20 Tips for Building Your Personal Brand on Twitter

Since I started using Twitter last year, I've learned a few things (ok, a lot of things). I am grateful for the positive example set by so many professionals I've met through Twitter.

Whether you are promoting your business or your credentials as a job seeker, here are 20 Tips for Building Your Brand on Twitter:

1. Don't Sell A Thing

This one is important. Using Twitter is about paying it forward not paying it backward to yourself. Don't get me wrong. I applaud every business owner out there that offers products and services of value, and makes a living doing so. You deserve to make money. You need to make money to support your family, create jobs, and contribute to your community.

Just don't use Twitter to insert a sales pitch every 8th tweet. Your intentions become quite transparent. Instead, use Twitter with the simple mindset of offering content of value, promoting (and connecting) other people, and showing gratitude.

In networking situations offline, the most appreciated and effective participants are those that serve as matchmakers at an event (even if they just met each person!). Use the same approach on Twitter.

A consistent approach of paying it forward will do more for your business than you can imagine.

2. Be Your Own Voice

Social media is about creating a personal connection with your colleagues, customers, and fans. People want the authentic you, not a hired intern to tweet for you. If you (or your CEO) do not have time to tweet, that’s fine. Just don’t pretend it’s you.

President Obama dropped a social media bombshell recently in China when he indicated he has never used Twitter (in spite of the fact that tweets from @barackobama were a key component of a very successful social media campaign leading up to the election). I think it’s ok to give the President a waiver on this one. For the rest of us, it's important to be your own voice on Twitter.

3. Use a Real Picture

Just like on LinkedIn, it’s hard to make a personal connection with a logo or someone's pet:
???

Profiles done right:







4. Don’t Be a Social Media Expert

Mashable recently reported that over 15,000 profiles are marked as social media experts. Based on current growth, there will be 30 million social media experts on Twitter by this time 2012. In other words, everyone is an expert at social media. There are indeed social media experts out there and their credentials are reinforced by their books, blogs, and businesses. Unless social media is your business, my recomendation is profile your niche (e.g. project management, career development) and demonstrate social media proficiency.

5. Produce Your Own Content

Starting your own blog is critical (and super easy) for any professional. Taking the time to research and write your own articles will do more for your personal brand and credentials than probably anything else. It takes work, but once you get into a weekly rhythm, it is a lot of fun.

My best advice for content: Make it quick to read and actionable.

6. Add the Retweet Button to Your Blog Post

You’ve seen the Retweet Button at the top of most blog posts:


The key is to embed the code for this button in your blog post that retweets your Twitter handle, not the generic @tweetmeme handle. It is the third option noted on this link.

7. Make Your Latest Article Your Profile Link

If you make your latest blog post your Twitter website link, new followers will immediately discover the value of your content. It also increases the probability of your most recent article getting re-tweeted by new followers.




8. Help Others

Search Twitter for questions people are asking, and if you are in a position to help, please do so. Don’t just look for questions in your field. I always remember (and recommend) good people who simply respond to questions I may have about movies, the start time of a game, or where to eat in a new city.






(Oh, and still waiting to see Avatar. Up In The Air was very good though.)

9. Ask Questions

Asking questions is a great way to engage new people every day. When someone responds professionally, do not forget to acknowledge the person publically with another tweet.

10. Tweet Often But Not With Rapid Fire

Nobody appreciates someone who floods their twitter feed with a new tweet every 30 seconds. You may be a very interesting person, but nobody likes the person either who walks into a party and does not let anyone get in a word edgewise.

Tips 11 - 20

Using Job Search Strategies for Dating

Approach Finding a Mate Like Looking for Work

Annabella Gualdoni

Searching for a job, like dating, can be time consuming and frustrating. Successful job hunters use many techniques for finding work that will also serve a dater well.

A successful career or a happy marriage can be the keys to happiness in someone’s life. So, too, achieving either one can be accomplished through similar methods.

Use Face to Face and Online Networking

Online professional networking sites have become a powerful tool for business and for job hunting. Sites like LinkedIn help people connect with friends, colleagues, and friends of friends in order to make personal contacts and perhaps get a foot in the door at a company where a resume might otherwise have been lost in the crowd.

