A great compilation courtesy of Anna Miller from Online Degree

Even the most educated, experienced individuals run into roadblocks when it comes to scoring a rewarding career. No matter the economy, snags crop up along the way, self-esteems sustain damage and Hope appears to have taken an extended tropical vacation with Opportunity. Fortunately, enterprising individuals know that venues exist to make their job search that much easier to deal with – and the following few exist as some of the more common strategies they attempt.

Blog

Thanks to the internet, establishing one’s reputation as a solid figure in a chosen career path has never been easier. Opening up a blog makes for one of the best ways to show an understanding of a given field and stay up-to-date with all the latest developments. Best of all, most places charge absolutely nothing for their blogging services – making this option a rather attractive prospect for anyone hoping to make him or herself seem far more enticing to employers.

1. Wordpress

One of the most prominent blog hosts on the internet, Wordpress boasts an easy-to-use interface with numerous features – no development experience necessary!

2. Blogger

Like Wordpress, Blogger/Blogspot also provides those trying to bolster their career through an internet presences with a free resource to express ideas.

3. Tumblr

For more multimedia-oriented bloggers, Tumblr offers up one of the best blogging platforms available.

4. LiveJournal.com

Contrary to popular belief, LiveJournal actually has uses beyond posting Kirk/Spock furry lemon slash fanfiction.

5. TypePad

No matter one’s blogging needs, TypePad has resources available to make sure as many of them are met as possible.

6. YouTube

It may be one of the internet’s largest repositories of utter idiocy, but YouTube also serves as a popular and amazing conduit for vloggers to share genuine ideas and insights into their chosen fields as well.

7. flickr

Not all blogging sites come with free media hosting, so store those images through flickr – a great tool for anyone who also needs a visual portfolio to show off his or her work.

8. Photobucket

Another resource that any new blogger should check out as a means of hosting picture offsite in order to save space.

9. FreeVlog

When YouTube comments begin dissolving brain cells in mass quantities, try the more obscure FreeVlog to meet any video blogging needs.

10. Blog.com

Self-publish a grand resource for potential employers to admire by becoming one of the millions of users taking advantage of everything Blog.com has to share.

11. Webmonkey

Bloggers with a computer science bent who want to strut their stuff online without spending any money will greatly appreciate this refresher course on web development.

12. Blogr

This simple blog host targets visitors new to the social media phenomenon, with plenty of support for multimedia.

13. Technorati

Get noticed by hooking up a relevant career blog to the Technorati and following all of the latest trends and innovations in getting the most out of one’s own webspace.

14. Twitter

Twitter, the world’s most ubiquitous microblog, serves as an excellent source of supplementary material for a larger online presence. Be sure to follow and retweet relevant content from contemporaries to increase the chance of getting noticed.

15. Edublogs

With several different free or paid plans to choose from, Edublogs specifically caters to the needs of bloggers from educational backgrounds.

16. Netcipia

Show off real proficiency in a field by taking advantage of Netcipia, which offers up a wiki in addition to a blog – and all for free!

17. Terapad

Open up a blog and flex those entrepreneurial arms with the Terapad platform that allows users to open up their own accompanying shop alongside their regular writings.

18. Weebly

Weebly boasts a simple interface suitable for newcomers to the blogging scene and allows them to whip up several different kinds of websites for free.

19. tBlog

Because tBlog heavily emphasizes advertising and promotions, it may certainly pique the curiosity of professionals eager to show off their knowledge on a given topic.

20. Bravenet

The free website service eventually graduated to meet the demands of the blogging generation, with plenty of tools for the novice to get him or herself started.

Network

21. LinkedIn

Post up a resume and meet up with industry professionals who may very well hold the key to a more lucrative, productive position using this social networking site specifically targeting businesspeople.

22. Facebook

For a more casual means of networking with potentially valuable contemporaries, join up with Facebook and show off and knowledge or experience that may interest employers. Just be sure to avoid getting too personal or unprofessional.

23. A Dedicated Social Network

The internet overflows with social networks and forums that specifically allow for discussions of the different ideas and movements present in different industries. Seek them out. Better yet, find one that corresponds to the desired areas of residence to discover more opportunities.

24. Fast Pitch

As with LinkedIn, Fast Pitch also offers up a social network that revolves around different businesses and opens up opportunities to meet up with new colleagues who may hold job leads of their own.

25. Attend Lectures

Take the initiative to look up any professionally relevant lectures that may be occurring in the area, usually at universities or through various organizations. Even if no networking opportunities immediately crop up, they still offer up some great learning experiences that may come in handy during a particularly challenging interview!

26. Attend Workshops

Regardless of whether or not they involve specifically professional or broadly personal development, workshops pull double duty as a conduit for mingling as well as making one seem like a go-getting, attractive option to potential employers.

27. Attend Conferences and Conventions

When affordable, take as many opportunities as possible to hit up conventions and conferences as a means of learning more about a subject and meeting like-minded professionals with whom to exchange ideas and opinions.

