Past Issue

Places to seek help while job hunting Abridged: SmartMoney.com

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The competition for job openings grows increasingly heated. As a result, more people are turning to career coaches, government-funded centers and not-for-profit organizations for job training services. Here are some resources aimed at helping the unemployed get back on their feet.

• Career coaches help clients write resumes, put together work portfolios and practice interviewing and networking skills.
• Career websites are helpful resources. Beyond just job postings, these sites offer networking tips, as well as information on which industries are hiring and salary trends.
• Free Government-Backed Assistance: With a little patience, you can receive job search assistance for free. Each state receives funding from the federal government for career centers. To find a one-stop career center, visit www.servicelocator.org.
• Trade Adjustment Assistance program: Workers who lose jobs to outsourcing or because of cheap imports, may qualify for the Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) program. The program trains workers to rejoin the workforce and offers a job search allowance if employment is only available outside their commuting area.
• Nonprofits: There are some nonprofits that help the unemployed re-enter the workforce. Also, many community colleges and churches offer job workshops, which help people with resumes and networking skills.

Career sites & job boards your resume should be on Staff Writer, The Career News

LOS ANGELES, CA -- While the job market is very competitive right now, there are still millions of jobs being offered by hiring managers who search all of the top career sites and niche job boards. Sure it may take some time, but posting your resume on these websites will give you better exposure than your competition!

If you want the benefit of maximum exposure, but don't want to spend 60 hours researching and filling out website forms, consider letting a service like Resume Rabbit do the work for you. With this service, you fill out one easy form and in about 15 minutes you'll be posted on up to 80 career websites like CareerBuilder, Job.com, Net-Temps, Dice and more. A comprehensive list of all the sites they post to is on their home page.

If confidentiality is a concern, use Resume Rabbit's new confidentiality feature. Your resume can be seen, however, no one will see your name, street address, phone number or even your current company name. Whether you do it by hand or use a service like Resume Rabbit, creating accounts on all the best career websites will give you access to millions of jobs and exposure to 1.5 million employers and recruiters daily. Try Resume Rabbit now.

In a job interview, put your interviewer at ease Abridged: USNews.com

NEW YORK, NY -- You are worried about the job interview. You have gone through a rehearsal with a savvy friend, reviewed your answers to the most likely questions, and picked out the right clothing. You have done all of these things, in part, to put yourself at ease. You know that the less you have to worry about, the better your performance will be. There is, however, at least one other person you should seek to relax: the interviewer.

You may think, "Why should I worry about that? The interviewer has the power, and I don't." That is precisely why you should strive to make that powerful person feel comfortable, even happy, in your presence. A great many interviewers hate interviewing. They know they're not good at it, and they are dealing with strangers and asking questions to fill a job with which they are unfamiliar.

So what should you do? Be friendly. Pay attention to eye contact. Listen carefully to what is said and, if a question is unclear, seek clarification. If some glitch arises, laugh it off. Be wary of challenging a question unless it is patently offensive. Stress your ability to work with others. Let your body language signal that you are both professional and amiable. Don't ask any questions that might put the interviewer on the defensive.

Interview answers could land you the job...or lose it! Abridged: JobJournal.com

SACRAMENTO, CA -- One of the highest-stakes questions you can be asked during a job interview is, "Tell us about yourself." It usually happens at the beginning of the interview and it provides an opportunity for you to bomb or soar right from the start. The winning response is a combination of an intelligent answer, personal poise and preparation. Here's some advice that will help you make a good impression.

Remember that practice and research before you meet a potential employer will improve your odds of landing a job. Brainstorm a mix of personal and professional information about yourself such as hobbies, professional accomplishments, professional goals, and interesting facts about your experiences. Keep it brief, because you want a response that just takes a few minutes. Based on your response, you have the power to make yourself look like Mr./Ms. Incredible, or Mr./Ms. Idiot.

Put yourself in the manager's shoes. Anticipate the tough questions. No matter how prepared you are, one or two questions may surprise you. How you answer those questions is as important as what you say. Take your time and try to keep your answers concise and to the point. Illustrate your value to the company. Demonstrate your ability to hit the ground running. Be yourself. By presenting an accurate picture of your skills and work style, both you and the potential employer can make the best job match.