Similarly, social networking sites are becoming a source for romantic dates. People already know they have friends in common and share similar interests. Strangers interact virtually on sites like Facebook through posting comments to mutual friends. A gutsy next step would be to make one-on-one contact with someone in a friend’s network and perhaps eventually suggest a live meeting. A newly married couple was featured in People magazine in 2009 because they “met” online when one emailed the other just to say, “Hey, we have the same name!”

Write a Good “Cover Letter”

Cover letters to potential employers that are an obvious cut-and-paste job generally wind up in the circular file. It is obvious that they are part of a careless mass mailing with no regard for the particular job being filled, and Human Resources will see them as weak and lazy.

Likewise, introductory emails that make no reference to the reader’s personal profile will show that the sender has blanketed the masses with this email with no rhyme or reason. A good email will demonstrate that the writer has read the reader’s profile and has legitimate reasons for thinking they might be a good match.

Go on Informational Interviews and “Practice” Dates

Sometimes a job hunter is uncertain about a particular job or a company and may be ambivalent about going on the live interview. Rarely, however, is such an interview a waste of time. Perhaps through a live meeting the interviewee will make a favorable impression on the employer and learn about a more suitable opening that is becoming available in the upcoming weeks. Maybe the interviewer will ask a provocative question that solicits an answer that the interviewee had not anticipated, but at another interview for a better job should a similar question arise again then a good response will already have been thought through.

A single might be ambivalent about whether or not to go on a date with someone. Approaching such a date as “practice” can yield unexpected consequences. At worst it will take an hour or two out of someone’s life. At best, the date can turn out better than expected and lead to something more. Somewhere in between a platonic friendship could be made, or the daters can practice small talk, always a useful skill.

Read more at Suite101: Using Job Search Strategies for Dating: Approach Finding a Mate Like Looking for Work http://dating.suite101.com/article.cfm/using_job_search_strategies_for_dating#ixzz0dpcCPW0H

Why Employers Look For Candidates Who Have Failed

When I first heard this as a recruiter, I asked the hiring manager to please repeat themselves.

Later I learned that many savvy hiring managers often look to hire someone who has failed at a past job or project.

Ok, everybody out there that has hidden failures on their resume, raise your hand …

I was intrigued as I heard more and more hiring managers seek those who have failed at something, because it’s counter intuitive. And based on the number of people out there with their hands in the air, most candidates don’t realize just how valuable failure is.

Employers find failure valuable because:

1. Failure demonstrates innovation: In order to innovate, you have to accept that your idea might fail.


2. Failure demonstrates willingness to take risks: Employees who take intelligent risks create more value than employees who are don’t take risks. That doesn’t mean to go base jumping off your building with a parachute or take reckless business risks. Businesses that don’t take risks don’t grow, and they need employees to help them decide which risks make sense.


3. It’s a huge learning experience: Failure means that you get to look back on it, and think “what could I have done to avoid this?”, “How could I have made this turn out better?” But you’ve learned on someone else’s payroll, and had a valuable learning experience on someone else’s budget.
4. Read Reasons 4 -5 and the rest of the article

The Spouse’s Role In Your Job Search

I write this from my heart, not to offend anyone. Read on…

When I lost my job I suffered a terrible loss, and had no idea I would be going through various stages of mourning. Neither did I know what my wife was going to go through.

We made it through. I can’t say we did a stellar job of it, but we had no idea what was going on, or what we should do. Since we are still together I can say we made it through okay. In this post I want to share some ideas of what a spouse’s (see PC footnote 1) role is in your job search.

I’ve been thinking about this topic a lot since we went to a new friend’s house for dinner last week. On the way to their house my wife asked “so… how much can I tell her? If she asks how much money we make now, what can I say?” My wife asked because she has a tendency to share… well, everything. I tend to be significantly more private. My response to her was “Honey, you can say whatever you want. Tonight, I trust you ” (see PC footnote 2)

Even though it’s been 4 years since we lost our job, we’re still figuring out what happened to us and how we got through it, and framing it in such a way that we can help others through it. This dinner was something I wish we could do more often.