28. Be Bold

Never solicit job offers or application reviews directly from employers, of course. But suck up the shyness and (VERY!) politely e-mail bloggers, managers of local businesses and others in the field and ask for advice on certain professional areas that may need some improvement. Some may not respond at all, but others may open up doors that may otherwise have remained shut had shyness reigned.

29. Volunteer

No ill comes of volunteering, and even if none of the connections that crop up yield career paths then one can still walk away knowing that their actions still sent positive reverberations throughout society.

30. Go to the Library

Most public libraries now host free classes and job fairs for employment seekers to increase their chances of finding success in their given fields – so be sure to drop by and check out any offerings!

31. Join a Club

Professional organizations in almost every field imaginable abound, and joining up with them whenever possible does nothing but increase the chances of networking into a shiny new job.

32. Take a Class

If financially feasible, attend a mainstream or continuing education course offered through a local community college or adult education center to simultaneously connect with contemporaries in a given career path and learn a few nifty things along the way.

33. Go to a Job Fair

Attending a job fair may seem like an incredibly obvious way to chat it up with fellow businesspeople, but many sadly do not always take advantage of the amazing opportunities they provide.

34. Hit Up the Ol’ Alma Mater

Most colleges and universities allow their alumni access to their career services center, and the ardent job seeker can talk shop with counselors regarding any relevant job offers that pass through the office.

35. Religious Organizations

For the spiritually inclined, their chosen houses of worship frequently yield some excellent ways to meet new people and potentially garner valuable professional connections.

36. Meetup.com

Use Meetup.com to search for any career-related events occurring in a given area – or take the initiative to start one up and create networking opportunities for numerous individuals!

37. PartnerUp

PartnerUp specifically targets businesspeople looking to network, providing them with a way to connect with one another using the internet and learn more about anything and everything that may be available for their own professional development.

38. Monster

The job search juggernaut provides users with more than just application advice and leads. It also hosts a number of different forums that allow them to connect with one another and learn more about what is and is not available in their area.

39. CareerBuilder.com

Like Monster, CareerBuilder.com blends together job postings and different forums for individuals to meet their contemporaries and exchange connections as well as ideas.

40. Stay Active

Everything from taking the scraggly old cat to the vet to picking up Grandma’s hemorrhoid cream can result in an extremely lucky networking opportunity. The more one gets out and about in the real world, the more likely he or she is to run into something very, very lucrative.

Self-Improvement

41. Learn a Foreign Language

Do some research into which foreign languages many employers in a given area prefer and put some honest time and effort into learning as much as possible through classes, books, audio or software.

42. Study

Dedicate an hour or so a day to reading up on all the latest news and developments in the fields in question and drink up information that may come in handy during an unexpected interview.

43. Work Out

Unemployment or job dissatisfaction certainly leads to considerable stress and anxiety, and exercising regularly keeps a body healthy while alleviating much of the mental tension.

44. Be Social

Nothing kicks one’s self-esteem through the dirt quite like knowing that employers do not want the skills and experiences being offered. Get out of the house for a while and spend time amongst peers – or make some new ones! – in a setting that has little to do with professional interests. Doing so serves as a great palate cleanser and emotional boost.

45. Join a Sports Team

Better yet, combine socializing with physical activity and join up with an adult sporting team or league for a double dose of self-improvement. 46. Get Therapy

Obviously, potential employers need not know about any psychological assistance being sought. However, setting up a few rap session with a counselor can help work out any mental or emotional blocks that hinder career success.

47. Explore the City

Even people who have never left their home city still discover new things when they get to really exploring. Doing so bolsters one’s sense of space and belonging while simultaneously opening up new opportunities, professional or not. It also serves as a source of excellent conversation topics with potential employers!

48. Travel

If finances allow, take a cue from Mick Jones and “rush for a change of atmosphere.” Travel broadens horizons, builds character and provides numerous valuable learning opportunities.

49. Visit a Museum

Keeping the mind as active as possible staves off boredom and complacency, and museums teach lessons that may very well come in handy some day!

50. Pick up a New Hobby

Channel some of the nervous energy that goes into worrying about the job search and pick up a new hobby, preferably one that occupies the mind as well as the hands.

51. Start Journaling

At the conclusion of a day, jot down any stresses and anxieties as a means of working out any mental and emotional kinks, look for patterns and generally grow as a person.

52. Visit an Art Gallery

Like museums, art galleries stimulate the mind and act as an excellent conduit for stimulating creativity and inspiration. 53. Hone a

New Skill

Use any afforded time off to either start learning and perfecting a new skill – preferably one with professional applications – or improving upon ones that need a tune-up.

54. Get Personal Finances in Order

Set aside time to peruse personal finances, tightening budgets, analyzing investments and other necessities to ensure as comfortable a nest egg as possible.

55. Make Something

Crafting the smallest of projects, such as a small card for a loved one, imbues the maker with a sense of pride and accomplishment that carries over into other facets of their lives.

56. Take in a Play, Opera, Symphony or Ballet

Attend a showing of the performing arts that seems particularly fascinating as a way to nurture cultural literacy and learn more about the world.

