No matter who I am speaking to- large groups or an individual- heads start nodding when I talk about how important networking is, yet how little of it we take the time to actually do. "Guilty as charged" their faces say. Kinda like eating more veggies. We really do know it's good for us- but that rarely translates into those seemingly hundreds of daily servings we're supposed to have.

I think we all picture that guy with a pocketful of business cards who is bound and determined no one will leave the room withou t one. We don't want to be him. Clearly. But believe it or not, there is some middle ground between him and the guy hugging the corner, staring at his shoes. That's where you want to be- in your own comfortable spot in that middle ground. Yep, you have to get out there and talk to people. Shy? An introvert? If so, you have an advantage. THE primary skill to being a good networker is to be a good listener. If you believe the golden rule of networking, "give first, take second", how can you know what your networking partner needs, i.e., what to give- if you aren't listening?

We get so overwrought with the idea that we have to have exactly the right thing to say to everyone we meet. Try these quickie tips the next time you are planning to attend an event where you will have the opportunity to network. (yes, it IS an opportunity- not a death march)

Look for potential "victims" (just kidding) of your networking charms

If you have an opportunity to see a roster of the other attendees, do a little research on who will be there. LinkedIn is great for that. That will help you know who to seek out, who you might have something in common with, who might have info you are seeking, even fellow college alums. This does not qualify as stalking. Trust me. Or survey the room and find someone who also appears to not know anyone or has just arrived.

Pack a few good questions and listen generously to the answers

Be ready to ask a good, open ended question. "Have you been to many of these events? Have you ever heard the speaker? What kinds of exciting things are going on at your company? What's keeping you busy these days?" are a few examples. If your conversation partner mentions that he is new to the area, ask about where he came from and what he misses most, then see if you can offer information on your town that might help him adjust. If she mentions that she is spending her summer taking her oldest on college visits, and you've been through that process before, I bet you can offer at least a tidbit of helpful advice. This is the kind of stuff relationships can sprout from.

Exchange business cards with purpose (and not the purpose of getting rid of all of your biz cards!)

Only offer your card or ask for someone else's when you have a found a mutually beneficial reason to stay in touch. Possible reasons- to continue a conversation you were having, to further explore a mutual interest, because you committed to getting some info to him, etc. Or my favorite, you just found someone that you clicked with and would like to get to know them and hear more about their business. It's not weird- it's flattering. Unless of course, your interest is more than professional.

(Stalker comment above may apply in this case).

Follow Up, for heaven's sake!

Don't spend time networking, then let the ball drop. As you meet people that you would like to develop a business relationship with, and they seem mutually interested in another contact, don't put their business card in the pocket of your wool jacket then forget about it till next year's first snowfall. Follow up within 48 hours, remind them what you spoke about and suggest coffee, lunch, whatever is appropriate.

Really, it doesn't have to be scary. But if none of the above makes you any more comfortable, remember, the guy hugging the corner staring at his shoes needs someone talk to, too.

Guest posting today is Julie Bauke, author of 'Stop Peeing on your Shoes: Avoiding the 7 Mistakes That Screw Up Your Job Search.' You can follow Julie at www.twitter.com/juliebauke.

Article courtesy of Louise Fletcher and 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 November 9, 2009 at 1:51 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Following is a guest post from Adrienne Carlson who writes for ExecutiveMBAPrograms.org If you want to read the post on that site click here.

Unlike Facebook and the like, LinkedIn is strictly a social network for professionals with over 48 million members in over 200 countries. Working like a sophisticated online business card, members from those new to the workforce all they way to CEO's of Fortune 500 companies utilize the free service. However, there is a right and wrong way to do it, and below are the top ten rules of LinkedIn Etiquette for Business professionals.

Continue reading "Ten Rules of LinkedIn Etiquette for Business Professionals" »

Posted by Candice Arnold on October 28, 2009 at 10:19 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

A client of mine told me that he is planning to attend a big trade show in a major city in a few weeks and that he is planning to take his resume and pass it around to his contacts there. I can't help but feel that approaching a job search in that manner seems a little bit desperate. This particular client is not, in fact, desperate for a job but handing out a resume in a non-hiring environment like a trade show doesn't seem "right" to me.

I don't know if there is a right or wrong answer to the question but my advice to job seekers would be to use the trade show to make contacts but wait until after the show to follow up and send resumes. Most vendors at trade shows are very busy promoting their products or services and even if you know them well your resume probably won't get the attention you want it to at the show. And its possible the document could be lost or misplaced on the way back to the office.

Continue reading "Should You Distribute Your Resume At A Trade Show?" »

Posted by Candice Arnold on August 19, 2009 at 7:36 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

There are a number of ways that you can acquire the job you want. You can go the traditional route of finding an ad and applying for the job, or going through the temp agency where you can get your feet wet in certain fields.

But another great way to get a job is through networking. Whether you have a family member who can make recommendations for you, or you join an organization where you get inside tips on companies, meeting the right people help you get you the job you want. Let's look at some ways you can make networking work for you.

Talk to Your Friends and Family

If you're really looking to find work and the want ads haven't been very good to you then you may want to start networking with people that you trust the most: your friends and family. Not only can they surprise you with the information they know, they have your best interest at heart, which is always a plus.

Since your relationship with them is more likely to be casual, you can simply ask if they know of any job leads or people that you can link with for opportunities, without having to worry about being professional. You may just find that by networking close to home, you can find your next job lead in no time.

Join Clubs, Organizations or Advisory Boards

Making strides in a local or national club is another route that you can take to network your way to a great job. For instance, if you're in the IT field, you might want to join The Association of Information Technology Professionals (AITP) to make connections and learn the ins and outs of your field. And if you career choice is accounting, you might want to join the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA).

If you're already a professional in your field and are looking for new opportunities, you can always join the advisory board of one of your local organizations. For instance, if you're working in the field of communication and want to raise your stakes as a professional, you can vie for a spot on the advisory board of Girl Scouts of America where you will be able to show your community service efforts and meet important people at the same time.

Try Online Networking

A newer form of networking that has proven to be successful in acquiring employment is online social networking. Whether you're participating in fun sites like Myspace and Facebook, or professional sites like LinkedIn, you will find that many recruiters are locating candidates through this online vehicle. It's good to research sites that recruiters visit most, check out blogs, and learn the culture before diving in. That way, if you set up a website profile or participate on message boards, you will be able to make the best first impression possible every time.

