How To Conduct A Job Search

Here are three tips to get started with your job search  found at: http://www.careerealism.com/job-search-conduct/

1. Talk To Your Network

With as many as 75% of jobs found through personal relationships, networking is a big part of the job search. If you did a good job networking in college and beyond, then you should already have a fair number of contacts. Reach out to friends, family, family friends, professors, former supervisors from internships, jobs, and extracurriculars, and anyone else who may be of help to your search. Let them know exactly what you’re looking for — saying, “Hey, I need a job, any job, any job will do!” is not going to get you very far. Ask if they know of any jobs that match what you’re looking for or if they know anyone who might.

Be patient as you network and be sure to follow up with that status of your job search. If, for example, you are still job hunting and haven’t reached out to someone in a couple of months, ping them. Let them know that you’re still looking and ask if anything has opened up. People inherently like to help others, so as long as you are polite and express gratitude your request should not be viewed as burdensome.

2. Visit Online Job Boards

Employers post hundreds of thousands of jobs online, and new ones are added every day. Bearing in mind the massive number of job postings, it’s important to know how to search.

Most jobs boards will start by asking you to enter “Keywords” (i.e. job title, skills, company name) and “Location.” After entering this information you can filter your results by the age of the jobs, which is helpful if you’ve looked recently or if you want to weed out the old jobs. You can also filter your job search results based on how far the jobs are from your location.

Tip: When you search for jobs, sign up for job alerts so you get new jobs matching your search criteria emailed to you daily or weekly.

3. Go To Job Fairs

Job fairs – sometimes called career fairs – are an excellent place to learn about jobs that are open now and to network with hiring personnel from numerous companies. If you are a great conversationalist who really shines in-person, then frequenting job fairs is a must.

Job fairs vary greatly in size, with the the majority being free to job seekers. Aside from attending ones sponsored by your university, it’s smart to look for job fairs that are more specific to your industry.

Be certain to present yourself at a job fair just as you would at an in-person interview - be polite, prepared, and professional. If there is a list of attending companies available, do some research beforehand to learn about the ones you’re most interested in. You’ll impress the hiring manager with your background knowledge and will have more to talk about with them. Hiring managers typically accept resumes during the event, so bring several copies. Oh, and bypass the jeans and tennis shoes for now.

In the end, the best job search is one that combines multiple strategies, so divide your time and conquer the job market.

Young And Unemployed? 3 Reasons Why You’re Not Getting Hired

Post that is insightful taken from:

 http://www.careerealism.com/unemployed-not-getting-hired/

About Belen Chacon

Belen is a journalism graduate student at California State University, Northridge. She spends her time interning wherever she can and tweeting her heart out. You can follow her @journobelen.

If you’re a college graduate and you’re unemployed, you might have an idea of what I’m about to talk about. You’ve spent four years of your life hitting the books, getting good grades, participating in relevant extra-curricular activities, and maybe even juggling a part-time job in between. You’ve worked really hard for your degree and you’ve been told time and time again that a degree is essential to finding employment in today’s competitive job market. So, why are you not getting hired?
First of all, you’re not alone. According to this survey by the U.S. Department of Labor, men and women from ages 20-24 are about 70.9% of the total population, but only 13.3% are part of the labor force. Though the unemployment rate has slowly declined for Bachelor degree owners, it’s still lagging. For that reason, the competition is fiercer than ever. This means you really have to re-evaluate your job search strategy.

3 Reasons Why You’re Not Getting Hired

Here are some reasons why you might not be part of the employed percentage just yet:

1. Your Resume Isn’t Job Specific

While it’s good to have a strong resume with all of your professional skill sets, your resume can become generic when all you do is send the same resume to every open position you find. Take the time to rewrite your resume on multiple occasions and use specific keywords that are in the job description.
According to an article on the Job Center of Wisconsin website, gathering information specific to the job you are applying for and matching it with your experience on your resume is what makes a good resume. You have to “Think like an employer,” the article states, “do not give unrelated or negative information.”

2. You’re Not Applying To Jobs That Are Specific To Your Skills

You have every reason to apply to every job in sight. Our economy, though steadily improving, is still lagging in jobs for recent graduates. Still, it doesn’t do you any favors when you apply to every single job you see and send the same resume to each one.
Apply to the jobs you want and are qualified for. After all, it’s what you studied for. Try to make a list of potential places you’d like to work for and target those companies any way you can. Use social media sites to find people you can network with, and keep an eye out for any open positions. You have a better chance at getting hired at a job where your skills are relevant than at a job you’re 100% unqualified for.

