PAUL BOWLEY asked:


You’ve heard of “word of mouth,” right? If you’re job hunting, it’s another way of saying “job search networking.”

Advertisers know that word of mouth is one of the most powerful ways of getting a product known. Well, it applies to job hunting, as well. And, if you can see yourself as a product, then you can take advantage of the remarkable tool as part of your job search.

Unfortunately, most job seekers don’t use job search networking . . . or they misuse it. But, if you can master it, you can turn your time looking for a job into a matter of days instead of spending weeks or months pursuing old-fashioned job search methods.

So, whether you’re looking for a new job or making some other career change, the way you go about finding the majority of available jobs is to take advantage of “word of mouth.” That means you systematically employ the proven job search strategy called “job search networking.”

Very simply, it’s a vital tool for gathering information, talking to the right people and locking up an opportunity that’s right for you. Now, you can try to do that by distributing or posting your resume . . . and waiting for the phone to ring

Or you can discover how quickly you can make things happen by accessing other people, especially ones you already know I It’s really quite simple and straightforward. The only complication is your reluctance to look like you’re asking other folks for a job. But that’s a no-no in this application of job search networking.

For example, if you can put that notion of asking for a job aside and, instead, approach others for “advice,” you’ll be amazed at how helpful folks are willing to be to “advise” you.

Here are some tips to help you get the most out of job search networking:

1. Have your ducks in a row. Know precisely what you are looking for that’s consistent with your talents and capabilities. And practice representing yourself out loud before you approach anyone.

2. Never ask anyone for a job or to find you a job. Always ask for advice. It puts you and your contact at ease. And they will feel much more comfortable opening doors for you if they don’t feel under pressure, and you don’t appear as desperate.

3. Prepare a contact bank. This is list of people you know who would be pleased to offer advice. Or they can introduce you to someone who can be helpful.

4. Be an assertive listener. Your task here is to acquire as much information and insight as possible. And then, when appropriate, ask your contact to introduce you to other people who can advance your networking. Some of these introductions may mean direct access to a decision-maker who may have an opportunity for you.

Your job search blues can be quickly resolved when you master the skills of networking. When you do it right, you can dramatically move the odds in favor of locking up a good job in a matter of days!



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Catherine Z Jones asked:


Ronald Reagan once said: “A recession is when your friend loses their job. A depression is when you lose yours.”

We’re hovering on the edge of a recession and having well honed job hunting skills is something which is increasingly important for American and European workers.

Just out of interest – Americans get frantic about a possible recession when the unemployment rate goes over 5%. However, in many European countries, the normal unemployment rate is closer to 10% – this is largely due to different measurement standards and a higher percentage of people receiving government assistance. On the other hand, it is a lot harder to fire someone in most European countries.

Our first piece of job search advice is to examine your monthly income versus your expenses and also to look at the rate at which you will go through your savings if you become unemployed.

Obviously, the longer that you can afford to spend looking for a job before you burn through your saving, the better off you will be in the long run. While you look for work, you may be able to do freelance work, if this is applicable to your field. In fact, in some fields, such as copywriting, editing and programming, you can make a good income on the side this way.

Our next piece of job search advice is to get all of your ducks in a row when it comes to job hunting. Get your resume or CV into shape and come up with cover letters which explain exactly why you are the best candidate for the position. After any interview, send a thank you note – write one at the same time as you write your cover letter and prepare it for mailing in case you land an interview. Take it with you and mail it on your way home from the interview.

Get organized with your job search. Make good notes of your activity so you don’t duplicate your efforts or forget things.

You also have to be prepared to put in the effort required to find a new job. You’ll be making a large number of phone calls and sending out a lot of resumes each week. You’ll also have to spend plenty of time following up on all of these calls and resumes. Remember that volume is the name of the game here. Don’t make the mistake of focusing on just one job and feeling down if you don’t get it.

You’ll have to be flexible enough to accept temp-to-hire positions or if necessary, work through a temporary agency or staffing company. You may have to relocate – look at the positives of the situation.

If things are slow, then think about enhancing your skills by getting additional certifications, taking classes or getting any additional training needed to get a leg up in the job market.

Last of all, keep an eye out for jobs which are both publicly posted and non-posted. Remember that even in good economic times, less than 20% of jobs are publicly posted. Talk to people and ask them about positions which are not advertised. You can safely assume that any job which is posted online is being deluged with applicants.

Here’s more job search advice as well as advice on using  job search engines to find work.



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Dave Poon asked:


Nowadays, looking for a job is easy; this is because of the tools available online.

One effective tool for job hunting is job search engine. It allows you to look for job vacancies on a certain area or even globally.

What these job search engines do is create a bank of jobs, which came from different companies. Then, they categorized the collected data so that job seekers can easily locate a job appropriate for them.

This also provide convenience to job seekers since the search process has been narrowed down into just job listings instead of using a regular search engine that may provide you a long list of results and some may not even be associated with the job you are looking for.

Another advantage of using job search engines is their large job bank. If you are looking for job and does not have restrictions on the job location, then using job search engines is good for you.

Unlike the job ads in newspapers, which can only provide you limited search ads and you cannot go back to the ads posted the other day, job search engines provides a wide range of selection and are searchable as long as the job is still offered by the company.

However, some job search engines are limited only to certain regions or countries so you may want to check the services offered before choosing a job search engine.

Job search engines are also easy to use because all you have to do is using the search box. They even list the job per category so you can also view all job listings for a specific job position.

Some job search engine also great features offered by, which will make your job-hunting much easier. These include:

Free resume posting.

Job search engines often allow you to post your resume. Then, the job search engine will use this information so it can identify which job is right for you.

Instead of looking for a job yourself, the job search engine will send you an email with the list of new job posting which matches your preferred job, credentials and work experience (based on the resume you posted).

View company profile.

Knowing the background of the company that you are applying for is important so that you know if you share the same vision with what the company has. Also, from the profile, you can see what the company can offer to you.

This can help you decide if you really would like to be part of the company before even applying to them. You can also make comparison among companies if ever they posted same job openings. Thus, you can first collect and just select the best later on.

Customizable search.

If you would like to narrow your search and would view only job openings that meet your preset criteria, utilizing the customizable search can do this. Criteria can be job location, expected salary, schedule preference, category search or employment type.

Get job advice.

Some search engine sites even extend their help by providing tips and advice about your job or job hunting. You can look up for articles about resume writing, preparing for an interview, etc.

You may even send an email to them or chat with their agent about a problem you are having with your job or if you are having difficulty looking for a job.

With the many services and features of job search engines, they can effectively help you in landing to your dream job.



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