“Job search made easy with a new book” plus 2 more

Job search made easy with a new book
How are employment options changing for job seekers in today's shifting economy?
10 Job-Hunting Tips From People Who Found Jobs

Posted: 23 Jun 2010 01:05 PM PDT

LONGMEADOW, Mass. (WWLP) - If you're looking for a job, we have a suggestion for you. Local psychologist and author Dr. Bill Knaus has written a book entitled "Fearless Job Hunting."

The focus is to help job seekers optimize their communication skills, qualifications and develop a strong resume.

"We take what are the most common problems that people have that cause them to slow their search and show them how to get past what we call consistent errors," said Dr. Bill Knaus.

Dr. Knaus says job seekers need to overcome negative thinking and should learn to network in an effort to expand opportunities.

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How are employment options changing for job seekers in today's shifting economy?

Posted: 23 Jun 2010 10:49 AM PDT

A job search is a lot like real estate. In a seller's market, you can show your house with your kids' dirty socks on the floor and still get a great offer. In a buyer's market, you'd better stage it well, play music and have cookies in the oven.

In spite of a doom-and-gloom economy and a shockingly high unemployment rate, recruiting has lately been getting tougher. Candidates have more choices.

They are getting counter offers. They are choosier, because they can be.

That means for job seekers, it's your lucky day. The prospective employee gets to call the shots, more or less. Your talent is in demand, but you should be sure to pick the right company. Here are five things that job seekers should think about as they search for the right company:

Examine the company's hiring process. Is it streamlined? Is everyone on the same page? Are they organized? Did they act like you should be grateful to talk to them, or like the valuable talent you actually are?

Don't buy a ticket for the Titanic: How is the company doing financially? Is it solvent? Is it willing to pay you what you're realistically worth?

Select a company you like. Is the company a culture fit? If not, what are you doing? Look at other companies. Life is short, the workday is long and you have options. Check the vacillation index. How fast did they make a decision? Did you have to wait for an eternity while they shopped for other candidates or twiddled their thumbs?

Negotiate, negotiate, negotiate. Changing jobs is always the best time to navigate the turbulent waters of salary. Know what a job is worth, and then ask for it.

What have you got to lose? It's a buyer's market right now. Your dream job is waiting

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10 Job-Hunting Tips From People Who Found Jobs

Posted: 23 Jun 2010 10:27 AM PDT

Career coaches can drone on about resumes, networking and interviewing techniques. But how do real people get real jobs in a tight job market?

We interviewed a half dozen job seekers who landed positions in the last few months, and they told us some surprising things. Most received offers within three weeks of reaching out to a new company. Others found their jobs on Craigslist or TweetMyJobs, which career coaches rarely mention. Job seekers called, blogged and tweeted their way into new roles, proving that in this job market, tenacity and creativity go a long way.

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In Pictures: 10 Job-Hunting Tips From People Who Found Jobs

One thing we heard is that you need to actively reach out to companies you admire. Amanda, an admissions officer and teacher in New York City, was gainfully employed when she started sending out feelers earlier this year. She had asked for a raise and gotten less than she requested, so she was ready for a change.

As an admissions officer, she works with many schools. At one school, Amanda thought the person who had the equivalent of her job might retire. So she sent a letter and attached a copy of her résumé. She wrote about how much she valued the programs and the students the school produced. The school invited her in for an interview, and she got an offer three weeks later.

"This might seem obvious, but if you feel an affinity toward an organization or company, reach out to them," says Amanda. "Tell them what specifically interests you."

Another nugget of advice: Focus on quality, not quantity. After Kym Lino graduated from college in May she blasted her résumé across the Internet. "I would sit on my couch for eight hours at a time and apply for every job that I qualified for, on every job site, and I didn't get any feedback," says Lino, 24. She used Careerbuilder, Monster.com, her alma mater's job search website and regional career blogs like DCjobs.blogspot.com.

Eventually Lino saw a temp-to-hire PR position on Craigslist, and submitted exactly what the employer requested: a cover letter, résumé and three writing samples. Six days later she heard back from the company, and within three weeks she landed an offer. "I wish I had focused less on volume and more on specific jobs that interested me," she says now. "I got to the point where I sent out 100 résumé a day and just assumed that one of them had to come through. Then the one I paid a little more attention to actually worked out."

Lino also suggests writing a blog to show off your expertise. When she applied to a public relations agency that maintains its own blog, one of her interviewers asked if she kept a blog and updated it at least several times a week. Lino produces three different blogs, and she says her side activity helped her to land an offer. "My blogs showed that I know how to self-edit," she says. "I know the technology."

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Wednesday, June 23, 2010