57. Face a Fear

Go skydiving! Ride a horse! Eat durian! Facing one’s fears inspires confidence and exhilaration that can greatly impact one’s professional pursuits.

58. Do the Crosswords

Crossword puzzles are fun, educational and have been known to keep the brain stimulated to the point it greatly reduces one’s risk of Alzheimer’s and other dementia-related illnesses.

59. Meditate

The secular and spiritual alike can certainly benefit from finding the best way to clear the head and relax the body in a healthy, productive manner.

60. Stay Open

Try to keep an open mind when it comes to trying new things and forging life experiences, as doing so will certainly improve one’s overall outlook and hopefully provide a few professional possibilities along the way.

Freelance and Create Opportunities

61. The Freelance Writing Network

Writing may not be everyone’s calling, but this website provides opportunities for professionals to pen articles on their respective fields for money, experience and application fodder.

62. Craigslist

Obviously, one must practice discretion when dealing with Craigslist. However, it does make for a great way to advertise professional skills – web development, for example – and earn a bit of experience and money.

63. Tutor

Advertise locally as a tutor who specializes in a certain field and coach students of all ages in how to succeed at their homework and assignments.

64. Mechanical Turk

Amazon.com’s Mechanical Turk connects freelancers with businesses as a way of networking, making money and staying active in a given field.

65. Freelancer.com

Browse and bid on freelancing opportunities posted by businesses in need of persons boasting a broad spectrum of skills and qualifications.

66. Start a Small Business

Easier said than done, of course, but the unemployed with an entrepreneurial streak can impress potential employers by taking the initiative of starting up a small business of their very own.

67. iFreelance

Meet up with businesses all over the world searching for freelancers to do a plethora of jobs for both experience and a bit of money.

68. Sell Ad Space

Bloggers who generate a goodly amount of content may want to flex their enterprising abilities and sell some relevant, tastefully incorporated ad space to earn some extra cash – maybe even network along the way!

69. Sortfolio

Designed predominantly for web developers, Sortfolio allows users to post their portfolios for potential employers to peruse and perhaps offer a freelance gig.

70. Write Guest Posts

Check various industry blogs for guest posting opportunities – or even politely e-mail the owners – and write up an article or 2 to show off proficiencies to potential employers.

71. FreelanceSwitch

Beyond the expected job listings and postings, FreelanceSwitch also provides a forum for the open exchange of ideas and trends that can do nothing but help further one’s career.

72. Submit to Journals

Bold professionals may want to compile some research together and submit the final papers to industry journals for an excellent way to make an application seem far more attractive.

73. Etsy

For those with a creative bent, opening up a shop on Etsy shows initiative and provides opportunities to make money and learn more about how businesses operate.

74. Barter

Money may not necessarily change hands, but bartering for products or other services still yields experience and helps strengthen skills.

75. Get Certified

Look through the most commonly recommended certifications for a specific position and take the time to fill in any holes, schedule and budget permitting.

76. Open a Booth at a Convention

If finances allow, try to open up a booth at a relevant professional convention and sell any products or services in order to garner some attention.

77. Lecture

For those who do not fear public speaking and feel comfortable within their particular area of expertise, offering lecture services can result in some professionally lucrative opportunities.

78. Host a Workshop

Beyond lectures, the particularly confident may want to cobble together a very organized workshop to share their knowledge and experience in addition to greatly boosting their applications.

79. Start an Organization

Don’t sit around waiting for a relevant organization to roll along! Take the initiative to start one that brings together like-minded individuals for networking and other professional and social benefits.

80. Get Creative

Self-starting opportunities are only as limited as one’s creativity and resourcefulness, so sit down and start thinking about enterprising ways to impress those seemingly unimpressible employers!

Read

81. The News

Be sure to keep up with current events – most especially any that may come to impact employment in a particular. For good or for ill, it pays to understand the current climate.

82. Rebound: A Proven Plan for Starting Over After a Job Loss Author: Martha I. Finney

For the unemployed, this guide can serve as a comforting resource in how to seize control of the sad situation at hand and create new opportunities.

83. The Classics

Pick up some novels from the established literary canon that seem interesting as a means of broadening the horizons, thinking new thoughts and providing conversation topics for tough interviews.

84. Relevant Books

Use the free time to catch up on any books that have changed the course of any given field, receiving a solid foundation in its history, peoples and perspectives.

85. Get the Job You Want, Even When No One’s Hiring Author: Ford R. Myers

Check out Ford R. Myers’s well-received book on succeeding in the business world by trying really, really hard and working within the confines of a down economy.

86. Religious Texts

The business world requires individuals of varying religious backgrounds to work together harmoniously. Facilitate a tolerant and loving environment by becoming familiar with where others may be coming from philosophically.

87. Something Inspiring

Everyone finds something inspiring, and tough times involving un- or underemployment especially call for a hot drink paired with a favored tome that uplifts the spirits.

88. Unlock the Hidden Job Market: 6 Steps to a Successful Job Search When Times are Tough Authors: Martha I. Finney & Duncan Mathison

This book specifically addresses the unique needs of those struggling for honest employment when few companies have the resources to hire new people.

