by JoAnn Nix, CPRW
Executive Director, A Resume 4 Success!
http://www.AResume4Success.com
E-Mail: AR4SJNix@aol.com

It is no doubt that the Internet plays an important role in most job seekers' quest for career success, and the total number of employment opportunities posted on thousands of web sites is immeasurable. However, the downfall for many job seekers is the fact that they are exclusively relying on the Internet to miraculously produce a job! They are taking a passive and casual approach to their job search, and that is great for people who are on a fishing expedition.

I am concerned about the serious job seekers who are determined to find new opportunities but only post their resume on one or two major sites and tell a handful of people they are looking for opportunities. "Waiting" for something to happen may not be one of your strong points, so I offer several suggestions which could potentially triple your interviews.

CAREER TEAMS

If you are not familiar with the concept, a career team is comprised of two or three individuals who can provide valuable assistance. It is best to appoint professionals who have no emotional or financial interest in your career success. Therefore, never designate your spouse, parents or even very close friends as a team member. Alternatively, select people who can provide you with networking opportunities and administrative support.

Once you have formed your team, assign each member specific tasks. For example, select one person to conduct Internet research to investigate employment opportunities and obtain information on various companies. Hoovers.com and comfind.com are excellent sources to uncover company information.

One team member could prepare and mail tailored resumes and cover letters and enter the information in a database for future tracking purposes. One person can be asked to assist with networking activities to cultivate leads. Another person can peruse newspapers for opportunities. Careerpath.com lists opportunities from scores of national newspapers. There are many other ways your members can provide invaluable assistance. Finally, meet with your team members twice a week to discuss strategies and accomplishments and plan for the next week.

PERSONAL AGENTS

Take advantage of free electronic job scouts. The personal job-search agents will "scout" and constantly search for positions that match your criteria. Here are a few sites worth investigating: http://www.nationjob.com, www.careerbuilder.com, http://www.4work.com, http://www.espan.com and http://www.jobbankusa.com.

CAREER FAIRS

If you do not have time to attend job fairs, let someone go in your place! Ask them to distribute your resume and/or collect business cards and follow up on those leads. There are also numerous on-line career fairs worthy of investigating.

ON-LINE DISTRIBUTION

ResumeXPRESS.com has several programs ranging from $39 to $199 and will distribute your resume online to reach as many as 10,000 potential contacts, including major corporations, recruiters and on-line resume banks. BlastYourResume.com and FlipDog.com are also good sites, as are databases such as http://www.searchbase.com, http://www.topexec.com and http://www.yourmissinglink.com.

NETWORKING

It is still true that networking is the number one way to land a new position. It is best to compile a list of everyone you know - from former colleagues to your dentist, doctor and dry cleaners. Approach these individuals and ask them to provide you with a list of 5 to 10 names of people that may be able to help you. As you begin to approach people on the 2nd and 3rd tiers, your network circle will swell to great proportions.

PERSONAL BUSINESS CARDS.

You should invest in personal business cards to hand out to all your leads, colleagues and even to the interviewer! Here is a sample of a business card used by one of my clients:

JOHN SMITH
Successful Sales and Marketing Professional
Offering 15 years of experience in Telecommunications
*Received industry's top award in 1998
*Landed company's largest contract ever - $4.2 million
*Profiled in industry's top periodical in 1998
*Recognized as an industry expert by several industry magazines

(555) 123-4567 E-Mail: johnsmith@hotmail.com

Job searching can be challenging and perplexing in today's changing business world. Those who actually plan for their success take home "the prize." Using the above strategies in combination with other ideas, should help triple your interviews. It is an exciting time to be looking for career opportunities and incorporating networking and taking advantage of the vast Internet resources should propel you to success!

-- JoAnn Nix, one of the Executive Directors of AResume4Success.com, is a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) and Job and Career Transition Coach (JCTC). JoAnn has been crafting professional resumes and other career marketing documents for 8 years and has worked with thousands of clients. She is an active contributor to the Professional Association of Resume Writers (PARW) and was recently appointed PARW's Ethics Chairperson and Coordinator of the 2001 Resume Writing Contest. JoAnn is also a charter member of Career Masters Institute and serves as Treasurer of the Texas Association of Resume Professionals.