stseukn asked:


After finishing an 8 month contract HR assignment with several promises of a perm position (budget was cut), I am now job hunting again. I have been working contract and temp projects since Oct 2005 and feel as if I can’t get anyone to take me seriously. I was laid off from four companies (one int’l retail, 2 dot.coms, and a small bank at the mgr/director level) since 2000, so I do have ’short term” time frames on my resume. I would much rather not been laid off, but prospective employers don’t tend to look at it that way. I have great references and experience, but still can’t seem to get anyone to even look at my resume past the short term tenures. Any suggestions? I am terrified at the thought of hitting the job market again and getting no response.
Thank you for your help.

mely asked:


I have never worked an actual steady job. I have been a babysitter on call for too long and am now I’m appling for my first job. what advice can you share with me. I have applied to 6 places in the mall so far. What should I do to make my job search better and Improve my chances of getting a job and what advice can you share in regard to filling out job applications correctly.
Thankyou

Lil Cheeseball asked:


Since you asked: online advertising and marketing are my specialty, post entry level.

theordinary1 asked:


I graduated from college with a BA in Teaching of English (Secondary Education with a focus on English/Language Arts) this past December. Right after graduation I was offered a long-term subbing job which I just finished up a couple of days ago. I was also offered a summer job with the same school and district. The district I worked with prefers to hire people with a Masters/3+ years of experience.

My questions is, as a suburban Illinois resident looking to find a job in the suburbs, should I continue searching for first-year teaching jobs or get into a Master’s program. What are my other options?
Ideally, I would like to teach and work on my Masters. Should I consider getting a Master’s BEFORE I get my first teaching job or will that put me at too much of a disadvantage? I’ve been told to hold off on it…

hard&hung asked:


Do I have to relocate before I start applying for jobs in other states?

Darlene and Dylan B asked:


I moved here from CA, for obvious reasons, however, the employment department actually suggested that I ‘dummy up’ my resume….do you think that online job search is bs…..???? or should I concede to try to get someone to hire me for a menial job????

Kansieo.com

phaditama asked:


I live outside US, and I’ve been wanting to go there for a couple of months, yknow, just for the experience and fun. If I can have a job there I think I can safe a lot of money. I’ve been searching through the online job search but can find none. Can someone help me? I’m good with computers and general IT. I’m not a programmer, but I can type, I can help setup windows networking, familiar with office applications, that kinda things.

Create a video blog…instantly.

Andrew Morris asked:


Graduates fresh out of college have a problem, and the problem is that they are fresh out of college. Other than some little work experience and theoretical knowledge, few graduates have the needed experience to become practical successes immediately they step into their first jobs. Entry-level positions are available which provide on the job training but the number of positions available is small and bears no reflection to the huge amount of graduates that institutions of learning churn out on an annual basis.

Most graduates are ignorant of this fact primarily because they are fresh out of school and do not realize the difficulty of getting employed and the rigors of the job market. The bulk of these graduates are still suffering from the aftermath of sorority and fraternity parties and they don’t really know getting jobs takes more than having educational qualifications. More importantly, it involves the personal readiness to work, showing employers you are ready and that you have the capacity to learn what you don’t know quickly. These bits of advice will help:

Aggression is Required

The majority of college graduates don’t act like they need a job; they wait on placement firms and prospects to send in their sparsely filled resumes. Most companies have a pile of such resumes sitting at the desk of a bored mid or low level employee with no interest in reading what you spent the last few years of your life doing in college, after all they are the ones doing you the favor by accepting your application in exchange for a job, job seekers are in no short supply.

A college graduate should be much more aggressive in searching for a job than someone who has years of experience and is switching employers. Such people have experience to trade and something to give to those that employ them and yet they seek out jobs actively, so why should college graduates with little or no experience have it easier? A college graduate has to be proactive and persistent and seek out the decision-makers in the establishment they wish to work in. Make calls, send e-mails and get directions. Sure, a number of rejections and slammed doors will come your way but sooner or later you will get the single positive answer that is all you need.

Do the Necessary Research

A prospective employee has to know more about the company they intend to work for in order to better structure their application and resume to meet the exact requirements and demands of such an organization. If you end up getting a job interview you’ll also end up doing better by virtue of this knowledge. Don’t think in terms of asking for a job alone, think in terms of asking for a job and telling prospective employers how you can offer your readiness to learn and work to match the precise needs of their organization.

Employing the Power of Networking

Established career seekers make use of networking in their arsenal of job seeking tools; recent college graduates looking for jobs can do the same as well. Better networking is possible by contacting people who are already established in the field you intend to find a career in. You can also network by finding other job seekers that are as serious as you are and who can share beneficial information with you which should help in career search goals.



