In most cities and towns, it's against the law to double park. Running in to the local Starbucks to get an extra hot skinny latte isn't an exception. Yet, that doesn't seem to bother some of us. Apparently, they think the rules don't apply to them. They don't just double park, they cut into lines at airports, they don't stop at Stop signs on the road, and they leave their garbage behind on park benches.

Why do these people act that way? Unlike Freud, I don't think their parents messed them up. No, I think the reason is much closer to home. Consciously or unconsciously, they've come to the fixed opinion that they aren't covered by the rules. They believe that they're simply too smart, too important, too special to worry about the silly little strictures that order life for everybody else.

So, this post is for them. It's not about the rules of society. It's about the rules of the workplace. Rules that apply to everyone ... even those who are very smart, very important and very special.

Rule #1: No one owes you a job. Employment is not guaranteed as a birthright in any country. If you want to work, you're going to have to work to make it happen.

What does that mean? In the 21st Century:

• You have to have state-of-the-art skills. You need a skill set that's actually in demand in today's workplace, not something that would keep you employed in 1989. And you need a 2009 level of expertise in that field, not one that was current in 1999 or even in 2005.
• You have to possess more than one skill. It doesn't matter whether you have a PHD or 25 years of experience. To work in your primary field, you need additional capabilities, like speaking a second language or knowing how to use the latest software system.

Rule #2: No one owes you an enjoyable and fulfilling career. Not your boss, not your employer, not your mentor or your mother and father. If you want a rewarding career, you're going to have to reward your career with more priority and attention.

What does that mean? In the 21st Century:

• You have to take responsibility for your career. There are plenty of opportunities in today's workplace, but also more than a few pitfalls. You can take charge of your career and decide what happens or you can turn it over to luck or your employer and become its victim.
• You have to work on your career every day. Not just when you're out of work or thinking about your next salary review. The world of work is changing at warp speed. You can either keep up or get left behind.

Sorry, but the days of immortal gods went out with the Romans. It doesn't matter how exceptional you are--in today's world of work, the rules apply to everyone. Ignore them and you may get your extra hot skinny latte before everyone else; but you will always be at the end of the line when it comes to finding work and a satisfying career.

Peter Weddle has been the CEO of two HR consulting companies, the founder of a recruiting company, a publisher, an entrepreneur, an employee of a global corporation, a research project manager and a writer. He has authored or edited a bunch of books and been a columnist about recruiting for the interactive edition of The Wall Street Journal and a columnist about job search and career self-management for the National Business Employment Weekly and CNN.com. (http://www.weddles.com/WorkStrong).

Courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates seeking entry-level jobs and other career opportunities, and posted on .

Posted by Candice Arnold on August 31, 2009 at 8:11 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

It's my opinion that today's "best" practices of leaders not only fail to resolve the problems they're meant to resolve or achieve the results they're meant to achieve, they actually escalate problems. I'd like to recommend alternative practices to take their place. After all, reality has shifted and those who cling to old practices that no longer serve them and perhaps never did, will fail to thrive. Seriously. Fail to thrive.

Here, I will touch on the first "best" practice and hope to provoke your thinking, in subsequent entries, regarding all six.

Consider that you are always practicing something. The question is: what are you practicing. And why? Are you emulating practices of well-known, global companies, many of whom are now struggling and, in some cases, bankrupt? It's time for some original thinking.

"Worst" Best Practice #1: 360 Anonymous Feedback

Which word in "360 Anonymous Feedback" alerts us that a company professing to value openness, honesty and transparency is out of integrity? Anonymous. I expect to take a lot of heat from those who make a living ensuring anonymity, but I believe that, while there is a time and place for anonymity, we only need it in trace amounts.

It starts early in our impressionable lives - this attraction to anonymity. This hiding. So it's no wonder that, when there are invaluable opportunities for candor, we send in good old underpaid, overworked "anonymous", slip the feedback over the transom and run like hell. The fact is that 360 anonymous feedback rarely creates real or lasting impetus for change, which is crazy because the whole idea is to encourage professional growth and it most certainly doesn't connect us with one another; rather, it tends to drive us apart. Here are a few highlights, or lowlights:

• The culture suffers side effects. Commercials for the latest, greatest drugs include the warning that side effects can include loss of vision, muscle spasms, internal bleeding, uncontrolled barking and sudden death. OK, maybe not barking, but you get the drift. The warnings for anonymous feedback should read: "Not to be used within organizations that value honesty, transparency, or openness or by anyone who views "authenticity" as a desirable character trait. Side effects can include a culture of terminal niceness, avoiding or working around problem employees, tolerating mediocrity, beating around the bush, dancing around the subject, skirting the issues. If you experience rapidly deteriorating relationships or have difficulty maintaining eye contact with others, call your doctor immediately as these may indicate a serious problem and could become permanent."
• Most people hate performance reviews - hardly the response you'd hope for regarding a best practice. Other emotions associated with performance reviews include: dread, anxiety, hopelessness, fear, frustration and a firm conviction that a trip to the bathroom for a surreptitious examination of the boil on your backside would be a far better use of your time.
• Anonymous feedback doesn't tell us what we really need to know because it is ANONYMOUS, lacking specific examples to support the evaluations and instead, using sanitized phrases and a "score" of some sort, all of which tells the recipient very little about how to improve his or her performance.
• When the feedback comes only once or twice a year, it rarely immediately follows the behavior that generated the evaluations so exactly what we did right or wrong to merit a certain evaluation often remains a mystery. We are embarrassingly clueless about how our behavior affects others anyway, so lacking timely, specific feedback, we are unlikely to change our behavior.
• Most feedback merely affirms what we already know about who we have been since the day we were born. Our reaction is, "Yep, that's me alright!" Creating real impetus for change requires compelling feedback, delivered in a way that gets our full attention. 360 degree anonymous feedback fails on all counts.
• Even anonymous feedback isn't honest! This may be the most bizarre, unexpected "tell" of all. When no one will know it was us, you'd think we would tell it like it is, or at least, like we see it. We don't.
• Triangulation (otherwise known as talking about people behind their backs) is a popular bonding activity. Friendships are formed over person A and person B's mutual loathing of person C. People don't talk directly to the persons with whom they have difficulty. Instead, they talk about them behind their backs.
• Employee engagement scores are low. Face it, the formal language of feedback is uninspiring and de-motivating. Does "satisfactory" capture anything specific that we could feel good about? Would it inspire us to work harder, do better? How about "meets expectations"? The colorless language of anonymous feedback, with its numbers, ratings and boxes to check, is soul killing.
• People aren't told how much they are appreciated. It's a huge tell if your recognition program occurs every two weeks and is called a paycheck.
• When managers decide to let someone go, they must wait or risk a lawsuit. When we finally reach the end of our rope, we learn that we'll have to have the conversations we've avoided in the past, give the employee another chance, and document the heck out of everything.
• You and others aren't motivated to do your best work. We get what we tolerate. Without timely, candid feedback, people whose behaviors or attitudes are a problem continue unchanged, blissfully unaware, dragging everyone down, including you. One problem person becomes a rock in everyone's shoes. Rather than remove the rock, we grow accustomed to limping, while execution is delayed and frustration grows.
• Relationships flat-line and fail. The conversation is the relationship. When the conversation stops because we don't want to risk a negative reaction or if you and I add our candid assessments of each other's performance to the list of things we're unable to talk about, all of the possibilities for our relationships grow smaller.
• There is no joy in Mudville. Employees walk around unhappy, unhealthy, on edge, bored, unengaged. Your company is not happy workplace. Just a workplace.
• The organization's long-term survival is at risk. Profits are down, customers are fleeing, good employees are leaving. This occurs in part because an organization professing to value honesty and openness while promoting anonymous feedback is out of integrity. Companies in which stated values actually drive behavior and decisions will weather tough times far more successfully than companies whose practices are at odds with their so-called values statement.
• Respect for leaders is waning. Everyone is thinking: How could you, our leader, allow this to continue? Would somebody please bell the cat?!
• You become invisible. If you remain silent in the presence of poor performance or a lousy attitude, you will become increasingly invisible to yourself and to others. Yes, you will be safe. You will also be anonymous, undifferentiated, your identity blurred. With mounting unease, you may realize that you are what's missing.
• People fail to grow professionally and personally. It's hard to imagine anyone of substance saying, "I'm so glad I've remained blissfully unaware of how others feel about me, enjoyed few insights into my character and have experienced zero growth as a human being."

Anonymity is addictive and contagious. We grow accustomed to it, become anesthetized, barely registering the consistent message our gut has been sending us for years. "Tell the truth." And we infect others. Ask yourself, where else does anonymity live in the organization and what damage is it doing? At what level in the organization? In what other situations are people withholding what they really think and feel? What are the implications?

My publisher would be displeased if I revealed more prior to publication of Fierce Leadership, but no doubt you can guess correctly at the replacement practice for anonymous feedback. The book will walk you through what to do and how to do it. In the meantime, consider that while most leaders fulfill their basic job descriptions, including conducting performance reviews, filling out surveys, listening politely (with gritted teeth) to anonymous feedback, Fierce leaders do something more interesting, more real. They engage in compelling conversations that translate to stronger relationships and better performance, which translates to personal and professional success and happiness.

Who deserves your praise? Who deserves an apology? Whose behavior or attitude is causing serious problems? What are you waiting for?

Article by Susan Scott and courtesy of WorkBloom, an employment blog incorporating a comprehensive career resources section, including the largest database of professionally written resume and cover letter samples on the Web.

Posted by Candice Arnold on August 31, 2009 at 7:58 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Today, I spoke to Julien Smith, who is the New York Times co-author of Trust Agents, with Chris Brogan, and one of the first podcasters. Julien talks to us about what a trust agent is, why it's important in the online world, and then gives some examples of trust agents. He also explains how you can build an online following and what he learned while writing his book with Chris.

What is a "trust agent," did this title always exist and why is it important in the digital age?

I consider trust agents to be a new phenomenon- only recently have people been able to take control of channels by themselves, get known worldwide by being a part of a wider conversation, etc. We often point to people like Oprah in the book as being pre-web examples of trust agents, but the more we go on, the less these people will need to have huge audiences to do a great job at building influence- it'll be more about connecting to a specific niche (or tribe, as Seth Godin would say).

It's important for these people to exist now because there is a huge trust deficit in our society due to the massive number of marketing messages we receive and yet, paradoxically, there will always be room for a message from people that we personally have confidence in. Therefore, the trick is to become one of the people your audience stops when they see a message from, going "I need to read that."

Can you name a few trust agents that have created loyal followings and have succeeded in business?

Oprah, John Stewart, and Gary Vaynerchuk are good examples, but you don't need huge following to be a trust agent- you just need to be good at influencing particular communities. So D&D enthusiasts need people that understand that culture and car nerds need someone from that culture, too. They don't need to be household names to be powerful, and that's why it's so important to have one on your side.

How can employees become trust agents to support their companies?

You need to have an honest dialogue with your audience first. From high up in our office buildings we tend to consider *the message* we'll be delivering to our audiences without first thinking whether they'll even believe what we say. As we say in the book, humans have sophisticated BS detectors and if you're not being real with us, we'll know about it. Google keeping everything we say online doesn't help, either. You'll be figured out eventually.

What are your top ways to build a following online?

Realizing that there is no one formula that will help you- any formula that exists means you'll be copying someone else, and as such, trailing behind them. Those that successfully make their own game tend to transform the space they're in and, as a result, make themselves into the status quo of their niche. Think Tim Ferriss and "lifestyle design" -- titling himself with something new puts him in a whole new category.

What did you learn about yourself as you wrote Trust Agents?

More than anything, I'd say that Chris and I learned to have utter confidence in each other. We had a good relationship beforehand, but now, it's extremely tight and we know we have each other's back. You need people like that- a kind of mastermind group, people that are on your side no matter what. Nobody can do this alone- in fact, that's kind of the point. Even if you make it, it's lonely up there all by yourself.

Article by, Dan Schawbel, the leading personal branding expert for Gen-Y. He authors the Personal Branding Blog and publishes Personal Branding Magazine and authored the upcoming book, Me 2.0: Build a Powerful Brand to Achieve Career Success (Kaplan, Spring 2009). Dan has been called a "personal branding force of nature" by Fast Company and his work has been published in BrandWeek Magazine, Advertising Age and countless other publications.

Posted by Candice Arnold on August 31, 2009 at 7:38 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

This post will take a look at how fear can hold you back from achieving your goals -- in this case, preventing you from creating and promoting your personal brand. Through understanding how fear works and impedes progress, you will be able to push it aside and take the action you need to reach your goals.

This post has particular meaning for me because two weeks ago today I was involved in a bad car accident -- the SUV I was in was broadsided by another SUV that ran a red light at an intersection. It was the scariest thing that has ever happened to me, followed by the most surreal and thankful moments of my life -- I have never been so aware of the fact that I was alive.

How lucky were we?

The reporting officers that night later told me when they arrived on scene they thought there were at least four or five fatalities because of the damage to the vehicles -- luckily, everyone involved in the accident walked away with very minor injuries, but it was only a matter of inches and the outcome would have been very different for all of us.

If there are such things as miracles in this world, this was one of them.

In the days following the accident I did a lot of reflection and one of the thoughts I had is that there is no place in this world for fear, especially if it is preventing you from reaching your goals. You only get so much time to live and it can all end in a second, without notice. So, I encourage you to go achieve your dreams and to never let fear hold you back.

I hope you find this post inspiring.

What is fear?

Fear is an emotion that stems from one's belief or belief system about someone, something or a situation. It is a powerful emotion that greatly influences behavior.

If you overcome your fear of doing something you will do that thing far more often. When fear goes down, confidence goes up, and when you're confident your chances of success are exponentially higher.

How fear affects confidence

I was once part of a team building exercise on a ropes course where the power of fear and its effect on outcomes became very clear. Our group was geared up and ready to go and the instructor asked us to walk across a 30 foot wooden plank laying flat on the ground. Everyone in the group was able to complete this task easily and confidently.

Then the instructor walked us to our second challenge where we found the exact same plank laying over a giant hole about 200 feet deep. He asked us to walk across -- the first person in our group hesitated and so did everyone else.

The instructor then asked us why we couldn't walk across the same wooden plank we had just confidently conquered. The answer was clear. We believed we might fall -- this belief created fear, our confidence in completing the task was destroyed and no one took action. (Nobody actually crosses this plank over the giant hole, it us only used to illustrate fear.)

Lucky for us, most goals and dreams in life are not a matter of life or death, they are only a matter of succeeding or not succeeding. If you fail or make a mistake you do not fall into the 200 feet deep black hole. The only fear that exists in life is the fear we create on our own.

So how do we overcome our fear? Here are some tips.

1.) Seek knowledge. You can teach yourself anything.
2.) Practice, Practice, Practice.
3.) Emulate and model successful individuals.
4.) Believe in yourself and take action.
5.) Believe that your goals are possible and persist until they come true.

Get out there and start creating and promoting your personal brand. And remember, fear is just a manifestation of your mind and is only real to the extent you believe it is.

What will you believe?

Chad Levitt is the author of the New Sales Economy blog, which focuses on how Sales 2.0 & Social Media can help you connect, create more opportunities and increase your business. Chad is also the featured Sales 2.0 blogger at SalesGravy.com, the number one web portal for sales pros, the professional athletes of the business world. Make sure to connect with him on Twitter @chadalevitt.

Article courtesy of Dan Schawbel, the leading personal branding expert for Gen-Y. He authors the Personal Branding Blog and publishes Personal Branding Magazine and authored the upcoming book, Me 2.0: Build a Powerful Brand to Achieve Career Success (Kaplan, Spring 2009). Dan has been called a "personal branding force of nature" by Fast Company and his work has been published in BrandWeek Magazine, Advertising Age and countless other publications.

Posted by Candice Arnold on August 31, 2009 at 7:33 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Success stories are inspiring, so I asked every Personal Branding Blog contributor to describe when they first felt their own personal branding success.

Enjoy.

Dan Schawbel:

There were two main instances that had proved the power of personal branding to me and they both happened in unison. First, after six months between March 14th and August 1st, Fast Company wrote about everything I was doing in this space, including this blog, the magazine, the articles I was writing for other magazines, the online TV show, and the awards. Once that Fast Company article was published, back when the site looked much different and each article had ten times more visibility, it was picked up by my company's PR group and sent to a Vice President. I was then recruited based on my passion outside of work, that I had considered a hobby and I was able to co-create a 'brand' new position called "social media specialist." Once that occurred, I had a very compelling story, which eventually became the book Me 2.0! I had proven to myself that I was taking the advice I was giving, with great results.

Pete Kistler:

There was definitely a tipping point when my personal branding efforts started paying off. One day, opportunities started approaching me, without any effort on my part. Bloggers, authors, businesspeople, careerists, and complete strangers who resonated with my brand started contacting me directly, seemingly out of the blue. That's how I realized that personal branding was real. Because it acted as a magnet, attracting like-minded people, with similar goals and passions, some of whom now work for me or work with me.

Katie Konrath:

For me, the first time I felt my personal branding efforts were really paying off was when a reader, who works in a high position at a Fortune 100 company, quoted me on his own blog as an innovation expert.

As someone who loves reading, I also felt the personal branding was worth it when authors started offering books to me and asking me for reviews because they thought I have influence in the field!

Marcos Salazar:

My personal brand started succeeding at many of its goals from my very first post on the Personal Branding Blog. One of my main goals was to get back into blogging as well as reconnect with Gen Y/Millennial space, and I did that instantly. I got back in touch with old friends as well as started making new ones, and began creating a strong network of like-minded colleagues within the first week of getting "out there." It has only been a month since my first post and new jobs and project opportunities have already come my way. I am just at the beginning of my personal branding journey and I look forward to seeing what exciting things arise as I continue to build my personal brand over the next year.

Liz Lynch:

When I first got into the networking field I knew I had to differentiate myself from others who speak and write on the topic. Fortunately, picking my niche was an easy choice since I personally was interested in a more strategic approach of networking smarter, not harder. My first product was a self-published tips booklet I wrote in 2003 called "102 Secrets to Smarter Networking." Within six months, orders started coming in from Australia, Europe and Asia, and I started getting paid speaking gigs from organizations that had never heard me speak. Big lesson learned is that having a tangible product can help accelerate market acceptance of your personal brand.

Nance Rosen:

October 2007 was a key milestone of my personal branding success. I celebrated the launch of my new book, Speak Up! & Succeed: How to get everything you want in meetings, presentations and conversations. Over one hundred people came to the event and I gave my first speech based solely on the book's message. I felt that what I was messaging was being received and remembered.

The coverage I received in the media including Investors Business Daily and CNBC made it clear to me that my brand was strong since it was generating media queries. The book increased the number of speaking engagements I received, including ones in Hong Kong and Korea as well as around the US.

Maria Elena Duron:

I help people to be buzz-worthy so for me the moments of success come when someone speaks positively on your behalf. When you can move, touch and inspire another person to action, you feel you are "on brand" and provide them a message that is easy for them to transport to their friends, colleagues and contacts.

I noticed as I "said less" and they spoke of who I am and how I helped. I was attracting more and more opportunities to apply what is uniquely me. And, when the television station approached me to talk about what I love, it was a sweet moment! I've been on television every week for three years now with tips on your brand and being buzz-worthy.

Jun Loayza:

The very first time that I felt my personal brand was succeeding was when I was invited to speak at UCLA for a business fraternity. This wasn't just any business fraternity; it was actually a rival business fraternity to my own. Imagine trying to recruit members to your fraternity, and then the featured speaker is from another business fraternity. But this wasn't the event that stood out in my mind that day. What stood out was when a random UCLA student walked up to me and asked me if I was Jun Loayza. We sat down and chatted for a good 15 minutes where he told me how he had found my blog and had inspired him to become an entrepreneur.

You may not know it, but there are people reading your blog right now who don't comment, but who truly walk away with something very valuable. Keep writing and keep putting your readership first; I promise you that what you get in return will be one of the best things for you personally and professionally.

Jacob Share:

When I started blogging on JobMob in 2006 during my own job search, my goals were to:

Jacob Share, a job search expert, is the creator of JobMob, one of the biggest blogs in the world about finding jobs. Follow him on Twitter for job search tips and humor.

Article courtesy of Dan Schawbel, the leading personal branding expert for Gen-Y. He authors the Personal Branding Blog and publishes Personal Branding Magazine and authored the upcoming book, Me 2.0: Build a Powerful Brand to Achieve Career Success (Kaplan, Spring 2009). Dan has been called a "personal branding force of nature" by Fast Company and his work has been published in BrandWeek Magazine, Advertising Age and countless other publications.

Posted by Candice Arnold on August 31, 2009 at 7:26 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Yes, managers are under a great deal of pressure turbulent times and all of us are well advised to take this condition into account in managing relationships with them. It has never been more important for everyone to focus on the job at hand, do it in the best way possible and tread lightly so as to avoid undue confrontations.

But there is another side to the coin.

Managers need to keep in mind that employees are under the gun to cut costs, increase production ... in other words, do more with less.

People Are Frightened

It is well to remember that people generally are frightened about their jobs and the future as a whole. It is not possible to read in the morning newspaper and hear on the evening news about companies failing and even the strongest laying off people right and left.

Apprehension is in the air.

This is a good time for managers to remind themselves that the people they supervise represent the most critical and sensitive resource available for getting the job done and advancing their careers paths. Good management practices that motivate human capital can mean the difference for that razor-thin ingredient between success in achieving career goals and settling for also-ran status.

It is a mistake to think that people are going to change their work practices overnight. The truth that in boom times some managers allow their troops to follow poor work habits; turn in sloppy work; and generally not care about the results. Then when the downturn comes along, they expect by issuing a new set of commands and establishing higher standards ­ by the strength of exhortation alone ­ men and women are going to suddenly shape up to perform at some higher level.

Work Habits Don't Change Overnight

Where bad work habits have been allowed to develop over a period of time, the manager who cracks the whip and expects everything to change overnight is riding toward a big surprise.