Networking is a great way to create new opportunities in your field. So conduct your research, make your connections, and get those opportunities started. In no time at all, you'll see that your efforts will begin to pay off.

About the Author:
Heather Eagar is a former professional resume writer and is passionate about providing working professionals with current, reliable and effective job search tools and information. Looking for resume writers? Check out reviews of the top resume services in the industry at http://www.resumelines.com.

Posted by Heather Eagar on November 20, 2008 at 7:09 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

The world of job recruiting has changed drastically in recent years. Whereas in the past, the route to securing employment was simply getting your resume together and responding to help-wanted ads - or even getting approached by a headhunter - now much of the recruitment process is taken care of on the Internet.

Both recruiters and job seekers are finding that by mingling with one another through mediums like online social networks, they can accomplish their combined goal of getting a person employed. It is for this reason that taking the time to understand social networks is beneficial, especially if you're actively seeking employment. So let's take a closer look at this new and exciting aspect of job recruiting.

What are Online Social Networks?

Very similar to the idea of the traditional social network, an online social network offers a space on the Internet where individuals with similar interests or agendas can congregate to share ideas, insights, and help one another achieve goals. Before, you may have found yourself joining a national collegiate fraternity or sorority, or even a club or organization in your community, to achieve this type of networking experience. But now, organizations and groups with a similar purpose have moved onto the Internet, affording more people from around the country the opportunity to network.

Utilizing Online Social Networks to Your Benefit

So what can an online social network do for you? Along with fraternizing with your peers, they are great for helping you find employment. Job seekers are becoming increasingly aware that many recruiters spend time searching popular social networking websites like LinkedIn, Myspace, Plaxo and Facebook to interact with and often times recruit new job candidates. So to make themselves findable for recruitment, they congregate in those places.

If you are serious about finding employment, it is in your best interest to join one or more of these online social networking sites. There you can post your resume and give other useful information about yourself that will offer insight into your qualifications. Once you've posted your resume, you can visit field-specific blogs on these sites or in other places. Just like with social networking sites, recruiters often choose this avenue to seek out candidates and make employment invitations.

Carefully Monitor Your Social Networking Behavior

While online social networks are great places to find career opportunities, you should definitely be aware of your actions while there. Fun-filled sites like Myspace and Facebook can easily lure you into their excitement; however, if your purpose is to be seen by recruiters, you might find yourself projecting a non-professional image. To avoid this from happening, remember not to post unflattering pictures of activities you partake in with your buddies on your profile. And ask your friends to refrain from leaving risqué comments on your page. Since your main goal is to make your profile as professional as possible, you don't want to give recruiters any reason to second-guess your qualifications.

The opportunities to secure employment with the click of a mouse are better than ever. So before you print off you next resume or think about going to a job fair, consider joining a professional online social network. You may just find that your next employment connection will be right on the other side of your computer screen.

Heather Eagar is a former professional resume writer and is passionate about providing working professionals with current, reliable and effective job search tools and information. Check out reviews of the top resume services in the industry at http://www.resumelines.com.

Posted by Heather Eagar on November 13, 2008 at 2:15 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Recruiters, also called headhunters, get paid by companies to beat the bushes for talented employees.

Recruiters can be an important tool in your job-search arsenal.

So, anything you can do to get noticed by more recruiters can ultimately help you get hired faster by employers.

Here are two ways to do just that. One is new and high-tech. The other is neither.

1. Tweet on Twitter

   You may have heard about Twitter.com. It's a social networking site that's been described as "micro blogging" -- a cross between instant messaging and blogging -- because you're allowed only 140 characters per post.

   In addition to posting "tweets" about your own life, you can search for and "follow" people on Twitter to see what they're up to in real time.

   And it just might help you start a relationship with a recruiter that leads to a new job. Because recruiters, especially those who fill high-tech positions, are using Twitter to find and be found by candidates.

   "I recently got three referrals to candidates within two minutes of posting on Twitter about a job I was trying to fill," says Paul DeBettignies, Managing Partner of Nerd Search, a Minneapolis-based recruiting firm.

   But how can you get on a headhunter's radar using Twitter?

   One way is to find and follow them, to learn more about who they are and what they're looking for. Example: a search for "technical recruiter" on Twitter returned 26 profiles, while "management recruiter" produced 31. Pick a few that look interesting and follow their postings for a few days.

   Meanwhile, think carefully about what to include in your Twitter Bio. Include job titles and other terms that make your name pop up for the right searches. "Be very task-oriented about the specific job you're after, which
   will determine what you post and how you respond to others," advises Tavis Hudson, a recruiter at Technical Resources, in Chanhassen, Minn.

   "I've met more than 20 candidates in person after first developing a relationship with them on Twitter, and one of them is interviewing right now for a software-related position," says Hudson.

   I suggest you try Twitter for 30 days with a specific goal, like arranging a phone call with at least one recruiter or networking meetings with at least two people who work at your target employers.








2. Get a Personal Referral

   There are other, less technical ways to find a recruiter. Like referrals from live humans, for example.

   Who among your friends and family is looking for a job now? You probably know at least one person who could recommend a recruiter.

   That's how one man from Wisconsin got hired by a Fortune 500 firm in St. Paul -- the recruiter who introduced him to the job was referred by his wife!

   "Tom was a Sr. Manufacturing Engineer who came to me after we placed his wife in an office management role. They wanted to relocate to the Twin Cities to be closer to family," says Annie Jenstad, a recruiter for Doherty Staffing Solutions, in Edina, Minn.

   While Jenstad had no suitable openings for Tom, she did find a job posting that looked promising, on a small, niche Web site.

   "We called the company and marketed Tom as a perfect fit, because they needed someone with his experience," says Jenstad.

   Two weeks and two interviews later, he accepted the position.

   Now. You could chalk all this up to luck. But here's where I really agree with the Roman Seneca, who wrote, "Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity."

   How prepared are you for opportunity in your job search? That will largely determine how lucky you get.

Good news: Preparation is 100% within your control.

And it starts between your ears.

To start with, it must be perfectly clear in your mind what job you want and where you want to do it. Otherwise, it won't be clear in anybody else's mind. And you'll be less likely to benefit from a chance encounter on Twitter or a conversation with your spouse's recruiter.

So, why not create your own luck, whether it's meeting recruiters online or making networking contacts in person, by preparing for tomorrow's opportunities today?