89. Freakonomics Authors: Stephen J. Dubner & Steven D. Levitt

The 2 Steves illustrate the basics of economics in a way that general audiences can understand – definitely a subject that any job hunter needs to read about!

90. Influential Historical Documents

Become a more well-rounded employee by devouring the speeches, essays and other written works that have shaped human history for better or worse.

91. Influential Political Documents

As with religion, it pays to understand – though, of course, not always agree – the political perspectives of others for the sake of a more harmonious and tolerant work environment. Pick up popular political works from all perspectives to gain a broad look at the different ideologies at play.

92. Influential Philosophical Documents

Blend indulgence in influential works of literature with the idea of fostering a more loving workplace by catching up on philosophical works from many different time periods and political leanings.

93. Guerilla Marketing for Job Hunters 2.0 Authors: Jay Conrad Livingston & David E. Perry

Read up on a thousand creative ways to network, create a personal brand, establish new opportunities and more with this very useful book suitable for the un- and underemployed alike.

94. Trade Journals and Periodicals

Browse the internet, library holdings and other sources to find the best, most informative trade journals and related periodicals. Keeping up with them will certainly yield positive results!

95. Organization Newsletters

Another way to stay on top of all the latest developments is to read updated newsletters by organizations that specifically cater to the needs of those working in a given industry.

96. Blogs

Subscribe to the feeds of any and every leading blog in the field at hand, reading through them every day for all the latest news and perspectives that are shaping it in the months or years to come.

97. Your Own Application

Sit down with résumé and cover letter (or letters!) in hand and genuinely analyze what works, what doesn’t work, what needs refining and what needs to simply end up deleted. An impressive application obviously makes or breaks one’s job prospects.

98. Other People’s Applications

Run an internet query or ask a headhunter for copies of what the industry in question considers a viable application, and tailor personal résumés and cover letters accordingly.

99. How to Find a Job on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, and Other Social Networks Authors: Brad Schepp & Debra Schepp

Everything potential readers need to know is right there in the title. With this book, they can learn how to effectively use online networking tools to their professional advantage.

100. A Favored Financial Journal

Pick a financial news source. Any financial news source. Whichever one piques particular fancy, follow it for all the stories and trends that impact the job market and overall economic climate.

101. Crack the Hidden Job Market: How to Find Opportunity in Any Economy Author: Donald Asher

Every economic situation carries with it a unique set of struggles and triumphs, and Donald Asher outlines how one can productively utilize resourcefulness no matter the external circumstances.

As stressful as unemployment, underemployment and entrenchment in a despised position can get, they do challenge one’s stamina and creativity like few other situations. Try a few of these suggestions when times seem bleak in order to hopefully encourage a few new, unexpected opportunities to reveal themselves.

By: Anna Miller of http://www.onlinedegree.net

“How can I use the world of Twitter, Facebook, and the like to get ahead?” is the question many job hopefuls are asking. Sites such as Flickr and DeviantART are great ways for photographs and artists, respectively to show off their talent without preparing or passing out expensive portfolios. However, another question you should be asking is: “How can I prevent myself from making mistakes on social media that will sink me?”

To help in your quest, we gave gathered the ten worst social media mistakes that will prevent you from landing a job. We all know not to post – or even take – pics of yourself in Nazi attire, although it still happens. These mistakes can land you in court, get you divorce papers, or prevent your dream job from coming true. If you already know the basics of social etiquette, the below might have something new for you.

1. Don’t Be That Guy : We all have at least one social media friend who shares him or herself too much. Things like realtors putting up each new listing, every sale a business has, or constant reminders on the same event can be as off putting to an employer as it is to a friend. If using your social media account to promote your work, be thoughtful of other people’s time. Chris Brogan has an excellent rule of one promotional update for every 15 casual ones. Check out his blog for more useful moves.

2. Use it or Lose It : Twitter and other sites, are essentially a blank canvas. Don’t let them go to waste by using the same backgrounds and graphics as anyone else. Use the opportunity to showcase photos, art, events, logos, and anything else that will make you stand out. Mashable has a great guide on how and why to create a custom Twitter background. For inspiration, click here to see many successful attempts at creating memorable, yet simple backgrounds.

3. You Can Have Too Many Friends : Too many friends and followers actually can be a bad thing. While real people with real accounts are a plus, the more popular an application becomes, the more likely it is to be subject to hacking. Both Facebook and Twitter have had troubles with phishing such as Zombie and Twply. Gullibility does not make you attractive to an employer. Better to have 100 actual friends/followers, than 200 phony ones, both in social media and IRL.

4. Don’t Down the Updates : So you just got a new gadget and it rocks? Or was the sushi overpriced and stale? Did your kid just do the cutest thing? Now think about if a potential employer wants to read every detail about the above. While short, incisive updates are appreciated and even admired, they can also do the opposite. Have a look at this list to see the worst status updates and delete them before they prevent you from landing a job.

