20 Ways to Restart Your Job Search in 2013

By: Chad Brooks


  The past year was filled with stories offering suggestions for job hunters looking to increase their chances of landing work. Here are the top 20 pieces of advice that job seekers can use to jumpstart their job search in 2013.

[To read the full article featuring each expert, just click on their name]

Donald Kluemper, management professor at Northern Illinois University
With social media as popular as ever, it is critical that job seekers be extremely careful about what they post on Facebook, Twitter or any other online outlet that an employer might see.
"One perspective that job seekers need to realize is that there is little hope of coming back from ill-advised posts or comments made in poor taste on their profile," Kluemper said.

Alexandra Levit, business and workplace consultant and Career Advisory Board member
With the job market especially tough on college students, younger job seekers should be taking advantage of the career resources offered on most every campus.
"Students are missing an opportunity to benefit from the full range of services career centers provide while they are still in school. College and university career centers offer tools and coaching to empower students to succeed in their job search. They are more than just job placement centers," Levit said. "In today's competitive employment landscape, the interview coaching, job search guidance and even simple 'résumé review' that campus career centers provide can make the difference in getting their first job."
Robert Dickie III, president of Crown Financial Ministries, a nonprofit financial organization.
While finances may be a significant motivating factor in taking a job, money shouldn't be the main reason to choose one.
"This error is so established in our culture that it'll take a strong commitment to a larger vision to choose a job based on talents, rather than on money alone," Dickie said. "And if that high-paying job disappears, your résumé advertises you with skills in a profession you may hate."
Roxanne Hewertson, principal of the Highland Consulting Group
It is important for those after a new job to not ask the wrong questions during an interview. Asking if a company has on-site child care, for instance, advertises the candidate's family status, which can come back to bite the interviewee.
"Since they can't legally ask about your family, you could leave them with the impression that your children's child care is not just a consideration but a problem," Hewertson said. "Once you have the job offer, you can ― and should ― feel free to ask about child care options, but not before."
Jonathan Nafarrete, director of social outreach at BLITZ Agency in Los Angeles
Although Facebook may be the most popular social network, developing a presence on other networks is just as important for those in search of a new job.
"Employers love to see individuals with a professional online résumé presence," Nafarrete said. "Profiles at sites such as LinkedIn and About.me show a level of professionalism and seriousness about your career."
Sara Sutton Fell, CEO of FlexJobs, a job service site for finding flexible employment
While job seekers are eager to share details about themselves to potential employers, there is a fine line between sharing good information and revealing too much.
"I once had a candidate apply for a job, and listed on his résumé under 'Awards & Honors' was 'Pig Wrestling Champion – multiple wins in the large pig division,'" Fell said. "This information, while it did most definitely differentiate the candidate, wasn't in the least related to the job at hand, and was more of a distraction than a positive addition to his application."
Amanda Augustine, job search expert for TheLadders
While a job interview itself is important, what a candidate does once it's over can be equally critical.
"Many job seekers believe that the interview is over once they step out of the office, but that's simply not the case," Augustine said. "I can attest firsthand that failure to follow up can be the deciding factor in rejecting a candidate who is otherwise a great fit."

Tips 8-20 and Complete BusinessNewsDaily article

5 Great Alternatives To Job Boards

By Jessica Holbrook Hernandez

3. Twitter

Oh yes, you can find a job on Twitter. Use hash tags to find open jobs, find and follow recruiters, hiring managers, companies you want to work for, and career professionals. You never know when it might give you a great lead.

4. In-Person Networking Events

Toastmasters, local association meetings, professional group meetings. Get connected with other people face-to-face. Hand out copies of your resume, networking cards, and have your elevator speech ready when it’s your 30 seconds to shine. You never know who might help you out.

5. Targeting Employers

Send your resume and cover letter on professional paper stock (Resume paper, people! Get some!) in an envelope … with the name and address of the person to whom you are sending it—and be sure that it’s hand-written. Using fancy labels and printing directly onto the envelope (while this does look nice) it nevertheless looks like junk mail and it will probably get tossed rather than opened.
However, who doesn’t want to open a hand-addressed envelope to see what’s inside? Curiosity will get them every time. Target companies within a certain radius of your house (however far you’re willing to commute), and send them copies of your resume and cover letter. They may have a great opening you’re perfect for—but they haven’t advertised it, and you would never know it’s available.
Many other ways exist to find a job these days, and these are just a few ideas to get you off the job boards every second of the day and hopefully spare you some frustration. The important thing is to remember to diversify your search and not spend all day in one place – whether it’s job boards or somewhere else.

