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Classic Job Search Method – Hit the Pavement

Before there was the internet and the many job posting websites that exist today, a person had to actually go out and make things happen when they were searching for a job. This ‘old fashion’ way of thinking is known as hitting the pavement and although it may be an antiquated method, it is still one that works quite well.

This is not to say that all the modern methods of job hunting don’t work, but if you want to get a job then sometimes you have to work hard and be proactive in order to do so. Here is what you need to do in order to hit the pavement running:

•    Bring Resumes: When you set out on your pavement tour make sure that you bring plenty of resumes that are all accompanied by a well written cover letter.
•    Dress to Impress: The point of getting out and about is to make a great impression. This cannot be done if you dress like a slob. Be sure that your attire is business attire and dress as though you are on your way to an interview, because you never know when a potential employer will have some time to take with you on the spot.
•    Know what to Say: When you walk into a company that you are interested in working for it helps to know what you are going to say. First introduce yourself, then ask to speak with a manager, and then introduce yourself to the manager as you hand them your resume. Explain why you wish to work for them and above all else, keep it short and simple.

Many times a potential employer will view the fact that you are out and hustling to find a job as a sign of how hard you will work if hired. By taking the time to hit the pavement at least a couple of days a week while you are looking for a job your chances of landing a job will increase dramatically and at the very least you will be able to make some strong impressions on some potential employers.

Finding a New Job While Currently Working

Finding a new job is always a challenge and this challenge can be even greater if you are currently working. While you never want to use company time to search for a new job, there are ways to effectively look for a job without having to quit your current job.

The first thing to do when you want to find a new job is to be sure that your resume is up to speed and assuming that it is you then need to distribute your resume. This can be done by posting your resume on many of the job search websites that exists today such as Monster.com, HotJobs.com, and CareerBuiler.com just to name a few. These sites will allow you to post your resume for free and will even let you set up a profile. This allows interested employers to e-mail you if they want more information and this is something you can check in your spare time.

Another technique that you can use to get a new job without quitting the one you have is to use your network. This should start with you preparing a short and concise e–mail stating that you are in fact looking for a new job and what it is exactly that you wish to do. Then send this e-mail to everyone in your social network. While your friends may not have a job for you, they may in fact know someone else who does.

Lastly you can blast out your resume via fax or e-mail to potential employers on your off hours. Even though you will be sending the information when there is nobody at most of these places, chances are they will get it in the morning. Just be sure that you have it somewhere on your resume to contact you at later hours. This avoids your cell phone from going off too much while you are at work.

Whether you are sick of your current job or you just want a change of pace, it never hurts to get your resume out there and see what is available. However, you should extend common courtesy to your current employer and conduct your new job search when you are off the clock and not on. That way you won’t have to ‘quit your day job’ until you are ready to do so.

On the Job Hunt – Brush up Your Resume

job-huntWhether you are currently unemployed or employed, if you are on the job hunt you need to be sure that your resume is up to the challenge. Many people will use a resume that they have not dusted off in years when attempting to find a job and this is a mistake that can end up costing you big time.

Before you start blasting out your resume to the world you need to be sure that it is not only written well, but that it is up to date as well. This starts with making sure that all of your contact information is in fact correct. This sounds like a no brainer, but you may be surprised as to how many people actually use outdated information on their resumes simply because they did not think to check it over before they sent it out.

Once you have established that all of your contact and personal info is up to date, look at the resume itself. You may read it over and find that it is still as great as you remember and you may also look it over and say, “What the heck was I thinking when I wrote this?” By carefully looking over your resume it gives you an opportunity to add or subtract things that will help the resume read stronger.

Lastly and most importantly, edit your resume over and over again. Spelling and grammar errors will sink your chances of landing a job faster than a ship with holes in the hull. If spelling and grammar are not your forte, then find someone who is good with that sort of stuff and ask for their help.

Once you feel that your resume is back up to par and ready to go out, read it over one last time. While all this precaution may seem like overkill, when it comes to landing the perfect job, you can never be too careful.

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Make the Most of Any Job Fair

job fairJob fairs are a great place to go when you are seeking employment, but many people just go to these job fairs and simply think that a job will fall into their laps. This however, is the wrong approach to take when attending a job fair and there are certain things that you can do to maximize the results of any job fair that you attend.