5. Sir Mix-A-Little : With social media becoming more and more popular, you likely have more than one account. While there is nothing wrong with having a Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn account all at once, mixing them can be a problem. In an amazingly well thought out article, Nicky Jameson discusses the pitfalls of mixing social media business and pleasure. If still unsure, check out #10 on this list.

6. Too Little of a Good Thing : Now that you have social media account and know how not to update too much, don’t go the other route. Too few updates can show lack of commitment and general spazziness. Updates that come once a month, or even once a week, can be too few. However, with loads to do and little time to do it in, updates can be challenging. Visit this link to get a guide to FeedMyTwitter. It can auto post pre-written updates on the date, category, and more of your choosing.

7. Drive a Manual : Automatic DM’s may be useful to some people when used correctly, but a misstep can hurt those looking to avoid mistakes. If a prospective employer has the courtesy to follow or friend you, thank them properly. A generic “thank you” is just as insulting as it sounds. Write one yourself, make it personal, and stand out just a little more. This site shows you how to disable Auto DM on Twitter.

8. Spelling Isn’t Just for Bees : Yes, it’s social media and, yes, there is a certain sense of informality. However, especially if going for a writing or editing job, any spelling or grammar mistake can prevent you from landing it. If your browser has a spell check, use it. Even if it does, don’t turn the spell check in your noggin off even if you’re writing about your favorite restaurant. This article from Scrawlbug lists eight stupid spelling mistakes that happen more often than you think.

9. Spam is for Canned Meat : If someone does check your account, an overload of spam cannot only be off-putting, it can also show that you have little technical knowledge. A potential boss can only assume that you will behave the same and subject the whole office to lottery scams and the like. To prevent from making this social media mistake that will prevent you from landing a job, learn the in’s and out’s of your account. This site is entirely devoted to stopping spam on Twitter.

10. You Got to Keep ‘Em Separated : Love your Facebook, Twitter, etc. accounts and will censor them for no one? Go for it. That’s one of the reasons why the internet invented multiple accounts. Simply use one for all of the professional stuff with your proper name, pictures, messages, and such. All the intimate stuff can appear on another account under the nickname of your choice. Visit this link to see a quick and easy way to set up two accounts on the same computer with no problem.

While making one or more of the ten worst social media mistakes can keep you from landing a job, there are also positive ways to socialize. Because many of us find jobs through friends, a simple “anyone hiring a blank?” update can actually be worth the five seconds it takes to post it. In addition, if there is a company you would really like to work for, be their friend on social media. Not only can you get hiring updates, but it also offers an insight to what excites them, what they are up to, and much more.

If you don’t believe, it check out this article from “Time” magazine. It tells the story of Brian Ward who lost and found a job in eleven days using social media. Other useful tips are also given.

Actually, I had a blast at the last two career fairs I went to with ConnectWork Chicago. It was the first time I ever attended a career fair as an employer and I learned a lot! I learned that if you’re a job seeker, and you prepare well enough, a career fair is an excellent opportunity to get an on-the-spot interview and open many doors for other opportunities! My goal as a recruiter at the career fair was to source for specific positions but also to meet professionals that may be a good candidate to call for future needs. If you’ve ever attended a career fair before…or even if you haven’t, here is what it’s like on the other side of the table:

We arrive early to check in and find our table, set up our signage and make our spot look pretty. We want to look attractive to job seekers because believe it or not, they will pass up your table so fast, you didn’t even have time to blink. So, yes, we care, take time, and put thought into what goes on those tables!

Once the job seekers arrive, we wait. Personally, I would say hello to anyone that walked by our table because I just want to talk to as many people as possible. But I noticed other recruiters were waiting to be approached. I thought this would be a good tip for job seekers.

Tip #1: Approach every table you can because not all recruiters at job fairs are as outgoing. But they definitely expect you to be!

The majority of candidates that approached me all had exactly the same intro. “What kinds of job openings do you have?”

It actually shocked me because I’m a big introduction kind of person. The hand shake, the “my name is…”, you know, the introduction. As a recruiter I have many different positions that are open, and as a networker, I know of many other open positions as well. So this leads me to another good tip for job seekers.

Tip #2: Give a proper introduction. Develop an elevator pitch and let the recruiter know who you are as a professional and what opportunities you’re interested in. Believe me, this doesn’t limit your opportunities, this identifies them. If you’re willing to take any job, your chances of finding one just decreased. There are plenty of career focused professionals who know what they want.

Now there were a few candidates who approached me with a proper introduction and spoke to me like I was a person. And that was awesome. Pure awesome. I like being looked at as a person just as much as the next person. However, please take note of the person you are talking to.

Tip #3: Give a firm and confident hand shake but please don’t hurt someone! (I had my hands crushed so many times I was scared to extend my hand again for the rest of the day!)

Once I had met a candidate and began to chat about their job search and take a look at their resume, I noticed that interviewing skills are a necessity at a career fair. I gave quite a few on-the-spot interviews right there. Many candidates were caught off guard and that wasn’t my intention. I just genuinely wanted to know certain things to see if they may be a good fit for one of my job openings.