Alternatives 1,2 and Complete Article

5 Reasons to Continue Job Hunting over the Holidays

By Beth Braccio Hering


Job seekers who put their searches on hold during December may miss out on valuable opportunities unique to this month. Get rid of the outdated notion that nothing worthy happens in the hiring world between Thanksgiving and New Year and take advantage of the following:

1.  New openings
The end of the year is a prime time for retirements and internal promotions, which create vacancies that need to be filled. Likewise, some companies begin a new budget cycle in January – providing managers with money to hire staff. Smart businesses want to settle their staffing needs now so that they can proceed full steam ahead when the calendar turns.

2.  Less competition
The applicant pool often shrinks during the month of December as job searchers become engrossed in holiday plans or assume hirers will be out of the office. Fewer résumés coming in means yours has a better chance of being noticed.

3.  No-pressure networking
Tired of always feeling like you’re “bugging” people in your network? Christine Bolzan, founder of Graduate Career Coaching, notes that an easy and highly effective way to reach individuals and stay on their minds without asking for anything is to send holiday greetings.
“Reaching out to your contacts only when there is a current opening at a target company is too late. You’ve missed the boat, and in this tight job market, timing is everything. During the holiday season, there are so very many ways to make contacts and touch base with individuals who will subsequently have you in mind when hiring resumes in January. A nice card sent via U.S. Postal Service (NOT e-mail) with a handwritten, personalized message inside is the perfect ‘ping’ to those in your network,” Bolzan says.

Tips 4-5 and Complete CareerBliss Article

13 tips to find a job in 2013

by: Kim Costa

New year, new start. When it comes to your job search, there’s a lot you can do to ensure 2013 is the year you find the job that is out there waiting for you.

1) Learn from 2012 mistakes - If 2012 didn’t go so great, take a moment to think about what went wrong. Did you have a lot of interviews but no offers? Bush up on your interview skills. Did you not hear back on many of the applications you sent in? Take another look (or two…or three) to see why your applications weren’t successful.

2) Become a master spell-checker - The number one mistake job seekers make is having spelling typos in applications! While this may seem small, hiring managers have told us that this can get your application rejected because it makes you look a little sloppy. Not sure exactly how to make sure your application is error free? Check out this video with three tips to make sure your app is in top shape.

3) Get your family and friends involved - Try making your job search a team effort. Tell your family and friends that you are searching for a job. A strong support system is important – they will cheer you on in victory and help pick you up when you are down. Your support team can also keep an eye out for any opportunities they come across.

4) Volunteer - Volunteering is ideal for the job seeker who is looking to gain experience and/or looking to help fill in employment gaps on their resume. Not only will you be helping society, you also will be helping yourself in the process. Trust us, it works!

5) Map out how you want your year to go - Goals can be very powerful. Mapping out your priorities is a way to make sure you do what you need to in order to get that job you’ve been searching for. Simple goals, like applying to five jobs online and five jobs in person per week, will not only help get you to your ultimate goal, but it will also give you a sense of accomplishment and a purpose for the week.

6) Follow up on all applications - You may be tired of us saying this, but following up is so important to your job search! Hiring managers tell us that this is a great way to stand out and get noticed. We hear from hired members all the time who tell us they got hired because they followed up. If you do it right, it can take you far. Don’t worry if you’re not sure what to do, we have a video where we break it all down for you.

Tips 7-13 and Complete Article

Randstad Provides 7 Tips for a Successful Job Search in 2013

As the economy continues to slowly improve, the job market is showing positive signs for job-seekers. While the unemployment rate dropped to 7.7 percent in November, many still find themselves unemployed and searching for new jobs, or passively looking for better opportunities. Randstad, the second largest HR services and staffing company in the world, has compiled a few tips to help boost individuals' job search success.