After dinner my wife was alone with my buddy’s wife and when I went up to make the “let’s go home” signs I noticed there had been tears. Lots of tears. It was a good reminder of how raw and in-the-moment this “I lost my job, am I am worthless” the feelings are.

This topic has been on my mind ever since. I wasn’t the spouse of the job loser (you feel like a loser, don’t you?), but I lived with one, and I’ve met many. So I’m kind of, almost qualified to write this list of suggestions. I hope it is helpful. I welcome any thoughts in the comments.

1. Be supportive. What I really needed was support. Most of how I defined myself professionally, which helped me define who I was as a human being (I hear this is a male characteristic), disappeared overnight. I went from Jason-the-somebody to Jason-the-loser. I really needed support, even though I turned into a loser overnight. Many of the points below are how to be supportive, but this was Number One in my list of needs.
2. Let him/her go and network. The job search is probably different than what you think it is. It was dramatically different than what I thought it was. I remember a guy who learned about the power of networking in a job search… he said his wife had a really hard time since he was out networking (lots of breakfasts and lunches), and not at home on the job boards and submitting resumes. Please, please know that the best use of time is not sitting at the computer all day… when your spouse goes out to network, be proud, and encouraging (and know that he/she is probably doing something out of his/her comfort zone… any extra encouragement will go a long way!)
3. Be intimate. Hm, how to approach this topic. From my perspective, the job search is filled with enough rejection… let me encourage you to continue to be intimate even during the very difficult, emotional job search. Aside from what you are probably thinking, know that a backrub, a snuggle or holding hands goes a long ways. Let him/her know you are still there, and not rejecting or judging. You can make it through this, and continuing the sweet somethings of a relationship can be quite reassuring.
4. Be clean around the house. You can’t let this go. There is a tendency to give honey-do lists, and have expectations that “since you are around more you can do more work around here.” I don’t totally disagree with that, but don’t take too much time away from a job search and want him/her to put it into the dishes, laundry or basement project. Both of you should continue to keep up the house and chores like you did before… and if something needs to change, communicate about it!

Read Tips 5-13 @ jibberjobber.com

Revving a Career While It's in Neutral

By SARAH E. NEEDLEMAN

With prospects for new jobs or promotions still looking grim, many workers are struggling to take their careers to the next level. Some, though, have found ways to cope and make themselves more marketable for when companies start hiring again.

"You don't have to be stuck," says Dory Hollander, a workplace psychologist and founder of WiseWorkplaces, a career coaching and executive-development firm based in Arlington, Va. "You can be an active player in shaping your own future."

Indeed, there are a number of ways workers can bolster their résumés in preparation for when the job market ramps up. These include volunteering to gain new skills, building a wider network of contacts and moving into a parallel position within their company.

One of the reasons many people may be feeling like their careers are at a standstill: decreasing voluntary turnover. Between January and November of 2009, 19.6 million workers quit their jobs, an amount fewer than any during that period since the U.S. Labor Department began tracking the data in 2000.

"To get a promotion, somebody has to leave," says Steve Gross, a senior consultant for New York-based consulting firm Mercer LLC. But fewer "people are quitting and [fewer] people are retiring."

What's more, many workers didn't receive pay increases last year, and some even saw their salaries shrink. Of 555 large and midsize U.S. employers polled by consulting company Hewitt Associates Inc. in October, 48% said they froze wages in 2009 and another 10% cut salaries. And while many firms expect to reinstate raises this year, the average increase will be just 2.5%, the second-lowest level on record, reports Hewitt. The worst year for raises: 2009, when salaries dipped to 1.8%.

Once the economy improves, some 60% of more than 900 U.S. workers surveyed between October and November 2009 said they plan to pursue new job opportunities, reports Right Management, a talent and career-management consulting firm in Philadelphia.

Meghan Stinton felt her career had hit a wall early last year while she was working as an event and fund-raising coordinator for a national nonprofit's Denver branch. After a colleague was laid off in March, the 25-year-old says she had to do that person's job—program coordinator—on top of hers, despite not being given a raise or title promotion.