Tip #4: Be prepared for an interview. Or multiple interviews.

Other general tips for career fairs:

• Attire can be business casual but suits are the most impressive to recruiters. If you don’t have a suit, wear something that isn’t visually distracting. Use an iron. Avoid bright colors and complicated patterns. PLEASE DO NOT WEAR JEANS. (even with a sport coat, just don’t)
• Keep your hair clean and tame. Men: clean cut, fresh hair cut. Women: avoid high volume hair styles and pull your hair back if it’s a frizzy hair day.
• Avoid loud and large jewelry.

-I was literally distracted by many colors, prints, large hair and huge rings. Then I realized I had no idea what the candidates were saying to me.

What I liked most: Candidates that were prepared.

• Portfolios with multiple clean resumes and personal contact business cards.
• Looking up the company before attending the career fair. I was very impressed when a candidate knew about me and my company before even approaching my table.
• Writing your industry and job target on your name tag. It may be difficult for you to approach every table at the fair but if you’re walking by and I can see what you’re looking for on your name tag, I’ll get up and chase you down if I have something for you.

Career fairs really aren’t all that fair. Not everyone knows what they are walking into. But if you have the opportunity to go, and you’re prepared, you might have just as much fun meeting new people as I did!

Do you have a career fair story to share?

By: Gloria L. Hess

A job seeker recently shared with me his three résumés—one was targeted for tech jobs, one was targeted for sales jobs and one wasn’t targeted at all.  He went on to explain that since he could do many different things, he believed his chances of more quickly landing a job would increase if he’d “cast out a wide net to see what bites.”

What I told him, and what I’m sharing with you here, is that I firmly believe this “fishing expedition” strategy is more likely to hamper your job search progress, and here are some reasons why:

First, it’s Marketing 101: You can’t effectively market yourself as everything to everybody. While there are certainly opportunities that may appreciate a talent so well rounded, the majority of recruiters are seeking to fill specific positions with talent possessing specific experience and specific skill sets. That being said, candidates who are focused and clearly illustrate how their branding and background match the job specs are much more attractive to recruiters, whereas un-focused candidates are often initially perceived as unqualified.

In addition, prospective employers may not take you seriously. It’s a small world—especially in cyberspace—so it’s likely your multiple-target strategy will be discovered, which may not only paint you as desperate, but it could also negatively impact your credibility: “He’s looking for anything he can get, then once the market opens up, he’ll be gone.”  It’s expensive to hire new talent, and with so many candidates in the job market from which to select, hiring managers will pick those who are more likely expected to stay for awhile.

Finally, when your contacts are unclear about which of your identities to promote to their connections, your network will “short out” as it won’t know where to go. Increased competition for opportunities makes your networking efforts even more critical to your job search success, which means you can’t afford a dropped connection. Build a stronger network by being clear with your contacts about your brand—about who you are as a professional—so that they know how to introduce and promote you to others.

So, bottom line, I recommend putting aside the metaphorical fishing gear and try a more focused and strategic approach to your job search:

• Select a macro target (sector, industry, discipline and/or function) in which you are most interested and for which you are qualified;

• Establish a branding that speaks to that target;

• Develop and implement a career action plan to fully pursue that target.

Then, save your fishing for Sundays on the lake!

Much like many of you, my career has taken several different turns. I started my client service career working as an auditor for PricewaterhouseCoopers in Cleveland, Ohio. After spending five and a half years with PricewaterhouseCoopers, I left the corporate world to pursue my passion for cooking. I spent the next three years in the food service industry as a cook at a highly acclaimed restaurant in the city of San Francisco. I also dabbled in the personal chef business. As a part-time personal chef, I was able to experiment with healthy food alternatives that would satisfy my clients’ demand for delicious yet healthy food. The city of San Francisco is not a cheap place to live, so I had to find another job to make ends meet and that’s when I decided to get into health and fitness.

I obtained my personal training certification from the National Academy of Sports Medicine in 2004 and became a personal trainer with Crunch Fitness and loved every minute of it. Helping people realize goals they thought were unattainable was truly inspiring for me and I finally found something I truly loved to do. After spending four and a half years in San Francisco, as a chef and personal trainer, I moved to Chicago where I accepted the position as the Personal Training Manager for one of the Crunch locations in the city.

After one year as the Personal Training Manager with Crunch, I decided to created Mark Beier LLC, “On The Go Health & Fitness” to help address the growing problem busy professionals and small businesses have with promoting a healthy work-life balance. My services represent an efficient, cost-effective means for enhancing productivity while promoting greater employee well-being

Today, our stress levels are at an all-time high. We’re being asked to do more with less time and often for less money. Our health insurance is a mess and we are becoming larger as a nation. Preventative maintenance through healthy habits is a realistic way to help slow down and reverse the current health trends in this country. As your panel expert I hope to provide you with solutions to those problems and give you inspiration to lead healthier, more productive and more profitable lives.

Thanks for having me, I look forward to meeting you!