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Michelle Dumas asked:


You’ve heard it before: at least 80% of all the jobs are found through the “hidden” job market, also known as the “unpublished” job market. These are jobs typically landed through word of mouth and referrals as opposed to the hit-or-miss method of answering ads, posting your resume to internet databases, or other techniques meant to target the remaining 20% of all jobs in the published market.

It stands to reason that if the vast majority of the jobs are to be found in this hidden market, that you should spend the majority of your job search time working to ***** it. But, as you may have reasoned already, accessing the hidden job market requires that you take charge of your search, reaching out and building strategic relationships, taking proactive initiative, and making yourself visible in the right circles.

That’s right. It requires that you use networking strategies. And, the thought of networking leaves many people feeling nervous and unsure. For an introverted or shy person, the idea of networking can even cause serious anxiety and fear.

What is networking exactly? If you believe, like many people, that networking is simply approaching everyone you know to ask for a job, it is no wonder you feel uncomfortable! That isn’t what networking is. True networking is about building strategic relationships that involve a win-win, reciprocal exchange of information, support, and/or referrals.

When defined in this way, networking ceases to be so scary. But, it also requires that you expand your view of networking. No longer is networking just something you do every now and then when you are conducting a job search; building and strengthening your network is something that you should be working at all the time. But, if you find yourself facing an immediate job search, and your networking skills are rusty, don’t fret. Here are some tips to get you moving.

1) When you first start out to build your network, it will be helpful for you to think of networking as a research project. Networking isn’t just about the quantity of contacts; it is about the quality. Don’t be afraid to reach out to decision-makers and people “in the know” within companies and industries of interest to you. These are quality contacts. Explain your career plans and ask them if they would spend 15 minutes talking to you and answering some questions. Most people will be flattered and say yes. When you do get in front of them, NEVER ask for a job, but DO ask for advice and referrals. These meetings are traditionally known as informational interviews.

2) As mentioned above, your networking efforts should emphasize building quality relationships. But, don’t discount the importance of quantity. As much as possible, you should also expand your network. Friends, relatives, people you went to college with, contacts you have made in your community, doctors, the salespeople you come into contact with…they are all part of your network. You won’t want to spend a large amount of time on this, but at least make a comprehensive list and call or send a letter reestablishing a connection, informing people of your search, and asking for advice or referrals. Again, notice that it isn’t about asking for a job. Just ask for advice and referrals.

3) Prepare, prepare, prepare for your networking meetingsespecially those that take the format of an informational interview. Prepare lists of questions about the company or the industry. Do your research so that you know something about the person you are meeting with and the company they work for (you might be amazed at what a simple Google search will turn up). For some people, role playing is helpful. If you are working with a career coach, this is something they may be able to help with. But a friend or close family member could also help you. There is no better antidote for nervousness than being prepared. 4) Getting out from behind your desk and making yourself visible is crucial. Join and then take part in events held by professional associations and other groups. Attend workshops and trainings in your field or industry. Attend job fairs to meet directly with hiring decision-makers. Volunteer your career-related skills in your community. If you are an expert at something, offer to speak on the topic to various groups. Job searching can be a time of anxiety and diminished self-confidence for many people, but don’t hide at home behind your computer. Get out and meet people.

5) Yes, I just told you not to hide behind your computer, but the internet will play a role in any comprehensive networking campaign. Creating and maintaining a blog on your area of career expertise is an extraordinary way to build your credibility and visibility. Social networking sites like LinkedIn, MySpace, and FaceBook are increasingly popular ways to expand your network. Consider writing articles on industry and profession-related topics and then offering them as free content to webmasters (make sure the article is credited to you and includes a way to contact you). You can also participate in online discussions on topics related to your career focus. Just remember that you shouldn’t “hide” behind a fake name like many people do. Your purpose is to expand your visibility and credibility, so you must use your real name.

6) Finally, show your appreciation and follow up on every single contact with a thank you note. True networking is based on cultivating and nurturing long-term relationships, so you should always be thinking of nice things you can do to show your appreciation, or ways that you could return a favor. Besides being common courtesy, your efforts in this regard will pay you back by further strengthening your relationships and helping to keep you visible.

Happy networking! Even if it feels a little uncomfortable at first, just get out there and do it. Make networking a part of your daily routine and plan to spend the majority of your job search time on networking activities (approximately three-fourths of your time is a good estimate). The more you network, the faster your current job search will come to a successful conclusion and the faster and more successful any future job searches will be.



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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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