She kept her eyes open, but says she never saw any positions in her field open up above her at the organization. She also looked for jobs at other nonprofits but failed to find anything that matched her skill set and background. "I was pretty much at a standstill," she says.

Ms. Stinton decided to make the most of her situation. She began doing volunteer work in public relations—a field she wanted to move into—for three nonprofits that weren't hiring. She also joined two trade groups to expand her network, including the Colorado Women's Chamber of Commerce.

Later, when a manager position opened up in the chamber's public-relations department, she applied by emailing her résumé to the membership director—one of several staffers she got to know on a first-name basis from networking. She landed the job in December, increasing her annual income by 20% to $32,000.

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5 Ways to Shake Up Your Job Search

By Rachel Zupek, CareerBuilder.com writer

With 2010 in full swing, things are hopefully starting to look up for those who had a tough time in 2009, professionally or otherwise. While the hope is that those who have been unemployed in recent months have found a job, recent numbers show us there are still a large number of people looking for work.

Out of the 15.3 million people reported to be unemployed in December 2009, 6.1 million have been unemployed for more than 27 weeks, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In December, 4 in 10 unemployed workers were jobless for 27 weeks or longer. That's a long time for anything, especially to be out of work.

This year, try doing things totally different than you've been doing in the past. Write a new résumé, revitalize your cover letters and kick up your job search a notch.

Here are five ways to shake up your job search in 2010:

1. Instead of job searching where you live ... try relocating
We know it's not easy to just pack up and move somewhere for a new job -- we're only suggesting that you think about it. Assess where you are, personally and professionally -- if there's nothing keeping you in your current city, expand your job search to other areas and see what you get. It's no secret that some cities have been hit harder than others, so try looking in thriving areas. It definitely won't hurt.

2. Instead of networking with only friends and family ... try broadening your network
Everyone knows that one of the best ways to find a job is through friends and family -- hiring managers are more likely to pay attention to a résumé from someone they trust than by searching through hundreds of applications. If you've been doing this, but your job search is still coming up short, it's time to cast a wider net. Reach out to former co-workers and managers, old college professors or members of clubs or associations you belong to. Take your job search to Twitter or other social networking sites, so everyone knows you are on the hunt. Become a fan of your desired employer's Facebook page and engage with it.

Read Tips 3-5

Job Search Engines: The Interviews

Posted by jobradio in Archives

Want to know more about job search engines like Indeed.com, SimplyHired and Juju? Well check out these interviews that we have compiled from the past few years.

SIMPLYHIRED

SimplyHired on Fox News (video)

Gautam Godhwani: Online Recruiting Trends and Best Practices (download mp3)

INDEED

CEO Paul Forster interview (download mp3)

Career Resource Expo ‘09: Sophie Beaurpere from Indeed (download mp3)

JUJU

ERE interviews: introducing JuJu.com (download mp3)

Read Original Article @ JobRadio.FM

Resume Templates Resume Help with a Creative Twist

Job seekers look for interesting ways to stand out to potential employers, and interactive resumes and web portfolios are a great way to maintain a living, current work archive that is easily accessible.

A new player in this space is Magntize.

Magntize has created a simply to use, combination vCard-resume application that can have an individual’s information on the web – with a personalized domain – in minutes.

Customizable Templates for Job Search

One of Magntize’s key attractions is the library of creative templates available. Each template includes areas for keywords, contact information, an image, multiple link fields to websites of choice, a Bio/Resume area, and a vCard download.

While the basic, free package has attractive templates to choose from, the Pro version ($9.00 per month), has a broader range of premium themes that are stunning in design and simplicity, and include a resume download capability, email forwarding, a custom domain, and an RSS Feed. The Pro version also includes an iPhone/iPod touch site feature.

Integrating Social Media and Keeping it Fresh

For those active in various social media, all versions of Magntize feature real-time updates of a user’s selected public timelines such as Twitter, personal blogs, business blogs, image websites and others. Magntize has integrated with third-party sites that focus on their area of expertise (photos, videos, file sharing, etc). Rather than re-create an application that already exists, Magntize is designed to serve as a hub for all of a user’s web content.