By: Kevin Donlin, President of Guaranteed Resumes and the creator of GetHiredNow.TV. Since 1996, he has provided job search assistance to nearly 10,000 people. Author of "51 Ways to Find a Job Fast -- Guaranteed," Kevin has been interviewed by USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, CBS Radio and others. His latest product, The Instant Job Search System. copyright (c) 2008 by Kevin Donlin

Article 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 searching entry-level jobs and other career opportunities.

Posted by Lisa Colbert, CollegeRecruiter.com on June 16, 2008 at 9:15 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Most people looking for a job will tell you they are networking.

And most people are wrong.

All you have to do is carry a small notebook around, log how you spend your time during the day, and you'll likely discover you weren't networking as much as you thought. Probably not even 25%.

Networking is like dieting. Most people on a diet will tell you they don't snack between meals. And most people are wrong.

Just tape a piece of paper to the fridge, write down every morsel you stick in your mouth during the day, and you'll likely discover you were eating more than you thought.

All of which means what, exactly?

If your job search is struggling, it probably says more about what you're doing (and what you're not) than what the economy or employers are doing.

And since most jobs are found via networking, what you do (and what you don't) when you think you're networking will largely determine how fast you find work.

So here are three ways to improve your networking ...

1. Give to Get
   "We understand networking intellectually, yet we don't always do it. When you say 'networking' to most people, they think it's what they do to find a job, but to the most effective networkers, it's what they do every day," says Dave Opton, Chairman & Founder of ExecuNet, a networking community for executives.

   While many folks dread the thought of approaching others, hat-in-hand, to ask for job leads, this is backwards, according to Opton. "People should not feel as if it's selfish to network. If you go through your day behaving
   like the person most of us would like to think we are -- happy to help and not looking for something directly in return -- the networking goes easily."

   So, what's the best way to do it?

   "We have a phrase," says Opton. "Information is the currency of effective networking."

   That means, no matter who you are, you have knowledge or experience that other people don't. Even your time can be valuable, if you volunteer to help someone with a project. Whatever it is, offer it to others. Then watch your networking efforts take off.

   Tip: To network effectively, give first. The job leads will follow.








2. Try the Back Door
   With the growth of social networking web sites, it's never been easier to make contact with people on the inside of companies you want to work for.

   And those contacts can give you an "inside" advantage when applying for jobs, according to Doug Berg, Founder and Chief Innovation Officer at Jobs2Web.com.

   "One way to research a company is to visit Facebook and Linkedin to find out who works there, make contact with those people, and ask them about the company and its culture," says Berg.

   About 30% of companies offer referral programs that can pay their employees $1,000 or more to refer new hires, according to Berg. So, if you can forge a relationship with an employee at your target firm, they might help you get hired by referring you through the back door.

   Tip: Try researching companies through Facebook, MySpace or Linkedin -- you're likely to somebody somewhere who can help you.

   Then, to earn referrals to employers, repeat the process from 1) above: Give first of your expertise, knowledge, and time. Success (and job interviews) will follow.








3. Make Wishes Come True
   "Through job postings, online information and network connections, [you should] create a wish list of the companies where you would like to work," suggests ExecuNet Vice President, Lauryn Franzoni.

   Once you have specific employers in mind, your network can lead you to the people you need to meet. "The more you know about a company and the problems they face, the better positioned you are to demonstrate how you can help," says Franzoni.

   Tip: Help others help you. You absolutely need to know what 20 companies you want to work for. With this "wish list" in hand, it's a simple matter of finding people you know -- or, more likely, people they know -- at your target companies, and getting referred to a hiring manager there.

By: Kevin Donlin, President of Guaranteed Resumes and the creator of GetHiredNow.TV. Since 1996, he has provided job search assistance to nearly 10,000 people. Author of "51 Ways to Find a Job Fast -- Guaranteed," Kevin has been interviewed by USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, CBS Radio and others. His latest product, The Instant Job Search System, is available at http://www.collegerecruiter.com/guaranteed-resumes.php
copyright (c) 2007 by Kevin Donlin

Article 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 searching entry-level jobs and other career opportunities.

Posted by Lisa Colbert, CollegeRecruiter.com on June 2, 2008 at 8:10 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Recently, I surveyed 159 job seekers by email, asking them this question:
"What is the biggest problem in your job search right now?"

The responses were intriguing and I had a hard time boiling the problems down to a manageable number to answer here.

But I did.

So, here are three of the most common job-search problems -- as chosen by you, my readers -- with my proposed answers.

Read on to see if your problem is solved here ...

Problem #1: How can I make contact with someone at a company where I'd like to work? I want to send my resume to a live person when applying for jobs.

Solution: When responding to a job posting, do whatever it takes to find out who the hiring authority is. Then, try to make contact with that person through your network.

If your network of contacts doesn't reach that far yet, build a bridge! Start with your personal network first, and Web-based tools second.

Remember: Computers don't hire. People do. So any information about an employer you can gather from the people you know (or the people they know) can help. Go through your email address book for names, or use Web tools like LinkedIn.com and Zoominfo.com to connect with more people.

Another Web resource worth a look is Jigsaw.com. The site aims to help you bypass gatekeepers by contacting decision makers directly, and it boasts more than 7 million contact names from more than 400,000 companies.
Jigsaw.com offers a free trial membership.

Problem #2: How can I find unadvertised job leads? I want to get beyond recruiters and HR gatekeepers to find someone who cares.

Solution: Spend time talking to people who already care about you. Start with your family.

Right now, the job you want exists somewhere in the mind of an employer. It may be advertised, or unadvertised, but it's there.

Your task is to get into the minds of as many people as possible, until you connect with the right mind -- the right employer. That's how you get hired. And that's what networking is all about.

Now. If you're at all average, you probably think you've told "everyone" in your family about your job search. But have you, really? Have you:

1. Written down the name of every single relative you have, aged 18 to 108?



2. Shown that list to your family to make sure you didn't forget anyone?



3. Called or emailed everyone on that list to tell them exactly what type of job you seek, the company you'd like to work for and the city you want to work in?



4. Asked each relative for the names of at least 3 people they know who might know of potential employment leads?



5. Thanked everyone you spoke to for their time?



6. Repeated this process every 30 days until hired?

What about relatives who live in other states or cities? Should you contact them for job leads? Yes! Because, you have friends across the country, right? Your relatives do, too. All it takes is one contact at one company and you'll be hired.

So stop making excuses and start making phone calls to relatives. And forget about pride here. Pride won't pay your mortgage.

In the end, you can't depend on a recruiter, the government or the Internet to help you -- they don't care about you. They don't even know you exist. But your family does. Start talking to them about your job search today.

