

For many new college graduates, according to Internet recruiting publication and conference organization Onrec.com, finding their first real job via the internet fits their expectations. Growing up as a computer savvy generation, they are comfortable with the technology used and appreciate the ability to limit their search result to reflect only positions that are relevant to their specific qualifications.

As more individuals turn toward the internet in search of their next job, internet recruiters have became more technologically advanced. With the addition of more media enriched Web sites and a focus on search engine optimization, Internet recruiters strive to direct the most qualified candidates their way. Web sites capable of attracting a larger number of would-be employees are therefore able to be more selective, allowing them to achieve a high rate of success when it comes to hiring exactly the right person for the job.

That being said, with the move toward a more globally connected world, the job market has become much more competitive. Just as the days of scanning the newspaper classifieds for jobs are becoming a thing of the past, so is the fact that prospective employers are limited to hiring only individuals local to the area. The internet has made it possible for anyone in New York not against relocation to be hired for jobs in Austin.

Aside from creating a more competitive job market, the internet has made it possible for employers to save time by not being forced to read through the resumes of twenty unqualified individuals. Applicants that are not suited for the position in question are now more successfully weeded out through a more detailed filtering processes, particularly via recruiting software. If a job requires one to posses a certain type of certification, those whose application does not list such will most likely never be seen by human eyes.

Individuals scanning the internet for the next place of employment can avoid having their resume deleted by selective computer programs by following several useful tips. When reading over a job posting, one such make sure that they have paid close attention to the qualifications. If one only fits two out of three items an employer has listed as absolutely necessary, it is in their best interest to look for something they are more suited for unless their other qualifications are outstanding or they are capable of faxing their resume to a home office.

Also one should make sure that all needed qualifications are listed in their resume in very specific terms. Implying that one posses a necessary skill, but not expressly stating such, could cause a computer program trained to hone in on keywords to overlook their application. Therefore clear language is more important than ever.

Posted by Joel Cheesman on June 19, 2007 at 8:37 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Article 21

The kitchen sink approach

While I would advise you not to specifically count on your friends and relatives, you would be remiss as a Guerrilla if you did not use every possible tool. So, involve ALL your friends and colleagues in your job search.

Many companies post jobs internally before going to newspapers or third party recruiters. It’s not just because it’s cheaper, but because the employer may have someone on staff that is both qualified and interested. If there’s a person internally the employer will ask for referrals. Many companies actually have referral programs which pay the employees a bonus for referring people.

Ensure your network of friends have your resume in electronic format and permission to forward your resume to hiring managers on your behalf. Ask them to let you know about persons to whom they’ve sent your resume.

When referred by a colleague within your network, always ask the referrer how you should follow up. Some people will want you to call, others won’t. You need to abide by their wishes or they will not refer you again.

When you are looking for a job your lawyer, doctor, dentist, accountant, and your current or former colleagues should be a part of your network, especially if they all work in your community and know other companies in your line of work. The best way to highlight your recent availability is to use a networking letter. Refer to page Z

Guerrilla Tips

If you haven’t already done so, make a list of everyone you know and send them a networking letter telling them you will be calling for their advice.

Start with the people you know best. This encourages you to make the calls and it’s a great way to ease into networking because they’ll be nicer than strangers.

Don’t jump right into your agenda, start off by asking them, “is this is a good time to talk AND what’s new?” They’ll get around to asking about you soon enough.

Your goal is to get referrals. So how do you ask in a manner that won’t put people off? Generally it’s better to be subtle, so rather than, “Can you give me the names of all your friends?” try “Who else should I be talking to?” or “I could really use your advice on something….” People like to be asked for advice because you are acknowledging them as an expert on something.

These are far less self-serving. Just make sure whichever you use sounds natural coming from you.

If You're Wondering What To Ask, Try These Openers:

• How does my resume look?
  
• What would you change or modify?
  
• Do you have any advice or ideas for me?
  
• Who else should I be talking to?
  
• Are there any groups or organizations I should join?
  
• Are there any books or publications I should read?

• What would you do if you were me?
  
• Who would you be talking to?

Dig for information about industry trends or trends in your functional area or specialty. Listen for plans for new products or services. Seek out emerging markets, hidden jobs, and companies that are hiring. Focus on anything change-related. Change equates to opportunity.

Whenever you network it’s your responsibility to set the stage and ask how much time they have. State your purpose clearly and directly. Share your excitement and enthusiasm. Ask for advice and ideas. In general, listen more than you talk. This meeting is a courtesy call that must reflect well on the referee or they won’t continue to help.

Article by David E. Perry Managing Partner of Perry-Martel International Inc., co-author Guerrilla Marketing for Job Hunters and Career Guide for the High Tech Professional. Readers may download 3 free chapters at www.gm4jh.com

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on June 18, 2007 at 7:37 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Article 20

Select twists on more traditional networking

Ok, so maybe you want to network in person. If that’s the case here’s how to find the venues you need and what to do when you get there.

Networking venues

Every town and city in America has a “hot spot”; a place where all the “heavy hitters” congregate. Find it and join. The easiest way to locate these business or professional alliances is to ask people such as your banker, insurance agent, investment consultant or a host of others, what groups they belong to. A bank manager’s main job is to solicit new business, and to do that they go where the influential people in town congregate. It will probably be a civic organization, golf club, or industry association. It really depends on where you live.

Your contact network should always be , and the best way to expand it is to seek out new people and build relationships. It doesn’t really matter whom you choose, so long as you like them, they like you, and you can help each other. And when you get a job let them know they helped with a quick note of “Thanks”.

CLASSMATES.COM

The grand daddy online community-based networking is Classmates.com. Using Classmates is closer to traditional networking because it’s based on your alumni. At Classmates you can join a network of people you went to school with [high school, college or university] as well as military, industry or company alumni. The challenge with using it to source contacts is that you need to search by state. I did a search for PeopleSoft in New York state and only found one connection.

On the other hand if you want to reach out to people you went to school with to reconnect and network, then Classmates is the way to go.

Other alumni networks

If you’re looking to make inroads with Fortune 1000 companies, then use a keyword search in Google to see if they have a corporate alumni website. Many do and it’s the easiest way to find people. The command for Google is [“[name of the company]” AND alumni].

If former employees have an alumni site this will find it. For example we were looking for Lotus Notes people recently and found this site through that query: www.axle.org

Article by David E. Perry Managing Partner of Perry-Martel International Inc., co-author Guerrilla Marketing for Job Hunters and Career Guide for the High Tech Professional. Readers may download 3 free chapters at www.gm4jh.com

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on June 18, 2007 at 4:28 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Author: C. J. Hayden, MCC

There's a lot of talk from Internet marketing gurus about how to drive more traffic to your website. Some will suggest you try to get a higher page rank on Google by optimizing your site for search engines. Others preach using pay-per-click advertising like Google AdWords to attract streams of new visitors. But these strategies are often out of reach for an independent professional marketing his or her own services. Hiring a professional for search engine optimization can cost thousands, and optimizing your own site may be well beyond your technical ability. Pay-per-click advertising is typically only worthwhile for those with unique keywords to advertise and a high rate of conversion from casual visitors to buyers (rare for professional service sites).

Instead of chasing higher page ranks or paying for clicks, consider using an entirely different approach to becoming more visible on the web -- increase your Googleability. What this awkward term represents is a measure of the number of different places your name appears on the Internet. The more sites there are that mention you and your work, the more likely it is that a prospective client searching for a service like yours will not only find you, but actually do business with you.When someone types your specialty into Google or another search engine, an ideal result would be for the searcher to see your name over and over again as they begin to surf from site to site. While it would be great to have your own site appear in the top ten results, that elusive goal may not be as powerful in the long run as your widespread presence on other sites aimed at your target market.

Remember that in professional services marketing, the key is that prospective clients not just be able to locate you, they must also know, like and trust you enough to hire you. When prospects see you mentioned in multiple places on the web, they begin to think of you as an expert in your field.

Also, there is another aspect of Googleability to consider. It's a common practice these days when considering the hiring of a professional to type that person's name into a search engine and see how many hits you get. If someone does this with your name, the result you want them to see is a wide variety of links leading to different sources. All these links serve as virtual endorsements of you and your work, encouraging prospects to trust in your abilities.But how do you get all these sites to mention your name and link to you? The good news is that many of the more traditional ways of promoting yourself as a professional dovetail nicely with this new goal, so you can achieve multiple marketing results with the same strategies. Here are some approaches you should consider:

1. Publishing articles -- Writing articles in your area of expertise is a well-established technique for boosting your visibility and credibility. To increase your Googleability, what's most important is not how many articles you write, but how many sites publish them. You can achieve a dramatic increase in your web presence simply by writing three good articles and seeking out a dozen different sites that might publish each one.

   To begin finding sites that will publish your work, type your specialty plus "articles" into a search engine, e.g. "financial planning articles" or "conflict resolution articles." When you spot a site that features articles from many different authors and includes a brief bio and link for each one, look for their article submission guidelines or the editor's contact information to submit articles of your own.

2. Public speaking -- When you speak for a conference or association, your name and bio will typically appear on their website. To get more mileage out of these mentions, be sure you always include your website URL in the bio you provide, for example: "To find out more about C.J. Hayden, visit www.getclientsnow.com ."

   Since many of these program listings will only appear for a month or two, offer these groups a free resource for their members in connection with your talk. They may be happy to post an article, tip sheet, or special report from you on their website, giving you a permanent presence there.

3. Serving on boards and committees -- Type any professional specialty into Google and some of the first listings you see will typically be professional associations.

   By becoming an officer or committee chair of an association, you'll often receive prominent mention on their site. For maximum exposure, choose a public contact position like program chair or membership chair.

4. Participating in discussion lists and forums -- When people are seeking the answer to specific questions on the web, their search results will often include discussion lists, message boards, and blog comments on the topic. By participating in forums like this, you can position yourself as an expert who has exactly the right solution for a prospect's problem.

   Spend an hour or so typing into Google some typical questions your ideal client might ask and look for sites where you see various people posting replies. You'll get the best results using detailed questions like "can my resume be 3 pages?" or "how do I motivate my staff?" The forums where you see people asking many questions you can answer are the ones you should join. Remember to always include your full name, profession, and URL in your posts.

The real beauty of this approach to web visibility is that it can maximize the marketing efforts you may already have on your agenda instead of adding more tasks to your plate. Instead of focusing on beating the search engines, you can work on the bigger picture of gaining more prominence for your work both on and off the web. And that has to be good for business.

----

C.J. Hayden is the author of Get Clients Now! Thousands of business owners and salespeople have used her simple sales and marketing system to double or triple their income. Get a free copy of "Five Secrets to Finding All the Clients You'll Ever Need" at www.getclientsnow.com

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on June 18, 2007 at 3:48 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

by Robin Ryan, author of Winning Cover Letters

Lately HR folks and hiring managers are telling me that people have stopped writing cover letters, yet employers LOVE them. “Cover Letters are very influential,” says Jim, an AT&T human resource manager, “and a well written letter can grab an interview just on its own merit. It’s too bad most job hunters are so lazy they don’t write one. That’s a mistake no savvy job hunter wants to make.”

In my book, Winning Cover Letters, we published a survey of over 600 hiring managers to learn exactly what makes a letter a standout. Here are of few of the noted guidelines.

1. Don’t lose them with your first sentence. Imagine yourself with 300 resumes to sort through and 295 start their cover letter this way: “I’m applying for the job I saw on your website.” According to the survey results, a cover letter and resume only get a 15 second glance, so your first line either grabs the reader’s attention or loses it. Hiring managers prefer you use a powerful first sentence that summarizes the top skills and experience you can bring to the job. For example, Five years experience as project manager with a proven track record of being on time and within budget, is the background I’d bring to your position.
   
2. Sell the meat. “I’m convinced when I see a meagerly written or generic form-like letter that the applicant hasn’t done anything that can help us, so I never even look at the resume,” stated one human resource manager. Over 90% of the hiring managers agreed that SPECIFICS sell! Mike, vice-president of human resources, said, “The cover letter is the very first thing we see. Candidates that stand out for us used short powerful evidence as they wrote sentence after sentence detailing past achievements and the talents and contributions they would bring to our company. To me, the cover letter is more influential than the resume, because it is a truer sample of the candidate’s communication skills, since they most likely wrote it themselves.”
   
3. “Applicants who do not address the qualifications requested in the advertisement or job listing make a huge mistake. And it seems so many don’t address the employer’s needs at all, they just hit send without thinking” said Kelly, a CFO with extensive hiring experience. The better strategy is to address each specific qualification and state the experience and skills you possess to perform that task or function.
   
4. Don’t let careless errors torpedo you. Stephanie, a human resource manager, who has hired over 500 people revealed, ‘’Once I see a typo I know that this is NOT a person we want to hire into our organization. People can avoid this fatal mistake if they carefully proofread before they send.” Good layout and presentation that is easy to read are essential. Microscopic type is a bad choice since small font type sizes can make addresses, phone numbers and emails illegible. Arial is a good font choice, size 12 point, especially when faxing since the type often is blurred in the faxing process. One human resource specialist sent along a cover letter that had no address or phone number on it. She sarcastically wrote, “Don’t you just love this? We couldn’t contact this person even if we wanted to.” .

   © Copyright 2007 Robin Ryan. All rights reserved.

The entire survey, the results, major mistakes to avoid plus sample cover letters are published in the book “Winning Cover Letters” 2nd Edition by Robin Ryan.

Robin Ryan has appeared on Oprah and Dr. Phil is considered America’s top career coach. Robin has a busy career counseling practice providing individual career coaching, resume writing services, interview preparation, salary negotiations, and outplacement, to clients nationwide. She is the best-selling author of:60 Seconds & You're Hired!; Soaring On Your Strengths; What to Do with the Rest of Your Life; Winning Resumes ; and Winning Cover Letters . A dynamic national speaker, Robin has spoken to over 1200 audiences sharing her insights on how to improve their lives and obtain greater success. Contact Robin at: 425.226.0414, or email: RobinRyan@aol.com, or visit her website: www.robinryan.com

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on June 18, 2007 at 3:26 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Article 19

Guerrilla Mission

Stop reading! What you’ve just learned is so powerful that before you do anything else I want you to establish your LinkedIn profile and invite your network of friends and colleagues to join you – right now! I’m serious! Joining LinkedIn is free and not something you want to, “get around to”. It’s very likely your next job won’t be your last. You must do it now. Read the online tutorials and learn how to maximize your network.

MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WITH THE POWER OF NETWORKING

Mark J. Haluska is the executive director of Real Time Network www.rtnetwork.net in Pittsburg PA. He and I first met on-line at RECNET, an international on-line forum for recruiters and head-hunters.

Mark and I have never met face-to-face yet we’ve worked as colleagues for four years now. I think we initially clicked because of our similar military backgrounds and because Mark has an off beat sardonic sense of humor not unlike my own. He has a real ability to cut to the chase. In fact, we first got to know each other by trading barbs on recruiting for the first two years over the Internet.

Mark was one of the first head-hunters to read my first book, Career Guide for the High-tech Professional: Where the jobs are now and how to land them, and he was pretty blunt. He liked the book all right but he thought it had wider appeal than just the technology industry. When I was approached to write this book I asked Mark if he would mind proofing some of the chapters. I wanted another industry insider to review the material to insure my strategies and tactics were state-of-the-moment, accurate and coming across correctly.

Well let me tell you, for two people who have never met we’ve become great friends, and the working relationship has been outstanding. Not only has Mark read every word in the book, he’s challenged my assumptions and encouraged me every step of the way. You would think our desks were right next to each other. We are colleagues in every sense of the word. We talk on a regular basis and email each other daily, about more than just the book and headhunting. That’s the real power of networking.

Personal networking aside, the monetary value of these types of relationships can easily run into the hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Additional on-line networking sites

Here are some of the other online networking sites I am familiar with which all have unique benefits too numerous to mention here. You should choose at least one more on-line networking site and be as aggressive and as creative with it as you are with LinkedIn.

Ryze www.ryze.com
Friendster www.friendster.com
Spoke www.spoke.com
EntreMate www.entremate.com
Tribe.net www.tribe.net

Where else to network on line

Chat rooms, networking websites, and other community forums exist all over the Internet. Many industries have specific sites they use for sharing knowledge and discussing trends. Yahoo has the largest assortment at http://groups.yahoo.com Some of the other more accessible ones include:

Vault.com at www.vault.com
Lycos Communities at www.lycos.com
MSN Groups at http://groups.msn.com/home.msnw?pgmarket=en-us and
America Online at www.aol.com

If you don’t find what you’re looking for at those sites, go to the following two mail list servers and do a key word search for your industry:

Topica at www.topica.com
CataList at www.lsoft.com/catalist.html

Making Contact

You can tell who you should contact on-line by examining their postings. Who sounds helpful? Who’s always posting? These are the first clues that they’re “open” to having people reach out to them. In preparation for that event, look in the signature block which will be just below their name and find their email address. You will want to contact them via email for sure but you must do so outside of the mail list or everyone will know about your job-hunt.

Once you have identified some mailing list participants you want to contact, prepare your email letter very carefully. Be professional and especially polite, and double-check for grammar and spelling errors before sending your message.

Be concise, identify yourself, state why you are contacting this person, and list some of your interests and where you noticed some parallel with their posts.

Ask for a follow-up to this email, via phone or email. Give them the choice of how to proceed.

Don’t send a copy of your resume unless specifically asked. You are networking. Try to establish a relationship that extends beyond, “please help me find a job.” Relax and give it time, let the relationship build to a point where a resume will be requested or you feel comfortable asking for advice.

Advantages & Disadvantages of on-line sites

ADVANTAGES

• No cost – they’re free to use
  
• Large reach – they get more numerous day-after-day
  
• Passive – you don’t have to talk to people, if you’re shy, because you can do it all via the Internet.

DISADVANTAGES

• No cost – but they’re unregulated.
  
• Large reach – but you need to work it every day to ensure it continues to grow and remember you may need to “kiss a lot of frogs” so-to-speak, before you find the contact you need.
  
• Passive – but you’re still relying on others to connect you.

The biggest challenge is that you’re still relying on the kindness of others to send your request for a referral forward to the intended recipient. Of course nothing stops you from finding the name of someone you want to talk to through an on-line network or forum and try to contact them directly. It may take some extra effort like running a search on their names through Google. If you do this bear in mind there’s no guarantee the person will be receptive to hearing from you. I would suggest you obey the rules on each site. It’s been my experience that most people respond to my request within 24 hours.

Article by David E. Perry Managing Partner of Perry-Martel International Inc., co-author Guerrilla Marketing for Job Hunters and Career Guide for the High Tech Professional. Readers may download 3 free chapters at www.gm4jh.com

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on June 18, 2007 at 2:10 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Dear Sue:

I have been out of college for about a little over a year and managed to land a good full-time job. My real ambition is to act, and I always assumed I would work on the side to support myself while pursuing my dream.

I’ve realized that the structure of a 9 to 5 job with little vacation time does not lend itself to the kind of flexibility I'm finding I need. I am reluctant to work overtime at my job because it takes away from the only time I have to spend working toward my long-term career goals. In addition, I am preparing to audition for acting agents and managers, and when I am finally offered auditions I am sure they will come up on short notice, and be during daytime (and working) hours, often without much notice.

I need to earn a certain amount of money and benefits in order to support myself as I try to work at making my dreams come true. I need optimum flexibility while being economically realistic. Do you have any suggestions for me or ideas about what type of job has the most flexibility?

- J.R.

Sue Says:

It hasn’t taken you long to figure out how challenging it can be to pursue and fulfill your personal goals and dreams. As you have discovered, following (and achieving) a dream requires planning, sacrifice and tremendous patience. Without a realistic assessment of what it will take, many people give up on themselves and their dreams when the going gets tough.