The user selects which of these public timelines to include as live feeds, in addition to including direct links to the specific websites. This keeps a user’s Magntize site continuously updated and fresh, and creates an interesting, dynamic presentation of a candidate’s qualifications, history, personal communication style, and active network. More important, it allows the job seeker to direct the viewer to information they choose.

Read more at Suite101: Resume Templates: Resume Help with a Creative Twist http://writing-resumes.suite101.com/article.cfm/resume_templates#ixzz0cYMTslPS

Job Search Apps For The iPhone

Apps offer mobile job listings but little else to would-be applicants

by Ben Boychuk, Macworld.com

So you’ve joined the growing ranks of the unemployed. Obviously, you’re not alone. You need to find a job soon, though, because you need to pay your monthly data charges and, unfortunately, you cannot eat your iPhone or your iPod touch. Turns out, you don’t have to. But you can look for gainful employment. The beauty of job-finding applications for your handheld is you can hunt for a new gig while you’re waiting in line at the unemployment office.

The downside is the experience may be more depressing than actual unemployment.

On the Job: CareerBuilder.com’s Jobs app offers a functional interface but no value if you also happen to be a CareerBuilder client.

CareerBuilder.com’s Jobs app for the iPhone and iPod touch lets you search the 2 million or so listings on the largest job site in the United States. The interface is simple—not beautiful, but functional. It gets the job done, more or less.

Jobs will let you search by ZIP code, city and state. You can also use your device’s built-in GPS or geolocation features to find job openings in your proximity. You can turn this feature off and on from the device’s main Settings menu or from the app’s search screen. Naturally, you need some sort of Internet connection to use the app. You can search by job title and keyword, and read job descriptions and requirements. You can also save jobs to a Favorites list.

Read The Rest Of The Reviews

Search for jobs by identifying a company

One piece of advice I share with all of my clients – don’t look for a job, look for a company. If you are looking only specifically for a job (focusing only on job boards or posted listings), you are missing out on potential opportunities that are never advertised. Seeking an organization and broadening your target will help you be more competitive in this environment.

Some recent research from the Michigan State University Collegiate Employment Research Institute, which conducts an annual survey, (as reported via CNN) suggests that:

“Large companies, those with more than 4,000 employees, plan to decrease hiring of all graduates by 3%, and medium-sized companies, those with between 500 and 4,000 employees, expect to lower hiring by 11%.

Smaller companies, however, may provide a bright spot in the job market for new graduates.

Employers with fewer than 500 staff members said they expect hiring at their companies to jump by 15%. These companies will hire 11 new graduates on average in 2010, and 8 of them will be at the bachelor’s level.“

So, it may be wise to stop looking only at large companies and to focus on smaller firms for opportunities.

I have many clients who identify organizations first. They say, “I want to work for a small company where I will be able to get involved in a lot of different areas.” Or they say, “I want to work for a large company with opportunity to be promoted.” Or, “I’d love to work for a large firm and be pigeon-holed into doing the same work day after day.” Except for that last one…

There are pros and cons to every type of job. I have a client who works for a small family firm. Her stories are exactly what one would expect based on stereotypes of small family firms…Uncle Bill comes in to do the taxes, Aunt Sue is hired to decorate the waiting area. Non-family members work at their own peril. At the same time, this client had the opportunity to take on responsibilities and hone skills she otherwise would not have had the chance to do had she worked at a larger firm.

Points to consider…

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How to Use Twitter to Expand the Job Search

Customizing Profile and Tweeting About Job Hunt Key to Success

Daniel Gansle

Twitter is a simplified “micro-blogging” website where a person can post his or her status and in turn follow updates from family, friends, colleagues, and other interesting people. In recent days, the site has also become a job searching tool rivaling the likes of online career websites such as Monster and SimplyHired. Can a candidate really find employment in 140 characters or less? The answer is yes – and here’s how.

Customize the Twitter Profile

Candidates should approach their Twitter profile in a professional manner that takes every opportunity to showcase objectives, qualifications, and career skills. For the name, use the real name rather than a pseudonym. For the URL, enter a link to an online professional networking or resume site (e.g., Linkedin or VisualCV).