Problem #3: How can I find good answers to the most common interview questions?

Solution: Try The Interview Center at Monster.com -- the direct URL is interview.monster.com. There you'll find tips for answering dozens of the most common questions, as well as virtual interview modules that let you practice online.

However ... once you know what you want to say, there's no substitute for practicing with another person. Because there's more to interviewing than words. You also communicate by your tone of voice, vocabulary, posture, wardrobe, the food stuck in your teeth, etc. So you absolutely must get feedback on these areas from people you trust. And mock interviews are the way to do it.

You need to practice live interviews for the same reason airline pilots practice making emergency landings in a flight simulator -- to build "muscle memory" so that your mind and body will react correctly in real life. Whether it's piloting your career or a 747, you can't afford to take chances.

Now, go out and make your own luck!

By: Kevin Donlin, President of Guaranteed Resumes and the creator of GetHiredNow.TV. Since 1996, he has provided job search assistance to nearly 10,000 people. Author of "51 Ways to Find a Job Fast -- Guaranteed," Kevin has been interviewed by USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, CBS Radio and others. His latest product, The Instant Job Search System, is available at http://www.collegerecruiter.com/guaranteed-resumes.php copyright (c) 2007 by Kevin Donlin

Article 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 searching entry-level jobs and other career opportunities.

Posted by Lisa Colbert, CollegeRecruiter.com on April 18, 2008 at 2:24 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Last year I started working with a client whom I will call "C". C is a very successful senior level sales executive who is now in his mid 40s. Like many other people, C has reached that point in his career when he is taking stock of what he really wants to do. He is a great pharmaceutical sales guy - momentum and talent have helped him to navigate a lucrative career and to stay with the same company through a couple of mergers. C has come to the conclusion that pharmaceutical sales isn't what it used to be. Constant reorganizations make it hard to make as much money and generally create frustration and aggravation for some of the salespeople.

I helped C with his resume and I put him in touch with superstar executive coach, Brooke Vuckovic. Brooke has a PhD from the University of Chicago and is a professor at the Kellogg Graduate School of Management. She works with top executives to help them to figure out the answer to the question, "What's next in my career?" C has decided that it might be time to explore a job with a start-up if he can find the right opportunity. So, he is in the process of researching companies to try to find an opportunity that he is excited about.

C called the other day and asked me to help him update his resume in advance of attending a big industry conference. He heard about a couple of trailblazing entrepreneurs who have a unique product that he is uniquely qualified to sell because of his particular industry knowledge and contacts. So, in addition to resume updates, we talked a lot about how to approach the people he wanted to meet and we did some online research so that C would be prepared for his meeting.

Then C headed off to the conference. The day after the conference I got an email from C to call him right away...that he had big news. When I called I half expected him to tell me that the entrepreneurs he was meeting had offered him a job on the spot. He is a super talented guy so it wouldn't have surprised me if that had happened. But, that is not what C wanted to say.

C told me that after having spent nearly 20 years in pharmaceutical sales he had never gone to a conference and made as many contacts as he did that day. He said he had great conversations with industry leaders and got about 30 business cards from folks he planned to follow up with. His point was that when he opened himself up to working with a professional coach and a resume writer he was stepping out of his comfort zone but that by taking that step he opened more doors for himself than he could ever have imagined.

There is a saying that if you keep doing what you have always done you will get the same results that you have always gotten. The opposite is also true: if you do something different than what you have done before you will probably get different results. In the past, C took a more passive approach to his career which was pretty easy since his skills got him promoted regularly. Now, he is aggressively pursuing options that he is choosing for himself and he can't believe the results he has gotten so far.

I am sure as a salesman, C did a lot of networking with industry contacts in order to sell products. But networking for a job requires a somewhat different focus in that you are seeking out an opportunity for yourself rather than for a product or for your company. My friend Thom Singer has written a couple of great books about networking and I know he just gave a speech at South By Southwest Interactive about networking at conferences. Thom's advice? Walk up to someone and say "Hello" and see what happens from there. So simple, so easy, yet it can seem so difficult when you are at a conference but as C found out the rewards of doing so are many.

By Liz Handlin of Ultimate Resumes.

Article 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 searching entry-level jobs and other career opportunities.

Posted by Lisa Colbert, CollegeRecruiter.com on April 1, 2008 at 2:15 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

It's almost that time of year again, when newly graduating seniors hit the job market in search of a paycheck.

I don't know about you, but everything I know about job hunting I learned after college. Like how to network and write an effective resume, for example.

So, to give you graduating seniors a leg up, I interviewed two career experts to uncover 5 ways for new grads to find a job faster. This is the stuff I wish they taught in school ...

1. Cast a wide net "In a declining economy such as we face now, you have to expand your options. If you've looked only at large corporations, start looking at small businesses, non-profits, universities, government jobs -- a huge area of job growth -- and other types of employers," advises Lindsey Pollak, Author of "Getting from College to Career: 90 Things to Do Before You Join the Real World."

   Often, jobs at smaller and non-profit organizations are harder to find, requiring more networking on your part. However, you'll face less competition from other job hunters who are not willing to put in the effort.

2. Persist without being a pest
   Follow-up is one of the most important elements of any successful job search, especially for new grads lacking traditional experience. "'No' may really mean 'not right now,'" says Pollak. "Getting a job is often about timing, so stay on employers' radar screens. But instead of saying, 'Hi, I'm just calling to follow up,' try to add value in each communication, and only follow up once every two weeks or so."

   One way to add value is to use Google Alerts (Google.com/alerts) to stay current on industry news and trends. The service is free and emails you daily updates of the latest Google results (blogs, news, etc.) based on the topics you choose. Then, presto! You have a valid excuse to email or call employers about the relevant articles you find online.

3. Get experience -- any way you can
   Employers today expect -- and in many cases demand -- that you have hands-on work experience when you graduate from college, according to Peter Vogt, author of "Career Wisdom for College Students: Insights You Won't Get in Class, on the Internet, or from Your Parents."

   "If you don't have the right experience, you need to get some, be it through a post-graduation internship, working for a temporary staffing agency, or perhaps even volunteering," says Vogt.

   While this may come as a nasty surprise, especially if you've spent four years and five or six figures getting a degree, it might be necessary. Especially if the economy continues to slow down. So you should have a Plan B that includes temping, interning or volunteer work. Some sites to check out are Net-Temps.com, Kellyservices.com, Manpower.com and Volunteermatch.org.