Mark

Mark Beier, LLC
“On The Go Health & Fitness”
415-310-0205

These are some of the key frustrations that people face in the job market today. Just what is it that makes the difference?  These questions and many more are answered by our professional team at We Place People, where we coach candidates on…. “How to Win the Job Interview and Stand Out From the Competition to Become the Candidate of Choice”.

As a candidate you invest a significant amount of money preparing your resume so it’s perfect. You spend money on the perfect suit.  You practice your  interviewing skills over and over.   And then the big day comes and you land an interview you’ve been working so hard to get.  You interview and walk out feeling that you did “ok”, but not your best.  Have you ever felt that way?  Well you’re not alone.  Today, interviewing is not only demonstrating how well qualified you are, but how you build the relationship with those you are interviewing with.  Building relationships are more important that ever.  How can you do this?

Here are four easy ways:

1)    Research the company and the people you will be interviewing with. Learn as much as you can before going into the interview.  The more you know in advance, the better prepared you can be
2)    Learn as much as you can about the background of the people you will be interviewing with to find commonality
3)    When answering questions, you must be engaging in your conversation and create a personal rapport with the interviewer beyond just simply answering the question
4)    Put yourself in the interviewers “mind set” as they ask themselves these questions:
a.    Can I see this person in this role?
b.    Do I like this person?
c.    What will my boss think of this person?
d.    Can I see this person working with me?
e.    Is this someone I can see being promoted to the next level in the organization?

The skill of interviewing is no longer just about demonstrating your qualifications.  It is more complex then ever.  The good news is that those who learn the  “new lessons” in interviewing, are the ones who have a better chance of “Winning the Job Interview” and landing their next job during these complex times!

I’ve heard this question many times before. The résumé is recognized as the more important document, with cover letters often being an afterthought. However, according to a 2008 survey, 86% of senior executives at the nation’s largest 1,000 companies still find cover letters valuable. Of course, there are always going to be employers who won’t read a cover letter, or will read it after the résumé captures their attention. Still, with approximately 33% of employers reading the letter first, it’s worth spending the extra time to make yours stand out.

Some things to keep in mind:
•    The cover letter should complement, not rehash, the résumé.
•    The cover letter should include keywords.
•    The cover letter should be personalized for each company.

No matter what, a cover letter should always be included, especially if asked for in an advertisement. Assuming employers won’t read the letter, many people only send in a résumé. In addition to losing an extra opportunity to sell yourself, it can appear that you don’t have enough interest in the company to write a customized letter. To give yourself the edge over your competitors, not only should you submit a cover letter, you should submit an outstanding one!

From crafting a winning cover letter to acing an interview, landing a job is tough enough in this market. But millions of job seekers can’t even get a foot in the door as they apply to countless positions and seldom hear anything in response.

“I’ve been looking since September. I send out résumés and nobody answers me,” said Vicki LaVista, 56, a former executive assistant who has not had any luck on the job hunt. “It’s already February and I don’t even have a bite,” she says.

LaVista estimates she applies to about 100 positions a week on sites like CareerBuilder, Monster and Craigslist, but never receives so much as a rejection form letter.

“I’d rather get feedback than no feedback. It would be better to hear ‘we hate you,’” she said.

LaVista’s experience is pretty typical these days — job seekers are feeling frustrated by the sheer lack of acknowledgement.

But what happens to all of those carefully crafted résumés?

The ease of free online job sites has boosted the number of candidates applying for each opening. With hundreds, or even thousands of people competing for the same jobs, most hiring managers are inundated with candidates and many of them simply get lost in the shuffle.

“The good news is, as a job seeker you have hundreds and hundreds of jobs in front of you,” said Dave Sanford, executive vice president of client services for staffing firm Winter, Wyman. “The bad news is, because everything is so out there, it’s also incredibly available to everybody.”

Gone are the days of the thoughtful response to a classified job posting in the newspaper, Sanford said. “Now it’s so easy just to send your résumé everywhere and blast it all over the globe.”

Because recruiters and hiring managers are bombarded with so many applications, there is less opportunity to send responses to everyone who applies, he explained.

Even recruiters admit that they are unable to handle the influx of applications they receive to a single job listing.

“I posted a position for an executive administrative assistant on a Friday and came back to work on Monday and we already had 400 people that applied,” said Dionna Keels, a senior corporate recruiter for a large privately-owned company in Atlanta. “I took the job down on Monday and started going through résumés.”

To avoid getting overlooked, experts recommend that job seekers apply to positions for which their background and experience is a good fit and tailor their application to each posting.

“People have to think about a way to separate themselves from this pile of garbage that sits on someone’s desk,” said Sanford. He suggests finding out who is responsible for hiring at the company and contacting them directly or following up with a phone call.

“Sending me a message through LinkedIn helps differentiate job seekers from the mass of applicants,” agreed Keels.

To help handle the onslaught, résumé screening software or questionnaires included with applications will also filter out many online submissions before they even reach a hiring manager’s inbox.

“A lot of times, when you go to apply for a job there will be a questionnaire at the beginning,” Keels explained. “If you don’t get 100 on those questionnaires then you’ve probably been screened out.” She estimates that at least 50% of applicants to the jobs she posts are screened out right off the bat.