What can happen, however, is that the good manager will use the tough times to be reminded of his duties and objectives of the organization. He can start from ground zero to motivate and manage the work force. If done properly, these actions will begin to pay dividends in the short term, but there will not be any instant, miracle cures for all the problems.

If, on the other hand, a manager has been successful in maintaining high standards and good productivity, he can feel justified in asking for an extra effort. However, he shouldn't expect that by just applying pressure for more and better, the 100 percent effort will suddenly become 110 percent. People do reach their realistic capacity. To push for more over a longer period of time invites burnout and disaffection.

It is essential, especially in times of trial, that managers never ask those whom the supervise to do anything they can't or won't do themselves. Managers can't expect employees to just grin and bear it when layoffs are announced, if they themselves are taking Friday afternoons off to play a round of golf or going away for a few days at their favorite resorts.

Good managers will not communicate fear and foreboding to their teams. It has been said that the mark of a good leader is that his followers always leave his presence feeling better about the world in general and their prospects in particular. Indeed, it is foolish for the manager to paint silver linings in the skies if a thunderstorm is brewing. But the good manager simply will not allow himself to come across as defeated and depressed. The message, even in the toughest of times, has to be, "Yes things are rough, but we can work our way out of this situation if we recognize the facts and make our best effort to deal with them."

Article by, Ramon Greenwood, a career counselor with common sense advice on how to achieve your career goals. To subscribe to Ramon Greenwood's free semi-monthly newsletter and blog, go to Common Sense at Work Ramon's take-it-to-the bank advice comes from a world of experience, including serving as Senior Vice President of American Express, an entrepreneur, professional director, career coach and author.

Posted by Candice Arnold on August 31, 2009 at 6:48 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Graduates from one local university looking for a job in Florida will now get some help from their alma mater.

The University of South Florida is offering an "Alumni Career Quest" on September 25. The program will include an all-day workshop on interviewing, polishing your resume and job searching strategies in a weak market.

According to an article by Tampa Bay Online, alumni will have free full access to the university's career counseling services following the initial workshop.

While the USF career center doesn't offer job placement, it does offer counseling. Trained career advisers help alumni identify their strongest skills, put together resumes and prepare for interviews.

In addition, the career center helps alumni search databases that contain contact and background information on companies throughout the country. Alumni who live out of town have access to free Webinars and online and telephone consulting.

While the career center has always been free to students, USF has charged alumni $50 for every six months of service. Those charges will be dropped through June of next year.

Drema Howard, director of USF's career center, said while many people think they know how to write a resume and get through an interview, they may be surprised at the difference some professional career counseling can make.

"What we're finding is that a lot of people aren't being very strategic," she said. "Someone may have everything they need to do a job, but it's all in how you package it."

The idea for the program when USF Provost Ralph Wilcox said he wanted to do more for alumni amid the difficult job market. It wasn't long before the USF Alumni Association wanted to be part of the program.

While the Alumni Association offers vacation discounts and other perks to members, it's now learning that alumni need more help with other tasks, such as finding jobs and finding health insurance when they lose their jobs.

Posted by Joel Cheesman on August 28, 2009 at 10:38 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

One of my hobbies is comedy improvisation - i.e performing short sketches on stage without a script.

When people come and see me perform in improv shows they often say "Wow, I can't believe you get on stage and perform without a script - that looks so scary!"

Yes it's scary, but it's also exciting. And once you've had lots of goes, there is less fear and more excitement. It's like anything in life, the more you do it, the easier it gets and the faster you improve.

Which is why "Being average and having lots of goes..." is one of the basic rules new improvisers are taught.

Why? Because anything we learn and master is achieved by:

i) Having lots of goes
ii) Falling over and screwing up several times
iii) Then getting back up and implementing some of what you learned from screwing up. And following these three steps over and over again

Think about it - isn't that exactly how you learned to walk? How you learned to cook? Ski? Use email and the internet? Manage people and lead teams?

The learning, improvement and mastery in anything we do comes from having plenty of practice. By focussing on being just average (rather than great or perfect), it encourages you to have more goes than you would normally and so you can speed up your progress exponentially.

I believe the principle of "having lots of goes and being average" applies just as much to careers as it does on an improv stage.

Here are 3 key points to remember to help you embrace this rule in and out of your career:

1. Let go of perfection

If you're job hunting, remember that you're not trying to win a prize for the best resume/CV in the land - you're just trying to secure some interviews. So focus your energy on getting your resume/CV "out there" rather than spending hours tinkering and perfecting it. The improvements will happen as you get out there getting feedback.

This same principle applies to anything else relating to your career - whether it's your marketing pitch, application forms, presentation and public speaking, LinkedIn profile, interview technique, managing upwards, selling yourself etc. Let go of trying to be perfect and you'll make progress far quicker.

2. Celebrate your screw ups

During an improv workshop when someone screws up, we're all encouraged to cheer, celebrate and do some over the top high fives (...no joke).

Why? Because the best learning takes place when you screw up. So when someone screws up during a scene - it's actually a big step forward, not backwards. And so it needs to be encouraged and kind of celebrated (whilst also learning the lesson).

Also, if someone has screwed up, it usually means they've taken a risk and pushed themselves outside their comfort zone (which is where success is usually found) or pushed the boundaries of creativity (which is where innovation comes from).

The same applies to you and your career. By avoiding screw ups and 'playing safe' you deny yourself critical learning opportunities and the scope to move on to bigger and better things.

So as crazy as it sounds, get into the habit of celebrating your set backs and rejections in your career because it means your making progress.

3. Think less, act more

Improvisers are encouraged to do less planning and less thinking. Instead, they are told to "jump and justifty" - that is - do something that feels right in the moment and course correct and justify later. When you focus on taking forward steps instead of overthinking, opportunities to take the scene in any different direction start showing up.

With their careers and work, many people overplan and overthink things - which does nothing but paralyse them into taking no action and so cause frustration. When what they should be doing is taking some actions now - just some next steps. It's those next steps that actually shine the light to future steps and new opportunities.

So don't worry about having the perfect plan and don't be too concerned about screwing up - just take some next steps and you'll find that you open the door to opportunities that you'd never even knew existed.

Your Field Work

1. Pick ONE specific area that you need to focus on and "have lots of goes at" to improve (e.g. networking, job applications, managing, public speaking and presentations etc).

2. Set yourself some mini targets for the next couple of weeks (eg "I will contact 3 people a week to network with").

3. Find someone to hold you accountable. We all make promises to ourseleves and then don't keep them - so find a colleague, friend, manager, coach or mentor who you can make yourself accountable to so that you definitely push through the perfectionism and fear and just have lots of goes.

If you need to improve one aspect of your performance to progress your career, then forget about trying to look good or wait until things are just right. Instead just be average and have lots of goes. You'll find yourself improving much faster than you ever thought possible.

Will it be scary? Sure it will. But just like performing on stage without a script, once you've had a few goes, it will also be very exciting!

Article by, Sital Ruparelia and courtesy of CareerHub.com. The Career Hub blog connects job seekers with experts in career counseling, resume writing, personal branding and recruiting.

Posted by Candice Arnold on August 28, 2009 at 7:04 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

All men can see these tactics whereby I conquer, but what none can see is the strategy out of which victory is evolved.Sun Tzu

Once you have clearly articulated your mission, vision and values, the next piece to your business should be putting together a plan. There are varying opinions on whether or not you should spend the time putting together a business plan. There are several reasons that a business plan can help you and your business get started on the right track.

The first reason is to have a road map for your business to guide you in where you are going and how you are getting these. Spending the time to put this down on paper will help put it firmly in your mind. Not only will you know it well but I believe having a plan gives you more confidence when you are networking, looking for vendors for your business, hiring etc.

With a business plan you are able to better measure results because you actually know what they are. You can also make and recognize adjustments that need to be made more quickly when you know what you are looking for and why. Measurement of results is where a lot of business owners fall short because they don't take the time to figure out what numbers are important to their business.

If you are starting your business with employees, you can build a sense of teamwork by working on this plan together. Everyone will be on the same page and will understand what is going on in the company. When you bring on new team members, your business plan can get them up to speed much more quickly by showing them the plan and talking it over with them.

The last reason is one that most people talk about when the subject of business planning comes up. That reason is to get funding for your business. A plan alone does not get your business funding, it's more like your ticket to the game. The businesses that get funding without a plan are few and far between. You are kidding yourself if you think you will be that special business.

Like I said at the beginning there are some who would suggest that you don't need a business plan. They would suggest that you can get by with something written down that's much more simple because people don't look at their business plan after it is written. My argument is that if you wont take the time to look at your business plan, you probably wont take the time to look at anything else. This is more of a discipline issue more than anything else. Business owners need to have discipline or they will fail.

Even if you did not ever look at your plan again after it is written, I believe the journey is just as important. Putting together a business plan requires you to take a serious look at your business and spend some time thinking about how your business is going to work, what you need and what obstacles exist for you currently. You will have gained some important knowledge up front even if you fail to review later.

How have you been able to use a business plan for success? What are some other reasons for and against putting together a plan?

Brandon Allen is a business and vision coach with The Business Blueprint. Brandon focuses on helping businesses get clear on their vision, mission, core values and leadership. Brandon is the author of the small business blog Build Your Soul Purpose ( www.buildyoursoulpurpose.com).

Posted by Candice Arnold on August 28, 2009 at 6:59 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Have you ever had something happen to you at work that made you so upset you burst into tears?

The likelihood of you answering yes to that question is directly related to whether you check the male or female box on a census form. Without getting too caught up in the whole Women Are from Venus and Men are from Mars debate, past the age of 12, before which crying is still a gender neutral activity, women tend to cry more than men. While both men and women get angry, discouraged and frustrated, they tend to express those emotions differently. Men may yell, and scream or punch the wall. Women cry.
According to Martha Stewart, crying at work is a career limiting move. As she told one of the women on the losing team on The Apprentice [- Martha Stewart] some years back "Cry and you are out of here. Women in business don't cry, my dear."

Why not? Well the simple answer is because men don't. Crying is a behaviour associated with women. It has come to represent stereotypical feminine traits like weakness. If you cry, it means that you are weak. Weakness is not generally a desirable character trait in the corporate world.

The problem with the idea expressed by Ms. Stewart is that is flows from a discriminatory and disrespectful paradigm. The sub text is that it is ok to be a woman in business, as long as you act like a man. It propagates the idea that there is one model, one ideal, one way for individuals in business to be, and that way is tied to the historical habits and behaviours of one particular group.

This is antithetical to the idea of workplace diversity. Diversity is not about having individuals that look different but feel pressured to suppress their individuality to conform to the behaviour of a dominant group. It is about creating a workplace culture that encourages and supports individual differences within an employee group. It is about the respectful management of difference, and that implies that we are curious about our differences and willing to risk talking about them openly.

We humans are emotional creatures. It is neither realistic nor desirable for us to try and disengage that aspect of our humanity in the workplace. No matter where we work, or what type of work we do, chances are we will get emotional at some point in our working life. When this happens some of us may yell, scream, punch the wall or cry.

Which of those behaviours are appropriate in a working environment? Possibly none. However, the criteria upon which we decide which are or aren't should be based upon what is professional and respectful in a workplace, irrespective of gender associations.
If we are interested in building truly respectful workplaces, which by definition embrace diversity, or what I refer to as the respectful management of difference; we have to talk about our emotions in the context of our workplaces. We should talk about the different ways our emotions may manifest at work, and clarify the appropriate ways to express them. We should be supported and coached so that when we do experience stressful and/or emotional situations at work, we know how to deal with them in a professional and respectful manner.

At the end of the day, depending on the reality of our particular workplaces, we may decide that it is ok to cry at work, on occasion. We may conclude that, contrary to what some people think, big girls, and sometimes even big boys at work do cry, and that is ok.
How about we replace assumptions with curiosity? I say it's time to get the conversation started.

What do you think?

Erica Pinsky, B.A., M.Sc, CHRP, is an engaging and inspirational speaker, author and consultant working with organizations to build respectful and inclusive workplace cultures that attract and retain quality employees. Creative, dynamic and results oriented, Erica is passionate about promoting workplace cultures where employees feel engaged, comfortable and focused on their jobs in an environment free from discrimination, harassment, bullying and destructive conflict. Erica's new book, Road to Respect, Path to Profit gives companies a road map to success in today's challenging business climate.

Posted by Candice Arnold on August 27, 2009 at 2:40 PM | Leave a Comment (1)

It's hard to believe that squash, a sport that plenty of people haven't even heard of, has so many non-profit organizations surrounding it. We've already featured New York's StreetSquash and San Diego's Surf City Squash, both members of the National Urban Squash and Education Association (NUSEA), and today we're going to take a look at another member of the association, Boston's SquashBusters. They are very similar to the other organizations that I've just mentioned in that they combine "squash with intensive academic tutoring, community service, and one-to-one mentoring to help student-athletes strive towards excellence in their lives." SquashBusters works with about 100 ethnically diverse Boston public school youth and uses an apparently awesome facility on Northeastern University's campus.

Read the full article

Article by Willy Franzen of One Day, One Internship and One Day, One Job

Posted by Candice Arnold on August 27, 2009 at 10:41 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Have you ever heard the term B Corporation? It's "a new type of corporation which uses the power of business to solve social and environmental problems." If you've been following One Day, One Job for a while or you've been reading through our archives, you already know of quite a few B Corporations--Better World Books, New Leaf Paper, Seventh Generation, and King Arthur Flour are a few that we've already featured. Each of these companies has met "comprehensive and transparent social and environmental standards via the B Rating System" and then officially amended "their corporate governing documents to incorporate stakeholder interests." They've all done this through B Lab (or B Corporation, there's still some ambiguity in their name), a Berwyn, PA based non-profit organization that is behind the B Corporation movement.

Read the full article

Article by Willy Franzen of One Day, One Internship and One Day, One Job

Posted by Candice Arnold on August 27, 2009 at 10:36 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

When I was growing up, I kept all of my most prized possessions in a small wooden box that my Dad gave me. I knew that if the house ever caught on fire, I'd grab that and run (because there was no way I'd be able to carry my entire baseball card collection). These days I still think the same way, but my laptop is definitely the first thing that I'd grab before running out of a burning building. Maybe I'm unique because I run an online business, but I think that you'd probably grab your laptop too. Our prized possessions are increasingly in the form of data--our pictures, our movies, our contacts, and many of the other things that can never be replaced. Memeo is an Aliso Viejo, CA based company that recognizes how important data is to our lives. They build products that simplify your digital life. They have backup software, syncing software, and file sharing software. Yes, there are plenty of software companies that make these kinds of products, but Memeo makes it simple and easy to manage your digital assets.

Read the full article

Posted by Candice Arnold on August 27, 2009 at 10:34 AM | Leave a Comment (1)

Career blogs these days are all about how to use social networking to land a job (or a candidate). But with all this talk about what you can get OUT OF social networks, not enough people are talking about what you should put INTO them.

One HR blogger we follow, Gautam Ghosh, cautions professionals against a me-me-me attitude on Twitter and similar sites in his recent post "Using social tools with an agenda." Says Ghosh:

Often these days I come across articles that say "Here's how you use Facebook for Recruiting" or "17 ways of effective job hunting using Twitter." The problem is, if you merely use the tools with an agenda to recruit/job hunt or whatever, then you're headed for disappointment. That's because these tools are social in nature. And whether you are a marketer, PR person, recruiter or job seeker, using them badly will not just turn off the very people whose attention you strive to seek, but might also backfire on you.

While LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter all may have plenty to offer you, you can't expect to really flourish on these sites if you aren't willing to take it slow and offer something of value yourself. Forbes journalist Tara Weiss addresses this in her article "Twitter to find a job."

If you've never used Twitter, don't sign up and immediately blast people with a message saying you're out of work. Instead, build momentum slowly. Open an account and include something about your profession in your user name. Since users can search tweets by topic, that's one way of making your feed more visible... Next, start tweeting. Offer your opinion on news, industry happenings and seminars. If someone you follow, particularly an industry leader, says something controversial or interesting, retweet (forward) it, or send the person a direct response. That can be an ideal way to get a casual but more personal conversation going.

Indeed, one of the biggest blunders a job-seeker can make is starting up a new Twitter account and immediately clamoring for a job. Yes, the infrastructure is there to make this possible, but Twitter is a real community -- not just a job board!

And while plenty of jobs are listed there, the real value in joining the network is in the "loose" connections you will make, which statistics show are the most crucial in finding a job, says Miriam Salpeter of Keppie Careers in her article "Leverage Twitter for your job search." One of her top tips is to start tweeting long before you follow anyone at all (in other words: contribute!). Salpeter says,

Tweet about an article, an idea or share a link of professional interest to your targeted followers. Do this for a few days. It may seem strange to be tweeting when no one is following, but you may be surprised to gain an audience before you even try. Once you have a great profile and a set of interesting tweets, start following people in your industry.

Salpeter's final, most important tip falls right in line with Gautam Ghosh's urging that we all give before we take in our online networks (the original inspiration for this post):

Give, give, give! Think about what you can do for others. Don't blatantly self-promote. Instead, help promote others. "Retweet" (pass along information someone else shared, giving them credit) - you will earn followers and friends this way. Those who know (and like) you will become part of your network and will be willing to help you.

The right way to approach a social network is bearing something of interest and value. Not only is it the right thing to do, but it's practical, too. When you invest time in your Twitter profile, and build relationships, you are enhancing the likelihood that people will re-tweet the information you're offering. When you're re-tweeted, you're taking advantage of the medium's exponential power! With just a small up-front investment of time and effort, you can reap something that's really worth sowing.

Article by, Sarah and courtesy of RiseSmart.com - RiseSmart: Search Smarter. Rise Faster.

Posted by Candice Arnold on August 27, 2009 at 9:19 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

According to FitnessMagazine.com, the number one song for sweating it out these days is Justin Timberlake's "SexyBack." Not exactly sweating to the oldies.

The question is, with the mounting cost pressures on employer-sponsored health plans, can projecting a healthy glow in interviews bring the sexy back to your job search?

Tim Sackett, executive vice president for HRU Technical Resources, on his blog Fistful of Talent, suggests some companies may be paying closer attention to evidence of good health these days when it comes to hiring:

Is making your employees go get a health screen a bad thing? Probably not ... The fact of the matter is we have a broken healthcare system and most employers have to do something to reduce costs. So they can either interview under the precursor 'does this person look young and healthy', or we can allow them some slack to help make their own workforce a bit more healthy."

I know what some of you are thinking: there may be age and disability discrimination issues at play here. And while those concerns should be taken seriously, there is an unmistakable trend among employers to promote fitness and healthy living among their employees -- as a proactive step to reduce healthcare expenses, sick days, and other costs.

According to a report in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, Home Depot was so sure about the positive benefits of shaping up that the company sponsored a program to help workers set exercise goals. Nearly 1,500 employees participated in the three-month voluntary program and few dropped out. The result? Increased stamina -- but even more importantly, improved group and organizational goal-setting and a rise in peer encouragement.

So why buck the trend? Talent, skill, experience, a good interview, good coaching and a positive outlook remain the biggest factors in landing your next job ... but being and looking healthy is a bonus that could sway in some circumstances, and a little working out never hurt anyone. Especially during the rigors of a job search.

By the way, if you're not a Justin Timberlake fan, a couple of other hot workout songs -- according to Fitness Magazine -- are "It's Not Over" by Chris Daughtry and "This is Why I'm Hot" by the Mims. Those tunes should help you keep focused on the job search.

Article by, Thom and courtesy of RiseSmart.com - RiseSmart: Search Smarter. Rise Faster.

Posted by Candice Arnold on August 27, 2009 at 9:15 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

I was interviewed by CNN this week to give some quick tips on using social networking for a job search beyond just updating your status to say you're looking for a job.

In the segment I focused most on LinkedIn not only because there are now close to 45 million professionals who are members of that site, but because more and more recruiters and hiring managers are using it to find candidates directly rather than relying on job boards. With the unemployment rate at its highest level in 26 years, a posting on an online job board can inundate a recruiter with hundreds or thousands of resumes, a large percentage of which are likely to be unqualified for the job.

An article in The Wall Street Journal last month, for example, told of a law firm that posted a position and received responses from almost 1,000 people, half of whom did not even have a law degree!

But I also focused on LinkedIn because I feel there are some underutilized features that job seekers can leverage to help them find opportunities that are just starting to bubble up before they're widely advertised. And by the way, it's a great tool for entrepreneurs, too, to help them be proactive in identifying unmet needs and proposing solutions.

The company who's who

One of these features is the Companies page. From the top menu of the home page of LinkedIn, click on the "Companies" option and type in a company name or keyword in the search box. LinkedIn will show you an employee listing, including specifically anyone in your network who works there, used to work there, or is connected to someone who does.

Speaking to a few people within each group can be enormously valuable for getting different perspectives on the potential opportunities within your target companies. For example:

• Current employees are invaluable resources for getting a handle on what is happening at the company now and the direction it's going. Plus, they can be great allies for helping you get your resume to the right people and putting in a good word for you (if they know you, of
• course!).
• New promotions and changes may be in the market to hire new positions as they expand their department or replace existing under performers.
• New hires can hint at where there may be growth opportunities within the company. Even if you can't speak to them directly, you can get a sense if certain divisions have been on a hiring spree and target them first.
• Recent departures might be more open to talking about the challenges the company is having, which leaders might be great to work for and who might be a nightmare (good info to know before you accept a job, right?).

This is incredible market intelligence that would have been near impossible to perform just a few years ago.

To assist you in crafting your outreach emails to these folks, I'd like to point you to two recent posts from my Personal Branding Blog colleagues: Monica O'Brien outlined a terrific sample template for requesting a brief informational interview over the phone, and Chad Leavitt shared great strategies for how to effectively contact recruiters you might find on that employee list.

All the information you need is at your fingertips, now go for it!

Liz Lynch is founder of the Center for Networking Excellence and author of Smart Networking: Attract a Following In Person and Online (McGraw-Hill, 2008). She writes, speaks and consults to experienced professionals on how to seamlessly integrate social media and traditional networking to save time and accelerate results.