Interview secrets that you get hired faster Staff Writer, The Career News

LOS ANGELES, CA -- Did you know that when the job market was booming it took an average of 3 interviews to get 1 job offer? Now it takes 17! When you finally land the job interview of your dreams will you have what it takes to land the job offer? You must stand out during the job interview or you might as well be playing the lottery.

Most job seekers spend hours creating their resumes and cover letters, searching through job postings, reviewing classified ads and networking--all in order to land the job interview. Yet 99% of them don't have a clue what to do when they get one.

There's a little known "secret career document" you can quickly and easily customize for your next important job interview that literally forces the interviewer to picture you filling the position. This powerful technique was created by one of California's top marketing professionals. His method guarantees you'll automatically stand out from the crowd and shoot straight to the top of the "must hire" list for any position you seek. For more information you can visit: The Job Interview Secret.

Tips to getting your foot in the door Abridged: ABC News

LOS ANGELES, CA -- With unemployment at a five-year high and the average job search lasting six months, it's easy to lose momentum. Here are some tried-and-true tactics to help keep your spirits and motivation up even when looking for work has got you down.

• Break your job search down to manageable daily goals, such as making five cold calls, meeting with a former colleague, combing through online postings, and following up on previous applications.
• Submit a customized resume. Check for typos and spelling mistakes. Always include two to three sentences at the top of your resume that explain instantly to the reader what you offer and what you seek.
• Don't rely exclusively on the Internet. The Internet is a great source for finding leads -- and everyone knows they have to apply online, but they usually make the mistake of stopping there.
• Pick up the phone. Once you apply, take additional steps to minimize the chances of your resume disappearing into the big black hole. Invest time in finding an internal referral who'll help get your resume in the right hands.
• Maximize social networks. There are thousands of online groups for you to join where you can connect with people in your industry.

Take Action - Search all jobs from one place Staff Writer, The Career News

LOS ANGELES, CA -- With a new service called MyJobHunter, you'll be searching all top career sites at once & applying to all matching jobs with one click. Just enter your search criteria, review the matching jobs and select the ones you want. Then, click a single button and you'll instantly apply to all selected jobs with your resume and cover letter - without having to log into each job site separately.

Click another button to automate the whole process! MyJobHunter remembers your search criteria, and automatically applies to new jobs matching your criteria -- every day. Review jobs in advance or put searching & applying on auto-pilot. The choice is yours.

You'll also get an application history report that makes follow-up a breeze! It shows the jobs you were applied to, full job descriptions, employer contact info, and application dates. You can even add personal notes to each job! This service is proven to reduce hours of job searching and resume submitting to just minutes. Simply upload your resume, enter your job search criteria and let MyJobHunter take it from there. For more information, follow this link.

Business Cards: The job hunter's calling card Sue Campbell, 1st-Writer.com

KEYSTONE HEIGHTS, FL -- The job hunting business card highlights the skills and qualifications you possess for the types of jobs and industries you're targeting. It provides personal contact information, and omits current employer information. It's easy to carry, easy to use, and very discreet. It's a great option when a particular situation would make the offer of a resume inappropriate or inconvenient for the recipient.

If you have a resume Web page, your job hunting business card should include the URL to that, too. This provides easy access to your resume document by your recipient. Providing the URL to a PDF file provides the additional benefit of printing capabilities. If you are actively networking, a job hunting business card can be provided to anyone who has the potential to help you in your job search.

A job hunting business card provides all the information your network needs to initiate interest and open the door for future contact. Obviously, this means that each person on your network list should receive several of your job hunting business cards and be encouraged to pass them out to potential employers or other contacts who can assist you in your search.

Complimentary business cards for your job search Staff Writer, The Career News

BOSTON, MA -- Up to 80% of job seekers today find their jobs through networking. That's because it works. Some great places to network are Alumni Events, Job Fairs and Professional Industry Association functions. No matter where you go though, employed or not, you must always carry a fresh supply of business cards to hand out when the time is right.

There's nothing worse than making a great contact, searching for a pen and writing your number on a napkin - that they're sure to lose. Personal business cards project an image of professionalism and leave a lasting impression.

Complimentary for The Career News Subscribers: Get 250-free-premium quality, full color business cards, an $85 value (there is however a very small shipping and handling fee). Using pre-designed online templates, you can create professional, attractive business cards in seconds. Instantly preview the cards online before submitting your order. To get your complimentary business cards, follow this link.