I am glad you have not. If your real love is acting, you should pursue it, but you must remain realistic. Acting is not a profession that offers permanent stability. Even when you get a job, although it will keep you busy for awhile, you need to think about what you will do when the project is over. Are you prepared for permanent instability?

Some jobs are more flexible than others. However, any full-time job requires full-time work. Even if the hours you work can vary, you still risk being called for an audition at a time when you are scheduled to work. Sales people tend to have more flexibility than most, and people who are self-employed can call their own hours.

No matter what type of job you find or how much flexibility it offers, you will still have commitments to honor and may find they interfere with your ability to come and go as you please. Even if you are self employed, you may not always be free when a call comes to you.

Are you compromising yourself by working in the job you currently have? How much will you be able to enjoy or benefit from what you are doing if you are just doing enough to get by? If your heart is not in it, it will be obvious to others and who knows what impact it could have down the road?
Your best bet is to look for work that supports your interests and career goals or to work for someone who understands your predicament and okay with you coming and going or leaving on a moments notice. You will be lucky if you find someone to work for who supports your needs, but it’s possible that person (and job) is out there.

While there are many obstacles to overcome, it does not mean you cannot achieve your dreams. Perhaps all you need to do is refine your plan. For example, you might decide to work at the job you have for the next several years in order to gain financial stability. Rather than looking for and accepting acting jobs now, you could devote your free time to studying, making contacts, and perfecting your acting skills.

With careful planning, you can work toward making it financially feasible for you to work a more flexible job a few years from now, and then begin to devote more time to your acting. There is no right or wrong approach; but there is a realistic one.

From what you’ve told me, you need the money and the benefits you have right now. Unless you get the green light from your current employer to pursue auditions and acting, you may not be able to do exactly what you want at this time.

You seem logical and realistic; combine that with some creativity, passion and desire and I have no doubt you will see your dreams come true. Good luck.

-- Sue Morem is a professional speaker, best-selling author and syndicated columnist. Her books include How to Gain the Professional Edge, 101 Tips for Graduates, and the just released How to Get a Job and Keep It, Second Edition. You can send questions to her by email at asksue@suemorem.com or visit her web site at http://www.suemorem.com.

Read more of Sue’s articles by clicking here: Ask Sue

Posted by Candice Arnold on June 18, 2007 at 11:18 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Dear Sue:

I work in a professional office. A lady I work with is bubbly and outgoing, and I like her a lot, but I am bothered by the way she talks; she talks like a baby. I wonder if other people notice it as much as I do. I'm not one to be a gossip or talk behind another person's back, but I am afraid this could affect her career. I don't think other people take her seriously or view her as a professional person. I have not known her very long, so it is difficult for me to tell her that she should tone it down.

The other thing is that she has a habit of charging items to our manager's budgets. For example, we have company logo sweatshirts that we give our clients. Our manager asked her to order 10 sweatshirts to mail his client. She ordered 15 and gave the remainder out to our coworkers. We were way over budget last year on office supplies because she orders way too much stuff. She just spends the company’s money like crazy. I think she may have a real problem. I would express my concerns to our manager, but I don't want to be the tattle-tail or make my manager feel like I'm trying to take over her job. Besides, she must know what is going on.

My coworker actually wore a shirt to work last week that said "It's All About Me." I think this is accurate. If there isn't something in it for her she pouts like a baby. Please help. Not a babysitter.

Sue says:

Your question is interesting. You began your letter stating your desire to help your coworker, but by the end of your letter, your tone totally changed. Are you asking for help because you want to help her, or are you seeking help for yourself, because you are irritated by her?

There are several issues that seem to be bothering you. I wonder, are you this involved or concerned about other coworkers or just this one?

I understand your desire to let her know her voice minimizes her effectiveness. If you are close enough to her to talk with her so that she can change if she wants to, you could be doing her a favor. However, she may not appreciate your “helpfulness” and could be offended. For all you know, she may like her voice, and talk like a baby on purpose—maybe the results are positive for her; it may be helping her get the things she wants.

If you let her know you are concerned about her spending, she might thank you for alerting her, but there’s a good chance she might resent you for your meddling. The same is true with your manager; you don’t know if your “meddling” will be appreciated or resented.

Because there are so many variables, before you do anything, step back and think about your motives. You need to determine the real cause for your “concern.”

-- Sue Morem is a professional speaker, best-selling author and syndicated columnist. Her books include How to Gain the Professional Edge, 101 Tips for Graduates, and the just released How to Get a Job and Keep It, Second Edition. You can send questions to her by email at asksue@suemorem.com or visit her web site at http://www.suemorem.com.

Read more of Sue’s articles by clicking here: Ask Sue

Posted by Candice Arnold on June 18, 2007 at 11:14 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Dear Sue:

I am working at a job I do not like. I was promised one thing, and given another, and now I am making cold calls on individuals at home, which is something I am just not cut out to do. Over the past year I’ve had seven jobs. I feel lost and don’t know what to do. I don’t want to ruin my life. Please give me some advice.

- Need Help

Sue Says:

Rest assured you are not ruining your life; you are recognizing you’ve made a few bad decisions, and attempting to improve your life. Do you have any idea how many people stick with jobs they loathe, because it is easier than doing something about it? You are more in control of your life than you think; you are facing your problems, and thinking about, not ignoring, the impact of your actions. You know you want something more, you know you can do better, so you are looking for direction. I admire you candor.

The first thing I recommend is that you evaluate the reasons you’ve had seven jobs this year. Is this a pattern carried over from other years or due to unique circumstances? Do you accept every offer you receive, use poor judgment, perform poorly, or lose interest quickly? Have you ever found a job you felt was right for you? If so what was it, and why didn’t it last?

Whether this has been a pattern of yours for years, or just recently surfaced, consider working with someone (a counselor, psychologist, or coach) who can help you work through your issues.

Secondly, take some time to identify your ideal job; what type of work would you like to do? What do you need to do to that will help you qualify for or find employment in your ideal job? Is working in your ideal job realistic or are you lacking skill or qualifications?

Third, if you are unsure about what you’d like to do, you may need assistance figuring it out. There are resources out there for you, both profit and nonprofit. These organizations are dedicated to helping people prepare for, and find jobs. You will find resources and information on the Internet, as well as within your own community. Talk to people in high school and college resource centers, utilize your local library, and seek out other community programs that may be available. Many church’s and synagogue’s have job seeking support groups as well. Once you make even one call, you will find it leading to others.

Finally, this year may be unusual, and I do not know the details of your particular situation, but I do know that there are times when a pep talk and suggestions such as those I have made make little difference. There is always the possibility that an underlying medical condition is contributing to your situation. Millions of people suffer from depression and other neurological disorders, which can impact a person’s well-being and overall effectiveness. Relief and treatment is available when properly diagnosed.

No job or situation has to be permanent. You can change your circumstances; you can change your life. Everything you do, no matter how small, makes a difference. You already have taken action to make things better; now take another step and pick up the phone to get the help and support you need.

-- Sue Morem is a professional speaker, best-selling author and syndicated columnist. Her books include How to Gain the Professional Edge, 101 Tips for Graduates, and the just released How to Get a Job and Keep It, Second Edition. You can send questions to her by email at asksue@suemorem.com or visit her web site at http://www.suemorem.com.

Read more of Sue’s articles by clicking here: Ask Sue

Posted by Candice Arnold on June 18, 2007 at 11:12 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Article 18

How to target referrals

The key to networking, of course, is to find people you can network with. Fortunately, for those of us who are terminally shy the Internet has made it possible to network from our computer keyboard and avoid those awkward mixers most people associate with networking events.

E-Networking for Success

There are many of online networking sites now to facilitate networking. All of the sites are based on the “six degrees of separation” principle which recognizes the actor Kevin Bacon as the center of humanity. Each site has slight variations on how you build and grow your network.

First you join a site and create a personal profile. Your profile can include anything you want but generally it’s your business profile that’s of interest. The sites ask for a lot of information and some, if not all of it, can be kept confidential. Before you get too excited, let me tell you right now that the sites are designed to protect your privacy and that of the other members.

Second, you invite all your friends and business associates to join your on-line network. Many of the sites have technology which can be used to upload or selectively invite your entire Outlook database for example. When these people join they are “one degree” away from you. Their network of contacts then would be “two degrees” away from you unless of course they are also in your primary network. This may sound confusing now but it will become clear very shortly.

Your network will grow as quickly as you can recruit members who can then recruit members. Your ability to eNetwork your way to a new job grows exponentially as your network develops.

Link in and connect

Linkedin.com(www.linkedin.com) is my favorite. You can open a linked in account for free. It works by first requiring you to set up your on-line profile and then invite your friends to join your network. After people join they ask their friends and colleagues to join. For job-hunters this is a treasure trove of leads.

There are several ways to use the site to find people you’re looking for quickly. The way recommended on this site is to do a search on the company you are looking to be referred to and see whom you find. You then send a note to the person who’s closest to you, in terms of proximity, on the network and ask them to refer you to the person. With our PeopleSoft example it would look like this:

THE RESULTS SHOW 4546 CONTACTS.

Obviously, you can experiment with the technology to get more or fewer results. In my case 4565 people is far too many to start to network with. I want fewer people but at a higher level in the organization. By putting in the title Vice President I narrow the number of contacts down. In our example this amounts to 122. I can narrow this further by location if I want to, but 122 is a manageable number for me.

The basic idea is to then request, via the technology, for someone to connect you to the person you want to network with. The technology is set up to facilitate the introductions electronically.

LinkedIn also let’s people who have linked with you leave testimonials on how you were to work with. As a headhunter I can view the testimonials, click and see if the testimonial writer is someone I should believe and then decide if I want to contact the person. Now, not having testimonials doesn’t mean someone is a dud, but having 10 or more that are consistently good will make me want to connect with you.

From a head-hunter’s standpoint, LinkedIn has it all. From a job-hunter’s standpoint LinkedIn represents an opportunity of a lifetime to establish a powerful network of influential colleagues and friends.

Guerrilla Wisdom

Mastering LinkedIn

By Shally Steckerl

Once you have an account, go to the “Find People” tab and you can begin conducting searches. You can enter a few keywords and begin searching that way, but you may be surprised at how many results you get. You can be more specific by searching for contacts by location, industry, job title, name, company and keywords.

There are some special searches you can conduct to narrow down your search. For example, you can limit your search only to Hiring Managers, or find only people within a 50 miles radius of a specific zip code. If you have a company you are interested in, you can search for contacts who currently work there, or who have worked there in the past. These are people may be able to help you get an introduction to recruiters and other hiring decision makers. You can also search for results in a specific industry.

Besides getting direct connections to people, LinkedIn also has a dedicated job search function. Click on the Find Jobs tab on the top of the page.

From here you can conduct basic searches by Keyword, Location or Job Function. There is also an Advanced Search feature with some additional criteria.

Once you click the Search button, LinkedIn brings you back a listing of the Job Titles that includes the Company, Location, Date, and also shows you how many degrees away you are in relation to the person who posted the job. As an added advantage you can see how many people have endorsed that job poster.

Clicking on a Job Title brings you to a page with details about that position. This page includes all the kinds of job details you are already familiar with, but it also has a section called “Inside connection to the poster” that looks like this:

This section contains the name of the person who posted the job and lists how many contacts they have. If you have connections that can introduce you to the job poster directly, they will also be listed there. Below that section there is another one called “Inside connection to the company” that will show you other people in your network who are connected to you and work at that company.

All that is left to do now is to click on the Apply Now button and complete the application.

Once you have entered all your information and uploaded your resume you can submit your application directly to the job poster via LinkedIn. You can improve your chances of getting noticed by also requesting a referral to the job poster via the regular Request Referral process. LinkedIn will know that you are applying for a position so it will automatically select the appropriate request type, include a link to the job, and add some special text to your request detail.

There’s one more thing LinkedIn can do for you. It’s a little application called JobsInsider. When you install the application, it will show you who you or your friends know at a company listed on a job page, anywhere on the Internet. A list of your contacts will automatically appear when you are looking at jobs on Monster, CareerBuilder, HotJobs and more. Now you are on the way to finding great employers in your area with Google and connection to them with LinkedIn!

CyberSleuth Shally Steckerl is the author of the Second Edition of Electronic Recruiting 101 www.jobmachine.net/shally/ . He can be reached at shally@jobmachine.net

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on June 18, 2007 at 9:07 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Article 17

Using Google for leads

So right about now you’re probably saying: “great idea but where do I get the names of the people to call?” Thanks for asking. That’s easy. There are many ways to find the names of people to talk to.

Remember Google? Go to www.google.com and type in [the name of the company you’re interested in] with the words “resume” “work experience” and “apply” exactly as shown in the diagram below. For illustrative purposes we’re using PeopleSoft as the company.

This will bring back results which will include people who have worked for PeopleSoft in the past. The above example resulted in 127,000 hits at the time.

Substitute the name of the company I used in this example with the name of the company you want to research and you will get similar results. Click on the link, get their phone number and call them. Using Google this way should provide a handful of leads to former employees.

There are other ways to do this of course. One of the largest databases of “professionals” in America is Zoominfo.com go to www.zoominfo.com. This site will allow you to do a keyword search by title, company, location and a host of other criteria. At the time of this writing you can do a search for former employees only, for free. A list of current employees will require a subscription. For our purposes, former employees are ideal, because it’s a universal truth that if approached correctly they will most often discuss previous employers quite openly. This is a tactic that successful head-hunters use and so should you!

Article by David E. Perry Managing Partner of Perry-Martel International Inc., co-author Guerrilla Marketing for Job Hunters and Career Guide for the High Tech Professional. Readers may download 3 free chapters at www.gm4jh.com

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on June 17, 2007 at 8:05 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Article 16

How to network like a head-hunter

Step 1: Locate Your Target Companies.

Determine which company (ies) you want to work for, how you can add value, and why they should hire you. If you’ve read up to this point in the book you’ve already done this work.

Step 2: Identify Who Runs The Department

Find out who’s in charge of the area you want to work in. This generally means identifying a vice president or general manager. In the case of companies with less than 50 people it may mean the owner or president. You can get this information by calling the company and asking, “Who’s responsible for X” or looking on their web site to find the person of the position. There are dozens of methods for doing this outlined in the Research Chapter.

Step 3: Research Referrals

Find people who worked at this company in the past – once again refer to the chapter on research – call them on the telephone, and get information about:

• The person you are targeting;
  
• The department the person runs; and
  
• The company.

Be social and ask this person how they liked working there. Watch for any hesitations before they answer. The hesitation may be a clue that they don’t want to answer negatively and are looking at how to answer.

Most of the following questions should be the ones you are asking and the reasons should be obvious. Having said that, here are a few select questions to keep in mind. I will explain because it may not be immediately clear why they need to be asked. This exercise will help you prepare for an interview at a later date.

You should ask the following questions in the order they are laid out below:

About The Potential Boss:

1. Did you work directly for him or her?
   • if the person you’re questioning did not work directly for the person they may not be able to answer the questions 100% accurately, their feedback may still be of value nevertheless.
2. How long?
   • longer is better.
3. What is this person like?
   • what they mention first will be their dominate characteristic. [You may need to push a bit to get the response].
4. What kind of person is he/she?
   
5. What kind of manager is he/she?
6. What do they look for in an employee?
   • how does your experience compare?
7. How is he/she? positioned in the company?
   • this is a crucial question which will reveal whether you should be targeting that person or his boss. [Is the company right?]
8. Is he on the way up or down?
   
9. Does he have the ear of the President/owner?
   • you need to know whether this person has the capability to hire you. [Can he get the president to sign off?]
10. Is he political or a straight shooter?
11. What’s his temperament?
    
12. Where does he get his good people from?
    
13. What type of people does he hire?
    
14. Is he/she forward thinking or reactive?
    
15. Is he/she? aggressive or laid back?
    
16. How’s his ability to pick winners?
    • you need to know now if the boss can even recognize talent when he sees it. This will dictate the amount of effort you may need to put into your approach.
17. Will he go to bat for his staff?
    
18. What was his or her biggest accomplishment?
    
19. Does he or she do professional growth for themselves.[If not, it will be difficult for you to grow on the job.]

1. Is it growing or shrinking?
   • either way the information will influence which of your skills you emphasize.
2. Is it under pressure from competitors?
   • How is it handling this?
3. What are the department’s biggest issues?
   • can you solve their problems?
4. Is the department respected by the rest of the company?
   • this determines whether or not they can get budget for another hire.
5. Is the department seen as adding value to the company or is it viewed as just another cost center?
6. How’s the department doing in comparison to other departments in the company?
7. What’s the biggest thing they need to do to be successful?

1. What type of new products or services are they looking to build or offer in the near future?
   • how can your experience apply?
2. How are they doing financially?
3. If there’s one thing they need to do better than their competitors, what is it?
4. What do they do better than their competitors?
5. Who are their best customers?
6. Who would they like to have as customers?
7. What do their customers think of the company?
8. How’s the turnover?
9. Whom else do you think I should talk to?
   • get referrals if you can to people who currently work there to help cement your position even before you come in for the first interview.
10. Would you work there again?
11. Why did you leave?
12. Is there anyone inside this company I should talk to?
    • asking this directly is a good idea, especially if the person has been “negative” on the individual, department or company. If the person won’t or can’t return they may have a beef with the company and their opinion may, in the end, be no good to you because it’s not objective.
13. Do they have a vision? Do they know what it is? Do people in the company know?

“If I decide to talk with them can I say I was speaking with you?”

You ask that question for two reasons:

1. If your questions with the former employee result in positive answers, that employee’s name may help you later in securing a meeting with the hiring manager; and
   
2. The former employee may just phone his old boss and tell him about all the background due diligence you’re doing on the company. That’s a great thing.

“Hi my name is _________ . I’m doing some research on XYZ Corp. and I know that you used to work there because [name how you found their name]. I’m thinking of applying for a job there. Can I ask you a couple of quick questions so I can see if it’s worth my time and effort? I know this is kind of an unusual way to do a job-search...”

If they say “No” ask: “Do you know anyone who I can talk to about the company because I’m really interested in finding out as much as I can before I approach them?”

Your second attempt will either get a referral or they’ll change their mind and answer your questions. If they’ve had a good experience at the company they’ll answer your questions right off the bat. If it was a bad experience they may tell you as well but it’s unlikely. If you don’t get anywhere, move on to the next person on your list.

Expect results! With a few minor variations this is exactly how head-hunters network to find candidates.

Ask whatever you think is important for you to know before contacting the next person. You will be amazed about what you will learn. Further you may be stunned by what people will disclose about former employers – if you just take the initiative to ask.

Your New Competitive Edge

The competitive intelligence you gather is worth its weight in gold. You are now in a position to assess how your accomplishments fit with the employer’s needs. After doing 3-4 of these interviews you’ll have the inside track. You are now in a position to assess which of your accomplishments might be of most interest to them.

When you approach the company you will know far more than any other job-hunter before you’ve even had your first interview. You might be able to decide if it’s even worth working there. How powerful is that? That’s how a Guerilla job-hunter networks.

Step 4: Refer yourself.

Instead of relying on someone to refer you, take the initiative and refer yourself. The rejection rate will be very, very low if you follow the script below exactly. Recognize there is very powerful sales psychology at work here – too much to explain in this book - just do it. Trust my twenty years of experience.

The following words are what you should say. Your part is labeled YOU and what the employer is likely to say is labeled EMPLOYER. The italicized text below each statement briefly explains why you are saying what you are saying and what the employer’s response is likely to be.

Call the person you identified as running the department on the telephone. Keep calling until you connect with them and say,

YOU

“My name is ___________. I’ve been researching your company and have talked to [name two of the people you spoke with if you have their permission] and they think that we should talk. Do you have time for a coffee next week?”

