Common Job Search Mistakes

Guest post by Susan Kennedy
Here are some very common mistakes we see people making. Make sure you are not one of them.
Lack of Focus. A specific career goal is the single most important component in a successful job search. People spend more time researching a laptop purchase than they do researching the job that’s right for them. When you went to college, you did your research. You knew where the college was, what it had to offer and you felt like you could fit in well. Identifying the right job for you works the same way: you need to be aware of what you do well, what you want to do and how this translates into the job that’s right for you.
Job Search without a Plan. What will you do today to land that great job? Will you attend a job fair? Will you call three people? What organizations have you targeted? Once you have a goal in mind, you should have a plan in place which will use all sources available to you to find the right job. Every day, you should wake up knowing how you will spend your job search time that day. Plan to spend 20 hours each week looking for that job. If you are already working, that number can drop to 10 hours each week.

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What you eat and how you treat your body affects how you feel at work.

How do you feel at work? Are you tired throughout the day?
Being tired and having low energy is common in the workplace. But, wouldn’t it be great if you could take a pill and feel better magically?
There is no mystery to feeling better at work. You take care of yourself first and then you can take care of the demands that have been placed on you. If you want it, you can start to feel better at work during the holiday season by doing the following:
1. Make Better Food Choices
When you are hungry, what do you reach for? Something quick? The problem is “quick” doesn’t always equal “nutritious.” Cookies, donuts, candy, and other tasty treats might feel good in the moment, (especially when they are all around you), but you will end up feeling worse later in the day. Make better food choices, one meal at a time. Small changes can have a big impact on how you feel.
2. Get Active
Do you move your body? Do you feel stiff sitting at your desk all day? Getting active doesn’t always mean having to go to the gym. You can take a walk at lunch. You can take the stairs instead of the elevator. You can stretch at your desk. You can hand deliver your inter office mail. As long as you are moving, you will feel better. Your body will thank you.
3. Relieve Your Stress Level
Stress is a killer of energy. When you are wound up, your body feels tighter. Your shoulders are up. Your body is stiff. Ten minutes is all you need to make a difference. Get up from your desk and walk around. Visit a co-worker. Take a break for lunch. Go outside and get some sun. Stress is a normal part of your workday, but it doesn’t have to get the best of you.
Article by Deborah Brown-Volkman, a top professional Certified Coach (PCC), sought-out career coach & expert, best-selling author, and the President of , Surpass Your Dreams, a successful career coaching, life coaching, and mentor coaching company that has been delivering a message of motivation, success, and personal fulfillment since 1998.

Hitting the Ground Running

Survey Shows Increasing Productivity Top Challenge For New Financial Managers
There is no performance grace period for the president-elect in his first 100 days, nor for new financial managers, who are expected to produce results immediately, a new survey suggests. Nearly one-third (30 percent) of chief financial officers (CFOs) interviewed cited increasing productivity as the top challenge faced in their first 100 days on the job. Boosting profitability was the second most common response, cited by one in five (20 percent) executives.
The survey was developed by Robert Half Management Resources and conducted by an independent research firm. It was based on telephone interviews with more than 1,400 CFOs across the United States.

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Picture Yourself With an Entry Level Job at Tiny Prints

I don’t recall having any friends in college who sent out their own holiday cards, but if you’re planning on sending out cards, you better get on it. Christmas is 31 days away. My family always tried to send out Christmas cards, but it usually resulted in a fight between my sister and me over which picture to use – if we could even get along long enough for a picture to be taken (yes, we were both in college at this point). With my sister’s and my being difficult and my mom’s procrastinating ability, Christmas cards almost inevitably became New Year’s cards, which typically arrived well after New Year’s. I’m not sure that Mountain View, CA based Tiny Prints could have helped with conflict resolution between my sister and me, but they can make it ridiculously easy to produce a beautiful holiday card. Continue reading about Tiny Prints…
Article by Willy Franzen of One Day, One Internship and One Day, One Job

Recruiter Earth Interview About the Past, Present, and Future of CollegeRecruiter.com