Don't discount holiday networking
The holiday season presents numerous networking opportunities. Personal and business-related parties and charitable events are opportunities to socialize with existing contacts and make new connections in a relaxed atmosphere. Whether or not individual events are conducive to speaking about career goals and aspirations, they can open the doors to follow-up conversations. Similarly, the holidays are a good time to reconnect.  Reach out to a mentor or former colleague and make plans to catch-up for an informal lunch or coffee after the New Year.

Be open to temporary or contract positions
According to the Randstad Workforce 360 Study, 67 percent of companies are currently using contingent workers in some capacity and most say that contingent workers comprise a steady or increasing percentage of their overall employee populations. The same study found that temporary and contract employees also have higher job satisfaction (86%) compared to permanent workers (73%). The most important thing you need to do is get your foot in the door. Once you are in, make yourself indispensable so they do not want to lose you.

Be strategic about your job search
When building a job search strategy, research the fastest-growing careers in your target industry. If the target industry is technology, it is helpful to know that IT spending is expected to exceed $2 trillion in 2013, according to research firm IDC. Mobile devices represent 57 percent of that growth, and accordingly, career opportunities in software development for mobile apps and enterprise application integration are expected to increase.

It's still all about who you know
There are currently 12.1 million people who are unemployed and only 3.6 million vacant positions in the United States, according to The Bureau of Labor Statistics. Many applicants rely on job board websites where hundreds of people may apply to each post. If you have specific companies in mind, dig deep into your own personal network. You'd be surprised to see the number of companies you are actually linked-in to through your second and third degree connections.

Tips 5-7 and Complete Article

Top 100 Twitter Accounts Job Seekers MUST Follow: 2013

Let’s face it… there are many self-proclaimed career gurus, ninjas and experts on Twitter. So, how do you know where to turn for the really good advice?

To help answer that question, we’re proud to present our third annual version of our “Top 100 Twitter Accounts Job Seekers MUST Follow”…

Like you, we value quality over quantity and engagement over self-promotion. So, as with our previous lists, every person or organization on this list has shown us true character – and a willingness to help beyond just selling product. We’re also very proud – and humbled – to say that many professional and personal relationships on this list have moved way past 140 and have become terrific friendships and partnerships.

@animal You may not always like how his advice is delivered, but he is rarely wrong.

@BrazenCareerist The best career community online… period.

@CareerRocketeer A career advice powerhouse as well as a great Linkedin group.

@careersherpa A perrenial favorite… always sharing, always giving (and really smart!)

@Glassdoor Great blog – and great career info throughout their site and Twitter stream.

@HireEffect A job search coach with a serious passion for networking – and delivering.

@RecruitingBlogs This is where we learn how the other side of the interview table thinks.

@CornOnTheJob Rich’s #jobhuntchat is the best career chat on Twitter (and he’s a great guy).

@lindseypollak Simply the best… blogger, expert, speaker, author and Gen Y supporter.

@resumeservice A master resume expert, Rosa is also a great blogger and teacher.

All 100 Tweeters and Complete Article

8 Essential Steps to Getting Hired by a Small Business

Jeff Haden

Many job seekers do: In the average small business there's usually less bureaucracy, greater opportunities to step outside defined roles... and if you someday hope to own your own business, a look behind the scenes at some of the realities of entrepreneurship.
Great -- but landing the job can require a different approach. While some business owners do have a corporate background, many are lifelong entrepreneurs. And many see the hiring process as a necessary evil; as a friend says, "I don't have time for this... I have a business to run."
That perspective makes getting hired a lot harder for a job seeker who takes a conventional approach... and a lot easier for a job seeker who puts in the time and effort -- and it will take time and effort -- to understand their audience and really set themselves apart:

1. Decide who you want to work for.
Obvious, right? Not really. Many job seekers play the numbers game and respond to as many job postings as possible.
That means the owner has to sift through dozens of potential candidates to find the right person. (Good luck emerging from that particular pile.) To show a small business owner that you are the right candidate, that means you have to do the work.
Instead of shotgunning your resume, put in the time to determine a business you definitely want to work for, and then...

2. Really know the company.
Pretend I'm the owner. "I would love to work for you," you say to me; what I actually hear is, "I would love for you to pay me."
You can't possibly know if you want to work for my company unless you know a lot about my company; that's the difference between just wanting a job and wanting a role in my business. Talk to friends, relatives, vendors, customers... anyone you can find. Check the owner and the employees out on social media; when you know the people, you know the company. Learn as much as you can.
Then leverage what you learn and...