This opener is designed to build curiosity and establish your right to talk to him or her. Using the names of the people who have worked for him in the past gives you credibility.

EMPLOYER

“What’s this about?”

The tone of their voice could be curious or annoyed because you still haven’t told them what you want. Stay with the script.

YOU

“I’ve been examining the way you [market your product—sell to people --- manage inventory—develop new products – [fill in the blank yourself with the problems you know they have that your experience can address] and I have a few ideas I’d like to share with you. Do you have time for a coffee next week?”

They may think you’re a consultant – which could be good or bad and there’s no way to know in advance – or they could sound grateful that the former employees were thoughtful enough to refer you because he does have a big problem to solve. They may invite you in right now or continue to cross-examine you.

NOTE: Make sure you’re hitting the company’s problem areas.

EMPLOYER

“Are you trying to sell me something?”

You may sound like a bit of a classic salesman but don’t panic. Follow the script.

YOU

“No. In the course of doing my market research on the [name the industry] industry I’ve learned that your company might be a good fit for my [project management skills] but frankly you’re the only one who knows that for sure. In the interests of time I thought I would see if you had time for a coffee so I can see if the types of results I achieved for [name the company] could be replicated for your company.”

Now you’re talking about how you solved a similar problem elsewhere and that will build your credibility and his interest in seeing you. But it still may not be enough!

EMPLOYER

“Thanks, but we’re not hiring anyone right now”

If you hear this, You need to verbally pull back to maintain control. Here are the two rebuttals you should use, one after the other if necessary.

REBUTTAL A

“That’s good because I’m not saying I’m interested in working there—at least not yet—but we both know the time to identify talent is long before you need it – would you agree? [you want him to say something at this point to keep him in the conversation]

[name two more people you spoke with if you have their permission] said it might interest you to know how [throw out your biggest accomplishment at your current or last company that matches this company’s need] for XYZ corp. Do you have 15 minutes for a coffee next week?

Often one accomplishment which addresses their problem will be enough to secure a meeting, but maybe not.

or

REBUTTAL B

“You know XYZ Corp had the same concern --- Here is what I did for them. [throw out your next biggest accomplishment]

I have no idea if that’s important to you or if you’re the type of company I can do this for [name a few of the people you talked to] thought it might be of interest. Do you have 15 minutes for a coffee next week?

A second accomplishment which addresses their problem should be enough to secure a meeting, but again it may not be!

EMPLOYER

“No we’re not hiring but you can send me a resume”

Don’t be fooled. They just want you off the phone. Finish with this statement.

YOU

“I don’t have an up-to-date one. I’m not your typical [name your position]. I’m being smart about this. I’ve researched a few companies I want to know more about and yours is one of them. After we meet, if you think my experience can benefit your company then I’d be happy to do a formal resume and then wait until you have an opening. Can we meet next week for a coffee?”

If you get the appointment you need to pick the place and time and confirm it two days prior.

If they still don’t bite there’s not much more you can do with them. Frankly, there’s probably something wrong with the person and in my experience, they may actually be the problem. So there’s only one thing you can do - move up the chain of command to this person’s boss. If you get the same reaction from their boss, move on to the next company.

Follow the script but practice until you don’t sound like you’re reading it. You need to sound relaxed and natural.

Practice on a dummy - when you make your list of top companies to approach add five extra companies to the list. These would be companies whom for whatever reason you specifically DO NOT want to work for. These extra companies become your dummy targets.

Your job is to research them after you’ve researched the others but approach them first so you can practice your script.

In the head-hunting business we call these throw-aways. These are companies we try our new marketing material out on before we go after serious clients.

The results of these throw-away phone calls don’t matter so you can be as bold as you like. Practicing will build your Guerrilla confidence.

You don’t want to risk blowing an approach to a company you’re actually interested in.

Article by David E. Perry Managing Partner of Perry-Martel International Inc., co-author Guerrilla Marketing for Job Hunters and Career Guide for the High Tech Professional. Readers may download 3 free chapters at www.gm4jh.com

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on June 17, 2007 at 12:06 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Dear Sue:

I have trouble getting things done and I tend to procrastinate. I am struggling with all the things I have to do and deadlines I need to meet. Is something wrong with me?

– Procrastinator

Sue Says:

There is nothing wrong with you, and believe me, you are not alone. Many people procrastinate at some time or another, although some people struggle with it more than others.

Most people are selective with the things they put off doing, and for a good reason; people tend to procrastinate when they are faced with doing something they don’t want to do. It is much easier to do things we enjoy doing than it is to do something we dislike.

For example, people, who like exercise, look forward to it, but those who dislike it, dread it. If you know you should look for a job or confront someone about a problem, but doing so is difficult or makes you feel uncomfortable, you’ll probably avoid it as long as you can.

The lack of motivation to do something can be due to other reasons as well. Time is one of the biggest culprits; having more to do than time allows is a common problem.

If you lack sufficient knowledge or are facing an assignment that is challenging or difficult, you may tend to put off doing it. Fear is another factor; whether it’s a fear of failure or fear of success, it can be a roadblock.

The most unique reason for procrastination I’ve heard came from Mark Goulston, author of “Get Out Of Your Own Way". His theory is that people procrastinate when they are lonely – we may not want to do something alone or isolate ourselves for the time required to do a task. Enlisting the support of others or doing the dreaded task with someone else is often the solution.

Take a good look at the things you procrastinate. First, identify the reasons you tend to put off a particular task, and then try to come up with solutions to help you overcome it.

For example, if you are postponing doing something because it requires a large amount of time, scheduling time to do it may be the only way to ensure you will have the time you need to get something done. If a project is overwhelming and you lack the information you need, advance preparation will make it easier for you to face the task.

If a project is large, rather than trying to do it all at once, breaking it down into smaller tasks will make it easier to accomplish. Being held accountable can be a motivator for some -- announcing what you intend to do to friends, family or coworkers might help, especially if they will be checking in on your progress.

In addition to discovering the reasons you aren’t doing something, uncover the reasons you will do something; in other words, know what motivates you and reward yourself for doing something that was difficult to do.

Don’t be too hard on yourself; there is a flip side to procrastination. Some people simply work better under pressure. If you do your best work closer to a deadline, it might be best not to fight it. However, if working under pressure causes stress for you and others or you become careless as a result of too little time, you’ll need to do something about it.

-- Sue Morem is a professional speaker, best-selling author and syndicated columnist. Her books include How to Gain the Professional Edge, 101 Tips for Graduates, and the just released How to Get a Job and Keep It, Second Edition. You can send questions to her by email at asksue@suemorem.com or visit her web site at http://www.suemorem.com.

Read more of Sue’s articles by clicking here: Ask Sue

Posted by Candice Arnold on June 17, 2007 at 11:09 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Dear Sue:

I work in the Human Resource Department of a state agency. We are a small department, all female, and all in our mid forties--including my boss. Today when I came to work after taking a few vacation days, it was obvious someone had been at my desk and gone through my personal belongings.

I am very neat and organized and always leave my desk and office clean and in good condition. My desk had pens all over it, and my stapler was moved. I could tell someone had been on my computer, and I noticed that my group phone directory had been removed from the wall. It was the only one I had, and I recognized it as mine when I saw it in the conference room because it had pink, purple, and yellow lines all over it.

I am fairly certain it is my boss who was rummaging through my things and that she is the one who took my phone directory. She doesn’t show any respect for me, yet she and the others stand around and talk while I do most of the work. She eats my snacks almost every day, yet never offers to replace them. And most days, she only brings enough snacks for herself. She never repays what she borrows.

My boss was an only child and appears to be a very selfish woman.

I don’t know whether to stand up for myself and say that I don't appreciate the way she treats my things, or if I should continue to keep my mouth shut. I don’t want to lose my job or have her make my life miserable, but I feel as thought my boss does not show any respect for me. What should I do?

-- Peg

Sue Says:

If you want respect from others, you have to earn it. Keeping your mouth shut and allowing your boss to treat you in whatever manner she pleases isn’t helping you gain the respect you seek. The more fearful and timid you are, the more likely it is that your boss will continue to take advantage of you. You say your boss already is making you miserable, so what have you got to lose by speaking up and saying something?

Start empowering yourself by making your own decisions about sharing; bring in treats to share every now and then when you chose to do so. If your boss wants some of your snack on the days you didn’t bring enough for everyone, tell her you don’t have enough to share that day.

The next time your boss borrows something from you, but doesn’t return it, ask for it back. There is nothing mean or disrespectful about keeping track of your belongings.

Write your name on your group directory or anything else you want to keep track of. If possible, keep your most valuable items under lock and key. When it is obvious people have been on your computer or rummaging through your desk, say something. Try to find out who it was and why they were there.

Use your personal experience as a catalyst for discussions about boundaries and respect for each persons work area, and how all of you can help spread the word. When you sense your boss is the one rummaging through your things, ask her about it. You don’t have to accuse her of anything, just find out why she was there and what she was looking for.

Work at earning the respect of your boss and anyone else you encounter during the day. Every person you interact with is important. Demonstrate your respect for yourself and others and you will earn respect in return.

-- Sue Morem is a professional speaker, best-selling author and syndicated columnist. Her books include How to Gain the Professional Edge, 101 Tips for Graduates, and the just released How to Get a Job and Keep It, Second Edition. You can send questions to her by email at asksue@suemorem.com or visit her web site at http://www.suemorem.com.

Read more of Sue’s articles by clicking here: Ask Sue

Posted by Candice Arnold on June 17, 2007 at 11:06 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Dear Sue:

The company I work for recently announced the closing of several branch locations, including the one I work at. We were told to apply for jobs internally, and my friend and I helped each other with our resumes.

I just found out that he sent in his resume already and that he copied (word for word) the job description I had written and put on my resume. I confronted him about this and told him I was upset, but he said he didn’t think it was a big deal and would never be noticed due to the large volume of resumes being submitted.

I feel it is a big deal especially since we were planning on applying for jobs in the same location. I am sure our resumes will be reviewed by the same hiring managers and that the similarities will be evident. How do I handle this with him and the company?

Sue Says:

For starters, submit your resume without delay. Your friend already submitted his resume; if you wait to submit yours much longer, it may be too late. Your friend was wrong to copy your job description word for word, and I commend you for telling him so. However, don’t make more out of it than you need to or assume he has somehow ruined your future with the company.

If you haven’t written a cover letter, do it now, and include it with your resume. Your cover letter is the one thing that can set you (and your resume) apart from your friend or anyone else applying for a job. Highlight the most interesting and intriguing aspects of your career with the company and why you feel you should be considered for a position in another location. Then make a few changes to your job description so that it won’t be identical to the one your friend sent in, and submit it.

There will be many resumes that have similar job descriptions, and as long as you change yours ever so slightly, it’s not likely to cause any problems for you. Stop focusing on what has happened and make a plan for the things you want to happen. Write a strong cover letter, submit your resume, secure an interview, and then see to it you do whatever you can to get a job offer. At this point what you do has nothing to do with your friend, but everything to do with you.

Don’t create a problem for yourself by drawing attention to something that may be overlooked. And in the future, although it is more fun to do things with others, when it comes to securing a job, you are on your own. Do what you must to take control of what happens to you now and in the future.

-- Sue Morem is a professional speaker, best-selling author and syndicated columnist. Her books include How to Gain the Professional Edge, 101 Tips for Graduates, and the just released How to Get a Job and Keep It, Second Edition. You can send questions to her by email at asksue@suemorem.com or visit her web site at http://www.suemorem.com.

Read more of Sue’s articles by clicking here: Ask Sue

Posted by Candice Arnold on June 17, 2007 at 11:02 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Article 15

A radical approach

The world of work has changed dramatically over the last five years. Layoffs, outsourcing, off-shoring, rightsizing, downsizing and bankruptcies – have forever altered the traditional employee/employer relationship. Isn’t it ironic then that most job-hunters still depend on the same old tired ways to find a job?

Take networking for example. Traditional networking ultimately relies on having a fundamental belief in the kindness of strangers. At its core this type of networking preaches that job-hunters must have faith that they’ll find a job through a friend of a friend of a friend. This is largely a myth.

While I’ve heard that this strategy has yielded great results in the past, it’s not enough today. Here is why. With the constantly changing marketplace there is more competition for fewer leads. Traditional networking is much like casting your fate to the wind and it’s too passive for you to rely on. Moreover, there are three flaws with the way most networking is taught:

1. You usually need to have a network already, or at least be able to build one quickly when you find yourself out of work [by the way- being out of work is not the best time to start building your network];
   
2. Networking normally requires you to be at least a little outgoing because you need to talk to strangers; and
   
3. There’s no way to know in advance if the jobs people refer you for will be ones you’ll actually be able to excel at, much less be interested in quite frankly.

Today networking can either be the shortest route to your dream job or a lengthy series of unsatisfying lunches – the difference lies in how you approach it. Let me show you how a Guerrilla job-hunter would network.

The tip of the spear

As a Guerrilla job-hunter you now focus all your networking time and effort on the companies you’ve already identified as being the Tier 1 buyers of your product - you. Anything else is a waste of your time, energy and money. Focus on the tip of the spear.

Target your campaign at those companies where you know you can help solve a problem. We’ve been preaching target, target, target, for a reason - it works. Target with absolute laser precision.

Hand-to-hand combat

Head-hunters by nature network every day out of pure necessity. More often than not a head-hunter will have an assignment for “X”, whatever “X” may be today even when they’ve never recruited an “X” before. That doesn’t stop them [us head-hunters] from completing the mission – it can’t – we’d be out of business. Instead, there are tried and true methods for locating, identifying and recruiting candidates. Would like to know how to do that for yourself?

Article by David E. Perry Managing Partner of Perry-Martel International Inc., co-author Guerrilla Marketing for Job Hunters and Career Guide for the High Tech Professional. Readers may download 3 free chapters at www.gm4jh.com

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on June 17, 2007 at 9:51 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Article 14

How to create your brand

Personal Branding is about making yourself stand out so that people trust you and are interested in you. Guerrillas do this by leveraging their previous employers’ Brand (names, slogans, and logos) to create an identity that is memorable and desirable to the people they want to reach.

For your cover letter this means name-dropping which projects you worked on or which clients you sold to. Be specific. Be detailed. Sell the sizzle AND the steak.

For your resume it may mean taking the logos (with permission of course) of the companies you worked for or product you developed and placing them on your resume for extra punch. Nothing will get an employer’s attention faster than a well-known brand’s logo, especially if it’s a competitor or a coveted account they want.

What would make your reader take notice of you? Could it be your training at another company? Might it be the companies you have sold to? Where you responsible for a major product which the employer might recognize? There are likely thousands of images you could use. You only want to put in five so choose the five your reader is most likely to be interested in. Putting in more than five makes It too crowded.

Here is a list of possible suggestions:

We’ll discuss more about how you can leverage your brand through the clever design of your resume when we get to the section on eXtreme resumes.

Article by David E. Perry Managing Partner of Perry-Martel International Inc., co-author Guerrilla Marketing for Job Hunters and Career Guide for the High Tech Professional. Readers may download 3 free chapters at www.gm4jh.com

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on June 16, 2007 at 8:17 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Article 13

Personal branding Guerrilla style

Personal branding isn't about projecting a fake image. It's about understanding what's unique about you – your accomplishments experience, attitude - and using that to differentiate yourself from other job-hunters. Your brand is your edge. Allow me to explain.

Do you buy generic beer, clothes cars? Do you buy any no-name large ticket items at all? Not likely! If you’re like most people who are about to spend serious money on something which could have long lasting or far reaching consequences, you buy a brand because of the security and peace-of-mind that come from buying the quality and reliability of a known brand. Employers do the exact same thing when they hire people.

Personal branding is critical for Guerrilla Marketers because:

• Employers are looking for results.
  
• Your results demonstrate Your qualities, which satisfy an employer’s Value Requirements.
  
• Employers won’t buy generic beer, or employees.
  
• Employers will buy the intangible qualities implied by your brand (you are like Nike too).

Article by David E. Perry Managing Partner of Perry-Martel International Inc., co-author Guerrilla Marketing for Job Hunters and Career Guide for the High Tech Professional. Readers may download 3 free chapters at www.gm4jh.com

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on June 16, 2007 at 6:11 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Article 12

“You Inc.” – your personal Brand

More than ever in our history, huge value is being leveraged from smart ideas – and the winning technology and business models they create. In the years to come, as companies strive to hire fewer but better people, employers will try harder than they ever have to attract and retain smart, boldly entrepreneurial overachievers. In the new world of work, value is NOT salary—not for the employer, not for you. With millions of dollars in revenue at stake, an employer’s search for an employee will be value-focused, not salary-driven.

As a job-hunter you need to thoroughly comprehend that the production of “VALUE” is the most important criteria for an employer when hiring. Articulating your VALUE is your key to successful job-hunting; it separates you from ALL the other job-hunters. Understand, VALUE is not salary; worth does not flow from a job title. Knowing what’s important to a company means looking beyond job descriptions and compensation tables, especially today when sudden changes and uncertainty are the norm.

You need to comprehend:

1. What is the VALUE a company is looking for from an employee’s contribution?
   
2. How do you communicate your VALUE to an employer?

Especially for management and senior positions, companies are rarely looking to fill in a box on a standard employee recruitment form. Usually, companies are looking for something more nebulous, and more important. They are looking for a senior person who can deliver a QUALITY, not a quantity, someone who can explode out from an open-ended initiative-driven space.

Qualities are difficult to find, measure or test, and you don’t find these qualities by searching for specific salary levels—the qualities that make up the new Value Table are money-resistant. The New Value Table goes beyond skill sets and resumes, as I first explained in Career Guide for the High-tech Professional: Where the Jobs are Now and How to Land Them. [Career Press 2004].

New VALUE Table™

In it’s simplest form, The New Value Table represents the base elements of your personal “Brand”. Building your brand - making a “name for yourself” that distinguishes you from competitors need not be expensive.

Article by David E. Perry Managing Partner of Perry-Martel International Inc., co-author Guerrilla Marketing for Job Hunters and Career Guide for the High Tech Professional. Readers may download 3 free chapters at www.gm4jh.com

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on June 16, 2007 at 2:28 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Dear Sue:

At the beginning of our meetings, a request is made for cell phones to be turned off. Without fail, some idiot's phone will ring during the meeting. Instead of being embarrassed, the culprit seems to think it's funny, and so do others. Aside from confiscating the ringing phones, what can be done to prevent this from happening again, and let people know how rude it is? It isn't only in meetings that cell phones have become a problem.

- Furious

Sue Says:

If there's one thing that gets people talking, it's cell phones. People are talking on them and talking about them. Cell phones can be distracting and disruptive to others, and most people agree that cell phone use has spun out of control. Just because we can be accessible twenty-four hours a day doesn't mean we should be. Asserting the right to talk whenever you please infringes on the rights of others.

I like your idea of confiscating cell phones, but why wait until you hear one ringing? Why not collect all of the phones at the beginning of the meeting? This way you can be assured they are turned off and won't disrupt the meeting, and return them at the end of the meeting.

You could draft a list of cell phone rules, but might be better off delegating the task to the offenders. Perhaps a meeting about cell phone courtesy is in order; with the purpose of putting together guidelines and distributing them to everyone in the office. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

* Turn your phone off when you are in a meeting, whether with one or one thousand people.
* Turn your phone off whenever you are in a quiet environment.
* Turn your phone off when you are with someone else.
* Turn your phone off when you aren't around to answer it by the third ring.
* Turn your phone on vibrate if you must leave it on.
* If you are expecting a call you must take, inform others ahead of time.
* If you must take a call when in a meeting or with others, step outside.
* Leave your phone in the car if you can't trust yourself to remember to turn it off.
* If you must keep your phone on, turn down the ringer volume.
* If you must talk on the phone in public, talk quietly; no one wants to hear the intimate details of your conversation.