4. Your resume probably stinks -- fix it
   This unpleasant fact comes from my own experience reading hundreds of resumes from new grads over the years. To be specific, there are two things missing from most entry-level resumes: focus and results.

   First, to give your resume focus, include an Objective at the top, with a specific job title. If you can't focus on one job, tell readers the three skills you want to use (not 5 or 11). You must do the thinking for the reader and make it clear exactly what you want to do.

   For free resume-writing help, send your resume to 5 people and ask them if they can figure out what job you want. If they can't, employers can't.
   Revise as necessary.

   Second, to give your resume results, add up all the time or money you saved or made in every position you've held since high school -- paid or unpaid.
   Then, include those totals in your resume and put them up front, where they can't be missed.

   Wrong example: "Duties included, but were not limited to, filing, faxing, answering phones and greeting clients as receptionist."

   Right example: "Saved 24 staff hours per month ($2,880 per year) by devising new filing system while handling receptionist's duties."

5. Get used to competition
   Many new grads overlook or ignore this obvious fact, according to Vogt.

   "As a student, you were graded on your efforts alone. If you scored 90 percent on a test, you got an A -- no matter how anyone else did. As a job hunter, employers grade you against your peers. Suddenly, a performance that might otherwise have earned an A might earn you an F -- failure to get hired -- because another candidate else did just a little better," says Vogt.

   To compete in today's job market, start with your mindset. Whether you're writing resumes and cover letters, preparing for interviews, or out there networking, keep reminding yourself that good enough is ... not. According to Vogt, "Your #1 job-search thought at all times must be this: How can I outdo my peers?"

By: Kevin Donlin is President of Guaranteed Resumes and the creator of GetHiredNow.TV. Since 1996, he has provided job search assistance to nearly 10,000 people. Author of "51 Ways to Find a Job Fast -- Guaranteed," Kevin has been interviewed by USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, CBS Radio and others. His latest product, The Instant Job Search System, is available at http://www.collegerecruiter.com/guaranteed-resumes.php

Article 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 searching entry-level jobs and other career opportunities.

Posted by Lisa Colbert, CollegeRecruiter.com on April 1, 2008 at 9:30 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

You can learn a lot about networking to find jobs by asking recruiters how they do it to fill jobs. That's because recruiters, also known as headhunters, have to network every day to locate and place candidates in positions they're hired by employers to fill. And recruiters don't get paid until they succeed. So you'd better believe that successful headhunters know a thing or two about networking.

Here are two things, to be exact, you can do to network like a pro and get hired faster ...

1. Google And Call Past Employees

Recruiting expert David Perry, author of "Guerrilla Marketing For Job Hunters," shares a unique way to research potential employers using Google. It's this: Find and call people who used to work where you want to work now. "The fastest way to learn the real workings of an organization is to Google past employees and call them up. This is exactly what I do. Before I take an assignment from a company to place an executive there, I want to know if I'm walking into a hornet's nest," says Perry.

Here's how to do it ... Google the name of your target employer and the word "resume." The search results you get back will include resumes of people who used work there. (You may want to add the word "experience" to "resume" in your search; experiment using Google's Advanced Search options.)

Once you find some resumes, pick up the phone and call. Say: "Hi my name is _________. I'm researching XYZ Corp. and I think you used to work there because I found your resume online. I'm thinking of applying for a job there. May I ask you a few quick questions to see if it's worth my time and effort? I know this is an unusual way to do a job search ..." Most people will be impressed by your initiative, flattered to be asked for their opinion and willing to help you out. "You want to learn about three main areas: the company and its culture; the department you would be working in; and the name of the manager you would be reporting to," says Perry.

Finish your conversation with this all-important question: "If I decide to talk with them, may I say that I spoke with you?" "You ask this for two reasons," advises Perry. "First, if they left on good terms, you can drop that former employee's name when contacting the company to ask for a meeting. Second, that person may phone his old boss and tell him or her to keep an eye out for the smart person who just called -- that would be you." If you're at all hesitant about this technique, try it on a company you have no intention of applying to. Work out the bugs first, then network your way right into your ideal employer.

2. Make Recommendations On LinkedIn

Tom Stewart, VP of Executive Search at Genesis10 in Minneapolis, advises job seekers to use LinkedIn.com as a way to get found by recruiters and employers.

"I tell people to think of LinkedIn as a sort of 'Who's Who' for the Internet savvy professional. It's a great way to expand your visibility -- and the more people who can find you, the better," says Stewart. Key to using LinkedIn effectively is to give and ask for endorsements, also known as recommendations. "Writing recommendations for those in your network benefits everyone. I have found candidates accidentally by clicking on the endorsements they wrote for other people on LinkedIn. I can count at least 6 passive candidates I placed in new jobs this way," says Stewart. Start with your network of first-level connections at LinkedIn. Pick one person you feel strongly about and endorse them. After you write a recommendation, the system prompts the recipient to endorse you, which leads to reciprocity.

Think of your LinkedIn recommendations as free advertisements you can run on other people's profiles. If they are successful and highly visible in their industry, your recommendation -- with your name on it -- will be
highly visible, too. Which increases the likelihood that a recruiter who sees your endorsement will click on it, read your profile, and contact you.

Kevin Donlin is President of Guaranteed Resumes and the creator of GetHiredNow.TV. Since 1996, he has provided job search assistance to nearly 10,000 people. Author of "51 Ways to Find a Job Fast -- Guaranteed," Kevin has been interviewed by USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, CBS Radio and others. His latest product, The Instant Job Search System, is available at http://www.collegerecruiter.com/guaranteed-resumes.
copyright (c) 2007 by Kevin Donlin

Article 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 searching entry-level jobs and other career opportunities.

Posted by Lisa Colbert, CollegeRecruiter.com on February 27, 2008 at 7:59 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Everybody talks about meeting new people and renewing old contacts as a way to uncover job leads.

But after you speak to someone about your job search, then what?

You follow up with them later, that's what.

Follow-up is an often-neglected part of networking that can pay off huge in your search for work -- as much as $417 an hour, as we'll see.

To motivate you to follow up with your network contacts -- all of them -- here are two recent success stories from my readers. What can you learn from each?

1) Follow up with old contacts
Lynda H., from Apple Valley, Minn., interviewed with a Fortune 500 company in Minneapolis last year. They offered her a job, but rescinded when the departing employee, whose position Lynda was to fill, decided not to quit after all.

What would you have done?

Here's what Lynda did.