3. Determine how you will hit the ground running.
Most small business owners hate to train new employees. Training takes time, money, effort... all of which are in short supply. An ideal new hire can be productive immediately, at least in part.
While you don't need to be able to do everything required, it helps if the owner is confident of getting some level of immediate return on their hiring investment. (Remember, hiring you is an investment that needs to generate a return.)
Identify one or two important things you can contribute from day one. Then...

4. Don't just tell. Show.
Put what you can offer on display. If you're a programmer, mock up a new application. If you want a sales position, create a plan for how you'll target a new market or customer base, or describe how you will implement marketing strategies the business is currently not using.
A show and tell is your chance to prove you know the company and what you can offer. Your initiative will be impressive and you'll go a long way towards overcoming concerns that you're all talk and no action.
Is it fair you're doing a little work on spec? Should you have to create a mockup or plan in order to get the job? Not really and probably not... but doing so will definitely set you apart.
Never let "fair" -- when the only person "disadvantaged" is you -- get in the way of achieving your goals.

Tips 5-8 and Complete Article

Best Practices For Working With Recruiters

by Phil Rosenberg


Few candidates maximize the potential of working with recruiters.

Often it’s just because the candidate doesn’t really understand best practices of working with recruiters.
By understanding how recruiters work, what they care about and what they ignore, it provides you with a superior model to gain recruiter attention and employer submission.

But when you ignore recruiters’ needs (or don’t understand them), you lessen the chances that you’ll be front of mind, which reduces the number of times your resume is submitted to hiring managers.
Many times, candidates blame recruiters for their own failures, calling them impolite or unprofessional … rather than gaining an understanding why recruiters aren’t providing the communication you want.

You’ll gain far better results from recruiters when you understand these best practices:

1. Don’t think that recruiters work for you: They don’t. They work for the employer. You’re inventory … get used to it. Unless you want to never hear from that recruiter again, keep the attitude at bay. Sure there are lots of recruiters, but why burn the bridge that might have your perfect opportunity?


2. Reply quickly: The first candidate recruiters submit is often the first candidate spoken to about the job. Recruiters typically only have a limited number of submissions they can make to hiring managers, without giving their client the impression that they’re throwing stuff against the wall to see what sticks … a waste of the employer’s time.


3. Recruiters rarely help career changers: A recruiter’s job is to find an exact match for the employer. Employers rarely contract with recruiters to find career changers – they work with recruiters to find someone from the same industry and job function. When you first talk to a recruiter, if you outline your goals as changing careers, don’t expect the recruiter to stay in touch.


4. Recruiters communicate with the candidates they have the best chance of placing: It has nothing to do with how professional or polite the recruiter is. If recruiters don’t feel they have (or will likely have) a good match for you, where you’ll be viewed as a superior candidate, you’re not going to hear from them. It’s not a recruiter’s job to stay in touch with you … a recruiter’s job to stay in touch with hiring managers and with the candidates most likely to be placed. If a recruiter isn’t trying to place you, he/she won’t have time to call you back.

Tips 5-8 and Complete Recareered Article

How to get a hidden job

Do you ever get those LinkedIn update emails which proclaim that yet another of your contacts has landed a great new job? A job that you would have been qualified for, and would have applied for if only you'd known it existed?


It's not surprising that the jobs they are landing are those you didn't know about -- hidden or unadvertised jobs are where you find the best opportunities. What exactly are hidden jobs? Executive talent agent Debra Feldman says that hidden jobs are those that only come into being when the right candidate presents himself.


That may seem like an odd method of hiring. We all know how the hiring process goes. Employee Jane resigns, then manager Karen calls up the recruiter, who helps write a job description and then the job is posted internally and externally. Right? Well, yes, that happens. And it's not a bad way to find a job. The only problem is that you're competing with numerous other candidates for each one of these jobs. And furthermore, you're trying to change your resume to fit the qualifications that Jane had, regardless of whether those qualities are what the company really needs.
Feldman says:

When a hiring authority has an opportunity to restructure and can bring in people and or can promote or have a way to replace a resource, they are happy to know about a candidate in advance. There can also be a situation when there is no vacancy now, but the boss knows there will be one in the future. Additionally, it can be when a company hasn't gotten around to advertising a vacancy for many reasons -- don't have a budget to advertise, budget isn't available for 6 months, or don't want a thousand applicants and prefer to find talent through referrals. These are the hidden jobs.