-- Sue Morem is a professional speaker, best-selling author and syndicated columnist. Her books include How to Gain the Professional Edge, 101 Tips for Graduates, and the just released How to Get a Job and Keep It, Second Edition. You can send questions to her by email at asksue@suemorem.com or visit her web site at http://www.suemorem.com.

Read more of Sue's articles by clicking here: Ask Sue

Posted by Candice Arnold on June 16, 2007 at 10:57 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Dear Sue:

Is it appropriate to call a coworker at home if it is not an emergency? I wonder what you think of this: A coworker of mine was sick with the flu and out of work for a few days. On the second day she was out, another coworker (who is known for his abrasive manner) called her and insisted he obtain some information from her that day. He is not her superior, but took it upon himself to demand she get back to him. She was very upset by this and in no condition to be working, which is why she was home.

Is this appropriate? If not, how can we let this insensitive coworker know that his actions were inappropriate?

– Jenny

Sue Says:

I wish I could answer your question with a definite response one way or the other, but I cannot. In theory, I agree with you that it was insensitive of your coworker to bother his sick coworker at home. However, it may have been unavoidable. Was he bothering her because he was too lazy to find the information himself or didn’t want to wait for her return or did he have a legitimate reason for bothering her?

No one wants to be bothered when they are at home and are feeling ill. Depending on how sick someone is, even talking on the phone can be a chore. It can be difficult to think clearly, sit up or do much of anything. When someone is sick, they may choose not answer the phone, so depending on getting information from someone who is out ill is not a good idea.

Ideally, when someone is home ill, that person should be resting, and be left alone to recover. A business should be able to manage without someone for a short period of time. It’s might not be easy for the coworkers who have to pick up the slack, but it is expected; when people get sick, others need to pitch in and help out.

Of course there are always exceptions. A smaller, growing business may be hit hard if one key person is absent--it all depends on the way the business is set up. There are situations in which it can be impossible to complete a transaction without a critical piece of information that only one person has, or provide an answer to someone in need.

If your insensitive coworker called his sick coworker because he didn’t want to wait for her to return or be inconvenienced, he was wrong. However, if he called her because the consequences of not calling her were too severe, he may have been justified. It’s one thing to bother a person by calling several times a day to ask questions that could wait, and another to call one time out of necessity.

If the coworker who was ill was upset by the call at home, she is the one who should complain—I don’t think it is in your best interest to get involved in reprimanding your coworker. What you can do is initiate a conversation about what to do in the future.

My suggestion is for you to address the issue with all of your coworkers and try to establish a protocol for dealing with similar situations in the future. Decide under what conditions it is appropriate to call someone at home who is ill, and how to handle his or her absence.

Anyone can become ill at any time, so rather than being taken aback by it, prepare for it. Devise a plan that will enable your business or department to run effectively with or without everyone in attendance. Once you do, everyone will benefit.

-- Sue Morem is a professional speaker, best-selling author and syndicated columnist. Her books include How to Gain the Professional Edge, 101 Tips for Graduates, and the just released How to Get a Job and Keep It, Second Edition. You can send questions to her by email at asksue@suemorem.com or visit her web site at http://www.suemorem.com.

Read more of Sue’s articles by clicking here: Ask Sue

Posted by Candice Arnold on June 16, 2007 at 10:53 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Dear Sue:

The problem I am having is with a co-worker in my department. I am in a lead position, so I have to discuss issues with her as well as the others. This woman has been rude to me for quite a while. The problem is that she is my boss’s friend, and their families are friends too.

I’ve told my boss about specific incidents, both good and bad so he won’t think I am picking on her. But he doesn’t seem to care about her unwillingness to comply, rude comments, or failure to complete assignments. He defends her and makes excuses for her, and will not believe that she can do anything wrong.

I am not trying to get the friend fired. I am simply asking that the boss view and treat her the same way he does others in the department. I believe she is taking full advantage of the fact her boss is her friend. I am documenting the work issues to protect myself if I’m ever asked why something wasn’t done. My boss may cover for her, but I will not. What do you think?

- Outsider

Sue Says:

I think you are doing what you can under the circumstances. You are smart enough to recognize that your boss’s commitment to this coworker (and the family friendship) is stronger than his commitment to you, or his desire to remain impartial.

Continue to document the things you deem important. Minimize the number of complaints you make to her or about her. Be the example; don’t overreact to the things she says or does. Focus on preserving your status, and less on exposing hers.

-- Sue Morem is a professional speaker, best-selling author and syndicated columnist. Her books include How to Gain the Professional Edge, 101 Tips for Graduates, and the just released How to Get a Job and Keep It, Second Edition. You can send questions to her by email at asksue@suemorem.com or visit her web site at http://www.suemorem.com.

Read more of Sue’s articles by clicking here: Ask Sue

Posted by Candice Arnold on June 16, 2007 at 10:49 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Article 11

Guerrilla marketing is the key to your success

I can tell you from personal experience that the most qualified job-hunter is rarely the one who wins. The positions invariably go to the person who does the best job at positioning himself or herself as the solution to an employer’s problem.

The dramatic changes we’re witnessing in the marketplace today mean that the tried and true methods of finding a job will no longer suffice in today’s job market. They should remain a solid part of your plan but they don’t provide an adequate amount of exposure to potential employers.

Back in 1997 Tom Peters introduced the concept of Brand U. At the time self-branding was an assertive marketing concept best reserved for high-flying technology people and senior execs who wanted to maximize the financial returns of their biggest asset – their career. Today personal branding is a matter of survival.

Becoming a Guerrilla job-hunter in the only way to consistently move your career forward. The market is geared toward those who effectively brand and market themselves as the ultimate commodity across multiple distribution channels.

Winning the War for Talent requires you to arm yourself with the newest weapons and tactics and to become a Guerrilla job-hunter.

What is Guerrilla marketing?

For job-hunters, Guerrilla Marketing is managing your career as a professional services provider. It’s the art of packaging the “VALUE” You represent to your target market and bringing the two together. In short, how to brand yourself, how to grow that brand value, and ultimately how to leverage your career through that brand.

Article by David E. Perry Managing Partner of Perry-Martel International Inc., co-author Guerrilla Marketing for Job Hunters and Career Guide for the High Tech Professional. Readers may download 3 free chapters at www.gm4jh.com

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on June 16, 2007 at 9:22 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Article 10

Your 6 careers

William Bridges, author of, JobShift - How to Prosper in a Workplace Without Jobs, contends that America is undergoing a process of “dejobbing,” an end to the traditional job as we know it. “The old pattern of hiring and keeping large numbers of full-time, long-term workers on the grounds that they may be needed in the future is harder and harder for companies to do,” Bridges says.

Twenty five years ago the US Labor Department looked at the work force and at trends in the job market and announced that people will have as many as five or six careers in their lifetime. Who would have thought they’d get that one right! I certainly wouldn’t have, yet I’m a prime example.

I started my career in retail, moved into banking, and then again into Executive Search, all before I was twenty five. Twenty years later I’m still in the executive search and placement industry but even that career has evolved from a specialty in retail, to construction and property management industry and now high-tech. You could even argue writing books is yet another career.

My point is this; not too long ago society expected an individual to spend a lifetime at one company. Those expectations have changed. Now you are expected to change jobs every two to three years or you’re considered stale!

To thrive in this environment, you need to adopt a new Guerrilla Marketing mindset. You need to think of yourself as a tightly knit package of capabilities - a value added product which, thanks to modern technology, you can now market and sell around the globe.

Article by David E. Perry Managing Partner of Perry-Martel International Inc., co-author Guerrilla Marketing for Job Hunters and Career Guide for the High Tech Professional. Readers may download 3 free chapters at www.gm4jh.com

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on June 16, 2007 at 7:17 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Fanny tattoo photos, a wet T-shirt contest video, detailed accounts of a crazy party and other dirty laundry may be the stuff of friendly entertainment on social media sites such as MySpace, Facebook and YouTube. Problem is -- these same images may also be the last impressions that many job seekers are leaving with savvy employers. A growing number of recruiters and hiring managers are now investigating social media content as part of the candidate-selection process, warns Rob McGovern, a career expert and the CEO and chairman of Jobfox.

"Companies are looking for the best and brightest candidates," said McGovern, who recently launched Jobfox to make it more efficient and more private for career-minded professionals to stay informed of and apply to job opportunities that are closely linked with their capabilities and desires. "A risque posting could mean the difference between getting hired and losing out to another candidate who is without social media baggage."

McGovern dubs this development "a contemporary business scruples issue." According to McGovern, career-minded professionals should:

Be aware that everything said and done online is now becoming part of one big giant public record.

Have fun on social media sites, but say less-to-little of anything that might turn off a prospective employer.

Keep a healthy perspective on this new trend -- most companies really don't want to know everything about your private life.

"It's OK to talk about your crazy pet ferrets, but I wouldn't advise posting photos of your fanny tattoos to the Internet's public and permanent archive," McGovern noted. "Personal privacy remains a hot Internet topic and now -- 100 million MySpace pages later -- a new generation of Internet users are learning to cope in a less-private world."

-- Rob McGovern is a veteran career expert and author of "Bring Your 'A' Game: The Top 10 Career Secrets of the High Achiever." Prior to his role as founder and CEO of Jobfox, McGovern was the founder and chairman of CareerBuilder.com.

Posted by Steven Rothberg, CollegeRecruiter.com on June 15, 2007 at 4:52 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Article 9

Jobs That Won’t Be Off shored

There are some jobs however which at the moment just can’t be off shored. Can you imagine off shoring your personal finances to someone in a foreign land? Are you going to fly to a foreign country just to see a doctor or check yourself into a hospital? Is a salesman from Asia likely to travel to your home or place of business to sell you something, whether that’s insurance, a new car, computer or clothes? Unlikely, on all accounts.

There’s a clear pattern here. Many jobs because of their “personal” nature or “security” can not be off shored, which means they will be protected from rampant off shoring.

Baby-boomer retirees will be the wealthiest generation ever, and because of our obsession with youth, advances in medicine, bioengineering, and security, scores of new jobs will be created for job-hunters.

America’s security issues which where exposed by the 9/11 terror activities have spawned whole new industries, as America looks to secure its borders from terrorists. The banking, travel, agriculture, energy, medical and other industries vital to our social and economic well-being are vulnerable and not likely to be leaving our shores anytime soon.

According to the United States Labor Bureau of Statistics report by Daniel E. Hecker Titled Occupational employment projections to 2012

“Total employment is projected to increase by 21.3 million jobs over the 2002–12 period, rising to 165.3 million. This increase represents about 600,000 more jobs than were added over the previous 10-year period (1992–2002). The projected 14.8-percent increase, however, is less than the 16.8-percent increase of the previous 10-year period. Self employment is projected to decline 2.3 percent, from 11.5 to 11.2 million.”

It may also be of interest to you to know which occupations are likely to grow fastest according the U.S. Bureau of labor Statistics. You can view the latest report on their web site: www.bls.gov/emp/emptab3 Personally, I think it’s as important to understand which jobs are not likely to be off shored and why so you can make informed career choices.

Article by David E. Perry Managing Partner of Perry-Martel International Inc., co-author Guerrilla Marketing for Job Hunters and Career Guide for the High Tech Professional. Readers may download 3 free chapters at www.gm4jh.com

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on June 15, 2007 at 3:15 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Article 8

The Top 5 Skills That Won’t Be Off shored

Leadership Skills

Self-confessed “Team-players” are often regarded as “followers” or “hangers-on” by senior management. I can hear you screaming from here, “We’re supposed to be team players!” Yeah, the HR department told you that, but there’s a difference between leaders who can follow others, and those people who always need to follow others. Skeptical? How many senior executives let alone CEOs do you know that rose through the ranks of HR? My advice to you - if you want to keep your job and move ahead, forget about buying another power tie. Instead, invest in a course on leadership and start looking for opportunities to try out your new-found skills, whether that’s within the company or outside as a volunteer. The ability to lead will be the number one requirement for Guerrillas.

Project Management skills

Develop the fine art of managing people and projects and learn how to deal with customers, work with vendors and interact with management in ways that satisfy the needs and objectives of the organization. There’s a tremendous need for the human touch—the relationship, mentoring and leadership skills required to get projects in on time and within budget. Whether you’re managing people and projects in New York or New Delhi, the bottom line is the same. This elusive talent is of great value and will support the notion that you are becoming a person who is of great value to your organization. My advice to you – look into a formal accreditation through the Project Management Institute, www.pmi.org/info.

People skills

If you become the person who can pull teams together, support communication and make things happen, that will help make your position and perceived value within the organization more visible and support the argument that leaving your job intact is a good business decision. My advice to you - learn to be likeable and how to work a room without looking like a self-obsessed shark.

Communication skills

Writing and public speaking are critical skills these days whether you are representing your company in public or merely trying to sway your boss. A public speaking course will have you on the podium and in the limelight faster than any other single action you can take. Your value and confidence will increase dramatically, because you will not only be able to do your job but have the ability to speak about it to the world as well. My advice to you – join a Toastmasters networking group near you today.

Sales skills

Everybody teases the sales guys. I mean what do they really do besides lunch and golf? Bring in the business, that’s what, and today that’s everyone’s responsibility. New business is the lifeblood of every business looking to grow, prosper and create a stable situation for its employees. If you become known as a business-oriented technologist who can open the door to new revenue and business opportunities, the chances of your job being offshored will diminish. My advice to you - get good at it. Start with a few books like Selling to VITO by Anthony Parinello and Advanced Selling Strategies by Brian Tracy. After devouring those books, go take a formal course - or two.

Article by David E. Perry Managing Partner of Perry-Martel International Inc., co-author Guerrilla Marketing for Job Hunters and Career Guide for the High Tech Professional. Readers may download 3 free chapters at www.gm4jh.com

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on June 15, 2007 at 2:59 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Article 7

Off shoring and America’s future as a global innovator

During the 2004 Presidential Election both President Bush and Democratic presidential candidate Sen. John Kerry had a lot to say about the future of offshoring and what the practice of shipping jobs overseas means for the U.S. economy. Even after the election, Republicans and Democrats disagree.

Which side is correct truly will not be known for years. In the meantime, slicing through the vitriol and putting the predictions of offshoring’s economic effect into the context of your career options will help you prepare an effective job-hunt.

Offshoring in the 70s and 80s was most common in manufacturing, and Americans benefited somewhat by lower costs of goods. It’s been noted, at least on a macro level, that the lower paid blue collar jobs which where shipped offshore where replaced by higher paying, more knowledge intensive jobs. Since the 90s offshoring has accelerated and moved up the value chain to include white-collar jobs, notably involving call centres and bulk data processing.

The largest market remains India, but Russia, China, Mexico and Brazil are joining in with highly educated, English-speaking labor forces who will work for a fraction of the pay of U.S. workers. While companies typically send low-end application-related services offshore today, the complexity of services that offshore providers deliver will deepen as their expertise expands.

U.S. job losses for white-collar workers could be staggering if certain predictions hold true, and if job creation or replacement doesn’t keep pace. Causing a stir that has not died down, Forrester Research released a report predicting that 3.3 million service industry jobs and $136 billion in wages would move offshore over the next 15 years.

The McKinsey Global Institute reports that offshoring was worth between $32 billion and $35 billion and estimates those figures represent just 1 percent of the $3 trillion in business functions that could be performed overseas. The market is projected to grow 30 percent to 40 percent annually over the next five years, making offshoring an industry worth well over $100 billion in annual revenue by 2008.

Critics of the offshoring trend say the United States stands to lose countless high-paying jobs, technical knowledge and innovative capacity by employing and training workers in foreign countries, rather than advancing the nation’s own workforce. They maintain that offshoring is marginalizing America’s middle class by selling skilled American manufacturing and engineering jobs to the lowest bidders and replacing them with low skilled and lower paying service jobs.

On the other side of the debate, some argue that white-collar offshoring is a natural evolution of a global economy that will help—not hurt—the United States and its workforce. Research shows that, in some cases, corporations can save as much as 60 percent in costs and, by capitalizing on time zone differences, speed up production and time to market.

Indeed, proponents argue that offshoring will make companies more profitable and will lead to higher-level, higher-paying jobs for U.S. workers. A recent study by the McKinsey Global Institute estimated that of the $1.45 to $1.47 of value that is created globally from every dollar spent offshoring, the United States captures $1.12 to $1.14 while the receiving country captures on average 33 cents. This value is translated from cost savings into reinvestment for company research and development that leads to jobs that are higher-paying than those lost.

Of course, there are no guarantees the new jobs will be in America. Traditionally, innovation has been a by-product of our American culture, educational institutions and the financial ability to invest heavily in promising new technologies. America may just “innovate” its way out of this mess, but it is as likely that new generations of innovators will emerge from India and China who are just as capable, just as hungry and now just as innovative as Americans. Remember, India and China have benefited from the lessons learned through thirty or more years of outsourcing from America.

McKinsey’s report, “Who Wins in Offshoring?” predicts that the United States will create some 22 million new jobs in the same period over which offshoring activities will transplant 3 million jobs. “The net effect will be a gain of 20 million [U.S.] jobs,” it concludes. McKinsey used Bureau of Labor Statistics data to predict some of the replacement jobs that could be created in industries such as nanotechnology, health care services for the aging population, and media and entertainment.

The macro economics will be argued for some time to come. As a Guerrilla you need interest yourself only in the micro economic impact of offshoring and how it affects your career - in short, which jobs are likely to disappear over time and what industries are likely to benefit.

YOUR JOB IS AT RISK TO OFFSHORING IF:

1. It can be broken down into many smaller tasks that can be redistributed to lower skilled, lower paid workers; or
   
2. Your company’s profits are under constant assault by low cost competitors or
   
3. Someone else with a high-school education can do your job with less than a week’s training.

HERE’S WHAT YOU CAN BANK ON:

1. The offshoring trend won’t stop anytime soon.
   
2. Companies will continue to maximize profits and reduce costs.
   
3. The government will not solve your career problems – at best it will provide limited retraining assistance.

Guerrilla Intelligence
You can read the full article, “Who Wins in Offshoring?” at: www.mckinseyquarterly.com McKinsey allows you to register for a free “guest pass” to access archived articles.
If you want to go more into the topic I suggest you read these two reports - one pro and one con - regardless of the industry you are in:

From the Information Technology Association of America - Executive Summary: The Comprehensive Impact of Offshore IT Software and Services Outsourcing on the U.S. Economy and the IT Industry at: www.itaa.org/itserv/docs/execsumm.pdf

Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers - Offshoring Study Misses Important Issues Says IEEE-USA - releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=28211

Article by David E. Perry Managing Partner of Perry-Martel International Inc., co-author Guerrilla Marketing for Job Hunters and Career Guide for the High Tech Professional. Readers may download 3 free chapters at www.gm4jh.com

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on June 15, 2007 at 1:47 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Article 6

Why you need to be a Guerrilla.

With a radically smaller pool of skilled workers and the increased demand for profits, the original “War for Talent” of the late 90’s has morphed from a quantitative battle that was best described as a ‘The War for Any Talent’ to a qualitative one, best described by author Peter Weddle in Generalship as the ‘War for the Best Talent’. The old “bums on seats” mentality of many employers is quickly being replaced by “brains on seats”.

Faced with stiffer employment standards and tougher hiring requirements, companies of every sort are becoming single-minded about productivity and bottom-line performance. Consequently, competition for jobs is increasing as management seeks and hires only those persons who appear to have the most potential for helping to boost the company’s profits. For many companies, employees are now viewed as a variable cost – hence the term human capital – to remain “on the books” only as long as they continue to produce.