"I included people from past job searches in my current search, including one company I interviewed with a year ago. Getting back in touch with them was as simple as picking up the phone and calling the executive I had talked to last year. It turned out that he had assumed more responsibilities, and the position they were hiring for now reported to him. Because I had developed a rapport with him last year, it was easy to get my resume to the top of the pile, schedule the interview and land the job!"

Today, write down the names of every company you interviewed with in your last job search. Then, make a plan to contact each this week to tell them about your current search, and why you're a more valuable potential employee than the last time you spoke.

What if you haven't looked for a job in five or 10 years? No problem. Find someone in your industry who has. Ask them to contact each company they interviewed with and tell them about a really sharp person they should talk to -- you.

Of course, you should buy lunch for each friend who networks for you this way, but that's just another chance to sit down and do more networking!

2) Follow up with new contacts
By following up like clockwork by email and phone, Michael S., from Los Angeles, turned an employment lead into a new job. And it took all of 23 minutes.

He writes:

"I had lunch with the CEO. After emailing him my resume and a polite note following lunch, he went silent for a week."

At this point, many folks would be too preoccupied with posting resumes online or reading the classified ads to follow up on a "cold" lead like this. But not Michael.

"Exactly one week later, I sent another polite email and placed a call to the CEO one hour after sending that second follow-up email. He took the call and said things were looking very good. We talked for about three minutes," said Michael.

"He then called this afternoon (four days later) to say it's a go and to explain the terms of the job. That was a 20-minute call. Total time invested to win the job offer following the initial meeting with the CEO was 23 minutes. I would call that a strong return on investment."

And I would agree. One lunch, two emails and three phone calls to land a job is a terrific ROI for anyone. All you have to do is stay organized and persistent -- because the vast majority of candidates competing with you are neither organized nor persistent.

How much money is a new job worth to you? Let's say $50,000 in salary. And let's say you spend 20 hours a week for 6 weeks following up on networking contacts before you get hired. That's 120 hours invested for a $50,000 payoff, which works out to about $417 an hour.

So, if you think you "don't have time" to follow up on employment contacts for 20 hours a week, do you think you could find time, now that you know every hour is worth $417?

Once you realize this, other uses of your time, like watching television or adding MySpace friends, suddenly seem less important, don't they?

Now, go out and make your own luck!

By: Kevin Donlin, President of Guaranteed Resumes and the creator of GetHiredNow.TV. Since 1996, he has provided job search assistance to nearly 10,000 people. Author of "51 Ways to Find a Job Fast -- Guaranteed," Kevin has been interviewed by USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, CBS Radio and others. His latest product, The Instant Job Search System, is available at http://www.guaranteed-resumes.php copyright (c) 2007 by Kevin Donlin

Article 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 searching entry-level jobs and other career opportunities.

Posted by Lisa Colbert, CollegeRecruiter.com on February 19, 2008 at 3:33 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

The other day I got a call from a woman named Sue whom I met about 7 years ago and to whom I hadn't spoken in almost that long. Talk about a blast from the past! I met Sue a long time ago when she was an in-house recruiter at a large bank in Chicago. The bank was recruiting me for an opening in their staffing division. I didn't want that particular job but I was interested in possibly working for the bank. I was very honest about my career aspirations and I interviewed with a bunch of very interesting people. They didn't have a job for me at that time but I really enjoyed all my meetings and considered the experience to be a success since I got to meet some very senior execs whom I wouldn't normally have been able to network with.

Continue reading "Interviews Are A Great Place to Network " »

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on January 8, 2008 at 3:31 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

The conventional job-search wisdom used to be that, if you weren't hired by late October, you were out of luck until after the first of the year.

But times have changed.

Continue reading "The Holiday Job Hunting Season" »

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on December 20, 2007 at 9:15 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Reprinted courtesy of TheCareerNews.com

MILWAUKEE, WI - You never know what can happen at holiday parties, who's going to attend, who works for what company, and what the employment scoop may be, so buck up. It could be a gift waiting to be opened by you, and that gift could be a job.

The Don'ts: Don't over indulge. No whining about your current jobless situation. It's a turnoff. No begging either. Oliver Twist's "more food please" doesn't work when job hunting.

The Do's: Listen for opportunities, problems, or situations in a guest's conversation. It could be a golden opportunity for you. One of my clients, an electrical engineer, was visiting a friend during Thanksgiving. My client's friend, who was sharing the story about recently being hired at a software company, invited him for a tour. While on the tour, my client met the owners and was interviewing for a job the day after Thanksgiving! He landed the job. Good thing he went to that holiday party. You could be next.

Article by Wendy Terwelp, Resume Writer, Career Coach, and reprinted from TheCareerNews.com. Get the latest breaking News, Tips and Tools for your job search, Free!

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on December 5, 2007 at 3:15 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Unless you've been on a remote tropical island or in a coma the past several years, you have heard that the emergence of the Web as a place for social and professional networking is well underway. It seems like a long time ago when the Internet was perceived by and large as a place where people researched information, played games, or made purchases in a very solitary fashion.

In an ExecuNet newsletter article this week, Robyn Greenspan observes, "Fast-forward and the pendulum has not only swung in the other direction, it has spun off its hinge." Today there is a tremendous amount of interactivity via blogging, user groups (such as Yahoo groups), and forums on specialty and professional websites, while the use of networking sites such as LinkedIn, Ryze, and others is literally exploding. In a recent study, LinkedIn was shown to be one of the fastest-growing Web 2.0 sites, reporting more than 12 million members. ("Web 2.0" refers to a new breed of interactive websites that allow users to create their own content.) Ryze, a business networking site, boasts more than 500,000 members in more than 200 countries.

Continue reading "Virtual Networking: Does It Live Up to the Hype?" »

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on September 28, 2007 at 6:27 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Personal branding expert and networking guru Wendy Terwelp wants job seekers to think about and improve their brand messages. According to Wendy, “Job seekers already have a brand, whether they know it or not. What do people think about them? Are they known for a great sense of humor, or maybe for being a savvy networker?” Wendy says that job seekers can edge out their competition by defining and communicating a consistent brand message throughout the job search.

Continue reading "Pump Up Your Personal Brand " »

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on August 25, 2007 at 6:11 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

"If a tech geek can turn himself into an online personality, anyone can" is the take Rick Mahn has on his own meteoric rise to online visibility via blogging. Wendy Marx, on Fast Company's Expert blogs, tells us what is at the end of Rick's blogging rainbow: he gets calls from headhunters, Wall Street Journal Online reporters, Microsoft folks wanting his opinion, etc. How great is that? Imagine the difference it makes in conducting a job search if you are found all over the first 3 pages of a Google search as a player in your field.