Here are some things to do when you attend a job fair:

•    Be Early: Many employers will be at a job fair, but that doesn’t mean that there will be many jobs available. Some employers may only have one or two openings and if you arrive fashionably late, you may inadvertently cost yourself a good number of opportunities. Remember, the early bird often gets the worm.
•    Bring Business Cards: Even if you are not currently employed you need to bring business cards with you. Simply get some inexpensive business cards made that have all your information on them and this will give you something to hand to potential employers.
•    Bring Resumes: This goes with the last point. Every potential employer you talk to should get a copy of your resume.
•    Dress Appropriately: Dress as though you are going to be interviewed. You only have one chance at a first impressions and that impression will be greatly diminished if you dress in jeans and a t-shirt.
•    Wear Cozy Shoes: Be prepared to walk. Attending a job fair means that you will be doing laps so you want to be sure that your shoes are comfortable. Avoid new shoes as they may give you blisters and women should avoid high heels.

Once you have all the materials you need and are dressed in the proper manner you can head off to the job fair ready to go. Then you simply have to make the rounds and if all goes well decide what offer you like the best and then enjoy your new found job.

E-Mail Your Way to a New Job

email resumeSometimes finding a new job is really more about who you know and not so much what you know. Using your own personal network of friends and business colleagues is a great way to land a new job, but is also a method that is not commonly used. Don’t make that mistake, use what you’ve got.

The best way to reach out to as many friends and colleges as possible is through e-mail. Sit down and make a list of every single person you can think of who is in your inner circle. If you do not have their e-mail address then you should call them and get it from them.

Once you have compiled your e-mail list you should then write up a small letter explaining that you are in fact looking for work and be sure to attach your resume to the e-mail. Blast that out to everyone regardless of what industry they are in.

What will happen is that your friends and colleges, who may not even be in the same industry as you, may in fact know someone in their group of friends and colleagues who is in your industry. So essentially you will get your resume e-mailed to many others besides who you initially blast it out to.

It only takes that one right person to see your resume, give you an interview, and then hire you, but if they never get to see your resume how will they ever find out about you? While you may not know who that perfect person is that doesn’t mean that someone you know doesn’t. Your dream job may be closer than you think and only an e-mail away. It may just be someone in your inner circle who can get you the opportunity you need and you can then take care of the rest.

The Best Job Search Sites

Everyone’s looking for work these days it seems and with all the ways to go about it, newspaper ads, local ads, the Internet, it can be an overwhelming task deciding which is the best way to go about it. Herein I will list for you the top rated online job search websites as well as their pros and cons so you can get the best results during your job-hunt and get to work faster.

JobGoRound.Com – This website has the ability to find job openings with just a click or two of the mouse. All you need to do is enter a keyword, set your location and you can see hundreds of offers. That is the upside to the service, the downside is that you have no means to post a resume on the website for potential companies to find you and offer you a position. You can; however, use a job search assistant to find places and post your resume with them and the site offers some advice on resumes as well as interviews.

Monster.Com – Everyone’s heard of Monster, it’s one of the premier job search sites and it offers a great deal of options for helping people find jobs as well as helping recruiters find people for their company. You can use a job search assistant to scour the service for jobs that match your skills and have to postings emailed to you as they appear. You can also post your resume online for companies to view and you are given the ability to share that resume at will when you apply for any jobs. Monster also has the luxury, because of their well-known name, to attract one of the largest databases on jobs online, which means the choices are almost endless.

HotJobs.Com – Yahoo’s HotJobs.Com pretty has everything you can think of under the sun to help you find that one perfect job you need. The system they use makes separating job search types by skill, location and pay easier than any other site online at this time. You can get assistance that is as detailed as you want it to be through their search assistants and email notifications. There is online resume assistance as well as the ability to store and update your resume whenever needed. You can also save the searches you have done so that, instead of having to look all over again, you simply return to your previous searches which saves a great deal of time and stress.

Job openings are updated constantly and using the saved searches on these types of websites makes looking for jobs easier than ever. There are also a ton of tools on these sites to help with interviews from tips to things you should practice as well as things you never want to do during an interview.

The best part of these types of search engines is the time it saves you. Looking for work in the newspaper is time consuming and not very effective anymore as most companies are placing their ads almost exclusively online.