Recognize that looking for an old-fashioned job like the one, “Dad used to have”, is a waste of your time. Jobs are temporary in the new economy. Instead, recognize that your “career” will be made up of a succession of jobs over a lifetime, not a lifetime at just one, and henceforth you need to always be looking for the next opportunity.

You can have a bright future if you take ownership over your career. Because of the changes in the world, people who have marketable talent will be in more demand than ever. Anyone who can design a new product, manage complex projects, perform marketing miracles, sell new accounts or assume other leadership positions, will be able to take their pick of top opportunities

Article by David E. Perry Managing Partner of Perry-Martel International Inc., co-author Guerrilla Marketing for Job Hunters and Career Guide for the High Tech Professional. Readers may download 3 free chapters at www.gm4jh.com

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on June 15, 2007 at 12:39 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Dear Sue:

I've been invited to attend an after-work social function at the home of my company's CEO. The email invitation came from him, but it said that he and his wife would be hosting the event. From what I gather, people from the out of town offices will be attending as well as executives from the office I work in. The CEO wants everyone to get to know each other better. Spouses are not invited.

My question: Is a "hostess" gift appropriate under these circumstances? The CEO's wife does not work for our company, but she is co-hosting the dinner, and it is at their home. If it is appropriate to bring a gift, what do you suggest I bring?

- Empty handed

Sue Says:

Bringing a hostess gift is almost always appropriate and a gracious gesture. I doubt your boss or his wife expects anything, but since you’ve asked the question and are considering bringing a gift, I suggest you do.

Chances are not everyone who was invited will think to bring something, and I am sure your kind gesture will be appreciated and noted. It is the thought behind the gift that counts most, and I am sure that any gift you bring will be appreciated.

You might consider asking some of your colleagues to go in on a gift with you enabling you to give something more substantial than if you buy a gift on your own. For example, more people (and more money) would enable you to order a substantial floral arrangement, which you could order in advance to be delivered during the day of the event. This way, you can include a card with all the names of the senders, and your host will have a chance to decide where to place the flowers before everyone arrives. Arriving at the event with a bouquet of flowers is fine, but you won’t know how many other people might do the same, or how much of a hassle it might be for your host to find the right sized vase or a place to put them out.

Whatever you decide to do, don't over do it or try to select anything too personal. Select a “generic” type of gift. If you want to offer to bring something, you can talk with your boss or call his wife and ask what is needed.

If you decide to show up with a gift in hand, unless someone has an allergy to chocolate or nuts, you can’t go wrong if you bring a box of chocolates, mixed nuts or a basket of crackers and cheese. A bottle of liquor or wine is usually a suitable hostess gift, but only if you know, without a doubt that the CEO and his wife drink. While these are common and generic gifts, you are not limited to them.

Finally, in addition to personally saying thank you when you leave, send a handwritten thank you note. While not everyone will think to bring a hostess gift, I am willing to bet even less will think to write a thank you note. A note will surely be appreciated, and you can be sure you will be remembered.

-- Sue Morem is a professional speaker, best-selling author and syndicated columnist. Her books include How to Gain the Professional Edge, 101 Tips for Graduates, and the just released How to Get a Job and Keep It, Second Edition. You can send questions to her by email at asksue@suemorem.com or visit her web site at http://www.suemorem.com.

Read more of Sue’s articles by clicking here: Ask Sue

Posted by Candice Arnold on June 15, 2007 at 10:18 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Dear Sue:

I went back to work because my husband was laid off. I was upfront with my boss, and told him that my husband was unemployed. However, although I told him when my when my husband finally got a new job, I didn’t tell him he was let go after only two months.

I’ve just been offered a new position within the department I am in. I don’t know what kind of raise I will receive, but I wonder if it would be higher if they knew my husband was without a job again. I know my boss will eventually ask how my husbands new job is going, and I am not sure what I should I say.

- Hiding the truth

Sue Says:

Unless your husband has asked you keep quiet, I can’t think of any reason you should hide the truth. Sooner or later, it will come out, so you may as well be the one who decides when.

You were promoted because of your track record and ability, not your husband’s employment status. The raise you receive should be commensurate with others in similar positions; focus on yourself and your work, and leave your husband out of it.

-- Sue Morem is a professional speaker, best-selling author and syndicated columnist. Her books include How to Gain the Professional Edge, 101 Tips for Graduates, and the just released How to Get a Job and Keep It, Second Edition. You can send questions to her by email at asksue@suemorem.com or visit her web site at http://www.suemorem.com.

Read more of Sue’s articles by clicking here: Ask Sue

Posted by Candice Arnold on June 15, 2007 at 10:14 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Dear Sue:

The person who follows my shift is making petty complaints about me. My supervisor has no problem with the things this coworker is complaining about, but it still bothers me to have these things in writing. I don’t want to duplicate his behavior, because it accomplishes nothing, but I don’t like being made to look bad either. How do I deal with this?

- Frustrated

Sue says:

Aside from talking with your supervisor and the employee who is complaining, to determine the real problem, if you are concerned about looking bad, think about things you can do to compensate and make yourself look good. Some people are impossible to please—and don’t forget, the more you react to others, the more of a reaction they will seek from you. Sometimes the best reaction is no reaction at all.

-- Sue Morem is a professional speaker, best-selling author and syndicated columnist. Her books include How to Gain the Professional Edge, 101 Tips for Graduates, and the just released How to Get a Job and Keep It, Second Edition. You can send questions to her by email at asksue@suemorem.com or visit her web site at http://www.suemorem.com.

Read more of Sue’s articles by clicking here: Ask Sue

Posted by Candice Arnold on June 15, 2007 at 10:11 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Why is selling ourselves so tough? Whether you’re looking for an internship, job or an opportunity on campus, you’ve probably experienced the joy of trying to sell your expertise, your services, or your resume and ‘hireability’ to someone else – and it can be brutal. Personally, I enjoy trying to drum up business in a tight market as much as the next gal, but the fact remains that if we’re not willing to consistently reach out to fill the pipeline or otherwise put ourselves on the line, we’re going to have a heck of a time trying to reach our goals.

But that doesn’t change the fact that selling ourselves can be tough. Between the rejections, the unanswered phone calls or unreturned emails, it’s far too easy take it personally, give up altogether, and even worse, assume that they are ‘right’ and you are ‘wrong’ when your efforts go unrewarded. Instead of beating your head against the wall and quit now, take a hard look at your efforts over the past year and go where the love is.

Go with your super strengths.

What is your super strength? What is the one thing (or two or three things) that you feel that you can do better than most people? Often, we compete for jobs or opportunities that don’t necessarily play to our best strengths, according to Penelope Trunk in her article, “If You Don’t Stand Out, Consider a Career Change.” (CareerJournal.com). As Ms. Trunk points out, “If you haven't had a promising interview in the past six months, you should consider the possibility that you aren't a top candidate. In this job market, it isn't good to be anything but a top candidate.”

Rather than feel like a victim of circumstances, Ms. Trunk asks you to consider the following: “Like it or not, the world caters to those who are great at what they do. Instead of engaging in a discussion about what's fair, ask yourself, "What will make the best use of my inherent gifts?" People are usually happiest and most excited about their work when they're using their skills and talents to the fullest.”

If you have a sneaking suspicion that you aren’t playing to your super strengths, take a deep breath and assess your actions over the past six months. Have you been pursuing opportunities that are so competitive that anyone besides Bill Gates wouldn’t stand a chance – or are you getting an unusually hefty amount of rejection letters? On the other hand, maybe you’re attempting to transition into a new career or have just launched a business, in which case, a little extra dose of rejection may not be so unheard of. The key here is to give yourself a little heart-to-heart and seek the input of trusted friends or others in your network. For instance, ask a friend, “When you think of me and my strengths, what are the top two things that come to mind?” Sometimes, we’re so immersed in our own worlds that we can’t see the forest for the trees, so get the outside perspective to remind you what you probably already know about yourself anyway.

Get in it to win it.

Call me the crazy optimist, but I’d like to think that most of us won’t let a few measly rejections get in the way of pursuing an opportunity that really matters to us, and that there really is room at the top for more than one. If you’re in agreement, then we’ve got to believe in ourselves and our product like never before. Often, particularly in the face of rejection, we start to lose faith, and one “no” too many sends us running for the bubble bath, where we sit and let the doubt creep in. “Maybe I’m in the wrong business,” we despair. “Maybe I’m going for a job that’s just way too competitive,” we wonder. “Maybe I’m a total idiot for thinking this would ever work out at all,” we sigh.

You’ve heard it before, but allow me to repeat this obvious truth: If we don’t believe in ourselves, who will? If we can’t get 100% behind our product – whether that product is our business or our experience on a resume – then why should anybody else?

Deep down, if you aren’t quite sure whether you’ve got what it takes, remind yourself that nobody has to know that but you. Here’s some sage advice from Brian Tracy, sales and motivational guru and president of Brian Tracy International: Before you make that phone call, walk into the room for your interview, or otherwise put yourself on the line, take a deep breath, give yourself some love, and say, “I am the best. I am the best. I am the very best.”

With confidence, you believe in you – and getting one step closer to your goal becomes a heck of a lot easier. With a real belief in yourself and your abilities, you are able to better withstand the rejections that come with the territory of trying to get ahead in the world. Heck, you might even become one of those kooks that begins to like hearing ‘no’ – after all, one more ‘no’ is closer to a ‘yes’, right?

If all else fails and you’re having a tough time trying to muster up some good, old-fashioned confidence, be inspired by the story of Mark Victor Hansen and Jack Canfield, founders of the popular “Chicken Soup for the Soul” series. Talk about believing in their product - these two men had their book proposal rejected 140 times before it was bought by a publisher. 90 million books later, the rest is history. When you truly believe in what you’re selling, you’ve got an intensity, an energy, and an endurance to persist, no matter what.

About Elizabeth Freedman & Company:

For more information about Elizabeth Freedman, please visit her website online at http://www.elizabethfreedman.com.

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on June 15, 2007 at 8:22 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

I am thrilled to write my first entry for CollegeRecruiter.com! I recently met Steven Rothberg during a radio interview and he invited me to contribute. I look forward to sharing my career ideas and excerpts from my new book, Getting from College to Career: 90 Things to Do Before You Join the Real World, published by HarperCollins and recently reviewed on the CollegeRecruiter.com blog.

Today I’m talking internships. If you’re a smart college student, you’re probably doing an internship right now. But as the summer and your internship continue, you may find yourself wondering how filing, answering phones, or just sitting around (which are all pretty inevitable, even in the most challenging, productive internships) really give you skills that will make you stand out among all the other students who did internships, too.

I wondered the same thing, so when I wrote my book I decided to ask a variety of internship coordinators what really makes an intern get noticed, and even get hired for a full-time job once the internship ends. No matter what organization, what work they give you, or what industry you think you might want to work in, here are some tips to make sure your internship works for you...

1. Be proactive. This first tip comes from a senior media executive who oversees college interns every summer. She advises interns not to wait around for work to be assigned. This exec suggests that interns ask their managers: “What is a good thing for me to work on when you’re busy and I have nothing specific to do?” This question shows that you are a go-getter who wants to contribute and learn as much as possible. And you may get assigned a cool project that no one else was smart enough to ask for—something that you can highlight on your résumé and promote in future job interviews.

2. Read what you file (with permission!). This is another great suggestion from my media friend. “One thing you often have as an intern is the luxury of time,” she says. “So, as long as your boss tells you it’s okay, take time to read through the documents you’re filing and you’ll learn a lot.” Be sure to heed her warning—you don’t want to snoop through confidential contracts or legal records—but if you get approval, this is a shrewd strategy. One book publicist told me she read through hundreds of book reviews in the early years of her career, which helped her later when she was the publicist promoting books to those same reviewers.

3. Set up informational interviews. While you’re at an organization in the role of intern, you have a rare opportunity for face-time with people you otherwise might not be able to meet. Check with your internship coordinator to make sure it’s appropriate, then pinpoint a few people in the organization whose jobs interest you and ask them to meet with you. If you can, you should also set up a meeting with someone in the human resources department to talk about future full-time job opportunities—this is a golden lead for your first post-college job.

Above all, remember that raising an internship from the “busy work/no experience” level to the “real experience” level is in your hands. Good luck and happy interning!

Lindsey Pollak is the author of Getting from College to Career: 90 Things to Do Before You Join the Real World. She is a frequent speaker on college campuses around the country. For more information, visit www.GettingfromCollegetoCareer.com.

Posted by Lindsey Pollak on June 14, 2007 at 2:31 PM | Leave a Comment (1)

Career Advice from Sue:

It’s that time of year again; millions of graduates are changing their status from full-time student to full-time employee. The graduating class of 2004 has had some advantages, but has also faced some of life’s harshest realities. Graduates are more equipped today than graduates of years past--they are smart and savvy, yet still remain somewhat naïve about what lies ahead.

For the last few years I’ve offered a few tips for new gradates in this column, and I’ve always had a favorable response. I heard from parents, grandparents, teachers, and employers; all wrote to say they too, want to see the young adults in their lives succeed. Whether you are a recent graduate or someone venturing out and starting something new, these tips are important and can help you.

Be Careful. Your permanent record, for the rest of your life, begins NOW. Enjoy this clean slate. Embrace this fresh reputation. Think about the kind of person you want to be. Day 1 at Job 1...your new reputation begins. Take care to cultivate one that you can live with for the rest of your working life. Think of your reputation as your little shadow because it will follow you wherever you go.

Be Grateful. No job is beneath you. Parking cars, dog-sitting, scrubbing floors, peddling fast food, pouring coffee, waiting tables. Some very successful people started out doing these kinds of jobs. Some of them still do these jobs. Appreciate the opportunity to work, and do your best regardless of the position.

Be Appropriate. It does matter what people think of you. Maintaining your individuality is great. But a certain amount of conformity and maturity in appearance and behavior is expected in the work place. You’ll be expected to look, act and dress professionally and appropriately. If you are adamant about looking and acting exactly how you want, consider self-employment.

Be Prompt. There is nothing fashionable, cute, sexy or impressive about being late. So be on time for everything. Tardy is tawdry.

Be Willing. Employers notice people who are willing to take on the tough assignments and the boring but necessary assignments, and who are willing stay late, come in early, skip lunch and do whatever is necessary to get the job done well and on time. If you can’t be enthusiastic about what you're doing, and aren’t willing to do more than what is in your job description, consider getting another job.

Be Still. Work on your listening skills. There is a reason we all have two ears and only one mouth. Use them proportionately.

Be Resilient. Let your mistakes get you down. Then get back up. It’s important to take the time to grieve over, not gloss over, a mistake. Review your actions and how you might do things differently next time. Then move on and be stronger, wiser. You will learn some of your most important lessons from your mistakes, so seize the opportunity to be a student of your own failure.

Be Joyful. Find joy and meaning in what you do. Joy is contagious; let yours ‘infect’ the people you work with and make for a more pleasurable, meaningful work environment.

Be Nice. Take time to acknowledge and really see the people you encounter in all types of jobs throughout your day. Be courteous and caring to everyone, regardless of status or position. Call the store clerk or receptionist by name. Don’t know it? Read the name tag or name plate. Ask how her day is. And mean it. Say “please” and “thank you.” Make eye contact. Take the time to make the personal connection. As you mature, you will come to realize that it’s not who you know, it’s who you are.

Be Moral. Take the high road; stand for honesty and goodness. The term “Business Ethics” doesn’t have to be an oxymoron.

Be Better. You are a work in progress. Your status quo isn’t good enough. Who you are today doesn’t have to be who you’ve been or who you’ll be 10 or 20 years from now. Strive to improve yourself professionally and, more importantly, personally.

Be Patient. It's essential to remember that "patience is a virtue" -- especially as it relates to finding the ideal job, awaiting a promotion or a pay increase. Like Rome, your career won't be built in a day. Everything takes time, persistence, a game plan, a belief in oneself and the right attitude. Everyone who has ever achieved stardom, a position of power, fame and (yes) fortune -- from actor Jim Carrey to software billionaire Bill Gates to television icon Oprah Winfrey will tell you this. Everyone has a story of struggles, moments of truth and his or her journey. Everyone starts somewhere. Although it may be difficult to understand now, you really will enjoy and appreciate what you have much more if you have to work for it and toward it.

-- Sue Morem is a professional speaker, best-selling author and syndicated columnist. Her books include How to Gain the Professional Edge, 101 Tips for Graduates, and the just released How to Get a Job and Keep It, Second Edition. You can send questions to her by email at asksue@suemorem.com or visit her web site at http://www.suemorem.com.

Read more of Sue’s articles by clicking here: Ask Sue

Posted by Candice Arnold on June 14, 2007 at 10:54 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Dear Sue:

I am the manager of a small business. The owners have three other offices and a manufacturing facility, so they rarely come to this office. The only other employee at this office is an outside salesperson. He is the one who hired me, and earlier this year helped me get a substantial raise.

The problem is that I rarely see him, and although he takes care of his main customer and the occasional delivery we have, most of the time he is unavailable. He keeps his cell phone turned off, which makes it impossible for his customers to reach him, and he relies on me to handle everything else.

The last manager who was in my position tried to tell the owners what was going on, but I think that is what lead to his termination. The salesman has a strong relationship with his boss, who is one of the owners of the company. I know that they would not fire him if I said anything and it would probably make my work here unbearable.

I’ve worked here for two and a half years, and have worked in this industry much longer. Jobs are scarce, so if I left, I don’t know where I would go. The problem is that my work load is so heavy that I am becoming more and more stressed out. Should I blow the whistle and see what happens or stay here and endure the stress?

- Stressed

Sue Says:

If your stress is your biggest concern, I doubt you will get rid of it by blowing the whistle; you likely will add even more stress to an already stressful situation. This is not to say you shouldn’t do something about your situation, because you should. I’m just not convinced you have only two options.

What is your relationship like with the salesperson? I assume it can’t be too bad—after all, he has shown his support for you and appears to appreciate the work you do. He is the one who recently helped you get a substantial raise, isn’t he? So why then, do you assume you can’t talk to him and tell him that you need help with your heavy workload?

I am sure you have your reasons for believing the salesperson is not working to his capacity, but I am not sure what they are. Do you have a clear understanding of both his, and your, responsibilities? Do you know how much time he spends tending to his “main” customer? Do you keep track of his daily schedule?

Perhaps you need to concern yourself less with what he is or isn’t doing, and become clearer about your priorities or job duties. Is a big part of your job to support him or are your responsibilities to the owners and other aspects of the business? If you find that you are doing work that is his responsibility, not yours, you need to talk to him about it, not the owners. If he refuses to listen or take responsibility for himself, you may have no choice but to involve the owners, but don’t do it until you first try to work things out with him.

If you have more work than you can handle for reasons that have nothing to do with the salesperson, talk with your supervisor, an owner or whoever you report to. Perhaps he or she can help you; a discussion can help clarify what your top priorities and focus should be.

You don’t need to “blow the whistle” on anyone. When you talk about your challenges, and where your time is going each day, if too much of it is spent supporting the salesperson, it will be apparent to your supervisor.

Deal with your problem, which is an increasingly heavy workload that is becoming more and more difficult to manage. Be solution, not problem oriented. What questions do you need answered? What suggestions do you have for improving the situation?

When you take matters into your own hands, you will help yourself, and ultimately, deal with your stress more effectively.

-- Sue Morem is a professional speaker, best-selling author and syndicated columnist. Her books include How to Gain the Professional Edge, 101 Tips for Graduates, and the just released How to Get a Job and Keep It, Second Edition. You can send questions to her by email at asksue@suemorem.com or visit her web site at http://www.suemorem.com.

Read more of Sue’s articles by clicking here: Ask Sue

Posted by Candice Arnold on June 14, 2007 at 10:07 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Dear Sue:

I was denied employment because of my age. I filed an age discrimination claim but nothing that I know of was done.