Article courtesy of Dan Schawbel, the leading personal branding expert for Gen-Y. He authors the Personal Branding Blog and publishes Personal Branding Magazine and authored the upcoming book, Me 2.0: Build a Powerful Brand to Achieve Career Success (Kaplan, Spring 2009). Dan has been called a "personal branding force of nature" by Fast Company and his work has been published in BrandWeek Magazine, Advertising Age and countless other publications.

Posted by Candice Arnold on August 27, 2009 at 9:06 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

I was interviewed by CNN this week to give some quick tips on using social networking for a job search beyond just updating your status to say you're looking for a job.

In the segment I focused most on LinkedIn not only because there are now close to 45 million professionals who are members of that site, but because more and more recruiters and hiring managers are using it to find candidates directly rather than relying on job boards. With the unemployment rate at its highest level in 26 years, a posting on an online job board can inundate a recruiter with hundreds or thousands of resumes, a large percentage of which are likely to be unqualified for the job.

An article in The Wall Street Journal last month, for example, told of a law firm that posted a position and received responses from almost 1,000 people, half of whom did not even have a law degree!

But I also focused on LinkedIn because I feel there are some underutilized features that job seekers can leverage to help them find opportunities that are just starting to bubble up before they're widely advertised. And by the way, it's a great tool for entrepreneurs, too, to help them be proactive in identifying unmet needs and proposing solutions.

The company who's who

One of these features is the Companies page. From the top menu of the home page of LinkedIn, click on the "Companies" option and type in a company name or keyword in the search box. LinkedIn will show you an employee listing, including specifically anyone in your network who works there, used to work there, or is connected to someone who does.

Speaking to a few people within each group can be enormously valuable for getting different perspectives on the potential opportunities within your target companies. For example:

• Current employees are invaluable resources for getting a handle on what is happening at the company now and the direction it's going. Plus, they can be great allies for helping you get your resume to the right people and putting in a good word for you (if they know you, of
• course!).
• New promotions and changes may be in the market to hire new positions as they expand their department or replace existing under performers.
• New hires can hint at where there may be growth opportunities within the company. Even if you can't speak to them directly, you can get a sense if certain divisions have been on a hiring spree and target them first.
• Recent departures might be more open to talking about the challenges the company is having, which leaders might be great to work for and who might be a nightmare (good info to know before you accept a job, right?).

This is incredible market intelligence that would have been near impossible to perform just a few years ago.

To assist you in crafting your outreach emails to these folks, I'd like to point you to two recent posts from my Personal Branding Blog colleagues: Monica O'Brien outlined a terrific sample template for requesting a brief informational interview over the phone, and Chad Leavitt shared great strategies for how to effectively contact recruiters you might find on that employee list.

All the information you need is at your fingertips, now go for it!

Liz Lynch is founder of the Center for Networking Excellence and author of Smart Networking: Attract a Following In Person and Online (McGraw-Hill, 2008). She writes, speaks and consults to experienced professionals on how to seamlessly integrate social media and traditional networking to save time and accelerate results.

Article courtesy of Dan Schawbel, the leading personal branding expert for Gen-Y. He authors the Personal Branding Blog and publishes Personal Branding Magazine and authored the upcoming book, Me 2.0: Build a Powerful Brand to Achieve Career Success (Kaplan, Spring 2009). Dan has been called a "personal branding force of nature" by Fast Company and his work has been published in BrandWeek Magazine, Advertising Age and countless other publications.

Posted by Candice Arnold on August 27, 2009 at 9:06 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

If your CV (resume) hasn't been revised since MS Word 2003, it may be outdated in both content and style. The following tips can help modernize most any CV:

1. Add relevant links--your website, blog, online portfolio, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook--along with your contact information. These links should have a professional tone and be appropriate for your field.

2. Choose a format that fits your career goals--whether it is the time-honored chronological format, the adaptable functional format, or a hybrid of the two.

3. Back up personality traits, such as detail-oriented, with achievements.

4. Reach for good design. Be consistent in the style of your section titles (Education, Experience, etc.). Don't underline. Use bold and italics sparingly. Use a single typeface in a few different sizes and styles.

5. Make it Web-ready. In addition to PDF and MS Word versions of your CV, create an ASCII (plain text) version to use when copying and pasting your CV into the body of an email and for posting online.

Michele Dagle, CPRW, helps people market themselves to land better jobs and clients; she also runs a career blog at http://resume-revamp.com and can be reached at michele@resume-revamp.com.

Courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates seeking entry-level jobs and other career opportunities, and posted on JobsInStockholm.

Posted by Candice Arnold on August 27, 2009 at 9:00 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Most headhunters these days are overwhelmed with resumes and underwhelmed with jobs. You can try to call them to find out where they are with your search, but believe me, they will call you when there is even the smallest chance your resume matches an opening. But if you're not listed with every recruiter who can potentially help you then it's time to grow that list (but don't tell them that).

Apple & Associates - Recruiting at its best is their tag line. After the Flash intro, you are lead to their main page with tabs on the top for Job Seekers, Search Jobs, Job Alerts and Hot Jobs. They specialize in a wide range of industries, from medical to financial services to manufacturing. Hot Jobs leads to, well, hot jobs. There were 49 of these when I checked. Click Job Seeker to post your resume, get contact info for sending an email to this firm or checking out a number of other resources.

Aquent - A simple home page, register, search jobs, learn more or find an agent. This firm specializes in graphic design and marketing/branding. You can click on find an agent to see a list of agents and their specialty. Click on any agent to get their background as well as a way to contact them. Click on search jobs where you can find an example of current assignments.

Brooke Street Staffing - This firm, located in White Plains NY, specializes in finance and accounting, marketing, human resources, administrative assistants, office support, customer service, and data entry clerks. They mainly serve their immediate area. You can submit your resume, contact them and look at their products and services. They do both, temporary and permanent placement. I did not see a listing of current job assignments on their site.

Mercury Partners - Straight from their website - "Mercury Partners is a boutique executive search practice dedicated to the specialized recruitment of global front office finance professionals". Top of their page has links to About the Firm, Specializations and Job Search. From Job Search you can register or search jobs along a number of criteria. The contact page provides a web form for contacting them along with telephone numbers and a generic email address. You can search jobs by specialties and there are a number of listings for each job type.

Nauticus Group - This firm specializes in Consulting, Staffing, and Direct Hire services in the areas of Accounting, Finance, and Operations. Their main page has tabs on the left for Job Opportunities, Candidates and Contact us. Click on Job Opportunities to see their current assignment and click on Contact Us to get detailed contact information on their three offices.

Good luck in your search.

Article by Career Alley

Courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates seeking entry-level jobs and other career opportunities, and posted on Michigan IT.

Posted by Candice Arnold on August 27, 2009 at 8:53 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Have you seen any pumpkins lately? I have and it's making me crazy.

I admit that it's childish of me to avert my eyes when I see "Back to School" signs in store windows or advertisements, but this business of pushing Halloween in August is really taking things too far.

Living in Wisconsin as I do, I also realize that the last few weeks of warm weather might have a special poignancy for me.

Just the same, I think the practice of getting ahead of ourselves runs rampant throughout our society, whether it's selling Halloween candy before Labor Day, thinking about dinner over breakfast, or contemplating our next career move before our first job evaluation where we're working now.

Don't get me wrong, I love planning. It's one of my favorite things to do. I understand perfectly well that if you want to be doing something pretty special by April, you need to be moving in that direction by August - at the latest.

I was even able to handle the pumpkins I saw in a craft store because I understand that if you want to make your own decorations, you might need to start a little earlier.

But preparing for your future is no substitute for participating in your present. If you're always a step ahead, the chances are you're also permanently unbalanced.

I don't think that's a good way to work, let alone live. You're cheating yourself, and those around you.

Have you ever worked with extremely upwardly mobile colleagues? They're so busy grooming themselves for their next positions that they can scarcely be bothered to meet their current obligations. It seems they'd rather go to meetings and talk about their work than do it.

The more this goes on, the more you have to wonder how much actual experience they've acquired and how much they could have learned from it. Career enriching knowledge doesn't fit easily on the head of a pin, or in a bullet point.

Remember that building a career, raising your children or doing anything worthwhile is a little bit like winning a raffle - you have to be present to win.

If you're focusing too much on the future, you might miss telltale signs in the present regarding the shape it will eventually take. Maybe those retailers who ended up with massive amounts of inventory after last year's lackluster holiday season sales might have fared better had they paid more attention to economic indicators when they placed their orders.

So by all means, think in the long term but act in the here and now.

And I certainly hope I don't see any Christmas decorations for at least a couple months.

Article by Danielle D. and courtesy of WorkBloom, an employment blog incorporating a comprehensive career resources section, including the largest database of professionally written resume and cover letter samples on the Web.

Posted by Candice Arnold on August 27, 2009 at 8:15 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

During a time of economic downturn, massive layoffs and substantial cutbacks in employee benefits, more and more individuals are turning to their HR managers and benefit advisors to find ways to reduce their healthcare expenses without eliminating choice or quality.

According to a 2008 annual employee health benefits survey conducted by The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, in 2008 employer health insurance premiums increased by 5.0 percent - two times the rate of inflation. The annual premium for an employer health plan covering a family of four averaged nearly $12,700, and the annual premium for single coverage averaged over $4,700. The survey also showed that workers contributed nearly $3,400 or 12 percent more than they did in 2007 to their own healthcare premiums.

The vital need for high-quality and affordable healthcare is driving more and more American consumers to seek treatment outside of the U.S. in order to eliminate their out-of-pocket medical expenses on high-cost surgical procedures. This concept, most commonly referred to as medical travel or global healthcare, is becoming an attractive option for not only uninsured patients, but many individuals with health insurance who are in need of common, cost-prohibitive surgical procedures, but find their out-of-pocket expenses are just too high.

Industry data shows that U.S. employees, on average, are now responsible for contributing over 120 percent more to their own employer-funded health insurance plan since 2000. Average out-of-pocket costs for deductibles, co-payments for medications, and co-insurance for physician and hospital visits, as well, rose 115 percent during the same period.

As an example, in the U.S., a heart-valve replacement can cost anywhere from $80,000-100,000. Meanwhile, in the best-case scenario, even patients with a substantial medical insurance policy can expect to pay as much as $3,500 to $5,000 out of their own pocket in deductibles, hospitalization fees, co-pays, etc. For an individual earning $50,000 a year that could mean the difference between paying your medical bills and making next month's mortgage payment. A June 2009 Harvard study reported that of all the bankruptcies filed in the U.S. in 2007, 62 percent of those filings had medical debt. What is even more interesting was that 78 percent of that 62 percent (those who filed for bankruptcy) had some type of medical insurance. In turn, when patients are unable to cover the costs of an important medical procedure, treatment is often delayed or even avoided entirely.

In addition to the interest in medical travel among U.S. consumers, there is also a growing interest among the nation's employers seeking innovative ways to reduce their escalating employee healthcare costs. Individuals going outside the U.S. for surgical procedures can save an average of 40-80 percent when compared to the same procedure performed in the U.S., equating to lower claims cost for the employer and no out-of-pocket expenses for the individual receiving care.

Now there are companies that are taking it one step further by sharing thousands of dollars with their employees who elect to travel internationally for care. One such company, McGregor & Associates, an employee benefits firm in San Diego, will share anywhere between $5,000-$7,000 with their employees that go outside the U.S. for certain covered surgical procedures. McGregor & Associates has added Satori World Medical's global healthcare network to its available benefit options for clients and employers. Through this program, when participating patients undergo a surgical procedure internationally via the Satori Global Network™, the plan sponsor actually shares a portion of the savings with their employees via a tax-advantaged Health Reimbursement Account. Those savings are then used to fund the employee's future medical expenses for the next several years.

"In this economic environment, we have to be mindful of company resources, but we cannot ignore our employees' concerns over coverage and cost," said George McGregor, President & CEO of McGregor & Associates. "By adding a global healthcare component to our existing coverage, not only are we able to save significant dollars on our company healthcare expense, but we can pass along a portion of that savings to our employees, which makes a real difference in their financial well-being."

For many individuals, having a medical travel benefit plan may seem like an appealing and cost-effective option to receiving care. But what items should consumers look for when considering a medical travel program?

• Quality Assurance: While high-quality care is available at many hospitals around the world, not all medical travel programs offer the same level of quality. Therefore, it is important to ensure that the medical travel company you choose has a robust quality assurance program. For instance, as a baseline, select a medical travel company that only contracts with international hospitals accredited by the Joint Commission International (JCI), an arm of the U.S. hospital-accrediting body, the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO). JCI sets over 350 standards of excellence for international hospitals to meet that ensure the quality and safety of patient care.
• Out-of-Pocket Costs: Not every medical travel program is all-inclusive. Therefore, it is essential to understand what is included in the cost of your care. For example, does the cost include roundtrip airfare and hotel accommodations? What about travel costs for a companion? Are there any out-of-pocket costs, such as deductibles or co-pays that you may incur?
• Current Coverage: There are now medical travel programs available to U.S. employers, which can easily be added as a benefit option to their employees' existing health plan. Many programs can be added without any recurring cost or network access fee to the employer. Ask your HR manager or benefits advisor if this is a covered benefit. If you don't already have a medical travel/global benefit option, ask about adding one to your company's benefit plan design.
• Patient Support Systems: Making the decision to receive surgery outside of the U.S. can be a challenging decision. Therefore, it is important to work with a medical travel company that has a strong patient advocacy and support program in place. Specific attributes to look for include access to registered nurses who can guide you through the process in coordinating your care, facilitating your medical records transfer and scheduling your follow-up care with your U.S. physician.

Industry experts agree that medical travel will continue to grow over the next several years. This is particularly true as more U.S. employees become eligible through their employer to receive a meaningful financial reimbursement for electing to go outside the US for their medical care. However, like any healthcare matter, being informed and selective is essential to ensuring your success as a medical traveler.

By Jessica Yarbrough, Marketing & Communications Manager, Satori World Medical

Posted by Candice Arnold on August 27, 2009 at 7:47 AM | Leave a Comment (1)

These days, job seekers may feel as if they are at a disadvantage. They go into the interview feeling nervous about rejection, ashamed of getting fired from their last job, or too anxious to please. If you let such emotions and attitudes overtake you, you'll be unable to think about the challenges facing this company and unable to articulate why they need you and should hire you.

Instead, be like a still pond: cool and calm. Here are nine other tried-and-true tips to getting hired.

1. Do impeccable research on the company and position before the interview. Read recent business articles, visit the company's website, and read press releases and annual reports. Write down anything and everything about this company.
2. Don't try to impress them with your dress, attitude, or speech. It will backfire. Be honest, direct, and authentic. Look decent and be comfortable in your own skin.

3. Find out what your interviewer wants by asking questions. Your aim is to discover the company's problems, issues, and needs so you can position yourself as the solution. Example: "What are the biggest challenges facing your company?"
4. Ask interrogative-led questions--what, how, and why--to help YOU direct the dialogue. These get your interviewer spilling the beans. Example: "How do you see this position developing and changing over the next three years?"
5. Get your interviewer to reveal what a "good fit" means to them. Your objective is to find out how you might uniquely enhance this company. Example: "How would you describe your employees and the culture of this organization?"
6. Don't volunteer too much information. You might think your previous working environment is relevant. You might think your family life is important. You might think your hobbies are character revealing. But telling too much gives your interviewer fuel to make assumptions and draw conclusions about you.
7. Be a blank slate. Learn to clear your mind of assumptions, fears, and expectations so you will be emotionally neutral and can maintain an open-minded perspective. If you start to feel hopeful or fearful, needy or overconfident, drop your pen, shift in your chair, take a deep breath--do anything to distract yourself and get back to neutral.
8. Don't be needy. Neediness kills your advantage in a job interview. You do not NEED this job. You need water, food, and air.
9. Focus on what you can control. The only thing you can control in the interview is your behavior and your responses. Focus on listening carefully--taking notes if necessary--and on answering questions in such a way that you are always keeping your interviewer's requirements and goals in mind. Your answers should reflect how you fit in with this employer's aims and enhance the employer's objectives.

Jim Camp is an internationally sought negotiation coach and trainer, and author of NO: The Only Negotiating System You Need for Work and Home (Crown), the revised and updated version of his critically acclaimed business book, Start with No. As president and founder of The Camp Group (www.startwithno.com), he has coached individuals, companies, and governments worldwide through hundreds of negotiations worth billions. His negotiation model is taught in MBA programs from Harvard to NYU.

Posted by Candice Arnold on August 27, 2009 at 7:43 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Events are all about the people. A lot of that has to do with who's invited--or more importantly, who shows up. You can invite people like Aretha Franklin, Trent Lott, John Cleese, Terry McAuliffe, Steve Wozniak, Brad Paisley, and Darell Hammond, but they're probably not going to come to your event (if they all did it would be quite a mix). Unless, of course, you're using Leading Authorities. They are a Washington, DC and Chicago, IL based lecture agency that provides "top-tier speakers and nationally-recognized entertainment acts to events all over the world." Yeah, you'll have to pay a hefty sum, but how else will you get an impressive name to keynote your conference or sing at your party? Leading Authorities is also an "award-winning production house" and an event design firm. That means that you'll be able to make the most of the talent that you bring in for your event--assuming that you, a recent college grad, are throwing a huge event.

Read the full article

Article by Willy Franzen of One Day, One Internship and One Day, One Job

Posted by Candice Arnold on August 26, 2009 at 10:31 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

It's no secret that I'm a fan of the "boutique" public relations agencies. Often times, you are given many more responsibilities much more quickly than at larger firms. If you're like me and thrive on these things, LaunchSquad (PRWeek's 2009 Boutique Agency of the Year) might be just the place for you. Founded in San Francisco in 2000, LaunchSquad now has 40 employees, 35 clients and another office in New York City. The San Francisco Business Times recently named the agency a "best place to work in the Bay Area." I was not surprised about this fact when I read about Volunteer Day, a company-wide event that took "Squadders" to the Exploratorium this year. As I mentioned earlier, you can really wear many hats at a boutique agency--the "hats" at LaunchSquad including messaging and story development, media relations, analyst relations, media training, writing, strategic marketing, international PR, and social media.

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This is a guest post by Heather R. Huhman. Heather is the media relations manager at a national health care professional association and entry-level careers columnist for Examiner.com.

Article by Willy Franzen of One Day, One Internship and One Day, One Job

Posted by Candice Arnold on August 26, 2009 at 10:23 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

For nearly as long as humans have been around, we've been building shelters--places to sleep, eat, work, and play. And nearly as long as we've been building shelters, we've been doing it artistically. Function is still our primary goal--it's the reason that we build things, but it's amazing how development, architecture, construction and engineering, interior design, landscape architecture, and urban planning come together as an essential part of human culture. The National Building Museum in Washington, DC was started to "advance the quality of the built environment by educating the public about its impact on people's lives." Yes, it's a museum filled with artifacts and objects related to the history of buildings, but it's more than that. It's really about "fostering lively discussion about a wide range of topics."

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Article by Willy Franzen of One Day, One Internship and One Day, One Job

Posted by Candice Arnold on August 26, 2009 at 10:14 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Any person that graduated from university remembers the bittersweet sensation of having obtained their degree: on the one hand, the pride of having fulfilled their academic mission; on the other hand, trepidation about what in the heck comes next! Indeed, just about any university graduate is going to be hard pressed to come up with the perfect answer to the question, "What are you going to do when you graduate?" There are just so many possible answers to the question, and with such an abundance of possibilities comes a preponderance uncertainty on behalf of most graduates.

The reality for university graduates is that the road ahead is not going to be an easy one, and--unlike what happened during university itself--pretty much nobody will be there to hold your hand and make sure you don't falter. Entering the real world is infinitely complex and the demands placed on graduates will far exceed their wildest expectations...so get ready! Here, we will go over some basic strategies to help university grads adapt to the reality of the job market and carve the best path possible for themselves in the wide world of work.

1. Your career path after university will be influenced by your choices during university. Yes, the way you chose to pass your time during university will significantly weigh on how the job market will receive you after graduation: those university students that had the foresight to spend their summers and breaks doing internships and holding actual jobs will have a much more cushy landing in the job market than those who only thought about work at the time they were donning their cap and gown. If in addition to actually working/interning during university, you managed to accrue experience in the field you hope to pursue a career in, then all the more kudos to you (as you will have greater chances of success)! Whatever it is that you have done during your time in university, it is important that during the months leading up to graduation you arrange for some sort of job/internship after your graduation. Sure, traveling the world and living a carefree existence for a couple of years upon graduation would be nice, but this is an article about career advice, not bohemian debauchery.

2. Use your school's Career Office as best you can! Yes: your university will grow in prestige and renown if its graduates (aka, you) actually land good jobs after graduation--which is why you should be in touch with your Career Office well before graduation time rolls around. The people staffing your Career Office are trained professionals whose prime objective is to find dignified career outlets for you and your co-alumni, so don't fail to take advantage of this golden opportunity. Ideally, a graduate will harness this tool before and around the time of graduation, though many people return to their university's Career Office for career counselling much later in life when they change careers or simply want to re-enter the job market.

3. Research, research, research...and more research. Though the ideal situation would be that a university grad have a job lined up for after graduation, the simple reality is that many grads end up going for a decent spell without landing a job after getting their degree. That's OK, as long as you don't let this become a period of inactivity that will yield no positive results for your future. More than anything else (and continuing a trend that should have begun well before graduation), this is a time to do lots and lots of research: hopefully, not about what your interests are, but rather about what the actual career implications are of the field or fields that you have already identified as being of interest to you. It is important for recent university grads to fully grasp the implications of a certain job--that is, all the tasks it requires and responsibilities it imposes--because this information is crucial for making a sound choice of future career. It's only too sad when somebody realises, well into a certain career path, that the work implies doing things he or she is not fond of. Hence, part of the research you should perform during this time is shadowing a few professionals in a field that you consider appealing: use any contacts and even take the risk of branching out in order to find people who will agree to you shadowing them for a few days. The insights you will garner from such an exercise will represent a large part of the basis for ultimately making a decision regarding career path.