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How to Find a Job

Whether you’re just out of college or have been in the workforce for decades, it’s typically not easy to find a new job. If you’re currently job hunting, you’re not alone. Some studies suggest that as many as 75 percent of people are looking for a job at any given time. That’s a lot of competition. The best way to increase the odds that you land a job you’re interested in is to make sure that you know about them in the first place. Here are some good places to start:

Spread it around. It’s a lot of work, but blanketing your geographic area with your resume is an old standby for a reason: it sometimes works. Why send your resume to a company that hasn’t advertised any open positions? Because they may not ever advertise—even if a position comes open. Or, a position could open up the day after you submit your resume, and guess who will have a leg up in the selection process? Why, the person whose resume just came across the hiring manager’s desk the previous day, of course. Identify the companies for whom you would like to work, and create a general resume (with specifics such as the company and recipient’s name) that showcases your abilities and interests. You may not get a call even if you send out 200 of these, but then again, you might get 10 calls.

Apply for open jobs. It sounds like a no-brainer, but lots of people today skip the newspaper and online classifieds because they assume that the company will be deluged with resumes. And that’s true. But if you’re qualified, there’s no reason not to apply and one very good reason to do so: you know they have an open position. Take the time to personalize your resume and cover letter as much as possible, as well as proof it thoroughly, and you’ll already be in the top tier of candidates because too many people fail to take these easy steps.

Contact your old university. Most colleges, universities, and technical schools offer graduates and alumni job placement services. Just because you’ve been out in the work world for a decade doesn’t mean that State U can’t help you. The best career centers ask alums to let them know when jobs become available within their companies so they can pass those leads on to other alums. And having an alma mater in common is a great jumping off point with a potential boss.

Talk to a recruiter. Headhunters are one of the most under-utilized job hunting tools. Some people believe that headhunters only work for high-dollar professionals like doctors; others believe that recruiters only work for blue collar companies needing cheap labor. The truth is that headhunters are employed by companies across the board—and they always want to meet quality professionals like you. Legitimate headhunters don’t charge job seekers a fee (they make money from the companies who hire the candidates they provide), so what do you have to lose?

Ask your friends. You’ll probably talk to your pals about your desire to get a new job anyway, so why not employ their help in the process? Ask them to think about possibilities within their own company, in companies that do business with their firm, their spouse’s company, and anyone else in their social circle who could be a lead for you. Even if they can’t come up with anything solid right then, it will put the idea in their brain so that if they hear of anything, you’ll be the first person they call.

Network with everyone. This means both inside and outside of your field. Many people think that colleagues in the same field will have an inside track on open jobs, but think about it: if a great job comes along, why wouldn’t your colleague apply for it instead of telling you about it? Same-field networking works best when you know people who are at least one rung above you on the professional ladder. That way, you won’t be applying for the same jobs, and they’re more likely to know about job openings at your level. It may actually be more productive to network outside of your field, and the good news is that you can do this anywhere, not just those uncomfortable after-hours networking socials. Wherever you go—cocktail parties, your child’s baseball game, church—make sure to mention that you may be in the market for a change. You never know when an acquaintance will say, “What a coincidence; my brother is looking for a new graphic designer.”

Search for jobs on the JobGoRound job search board.

Submitting Your Resume to Job Boards

When it comes to your resume the more times it gets viewed the better the chances are that you will land your dream job quickly. So getting your resume out and seen is simply a matter of the number game. That means that the more people that view it, the more calls you will get for potential job interviews and the more job offers you will receive.

A wonderful place to go to ensure that your resume gets more than its far share of looks is some of the bigger name job boards online. Names such as HotJobs.com and Monster.com let those who are on the job hunt upload their resumes so that potential employers can find them.

Additionally, you will be able to create a profile at these job boards and this allows you to go into detail about your specific skills and your desires. Many employers will search and scour these profiles on a daily basis trying to find the right fit for their companies and if your profile stands out then your resume is likely to get a view or two or more.

Most of the bigger job boards have tools that allow you to track how many times both your profile and your resume have been viewed and may even offer up tips and tricks to help you improve on your numbers. Best of all, these services are usually free and if there is a cost associated with them it is typically extremely low.

While other methods of getting your resume out into the world to be viewed are also effective, every little bit helps. With a little time and effort on your part, you can have your resume end up being viewed by a whole host of potential employers. Then the numbers game becomes a waiting game, but eventually that leads into a great job opportunity.