I think this is an injustice and want something done. I contacted newspapers and television stations, but they were more concerned with protecting the company’s rights than mine as a victim of age discrimination. I tried contacting AARP, but they were more concerned about the high cost of prescription medication than their members being denied employment due to their age.

What’s the best way to pass word around about this company and its practices?

- Looking for revenge

Sue Says:

I am sorry to hear about your experience, but I don’t think seeking revenge is in your best interest. You tried to spread the word by using the media, which is most efficient, and you filed a complaint. I am not sure what more you can, or should do, other than move on. Why continue to focus on something so negative? What do you hope to gain from it?

Use this experience to educate yourself and others. Channel your energy into finding another job. You can continue to try to hurt this company, but in reality, you are only hurting yourself. Learn from what happened, and move on. You will be better for it.

-- Sue Morem is a professional speaker, best-selling author and syndicated columnist. Her books include How to Gain the Professional Edge, 101 Tips for Graduates, and the just released How to Get a Job and Keep It, Second Edition. You can send questions to her by email at asksue@suemorem.com or visit her web site at http://www.suemorem.com.

Read more of Sue’s articles by clicking here: Ask Sue

Posted by Candice Arnold on June 14, 2007 at 10:04 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

You know the drill. Don't you?

Arrive on time, dress to fit the job/workplace, sit up straight, don’t fidget, smile, be ready to ask smart questions, know something about the company and its products/services. Voilà! You have aced the job interview!

But wait. There's more. There's a "secret": Pretend to yourself that you don’t want the job.

Of course, you still do all the above things--be prepared, be enthusiastic, be charming, etc.--BUT at the same time, somewhere in your mind, you should hold the thought that you don’t really need this job.

That in fact there are lots of other jobs out there. That you–-YOU!–-have other options in life, better or just as good as this job.

Why? Because it takes the edge off. It removes that whiff of over-eagerness, of fear, that is such a downer. Desperation! No one likes it!

So even if it is not true, even if in fact you feel/suspect/fear/know that this job is absolutely your last hope and you will starve to death without it, conduct a little self-brainwashing session right before the interview and convince yourself that this is not your only chance, that there are other jobs, that you have options, that you are a desirable employee/human being, and that most of all you are in demand.

Remember: The effects of the self-brainwashing only have to last as long as the interview. Then you can go home, collapse, eat an entire bag of potato chips, whine to your cat, do yoga–whatever it is you do to relieve stress.

Try it. It has worked for Working Girl many, many times (she’s had 59 jobs!).

Oh, and don’t forget to write and send (via snail mail) a thank you note the very same day of the interview.

-- By Karen Burns, Working Girl. This article is courtesy of Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching entry level jobs and other career opportunities.

Posted by Steven Rothberg, CollegeRecruiter.com on June 14, 2007 at 6:19 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Dear Sue:

I am a legal assistant and sole employee of the attorney I work for. When he and his wife purchased the office building we are in, they merged their offices and I was told I would be doing work for his wife's business in addition to the work I was already doing.

I told the attorney that I thought it was too much for me, and I've tried to convince them to hire another employee, but they will not. I honestly feel I am doing the work of three people; I answer the phones, do the bookkeeping, schedule appointments and greet clients for both businesses, in addition to all of the legal assistant research and preparation work I do.

I am paid well by the attorney, but have never received any money from his wife. Both businesses are very busy, and I can't keep this up any more. I've told this to the attorney, but he insists I will be fine.

I've spent over nine years working with this attorney, and I feel I am being taken advantage of. I don't know what I should say or do. Please help.

- Angie

Sue Says:

You need to sit down with the attorney and his wife and tell them exactly what you have told me. Although you've told the attorney you can't keep up and you tried to convince him to hire additional help, you've continued to prove yourself wrong. You've pushed yourself to do the work of three people, and been able to manage the needs of two businesses very nicely. No wonder the attorney insists you'll be fine; from his perspective you are -- both he and his wife are getting their needs met.

You should feel good about your ability to manage such a heavy workload, and need not apologize for choosing not to continue at this pace. Your comments and suggestions will have little impact unless you stop doing the work of three people and clearly state new boundaries. You need to define exactly what you are willing and not willing to do, and for what amount of money. They may try to push you to do more for less, but this time, don't back down. While I'm not suggesting you be unwilling to compromise, be careful not to shortchange yourself.

You already have taken on more than you can handle. If you want to offer to help hire someone it is up to you, but it isn't a job you must take on. You don't need anything else added to your already overloaded workload. Relinquish that task into the hands of the attorney and his wife, where it belongs.

-- Sue Morem is a professional speaker, best-selling author and syndicated columnist. Her books include How to Gain the Professional Edge, 101 Tips for Graduates, and the just released How to Get a Job and Keep It, Second Edition. You can send questions to her by email at asksue@suemorem.com or visit her web site at http://www.suemorem.com.

Read more of Sue's articles by clicking here: Ask Sue

Posted by Candice Arnold on June 13, 2007 at 6:21 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Dear Sue:

I work in a nice office with some very pleasant people. There is, however, one person I work with who talks so loudly that it becomes hard for me to keep my focus. My job requires a keen sense of concentration, but I am unable to concentrate when this loud talking is going on. He has been asked time and time again to keep his voice down, but he doesn’t seem to get the message. What can be done to stop him from talking so loud?

- Distracted

Sue Says:

If your coworker has been asked to keep his voice down repeatedly, but does not comply, there must be a reason. He could just be a rude, insensitive man, purposely ignoring your requests, or maybe he believes he is honoring your request; he may think he keeping his voice down, yet unaware of how loud he is talking. People don’t hear themselves as others do. He may talk louder if he doesn’t hear well. Or, he may be struggling to break a habit; he’s probably talked this way his entire life.

Are you the only one bothered by his loud talking or is it a problem for others as well? If he is a nuisance to everyone, there is power in numbers; collectively decide what action to take. You’ll have to do more than nicely ask him to keep his voice down; you need to tell him how disruptive he is. If management gets involved, perhaps moving him to a room with a door to close or a further distance from others will help.

If you are the only person who is bothered by his talking, then the problem may not be about him—the problem may lie within you.

Everyone is different; while some people can tune out distractions easily, others cannot. Some people work better with background noise, and others need complete silence to concentrate. Because you are having trouble focusing on your work, and over focusing on your coworker's loud conversations, look for ways to tune him out. Try playing soft music, “white” noise, or running a fan in your office. These soothing noises will help cover other noises, and hopefully drown out his loud voice. If background noise doesn’t help, consider wearing earplugs.

Of course, you don’t have to shoulder all the responsibility or be the only one who changes, but you do need to accept some of the responsibility. Acknowledge your challenges as well; let him know you are sensitive to outside distractions. You don’t want him to feel he is being personally attacked or picked on. When you own the problem and ask for his support in helping you, he is more likely to comply.

-- Sue Morem is a professional speaker, best-selling author and syndicated columnist. Her books include How to Gain the Professional Edge, 101 Tips for Graduates, and the just released How to Get a Job and Keep It, Second Edition. You can send questions to her by email at asksue@suemorem.com or visit her web site at http://www.suemorem.com.

Read more of Sue’s articles by clicking here: Ask Sue

Posted by Candice Arnold on June 13, 2007 at 8:14 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Dear Sue:

I noticed this past week that our managers now wear ties to work. We customarily do not do so and I am not in a managerial position yet. How would my superiors view it if I chose to wear a tie to work occasionally?

- George

Sue Says:

You don’t need to have a managerial position to wear a tie, and you don’t have to feel awkward if you choose to wear one. Chances are you would be viewed favorably for caring enough about your job to care about your appearance. When you make the effort to dress more professionally, it will be noticed. And your timing couldn’t be better; a return to more formal business attire has been predicted and slowly is evolving.

Company execs who, years ago shed their power suits in favor of casual, and more comfortable clothing, are rethinking their decisions. Casual clothing, once taboo in the workplace, initially entered the scene as a one-day-a-week trend. Friday, the most popular day for casual attire, was referred to as “casual” or “dress-down” day. It didn’t take long until employees most everywhere were dressing more casually, and comfortably, every day of the week.

However, as time went on, casual dress led to careless dress and carefree attitudes. Such negligence is not a good business practice and did not go unnoticed or without consequences.

As a result, a growing number of companies are revamping their dress codes entirely. The pendulum is swinging back to more formal, and traditional, workplace attire. “Dress-down day” is being replaced with “Dress-up” day and “Formal Friday” is replacing “Casual Friday.”

Most employers urge employees to make changes in their wardrobe, according to a survey conducted by No-Nonsense. With jeans topping the list as the one thing bosses would change about their employees’ attire, other responses included the desire to see employees dressing more formally, wearing suit jackets, and avoiding tight or revealing clothing. Nearly two-thirds of the managers surveyed agreed that employees who wear more professional attire advance faster in their careers.

When vying for a position or promotion, employers must look for reasons to disqualify some of the many (equally) qualified candidates they have. Image plays a big part when determining the best person for a job. If two people have similar credentials, but one appears to be more qualified, he or she will have an advantage. The person who looks more professional and successful is likely to be be viewed more favorably.

Rarely is personal appearance discussed in employee reviews, yet I’ve heard countless stories from individuals who attribute a promotion or a raise to the fact that they dressed better than they needed to and “looked” as though they were ready for advancement.

I’ve also heard from managers who didn’t promote someone because they didn’t look ready to take on more responsibility.

If you do nothing differently other than start wearing a tie to work each day, that action alone will change the perception others have of you. When you resemble management you will appear as though you are ready to move into a managerial position. Even if you’ve tried, but failed, to draw attention to yourself before, the change in your appearance could be what it takes for you to draw attention to yourself now.

-- Sue Morem is a professional speaker, best-selling author and syndicated columnist. Her books include How to Gain the Professional Edge, 101 Tips for Graduates, and the just released How to Get a Job and Keep It, Second Edition. You can send questions to her by email at asksue@suemorem.com or visit her web site at http://www.suemorem.com.

Read more of Sue’s articles by clicking here: Ask Sue

Posted by Candice Arnold on June 13, 2007 at 8:02 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Dear Sue:

Is it proper to speak in a foreign language in a corporate atmosphere? Isn't it rude to speak a foreign language like Russian or German when others don’t understand? We work in cubicles and can hear each others' conversations. When I need to make a personal phone call that I don't want people to hear, I use a phone in an office and shut the door. My coworker, however, begins her conversations in English and then switches to her foreign language, talking loud enough for everyone to hear, but not understand. I always get the feeling that this person is hiding something and/or showing off that she can converse in private without anyone knowing what she is saying. Am I being too critical? Should I take up a foreign language myself?

- Shut out

Sue Says:

It can be awkward to be around people speaking in a language that is foreign to you, and understandable that you feel excluded. However, you might be reading too much into the reason your coworker switches to her native language when talking on the phone. I doubt your coworker is intentionally trying to make you feel uncomfortable. There is a good chance he or she doesn’t even realize speaking in another language is creating a problem for anyone. There is a chance your coworker is saying something he or she doesn’t want you to hear, but probably has more to do with his or her comfort speaking in a particular language than anything else.

Depending on who your coworker is speaking with, he or she could be accommodating the person on the other end of the line—perhaps that person doesn’t speak or understand English well and communicates more effectively in another language.

While I agree it can become awkward when around people who appear to be switching languages to say things they don’t want others to hear, try not to judge them too harshly or assume their conversation has anything to do with you.

Take a foreign language if you want, but don’t do it for the sole purpose of trying to understand what others are saying. You shouldn’t feel threatened by differences or allow language be a barrier. Why not ask your coworker the reason he or she often switches languages during conversations? Perhaps if you got to know your coworker better it would ease some of your suspicions. You might learn something and will benefit by getting to know your coworker better.

-- Sue Morem is a professional speaker, best-selling author and syndicated columnist. Her books include How to Gain the Professional Edge, 101 Tips for Graduates, and the just released How to Get a Job and Keep It, Second Edition. You can send questions to her by email at asksue@suemorem.com or visit her web site at http://www.suemorem.com.

Read more of Sue’s articles by clicking here: Ask Sue

Posted by Candice Arnold on June 12, 2007 at 8:21 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Dear Sue:

I am appalled by the number of well educated people in professional positions who chew gum. I would never hire anyone who chewed a piece of gum during an interview or buy from someone who chewed gum in my presence. Am I old fashioned?

- Not a gum chewer

Sue Says:

You are not old fashioned. Chewing gum is unprofessional. I’ve heard from others who feel strongly about gum-chewers, especially when they snap, crack, or blow bubbles with their gum. Most people don’t realize how noisy and distracting their chewing is. Like smoking, finger tapping, and constant clearing of the throat, chewing gum is a bad habit that can drive other people mad.

Don’t be too hard on the gum chewers you meet; everyone has imperfections and idiosyncrasies. We all should be more aware of our habits and our affect on others. A person may chew gum to calm his or her nerves, but many fidget instead. Some people play with and twirl their hair, others their rings or earrings. Some people repeatedly pick up and put down their glasses, others tap their fingers or pen.

Some people pick their teeth, others pick their ears, eyes, or nose. Picking should never be done in public—pay a visit to the restroom if you need to remove something. Blow your nose in public, but try telling that to someone who has allergies or a bad cold. If you must blow your nose, do it as quietly and discreetly as possible. Always handle your tissue with care; no one should have to see what you’ve blown into it.

Awareness is the key. Most people don’t offend others on purpose. You’d be doing people a favor if you’d tell them how you feel about their gum chewing. If you’d rather not, consider displaying a “No gum chewing” sign in your office and see where the conversation leads.

-- Sue Morem is a professional speaker, best-selling author and syndicated columnist. Her books include How to Gain the Professional Edge, 101 Tips for Graduates, and the just released How to Get a Job and Keep It, Second Edition. You can send questions to her by email at asksue@suemorem.com or visit her web site at http://www.suemorem.com.

Read more of Sue’s articles by clicking here: Ask Sue

Posted by Candice Arnold on June 12, 2007 at 5:33 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Dear Sue:

I am frequently interrupted while trying to do my work. I think people should attempt to find the information they are looking for before asking for my help, but many do not. Some days I am so busy helping others, I have a difficult time getting my own work done. I don’t want to be rude and want to be helpful, but I don’t want to see my own work suffer. What should I do?

- Interrupted

Sue Says:

You’ve done something already; you’ve recognized interruptions are a problem for you. Rather than wait until you are interrupted again, you are looking for more effective ways to handle the interruptions when they occur.

Interruptions are more disruptive than you may think. When someone calls or comes to you to with a question, the amount of time it takes you to respond may be minimal compared to the time it takes for you to get back to doing what you were doing before you were interrupted.

Interruptions, no matter how brief, interfere with your thought process and can affect your ability to get things done on time. You’ll never be able to eliminate all interruptions, and depending on your job, responding to others may be required. You can, however, take steps to reduce the number of needless interruptions you have.

Most people don’t realize how much time in their day is wasted time. The amount of time you spend on the telephone or e-mail may take up more of your time than you think. Unless you must personally answer all calls or immediately respond to e-mail, if you are working on something and don’t want to be interrupted, think twice before answering the phone or reading e-mail whenever it arrives. Turn off the ringer and the sound on your computer. Let the calls roll over into voice mail, and return them at a time more convenient for you and check your e-mail at designated times throughout the day. For the benefit of those who expect an immediate response, leave an outgoing voicemail greeting stating when you will return calls, or use the “out of office" reply on your e-mail.

Consider hanging a “Do not disturb” or other sign on your door, wall, or desk during the times you prefer not to be interrupted. Tell people in advance what it means and request they honor it unless it is an emergency.

Establish set hours for interruptions. Continue to be available, but during specific times of the day instead of randomly throughout the day. Notify your coworkers and tell them the reason why. People will respect your desire to work more efficiently.

Do what you must to make your work area less inviting. Remove candy sitting out in candy dishes and extra chairs near your desk.

When someone enters your office, stand up and ask, “What can I do for you?” This will be less inviting to the person who might typically plop in to a chair and gab for awhile, and force him or her to identify the real reason for stopping by. If it’s a request that is easier to take care of on the spot, then do. Otherwise, tell the person you can’t talk right now, and offer to set a time to meet and talk with him or her later in the day.

When all else fails and you’ve got work to do, but too many interruptions to get it done, find another place to do your work and leave your office.

-- Sue Morem is a professional speaker, best-selling author and syndicated columnist. Her books include How to Gain the Professional Edge, 101 Tips for Graduates, and the just released How to Get a Job and Keep It, Second Edition. You can send questions to her by email at asksue@suemorem.com or visit her web site at http://www.suemorem.com.

Read more of Sue’s articles by clicking here: Ask Sue

Posted by Candice Arnold on June 12, 2007 at 9:53 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Dear Sue:

I am a teacher in an adult school. Although it is written in the student handbook that no food is to be consumed in the classroom, I have allowed my students to eat in my classroom during a break or at lunchtime and I have done the same. I know of several other teachers who allow this also.

The other day when my boss came in to my classroom during a break period he saw me eating a sandwich. He also noticed many of the students eating too. Later that day he informed me I was not to eat in class any longer. I agreed. He then told me that I was to eat my lunch with the other employees in the office break room and that I was also supposed to come up to the office and mingle at break times.

It's not that I don’t like my fellow co-workers. I just have a stressful job, and time alone for a meal in my classroom is wonderful, and relaxing. I prefer time alone during a break and it is just what I need to complete my day. I think his requests are out of line. What if I choose to eat alone, and perhaps even off campus? I don’t feel it should matter to my boss where I eat my lunch or with whom. What do you think? Do you have any suggestions?

- Patricia

Sue Says:

I agree with you that your boss should not tell you who you can eat with, and unless you are required to stay in the building during lunch, you should be free to choose to eat your lunch wherever you want. However, if the school prohibits eating in the classroom for both teachers and students, then you should not be eating in the classroom. Theoretically, since you have a break room you can eat in, you should be eating there and most likely the majority of the other teachers do. I am sure there are others like you who either prefer time alone or use their lunch time to get other things done and they probably do—I don’t see anything wrong with that.

You need to talk to your boss. The first thing you should do is apologize for allowing your students to eat in the classroom. This is something you knew was not permitted, but you allowed it anyway. Express your regret and assure your boss it won’t happen again. Then ask him if the same rules apply to teachers. Explain the reasons you prefer to eat in the classroom and why time alone is necessary for you and how you feel it impacts your job performance.

There is a good chance your boss doesn’t really care where you eat or with whom, but does not want you eating in the classroom. Perhaps he was just letting you know that there is a place (the break room) specially designed for you to eat and take your breaks, and that you should go there, not that you must go there. However, you should ask for clarification.
Assuming you have more freedom than your boss made it sound you do, my recommendation is that you vary your routine and make an attempt to eat and take breaks in the break room every now and then. You can still spend time alone the majority of your break time by yourself, but if you do it all the time you risk appearing uninterested in others and unapproachable. When you show up once in awhile you will appear less distant and part of the team. It may help if you explain to others the reason you frequently choose to eat alone to ensure no one takes your absence personally or thinks you don’t enjoy their company.

I understand it may not be what you want to do, but it is important for you to stay connected with others and not isolate yourself all the time. You’d be surprised how much you can benefit by mingling with the other teachers. You will gain information, stay informed about what is going on and may even gain insight that will help you resolve some of the challenges you face. Camaraderie with coworkers is an important and beneficial aspect of any job. It may even be just what you need to relieve some of the stress.

-- Sue Morem is a professional speaker, best-selling author and syndicated columnist. Her books include How to Gain the Professional Edge, 101 Tips for Graduates, and the just released How to Get a Job and Keep It, Second Edition. You can send questions to her by email at asksue@suemorem.com or visit her web site at http://www.suemorem.com.