4. Have modest expectations, and leave yourself room to grow. One common lamentation among recent university grads is that they do not receive job offers for positions that they would like to fill: in short, they feel like they are entering too far down the pecking order. Though in certain cases this reticence may be justified, in general university grads suffer from unjustifiably high expectations, and this is something to be avoided. If a person really is meant to occupy a higher role, then they will find the right opportunities in which to expose to their employers their merit and gain a promotion. Furthermore, most employers value having university-educated employees, but they value even more having university-educated employees with experience on the job and in practical aspects; university grads are rich in theoretical knowledge, and usually deficient in practical knowledge (with some exceptions), and time and experience really are the only cures for this situation. Which brings us to the final point:

5. Keep learning! That's right: don't rest on your laurels (your university degree, that is), but rather prove that you have a desire to keep growing and learning. Specifically, and keeping in mind the point about practical knowledge made above, recent university grads are encouraged to attend training courses, take licensing exams (for the applicable career fields, specifically technical work), etc., and do everything to prove--on paper--that they have the abilities to match for their knowledge. The time spent taking a course of career coaching will be well worth it when your CV comes out better, brighter & much improved. Though most university grads are thinking about anything but taking more classes and exams, doing this will not only show initiative on your behalf, but will add some impressive new entries to your CV.

Peter Appleby is a professional career consultant whose job it is to help those at a career crossroads.

Article courtesy of WorkBloom, an employment blog incorporating a comprehensive career resources section, including the largest database of professionally written resume and cover letter samples on the Web.

Posted by Candice Arnold on August 26, 2009 at 10:10 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

"Keep your nose to the grindstone, and someday, you may get to call the shots"

According to a new report in Reuters, this familiar management credo is getting tipped on it's ear as a growing number of millennials have decided not to put experience before business ownership.

Maybe the stagnant job market has something to do with young twenty-somethings jumping from college-to-boss without first passing Go and collecting $200. Perhaps it's a more daring spirit that makes them want to "go for it" much earlier in life. Or maybe they're simply questioning the assertion that owning a business is something that only comes after years of practical and relevant work experience. Whatever their motivation, you're going to see a lot more young entrepreneurs in the businesses in your community.

Unquestionably, it takes a rare trifecta of talent, skill and hutzpa to own and operate a successful business. For all the criticism Generation Why has taken about their work ethic (or the lack thereof) as employees, perhaps they are actually better suited to be employers.

My son graduated from college three years ago and has a great job writing ads for a large Chicago-based agency, but he is already making overtures about leaving to start his own agency. I've been telling him that he needs to bide his time and learn a lot more about the business before going it alone.

This morning I'm wondering if I should get out of his way and get behind him.

By Eric Chester and courtesy of Generation Why? Whysblog

Posted by Candice Arnold on August 26, 2009 at 10:06 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

The first book I read by Michael Port was Book Yourself Solid: The Fastest, Easiest and Most Reliable System for Getting More Clients Than You Can Handle Even if You Hate Marketing and Selling. It contains some of the most practical, actionable, and no-nonsense advice I've come across to authentically market yourself.

Port sees personal branding as two components: your "who and do what" statement, and your "why you do it" statement.

Your who and do what statement

First you need to be clear about whom you help and what you can help them do. You'll probably share this with others in your industry. It's the first filter people will use to determine if you're right for the job.

Fill in the blanks for yourself. Be accurate and concise: "I help [who you help] [what you help them do]." For example, "I help professional service provides book themselves solid."

When creating your who and do what statement, think about specific problems you solve, who you solve them for, and what the results are. Put it down on paper to make it real, and then start revising and honing it. Show it to friends and family. Write and rewrite it. Throw it out and start again. It's an iterative process, not a one-shot deal. But it's vitally important to make it concise and authentic.

Your why you do it statement

Now that you have your who and do what statement, potential clients and employers want to know if they resonate with you on an emotional or philosophical level. As Port says, "They'll want to know if they connect with your why you do it statement - the reason you do what you do."

This part can be tough. You need to identify exactly why you're the person to serve their specific, personal, and urgent needs. If you do it right, ideal clients will feel attracted to you on a deeper level, and be more likely to hire you or purchase your services.

In Port's business, he's known as "the guy to call when you're tired of thinking small." That's because he's been saying this over and over since the day he realized that was his why you do it statement. How did he develop his? One day a colleague in his mastermind group was giving him a hard time and asked, "Why would I hire you for that?" He blurted out, "Because I'm the guy to call when you're tired of thinking small." Everyone in the room held their breath and then broke out cheering with excitement because they knew he had hit on something. The "Think Big Revolution" is now his tagline.

When creating your why you do it statement, think about who you are at your core, why you do what you do, and why people should work with you. What is it like to be around you? What is the vision that inspires you? How do you want to touch others' lives in a positive and meaningful way?

As Port says, your why you do it statement will "resonate with those you're meant to serve." When you make it clear who you're serving, what you help them do, and why you do it, you will repel those who will be a pain to work with (for you) and attract those who will be a joy to work with. Personal branding means not pleasing everybody, but truly pleasing those who will benefit the most.

Write out three possible why you do it statements. Be bold and give yourself options. Identify which parts of each option you like and don't like. Combine them and start over. This is in iterative process that can take weeks or even months. But unless you start, you have nothing to improve upon.

Personally, it took me about a week of soul-searching, and then a week to wrap language around my purpose and vision. My why you do it statement stems from my vision of a world where everyone devotes their working lives to meaningful, fulfilling projects. If Michael Port is the guy to go to when you're tired of thinking small, I'm the guy to go to if you're a passionate person looking for meaningful projects online. That's why I run Brand-Yourself.com, a web platform to help you to develop a remarkable online identity. Your web presence allows you to be found by like-minded people who need your help and will pay you for it. A strong web presence makes it much easier to find you and connect you to people with similar passions and goals. The stronger your online identity, the more you will attract meaningful career opportunities and be able to work on fulfilling projects.

So give Michael Port a call if you're tired of thinking small. Give Pete Kistler a call if you're passionate about finding meaningful projects online.

Now tell me, why should I call you? I'd love to hear your who and do what statement, as well as your why you do it statement. Leave a comment and share the core of your personal brand.

Pete Kistler is a leading Online Reputation Management expert for Generation Y, a top 5 finalist for Entrepreneur Magazine's College Entrepreneur of 2009, one of the Top 30 Definitive Personal Branding Experts on Twitter, a widely read career development blogger, and a Judge for the 2009 Personal Brand Awards. Pete manages strategic vision for Brand‐Yourself.com, the first online reputation management platform for job applicants, named one of the Top 100 Most Innovative College Startups in the U.S.

Article courtesy of Dan Schawbel, the leading personal branding expert for Gen-Y. He authors the Personal Branding Blog and publishes Personal Branding Magazine and authored the upcoming book, Me 2.0: Build a Powerful Brand to Achieve Career Success (Kaplan, Spring 2009). Dan has been called a "personal branding force of nature" by Fast Company and his work has been published in BrandWeek Magazine, Advertising Age and countless other publications.

Posted by Candice Arnold on August 26, 2009 at 9:29 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Today, I spoke to Ryan Paugh, who is the co-founder and community manager at Brazen Careerist. Ryan is one of my good friends and I had the pleasure to connect with him close to when I started blogging a few years back. Ryan, along with Penelope Trunk and Ryan Healy (also good friends), have re-launched or "officially launched" Brazen Careerist today, which is the career management tool for next-generation professionals. Already, they have garnered attention from TechCrunch, Mashable and Lifehacker! In this interview, I ask Ryan about his company, personal branding, what he's learned as a Gen-Y'er, and he points out how bad job boards are.

How do you define personal branding in the context of BrazenCareerist.com?

If you have a solid brand, people can easily identify what you're worth. The problem is that most people don't know how to showcase themselves in a way that makes them look like rock stars.

We created Brazen Careerist believing that we could help people manage their brands better. Today, we unleashed an amazing toolset that going to help professionals manage their thoughts and ideas while connecting with the people who matter most.

Looking back at your career, from working at a large enterprise, then start EmployeeEvolution.com and now Brazen Careerist, what are the 3 most important things you've learned along the way?

I learned that working for yourself is hard! Entrepreneurship is no fantasy life. Still, if it's your passion, you need to do something about it ASAP.

I also learned that there's room for creativity and innovation in any business that you're part of. I leveraged my frustration with Corporate America and co-founded Employee Evolution with Ryan Healy. Even if we didn't start our own business, the blog was propelling us in so many exciting directions that the possibilities were endless!

The most important thing I learned is to be a giver. Personal branding has very humble beginnings. If you want to build a powerful brand online, make a conscious effort to help at least one person every single day.

How can Brazencareerist.com be added to the personal branding mix? Any success stories so far?

It takes most people 2-3 months to make a few connections through social media. That's pretty annoying. Isn't it?

Brazen Careerist helps you connect with the right people today. If you're ready to stop taking the passive route to online career management, set up a profile and we'll introduce you to the right people, right now.

We've seen tons of people land jobs through the connections they've made on Brazen Careerist.

Some of my favorite success stories from the Community are:

• Meg Roberts
• Lance Haun
• Sydney Owen

Why is a resume no longer enough and how does Brazen Careerist bring your true self to life?

It's not enough to post your resume to countless job boards and hope for the best. It doesn't work!

Resumes tell employers what you've done, but there's little opportunity to talk about the things that you want to do--potential. Brazen Careerist helps you share the important things you have to say. Things employers needs to know, but aren't visible on a traditional resume.

What have you learned from the startup life and working with Ryan and Penelope?

I learned to be honest, with myself and with others. Be yourself at all costs. Penelope, Ryan and I are very different. We disagree a lot. But we wouldn't have it any other way.

Article by, Dan Schawbel, the leading personal branding expert for Gen-Y. He authors the Personal Branding Blog and publishes Personal Branding Magazine and authored the upcoming book, Me 2.0: Build a Powerful Brand to Achieve Career Success (Kaplan, Spring 2009). Dan has been called a "personal branding force of nature" by Fast Company and his work has been published in BrandWeek Magazine, Advertising Age and countless other publications.

Posted by Candice Arnold on August 26, 2009 at 9:21 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

I look at a lot of resumes in the course of my work, and one thing I have noticed is people taking certain liberties with the date formatting. I'm not the only one noticing; check out what Ask A Manager has to say:

I'm seeing what might be a trend of people using a chronological resume format but leaving off any indication of how long they held each position. This is really not a good idea. It looks like you're trying to hide a series of short stays and in a pretty inept way.

And this, from Coromel's View:

Also, about your work dates...put the month and year you were at your job. 2007 to 2009 looks like two years but if it's December 07 to January 09 it's basically one year. We're going to ask you so just put it down and we won't think you're trying to be cute and hide something.

The truth is, some people are trying to hide something by using this format. Maybe it's a short stay somewhere. Others are simply trying to de-clutter their resume (in a way that hiring managers don't really appreciate, but they mean well). Some people are contractors with a (necessarily) fragmented work history. And some of these applicants are on the older side of the spectrum, and trying to showcase their skills over their age.

There are a lot of reasons why an applicant might try to obscure dates. Let's talk about why, and what they might choose to do instead:

Contractors and Freelancers

Undoubtedly, a lot of assignments end before a person has another one lined up, resulting in unsightly gaps across the years. The temptation to gloss this over can be great. However, hiring managers understand contract arrangements. Be up-front with the months, and simply state that you left because a contract ended. (Your contract work shouldn't be mis-identified as full employment, anyway, so they already know!) Another great way to work with this situation is to form your own consulting company and use it to fill in any spaces between jobs -- if you are busy with your own clients and also fulfilling contracts, you're going to come across as a busy, capable person.

People with Problem Areas in Their Careers

Some people really are trying to hide a time when they were not totally sure of their career path, or took the wrong position, or even were terminated. Hiding dates is unlikely to hide this for long, though. In my opinion, the best place to deal with this is in the cover letter. Think very sincerely about why you have that date you're embarrassed to put down, and think about what you're seeking now, and how you have changed. Admitting that you took a job that was a bad fit can be a sign of maturity, especially if you have a convincing rationale and some proof that you have changed and grown. It is infinitely better to address any strangeness in your resume in a letter, rather than trying to erase the incident (which will probably come up in any serious investigation of your background) or allowing the hiring manager to come up with their own explanation. For more tips on presenting yourself well when you've been dealt a rough hand, check out this article: Enhancing Your Employability Despite Those Employment Gaps.

Older Applicants

There are instances where it is acceptable, even advisable, for older applicants to obscure some dates. For instance, removing the year when you received a degree might be acceptable if you truly feel that it distracts from your overall profile. Similarly, if you spent a very long time at just one or two companies in your career, then months are an unnecessary level of detail, and years alone should be sufficient. However, no dates at all just raises too many red flags. So trim off any irrelevant job history that is more than 15 years in the past, but properly date everything that you do include. For more excellent tips on check out this New York Times piece called Presenting Young, in Interviews and On the Job.

In summary: dates are important. Leaving them off entirely raises more than question marks -- it raises exclamation points! Months are not necessary 100% of the time, but they are standard, and much appreciated. Finally, use your cover letter to make sure that any date anomalies are fully explained.

Article by, Sarah and courtesy of RiseSmart.com - RiseSmart: Search Smarter. Rise Faster.

Posted by Candice Arnold on August 26, 2009 at 8:23 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Having developed a product that relies on delivering video content, I know firsthand how difficult online video can be. Yes, any idiot can record something and upload it to YouTube for millions to watch, but it takes a significantly greater effort for a company to deliver an even slightly more professional video experience. New York City based The FeedRoom is a company that offers enterprise solutions for online streaming video and digital asset management. You may have seen their software at work on sites like PentagonChannel.mil and BestBuyTrueStories.com. It's about 14 steps above publishing to YouTube, yet it's nearly as easy to do for corporate clients who use The FeedRoom's products, services, and solutions. If I had the budget for some serious enterprise software, I'd definitely The FeedRoom for Found Your Career.

Read the full article

Article by Willy Franzen of One Day, One Internship and One Day, One Job

Posted by Candice Arnold on August 25, 2009 at 4:10 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Article provided by JIST Publishing

Despite layoffs and a lack of jobs plaguing the world of work, the nation's largest employer--the federal government--hasn't stopped hiring, nor does it plan to anytime soon. In fact, the federal government is expected to offer red-hot hiring within the next few years due to a high percentage of its workers transitioning into retirement, say Karol Taylor and Janet Ruck, co-authors of Guide to America's Federal Jobs, Fourth Edition.

To score one of these in-demand jobs with Uncle Sam, applicants will sometimes have to submit a one-page essay in addition to their federal government application. "If the job you are applying for requires essays, you have a tremendous opportunity to showcase your accomplishments, highlight your qualifications, and target your expertise to the job," say Taylor and Ruck. Continue reading ...

Article by, Selena Dehne and courtesy of JIST Publishing

Posted by Candice Arnold on August 25, 2009 at 10:06 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Something that many of today's employees are familiar with is teleconferences. It's something that college students doing internships and recent graduates with entry level jobs are probably better able to take in stride than their older colleagues. Teleconferences are a convenient, cost-effective way for remote teams and their supervisors to communicate with each other, but there are certain guidelines that must be followed.

In her article Recipe for a Successful Teleconference, Georgina Laidlaw lists what she feels are the four key elements of successful teleconferences:

1. Timing - It's just as important to be on time for a teleconference as it is when meeting in person. Delays should be communicated ASAP with whoever is heading the teleconference. It's especially important for the person who called the meeting to be on time, says Laidlaw, because "people will drop out of the conference much more quickly than they'd drop out of an on-site meeting."

2. Technology - Make sure equipment is working properly well in advance of the teleconference so there's plenty of time to fix or replace whatever isn't functioning as it should.

3. Preparation - Make sure all team members have the necessary documents and information to participate effectively in the meeting. Delays can be frustrating and distracting. Documents should be distributed (if necessary) in advance so it can be "read and understood" prior to the teleconference, Laidlaw recommends.

4. Foll up - It's always a good idea to follow up with an email to confirm that everyone is on the same page and that no one has any lingering questions or doubts. Follow up is "imperative when decisions are hard to reach, the outcomes of the meeting aren't clear or team members want to make note of any reservations or conditions they tabled," says Laidlaw.

As more companies strive to save money, events like teleconferences will become more commonplace. Following Laidlaw's guidelines for conducting a teleconference could help teleconferences to be more enjoyable for everyone, students doing internships, recent graduates with entry level jobs and management-level employees.

Posted by Candice Arnold on August 25, 2009 at 10:04 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Article provided by JIST Publishing

Choosing a major has always been a stumbling block for many college students. Now, with so much uncertainty in the job market, students are feeling more pressured than ever to define an academic path that will safeguard them from future recessions.

"Consider this: No matter how prosperous the economy may be when you graduate, you are almost certainly going to experience a recession within your first 10 or 15 years out of college. Do you want to be in a job that is more secure than most? Do you want to avoid being in a job where opportunities melt away like snow in April? You can improve your odds of job security by choosing a high-security college major and, once you're employed, by taking steps to be the kind of worker who is least threatened by a recession," says Laurence Shatkin, Ph.D., co-author of 50 Best College Majors for a Secure Future. Continue reading ...

Article by, Selena Dehne and courtesy of JIST Publishing

Posted by Candice Arnold on August 25, 2009 at 9:57 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Article provided by JIST Publishing

Did your last effort to apply for a job leave you feeling snubbed? If so, you might have thought you submitted a resume strong enough to score an interview. Because you received a rejection letter instead, it's likely that your resume fell short of meeting the employer's expectations.

Resumes with weak accomplishments are often to blame for job seekers being screened out of consideration for a position, says Gail Geary, a career transition coach and author of Your Next Career, Second Edition. Continue reading ...

Article by, and courtesy of JIST Publishing

Posted by Candice Arnold on August 25, 2009 at 9:48 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Today, I spoke to Peter Bregman, who is the author of Point B, a consultant and blogger at Harvard Business School Publishing. In this interview, Peter talks to us about leadership in corporations, how people change everyday, not using your gut to make decisions, how to climb the corporate ladder and why failure is a success principle.

How has the role of a leader inside a corporation changed in the past few years? How do you define true leadership?

Leadership in corporations used to be easier when people simply did what leaders told them to do. If that ever really happened, It certainly doesn't anymore. Now, even though they are paid, employees are volunteers. They decide what work they want to do, where they want to work, and how they want to work. If they're not happy, they'll leave. Or at least the good ones will. Corporations used to have a commitment to their people that inspired loyalty. People stayed at one company forever. Just ask your father. Or his father. But now, after decades of layoffs, no one expects a company to be loyal and no one has loyalty to his or her company.

True leadership is when people want to follow you because they respect you.

They believe in what you're trying to do in the world. They believe in how you're trying to do it. And they want to support the vision you set before them. True leaders influence those around them because those around them share ownership for the leaders' vision. True leaders know how to garner that ownership. People used to say that leadership was all about character. Now that's really true.

Why do employees resist change? What can companies do about it?

I disagree with the premise of your question. Employees don't resist change. People change effortlessly every day. They change jobs, they get married, they have babies, they move. People make the changes they want to make. The don't resist change. They resist being changed. What can companies do about it? They can stop trying to make people change. Trying to get buy - which is just another word for a sell job - is a mistake. Don't tell people what's in it for them. Let them make that judgment themselves. Be honest, transparent, in your decisions. Let people know the challenges. And then give them choices.

In my book, Point B: A Short Guide to Leading a Big Change, I discuss a number of strategies to let other people make choices while still moving them towards your goals. One of those strategies is "Get it Half Right." Most leaders of change try to make their change perfect. They create beautiful binders, training programs, communication plans. But those things alienate people - making them feel like the change is being done to them. No one can't write him or herself into a perfected change. There's no room left; it's already perfect. People own things they create themselves. So by getting the change half right and then letting employees finish it - letting them make changes to the change - you'll garner their ownership. If you encourage people implement their own ideas, why would anyone resist?

One of your recent HBS blog posts is called "To get what you want, don't go with your gut." Can you explain this?

Our guts tells us to do all sorts of stupid things. Like yell back when someone yells at us. Or send a pissy email in response to one that seemed pissy to us. Or eat that huge ice cream sunday when we're on a diet (that's literally your gut talking). We are emotional animals and often act in the heat of the moment. That's a mistake we often regret once we cool down. Sometimes, your gut is a valuable tool, sending you insights you wouldn't otherwise notice. Other times it encourages you to react when you should respond more thoughtfully. It's important and useful to know the difference.

How can an individual, who's trying to go through the ranks in a company get from point A to point B?

Engage as many other people as possible in their work efforts. A mistake I often see people make is that they try to prove themselves. They try to get visibility, promote themselves and their work. But that behavior reads junior. Senior people? They try to get visibility for other people. They grow their employees and colleagues. Other people appreciate that. They notice it. When promotion time comes, who do you think other people want to promote - the self-promoter or the person who gives others the credit? Not only do credit-sharers improve other people's work and the overall work product, they are also widely liked. No one can get to point B in a corporation alone. It helps more than you can imagine to be liked.

Do people need to fail at some point in order to succeed?

At many, many points. I don't believe that people can succeed without failing. Often. Failure means you're operating at your edge. Sometimes you fall, other times you perform exceptionally. But you never know unless you push the boundaries. I would say that getting comfortable with failure, and learning from failure, is probably the best thing you can do if you want to succeed. High achieving people are most motivated when they are working on tasks in which they have a 50-70% chance of success. That means they fail 30-50% of the time. That's a great rule of thumb.

Article by, Dan Schawbel, the leading personal branding expert for Gen-Y. He authors the Personal Branding Blog and publishes Personal Branding Magazine and authored the upcoming book, Me 2.0: Build a Powerful Brand to Achieve Career Success (Kaplan, Spring 2009). Dan has been called a "personal branding force of nature" by Fast Company and his work has been published in BrandWeek Magazine, Advertising Age and countless other publications.