And these hidden jobs are the difference between finding a job that you can do and landing a job that was made for you. Have you ever been on an interview where it was clear that they already had a candidate in mind and that candidate wasn't you? That's because this person found the hidden job, presented herself to the hiring manager and the manager decided to write the job description around this person's qualifications. It's a losing game for everyone else. (They interview you because the company has policies requiring it, even though it's a thoughtless waste of time for everyone involved, but especially for a candidate who busts her buns for a job she can never have.)

You have to get people to know you and know your skills. This is why networking is so critical. It's not about just keeping up with old coworkers (although that is valuable), it's about taking the time and making the effort to always be job hunting by making new targeted contacts according to Feldman. Who are these connections? Individuals who have the ability to hire you, appreciate you and importantly, will remember you and contact you and recommend you to their connections. "It's not just what you know or even who you know, but who knows, likes, and trusts you and will share job leads with you," Feldman explained.

More advice, tips, and complete article

How To Get the Job You Really, Really Want

Written by Jim Stroud


A very good friend of mine is a brilliant fellow named Otis Collier. We have worked together on several occasions and are planning to do a VERY cool project together in the near-future, but more on that later. I wanted to share with you guys a job hunting strategy that he shared with me that was like… “Wow, why didn’t I think of that? Its like… so obvious and would work too.” But I digress, here is his plan, something I call “The Otis Collier Method” (Patent pending)

Step 1: Find a job that you want.

Step 2: Find out if the company has an employee referral program. (And who doesn’t these days?)

Step 3: Approach someone in the company and say, in so many words, how would you like to make a couple of bucks? All you have to do is forward my resume to your company recruiter. If I get hired, you get the employee referral bonus. If I do not get hired, its bad for me, but nothing happens to you. Its a no-risk way to earn extra cash with VERY little work.

How smart is that? I thought it was very smart. In fact, as soon as he shared that gem with me, the little hamster in my mind started running in a wheel. Does every company have an employee referral program? Hmm… The quickest (and easiest) way to find out is to go to the career section of the company I am interested in and look at their Career section. I am chomping on some Frosted Flakes as I brainstorm this, so let me look up the Kellogg’s website to show you what I mean.

Okay, so, if employee referral programs are mentioned on company career pages… Hmm… yup! There is a way I can search that on Google. For example…  Find out how to Google it and read the complete article

6 Tips to Shorten a Job Search

By Megan Marie Sullivan

The economic outlook has been looking very grim, and can be disheartening to those of us who are trying to enter the job force for the first time. However, a savvy seeker can get into the game quickly if he or she keeps a few simple rules and tips in mind:

1. Your full-time job is to find a full-time job:

Every workplace has its standards, and so should your job search. In a competitive market, a job seeker should apply for 10-15 positions a day, and plan to follow-up with a phone call after a week. Keep an organized list of companies, positions, and contact names, as well as a calendar of appointments and interviews. Remember that time is still money (now it’s just money you are not making) so use it wisely.

2. Friends and family want to help

Often this is the key source of job leads. Human resource personnel often look for potential job candidates through their current employees, as it saves them the time of scouting and money incurred in posting job ads. One important thing to remember, however, is that they do not always do a perfect job. Sometimes family members will recommend you for a position without a clear understanding of your skills, or friends will ask you to contact a company that you do not think is a good fit. It is important to consider all leads that arrive through your primary resources, as they might stop being your job advocate if you turn down what they think is a good offer!

3. Use the Internet wisely

Specifically, take your search beyond Craigslist.org! Indeed.com and linkedin.com are great sources for job leads. Careerbuilder.com and Monster.com now allow you to create profiles so that you can apply without re-uploading your resume. Npo.net and idealist.org feature non-for-profit postings. For highly-focused searches, do a search on Google Maps for the type of company you want to work for within your desired geographic zone. From here you can find a list of websites for companies that you want to work for, and can check their career pages for job openings, or send your resume for consideration.