Read more of Sue’s articles by clicking here: Ask Sue

Posted by Candice Arnold on June 11, 2007 at 7:51 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Dear Sue:

Three months ago I changed jobs and companies. The change resulted in both significant salary and benefit increases; however, I now find myself bored beyond belief. The only projects I am assigned are so easy that I can complete them within minutes. I am not using the knowledge I gained in my last position, as I assumed I would. I’ve told my manager that I need more to do, but so far, haven’t been given more challenging work.

The opportunities for learning are non-existent. They only offer what I already know in my area and the things they offer that interest me do not pertain to my specific position.

I feel as if I have taken a step backwards. The challenges I anticipated have not materialized and my duties do not indicate that this will change any time soon.

I am finding little in the job that interests me and the only motivation I have right now is the salary and upcoming vacation time. I don't know what to do. How would it look to leave this job after just a few months?

- Disillusioned

Sue Says:

I think you need to stop worrying about what it looks like and do what you need to do to feel productive and useful again. You made a job move that didn’t turn out to be what you thought it was. You are better off doing something about it now than waiting three or six or twelve more months until you do.

The first thing you should do is talk with your manager again and make sure you are very clear about what is going on and why you are so disillusioned. Ask specific questions and make sure you get the answers you need to help you decide whether or not there is any reason for you to stay. You need to find out if there is a reason for you to stay. Your manager will never know how unhappy you are unless you tell him. Perhaps there is something that can be done and you both will benefit. If not, you can look elsewhere.

It didn’t take you long to realize you made a mistake, and you are better off leaving quickly. You are being proactive and leaving for good reasons, which will reflect positively on you. As long as you haven’t made a habit of changing jobs every few months, it shouldn’t be a problem for you. Wanting to feel challenged and productive is admirable and something that will be attractive to other employers. You’ve learned a lot and hopefully will base future decisions on different criteria. Money and benefits are important, but as you have seen, are not the only factors that lead to job satisfaction.

Try to determine what you missed during the interview process for the job you have now; what didn’t you see and what do you need to do differently as a result? When you are about to make a decision about whether or not to accept another job, don’t rush and be sure you take your time. Find out all you can about the position and the specifics of the job you will be doing. Do whatever you need to make sure you don’t make a similar mistake the next time you are about make a move.

-- Sue Morem is a professional speaker, best-selling author and syndicated columnist. Her books include How to Gain the Professional Edge, 101 Tips for Graduates, and the just released How to Get a Job and Keep It, Second Edition. You can send questions to her by email at asksue@suemorem.com or visit her web site at http://www.suemorem.com.

Read more of Sue’s articles by clicking here: Ask Sue

Posted by Candice Arnold on June 11, 2007 at 5:07 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Dear Sue:

A few weeks ago, as I was getting ready to leave work early for a doctor’s appointment, I received an email that had to be downloaded. I asked my coworker if she would help me out and she graciously accepted the chore.

Apparently while my coworker was downloading the file, she did some snooping and read some of the other e-mails on my computer. She found an e-mail I wrote my husband that had some negative comments about her in it. She shared the e-mail with others at work and I heard about it from someone.

I would never talk to anyone at work about her and I try to not hurt other people’s feelings. I had no idea she would read it and never intended her to. I feel bad she read it, but I am angry she went through my e-mail and invaded my privacy.

I confessed to my boss about it because I didn't want her to find out from my nosey coworker. She seemed fine and basically told me not to worry about it. I learned a valuable lesson and know now not to write personal e-mails at work any more. I will forgive and forget and not mention it to her because I don't want to cause problems for the person who told me about it, but I am not sure if I am handling it the right way. How am I supposed to deal with a nosey, gossiping coworker?

- Invaded

Sue Says:

Your coworker was wrong to go through your e-mail, but she is not the only one—your other coworkers should have said something or try to stop her from distributing it.

Keeping silent is your choice, but you have every right to say something to her, and might feel better if you do. You don’t have to tell her who told you — you can simply say you heard about it without naming anyone. Your boss and others know, so it isn’t a secret, and people do tend to talk. Besides, she is responsible for what she did, not the person who told you.

You can tell her what you told me, and if you want you can explain the reason for writing about her to your husband. It will help if you tell her you didn’t intend to hurt her and were just letting off steam -- you chose to write your husband instead of involving others at work. After all, you thought you were sending a confidential e-mail.

You learned a valuable lesson, and are smart to be cautious and aware of anything you send in an e-mail from work. It’s a good reminder for all of us.

-- Sue Morem is a professional speaker, best-selling author and syndicated columnist. Her books include How to Gain the Professional Edge, 101 Tips for Graduates, and the just released How to Get a Job and Keep It, Second Edition. You can send questions to her by email at asksue@suemorem.com or visit her web site at http://www.suemorem.com.

Read more of Sue’s articles by clicking here: Ask Sue

Posted by Candice Arnold on June 11, 2007 at 8:00 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Dear Sue:

I left my last job when someone else got the position I was hoping I’d get. My manager seemed surprised when I told her I was disappointed. Now that I have another job I want to be sure I am not overlooked a second time. What do I need to do to ensure this doesn’t happen again?

- Overlooked

Sue Says:

You need to make your desires and ambitions known. Never assume management or anyone else knows what you want; no one can read your mind. People focus on their own issues and problems first; few have the time to worry or wonder about everyone else. Never assume others know how you feel or what you want. Hinting at what you want by making subtle or sarcastic remark isn’t enough—you’ve got to be specific and tell others what you need. It doesn’t do any good to hope for a promotion or anything else you want if no one else knows what you’re hoping for.

Whether you want a promotion, an increase in income, or an understanding of what you need to do to get what you want, say something. Don’t keep it a secret or talk to others who have nothing to do with the situation--talk to the people involved and be specific about your desires and intentions. Don’t rely on others to speak for you, drop hints, or beat around the bush. People can’t read your mind or fill in the blanks.

If you want something, it’s up to you to get it. Let others know what you need and ask for what you want. There’s no guarantee you’ll get what you ask for, but you will increase your chances.

-- Sue Morem is a professional speaker, best-selling author and syndicated columnist. Her books include How to Gain the Professional Edge, 101 Tips for Graduates, and the just released How to Get a Job and Keep It, Second Edition. You can send questions to her by email at asksue@suemorem.com or visit her web site at http://www.suemorem.com.

Read more of Sue’s articles by clicking here: Ask Sue

Posted by Candice Arnold on June 8, 2007 at 4:47 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Dear Sue:

I have what I think is a unique idea for a business. For years I’ve thought about going off on my own and starting my own business. I worry about someone else coming up with my idea before I’ve done anything about it, and I know I’ll regret it if I never try, but I fear I’ll regret it more if I try and then fail. Do you have any advice for me?

- Chicken

Sue Says:

No one sets out to fail; most people seek success, not failure, yet almost every successful person has failed before succeeding.

The truth is that failure isn’t always bad. It can humble you, teach you, and helps prepare you for success. Every set back you have, rejection you experience, and hardship you encounter will teach you something of value, and help you to appreciate success when you reach it.

Behind the story of every successful person is a story of a time when things were different. Everyone has struggles, challenges, and obstacles to overcome.

Abraham Lincoln failed numerous times; he was defeated and rejected, but it didn’t stop him from running, and then becoming, one of America’s most recognized and respected presidents.

Thomas Edison failed thousands of times before he successfully invented the light bulb. He never would have succeeded had he given up trying.

Joanne Rowling, creator of Harry Potter, was an unemployed single mother when she wrote her first manuscript. Today she is one of Brittan’s wealthiest women.

Walt Disney suffered financial problems and a nervous breakdown before achieving fame and fortune.

The truth is that everyone starts somewhere. The tough times you go through will help prepare you for the better times yet to come. Everything takes time, persistence, a game plan, a belief in oneself, and the right attitude.

Successful people don’t fear failure; they view failure as a temporary setback, not a permanent position. Successful people don’t give up; they believe they will succeed. They focus on possibilities and tend to quickly rebound after a set-back or problem.

Instead of fearing failure, you can anticipate it and learn from your mistakes.

Every time you fail, rest assured you’re one step closer to success. Don’t be ashamed of failing; why not give yourself credit for trying? The only people who’ve never failed are those who have never tried.

-- Sue Morem is a professional speaker, best-selling author and syndicated columnist. Her books include How to Gain the Professional Edge, 101 Tips for Graduates, and the just released How to Get a Job and Keep It, Second Edition. You can send questions to her by email at asksue@suemorem.com or visit her web site at http://www.suemorem.com.

Read more of Sue’s articles by clicking here: Ask Sue

Posted by Candice Arnold on June 8, 2007 at 4:42 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

International career opportunities are an increasingly viable and attractive option, especially for recent college graduates. Likewise, the number of international professional employees working in the United States continues to be strong. Cultures will inevitably cross in the workplace, but what can be done to avoid culture clashes?

In an interview in Business Week, author Maya Hu-Chan explains that communication styles impact cross cultural interactions in the workplace. For example, the issue of "losing face" is one that arises for many cultures, but is often less of a concern to US workers. Hu-Chan encourages US employees to "cultivate an intellectual grace and kindness which will allow you to ensure that a point is understood without shaming your colleague." Hu-chan also recommends employees avoid using slang.

Using too many culturally narrow expressions, idioms, colloquialisms, and even too much humor can cause your message to be totally lost in translation. Your global associates may misinterpret what you said, or not understand you at all, but remain too polite to ask what has been said. For instance, one global manager from Malaysia was upset that his boss said "no-brainer" in a recent conversation. He thought his boss was insulting him by calling him stupid.

Steotypes can also impact cross-cultural interactions in the workplace - you cannot assume that Asian colleagues are good with technology or that co-workers from the Caribbean are always late. Whether you're a US employee or an international professional working in the US or abroad, resist the temptation to stereotype your colleagues. Rather, take the time to learn about the cultures represented in your workplace by getting to know the individuals with whom you work. While embracing your cultural differences, you'll likely find remarkable similarities!

Posted by Grace Kutney on June 7, 2007 at 11:05 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Dear Sue:

How do I find a job I can enjoy? I haven’t had a job I’m excited about going to, but would like to find one.

- J.S.

Sue Says:

Few people start out in the job of their dreams. It can take years to figure out what you really want to be doing. Pay close attention to the things you do, both in and outside of work. Notice what you are doing when you feel most energized and alert. Try to determine what you would do if you could spend your time doing anything you wanted. What do you most frequently think about, talk about, or read about? Start by identifying the things you are most interested in and enthused about.

If getting a paycheck is the only thing motivating you to get out of bed and go to work each day, try to identify ways to find more meaning in your work. Are you connecting with your coworkers and customers? Strong relationships are an important aspect of any job, and knowing that you are making a difference in someone’s life is rewarding. Look for ways to reach out to others. Connecting with and helping others will help you too, and may improve the way you feel about every other aspect of a job.

Some people love every job they have, and it’s not because each job is perfect. They have the ability to find the good in what they do. Although some jobs are better than others, no job will make you happy if you are unhappy. If you are consistently dissatisfied, before you look to change jobs again, think about making changes within.

-- Sue Morem is a professional speaker, best-selling author and syndicated columnist. Her books include How to Gain the Professional Edge, 101 Tips for Graduates, and the just released How to Get a Job and Keep It, Second Edition. You can send questions to her by email at asksue@suemorem.com or visit her web site at http://www.suemorem.com.

Read more of Sue’s articles by clicking here: Ask Sue

Posted by Candice Arnold on June 7, 2007 at 10:36 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Dear Sue:

I’ve noticed that you and other columnists often advise your readers to talk to someone about a problem. My question is who is someone? Is it a psychologist, a counselor or other professional of some kind? Who should someone turn to when he or she may not know who to turn to? And isn’t it wrong to burden others with your personal problems?

- Looking for someone

Sue Says:

When you are struggling with a problem, talking it over with someone else can help. Whether that person simply reassures you, offers a different perspective, has advice, or connects you with resources or other people who can help you, you will benefit. You don’t want to burden others with every little problem you have, but if you are struggling with something and don’t know where to turn, you should seek assistance. The “someone” you should talk to will vary depending on the circumstances.

Some matters are best discussed with a close friend or family member. Many work related and career issues can be resolved by talking directly with the person involved, a supervisor, someone in human resources or a career advisor. Sometimes it’s best to talk to a person who is removed from the situation. When you want an unbiased and objective perspective, seek someone from the outside: a counselor, a coach, a mediator, a mentor, or anyone you know will not be affected by the outcome.

The process of working through a problem is beneficial in many ways and will help you see things more objectively. Personal problems should be discussed discreetly and with someone you trust be it a physician, or mental health professional. Dwelling on a problem without taking any action is stressful and a waste of time. In fact, many problems can be easily resolved, but instead are blown out of proportion. Focus on finding solutions; when you ask for help, the right person can help you shift your focus.

Confronting someone about a problem does not have to be confrontational or combative, and seeking professional guidance is nothing to be embarrassed about. Every problem you face can teach you something new about yourself and others.

Problems are inevitable, and few are insurmountable. Everyone has problems to deal with. It may be easier to avoid your problems than face them, but they never really go away unless you do. You may be able to push a problem aside temporarily, but chances are it will surface again. Whatever it is you’re trying to avoid could be the reason you’re having the problem in the first place. It takes courage and discipline to tackle the problems you encounter.

If you have a problem with someone or something, remember it is your problem, not theirs. When you don’t know where to turn, ask others for suggestions. Research the internet, look in the yellow pages, and ask others for referrals. Take responsibility not only for your contribution to the problems you have, but for finding that “someone” who can help you resolve it.

-- Sue Morem is a professional speaker, best-selling author and syndicated columnist. Her books include How to Gain the Professional Edge, 101 Tips for Graduates, and the just released How to Get a Job and Keep It, Second Edition. You can send questions to her by email at asksue@suemorem.com or visit her web site at http://www.suemorem.com.

Read more of Sue’s articles by clicking here: Ask Sue

Posted by Candice Arnold on June 7, 2007 at 9:39 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Dear Sue:

Has civilized, well-mannered life in the business world (as we used to know it) taken a nose-dive? Never have I seen such a breach of manners and etiquette as I have in recent months.

Recently, I made a beautiful adult-sized quilt for a client. I did not receive a thank-you note. I gave a book to another client who had a serious operation and is recovering; no response. I referred business to another colleague and never received a thank-you note or phone call.

I am very disturbed at this behavior. Is this the new corporate etiquette? I know one does not give gifts or perform acts of kindness for the sole purpose of receiving an acknowledgment, but since when is it acceptable not to write a thank-you note? I hope folks out there see this and it reinforces what should be the "basics" in simple, good manners--both in professional and personal life.

---Disgusted

Sue Says:

The rules of etiquette haven't changed, people have. You have every right to expect a thank you when you have done something for someone.

Are you certain your gifts were received? Are you sure that the colleague who didn't acknowledge the business referral is aware that the referral came from you? You might want to follow up with these people before writing them off as inconsiderate.

Whenever you give someone something that cannot be returned or exchanged you run the risk of giving a gift that will not be used or appreciated. While a handmade quilt is a thoughtful gift, do you have any idea if it is something that the person you made it for can use or will like? Unless you checked with that person first, you may think you are doing something that will be appreciated, but in reality are burdening someone with something they don’t want or need.

Don’t get me wrong—it is the thought that counts, but just make sure you are being thoughtful by giving gifts that will be appreciated and enjoyed. Books are highly personal, and unless you know of a book someone wants, a gift certificate to a book store might be a better option. If you do choose to give a book you selected, be sure to include a gift receipt so it can be exchanged.

I’ll never forget the time I referred business to someone I had worked with who send me a beautiful floral arrangement thanking me for the referral. I didn’t expect anything in return, and was surprised to be thanked in such a way. I am more than happy to continue to send referrals to that company, not because I expect more flowers but because I know they appreciate my efforts.

I understand your frustration; you appear to be a thoughtful person who reaches out and gives to others who cannot understand the lack of a response. While there is no excuse for poor manners, it may help if you try to understand that although these people didn’t take the time to formally thank you, your efforts have not been in vain and likely are appreciated. Many people are overwhelmed with all they have to do and although they have good intentions, they struggle to stay afloat. Writing you a thank you note may be on their list of things to do, but keeps getting pushed aside due to the other more pressing matters at hand, Don’t give up just yet—you might still get the thanks you deserve.

I hope that your plea for a return to etiquette will reach the people who need the reminder, but don't hold your breath waiting.

-- Sue Morem is a professional speaker, best-selling author and syndicated columnist. Her books include How to Gain the Professional Edge, 101 Tips for Graduates, and the just released How to Get a Job and Keep It, Second Edition. You can send questions to her by email at asksue@suemorem.com or visit her web site at http://www.suemorem.com.

Read more of Sue’s articles by clicking here: Ask Sue

Posted by Candice Arnold on June 7, 2007 at 8:00 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Dear Sue:

I am a commissioned sales rep and I work for a company that is going through some financial difficulties. They’ve recently stopped paying my commissions and when I asked my supervisor about it, she said that there is no money to pay me right now. She told me that they were waiting to see whether the company would be sold or whether it would have to file Chapter 11. However, I found out that the people on salary are being paid. I don't know what to do.

Do I keep working or refuse to work until I get paid? If I refuse to work and everything ends up just fine, then I'm afraid I'll look bad because I didn't stand by the company. It doesn't seem right that the salaried employees are being paid while I am not. I don't want to jeopardize my job, but I can't work without getting paid for long. Do you have any ideas on how to handle this?

--Not a volunteer worker

Sue Says:

Without more information about the company, it is difficult to advise you. Try to determine more about the company's status, and why you are being told there is no money for you when others are being paid.

If you believe your supervisor has a clear understanding of the situation and that it is indeed temporary, then continue to work. You don't want to involve your customers if you don't have to, so try to conduct business as usual.

Tell your supervisor that you are willing to continue working in good faith, but only for a certain amount of time. Determine a time frame you can live with, perhaps a couple of months. If within a few months nothing has changed, you might consider looking for another job.

-- Sue Morem is a professional speaker, best-selling author and syndicated columnist. Her books include How to Gain the Professional Edge, 101 Tips for Graduates, and the just released How to Get a Job and Keep It, Second Edition. You can send questions to her by email at asksue@suemorem.com or visit her web site at http://www.suemorem.com.

Read more of Sue’s articles by clicking here: Ask Sue

Posted by Candice Arnold on June 6, 2007 at 5:34 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Dear Sue:

I am looking at 50 real soon. On my resume I note two degrees: a bachelor's degree in 1989 and a master's in 1996. I'm thinking that since the 1989 bachelor degree gives away my age, I should eliminate it. Is it necessary to put the year of the graduation on the resume? I feel that my age may be a deterrent to hiring me.

--Middle Age

Sue Says:

Include complete education information on your resume, said Joe Zack, owner of Resume Express. It is difficult to mask dates, and because your dates are fairly recent, they show attitude, drive and initiative. When you eliminate dates, a potential employer may wonder what you are trying to hide.

--Sue Morem is a professional speaker, best-selling author and syndicated columnist. Her books include How to Gain the Professional Edge, 101 Tips for Graduates, and the just released How to Get a Job and Keep It, Second Edition. You can send questions to her by email at asksue@suemorem.com or visit her web site at http://www.suemorem.com.

Read more of Sue’s articles by clicking here: Ask Sue

Posted by Candice Arnold on June 6, 2007 at 5:29 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Dear Sue:

I am in a management position and I have a supervisor who is negative and unsupportive. He brings his personal problems to work and doesn't care about much else. He is affecting the morale of all of us, but I don't know what to do about it because he is not open to what others have to say and is difficult to talk to.