Promoting Your Education in Your Job Search

Several factors are important considerations when employers look for new job candidates. Education is one of these factors. When you’re job hunting, make sure you promote your education to boost your chances of getting the job.

Your resume should always include your educational background. Whether that’s a technical certificate or a PhD, use it to your advantage in your resume. State clearly where you were educated, what year, and the specifics. For example, to indicate a Masters Degree, make sure you include the college, the year you graduated, and the field of study. For a certificate, it’s important to include exactly what it’s for. Don’t be vague. Include everything from what it’s for to what version. And if you’ve had any additional education during your career, be sure to include that, especially if you’ve been out of school for many years. Depending on the position you’re applying for, it can also be beneficial to include your education in your cover letter. If the job you’re applying for requires a special technical certificate or degree, make sure the employer doesn’t have to search to verify that you meet the requirements.

Education is often vital to specific jobs or positions. Make sure you not only meet those requirements, but that you also highlight them in your resume and cover letter when sending in your application.

Top Job Search Mistakes

Many job seekers think that whether they land a new position is a matter of luck: it’s good luck if they’re hired, and it’s bad luck if they’re not. The truth is that what separates successful job hunters from unsuccessful ones often is a question of preparedness, persistence, and hard work. A little common sense never hurt, either. Below are the biggest mistakes that people make when looking for a new job—and how you can avoid them:

Leaving your current job before lining up something else. This isn’t a good idea even in a thriving job market, but it’s an especially bad idea in an uncertain economy. No matter how irritating your co-workers are or how obnoxiously your boss behaves, stick it out until you land something new. Just think of your daily grind as motivation to find a great new gig. The caveats: if something illegal is going on or your office is toxic to your health, get out now and wait tables for a while if you have to.

Not taking the search seriously. Too many people who say they’re looking for a new job take fail to approach it as the serious endeavor that it is. They send out an “okay” resume that they’ve had for 10 years, don’t bother to proofread their cover letter for errors, or flake on sending a thank-you note after an interview. A job search is important, and you don’t want to burn bridges with potential employers because you’re too lazy to put in some effort. The solution? Get serious! Print out your resume and cover letter on high-quality paper, update your resume every few months, and contact the people you plan to list as professional references so they aren’t caught off guard when a hiring manager calls them.

Lying on paper or in an interview. You were just a few credits shy of graduating from college, but that’s close enough, right? Wrong. Most of us don’t fudge on the big stuff—like fabricating degrees or places of employment—but many job hunters blur the line of truth when it comes to responsibilities they’ve had or skills they’ve mastered. Don’t risk it. If you don’t have the experience you need to land the job you want, work on getting it, rather than making it up.

Not keeping your network up to date. The worst time to realize you’ve let your network disappear is when you want (or need!) to look for a new job. Think of your network of contacts, associates, and mentors as a sort of life raft for those unexpected moments that pop up in everyone’s career. When you tend to those relationships with periodic phone and email check-ins, coffees, and the occasional lunch, you’re maintaining a valuable pipeline that can come in handy when you need to know where the jobs are—fast. If you’ve let things slide in that area, pick up the phone and ask a few people if they’ll have coffee with you. They may be able to help you, but if they can’t today, don’t make the mistake of letting the relationships lapse again. You never know when you might need their help.

Not telling the employer what’s in it for them. You’ve got a car payment due in two weeks. You want a better title. You need health insurance. All of these are great reasons to look for a new job, but they aren’t great reasons for someone to hire you. See the difference? An employer wants to hear what kind of value you’ll bring to the company and why she should take a chance on you, rather than the other 50 candidates. Think about what you bring to the table, and then sell it.

Leaving the rest up to fate. Your great resume got you a job interview, and the interview went well. While you may be tempted to simply wait by the phone until you hear from the company, there’s still plenty you can do. First, send a thank-you note to everyone you talked to (within one day of the meeting). Thank them for their time and let them know that you’re available if they want to meet with you again. Second, follow up with anyone who may still have influence over whether you get the job. Let your references know they may be getting a call and thank them for agreeing to put in a good word for you. If you have a professional contact within the company, thank them for their help in learning about the opening, securing the interview, etc. Lastly, if you haven’t heard from the company in a while, it’s okay to place a brief phone call letting them know you’re still very interested in the job.

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