Posted by Candice Arnold on August 25, 2009 at 9:36 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

I recently came across a fun and inspiring talk given by the TV talk-show host and stand-up comedienne Ellen Degeneres. Ellen was speaking to the so-called 'Katrina Class' of graduates' at Tulane University in New Orleans earlier this summer.

The 10-minute talk was peppered with Ellen's trademark humour coupled with some sage advice for the new graduates. Below are 7 career lessons I picked out from the speech along with how they apply to you and your career:

1. "Stop trying to please everyone else"
One of the biggest reasons people don't pursue work and careers they are passionate about is because they're overly concerned about what everyone else thinks. In trying to please their parents, partner, friends, boss, colleagues and the next-door neighbour's dog, they succeed in pleasing everyone but themselves. Trying to please everyone else is the fast track way to failure and frustration. So quit trying to please everyone and instead focus on what's most important to you. You'll find that the people that really care about you will support you through thick and thin.

2. "The most important thing is to be yourself"
When you stop trying please everyone and take off the 'mask,' life and work become far easier and less stressful. When you focus on being the best version of you instead of trying to be an imitation of someone else, some people (including some employers) won't appreciate you. But in time, the right people and the right opportunities will be drawn to you effortlessly.

3. "Follow your own path, not someone else's"
At the age of 14 I decided I was going to be a pharmacist. Or rather, my family decided I would be a pharmacist (after all, it's a good Indian profession - lots of status and pretty lucrative). Whilst I had little interest in pharmacy or studying sciences, I didn't really know what I wanted to do, so I settled on the pharmacy career path. But then at the age of 16, I failed all my science exams whilst passing everything else. I realised then that trying to do what everyone else wanted me to do would never work. And it will never work for you either. Take advice yes, but listen to yourself, follow your passions and the things you're instinctively motivated to do. You'll be far happier and far more successful.

4. "The most devastating things that happen to you, will teach you the biggest lessons"
Many people who have been laid off in the current economy are learning the importance of having a strong network well before they need one. Some people are realising that they need to take much more responsibility for their careers by thinking and acting like freelancers instead of being wholly reliant on one employer. Most people are learning that it's not sufficient to just 'do a good job' - to succeed, you need to be able to market yourself and develop a distinct personal brand. Whilst sometimes painful, learning these lessons now and implementing the learning in the coming months and years will in fact make you far more successful in the future.

So remember - everything is a stepping stone to somewhere else. The thing that may seem like a disaster right now, could be the very thing that teaches you the lessons you need to really thrive in the future.

5. "Your definition of success will change over time"
We often find ourselves climbing the ladder of success only to find some years later that the ladder is, in fact, leaning against the wrong wall. What you were striving for 3 or 5 years ago is very likely different from what you want now. So ask yourself: what's your current definition of career success? Are your actions and behaviours focused on achieving what you want today or what you wanted in the past?

6. "Contribute in some way"
You can focus on accumulating 'stuff' - money, fancy job titles, cars, houses - but ultimately your success, your reputation and your legacy will be measured not by what you accumulate, but by what you contribute. In the modern world we live in, there are more ways to contribute than ever before: mentoring, volunteering, blogging, campaigning, fund raising, doing charity runs, lending money to the poor via micro finance schemes. Whilst these are not all directly related to your career, your job makes many of these possible and so, by contributing, you can make your career that much more meaningful.

7. "You're gonna be ok......so just dance!"
No matter how bad things may seem today, you will be ok. If you're out of work - you will find a job. It may take longer than you would like, but you'll get there. If you're stuck in a career you hate - things will change. Maybe the job, the organisation or you. It won't happen overnight - but things will work out and you'll be ok. So instead of stressing too much about what may happen tomorrow, enjoy today and just dance....

To see the 10-minute clip of Ellen talking through these lessons with far more humour than my commentary, click here.

Article by, Sital Ruparelia and courtesy of CareerHub.com. The Career Hub blog connects job seekers with experts in career counseling, resume writing, personal branding and recruiting.

Posted by Candice Arnold on August 25, 2009 at 8:09 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

The other day, I asked my client to describe one of the earliest projects she could recall -- take, for instance, middle school I offered. She laughed and said she couldn't think back that far. I remained quiet as she recalled an earlier time in her life. Within a minute or so, she began recounting with fondness a specific project, how she went about it, and its eventual successful outcome.

We then turned our conversation to the career transition project she found herself in the midst of now, and how she could apply the skills she already possesses to make this project as successful as any other she'd done previously at work, at home, or in the community. She seemed surprised -- she'd not thought of it that way...a project is a project, after all.

Have you considered managing your career transition project as yet another important project to plan, organize, and execute? As with any project that you've embarked upon, what is the way you go about it? What's your style? What works for you? What is your specific goal -- have you written it down somewhere, or is it rumbling around in your head? What resources in the way of people, data and things do you need to assemble to support project success? What's the first action step, next step and the one after that? What gets top priority? What's your time line? How will you measure progress? What's your definition of project success? What's your strategy when things go awry? What's your backup plan - JIC -- just in case?

While it is of immense value to tap into all of the career resources available to you -- free and/or not-so-free, it is equally important to tap into what you already know to be true about yourself and how you go about doing things in management of life's projects, including career-related ones -- just because you're you and you know you, hopefully better than anyone else. As a good friend in HR once said, you can lead a horse to water...

Article by, Billie Sucher and courtesy of CareerHub.com. The Career Hub blog connects job seekers with experts in career counseling, resume writing, personal branding and recruiting.

Posted by Candice Arnold on August 25, 2009 at 8:06 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Article provided by Brand-Yourself.com

The most effective elevator speeches I've used have been concise and value based. The following is an example. Please input your own information and PRACTICE it enough times so that it becomes as natural as saying your name when meeting someone new.

Try to minimize the advertisement or tendency to talk about yourself. It is not about you. It's about how your company works closely with clients to help them achieve their goals, faster, easier and better. The goal is to advance the sales process!

The four components of my elevator speeches are:

1.) Introduce yourself
2.) Identify your company
3.) Identify how your company adds value for customers
4.) Create interest by giving an example of how your company has helped a customer (similar to the one of the person you are introducing yourself too) resolve a critical business issue like reducing costs, increasing revenue, etc.

Example: If introducing myself to someone from XYZ Airport Authority which is involved in the aerospace industry:

1.) Hello, my name Rick Venet and I am President of ROI Strategic Business Solutions

2.) We at ROI Strategic Business Solutions provide value added solutions that help our client achieve a higher return on investment

3.) For every $1 spent by our clients on our services, they receive more than $2 in return [leverage your unique capabilities: people, processes, systems, advanced technology, etc.]

Break - Let the other person introduce them and their organization. If you have a few minutes, get to know them. Ask them how long they have been there and where they came from.

4.) Give an example of how your company helped a client; We have worked with a variety of clients and helped them reduce sales cycle times from 12-18 months down to 2-4 weeks. In the Aerospace industry, we recently helped a leading designer and manufacturer of advanced imaging technology respond to the needs of an airport similar to XYZ to resolve security breaches by identifying and locating subjects of interest faster. This allowed the airport authority to minimize operational interruptions, avoid passenger frustration and significant costs.

Now circle back to get them discussing issues about their organization. Ask questions, how are they addressing the need to minimize and eliminate security breaches and checkpoints? What are some of their barriers?

If you are going to a meeting where you know executives from XYZ Airport are going to attend, then do some homework. Normally, I will do research on the companies expected to be in attendance and to prepare questions from reading annual reports, news releases, news paper reports regarding achievements or issues, or other available information.

Also, prior to the meeting, I will attempt to contact the target prospect personally. I will work with their executive assistant to arrange a 5 minute introduction during the meeting/conference. I may contact a mutual friend or business associate to get an endorsement and to be more receptive to my call.

Remember: to advance the sale, get an introduction and/or schedule a follow-up meeting, the person you meet MUST find some value in continuing to talk with you and learn about your capabilities to help their organization.

I hope this is helpful and of value! Good Selling!

Rick Venet is the owner of ROI Strategic Business Solutions LLC, Warren, MI who has developed and leveraged effective methods and techniques which have helped his clients significantly reduce sales cycle times and increase revenues. With more than 30 years of management, leadership, sales and executive networking experience, he has helped companies ranging from $4 Million - $29 Billion dollars in annual revenue improve their performance. His process has been features on CBS business news podcasts on WWJ950 radio in Detroit. He enjoys the challenges and opportunities of working with people and teaching nontraditional skills that help them succeed. Also, he and his wife enjoy the opportunities to visit with their daughter in VET College (MSU) and trips to attend their son's hockey games and watch the team play (RMU). Rick can be reached at Mobile: (586) 524-1653, or email at rvenet@roisbs.com.

Article courtesy of Brand-Yourself.com for actionable tips to put you in a position of power in the job market

Posted by Candice Arnold on August 25, 2009 at 8:00 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Often one of the most difficult things to do at work is to have a positive, open channel of communication with the one who holds the most power and control over your current job success (besides yourself) - your boss. Most people realize there are certain things they can and can not say to their boss or manager, and that's true. But, in fact, there are many things that you can and should be saying to your boss, if you want to have a rewarding relationship with him or her, and if you want to be sure you have a supporter and a defender in the person you report to.

Some of us have a love-hate relationship with our manager; we use them when we need them, but try to keep our distance the rest of the time. Some love to be in our manager's presence; just because it feels good to be in their 'circle', where the respect and reverence that other people have for them sometimes transfers to us. Others hate the feeling of an overarching authority, and would prefer to just pretend they don't have a manager. However, the truth is, no matter how you feel about your boss, you'll always have one. So, why not have as effective a relationship with your manager as you possibly can?

Complaining

We've all done it. We've had a negative interaction with a colleague or a disappointing work product, and either need a referee or a sounding board, or both. So, when the time is right, you walk to your manager's office, plunk down in the chair across from their desk, and vent. First of all, this is OK, but only if there's more than just venting going on. As cliché as this may sound, managers don't want to just hear about problems, they want to hear about possible solutions. A manager's job is to be a source of coaching and advice, but their job is not to solve all your work problems, as if you were some kind of preschooler who had a fight on the playground and need a parent to come over and break it up. It's OK to complain, vent, grouse and even curse, but then offer up an alternative. Come up with a solution to whatever the problem is, and suggest it. Even ask your manager help you to implement it, but don't just complain for the sake of getting your frustrations off your chest. Your manager is meant to be your work guide and supporter, not your therapist or your parent.

Complimenting

Once in a while, it's a good idea to give a compliment to the boss when one is sincerely due. Most non-managers do not realize this, but compliments and positive feedback are important to managers, because they don't really know how good (or bad) a job they're doing as managers and are terrified to ask. Most employees would be amazed at how much their company spends on consultants to help managers learn more about their management style and what their direct reports really think of them.

Given the fact that so many managers have never received the right preparation or training before becoming managers, every once in a while it's a good idea to compliment your boss when they do something that makes you feel appreciated, valued or respected. They may not openly acknowledge how they feel about the feedback, but even if only subconsciously, they'll remember getting the praise for doing something that created a positive result or sentiment for someone who reports to them. In the end, it will probably make them a better manager to you or someone else.

Remember that giving someone a compliment doesn't mean that you engage in brown-nosing activities, or lavish undue or over-the-top praise, it just means that you can and should be honest with you boss when they do something that is helpful to you. Sometimes, it's as simple as saying, "Hey, Paul, thanks for helping me complete that negotiation with Trans Air, and for letting me take the reins on the final phase." Or even, "I really appreciate your support in helping me get that raise. Thanks." These little things go a long way, and encourage managers to do more of it, because they know that not only are they helping their employees, but they're becoming more successful at managing and leading people.

Listening

Communicating is not only about talking and presenting ideas, it's also about listening. And when dealing with your manager, there will be a multitude of times when you'll be communicating well by simply keeping your mouth shut. There are dozens of opportunities in any given week to strengthen the relationship and bonds of communication with your manager, by listening and being receptive to coaching and feedback. So many managers complain about their 'problem' employees by saying things like, "I've tried to tell him, but he just won't listen." Don't be that employee. Be open to what your manager is saying when they're trying to give you advice on how to do something differently, or how to engage with someone in the office that you don't get along with. You may decide in the end that the advice is just not the help you can take, but decide that later. While you're in that moment with your boss, and he or she is giving you what is probably their best and most genuine attempt to help you, take it all in and consider the merits of it, and don't pooh-pooh the advice until you've had a reasonable amount of time to digest and reflect on it.

It's true that sometimes you'll just have an ineffective boss, who brings you more pain than peace. But just remember that effective communication is never about one person. Even if you're doing everything you can to get away from under the thumb of an oppressive boss, there are still things you can do, in the meantime, to lighten your own load and help make the relationship more tenable.

Article by Melanie Haniph and courtesy of WorkBloom, an employment blog incorporating a comprehensive career resources section, including the largest database of professionally written resume and cover letter samples on the Web.

Posted by Candice Arnold on August 24, 2009 at 9:52 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Once I ran into a fellow self-employed person and, as we shared the customary chitchat he said, "I'm running ragged. The guy I work for is a jerk."

I laughed because I knew the feeling.

Lots of times people opt out of a traditional workplace to be their own boss, only to find they're harder on themselves than any regular supervisor ever would be.

Be honest now, how quickly would you file a complaint against a manager who talked to you the way you talk to yourself?

Maybe you'd quit instead. But the problem is, there's no transferring away from your own inner supervisor.

In fact, more of us find ourselves at the mercy of these harsh taskmasters than ever before, and not just because of the challenging economy.

It's because the world of work has changed, and sometimes it seems we're all changing jobs as fast as we can just to keep up.

According to the Monthly Labor Review, younger baby boomers held an average of 9.6 different jobs between the ages of 18 and 36, and something tells me they didn't stop there. Forrester Research predicts that younger workers will hold at least 12-15 jobs and, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Gen Y workers average only 1.5 to 3 years at a job.

This data clearly substantiates the career coaches' claim that we're all the captains of our own ships and the course of our work lives is up to us.

It also means, to paraphrase Pogo, that we have met the Boss and he or she is us. Since we're not likely to be at the same company or have the same manager for more than a few years, we see the person we're really working for every time we look in the mirror.

And how should that change our attitudes towards work? It could turn us into a bunch of self-absorbed jerks, obsessed with looking out for numero uno. Why care about organizational goals or your colleagues' welfare if you'll be moving on in a few months?

I think that would be very shortsighted. Now, more than ever, a career is an amalgam of people, contacts and networks. It's not wise to alienate anyone.

If anything, realizing that you're really working for yourself should encourage a long-term perspective that helps you put challenges in context and keeps you focused on your goals.

It also means we need to start being good bosses to ourselves, since we're pretty much stuck with each other.

Article by Danielle D. and courtesy of WorkBloom, an employment blog incorporating a comprehensive career resources section, including the largest database of professionally written resume and cover letter samples on the Web.

Posted by Candice Arnold on August 24, 2009 at 9:49 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

If you want to get a job in this economy you better lose the "depression mindset" and start using social media to open more doors for you. Despite all the garbage you hear on TV about job losses, some companies are hiring, but they won't come looking for you. You must go find them.

In this post you will learn how to bypass the "virtual gatekeeper" (the company's career page) and get the attention of the recruiter you need for the job you want by using Linkedin.

Here is what to do.

1. Create your Linkedin profile page. Dan Schawbel wrote a nice post on using Linkedin to promote your personal brand. Go read it for some tips on creating a good Linkedin profile.

2. Go to the Linkedin homepage and click the Advanced Link at the top right by the Search People box.

3. Type the company name in the Company Field, recruiter or human resources in the Title field and click search.

4. This will bring up a list of the registered Linkedin recruiters in that company.

5. Use your intuition and click the link of the recruiter that looks good for your desired position.

6. Send an invitation to connect with a short, compelling message that calls the recruiter to action. The message will go to the e-mail address entered when they registered on Linkedin. Here is an example of a compelling message that worked for me.

7. If you do not have the right recruiter, the person you contacted will usually point you in the right direction. If they do not offer this information, politely ask for it.

8. Be prepared when they call or e-mail you back so you can have an intelligent conversation and impress who you're talking to. At the very least, you should know what the company does and how they make money.

Using this Linkedin tip will differentiate you from the competition. It will show your creativity and social media know-how. Most importantly, it will get you noticed by a person with influence and begin a discussion that starts the interviewing process.

If your wondering if this will work for you -- it will. This exact process worked 5 out of 5 times for me.

What are you waiting for? Go connect on Linkedin and get the job you truly desire!

If you know another Linkedin tip or a way we can all use Linkedin to create more opportunities please leave a comment below for all to read.

Chad Levitt is the author of the New Sales Economy blog, which focuses on how Sales 2.0 & Social Media can help you connect, create more opportunities and increase your business. Chad is also the featured Sales 2.0 blogger at SalesGravy.com, the number one web portal for sales pros, the professional athletes of the business world. Make sure to connect with him on Twitter @chadalevitt.

Article courtesy of Dan Schawbel, the leading personal branding expert for Gen-Y. He authors the Personal Branding Blog and publishes Personal Branding Magazine and authored the upcoming book, Me 2.0: Build a Powerful Brand to Achieve Career Success (Kaplan, Spring 2009). Dan has been called a "personal branding force of nature" by Fast Company and his work has been published in BrandWeek Magazine, Advertising Age and countless other publications.

Posted by Candice Arnold on August 24, 2009 at 9:30 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

The problem

In mid-July, I was being smothered by the metaphorical unemployment mosh-pit at this summer's hottest event for recent graduates: The Post-College Job Search. It's a chaotic cluster of potential employees scrambling atop one another in hopes of landing a career launching entry-level position. It's claustrophobic. There's pandemonium. You might get stepped on if you're not careful.

Amid the pushing, shoving and ducking of the unemployment mosh-pit exists a cut-throat environment of competition. Unless you're the guy who thinks it's a good idea to start stage-diving (not recommended) or one of the occasional crowd-surfers (somewhat recommended), there's little luck in standing out from the horde.

I was caught up in this mosh-pit for several weeks (an unemployment Woodstock, if you will) and although I managed to get noticed several times with a few results, I felt no different than the average mosher. So, battered and beaten by the overwhelming crowd, I decided to retreat, pick up my guitar and join the band onstage.

The idea

Us marketing majors are a unique breed. We say that "we're creative"-a claim that's just dripping with ambiguity, typically raises an eyebrow and always results in a follow-up "please explain" question during a job interview. Plus, it's an even harder trait to convey on a typical paper résumé. With the job market so tough, the applicant pool heavily saturated and the hindering vagueness of my proposed creative marketing talent on a piece of paper, I realized that I might need to try something new. So to get my voice heard, I sat down and sang a tune about my skills and accomplishments.

I initially wrote the Musical Cover Letter to send out to prospective employers as a supplement to my paper résumé. Because I was looking for a job where I could exploit my creative nature and utilize my work experience with social media, I decided to develop a creative Musical Cover Letter and utilize social media networks to help its distribution. In other words, showcasing what I can do for the job that I want to do. I figured it would be like hitting two chords with one strum (okay, that joke was bad).

• The Good: The exposure was fantastic. I owe the initial success of the video to my friends on Facebook who passed it around. Soon after it was released on Youtube, my Gmail inbox was exploding with mail and I was subject to a dramatic increase in Twitter followers. In hindsight, I'm incredibly satisfied that I decided to include my Twitter name in the video- I've landed several job referrals and subsequent interviews from the micro-blogging tool. It's really remarkable. Overall, the video got my name out there and bolstered my networking base, two aspects which will be worthwhile and lasting. Plus, now that I've got a significant audience, blogging and tweeting becomes more significant and valuable for myself in the future.
• The Bad: In a way, I lost control of the video as it began to spread. I had to try to find a happy medium between micro-fame and actually using it as a means for reaching out to employers to eventually land a job. Maybe somebody important from a marketing agency that I would kill to work for got a kick out of the movie and might consider interviewing me. But, since the video was received virally, he or she might just chuckle, pass it on or forget about it. Since I wasn't able to express interest in this Marketing Agency by sending the video to them directly, I lose the perceived interest in applying there in the first place. Of course, I had no idea who was watching it (although Youtube Insight's demographics informed me that I'm HUGE in Latvia and Korea) but judging by several Tweets that mentioned me, I think the video climbed up several corporate ladders. Obviously, I can't make a music video cover letter for every company I applied for, but I can still show incentive by seeking out positions that interest me, actively apply for them and attach my Musical Cover letter as a supplement.

The resolution

Altogether, it was refreshing to step out of the mosh-pit and tackle my unemployment problem from a new perspective. Inevitably, the musical cover letter has lost some steam over the past week, but it doesn't make it ineffective in the long run. The video is still great portfolio material and a convenient example to pull out in an interview when I'm subject of the dreaded "how-are-you-creative" followup question. Although I never explicitly stated what type of job I'm looking for in my musical cover letter, I recently built my website to help ameliorate that issue.

I've had several interviews (both phone and face-to-face) in the past month, about half of them from positions I directly applied for and the other half from those who enjoyed my video and wanted to see what I have to offer. Several very kind people provided referrals and some folks even inquired about freelance work. With the rate I've been applying to positions and networking, I'm confident that I'll have a job very soon. If not, I can always take some time off to write the off-Broadway musical, "Hired!" It shouldn't be too difficult- besides, I already have the first song figured out.

Al Biedrzycki is a Marketing Graduate of Bentley University. He is the creator of "Hire Me", the Musical Cover Letter and his own website, www.albiedrzycki.com. He is an avid blogger, Twitter user and graphic designer.

Article courtesy of Dan Schawbel, the leading personal branding expert for Gen-Y. He authors the Personal Branding Blog and publishes Personal Branding Magazine and authored the upcoming book, Me 2.0: Build a Powerful Brand to Achieve Career Success (Kaplan, Spring 2009). Dan has been called a "personal branding force of nature" by Fast Company and his work has been published in BrandWeek Magazine, Advertising Age and countless other publications.

