Job Search Advice: The Hitchhikers Guide to Job Search

Unless commitment is made, there are only promises and hopes; but no plans.” – Peter F. Drucker

Books, movies, TV shows and a computer game, the “Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” has many forms.

Not to disappoint, but my guide is not so bold or interesting. Unless, of course, you are looking for a job and don’t have a clue (meant in only the nicest way).

Even for those who have looked for jobs in the recent past, job search can seem daunting at best and lifestyle threatening at worst. Overwhelming as it may seem, your approach will be most influenced by the driver (do you have a job and are looking to make a change or are you already unemployed).

First and foremost, you are not alone. But most importantly, a structured approach to your search will provide the best chance for finding your new job more quickly. Continue Reading

Can You Really Make a Career Doing Social Media?

Wanted: A marketing-savvy recent grad who is well versed in Facebook, Twitter, and Foursquare to manage the company’s social media presence.

Sounds like a dream position, doesn’t it? For some, the idea of earning a paycheck by “tweeting” sounds like a cake job. The reality is, social media marketing positions are very competitive and starting salaries are generally low. To succeed as a social media marketer, you must have the right combination of experience, education and persistence to outshine the competition.

Still interested? Here are just a few of the most popular social media jobs and what pay: Continue Reading

66% of Job Seekers Lose Interest Due to Poor On-line Reputations of Employers

Everyone understands the importance of a positive on-line reputation when looking for a job. Recruiters and human resource professionals frequently review publicly available information on social media sites like Facebook and Twitter when evaluating job applicants. However, hiring managers might be surprised to find out job seekers are checking out the on-line reputations of the employers even before applying or interviewing for a job and that a large majority of those job seekers report losing interest in a potential employment opportunity because of the employer’s poor on-line reputation. Continue Reading

Money Talks, but When Should You Talk About It?

It is safe to say that most, if not all, job seekers are concerned with how much a job pays. After all, they want to be fairly compensated for what they can bring to specific positions. While money is a motivating factor for people, you should be cautious in how you approach the topic. A couple of tips to remember about salary in your job search are: Continue Reading

Securing the Right Job or Career Transition in the New Economy – part III

“We are ready for any unforeseen event which may or may not happen.” – George W. Bush

Part III – A Method to Make your Job Search More Productive
Part III of a 4 part discussion on the job market

In your quest for the right job or new career, haven’t you asked yourself:

“Is there a way to break from the pack and secure opportunities from the 90% of unpublished job listings?”

For the answer, consider how job counselors and outplacement firms help displaced workers to shorten their unemployment cycle. These groups of former employees are provided tools to directly target companies, create and promote a persuasive resume package and target decision-makers and hiring managers, It all adds up to positive results! Continue Reading

Why I Chose a Career That Requires Me to Carry a Gun

General Petrus J.M. “Peter” van Uhm is a four-star general in the Royal Netherlands Army and the current Chief of the Netherlands Defense Staff. He has had an outstanding career over four decades in the Dutch military. At TEDxAmsterdam he explained how he came to choose a career that required him to carry a gun yet not forsake his love of peace.

Pros and Cons of Being an Independent Contractor

A poor economy has pushed some unemployed or underemployed Americans towards self-employment. For some, the opportunity to be their own boss may prove serendipitous, while others may find that the costs of not being an employee are unexpectedly high.

“The number of independent contractors has risen in sectors that people normally don’t associate that closely with the self-employed,” said Michelle Walker, the writer of the article, and an independent contractor herself. “Some of that increase is probably a natural result of the internet, and the growing convenience of doing business in other places besides an office. But some of it is also probably attributable to dynamics of the economy. People who are defined as ‘unemployable’ by the establishment may discover that finding their own work, through various projects, is a viable option.” But should this solution be a long-term one? CreditQ suggests that, while there are some financial advantages to being “a 1099” (particularly for those who can’t find work elsewhere), there are also drawbacks that not everyone is aware of. Continue Reading

Job Satisfaction: What Workers Want

Have you ever thought about what you want out of a job?

Professionals interviewed by OfficeTeam identified work/life balance (28 percent) and opportunities to learn and grow (27 percent) as the top contributors to their job satisfaction. The results are in line with those from a similar survey in which managers were asked about the factors most tied to employee morale.

Workers were asked, “Aside from salary, which one of the following aspects of your job is most tied to your satisfaction?” Their responses: Continue Reading

Want to Invest in the Real Job Creators? Invest in Women.

Women aren’t micro–so why do they only get micro-loans? At TEDxWomen reporter Gayle Tzemach Lemmon argues that women running all types of firms– from home businesses to major factories– are the overlooked key to economic development.

Continue Reading

Unemployment Penalty Applied to Student Loans by Sallie Mae

Student loan giant Sallie Mae defended itself from a popular campaign on Change.org demanding the company stop charging jobless borrowers a $50 fee on their student loans, drawing a sharp response from the campaign’s creator Stef Gray. More than 60,000 people have joined the campaign since its launch.

In Sallie Mae’s response to Gray’s petition, spokesperson Patricia Christel described the fee as “a good faith deposit that acknowledges the importance of and commitment to resuming payments in the future.” Continue Reading