Tips 4-6 and complete article

10 Pieces of Lame Job-Search Advice

By Alison Green


Not every piece of job search advice you hear is worth following. In fact, some of it is downright bad and will hurt your chances. Here are 10 pieces of advice that you should ignore every time:

1. Collect letters of recommendation from previous managers before you start your job hunt. 
Reality: You can skip this step entirely. Employers know that those letters don't count for much since no one puts critical information in them. Plus, when hiring managers reach the reference-checking stage of the hiring process, they want to talk to your references—on the phone, where they can ask questions and probe for more information. Managers want to hear your references' tone of voice, hear where they hesitate before answering, and hear what they say when asked about potential problem areas.

2. You need to track down the hiring manager's name so that you can address your cover letter to him or her.
Reality: This is another unnecessary step. If the hiring manager's name is easily available, go ahead and use it. But you don't need to call to track it down or do other sleuthing. Hiring managers rarely think, "Wow, this person took the trouble to call and find out my name. What amazing initiative!" It just doesn't matter that much, so instead put that time into writing a great cover letter. Speaking of which…

3. Employers don't really read cover letters.
Reality: A well-written cover letter with personality can get you an interview when your resume alone wouldn't have. Sure, not every hiring manager cares about cover letters, but many do and you have no way of knowing which type you're dealing with. With so many stories of cover letters opening doors that otherwise would have stayed shut, it would be foolish to pass up this incredibly effective way of standing out.

4. Don't leave the ball in the employer's court—say you'll call to schedule an interview.
Reality: Too many job seekers end their cover letters with a statement like, "I'll call in a week to schedule an interview." This is pushy and overly aggressive. Job seekers don't get to decide to schedule an interview; employers do. And employers would spend all day fielding calls if the hundreds of applicants who apply for any given position were to call to follow up. It might be hard to accept, but once you apply, the ball is in the employer's court.

5. Stop by the business you want to work for and apply in person.
Reality: This isn't good salesmanship; it's annoying. Most companies include specific instructions about how they want you to apply, and unless "in person" is included, they don't want you stopping by. Plus, many companies only accept resumes electronically because they use electronic screening systems. (Retail and food service are exceptions to this; in-person applications tend to be more common in those industries.)

Tips 6 - 10 and Complete US News Article

How to Create the Ideal Social Media Resume

It’s no secret that your tweets and Facebook profile can come back to haunt you during your job hunt. Whatever you type on the internet should be considered as carefully as the words that come out of your mouth. One poorly considered remark can literally cost you your job, and maybe your career — just look at pro baseball manager Ozzie Guillén, who was fired by the Miami Marlins in October over a careless pro-Castro statement he made.

We’ve all heard what NOT to put on Facebook and Twitter over and over; drunken party pictures will not help you get hired at a law firm. In this day and age, it’s probably a good idea to avoid politics and potentially divisive social issues as well. Of course, you can always adjust your privacy settings on Facebook, but then how do you react when your potential new boss sends you a friend request? Do you spend the whole day digging into your timeline to clean up any hint of your wild college days (and subsequent reunions)?
You’re far better off making everything public. If there’s junk to clean out, take the time to do it. From now on, your social media profiles should scream ‘fine upstanding citizen’ at every turn. And if you do still get a little crazy on the weekends, go ahead and adjust your settings so that any photographs must be approved by you before they appear on your profile.

With everything you shouldn’t post out of the way, start thinking about what you do want to convey. Start with what’s on your resume. How can you convey the same list of accomplishments on your personal one sheet in the form of a Google+ or Facebook profile? Don’t overlook the importance of that — in many cases, an employer may actually spend more time examining your Facebook page or Twitter feed then they will looking through your resume. To ensure that what they find only helps your case for a job, look for this checklist of items in your social media profiles:

Pictures of Family

If you’re married and have children, this occurs automatically. Once we settle down, our Facebook profiles are little more than baby pictures and first steps. But if you’re a 20-something fresh out of school, put on a nice shirt and take some happy shots with Mom for your profile. The appearance of a strong emphasis on family can demonstrate to employers that you value close relationships, and that the people who know you best have genuine respect for you.