I was interviewed last week at the Kennedy Information 2008 annual conference in Orlando by Chris LaVoie of Recruiter Earth. He asked me to provide viewers with an overview of the origins of CollegeRecruiter.com, where we’re at today, and also where we’re headed. Interested? Watch the video:

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Get Your Game On With an Entry Level Job at Blizzard Entertainment

Some people seem to think that this financial crisis is a sign that the end of the world is coming. Well, I can assure you that it is not going to lead to the end of the World… of Warcraft. Why’s that? Because video game sales were up 18% from last October to this October. I guess when you can’t find a job, a new video game seems like a smart investment (you have a lot of time on your hands). I’d recommend that you invest in our job search training course instead, but that’s just my opinion. So, even if you’re frustrated by your job search, don’t give up on the World… of Warcraft. Not only can video games give you a way to blow off your steam while you’re getting pwned by your job search, they can also provide you ideas for new employers to look into. For instance, Irvine, CA based Blizzard Entertainment, the company behind World of Warcraft seems to be on a hiring binge. Maybe your 1337 gaming skills aren’t useless (and don’t tell me that you don’t need a job because you’re mining cybergold). Oh yeah, and if you’re playing Hello Kitty Island Adventure, you’re doing it wrong, n00b. Continue reading about Blizzard Entertainment…
Article by Willy Franzen of One Day, One Internship and One Day, One Job

Hip Hop Over to XXL Magazine for Your Next Internship

I used to be an avid reader of hip hop magazines and online hip hop message boards, but ever since free music for all days of Napster ended, I’ve lost interest in keeping up to date on music in general. I’d imagine that many of you have also had declining interest in music as you’ve been in college, although I have to say that the presence of hip hop on college campuses and in all of pop culture seems to continue to rise. Is hip hop bucking the general trend? I can’t answer that, but maybe the staff over at XXL Magazine can. Back when I was fiend for all of the latest hip hop news, they were one of my favorite sources, although not The Source, for news. I haven’t picked up an issue in well over half a decade, but judging from XXL’s website, they continue to cover “hip hop on a higher level.” Continue reading about XXL Magazine…
Article by Willy Franzen of One Day, One Internship and One Day, One Job

Internships With Food & Water Watch – You Are What You Eat and Drink

Do you look at the labels on all of the food that you buy? Not only the nutritional facts but also the ingredients? If you answered yes, then you’re probably a health conscious consumer, or maybe you have a specific food allergy. Well what about the stuff that’s in your food that isn’t on the ingredients label? No mater what kind of drugs they pump into the cow that your hamburger is coming from, it’s always just going to be labeled beef. How about that bottle of water that you’re drinking from right now? It’s just water, or is it? A salmon from Lake Ontario is still just salmon, even if it’s full of PCBs (at least you can’t buy those in the grocery store). There’s a lot of stuff in our food and water that we don’t know about, which is why Washington, DC based Food & Water Watch exists. They’re “a nonprofit consumer organization that works to ensure clean water and safe food.” Continue reading about Food & Water Watch…
Article by Willy Franzen of One Day, One Internship and One Day, One Job

Internships With Boston Children’s Museum Let You Be a Kid Again

I’m in the lucky position of having a girlfriend who has an 8 year old sister. That means that I have a built in excuse to continue to do “kid things,” even though I’m way too old to do them on my own without seeming creepy. Mini golf and bowling are certainly staples, although it’s not too weird for 20-somethings to do those (bowling with bumpers is another story), but one of my favorites is going to children’s museums. Not only do they provide a lot of fun, but they also always seem to teach me something. It’s amazing to see complex concepts explained with simple exhibits and toys. I also particularly enjoyed the “screaming booth” at one museum because I was able to max out the decibel meter. Now, the Boston Children’s Museum may or may not have a screaming booth, I don’t know, but they do have some exciting internships for college students. That means that you can have a built in excuse to continue to do “kid things” just like I do. Continue reading about Boston Children’s Museum…
Article by Willy Franzen of One Day, One Internship and One Day, One Job

The Best Holiday

Tomorrow is American Thanksgiving. My favorite holiday.
May you and your family have a wonderful and memorable Thanksgiving!!