Investment? 1-3 hours/week. Payoff? A serious advantage in getting noticed in your job search!

By Jean Cummings 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 20, 2007 at 12:32 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Job searching can be a time consuming and sometimes tedious process which is why it is so important to stay organized. Remembering to send thank yous, not sending duplicate resumes to the same company, and keeping track of the names of all of the folks you interview with are just a few of the details you need to keep track of. You can use any number of tools and methods to stay on top of the details. Back in the “old days” before we had so many high tech options, folks used manila file folders, note cards, and notebooks to keep track of all the minutia involved in a job search. Now we have other options such as Microsoft Excel which works well for a organizing a limited amount of information. Any database tool can be configured to manage search details.

Jibber Jobber is a new tool for organizing and connecting the dots between multiple layers of information. Check it out. If you like it, let me know, Ultimate Resumes has partnered with Jibber Jobber to offer you a 30 percent off the first 3 months of a new subscription to the premium service.

-- Liz Handlin. This article is 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 searching entry level jobs and other career opportunities.

Posted by Steven Rothberg, CollegeRecruiter.com on May 29, 2007 at 9:40 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

For the past week I have given a lot of thought to networking because of Jason Alba's visit to Austin and the flurry of networking that he kicked up when he was in town. One thing that I think is really important to a successful networker is manners. That is right: simple manners. You know what I mean by manners. Say please and thank you. Follow up when you agree to research some information for someone. Return correspondence and phone calls in a timely fashion. Those manners.

Continue reading "Manners Make A Difference " »

Posted by Steven Rothberg, CollegeRecruiter.com on January 9, 2007 at 9:08 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

If you are in the process of looking for a new job or are considering looking for a job at some point in the future there is an online tool you should know about. Jibber Jobber www.jibberjobber.com was founded by Jason Alba in Salt Lake City, Utah. When Jason was looking for a job he started managing all the information he was utilizing for his job search in a spreadsheet. However he very quickly found that the information became too cumbersome to manage in excel. So, he created Jibber Jobber.

Jibber Jobber provides users with tools for networking, interviewing and resume writing. And it helps you to keep track of network contacts, referrals, and potential employers. A successful job search campaign requires exceptional organizational and follow-up skills. Jibber Jobber provides an easy to use interface that improves efficiencies and accelerates job search activity.

Whether you are tracking networking or recruiter leads, job postings, job-related expenses or delving into the robust library for resume and interview tips, Jibber Jobber keeps you on track, focused, and enthusiastic about your search.

Today, on the Jibber Jobber blog http://www.jibberjobber.com/blog/, Jason Alba is giving everyone a Christmas present. He is expanding the contact capacity for non-subscription members and he has posted the actual spreadsheet that he used in his job search for anyone who wants to use it. I have to say though that you are better off to use the tools on Jibber Jobber than just a spreadsheet because it's really useful, cutting edge, and efficient. Jibber Jobber's tools are also useful for managing your network even when you aren't in the midst of a job search. So, check it out, I think you will be impressed.

Liz Handlin www.ultimate-resumes.com

Posted by Ultimate Resumes LLC on December 18, 2006 at 7:50 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Want to lose weight? Find a hot stock tip? Get a new job?

In these and most cases, we humans almost always seek out the newest advice.

We want the latest and freshest ideas. We crave novelty.

Yet … sometimes the best advice is also the oldest. Which may explain why the Bible, the I Ching and the Bhagavad-Gita have been in print and read around the world for thousands of years.

With that in mind, I’d like to share with you one old and one new way to find your next job faster …

Continue reading "How to Use MySpace to Attract Employers and Land Job Interviews" »

Posted by Steven Rothberg, CollegeRecruiter.com on October 29, 2006 at 3:50 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

No matter how popular and how easy it is to apply for jobs online, the vast majority of people still find jobs the old-fashioned way: by talking to people they know and making personal connections to people who can hire them.

Don’t believe it? According to a 2002 New York Times survey, 64% of people found their jobs through networking. Only 15% credited either the Internet (4%) or ads (11%) for their jobs. If this news surprises you, then it’s time to put your network strategy into high gear — and devote most of your energy to the methods that really work.

Continue reading "Networking: Key to a Successful Job Search" »

Posted by ResumePro on October 5, 2006 at 8:02 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

If you're looking for a job, think like a goose.

Experiments have shown that geese flying in a V formation can travel about 70% farther than birds flying solo. Geese function more efficiently together than they do all by themselves.

Are you looking for a job all by yourself?

If so, know this: There's a limit to how much you can accomplish alone. But there's no limit to how much you can do as part of a team.

Think about it. Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, Steven Spielberg -- they all have management teams and/or boards of directors for support and guidance.
(Even Jesus had 12 guys helping him out.)

So, if you don't have a job search team of people you can count on for help, start building one today. Here are the people you'll need on your team ...

Job Search Partner

Like losing weight or quitting smoking, finding a job can go faster and more smoothly if you do it with a partner. So find yourself someone to bounce ideas off of and be accountable to.

A good job search partner can do the following:

* Review your resume and cover letters, to give you honest input.
* Check in with you at least once a week to see how you're doing and provide encouragement.
* Share job-search success stories from their own life or from people they know. Because you can't know it all.

Bill Gates has Steve Ballmer. Warren Buffett has Charlie Munger. You need a right-hand man or woman, too, to help you get more done in your job search.

Financial Advisor

If you're between jobs and your income has taken a hit, don't panic. But do take steps to marshal your money, because financial worries can sabotage any job search.

That's why you need a financial advisor -- your accountant, spouse, older brother, whoever -- on your job search team.

Create a financial roadmap early in your search. The time to revise your budget is BEFORE money problems happen, not after.

Then, share your money plans with family members, especially if you're married (even more so if you want to stay married).

Determine how long your savings will support you without a job. This will tell you how many months you can hold out for an ideal position, and when you should seek a less desirable job to pay the bills.

Health Advisor

Your brain is carried around by your body. If your body goes to pot, your brain will follow. And your job search will drag on for months as a result.

At the start of any job search, select one person to keep in contact with about your health. Write down your weight, resting heart rate and other key measurements, so you have a baseline to check on every few weeks -- this will tell you if you're putting on or losing weight, for example, and help you spot potential problems before they get out of hand.