Posted by Candice Arnold on August 24, 2009 at 9:24 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Do you tend to get tongue-tied in job interviews?

It would be nice if sitting across the desk from your interviewer on Monday morning was more like playing charades with your friends on Friday night. So whenever your mind went blank and you couldn't find the right words, the hiring manager would jump up and down and say, "Oh, I know it! I know this one!"

But I'm afraid it's not charades, and the interviewer isn't going to try to guess what you're trying to tell them. You're just going to get a blank stare -- and you're not going to get the job.

Be Prepared

Having command of your words at a job interview starts with preparation. You need to get plenty of sleep. You should arrive early. You should have researched the company in advance. And you should have worked on those bad habits you know you have -- like saying "like" too much, for example.

Your interview was no accident. You know who you are. Research a particular subject of significance that you can expound on with professional insight. Learn the vocabulary so you can use it with ease.

An "expert" in one area has the expertise to become one in another. This gives you an opportunity to show your commitment to learning. Practiced phrases ready to make you shine are fine. Just make sure you practiced. You need to learn to express your experience in a convincing way, according to Evil HR Lady, who recently advised someone re-entering the job market to "use the language of HR."

Know a Little About a Lot

Current events quizzes didn't end with 8th grade social studies. Read the paper; learn to pronounce difficult names and places; form opinions -- not overbearing ones -- on the issues of the day.

Give the impression you didn't jump out of bed and race to the interview. You're up on the things of life like you will be on the life of your job. What's really happening in the interview is that the interviewer is determining whether you can indeed communicate.

Drop the quizzical expressions that can trip you up in an interview. Don't let your face say "huh?" for you. Practice in front of a mirror if you need to: calm and steady does it.

I once knew a very intelligent manager who begged forever to sit in on a meeting with the president of the company. He asked her a question; she didn't know the answer and her mouth fell open wide. He never forgot. She never got back into his office.

Power Words and Disaster Words

Make two lists and keep them around for your down time so you can read them over for reminders. On one, list the "power words" that impress -- "maintained," "negotiated," "developed" -- and on the other, list those words that do not impress -- "like," "um," yeah," -- and, well, "you know."

Power words will help you keep from getting nervous, which can, according to Stephanie Loyd, who posted on Lindsay Olson's HR blog, cost you the job:

Do not appear nervous or desperate! A client recently told me that their top candidate for a particular position was ultimately not given the offer because he appeared so desperate during his interviews with the hiring manager.

He might have won if it had been charades.

Article by, Thom and courtesy of RiseSmart.com - RiseSmart: Search Smarter. Rise Faster.

Posted by Candice Arnold on August 24, 2009 at 8:44 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Do you tend to get tongue-tied in job interviews?

It would be nice if sitting across the desk from your interviewer on Monday morning was more like playing charades with your friends on Friday night. So whenever your mind went blank and you couldn't find the right words, the hiring manager would jump up and down and say, "Oh, I know it! I know this one!"

But I'm afraid it's not charades, and the interviewer isn't going to try to guess what you're trying to tell them. You're just going to get a blank stare -- and you're not going to get the job.

Be Prepared

Having command of your words at a job interview starts with preparation. You need to get plenty of sleep. You should arrive early. You should have researched the company in advance. And you should have worked on those bad habits you know you have -- like saying "like" too much, for example.

Your interview was no accident. You know who you are. Research a particular subject of significance that you can expound on with professional insight. Learn the vocabulary so you can use it with ease.

An "expert" in one area has the expertise to become one in another. This gives you an opportunity to show your commitment to learning. Practiced phrases ready to make you shine are fine. Just make sure you practiced. You need to learn to express your experience in a convincing way, according to Evil HR Lady, who recently advised someone re-entering the job market to "use the language of HR."

Know a Little About a Lot

Current events quizzes didn't end with 8th grade social studies. Read the paper; learn to pronounce difficult names and places; form opinions -- not overbearing ones -- on the issues of the day.

Give the impression you didn't jump out of bed and race to the interview. You're up on the things of life like you will be on the life of your job. What's really happening in the interview is that the interviewer is determining whether you can indeed communicate.

Drop the quizzical expressions that can trip you up in an interview. Don't let your face say "huh?" for you. Practice in front of a mirror if you need to: calm and steady does it.

I once knew a very intelligent manager who begged forever to sit in on a meeting with the president of the company. He asked her a question; she didn't know the answer and her mouth fell open wide. He never forgot. She never got back into his office.

Power Words and Disaster Words

Make two lists and keep them around for your down time so you can read them over for reminders. On one, list the "power words" that impress -- "maintained," "negotiated," "developed" -- and on the other, list those words that do not impress -- "like," "um," yeah," -- and, well, "you know."

Power words will help you keep from getting nervous, which can, according to Stephanie Loyd, who posted on Lindsay Olson's HR blog, cost you the job:

Do not appear nervous or desperate! A client recently told me that their top candidate for a particular position was ultimately not given the offer because he appeared so desperate during his interviews with the hiring manager.

He might have won if it had been charades.

Article by, Thom and courtesy of RiseSmart.com - RiseSmart: Search Smarter. Rise Faster.

Posted by Candice Arnold on August 24, 2009 at 8:44 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

I am fascinated by "hire me" campaigns run by self motivated job seekers who seek to write their own rules. Over the past year, I've written about several of these initiatives--from David Heiser's adventures in social media and Jamie Varon's Twitter Should Hire Me experiment to Robert Hoppey's VisualCV and Kelly Giles' strategic use of LinkedIn.

Today, I'm critiquing two of the latest campaigns--both take a fresh approach to the cover letter. (I'm assigning a pseudonym to the first author and fictionalizing the copy slightly to preserve his anonymity.)

Max, a marketing professional, starts his cover letter for a corporate communications position with a non-profit this way,

I've been in this industry long enough to know that I don't have a decent chance in hell of becoming your next communications director; yet I am applying anyway. I'm confident in my ability to change the rules of the game, or skirt them completely. Which rules? The rules that say that I have to have direct experience with your constituent population, a wall full of awards, and a master's degree.

Let's talk about what I do offer...

If I were Max's potential employer, I'd have already stopped reading. This is a shame. Especially since Max goes on to present a first-rate 10,000 foot overview of his work and skills. He talks about turn-around efforts he's lead for high profile public relations clients in the past, and engages me in his work. I find myself nodding in appreciation of his knowledge.

But then I shake my head. From the employer's perspective, I ruled him out as soon as I read his opening sentence: "I don't have a chance in hell of becoming your next communications director." I heard cynicism. While his credentials are impressive, sarcasm doesn't sell. Ditto for comments about the ability to change the rules or skirt them completely. I know of very few jobs or positions where not following guidelines or basic directions are actively encouraged. I want to ask him gently: Would you be willing to reconsider your tone?

The second campaign comes to us from Alec Biedrzycki, who fired up the Internet several weeks ago with his musical cover letter on You Tube. After four marketing internships (mostly unpaid), and graduating Summa Cum Laude from Bentley College, Alec is in the market for his first full-time job. Alec conceived of the idea for the video, shot it (with a little help from his friends) over the course of a few days, and within the week--he was being interviewed by CNN. He reports several interviews and job leads from the exposure, but is still in the market for a full-time job.

Alec and "Max" have a great deal in common. They are both in marketing, and their cover letters demonstrate creativity, and a willingness to take risks. Each takes the "road less traveled" in terms of how they apply for positions.

But the comparison stops there: Max chooses the approach of a brash counter-culture comedian, whereas Alec goes for the memorable "pop refrain." Three weeks, later and I still find myself humming, "So hire me, yeah, yeah..." It's clear which approach wins me over, does either cover letter work for you?

Article by, Chandlee Bryan and courtesy of CareerHub.com. The Career Hub blog connects job seekers with experts in career counseling, resume writing, personal branding and recruiting.

Posted by Candice Arnold on August 24, 2009 at 8:26 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

When I was a kid, my dad owned a corner shop in Birmingham (the UK's second city). Well actually, it wasn't exactly on a corner as such, but saying it was an Indian corner shop makes the story sound so much better!

Now, if you were an Indian whose dad owned a shop in the 1970s and 80s, it meant two things: firstly, you were guaranteed to have bad teeth because you had access to a whole range of the best sweets, chocolates and fizzy drinks. And secondly, it meant that you also had to work in the shop at weekends/holidays and help with everything from mopping floors, lifting and carrying stock, right the way through to serving customers, buying stock and helping with some basic accounting.

And like all good Indian kids, I did it for F.R.E.E. That's right, without pay (well apart from all the snacks and fizzy drinks I could consume).

This was something my English friends could never understand. After all, they got paid to clean the family car or do some gardening (which I found very strange).

At times, I'd wonder why I wasn't paid - and thought it was just part of being the son of a frugal shop keeper. But looking back, working for free was one of the best things I ever did and would encourage anyone to do it at some point.

And if you're out of work in the current job market, it's definitely something you should be considering for a number of reasons:

1. You gain a wider range of experience
When you work for free, you often get exposed to wider responsibilities. Working with my dad, I got exposure to so many different areas from buying, accounting, shop keeping, negotiating, dealing with staff etc. OK, part of this came with being the boss's son - but a large part of it was also because I was a free resource.

That applies to you too. If you offer your skills and services for nothing, you'll often find yourself getting new experiences that you normally wouldn't get in a paid role with a tight job description. So if you're out of work or looking for a career change, there's a great advantage in working for nothing in a new environment.

2. It gives you a great selling point at interviews
When I graduated, most of my work experience was with the family business rather than in proper paid work. I thought this would go against me. But actually, when I got to interview stage, I totally sold myself on the work ethic I built up at a young age from working for free.

Whilst many of my peers had more corporate experience, working for nothing showed my hunger, commitment and character - which gave me an edge. You can similarly give yourself an edge in the ultra competetive job market we're in right now by working for free.

3. It builds humility
When I entered the corporate world, I was fortunate enough to join two top 100-listed firms with a track record of training and investment in their people - British Airways and Marks & Spencer were my first two employers. But both firms required trainees to be flexible in the early years and do work that many others wouldn't. Whilst some of my peers turned their noses up at some of the mundane activities, I was always happy to roll my sleeves up, work longer hours and do what was required to get things done and am sure this helped me settle into new roles and build credibility much faster. But I truly believe that this open-mindedness came from the humility I developed whilst working for free for my dad (there's nothing like sweeping floors on a Saturday evening without pay to build some humility!).

Having interviewed thousands of people throughout my recruitment career, I can tell you that humility is a wonderful quality in a candidate. Finding talented people with relevant skills who are confident in their abilities yet still humble - is like gold dust.

There may be lots of talk about economic recovery, but the job market has some way to fall before a sustained bounce back. So if you're out of work, you need to be looking for every opportunity to develop your skills and be actively working - even if it's for free. In the short term it will stop you going nuts whilst helping you build new skills and relationships. But as you can see from the above, working without pay can also yield many other benefits that will help you secure your next role and indeed enhance your career over the longer term. (And like me, you're bound to get some sweets and treats for working for free!).

Article by, Sital Ruparelia and courtesy of CareerHub.com. The Career Hub blog connects job seekers with experts in career counseling, resume writing, personal branding and recruiting.

Posted by Candice Arnold on August 24, 2009 at 8:23 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Being proactive about keeping your job, even when your company shows signs that it is losing money and struggling, can be difficult. The May 2009 issue of Consumer Reports' Rebuild Your Finances (Special Edition) featured a real person (Shirley) who found herself looking possible unemployment in the eye, and who took some proactive job-insurance measures despite her uncertainty and fear.

Let's face it: the stress alone of contemplating being let go can make logical thinking go out the window. That's why getting started with some proven steps can be invaluable. Here are the 12 rules as outlined in the Consumer Reports article Recession-proof your job:

1. Add Value
2. Volunteer for special projects and committees
3. Market your personal brand
4. Take credit for your accomplishments
5. Make an emotional connection with key decision-makers
6. Behave more like an owner than an employee
7. Wear the cloak of confidence
8. Network your network
9. Keep your skills fresh
10. Stay visible
11. Rack up the IOUs
12. De-stress

Try to incorporate one or more of these action items into your work day, even if you think your job is rock-solid. It can only make you a more valuable asset to the company, your team, and your boss and enhance your career karma.

Article by, Susan Guarneri and courtesy of CareerHub.com. The Career Hub blog connects job seekers with experts in career counseling, resume writing, personal branding and recruiting.

Posted by Candice Arnold on August 24, 2009 at 8:17 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Today, I spoke to Dave Ulrich, who is one of the most well-known HR thought leaders in the world, winner of many awards and author of many books, such as HR Transformation. In this interview, Dave talks to us about talent management, how to retain employees, five categories of leadership, if social networks should be used in the recruitment process and what HR looks for when they hire.

How has talent management changed in the past five years?

There are a number of changes. The largest conceptual change is that we fought a "war for talent". This metaphor might be similar to the way the Allies ended WW I. they held the Versailles treaty where they advocated "to the victor go the spoils". This payback mindset may have set conditions for WW II. After WW II, the allies worked on the Marshall plan to collaborate with and build the enemies. The War for Talent should be replaced with Marshalling Talent (tentative title of book by RBL colleagues Jon Younger and Wayne Brockbank). To Marshall Talent, we have identified 10 things that general managers need to know and do, all built around creating cooperative across groups and people. We will preview this book on (www.rbl.net) as we continue to draft it.

What are the top three things management has to do to retain employees now?

One of the fears of the economic downturn is that we may be getting "false/positive" on talent engagement surveys. In many companies doing surveys, engagement scores are high and mangers are clapping themselves on the back for their transparency and openness. Be warned. Some of these scores might be that in the downturn, employees with a job are grateful to have a job. If the company is taking too much advantage of the economic downturn and treating employees badly, the employees may remember when the economy returns. We are writing about building the "abundance organization" where employees find meaning through their work. Drawing on diverse literatures, we have identified 8 things that managers can do to enhance abundance. When they do these things, they help employees stay with the company now and in the future.

What are your five rules to live by in your book "The Leadership Code"?

We interviewed 15 thought leaders in leadership. We performed a "meta qualitative analysis" which is we ask them each to draw on their decades of research and 100,000' of leadership 360s, and extensive coaching, to answer two questions. First, what percent of effective leadership is basically the "same stuff."? Like two brands of watches (Timex vs. Seiko) differ, the two watches also have much in common. Their responses were generally in the 60 to 70% range. About 2/3 of what leaders do to succeed is the same basic stuff. Question 2, what is it? We distilled their answers into five categories that we call rules:

• Strategist: know where you are doing and have a position about the future
• Executor: make sure you make things happen and deliver as promised
• Talent manager: involve others in your journey
• Human capital developer: invest in the next generation
• Personal proficiency: take care of yourself so others will trust you

Do you believe in using social networks - Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter - for background checks (45% of companies do currently)?

Not sure about legality or morality. But am sure about

1. Companies can and should do thorough back ground checks on employees since investing in talent is often the most important investment a company makes.
2. The internet is by definition public data. When someone posts something in a public place they acknowledge directly or indirectly that their posting is public. Electronic footprints are difficult to cover. The dilemma for me is about the privacy of the individual who may think that electronic connections (e.g., Twitter, text message, or e-mail) are private.

When recruiting for talent, what should a hiring manager look for?

Start with knowing the requirements of the job. We don't go shopping for "clothes" in general without a specific article of clothing in mind (a shirt for school; a jacket for dinner). Be clear about the current and potential future position requirements. Have multiple people interview the candidate. Different people will pick up on different tendencies. Have all of the people know of the job requirement and use some of the same probes. Make sure the candidate talks ... about successes and failures, work strengths and weaknesses, and hopes and fears for an ideal job.

Sometimes hiring managers talk too much. Look for technical ability and cultural fit. Can someone do the requirements of the job? Will they fit in with others who are doing the job? Finally, if possible, find job testing experiences where you can see the candidate in action. This might be a mock assignment, a temporary hire, or some setting where you can see the candidate perform real work.

Article by, Dan Schawbel, the leading personal branding expert for Gen-Y. He authors the Personal Branding Blog and publishes Personal Branding Magazine and authored the upcoming book, Me 2.0: Build a Powerful Brand to Achieve Career Success (Kaplan, Spring 2009). Dan has been called a "personal branding force of nature" by Fast Company and his work has been published in BrandWeek Magazine, Advertising Age and countless other publications.

Posted by Candice Arnold on August 21, 2009 at 10:49 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

From The Christian Science Monitor

Dustin Mitchell tried all the usual job-search strategies. He scanned Internet job boards and newspaper ads, asked friends, and networked with professionals. When nothing seemed to work, he turned to Twitter.

The social-networking site led him to an opening at an Internet start-up company in San Francisco. Later that Friday, he was tweeting with an employee at the company, who asked him to come in for an interview. On Monday, he was hired.

"In a recession there are a ton of people applying for a job," Mr. Mitchell says. "I wanted to be the first one in, the fastest one in."

Readers, have you tried Twitter Job Search? As of this writing, there were 218,926 new jobs in the last 30 days.

A friend sent me an email with an amazing list of Twitter job boards...(I don't know where my friend obtained this list, so I can't name the source.)

The following is a listing of job boards available through Twitter. You must first join Twitter to take advantage of them. Once you connect see if they allow you to create alerts, so that you only receive jobs in the categories and locations that you are interested in.