Even seemingly innocuous questions like, “are you willing to work weekends?” can take a job applicant out of contention, added Shawn Boyer, CEO of SnagAJob.com, a job search site.

Being as amenable as you can on the questionnaires and using the right keywords on your résumé will boost the chances of getting through to an actual person, the experts say.

Paul Forster, co-founder and CEO of job search site Indeed.com, recommends listing all specific skills and software instead of saying, for example, “Microsoft Office products.” He also suggests using full names as well as acronyms such as “pr” and “public relations” and synonyms like accounting, accountant and accountancy.

For job seekers, timing is also key. Those who didn’t apply to that position Keels posted over the weekend weren’t even in the running. “We will typically go in chronological order,” she explained of the review process, which means those that apply first are at an advantage. “Once we find 3-4 strong people we’ll start with them.”

Looking at a date that a position is posted is often a good reference point, because openings that are more than a few days old may already be filled.

On job boards, positions may be listed for 30 or 60 days even though the hire is made on day five, Boyer explained. But because of the contract “that position could still be posted for another 25 days,” he said. “It’s incumbent on the hiring manager to [have the post taken down] but a lot of times that doesn’t happen.”

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Most people want more money and I have yet to meet someone who says that they feel like they make too much.  Money is not easy to make, and it takes hard work to get it.  The technique E.V.R. is something that can help you succeed in anything that you do, both with your current job performance or to stand out during your next interview.  I was originally introduced to the E.V.R. technique by Ed Slott, investment guru, at the 22nd Regional Conference of Northwestern Mutual Financial Network Representatives.   E.V.R. is an acronym for the following system:  Get Educated, Get Visible, and Get Remembered, and below is a summary of how this works with a few personal applications thrown in.

(E) Get Educated:  Realize that the best investment you can make is in a professional education.  No matter what industry you work in or what your product is, knowledge is power.  It helps to know a little about a lot of things, so that you can follow a conversation wherever it goes.  Business is serious, but people are not, so the quicker you can connect with someone on a personal level, the better off you will be.  Education is a building block for this, and you will find that it is never a bad idea to become more educated.
(V) Get Visible:  In the age of technology, this is not as hard as it sounds.  Many people have told me that they are “not good at networking”, but the truth is, there is no secret at all. Just showing up is half the battle.  There are at least 10-20 professional organizations that any person can be a member of at any given time based upon their experience, interests, etc…  I find that the best strategy is to choose 5 or 6 organizations, and then go to every event.  It works out to about 1-2 networking events a month, and 20-30 new contacts from each event.  This can build you an organic network of professionals in all industries from which to stay in touch with.  Soon, you will know most of the people in the room and begin to build solid relationships with likeminded professionals.  Utilize LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, Ziggs, Plaxo and other tools to keep in touch, and do not get lazy.
(R) Get Remembered:  Be the best at what you do.  Care the most and do not do what everyone else in your industry is doing.  Make friends at every level, and keep in mind that it is what you say and do that will get you remembered.  Once again, this is the baseline for being successful, because all things being considered, people want to do business with their friends.  Anonymity does not work in business!

By Thomas Besore, Esq.

This is no time to let your confidence down or let self-doubt have any role in your life. One of many things you can do to boost yourself at this time is to gain confidence in your knowledge of the law as it applies to the hiring process. If you don’t know it already, I’ve got news for you. Discrimination in employment is alive and well in the United States. It’s alive and well in Chicago! Each and every day people are treated poorly because they are the wrong color, the wrong sex, the wrong race, too heavy, too skinny, have bad credit, the wrong sexual orientation or because they walk with a limp. Faulty criteria appear in job advertisements, recruiting policies, specific interview actions, orientation sessions, assignments, evaluations, promotions and eventually dismissal.

The good news is that you’ve got a network behind you. You’ve got access to basic information about the law, case history about known problem areas and a veritable army of good people to attack discrimination where it starts. But it’s up to you to arm yourself with the knowledge and
confidence you need to combat poor behavior by potential employers. Take some time during your transition process to come up to speed on the resources available to protect you in your job search. A couple of good places to start are the websites of the federal and state agencies charged with protecting your interests. The United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has a tremendous amount of information out there including a basic description of the law protecting employees. They’ve got pages and pages of information on the laws and regulations to enforce those laws. They offer specific guidance on inappropriate application materials or interview questions. They list prohibited practices and provide examples of actions the government has taken to protect you. You can even look at the guidance they provide to employers.

The Illinois Department of Human Rights has information similar to the federal site. But Illinois has some specific state laws to supplement your protection under federal law. The Illinois website details this information and provides further resources to protect you. Arming yourself with this knowledge will make you an expert on the laws affecting hiring. It will give you the upper hand in that interview when you’re confronted with seemingly innocent (but largely inappropriate) questions about your family, your credit or your terrific accent.

Here are your starting points:
The United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
http://www.eeoc.gov/employees.
The Illinois Department of Human Rights
http://www.state.il.us/dhr