Highlight Charitable Work

Volunteering can help you get a job. When you’re willing to give your time and effort to a cause you care about, it shows that you’re a hard worker and securing a paycheck isn’t your sole motivation in life. There’s nothing wrong with highlighting your charitable outreach — when you’re helping others, allow that to help you, as well. A photograph of you building a Habitat for Humanity house or a tweet about your work at the local animal shelter can work wonders to demonstrate your community-minded attitude. That’s an asset to any business.

Be Health Minded

Healthy employees save a company money, both on the overall cost of health insurance plans and higher productivity levels (and less sick days). If you’re a runner, get the word out about your progress whittling down your 10K race time. Are you an aspiring yogi? Tweet about the retreat you’re headed to next week. Of course, you don’t want to let any one activity dominate your profile — be fit, happy, and well-rounded.

More Tips and Complete UnderCoverRecruiter Article

It’s not about me, it’s about you… the 20 questions you need to ask in a job interview

by marc

What’s an interview about? It sure feels like it’s about you, but it’s really not.

An interview is actually about how you can help your future boss and future employer succeed. It’s about finding out what their requirements and hopes are and matching up your background and experience with what they need.

Overlooking these basic facts about the interview is all too easy. There’s so much else going on in your work, your life, and in your job search, that you can forget to look at the interview from the interviewer’s point of view. And that’s a shame, because, after all, you need the interviewer to walk away from the interview thoroughly impressed.

With that in mind, I’ve done my twice-a-year update to my collection of “twenty best interview questions” below. My aim here is to arm you with easy-to-ask, revealing-to-answer questions for you to take with you into an interview.

When I ran these questions previously, commenter LBRZ wrote in and said:

I have to thank you! I had an interview yesterday and it went great. When I asked about his leadership style and reward system his face lit up like a christmas tree. After he answered the question “how can I help you receive your next promotion?”, he began to give me advice on how I should negotiate for a higher starting salary.

And that’s exactly the point, Readers. By asking these questions, which focus on the needs, traits, and preferences of your future boss and future employer, you’re demonstrating that you are somebody who is genuinely interested in their well-being. And the more interest we show in others, the more commitment they show to aiding our cause.

And with that, here are my twenty best questions to ask your interviewer:

1. What’s the biggest change your group has gone through in the last year? Does your group feel like the recession is over and things are getting better, or are things still pretty bleak? What’s the plan to handle either scenario?

2. If I get the job, how do I earn a “gold star” on my performance review? What are the key accomplishments you’d like to see in this role over the next year?

3. What’s your (or my future boss’) leadership style?

4. About which competitor are you most worried?

5. How does sales / operations / technology / marketing / finance work around here? (I.e., groups other than the one you’re interviewing for.)

6. What type of people are successful here? What type of people are not?

7. What’s one thing that’s key to this company’s success that somebody from outside the company wouldn’t know about?

8. How did you get your start in this industry? Why do you stay?

Tips 9-20 and Complete Article

Video Tips for job seekers: How to differentiate yourself from others pt. 1

Employers give tips to job seekers on how to stand out and differentiate themselves from others during their job search and the interview process.

5 Positive Job Search Changes to Consider for the New Year

By Perry Newman

As 2012 draws to a close, and a new year ripe with possibility and opportunity is about to begin, this is the ideal time to reflect on your job search efforts and why they may not have achieved the results you had anticipated. Begin by mulling over the following and determine if major changes, minor adjustment, or if staying the course is in your best interest in 2013.

1: Do you have a defined ‘Action Plan’ for your job search and are you following it closely and scrutinizing the results with an objective 3^rd party? Or are you blindly going through the same motions week by week, month by month without the proper direction, focus, tools and knowledge base; and doing it all by your lonesome?

From my experience most job seekers do not plan ahead before and during their job search, nor do they have a knowledgeable coach and/or support system in place to give them insight, perspective and encouragement, and to help them evaluate what was accomplished and needs to be accomplished in the prior and upcoming week.

If this describes you, break the mold and start from scratch with a game plan and a winning team behind you.

2: Are you in the ‘Networking Rut’? Most job searches fizzle because job seekers chose to network with people they know instead of people they need to know. Why is this so? According to social scientists social networks form in “clusters” of relationships and people chose to network in a comfort zone rather than take risks.