@jobs_now - all kinds of jobs
@37jobs - high tech jobs
@jobsintech - more high tech jobs
robojobs - even more high tech jobs
@sfmobilejobs - Jobs for the Mobile Web and Digital Media in Silicon Valley, Seattle, LA and NYC.
@medical_jobs - medical jobs or just adjacent, like special education
@hrcrossing - human resources jobs
@fish4jobs - all kinds of jobs
@krop_jobs - design jobs
@phoenixtechjobs - IT jobs in the greater Phoenix area.
@phoenixitjobs - more IT jobs in the greater Phoenix area.
@pdxtechjobs - Portland Tech Jobs, part of the Portland Twitter Jobs network, which also covers 10 other industries in the Portland, Oregon area like green jobs and non-profit jobs.
@sdjobs - San Diego Tech Jobs
@myitjobs - IT jobs
@seojobs - SEO jobs
@joblister - all kinds of professional jobs
@NewYorkTechJobs - IT jobs in the greater New York area from Careerbuilder.com
@AtlantaTechJobs - IT jobs in the greater Atlanta area.
@ppcjobs - Search and Internet marketing jobs
@socialmediajobs - Social Media jobs in the US.
@MarketingMgrAUS - marketing manager jobs in Austin, TX
@ATX_Jobs - jobs in Austin, TX from Craigslist.
@looktohire - all kinds of jobs
@nymarketingjobs - New York jobs for professionals in marketing, advertising, sales, fashion, events, media, and PR.
@Jobs_NewYork - jobs in New York
@BoulderJobs - Keeping you updated with available jobs in Boulder, CO
@Joblighted - Tech jobs aggregator
@eComjobs - jobs in e-commerce, whether technical or otherwise
@SocialMediaJob - all kinds of jobs, mostly pulled in from Monster or SimplyHired
@LA_WebJobs - Los Angeles web jobs
@jobslosangeles - general purpose job listings from the LA Times
@jobsorlando - general purpose job listings from the Orlando Sentinel
@StudentJobs - student & entry-level jobs
@myfirstpaycheck - listings, advice, and resources to help teens find jobs.
@AccountMngrNYC - account management jobs in New York City.
@SummerJob - seasonal jobs. Some are for students, some are summer contracts for professionals.
@EngineerJobsUSA - engineering jobs
@AdJobsinUSA - advertising jobs
@BroadcastJobsLA - broadcasting jobs in Los Angeles.
@Web2point0jobs - Web 2.0-related jobs.
@ReddingJobs - various jobs in Redding, California
@Pharmaceuticalc - pharmaceutical jobs
@HireBioMedical - HireBioMedical is dedicated to helping pharmaceutical, biotech and biomedical job employers connect with the talent they need, to improve the lives of others.
@SoCalLawCareers - Southen California career opportunties in Law.
@sfbayjobs - Bay Area jobs: San Francisco, San Jose, etc.
@HotelJobFinder - jobs for hotels. Some are hospitality-oriented, but other professionals are needed as well, like accountants.
@utah_jobs - jobs in the great state of Utah
@albanyjobs - jobs near Albany, New York
@lydsterj2w -Linda Moeller publishes job openings from her client companies. All kinds of jobs.
@NBC13HDjobs - all kinds of jobs
@Jobs_Accounting - Accounting jobs
@Detroitjob - Detroit jobs
@scientistc - scientist openings
@sciencesjobs - more science openings
@tmhov - West Virginia careers site with Ohio Valley Jobs.
@CarePhilly - child care and pet care jobs in the Philadelphia area.
@AlcoaJobs - jobs at Alcoa
@foodservicesc - food service jobs
@FoodServiceJob - more food service jobs
@1984Jobs - Follow us for a steady stream of Apple related job postings!
@JobsMiami - Keeping you updated with available jobs in Miami
@PhyzicalTherapy - physical therapy jobs
@reflectx - more physical therapist jobs
@nurse_job - nursing jobs
@travelnursejobs - Travel Nurses & Therapists
@travelmaxallied - healthcare jobs for clinicians searching for a travel or permanent position.
@njtweets_jobs - aggregates job postings that are hashtagged for New Jersey
@wFreelanceJobs - design jobs, mostly freelance or contract-based.
@GadBall - all kinds of jobs
@AdLearners - private tutor jobs
@NOLAjobs - Jobs in New Orleans
@PilotJobs - Pilot job resource website.
@FlightglobalJob - The leading jobsite for the aviation and aerospace industry
@FindAPilot - Pilot Jobs
@recruiterjobs - jobs for recruiters and human resources professionals.
@JobForge - all kinds of positions
@uejobs - user experience jobs
@Aus_Joblist - all kinds of jobs in Austin, Texas
@WorkInSports - sports-related job listings, mostly
@chicagowebjobs - web-oriented jobs in the Chicago area
@fashioncareers - the online career center of WWD - driving the worlds of fashion, retail and beauty
@FashionRetail - NYC's best source for fashion retail jobs
@jobshouts - all kinds of jobs
@usmusicjobs - jobs in the music industry in the US
@jobsinhiphop - full and part time jobs, plus interships, and freelance gigs in the music and entertainment industry.
@ApartmentCareer - jobs in the Apartment industry.
@FullSailCareers - instructor positions in many different industries.
@alldevjobs - design & development jobs
@yourwebjob - mostly development jobs, but all are web-related.
@AgCareerSpotter - agricultural careers
@doscareers - US government careers in Foreign Affairs
@RichmondJobNet - jobs in the Richmond, VA area
@photographyjobs - freelance and full-time photography jobs
@Libgig_Jobs - library-based jobs
@media_pros - jobs for media professionals
@authenticjobs - designer and tech jobs
@GreenJobs - green jobs for a sustainable future
@greenerjobs - more green jobs.
@technicalgreen - green technology jobs and recruiting
@GreenCollarJobs -green jobs in Chicago
@attjobs - the latest jobs at AT&T
@jewish_jobs - jobs in Jewish communities
@Hillel_Jobs - jobs at Hillel university centers
@outdoorjobs or @sportjobs - Free job board for Sport & Outdoor Industry Jobs
@inovahire - all kinds of jobs
@kellyjobs - Kelly Career Network has twitter feeds for many industries like IT, automotive, teaching and more. See who the ">@kellyjobs account is following for the complete list.
@EMRjobs - EMR & healthcare jobs
@atsjobs - Jobs at ATSes
@caitjobs - Latest California IT Jobs including PHP, .NET, Oracle, C++, C# and Cisco
@WineRelatedJobs - winemakers, enologists, etc.
@SiliconValleyJob - all kinds of jobs in the Silicon Valley area, not just tech
@saipeople - all kinds of jobs from the Sai People staffing agency
@jobcircle_jobs - all kinds of jobs from JobCircle's job boards
@pbcreativejobs - Creative jobs from PB, web design Jobs, video editing jobs, design jobs, freelance and full-time.
@PLMJobs - Listing and looking for a Job in PLM (Product Lifecycle Management).
@mymissjobs - jobs in Mississippi
@mymichiganjobs - jobs in Michigan
@CrewFile - boat jobs
@prsajobcenter - public relations jobs
@layoffsolutions - all kinds of jobs
@archinectjobs - Architecture jobs
@ColoradoJobs - jobs in Colorado
@giscareers - jobs and career opportunities in GIS and Geospatial technologies
@JobOversight - all kinds of jobs
@smartbriefjobs - professional jobs
@RecruiterTweets - all kinds of jobs
@personforce - tech jobs and related, like account and project management
@ahjobslist - all kinds of jobs
@MTVGamesJobs - gaming jobs
@GameTalentAgent - fulltime video game jobs and contract gigs
@coolworks - seasonal jobs
@CoolestJobs - all kinds of jobs
@TheCollegeGrad - entry-level jobs for students
@constructbuddy - construction job postings and full service skilled staffing
@StartUpHire - jobs at VC-backed companies
@onwardsearch - seo jobs
@GrahamJobs - IT, admin, HR, accounting, legal and Sign Language Interpreting jobs in the Washington, DC Metro Area
@mediamatchjobs - TV and film production jobs
@work_at_home_nh - Work at home jobs
@writejobs - journalism, media, publishing and writing professionals
@HomeBy3 - all kinds of jobs where flex-time is possible
@deaconrecruiter - accounting, finance, HR, administrative, radiation oncology, management, IT, sales & marketing jobs
@craiggoldberg - jobs in New Jersey
@mandyJobsNYC - jobs in New York
@NetRecruiter - IT jobs
@ConnectionsNY - tech jobs in New York
@FBCHcareers - social care jobs
@DriversLounge - truck-driving jobs
@CentricsGroup - IT jobs
@WNCjobs - jobs in West North Carolina
@MobiJobs - jobs for mobile developers: iPhone, Android, Symbian, MoJo, Windows Mobile, etc.
@CaravanParkJobs - jobs in the holiday and caravan park industry.
@7elevencareers - jobs at 7eleven
@locumleaders - jobs for hospitalists, anesthesiologists and CRNAs
@galocalgovtjobs - Local government jobs in Georgia
@LibInfoSciJobs - library and information science professionals
@MyJobTIGER - all kinds of jobs
@joblistingspidr - all kinds of jobs
@design_jobs - designers, writers, and more
@jobsatpchelps - IT jobs
@helpmates_jobs - all kinds of jobs in Southern California
@act1jobs - mostly administrative jobs
@newretailjobs - all kinds of retail-oriented jobs
@hewittcareers - consultants & management
@igotajobtoday - all kinds of jobs and some job search advice too.
@jobfest - all kinds of jobs
@ADPCareers - sales jobs
@HersheyCompany - all kinds of jobs at the Hershey Company
@JobsCleveland - jobs in Cleveland and surrounding areas
@VoltJobs - all kinds of jobs
@OCjobtalk - A social network for job seekers and recruiters in Orange County, CA.
@JobsBoston - all kinds of jobs within the Greater Boston Area
@Aculis - IT jobs at Aculis, mostly in the Utah area
@jobshawaii - jobs in Hawaii
@execSearches - nonprofit, education, health and government jobs
@PhillyCJobs - creative jobs in Philadelphia
@phlculturejobs - jobs and volunteer opportunities from Philadelphia's cultural sector

Need more convincing about Twitter's job board?? Keep reading:

When Alexa Scordato wanted to move from New York to Boston, she started following the Twitter feeds of social-media companies to monitor their activity. Frustrated by job boards, she sent a message to the vice president of social-media company Mzinga, which provides businesses with social-media software solutions. She landed an interview and a full-time consultant position in less than three weeks.

Read the CSM article in its entirety. Hopefully it will inspire you to actively and aggressively use the job search features of Twitter -- and help you get back to work!!

If nothing else, this quote from the article should convince you even further: "Companies are jumping on the social-networking bandwagon, too. With recruiting budgets down, 61 percent of 450 corporate and human-resources professionals are utilizing them to obtain new employees..."

Article by Lorraine Russo of the Underground Job Network. Follow her on Twitter @lorraineujn

Courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates seeking entry-level jobs and other career opportunities, and posted on Sweet Careers.

Posted by Candice Arnold on August 21, 2009 at 9:26 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Finding an entry level job can be challenging even when the economy is good. The advice offered by Polly Pearson and her colleagues could prove very useful. ca

Should you really tell a recruiter the truth about how much money you currently make, and your truthful, agreeable price range for the job you're seeking?

Honesty is the foundation of any good relationship. Great companies will pay market salary for outstanding candidates. Answering every question directly and honestly will only work to cement that relationship with your recruiter. In addition, most hiring managers require salary information/history before they will consider a candidate.

Today's tips come from EMC recruiter, Paul Guidoboni:

• It is okay to give salary information. Evading the question or not giving an answer is not going to endear you to the recruiter.
• Be honest with everyone you talk to. Whether it is job experience, education, travel requirements, etc., honesty is always the best policy.
• From the Front Desk to the CEO, be courteous and respectful of everyone you meet. A smile and great attitude always makes a good impression.
• Follow up on the resume that you sent in to a recruiter; a quick call or email will separate you from the pack.
• Don't get discouraged; finding the right job takes time. Look at every interview as a new opportunity.
• Network, network, network. You never know where the next opportunity is going to come from. The more people you talk to, the more chances you have of finding the right job for you.

What I've observed about the way recruiters work in a Corporate Setting:

• Recruiters can often be looking to place 30 - 50 jobs at a time.
• They're evaluated on "time to fill" positions.
• Their reputation depends on presenting quality matches and enabling the company to fill requisitions as swiftly as possible.
• They tend to have "job category specialties," that they hire people into. (If you're not right for the req they have today with a particular salary or experience spec, you might be perfect for the req they get tomorrow.)
• While sounding calm and collected with you on the phone, they are working like mad, and every minute is money to them. Don't waste their time!
• That said, they're handling such a high volume of resumes and postings, they welcome reminders from talent -- phone calls or emails. Such contact, they say, will help you stay on their radar.

To ensure you get the entry level job of your dreams, check out the other four parts in Pearson's series:

http://www.collegerecruiter.com/career-counselors/2009/07/the_career_get_a_job_tip_series_post_1.php
http://www.collegerecruiter.com/career-counselors/2009/07/the_career_and_get_a_job_tip_series_post_2_the_interview.php
http://www.collegerecruiter.com/career-counselors/2009/08/the_career_get_a_job_tip_series_post_3_interview_prep.php
http://www.collegerecruiter.com/career-counselors/2009/08/the_career_and_get_a_job_tip_series_post_4_preparing_for_your_job_search.php

Article by, Polly Pearson, an employment branding leader passionate about Web 2.0 engagement tools with nearly twenty years of FORTUNE 500-level experience spanning human resources, marketing, branding, investor relations, public relations, advertising, and professional speaking. Her employment branding work has recently been featured in media outlets such as CBS News, National Public Radio, Financial Times, Boston Herald, Dice.com and in the new Penguin Press business book, "Closing the Engagement Gap: How Great Companies Unlock Employee Potential For Superior Results." Polly writes a popular blog dedicated to careers, culture and cool at, http://www.pollypearson.com.

Posted by Candice Arnold on August 21, 2009 at 9:09 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

So I've been doing a whole lot of interviewing for a Social Media Manager position here at SocialMediaMarketing.com. With so much content online about interviewing best practices, I thought that everyone would be an expert in interviewing, especially if you hang out in the blogosphere. There are so many career blogs out there with solid advice that it blows my mind when I see someone walk into an interview completely unprepared and clueless about who I am and what the company does.

Note: I guess I am partly at fault here and need to screen out interviewees much more thoroughly, but that's another post

This post is not about how to interview. If you're looking for interview advice, I suggest checking out these interviewing publications. This post is about the huge disconnect I see between a person who participates in and loves social media and one who can perform well in the corporate environment.

Social media vs corporate

I have worked in the corporate world, started my own startup, and established an online presence through social media. I've seen all three worlds and truly understand the underlying workings of each one. From my experience, I believe that being excellent at social media does not translate to being excellent in the corporate world. Here are my reasons:

Social Media does not prepare you to work in teams

Social media does teach you how to make friends online, build relationships, share your thoughts, share ideas, and meet amazing people. However, when it comes time to building and leading a team to accomplish a project, social media does not contribute to this skill-set. In the blogosphere, I have learned how to build a quality site and drive traffic to it; but to be perfectly honest, I have never really gotten the chance to work with someone in the blogosphere to accomplish a certain deadline or to team up on a project.

Note: This is actually changing soon but the people I'm teaming up with actually have corporate experience as well

Even on this blog we're not necessarily working in teams. Dan has done a great job at assembling a team of independent bloggers and letting us loose to write content on our own. He built a great system (which I accredit to his corporate experience), but we're not necessarily working as a team here.

Social media does not prepare you to deal with clients

Clients are a tough cookie to handle: selling, closing, writing proposals, writing agreements, and pricing out the project. Are these things that you have learned from social media? Sure you can read a post about "how to sell," but ultimately, you're not learning how to sell a service to a large company.

A great rebuttal here is that you learn how to sell yourself in social media. While I fully agree with this statement, I feel that selling in the corporate world (at least in my experience) is completely different from selling yourself to a group of peers in the blogosphere. Closing a client like Activision is on a whole other level when compared to commenting on a peer's blog to build a relationship with him.

Furthermore, project management is completely different from community management. While community management involves Tweeting with your followers, responding to comments, and writing engaging content (all a solo process btw), project management involves developing a strategy for the client, assigning tasks to your team, making sure that goals are met, and actively communicating with the client to make sure they are happy.

Social media does not prepare you to do things you hate to do

Lets be honest here. The blogosphere is all about doing stuff you LOVE. Heck, now is the time to "Crush it" to cash in on your passions. I am again 100% for this and feel this is the idea goal in life; however, this definitely does not prepare you for the corporate route.

I remember back in my old consulting job, I was getting paid $55K a year to build binders and quality check excel sheet print outs. I didn't last very long at the job, but I did learn a very valuable lesson - someone has got to do it.

A corporate firm is like a machine, and like any well-oiled machine, every single elements plays its part. Some people will be selling, others will be project managing, and still others will be doing the grunt work that we all love to do If you're actively engaged in social media, then you're constantly doing what you love to do and will mostly likely not last too long doing grunt work at a corporate firm or in a team setting.

Social media does not prepare you to build systems

Oh boy, this one is the mother-load here. Without systems, you have a disorganized, frantic company that cannot scale. Without systems, you will utterly hate your job because you will be doing all the tasks yourself.

When you're running a blog, it's simple to handle everything without systems because you're capable of managing everything yourself. Writing content, responding to comments, and building relationships is a one-man show, and it should be.

Hey, don't get me wrong, I'm a blogger and I love the independence of social media. However, when it comes to the corporate world, I feel that there are skill-sets involved with it that most bloggers take for granted. If you are able to lead teams, close clients, do things you hate, build systems, and you are a lover of social media, hit me up at Jun [at] SocialMediaMarketing.com and we can chat about the Social Media Manager position.

Jun Loayza is the President of SocialMediaMarketing.com and the Co-Founder of Viralogy.com. Reach out to him to chat about startups, fitness, relationships, or pretty much anything else that floats your boat. Blog and Twitter

Article courtesy of Dan Schawbel, the leading personal branding expert for Gen-Y. He authors the Personal Branding Blog and publishes Personal Branding Magazine and authored the upcoming book, Me 2.0: Build a Powerful Brand to Achieve Career Success (Kaplan, Spring 2009). Dan has been called a "personal branding force of nature" by Fast Company and his work has been published in BrandWeek Magazine, Advertising Age and countless other publications.

Posted by Candice Arnold on August 21, 2009 at 8:57 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Remember the days when it was comforting to sit in your bathrobe and slippers on a Sunday morning, scan the classifieds over a hot steamy cup, and click off the jobs that were "beneath" you?

Those were the days.

But just as scanning the classifieds is old-school today, so is being quite so choosy. Finding the job is the point of the process, not stroking the ego. Being labeled "overqualified" won't make the house payment or feed the 401k.

In fact, being "overqualified" can be a roadblock to winning the job you want -- unless you know how to overcome your prospective employer's objections.

Here are five tips for overcoming the "overqualified" label -

1. Communicate your desire.

If you have concerns that the employer may think you're a bit too experienced for the job you're seeking, come prepared. Bring a list of the reasons why you believe you're the right fit for this particular job. You need to show that you have the skills and the desire to do the job. The interviewer wants to be sure you won't burn out too fast or immediately be looking to your next career move.

2. Downplay the resume.

It's normal in an interview and on a resume to point out your qualifications and accomplishments . . . and you still need to do that. But, pull back on the titles and awards a bit and talk about the teamwork and the cooperative efforts that made it all possible. Highlight your broader skills, like being able to focus, dependability, commitment, clarity. Point out what you think you will gain from the position. What will it add to your skills and professional standing?

3. Project yourself as a role player.

Don't come across as someone who wants to come in and rethink the game. That can be a real turnoff. In fact, Kris Dunn, the HR Capitalist, says so-called "stars" often fade in management roles:

Stars are often thought to have the best skills to become effective managers, so they usually get first dibs on the promotion. It rarely works out - stars have special skills, and tend to get frustrated when the masses can't do what they did - whether it's make more widgets, close more sales and yes - hit the jumper off the double baseline screen with amazing consistency. Role players, on the other hand, often make terrific coaches - and managers.

4. Be flexible on salary.

Face it, one of the fears in hiring someone who seems "overqualified" is the concern you may cost too much. Don't totally abandon your salary target goal, but prepare to be flexible . . . and know going in to the interview what your bottom line is. If you're as good as you think you are, your salary will catch up to your qualifications.

5. Be appreciative.

Too many potential employers intentionally overlook candidates perceived as overqualified. You made it past a major hurdle when you got in the door for the interview. Repay the courtesy with expressed admiration for the company and respect for the interviewer for his or her discernment and openness to consider you.

If your interviewer believes by the end of your discussion that you really do want to work there and genuinely intend to make a contribution, then you may very well have just the qualifications he was seeking. You can overcome the "over."

Article by, Thom and courtesy of RiseSmart.com - RiseSmart: Search Smarter. Rise Faster.

Posted by Candice Arnold on August 21, 2009 at 8:48 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Last year, I wrote an article about dealing with difficult bosses that listed seven typical troublesome characters like the "micro-manager" or the "absentee" boss. Well, workplace expert, Lynn Taylor, has expanded on that in her book Tame Your Terrible Office Tyrant: How to Manage Childish Boss Behavior AND Thrive in Your Job. Taylor lists 20 different types of Terrible Office Tyrant (TOT) and how to manage each one. This book could be particularly useful to recent graduates who have just landed entry level jobs. With today's job market, no one wants to have to go job hunting unless it's absolutely necessary, so it might be a good idea for anyone with a tyrannical boss to read Taylor's book.

Some may want to blame bad boss behavior on the recession but Taylor says, no dice. "It's a mistake to think too convetionally - that it's the economy's fault," says Taylor, who has studied boss behavior in good times as well as bad. "It is a fact that in the current labor climate, TOTs are in high gear because they hold all the hiring cards," she explains. "Because they also behave this way during any period of stress - even in good times, when there's unwieldy workloads to dole out or when they are just having a bad day."

But Taylor's book isn't about bashing bosses. In fact, she has a section at the back of the book that provides useful advice for bosses with TOT employees. "We are all TOTs inside, but when it comes to the office, the child inside should stay there," says Taylor.

In addition to real-life tales of employees who tames their TOT bosses - or hit the road when their TOTs proved untamable - Taylor also has humorous Dos and Don'ts segments in each chapter to assist employees in their efforts to make their workplaces more pleasant. Some of the TOT types discussed in Taylor's book are:

• Bragging
• Bullying
• Stubbornness
• Self-Centeredness
• Fickleness
• Helplessness
• Mood Swings
• Neediness

Taylor draws on 20 years of experience in corporate America and her experiences with raising two sons. What she discovered is that toddlers and TOTs have a lot in common, and she illustrates this in her book with a table of parallel incidents like:

Whether you're working with TOT employee, coworker or boss, Taylor says that any workplace can be "TOT-proofed" with the help of techniques like "CALM, Communicate, Anticipate, Laugh, and Manage." Taylor considers CALM as one of the most effective methods for dealing with TOTs.

Getting an entry level job these days is tough and with continued layoffs, keeping them seems to be even tougher, so following the advice in Taylor's book is preferable to going on the hunt for another job, except as a last resort.

Posted by Candice Arnold on August 21, 2009 at 6:53 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

If you've always wanted to be a musician, but you don't know exactly how to go about getting a job in the music business, you might want to look into the growing trend of music-oriented internships at local colleges.

Austin Community College is just one of the schools throughout the country that is trying to make it easier for students to pursue a career in the music industry. The school's Commercial Music Management Program interns team up with local music-related businesses and entrepreneurs to help keep their operations running.

The program provides interns the chance to work at music-related businesses, including small recording studios, clubs, venues, nonprofits and churches.

According to an article by the Austin Business Journal, the program's interns haven't necessarily received more attention due to the current economy, but more people have been enrolling in the program.

"With the economy as it is, community colleges are rocking," Geoffrey Schulman, department chair for the program, said in the article.

There are currently more than 350 students enrolled in the program. To receive an associates degree in the commercial management program, students first have to complete and internship. Unfortunately, about 90 percent of the internships are unpaid.

"We want them to get a taste of what it's like to actually have to go out there and have to do it with pressure," Schulman continued. "Instead of doing it just for a grade, they have to do it for themselves and for the people they work with."

Interns have worked everywhere from the Texas Music Office to The Parish, a live music venue on Sixth Street. Austin's music scene is heavily made up of small businesses, so the ACC program places a strong emphasis on teaching its students business skills.

"They have to take accounting and marketing and small business management because a lot of them are going to have to start their own companies," Schulman added. "We set them up to do business, whether they want to be a musician, manager or concert promoter."

Posted by Joel Cheesman on August 20, 2009 at 1:25 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

On a weekly basis any hiring manager probably receives between 50 to well probably hundreds of resumes and cover letters. The key is to catch their attention from the start and the best place to do that is in your cover letter. So I am going to tell you what the worst possible way is to start your cover letter and then give you some creative alternatives to use instead.

This is the most boring intro line because everyone uses it:

Please accept my resume for consideration of the (XYZ) position within your organization.

What a snoozer! Everyone uses that line, let's see... being like everyone else isn't going to get you very far in your job search now is it? No it's not. So what you need to be is different, but more than different, unique and valuable. Let's take a look at some more creative and attention grabbing opening lines:

Administrative:

If you are spending too much time on tedious office duties and administrative tasks then I have the solution for you. My experiences in office administration and client services have equipped me with a multitude of skills including office management, business operations and exemplary customer service. I am confident that my application of these and my many other skills would be an asset to your company.

Customer Service:

It's twice as hard to attract a new customer as it is to maintain an existing one. Unfortunately, this fact is often overlooked by many businesses. Delivering high-quality, responsive service is vital in (industry ex. Banking) and that's exactly what you'll get when you hire me. As my resume indicates, I have worked in client services for more than (number) years so you won't have to go to great expense training me.

Non-profit:

In today's challenging economic climate, many people will respond to your advertisement. Few will be interviewed. One will be hired.

However ...

Of the many to respond, few will be as qualified as I am, having in-depth experience in community and public outreach. No one else will bring my track record and the expertise I can offer - expertise that equips me to start delivering results for you immediately with maximum positive effect for your bottom line.

General:

Integrity. Innovation. Initiative. If you had these qualities in mind for the position of (position title) then I suggest we meet to discuss the numerous qualifications I would bring to the organization. With my demonstrated track record of successfully directing pharmacy operations and introducing initiatives that directly impact the bottom line, I am confident that I would be an excellent fit for the position at (company name).