3. You Don’t Take Your Social Media Profiles Seriously

According to an article on the Undercover Recruiter, a survey of 300 professionals by Reppler found that “hirers are using social networks to screen job applicants.” This means you should clean up your Facebook and Twitter profiles to present a more positive, but more importantly, a professional image of yourself.
It might be in your best interest not to post that picture of you doing a keg stand as your default, or Tweet about how you hate looking for jobs because you’d rather be partying with your friends.
Photo Credit: Shutterstock

About Belen Chacon

Belen is a journalism graduate student at California State University, Northridge. She spends her time interning wherever she can and tweeting her heart out. You can follow her @journobelen.

How To Job Search While You’re Still Employed

Good pratical advice found at:

http://www.careerealism.com/job-search-employed/

by:

About Belen Chacon

Belen is a journalism graduate student at California State University, Northridge. She spends her time interning wherever she can and tweeting her heart out. You can follow her @journobelen.

Looking for another job could be difficult, especially when you’re already employed. You have to make extra time to look for work – a task that’s hard to pull off after an eight hour shift. You also have to proceed with caution because while you’re looking to change your career, you simultaneously run the risk of losing your current job. So, how can you job search while you’re still employed?

Use Discretion

If you’re looking for a different job, you shouldn’t tell your co-workers, even if you’re close with them. In an interview with Forbes, corporate veteran Andy Teach, states that if your boss finds out you are looking for another job, they might take the news negatively and think that you are not satisfied in your current position. The worst case scenario is that they might start looking for a replacement, and you definitely don’t want that to happen, especially if you haven’t secured other employment.

Don’t Get Distracted

Looking for another job is like another job in itself. According to an article published on career-advice website, The Ladders, you have to create daily, weekly, and monthly notes of your job search activities. “Note opportunities, contacts and organizations you need to follow up with and schedule when you should do it,” states the article.
Taking your job search seriously does require a lot of your time. However, focusing on your job search too much when you’re already employed, could distract you from your current professional tasks. Remember, you don’t have a new job yet and just because you’re looking to change jobs doesn’t mean you should neglect your current position.

Use Your Free Time

Whether it’s thirty minutes, an hour, or less than that, using any free time you have to look for another job is a wise thing to do. In an article by career blogger and author, Alison Green, it is not a good idea to use your employer’s time to look for employment. “You may think no one will find out, but some companies do look at employees’ web histories, and having yours full of job listings isn’t a good idea,” states the article.
Prioritize your free time for your job search outside of work or even during your lunch break. If you have any vacation time saved up, you could always take some of that time off for your job search as well. Any time is better than no time.
So, if you’re looking for work when you’re already employed, remembering to keep your job search quiet, avoid distractions, and make good use of your free time are good ways to successfully and ethically find employment.
Photo Credit: Shutterstock

About Belen Chacon

Belen is a journalism graduate student at California State University, Northridge. She spends her time interning wherever she can and tweeting her heart out. You can follow her @journobelen.

Changing Careers After 50: Tips from an Expert

Excellent post found at:

 http://work.lifegoesstrong.com/article/career-change-after-50-tips-expert

Nicholas Lore, author of The Pathfinder, shares six tips from his new book.

By: Leslie Ayres, The Job Search Guru

January 23, 2012

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According to career change expert Nicholas Lore, one secret to changing jobs over 50 is to get very specific about what you want before you start looking for a job.

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According to career change expert Nicholas Lore, one secret to changing careers at 50 or older is to get very specific about what you want before you start looking for a job.
Nicholas Lore is a pioneer in the world of career coaching.
For one thing, he actually coined the term "career coaching" back in the early 1980s.
Before then, coaches were for athletes. In the years since, he and the career coaches at his company, Rockport Institute  have helped more than 15,000 people find the right career path for them.
In 1998, the first edition of his book The Pathfinder: How to Choose or Change Your Career for a Lifetime of Satisfaction and Success, put his new methodology into print and became a bestseller, recommended by Presidents and Ivy League schools. This week, the long-awaited updated and revised edition came out, with new chapters and updates.
I had the chance to talk with Nick Lore about the new book and his advice on choosing and changing careers, which is a special passion of mine as well.
He's a delightful example of what is possible when you consciously create the career change you want.
He made a major career change himself thirty years ago, when he was running an alternative energy company but realized it wasn't actually satisfying for him. Seeking out traditional career planning resources to find a new direction, he found the methods were too limiting.
Wanting a more holistic and personal look at what he wanted to be doing—and with the support of a remarkable friend and mentor, future-thinker Buckminster Fuller—Lore created a new methodology for people to see the elements and pieces of what it makes to make "a spectacular career choice."
I asked him what advice he had for people making career changes mid-life or later.
He answered, "What I tell them is that you can do it. Even though there will be voices discouraging you—some of which might be your own—voices telling you to stick with that job you hate because it pays well or whatever… you can do it. Thousands of people have changed their careers entirely, and you can do it, too."
Career changing at any stage of life can have a happy ending. Success stories for the Rockport Institute include an attorney who now runs a music school, and an economist who became a consumer product designer.
Nick was emphatic about the need for knowing what you're looking for if you want to succeed.
"The trick is that you have to be absolutely sure of your new career direction, because equilibrium and homeostasis is powerful. If you're at all vague about what you want, your mind will talk you out of it."
He shared some great tips from the new book for people over 50 who want to find a job they love:

1. Make it a project.
Design your career before you start job hunting, so you know exactly what you're seeking.

2. Become a career detective.
"Put on your Sherlock Holmes hat and look for clues about the best fit for you and the workplace," he told me. Look for what you do happily, naturally, perhaps even brilliantly, and notice your innate talents and a lifetime of experiences.

3. Focus on your strengths.
In an ever-more-competitive world, many jobs require the experience and wisdom to get the job done well now. When companies want the best experience, you have the advantage over younger workers.

4. Research jobs that seem to fit.
Read, search online, and talk with several people who do exactly the job you are considering. Whittle it down to one or two specific job descriptions. Specificity has power.

5. Conduct a smart job search.
Don't rely on online submissions. People prefer to hire people they know, so find creative ways to meet and speak with several decision-makers who could actually hire you to do the job you want. Then when a job does come available, you are known and have an advantage over anonymous resumes.

6. Persist.
An effective career change after 50 and job search takes time, and you'll be rejected several—probably-many—times in the process. View "no" as part of the game taking you closer to "yes."

"My goal is that people love their lives. We help then to see the elements and pieces of what it takes to make a spectacular career choice. If you want a midlife career change, I'll tell you that you can do it," Lore said.
I like how he thinks. You can see why "coach" is the right word for what he does, can't you?
More job resources for people over 50:

• Bad Beliefs Might Be Keeping You Unemployed 
• Older Jobseeker? Whatever You Do, Don't Say This 
• Over 50? Employers Are Looking for You 
• It's Never Too Late to Follow Your Dreams

How To Use Google Alerts In Your Job Search

Excellent step by step instruction on how to use GOOGLE / ALERTS to support you job search found at:

http://www.careerealism.com/job-search-google-alerts/

When it comes to your job search, Google Alerts can be a useful ally. What are Google Alerts? They are notifications you get from Google after you have instructed it to monitor the Internet for new information about a topic of interest. Using the watchful eye of the world’s largest search engine is much more efficient than conducting your own daily manual searches.
For a job seeker, Google Alerts’ powers are three-fold. You can use it to monitor your online reputation, get notified of new positions that become open, and stay abreast of news from your target companies.
It’s vital to stay on top of things in your search, and Google Alerts can make you look pretty sharp to a prospective employer. This post will show you the basics of how to set alerts up and demonstrate how to use the information to your advantage.
First, to set up your alerts, go to http://www.google.com/alerts
Enter the person, company, or job title you want to keep tabs on as the search query. Here are a few basic tips for getting the best results:
Quotations (“) around words will help you to receive information that is more relevant. If you want multiple words as a search phrase, place quotes around the group. For example, to monitor my name, I entered “Kristin Johnson.”  That way, I don’t get notified every time a “Kristin” or “Johnson” appears on the Internet.
To eliminate certain results in your search, use the minus sign. For example, searching for “hospital jobs” might also bring up animal hospitals or veterinary clinics. You may want to use “hospital jobs” –veterinary –animal.
To limit your search only to certain sites, put the word you are searching for, followed by the website, like this: “program management” site:indeed.com. This will only produce results for Indeed.
ŸTo eliminate certain websites from the results, use the minus sign, followed by the website, like this: “Kristin Johnson” -site:twitter. This will remove Twitter results.
ŸIf you aren’t sure which word you want to put into a search, try using an asterisk with a space on each side by the word(s) you do want, like here: “Chief * Officer” jobs Milwaukee. This will bring up all CEO, CIO, CMO possibilities in Milwaukee.
ŸTo have more than one possibility, use “OR” in capital letters. “Chief Nursing Officer” jobs (Phoenix OR Tucson) will bring up CNO jobs in both cities. The parentheses around the cities helps Google to understand what two words the OR should be applied to.
ŸSearch for similar words using the tilde. “~green jobs” might also bring up environmental positions.
With -, ~, and site:, don’t have a space between the symbol and the letter, or the search will not work.
Combine multiple methods of refinement to strengthen your search. “Kristin Johnson” –Kristen –Johnsen (Madison OR Wisconsin) might be my next alert.
After you decide on your query, you’ll need to determine what sorts of information should be searched (Everything, News, Blogs, Video, Discussions, Book), how often you want to receive alerts, how broad you want the results to be (Everything, Only the Best Results), and where you want alerts sent.
The tips above contained examples of how to keep watch over your personal brand, by setting up alerts for your name, but you might also want to set them up for your company name, associates, or additional brand identifiers.
With the positions you set up alerts for, try different combinations of words and letters, especially with acronyms. For example, search for “IBM” OR “I B M” “CEO” OR “C E O” OR “Chief Executive Officer.” Don’t be afraid to mix things up a bit.
Want to make a good impression at an interview? Set up alerts like these for your target companies:

• “Company Name” “quarterly financial”
• “Company Name” competition
• “Company Name” CEO
• “Company Name” “marketing campaign”
• “Company Name” (merger OR acquisition)

Knowledge gleaned from this information can give you a lot to run with in an interview. Thoroughly research all the facts surrounding the situation. Then, when you are in your meeting, you can mention something like, “I just read an interesting article about XYZ topic and am aware that your company is considering a move in that direction. I’m curious if you can tell me a bit about that idea.”
You may even be able to develop a project or proposal to present in the interview, demonstrating how you might tackle a relevant problem. You might write a story of an achievement you had relating to the issue. And, you can come up with a series of questions to help close the meeting.
The beauty of learning how to use this technology is that it’s so convenient. Once you set alerts up, they come to you automatically in your inbox or RSS reader. You just set it and forget it- unless you want to make changes to your alerts. You can always go back and refine them, or set up additional searches.
Photo Credit: Shutterstock

About Kristin Johnson

Kristin is a five-time certified career writer, job search coach, and social media consultant with an approach that is cutting-edge, creative and kind.

7 Habits of Highly Effective Job Seekers

Helpful post with practicals for effective job searches found at:

http://blog.jackalopejobs.com/2012/09/7-habits-of-highly-effective-job-seekers/

Posted by Sudy Bharadwaj on Sep 13, 2012 in Blog, Job Search | 121 comments

Finding a new job in today’s job market is a tough battle to fight. The bleak unemployment rate has left many job seekers feeling as if they’re in a rut. Companies in several industries are hiring, yet hiring managers often blame open positions within organizations on a lack of qualified applicants.
If you’re like many job seekers, it’s likely that during the lengthy process of looking for and finding a new job you didn’t receive a call back or an email regarding a position that you thought you’d be perfect for given your experience, skills, strengths, and career objectives.

Success is Habit Forming
Job seekers with the right experience who use the right tools and practices place themselves steps ahead of the competition. There are numerous ways to go about finding a new job, but yielding results is a different story. To be effective during the job search, job seekers should incorporate these seven habits into the routine.

1. They Set SMART Objectives
During the job search, success comes in the form of finding a new job or securing interviews consistently at the very least. Highly effective job seekers set job search objectives that are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-specific. They know exactly what they’re looking for and set deadlines for doing what it takes to find a new job.

2. They’re Active on Social Networks
Those who are devoted to finding a new job are likely familiar with the idea of the personal brand and more often than not, the candidate who gets the job is one who has a defined personal brand, searchable online presence, and great online reputation within the industry they have experience in. Consistent sharing of relevant content is a necessary undertaking that effective job seekers get right!

3. They Attend Industry Networking Events
There are networking events, mixers, and more that take place for industry professionals and those looking to find a new job that are held constantly in most cities. Not only do effective job seekers attend these events and use them to meet others in their career field, but they’re also vocal about the fact that they’re looking for employment and know that networking is a promising method of finding job leads.

4. They Stick to a Schedule
Whether unemployed or underemployed, highly effective job seekers know that organization can make finding a new job much less frantic. Regardless of whether they have a daily schedule that’s set in stone, they plan daily activities and devote as much time as is necessary to working down the list before crossing days off of the calendar.

5. They Follow Up on All Leads
It’s one thing to identify employment opportunities, and another to turn them into career prospects for yourself. When looking for a new job, the most effective job seekers follow each lead until the end and keeps lines of communication open, ensuring to send thank you notes, reply in a timely fashion, and make follow-up calls when necessary and appropriate.

6. They’re Persistent
In addition to following through, effective job seekers know that giving half of your effort half of the time won’t do you any good if you’re seriously looking for a new job. Instead, they’re patient and take their time when communicating with employers and don’t give up when delays occur. To be effective, you must know how long to wait for a now before throwing in the towel on an opportunity and know how to keep the momentum going in your job search.    

7. They’re Open to the Possibilities
The final, very important habit that effective job seekers have is they don’t discount opportunities. They’re flexible and willing to try new and different things, work in industries they had not previously considered, and are open-minded when it comes finding a new job.
The job market may be tough, but making these habits and practices a part of your job search tactics may be exactly what’s needed to level the playing field.

What can you do to be a more effective job seeker? Which of these habits have you tried and do you agree with? Why?