If you have not done so already, I suggest you implement the ‘One Hundred Contacts Rule’. Assemble a list of 100 possible contacts you’ve met; people in any profession, at any level and in any age group who you share or shared a relationship with at some point in your life. These must be people you’ve had some personal contact with and who you can find some way they may remember you with a little prodding i.e., Remember me, Cousin Vinnie? Sonya, it has been a long time since we graduated Wampum High. Larry, we met in Atlantic City at the roulette table last Christmas. Hi Carla, you gave me your business card at the Rubber convention in Toledo in May of 2009. Perry, I attended your webinar on resume writing last month and I was very impressed with what you had to say.

Once you reestablish contact show an interest by asking them what’s going on in their lives at this point in time or in the past number of years depending on the prior relationship. Then subtly tell them, preferably in person or over the phone, or if need be via email,  what type of job you are looking for, the job titles of the people who would manage you, and a list of as many employers that you can think of who might hire people like you.

Follow this up by asking if they know anyone who might know someone inside any of these companies or knows something about any of these employers that can help you with your job search. If contact made by email follow up within 3-10 days if they did not respond back to you. From this effort you will get some new ideas and new connections, and update and solidify your existing network at the same time.

3: Where is your job search advice coming from? Are you receiving advice on how to write a resume, how to use social media, how to apply for jobs, and how to interview from acknowledged Career Service experts, or are you entrusting your future to wannabe pretenders? More so, is this advice offered up in generic terms or is it given with your particular circumstances in mind?   Finally, are you acting on advice delivered directly to you or is the advice found on blogs, in books, or impersonal mediums that are meant to appeal to the masses.

Impersonal, generic advice generally delivers mediocre results so why not ‘Connect with the Experts’. Reach out and introduce yourself directly to professional who can help you learn and grow and avoid the pitfalls in a job search. These SMEs can help you sharpen your skills and educate you on the latest trends in job search in your profession. They also tend to know hiring managers and people you may want to meet. Network or hire these people and learn from them as much as you can. Being the most informed candidate in the hopper goes a long way in generating interviews and closing job offers.

Tips 4,5, and Complete Career Rocketeer Article

It’s Time To Stop Sucking at Your Job Search

by Brazen Careerist


If you’re limiting your search to major job boards like Monster and Indeed, you probably aren’t making much progress.

If you’ve filled out more than 25 job applications or if you can’t keep track of how many applications you’ve submitted, which companies you’ve applied to or who you need to follow up with, you probably also suck at applying for jobs.

Lucky for you, we’ve compiled some tips to help you improve your current job search strategy:

1. Do Your Research

Most industries and cities have niche job boards and communities dedicated to certain areas of the market. For example, the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) has a job board dedicated to each city where companies looking to hire PR professionals can post their openings. Sometimes these openings are also posted on major job boards like Monster, but sometimes they aren’t.

By researching and finding these niche communities, you can stay tapped into what’s going on in your industry. You’ll have access to different, more targeted job posts and be able to make valuable connections in your specific market. You’ll also have a leg up on the competition by seeing job postings with a more limited audience.

Ask your professional contacts for suggestions if you’re having trouble finding these niche communities. You can also ask if they know of any job opportunities that would be a good fit for you.

2. Slow Your Roll

While it can be tempting—especially with form applications and fill-in-the-blank fields—to apply for each and every job you come across that seems like a decent fit, don’t do it.

Although it seems like casting a wide net would be a good job-search strategy, what you’re really doing is akin to “spraying and praying.” You can’t possibly keep track of all of those applications, follow up with every hiring manager or do enough research to impress every single company you’ve applied to if your net is 100 companies wide. Instead, you should…

3. Do More Research. Yes, MORE

Take the time to look up each company before you apply for their position. See if they have a company culture that you would work well in. Research the name of the hiring manager and look at his or her Twitter feed. Check out client reviews and testimonials. Click around on the website and make sure you like what you see. Look at your social networks and see if you have any connections who work at the organization.

Not only will this give you a better idea of what it would be like to work there; you’ll also be able to write a much better and more individualized cover letter explaining to the hiring manager exactly what it was that attracted you to the company. Once you’ve done your research and identified companies and opportunities that seem valuable and desirable, you’re ready to move on.

Tips 4,5 and Complete Article