Of course, these are only a few sample introductions and the remainder of your cover letter needs to be just as dynamic as these introductions.

Article by Jessica Holbrook and courtesy of WorkBloom, an employment blog incorporating a comprehensive career resources section, including the largest database of professionally written resume and cover letter samples on the Web.

Posted by Candice Arnold on August 20, 2009 at 11:09 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

If one of your top 2 or 3 Holland personality types is Investigative, you've hit the job outlook jackpot. In this economy, growth jobs with "liveable" wages are in technology, health care, and computer science - fields with many jobs matching the Investigative personality.

And you can choose from promising options requiring a variety of skill and education levels - a phD or medical school is not required for most jobs (not that there's anything wrong with those).

To start out, look at the Career Key career matches for you and check the job outlook for each career that interests you.

From the Career Key test and website, you'll find direct links to the Occupational Outlook Handbook (OOH) from each career you choose to explore. Each OOH description of a career includes a job outlook section, that in turn links to state specific labor market information. Career Key Canada provides the similar links to Job Futures with employment prospect information.

If what you see in the OOH or Job Futures is not promising or you want to consider other options, read on...

Top Investigative Career Key work group* picks for promising job prospects:

• 2.02 Life Sciences
• 2.03 Health Sciences
• 2.04 Laboratory & Medical Technology
• 2.05 Computer Science & Technology

The Investigative occupations predicted to offer the most new U.S. jobs through 2016 (listed with Career Key work group number, grouped by required education level) are:

• Medical Scientist, except epidemiologist (2.02)
• Physicians & Surgeon (2.03)
• Pharmacist (2.03)
• Veterinarian (2.03)
• Dentist (2.02)
• Biochemist and Biophysicist (2.02)
• Computer and information scientist, research (2.05)
• Management analyst (2.08)
• Computer software engineer, applications (2.05) This career will grow more than any other Investigative career.
• Computer systems analyst (2.05)
• Computer support specialist (2.05)

The fastest growing of all occupations are:

• Veterinarian (2.03)
• Pharmacist (2.03)
• Chiropractor (2.02)
• Optometrist (2.03)
• Medical Scientist, except epidemiologist (2.02)
• Biochemist and Biophysicist (2.02)
• Computer & information scientist, research (2.05)
• Actuary (2.06)
• Network systems and data communications analyst (2.05)
• Computer software engineer, applications (2.05)
• Veterinary technologist or technician (2.03)
• Environmental science and protection technician, including health (2.04)
• Cardiovascular technologist or technician (2.04)

For informative snapshots of the industries that involve the careers that interest you, use the OOH's companion Career Guide to Industries to learn more about health care, software publishing, computer systems design, scientific research and development services, and other industries. These government websites are surprisingly readable and thanks to internet - the info is much more accessible than it used to be.

In Canada, please see this list of the best Canadian job prospects in 2009:
For Investigative occupations, see:

• Civil Engineers
• Electrical and Chemical Engineers
• Dentists
• General Practitioners and Family Physicians
• Medical Laboratory Technologists and Pathologists' Assistants
• Medical Technologists and Technicians (except Dental)
• Optometrists, Chiropractors and Other Health Diagnosing and Treating Professionals
• Pharmacists
• Pharmacists, Dietitians, and Nutritionists
• Specialist Physicians

A word about the other Investigative CK work groups:

2.01 Physical Sciences
The growing scarcity of water, environmental regulation, climate change make the careers in this group a positive bet for job outlook.

2.06 Mathematics & Data Analysis
Statistics and data analysis is a growth area for jobs, as recently pointed out in this recent New York Times article by Steve Lohr.

2.07 Social Sciences
There are no fast growing jobs on the list from this group. A few months ago I wrote a post about choosing a career in the humanities that is related to social sciences' challenges. But that doesn't mean a economist or historian career choice would be a mistake. Talk with people now working in the fields that interest you - do informational interviews and other research to learn more practical information about job outlook.

2.08 Engineering
Environmental engineer is the highest growing engineer job, while the largest number of engineer jobs created will be in civil engineering. Overall, the job outlook for engineers is positive. Like anything else, your location will dictate job opportunities so research your local job market.

Article by, Juliet Wehr Jones, J.D. and courtesy of Career Key, striving to help all people make the best career choices, worldwide.

Posted by Candice Arnold on August 20, 2009 at 10:56 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Getting a literary agent to represent you is an essential step toward getting profitably published. Literary agents are necessary to help you get around the "gatekeepers" at most publishers; most publishers won't even look at unsolicited manuscripts.

A good agent will save you time by knowing which acquisitions editors and publishers are most likely to be interested in your book. In addition, a literary agent will make sure you are published under the most favorable terms possible.

Your ONE chance to make a positive first impression

But, before approaching an agent to represent you, you should finalize the presentation of your book.

It's vital that you don't waste a literary agent's time. Literary agents don't have time to waste dealing with publishing "wannabees" who don't have-and may never have-a concrete book project to represent. To busy agents, dreams don't make it.

If you approach an agent before you're prepared, you may never be able to contact them again. They're likely to consider you a "dreamer" and ignore your e-mails and phone calls.

Here are 8 questions to ask yourself before contacting potential agents:

1. Do you have an "elevator speech?"

Before approaching an agent, prepare an "elevator speech" describing your project in the less than thirty-seconds it takes for an average elevator ride. If you can't quickly explain the essence of your book in a few words, your project probably isn't ready for prime time.

Your elevator speech must answer several basic questions:

• What is your book about? What is it's "big idea?"
• Who is going to buy it?
• Why are they going to buy it?
• How does it differ from existing books on the subject?
• Where and how are you going to promote it?

Your "elevator speech" will form the first sentence of the first paragraph of your book proposal, where you attempt to "hook" the potential publisher's interest. If your first sentences don't communicate the urgency of the problem your book addresses, a fresh or unique approach to the problem, and why you're the one individual in the world best qualified to write the book, many acquisitions editors may not even continue reading.

2. Have you chosen a compelling title for your book?

The book title is crucial to your book's success. The title is often your one--and only--chance to make a sale. It must attract the attention of acquisition editors, book reviewers, bookstore managers, web surfers and readers.

The ideal title makes a compelling promise to a specific market segment and backs it up with a supporting subtitle that provides elaborates on the promise.

Unlike fiction books, which are purchased for pleasure, nonfiction business and self-help books are purchased to solve problems and achieve goals. Few readers buy nonfiction books because they want to read a general "textbook;" most nonfiction readers have specific problems they want to solve or goals they want to achieve.

Successful title techniques include:

• Alliteration. Repeated consonants, (i.e., "hard" sounds), create patterns in the reader's mind, that help makes titles memorable, i.e., Beautiful Bridges of Baltimore, etc.
• Action verbs. Verbs ending in ing, i.e., gerunds, imply that action is being taken, i.e., Writing White Papers, etc.
• Conciseness. The shorter the words, the bigger they can appear on the cover of your book.

3. Have you created a detailed table of contents?

Your book's table of contents must demonstrate your mastery of your topic and your ability to organize and present complex information in a logical sequence. Each chapter title should be accompanied by a brief description of the main points to be covered in each chapter.

Note that the chapters in many nonfiction books are organized into sections. Sections make a book appear easier to read by breaking it into a smaller parts. It appears easier to read 3 sections of a book, each containing 4 chapters, than a book containing 12 separate chapters. The sections also help readers better understand how to apply the information described in your book.

Details count! Your publisher wants to know the expected page count of your book and the number of exercises, tables, illustrations, graphics, and worksheets you plan on including in each chapter.

4. Have you clearly identified who's going to buy your book?

It's essential that you demonstrate that there is a reachable market for your book.

Strive for urgency. Describe the specific market segment likely to be interested in buying your book. Describe the characteristics of your target market as concretely as possible.

Answer questions like:

• What are the symptoms your book helps solve?
• How many people share the problem?
• What are the symptoms, or consequences, of the problem your book addresses?

Quantify your book's market in terms of buying power, willingness to buy books, and its ability to to be reached through associations, blogs, newsletters, or publications.

5. How will your book be different?

Why will readers choose your book instead of one of the existing books on the topic? Existing books on the same topic are a good sign, not a bad sign. They prove that there is an market for books on the subject. Your analysis of currently-available books must address issues like:

• What are the strengths and weakness of existing books?
• What will make your book more desirable for readers?

6. What are your qualifications for writing your book?

This section offers you an opportunity to describe your background and how it contributes to your book. How do your experiences permit you to write a better book than the authors of existing books?

Never discount your ability to write a book. Academic credentials are not as important as your proven ability to contribute to the success of your clients and employers. If you have been successful in business, you probably know more than you think you know about the practical aspects of your field than those who have studied it, but never practiced it.

7. How are you going to promote your book?

Promotion is your responsibility, not the publisher's! Your ability to promote your book is as important as your ability to write your book.

Start by describing your contact sphere; individuals who you deal with or write for on a consistent basis? What kind of an online presence do you have?

Next, list book reviewers and press contacts who can help promote your book. List publications who might run an extract from your book. Research producers who book guests for radio and TV interviews.

Discuss your speaking experience and willingness to travel to support your book. Describe how you will promote your book in your blog and on your web site.

List authorities in your field who have offered to write a foreword or provide you with cover testimonials.

8. Have you prepared the necessary sample chapters?

Prepare two--three, if you're a first-time author--sample chapters and hire a professional editor to fine-tune them. It's better to show three perfect chapters than a finished manuscript filled with spelling errors.

You don't have to write your whole book before approaching agents. And your sample chapters don't have to begin with the first chapter, nor do they have to be in sequence. But, they must represent your writing at its best.

Because of the importance of sample chapters, many authors work with book coaches or developmental editors to prepare their book proposal and sample chapters.

Conclusion

Respect the time of the agents you contact. Agents are busy. To the extent you can sell your book idea as a realistic possibility in thirty seconds and can support your answers with a well-written proposal, a compelling title, and strong sample chapters, you are well on your way to success.

After you've been successfully published, you may be able to sell a book on just the basis an e-mail. But, for now, you must be fully prepared.

Write your way to success

Subtitles. One of the most popular techniques is to partner a short title, i.e., Me 2.0, with a longer subtitle, i.e., Build a Powerful Brand to Achieve Career Success, that provides additional details.

Roger C. Parker, as a "writer who understands design," and a "designer who understands copy," can help you create a marketing program based on these skills. Roger has a 20 year record of helping others successfully master and apply the latest technology to marketing challenges. If you're interested in writing a book to build your brand and promote your business, visit www.publishedandprofitable.com and get Roger's free, 4-step, Write Your Way to Success report.

Article courtesy of Dan Schawbel, the leading personal branding expert for Gen-Y. He authors the Personal Branding Blog and publishes Personal Branding Magazine and authored the upcoming book, Me 2.0: Build a Powerful Brand to Achieve Career Success (Kaplan, Spring 2009). Dan has been called a "personal branding force of nature" by Fast Company and his work has been published in BrandWeek Magazine, Advertising Age and countless other publications.

Posted by Candice Arnold on August 20, 2009 at 10:16 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Can you remember the last time you completed a "WOW" project? A project you'll still be bragging and chortling about 10 years from now, as Tom Peters would say? If not, rest assured that you can make your work matter - but only if you take proactive steps to make it work for you.

• Every assignment is a starting point
• Every mundane assignment is a starting point. Your real job is to turn that task into something cool. Something memorable. Something WOW.

"You're in charge of the company Memorial Day picnic. Poor you? Ho-hum? Or: Make it the most incredible, awesome, memorable, high-involvement celebration (project) of: 'Who we are,' and 'What we stand for', and 'How we care about our people,' ever." That's how Tom Peters approaches assignments.

How do you approach assignments? Take a hint from the father of personal branding and start making your projects work for you.

Here are 8 tips to turn mundane projects into WOW projects that build your brand:

1. Tweak the structure and specifics of a specific task until it becomes a "cool project." How can you make this task truly remarkable? Change the language of the task. Change the location, the processes involved, the outcome achieved, the people required, the technology used. Get creative and tweak it from all angles.

2. Keep an observation notebook. Record everyday experiences that provoke emotional responses, good or bad. This will make you a keener observer, and you'll start finding ways to incorporate them into your own projects. Here's what Tom Peters does: "What's bugging, intriguing, exciting you? Start an observation notebook - paper or electronic. Jot down stuff you come across that is dumb (no matter how tiny or mundane) or great (at a restaurant, a ballpark, the dentist) that your operation can learn from." There are millions of experiences that can help you do your job better. Choose to record them and integrate them.

3. Use your support network to help you reframe the project. Email a brief description of the project to your Mastermind group (the intelligent, passionate and creative individuals who you turn to for advice). Ask them to help you rethink the project. They likely come from different backgrounds and can come up with all kinds of novel ideas.

4. Talk to the customers your project will affect. Ask one of your customers, Jane Doe, what she'd do if you put her in charge of your project. What would she focus on? What would she care about most? Integrate her advice to reframe the project.

5. Brainstorm the impossible. For every deliverable requested, list out also what "could be." If asked to make a paper airplane, give your boss a specification for a space station. The worst thing that comes from thinking big is being told, "that can't be done." Even so, your colleagues and boss will remember you as the one with the visionary ideas.

6. Make it into the history books of your company. Think back to tenth grade. The people in your history textbooks were committed, determined, focused, passionate, risk seekers, irrational about the righteousness of their life's project, ahead of their time and quirky. "If those traits are good enough for the ultimate Hall of Fame, the history book," asks Peters, "why aren't they good enough for our finance department?" Brand You will not shine based on a series of mediocre completed projects. Brand You will shine when you transform menial tasks into meaningful projects that move your whole organization forward.

7. Gauge the WOWness of your project. Can't tell if your project is WOW project? Peters would ask: "is it a performance, an act unbridled passion, memorable, a signature piece, a plunge into the unknown, exhausting, a growth experience?" If not, start digging deeper. Reframe the task, ask others how they'd change it, think about how employees in other departments (and other fields) would approach it, and hit your mental whiteboards.

8. Link the project to a grander vision that gets passionate people on board. Once you've got a potential WOW project on your hands, you need to sell it. Get others fired up so they're motivated to give you their very best (as opposed to just following their boss' orders). Make this project "the place to be" - an awesome project with an awesome team.

When your work truly matters, your results will naturally be remarkable. When your results are remarkable, your personal brand will speak for itself. When your personal brand speaks for itself, ideal opportunities will start finding you with less effort on your part.

Your projects should matter. Your projects define you. Start using the tips above to turn "Okay, boss" projects into "WOW" projects that forever make your brand worthy of remark.

Pete Kistler is a leading Online Reputation Management expert for Generation Y, a top 5 finalist for Entrepreneur Magazine's College Entrepreneur of 2009, one of the Top 30 Definitive Personal Branding Experts on Twitter, a widely read career development blogger, and a Judge for the 2009 Personal Brand Awards. Pete manages strategic vision for Brand‐Yourself.com, the first online reputation management platform for job applicants, named one of the Top 100 Most Innovative College Startups in the U.S.

Article courtesy of Dan Schawbel, the leading personal branding expert for Gen-Y. He authors the Personal Branding Blog and publishes Personal Branding Magazine and authored the upcoming book, Me 2.0: Build a Powerful Brand to Achieve Career Success (Kaplan, Spring 2009). Dan has been called a "personal branding force of nature" by Fast Company and his work has been published in BrandWeek Magazine, Advertising Age and countless other publications.

Posted by Candice Arnold on August 20, 2009 at 10:09 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Out-of-work jobseekers are facing a significant obstacle to finding employment and restoring their financial health: the pre-employment credit check, which is being used increasingly often by staffing professionals.

Companies who perform these credit checks say, in their own defense, that they are only engaging in due diligence and looking for general red flags such as a lack of trustworthiness or self-control.

However, lawmakers and groups such as the ACLU are saying that this practice invades privacy, has little to do with performing most jobs successfully, and forces people who have lost their jobs into a downward spiral of debt.

For a sign of the times, here's a telling anecdote from recent The New York Times story "Another Hurdle for the Jobless: Credit Inquiries":

Out of work since December, Juan Ochoa was delighted when a staffing firm recently responded to his posting on Hotjobs.com with an opening for a data entry clerk. Before he could do much more, though, the firm checked his credit history. The interest vanished. There were too many collections claims against him, the firm said. "I never knew that nowadays they were going to start pulling credit checks on you even before you go for an interview," said Mr. Ochoa, 46, who lost his job in December tracking inventory at a mining company in Santa Fe Springs, Calif. "Why would they need to pull a credit report? They'd need something like that if you were applying at a bank."

Once reserved for government jobs or payroll positions that could involve significant sums of money, credit checks are now fast, cheap and used for all manner of work.

The practice is definitely on the rise. Forty-three percent of companies conducting any type of pre-employment screening use credit checks for some or all employees, according to a 2006 study by the Society of Human Resource Management. The number was at 40% in 2004, and just 25% in 1998. We are almost certainly in excess of 45% today, and it's quite feasible that the number is greater than one-half.

What are the current rules in the U.S. about checking an applicant's credit? Reports Dana Dratch in her article "States weigh limits on credit checks for employment":

Absent a state law or change in national law, employers can (with an applicant's permission), pull a credit history and decline to hire a candidate based on what they find -- even if the information has no relation to the job. And with many Americans struggling financially simply because they are out of work, legislators are seeking to prevent something they see as needlessly punitive.

While most states have no restrictions against checking an applicant's credit, Hawaii tightened limits on the practice just last month. (Washington State had set up limits two years ago, but was the only state to do so at the time.) These are the only two states with any laws on the books about the practice, although, at the time of this writing, Connecticut, Missouri, New York and Texas are all considering proposals to limit the use of credit checks in pre-employment screening.

On the national level, Representatives Steve Cohen of Tennessee and Luis Gutierrez of Illinois have sponsored H.R. 3149, the Equal Employment for All Act, a bill that aims to prevent employers from using credit reports in their hiring or promotional decisions. As reported by Lewis Green on credit.com:

Speaking at the bill's launch, the two congressmen raised concerns about the mounting financial pressures faced by people who are coping with unexpected difficulties, such as job loss and medical bills. Gutierrez pointed out that the major obstacle standing in the way of some people's financial recovery is securing employment. But if they continue to be denied a job because of their credit report, it could lead to a vicious cycle. "Right now the number of U.S. employers conducting pre-employment credit checks is on the rise and too many Americans are caught in the preventable cycle of debt," Gutierrez said. "They have been hit hard by an economy in crisis, they have fallen into bad credit and as a result they cannot do the one thing that would enable them to climb out - get a job."

The bill does make allowances for credit scores to be checked within some limited categories of employment, such as jobs involving national security or a large amount of financial responsibility. However, Gutierrez emphasized that those are exceptions rather than the rule, and said that the ability to perform most roles is unrelated to a person's credit history.

All proposed legislation contains exceptions for persons working with national security and/or large amounts of money. In addition, no one is proposing that criminal background checks be limited -- only credit information, in jobs where one's credit history is not relevant.

Article by, Sarah and courtesy of RiseSmart.com - RiseSmart: Search Smarter. Rise Faster.

Posted by Candice Arnold on August 20, 2009 at 9:54 AM | Leave a Comment (1)

The current job market is not easy, so where should you focus your search efforts? What companies are hiring? And with what companies are the jobs more secure? While you are researching that, don't forget another very important question - who do you WANT to work for?

Looking over the recent employment survey from GreatPlaceJobs.com they reviewed hiring and layoff data for the last year. The results clearly demonstrates that the biggest employers are not necessarily the best. Each year Fortune produces the "100 Best Companies to Work For" list. These highly desirable workplaces, also had much lower layoff rates -about 50% lower--than the US's largest Fortune 100 companies.

Who are the top companies to work for?

Some of these organizations will surprise you. The top organization, "NetApp" has about 5,000 employees and is a data warehouse high tech company. Not a household name, but the #1 spot for happy employees. Other "Best Employers" hold some new companies you won't know as well as some names you'll more likely recognize included: Edward Jones, Google, Goldman Sachs, Whole Foods Market, Nordstrom, Mayo Clinic, Marriott ... Click to read the complete list of the best companies to work for. You'll be able to gain more info on salaries paid by all these 100 employers and search them by specific geographical locations.

So how do you get hired?

Many people seek out these employers so you need a more effective strategy to get you ahead of the pack. To begin:

1. Create a short list. Look over the Best 100 and select the companies that interest you. Determine if you are willing to relocate and then add any in areas you wish to move too. Large companies often have more than one location so check out this detail before you cross a prospect off your list of employers to actively pursue. If you can also find many openings
2. Go to the company's website. Take your newly created list and then go to each company's website. Look at what they offer: their products and services. Explore their current job openings -- typical you'll find a link on the home page or site map.
3. Target Your Resume. Is your resume updated and downright the best it can be? Will you resume stand out and get you interviews? Is it full of accomplishments? Will it stand out in a crowd? Find out before you network. Take this Resume Quiz. People you talk to will request to see it or pass it on so be sure it's top notch.
4. Network. Look for organizational charts, often you can find employee and/or executive names. Investigate, make a phone call of two if necessary but try to uncover the particularly company department head's name who would likely be your boss, or your boss's boss. Many jobs are found by obtaining a lead through contacts. Ask family, friends, neighbors, old bosses, colleagues, and college alumni for assistance in tracking down job openings, manager names and potential opportunities in your list of companies. Add new companies that they may bring to your attention. Your objective is to connect with someone inside the company who can provide inside information, and internally pass on your resume or application. If you can't find someone inside, open the door yourself. Write a terrific self-marketing letter to the manager that would most likely be your boss. Include a short paragraph that concisely outlines your strongest skills and major accomplishments. Mention that you'll be calling in a few days to learn more about their current needs. Attach your resume. Mail the letter (as in postal mail), not email. Follow up and call but be prepared to sell yourself on the spot if you reach the potential boss.

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