For the bio, provide a brief qualifications summary indicating employment goals, skills, and accomplishments (160 characters or less). Make sure the Protect my updates checkbox is unchecked so that employers have public access to the profile and contact information. The photo should be a professional-looking headshot, not a casual picture one would post for friends and family.

For the profile background, any of Twitter’s pre-selected themes will suffice. If the person would like to use a custom image for the background, make sure the image is clean and professional-looking.

Search for Employment Using Twitter

Candidates should tweet as much about the search as possible, providing up to the minute status updates (of course, in 140 characters or less). For example, “Interview at 2PM for a Senior SAP Implementation Specialist at Boston Chiptronics,” “Does anyone know if MicroSalient in Seattle is hiring Telecom Engineers?,” “Seeking full-time position in North Hollywood as a Talent Agent,” or, “Back from interview at Metre Systems International – went great!”

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Job Opportunities Are Everywhere

by Harrison Barnes

The job market is tough, isn’t it? During times of economic uncertainty businesses are laying people off or are undergoing hiring freezes. People are losing their homes, the housing market down, and people are scared. It seems that the world is getting tougher and tougher, and many of us wonder what the future will look like for our kids.

If you are looking for a job or had been planning to start a business, it may now seem as though there are no opportunities out there at all. However, that is only one way to look at the current situation. What you need most in order to succeed in the job market is a strong, positive mindset. You need to understand that getting a job–any job, has a lot to do with how you think and the way you put your mind to use. A positive mindset can create a great deal of opportunity for you. But first you have to think and believe that opportunity is everywhere.This concept works.

After September 11, 2001, the market for corporate attorneys in Silicon Valley was at an absolute standstill. Law firms were at overcapacity with regard to corporate attorneys, and were letting them go as quickly as possible. At that time, I was doing legal recruiting and most of my business was in Silicon Valley. I remember getting calls from hundreds of laid-off attorneys looking for jobs. One day, I got a call from an attorney and I proceeded to give him the same story I had given thousands of times before:

The market is horrible.

There are no jobs.

Firms are laying people off as quickly as they can.

This is the biggest crisis in the history of Silicon Valley.

No one has ever seen a market this bad.

I basically told him everything I had told countless others before. There was nothing particularly impressive one way or another about either this man’s experience or education. He was pretty much just an average out-of-work corporate attorney in Silicon Valley. I saw his job prospects as rather grim.

“I am going to a retreat for a week this Friday,” he said, “and I plan on starting work in the next week or two after that. If you’d like I’d be happy to meet with you in your offices tomorrow.”

He was calling me from Mountain View, several hundred miles from where I was sitting in Los Angeles. I agreed to meet with him. He took a flight down a few days later.

Morrison & Foerster had an opening for an attorney at his level in a very small corporate group. I got him the interview and, somehow, he landed the job. Granted, he made a good impression in person, and I did do my best to get him the job; nevertheless, I believe it was his desire and the energy he was giving off that really got him the job. I cannot imagine how else this must have occurred; there were many other candidates who had been more qualified for the position. As it turned out, this man was the only corporate attorney I know of who was placed in California in the first six months after September 11.

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On Finding a Job in the Learning and Development Industry

s 2010 gets going, many in the L&D industry continue to face the job-search struggle. Many more will encounter a similar need this year or in years ahead, so I thought it might be helpful to provide a blog posting with some resources to aid your search. I'm not talking about the obvious "big and broad" sites for job hunting, places like Monster, CareerBuilder, and others, or the social networking sites, like LinkedIn, that can be so crucial during a job search. Rather, I want to share some sites and other resources that focus on just our Learning and Development field.

First off, many of the key organizations in our industry provide help for those searching for work or looking to further develop their careers. A few of these (with an emphasis on North America) include:

• American Society for Training & Development (ASTD)
• Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM)
• The eLearning Guild
• Society for Applied Learning Technology (SALT)
• TrainingIndustry.com
• Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE)
• EDUCAUSE

See also page 84 of the July T+D Magazine, "Know Your Value in the Marketplace," by Judy Estrin.

Another good resource is the salary data provided on page 24 of the October/November issue of Training magazine.