I admit I am nervous about addressing this with him, but I can't ignore the negative affect he is having on me and on everyone else. Someone has to do something, but I am not sure what we can do. Do you have any recommendations?

- Scared

Sue Says:

You may be scared, but you are smart enough to know you need to do something. Working with others who are negative and unsupportive can have an effect on everyone else and often does, but it doesn't have to be that way. The more time you spend thinking and talking about your supervisor, the more power you give him.

Watch your attitude and conversation because if you focus too much on his shortcomings and allow his behavior to become a problem for you, you run the risk of being just like him! Don't let his poor performance affect yours--you can be the way you want to be and set an example for your supervisor and others.

While it would be nice if he was more positive and supportive, he isn't. Telling him how unhappy you are and how ineffective he is isn't likely to bring out the side of him you'd like to see.

I'm all for talking directly with the people you have a problem with, but you need to be careful when the problem is with the way someone is, rather than about something that person has done. Talking to him about a specific incident or problem you have is one thing; telling him he is the problem is another.

You can try to reach him by befriending him and being supportive of him even though you don't feel he is supportive of you. Try asking him how he's doing. You can tell him that you've noticed he seems to be more stressed than usual and offer to talk with him and help ease the stress if possible. It's difficult to know how he will respond, but you won't know if you don't try.

Some people are miserable and prefer to stay that way. Others want to reach out, but don't know how. He may be just as afraid of you as you are of him. Don't take the things he says or does personally, and don't allow him to get the best of you.

Work on and improve yourself; learn how to let go of your irritation with others and how to remain positive. You lack the power to change someone else, but can become empowered to change yourself.

-- Sue Morem is a professional speaker, best-selling author and syndicated columnist. Her books include How to Gain the Professional Edge, 101 Tips for Graduates, and the just released How to Get a Job and Keep It, Second Edition. You can send questions to her by email at asksue@suemorem.com or visit her web site at http://www.suemorem.com.

Read more of Sue's articles by clicking here: Ask Sue

Posted by Candice Arnold on June 6, 2007 at 4:23 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

As the number of college applicants reaches record breaking figures, and the talent pool swells with recent graduates, high school and college seniors need every advantage to set themselves apart. Although your GPA and test scores may help college admission officers or potential employers cull from the multitude of applications and resumes that traverse their desks, what really matters is not so much the numbers, but the people behind the numbers. College admissions committees are looking for people who will grow and excel on their campus. Similarly, employers are looking for people who will thrive and advance within their organization. Resumes and application forms, even those with space for essays and a personal bio, do little to reveal an applicant’s true self and potential.

Want to stand out from the crowd when applying to college? Need a competitive advantage in the job market for that first time employment opportunity? Create a captivating e-Portfolio and give admissions officers and potential employers a more detailed depiction of yourself, your work, and your aspirations.

What is an e-Portfolio?

An e-Portfolio is a collection of work published online which can document achievements, accomplishments, ideas, progress, performance, and activities. An e-Portfolio can serve a multitude of purposes by showcasing, publishing and compiling your work to expand on a personal vision or life goal, to create an archive of experiences, to provide documentation for grants, accreditation, or donation – the list goes on and on.

Why create an e-Portfolio?

Many people today, young and old, are empowered by the freedom to publish online. Blogging software has become wildly popular over the last five years as have wikis for use in education, business, and just for fun. Additionally, increasingly popular sites like MySpace and Facebook allow people to easily post images, audio, videos, and communicate with friends. These sites are now a part of almost every high school and college student’s daily life and a central part of their social interactions. It is clear that students want to communicate with a large audience and be part of a greater social network – one that extends beyond their classrooms, their schools, and their hometowns.

E-Portfolios give students the tools to publish within the framework of their achievements, aspirations, educational experiences, and extra-curricular activities. They can create and customize a true online depiction of who they are and who they want to become, where they come from, where they are going and what their plans are to get there. It is a channel for expression that creates a powerful motivation for creating great content to share with their teachers, classmates, college admissions committees, potential employers and the world at large. Content for the portfolio can include papers and presentations for class, digital images of student work or extra-curricular activities, photos from travels to other countries, video clips of students playing sports or musical instruments, descriptions of life goals or involvement in community organizations, and much more.

The process of creating a portfolio not only gives students an opportunity to build necessary technology skills, but also provides an excellent opportunity for acknowledging their strengths, recognizing areas for improvement, setting goals and marking milestones. They are powerful tools for learning and reflection and can provide dynamic platforms for sharing and collaboration.

How to create an e-Portfolio

• Define the purpose of the e-Portfolio. Is it about a specific project in school? Is it for archiving your work across multiple courses or extra-curricular activities? Is it for publishing artwork, writing, or other creative works online? Will it be used to support applications to college, grad school, or employment opportunities? Defining the purpose of your portfolio will help you decipher the most effective way to shape and present the content.
  
  
• Consider your audience when creating an e-Portfolio. Who is going to be able to see the portfolio – just your teacher? Your friends and classmates? Your parents? The world? Understanding your audience will help you to craft the presentation of your work appropriately.

• Clear, consistent organization. Consider the way you will categorize and display information in your portfolio. Do you want to organize you portfolio by time, like a blog? Or with customizable menus, like a website? What is the best possible way that you can group the information you want to share so that it makes sense to your audience? For instance, do you want to display all the work you did in fall semester in one section, and all the work you did in spring semester in another? Or is more important to organize all of your English coursework together and all of your History coursework in another area? Or can you simply have a section called “class work” with your work from courses across many departments? This may seem unimportant, but effective organization is crucial to the development of your e-Portfolio.

• Page layout and design. Your content is the most important aspect of your portfolio – but the way in which it is presented makes a huge impact on how it is perceived and understood by your audience. Do you want to use one kind of page layout for the entire portfolio, or do you want to be able to choose different kinds of page styles for different parts of your portfolio? Do you want to be able to customize images and graphics within your portfolio, or do you just want a standard template? Thinking about the kind of flexibility you want within your portfolio, in terms of page layout and design, will help you select which technology is appropriate.

• Use supporting visuals. Even if much of the content you would like to share in your e-Portfolio is text-based or document-based, like term papers, slide presentations, mathematical formulas or scientific procedures, it is helpful to provide images to support the work you are presenting. You can upload your own photos or find photo and illustration resources online. There are many free, easily searchable, stock image websites where images can be downloaded and saved for use in websites.

• Remember to proofread. This may sound obvious, but it is very important to proofread before publishing your work online. It’s important for you to present yourself and your work as clearly and as professionally as possible. So reread your text, and have some of your friends and colleagues look over it as well.

• Keep it simple. A powerful portfolio is one that clearly presents your content, not one that is filled with more information that is digestible by your audience. Keep text clear and concise. Add supporting graphics and images where it compliments your ideas, not where it will get in the way. If you are including files for your audience to download, try not to make the files too big (no more than 2-5 mb is a general guideline), and mention the file size and file type next to the links to download. Try to find the clearest way to format your portfolio, and make sure it is easy to navigate from page to page.
  

Ready to stand apart from the competition? Create your own e-Portfolio!

Here are some tools today for creating e-Portfolios:

• Portfolio Specific software
  
  • ePortfolio
    
  • Digication
  
  
• Blogs
  
  • WordPress
    
  • Blogspot
  
  
• Wikis
  
  • PBwiki
    
  • WetPaint
  
  

-- By Kelly Driscoll, an active educator who helps teachers to develop effective technology skills for improving the teaching and learning experience. She has taught graduate and undergraduate courses at Bryant University and the Rhode Island School of Design, including current courses titled, “Integrating Technology into the Classroom” and “Visual Literacy in Digital Media.” Driscoll also has extensive background in web application development and user interface design, and in 2001 co-founded Digication to develop free, “Simple by Design” e-Portfolio and online classroom technology. For more information, visit www.Digication.com or send the author an email at kdriscoll@digication.com.

Posted by Steven Rothberg, CollegeRecruiter.com on June 6, 2007 at 12:34 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

If you look at the most successful teams in any sport, you will find a common bond within the team. Sometimes, it is called chemistry - as if just the right mix of chemicals has created a special new formula. Other times, it is postulated that there was strong leadership provided by key players and everyone else responded favorably to their lead or "charisma."

There is merit to the leadership issue - with one notable exception. If a team begins to heavily rely upon their selected or anointed leader - they become dependent upon the leader for their overall performance. While great leaders are necessary and very helpful to raising performance standards - true leadership for high performance teams is shared leadership.

When a team has "a" leader, the team becomes dependent upon the leader for their confidence and most importantly - their "will" to win! This is fine as long as the leader is focused, injury-free and having a good game.However, if the leader is unprepared, loses self-confidence or is just having a bad day - the team usually suffers and can even lose - even when they have more talent.

This is the point of shared leadership - interdependence! At the pinnacle of long term team success is the principle of shared leadership. Every member of the team is taking ownership and responsibility for the overall performance of the group. No one panics or becomes negative at the first sign of adversity. In fact, teams with shared leadership strengthen their resolve and focus at the first sign of adversity and unite as one. They support each other and take care of their own responsibilities to insure the success of the team. Excellent teams know that each person has an assigned duty or role for each play. Personal pride can override fear and indecision, while moving each individual within the team to carry out the assigned duty.

In business, shared leadership principles can take a group of individuals to a higher level of performance and productivity. Here are six fundamental elements for shared leadership to flourish in the business team environment:

1. Respect for each individual

Respect for each individual is the foundation of effectiveness in team performance. This is the underwritten rule that gets the credit for excellence in team-based performance. The key point is the understanding that each person on the team brings uniqueness to the group. This uniqueness is then honored thus creating a binding unity of the group. When this is present within a team, there is a willingness to commit to a purpose larger than self. Thus, the whole group moves to the next level of performance.

2. Trust in each other

Trust in each other is a factor that is unique to human beings. It is based upon feelings regarding the abilities and integrity of individuals. Trust is the invisible bond that allows our expectations and standard to rise to higher levels. When present, trust connects each individual at an emotional level. It engages each person in the causative factor of higher performance.
When there is a lack of trust in a team, factors such as fear of failure, blame games, low self-esteem and an over reliance upon rules and laws become the norm.

3. Common or shared goals

A common or shared goal is the trigger mechanism for high performance in changing environments. Goals become the source of positive emotional energy used to drive challenging results, providing meaning and purpose to the team. Groups that "wing it" or have goals just as activities are doomed for underperformance and probable failure. Dynamic teams use the shared leadership principles and a common goal to give each team member a clear understanding of their contribution to results.

4. Personal accountability for results

Personal accountability for results is a major contributor to high performance for individuals and teams. The key point of personal accountability is the focus upon results and outcomes over activities. Many under-performing groups are focused upon doing the activities right even if the activities are of low priorities relative to attaining results. The lack of personal accountability - the act of achieving results and outcomes - is the main reason for under-performance.

5. Effective communication

Effective communication drives results and increasing productivity. The primary factor in making communication effective deals with the choices made by individuals. Since most people send messages - written or spoken - in a method that they would understand, and will end up missing the mark with 50 to 70% of other people. They end up wasting time explaining a communication process. The wise leader makes choices regarding the delivery of messages so that others will understand the first time.

6. Discipline to stay the course

Discipline to stay the course is the master key to success for teams and individuals. Discipline is needed by leaders to stay on track when adversity or difficult times become obstacles in goal attainment. The strong leader will rely upon continual effort to keeping moving forward when times are tough. A lack of discipline is the leading cause of failure in business today. Effort and discipline go together in getting greater results.

The real question for you - does your team share the leadership role or depend upon one or two individuals to provide the energy, passion and discipline for the winner's edge? What can you do to get the six elements engaged in your organization?

By Voss Graham, founder and CEO of Inneractive Consulting Group, Inc. As the author of "Three Games of Selling," he works with companies across the country to develop and hire successful sales teams with above average performance. Voss is a seasoned sales veteran who has worked with companies such as International Paper, The Memphis Group (a Division of GE) and Alcan Packaging, the United Way and Sara Lee Foods. For more information, please email voss@inneractiveconsulting.com, or call 901-757-4434.

Posted by Steven Rothberg, CollegeRecruiter.com on June 6, 2007 at 12:31 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Dear Sue:

I've been offered a new job and am very excited because it is everything I want, but I am stressing out about informing my employer that I am leaving.

I've read articles on the proper way to resign, but I am unable to come to terms with leaving the proper way. I don't want to burn any bridges and want to keep the door open. I decided to write a resignation letter and include all the things I've learned, and the ways I've grown while being employed here. What do you think? I don't know if I should be excited or sad.

- Torn

Sue Says:

It sounds as though this new job is something you really want -- be excited! It sounds as though you have had a good experience where you are which makes it difficult to leave.

Including the things you've learned and ways you've grown from this job in your resignation letter is a wonderful idea and I am sure it will make it easier for your employer to accept your resignation. It validates the positive experience you've had and enables you to leave on good terms.

Leaving a job can be difficult, but it is necessary and important for you to make the move that is best for you and your career. It may be difficult for your employer because it's always hard to see good people leave, but you are doing everything you can to ensure that you leave on a positive note.

-- Sue Morem is a professional speaker, best-selling author and syndicated columnist. Her books include How to Gain the Professional Edge, 101 Tips for Graduates, and the just released How to Get a Job and Keep It, Second Edition. You can send questions to her by email at asksue@suemorem.com or visit her web site at http://www.suemorem.com.

Read more of Sue’s articles by clicking here: Ask Sue

Posted by Candice Arnold on June 5, 2007 at 4:46 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Dear Sue:

Why would upper management allow a lower boss to run her office like it was a frat house on a Saturday night? While a fraction of the people do the work, the others talk on the phone, come and go as they please, throw food at each other, shoot rubber bands, and carry on a conversation among themselves so loudly that other departments notice it.

When they actually work, the boss will wander by and say, "It's so quiet in here, are you all dead?" These people, who range in age from 25-50, get paid the same as those who actually work all of the time they are here.

Maybe I'm too serious, but I spent a lot of money for school and I do an excellent job and give 110 percent. I feel used and disrespected. If I complain, I become a trouble maker. I can't quit because of great pay and benefits, and I love the actual job. The boss never deals with opposition, so I just sit here like a fool. I am ready to scream! Help!

--Working hard

Sue Says:

If your boss is aware of the situation but never says anything and makes jokes about the good behavior, then she obviously condones the frat house atmosphere. You love your job, yet can't stand the environment, but you've ruled out quitting or saying anything for fear of being labeled a troublemaker. Since you've eliminated most of your options, it's no wonder you are frustrated.

You need to talk to your boss, as well as your co-workers. Speak in terms of "I" rather than "You." Saying, "I can see you are having fun, but I need some help and am having a hard time working with all of the noise," is easier to take than, "You guys are driving me crazy with all your goofing around, and are taking advantage of me."

You say that you are ready to scream, so you need to do something: Doing nothing will bring you nothing.

-- Sue Morem is a professional speaker, best-selling author and syndicated columnist. Her books include How to Gain the Professional Edge, 101 Tips for Graduates, and the just released How to Get a Job and Keep It, Second Edition. You can send questions to her by email at asksue@suemorem.com or visit her web site at http://www.suemorem.com.

Read more of Sue’s articles by clicking here: Ask Sue

Posted by Candice Arnold on June 5, 2007 at 10:12 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Dear Sue:

I am a senior in high school. I thought I knew what I wanted to do with my life, but I am no longer sure. I wanted to be a writer, but lately I’ve become less and less interested in writing and more and more interested in cheerleading and dance. When I joined the cheerleading squad I discovered that I love cheering and dance.

I’ve been accepted to the dance department at the University I will attend next year and just found out I will not be able to cheer and dance as I had hoped. Now I am feeling overwhelmed at the thought of the work involved in dance, especially knowing I won’t be able to cheer.

Everything has happened so quickly that I am afraid of making the wrong decision and wasting my parent's money. If I quit dance now, I know the dance department will never accept me again. But this anxious feeling is persistent. Should I give dance a chance, or is this anxious feeling a warning that I should quit now?

- Confused and desperate

Sue Says:

You are wise young woman and your anxiety over this decision is understandable. After all, you are making some very important decisions that will impact the direction of your life. I credit you for thinking through these decisions and taking yourself seriously.

Life after high school is different from life after graduation. You'll discover new areas of interest and find numerous options and opportunities available to you, and still have difficulty deciding which direction to take. There rarely seems to be enough time or the resources to dabble in everything that piques your interest.

Life is about growth and change; people change direction all the time. Some people change their college major during the course of their education; some outgrow their jobs and change careers later in life. Not everyone will choose to work in his or her chosen field. Nothing you decide today is meant to be a life sentence.

I admire you for thinking things through and trying to determine the best path to take, but I hope you don’t feel you must plan out your entire life while you are still in high school. It is impossible for you to know now what you will want in the future. You are facing one of many decisions you will have to make over the years; don’t expect every decision you make to be the right one. The questions you are asking are difficult to answer; you cannot predict the future or have the foresight to know what you will miss most between cheerleading and dance.

No matter how hard you try, it is unlikely that you will always make the right decision. Everyone makes mistakes and you will make mistakes too. There is nothing wrong with making a mistake as long as you learn from it when you do.

The decision about next year is not one you have to make all by yourself. If you haven’t already, talk with your parents and let them know how concerned you are. Don’t make assumptions about anything without checking things out; perhaps there is a way to combine your love of cheer and dance, but you won’t know if you don’t look into it.

Life can be a thrilling adventure. Part of the trill lies in the discovery of the unknown. It's great to have an idea of what you want to do, but even the best laid out plans will evolve and change. If you hit what seems like a roadblock (as you have now), think of it as a detour instead. And, if you realize the direction in which you are headed isn’t right, look for another route and change direction again.

When I was your age, I never would have guessed I’d be writing books—or a career advice column! Things have a way of working out and I’m confident things will work out for you.

Good luck.

-- Sue Morem is a professional speaker, best-selling author and syndicated columnist. Her books include How to Gain the Professional Edge, 101 Tips for Graduates, and the just released How to Get a Job and Keep It, Second Edition. You can send questions to her by email at asksue@suemorem.com or visit her web site at http://www.suemorem.com.

Read more of Sue’s articles by clicking here: Ask Sue

Posted by Candice Arnold on June 5, 2007 at 8:04 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Dear Sue:

I am an architect for a company I started working for eight years ago. In addition to the many projects I work on, I have been responsible for setting up all of the computers and networking them back to our main office (over 400 miles away) and then teaching the other employees how to draw on a computer.

I produce the most work, because I work lots of nights and weekends and I rarely take a lunch or other break. I love my job, but I know I am underpaid and I do not feel I get the respect I deserve.

Other people are getting credit for the things I do, and I am afraid if I don't do something fast that things will get worse; we are struggling to make ends meet at home.

I’m not good at brownnosing with the boss and often miss out on volunteer and other relationship-building opportunities because I have so much work to do. Do you have any suggestions?

- Getting no respect

Sue Says:

I understand why you are writing to me and why you are upset. What I can’t see is why for eight years you’ve continued to do what you do.

You’re not getting ahead because you said you are struggling financially; you’re not getting recognition because you said you don’t get the respect or credit you deserve. You’re not growing personally or in your relationships because you said you miss out on many opportunities. What are you getting for your efforts?

You got yourself into this situation and only you can get yourself out. There is some reason you have been willing to sacrifice everything that is in your best interest to benefit others, but I’m not sure I know what it is.

When you change your circumstances will, too. Stop working without breaks and start caring for yourself as much as you care about work. Stop working for less than you are worth and start asking for a raise. Stop neglecting your relationships and start taking time to build them and doing other things that are important to you.

If you are serious about getting what you want, then stop doing what you are doing. Speak up and stand up for yourself. When you start showing