No job is worth sacrificing your health for, so pay special attention to your body!

Spiritual Advisor

Finally, be sure to find a spiritual advisor you can confide in to get your mind off of employment and onto matters of a higher order. Pastor, rabbi, shaman, spouse -- find someone who's not a bartender that you can pour your heart out to, if needed.

Because, you are not your job. You are a person first. And all people have spiritual needs, in addition to physical and financial ones. If your spiritual batteries run down, the rest of you will, too.

A good job-search support team will see things you don't, like a golf coach watching your swing. They'll be there with advice and encouragement -- and help you get hired faster.

Once you have that job, be sure to repay your team by treating them to dinner at the restaurant of their choice. Then, look for someone in need of a job whom you can be a team member for -- what goes around comes around.

Now, go out and make your own luck!

Posted by Guaranteed Resumes on June 22, 2006 at 4:47 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

As a professional resume writer, here's a question I've been asked at least twice a day for the past 10 years: "My job search isn't working -- what should I do?"

I've had to answer that question 10,950 times since 1996 (do the math). My answer is always the same, and it's always simple: "Find out what you're doing wrong. Then fix it."

To find out what's wrong with your job search -- so you can fix it -- ask yourself the following 3 "sub questions" to get at the heart of the matter ...

Sub-Question #1: How are you looking for a job now, exactly?

The key word here is EXACTLY. What exactly are you doing every day to find work?

The best -- no, the only -- way to know precisely what you do each day is to carry a small notebook and jot down how you spend your time, in blocks of 15 minutes, from the moment you wake up until you go to sleep.

Do this for one week. I promise you will be slightly disgusted with what you find.

What you thought was 8 hours of job hunting each day was more like 60 minutes of actual job search ... along with 4 hours of busy work, one hour of goofing off and 2 hours of TV/email/instant messaging/coffee breaks/talking on the phone/errands, etc.

Don't be discouraged -- you can turn this around.

It's a strange fact that whatever gets observed gets improved. When you pay close attention to what you're doing and write it down each day in your notebook, wasted time will disappear, like cockroaches when the kitchen light comes on. Try it!

Sub-Question #2: What, if anything, is working in your job search?

If you're doing something that is producing job leads, do more of it. Again, writing this down will bring helpful clarity.

Answer this question: How exactly did get your last 5 job interviews, in this job search or in prior searches? Was it networking with an old college buddy? A want ad in the newspaper you applied for? A lead from a relative? A recruiter who called you?

When you write down this list of 5 job search "hits", I guarantee at least one light bulb will go on over your head. Because, when you see on paper 5 things you did to get job interviews before, you will surely find something you haven't done today ... something you can go out and do right now.

But ... what if you've been living in a Tibetan monastery since 1970 and have no job search successes to repeat? No problem. You have friends, right? Family? Neighbors?

Ask them how they got their last 5 job interviews. Take notes. Pick one method and try it. Today!

Sub-Question #3: What is not working in your job search?

This list will be longer than you would like. That's OK. We're going to free up perhaps 80% of your time each day to do more of what's working (see Question #2).

That's right. I said up to 80% of what you're doing to find a job is a complete waste of time. Don't believe me? Just look at how you spend your time right now (see Question #1).

Let's say you're spending 3 hours a day applying for jobs online, emailing resumes and replying to emails. In fact, you've sent out 247 resumes in 45 days, with no job interviews. So those 3 hours a day are not producing results -- they are wasted.

But which part of the equation is at fault? Here's where you have to play detective.

Is it your resume? Maybe it stinks. Try sending it to 3 people and asking for their unvarnished opinion.

How are you sending out resumes? By email only? Try mailing, faxing and hand-delivering it for jobs you really want.

What jobs are you applying for? Employers may think you're not qualified. Or over-qualified. Could you be more flexible in the type of job you seek?

The aim of Question #3 is to get you to stop doing what's not working, or improve how you do it. So you can spend more time on job search methods that ARE working.

In other words, do more of what works and less of what doesn't. Doing so will help you find the right job fast.

Now, go out and make your own luck!

Posted by Guaranteed Resumes on June 9, 2006 at 11:50 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

If you walk into a car dealer and announce, “I want a car,” what kind of reply will you get?

The sales rep will say, “Sure. What are you looking for?” Then he'll ask for more details -- the make, model, color, price you’re willing to pay, etc.

It’s never enough to say, “I want a car.” You have to be specific. Otherwise, nobody can help you.

Why, then, do so many people say, “I want a job,” and then fail to get more specific than that? Is it any wonder that so many job searches sputter and lurch along, like a ’67 Chevy in need of a tune-up?

But this is not for you.

If you want to find the right job, you must first answer three questions in specific detail. Here they are ...

Continue reading "Get Hired Faster -- Get Specific" »

Posted by Guaranteed Resumes on May 31, 2006 at 10:23 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Got a difficult problem in your job search? Say, a lack of networking contacts? Or trouble answering interview questions?

Well, you've got company. Problems in a job search are as common as potholes in March.

But ... have you ever written your problem down on a piece of paper?

I'll bet you haven't.

Because, when you write problems down, you take an immediate, huge leap towards solving them. Think about it: Every great invention or solution, from the atomic bomb to the Xbox, was first worked out on paper.

Why not solve your employment problems the same way?

Here's a three-step method that will help you do it ...

Continue reading "Speed Up Your Job Search -- Write It Down" »

Posted by Guaranteed Resumes on May 26, 2006 at 5:55 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

If you're not getting many interviews and job offers, have you ever stopped to wonder why?

One man did, and asked me for input.

Dale from St. Paul writes: "How do I respond to companies that require a four year degree? Twice in my life I was #1 in sales for national companies. Yet, I cannot seem to get in the front door because I only have an associate's degree."

I called Dale to discuss how he could produce more job leads. Here's what we found ...

Continue reading "To Find Work, Do What Works" »

Posted by Guaranteed Resumes on May 15, 2006 at 7:23 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Fact: The more people who know you, the less time you'll spend hunting for employment.

Want proof?

Few people are more famous -- and less employable -- than Paris Hilton.

Yet, paid gigs keep falling into her lap. This defies all reason, of course, until you look at the numbers. If 100 million people know who you are and what you do, and 99.9999% of them don't want to hire you, that still leaves 100 potential employers. That equation seems to work for Paris.

Continue reading "Paris Hilton, barbecue parties and your job search" »

Posted by Guaranteed Resumes on May 9, 2006 at 10:02 AM | Leave a Comment (0)