And my friend Mike Lally provides sage advice in his presentation on Using Social Media in Your Job Search.

And lastly, an interesting and perhaps, at times, humorous resource for you is this wiki of obsolete skills.

So those are just a few links that I hope will be helpful for those in the job hunt in the L&D industry. What key resources did I miss? Which organization sites and job banks are the best for Europe, Asia, and other areas of the world? What sites have you found helpful in your own job search or career development? Please provide good links in the comments to this post!

— Thomas Stone (Tom_Stone@elementk.com, and on Twitter @ThomasStone)

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Schmooze ’em or Lose ’em: The Importance of Networking

I’m always surprised that people are eager to ask each other where they got a good deal on dining, or a haircut, or even the name of a building contractor, but these same people are somewhat reluctant to talk to each other about job networking. This is called the art of “career schmoozing.” The American Heritage Dictionary defines the word “schmooze” as: “to converse casually in order to gain an advantage.” I can think of no better way to find out about employment opportunities and gain an advantage than by schmoozing your personal and professional network.

Too many people rely on their networking circle only when they are in troubled circumstances, such as having been laid off, facing downsizing or fearing for the stability of their employer. You always need to maintain your network—consistently and carefully. Your networking circle is huge. It encompasses people at all levels of lead generation: family, friends, colleagues, customers, schoolmates and many more. It’s a little bit like the trivia game that has come to be known as “Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon” which is based on the small-world phenomena that any actor can be linked through their film roles to the actor Kevin Bacon. This means that given the time and resources, you too can probably link yourself within six people to a desired company or job opportunity.

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High gear job search in the new year

By Denise Barone, SDNN

When I started this article I thought the use of car analogies for your high gear job search was clever. The more I wrote, the more I lost control and was no longer in the driver’s seat. So, I think I’ll get them all out of the way, right up front.

Has your job search stalled?

Have you been idling or moving along in low gear? If so, what will fuel a smooth ride ahead?

The mechanics of “Getting Back on Track and Avoiding Burnout:”

• 1. Put the pedal to the metal
• 2. Change the oil
• 3. Know and trust your pit crew to keep you motivated and accountable

Has holiday stress and job search over the past months caused serious burnout? The holiday season is enough to make the most organized and festive person want to escape to an island of bliss and never plan another event, attend another party, or step foot in another store. Add to this the emotional burden of a simultaneous job search. If your productivity has dropped and you don’t know what to do next, start with a review of your recent activities.

Many job seekers took themselves out of the market because they felt employers weren’t thinking about hiring. For those of you who used holiday functions as a networking tool to meet new people and explore possibilities, kudos to you! Many of you also embraced the holiday spirit and engaged employers during informational meetings.

It’s 2010 and time to capitalize on possibilities you uncovered during the holidays and revisit activities that worked in the past and those that didn’t. It may be time to take an inventory, reinvent your jobsearch action plan and perhaps yourself.

• 1. Change your mindset and attitude. If you’ve been pessimistic and have little hope and faith, find something you can be grateful for each day. It may be difficult but seek out something positive; it’s the only way to stay on top of your game. Be grateful in the moment. Figure out what motivates you and be sure to integrate this with your plan.
• 2. Think outside the box. Are you still visiting the same job boards, talking to the same people, checking the same listings and focusing on the same companies and industries? If so, mix it up. Cast the net wide and expose yourself to new companies and industries, and perhaps even a new role. Some of you may try temping. It’s a way to bring in extra cash, meet new people and be introduced to new companies. You might even learn some new skills.

• 3. Let go of old behaviors. Did you spend too much time hiding behind your computer to avoid networking? Examine past routines that led nowhere and replace them with new techniques. Inaction is understandable but shortsighted because a job won’t magically appear. And there’s no time left for self-pity. It is time to reflect, leap and reinvent.

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Job Expert Q&A: Scott Steinberg’s Top 10 Job Hunting Tips

Ten tips every 2010 job seeker should know, straight from our job hunting expert.

Searching for a job in 2010? Be glad, says our resident job expert, publisher Scott Steinberg, who’s advised over one billion people on using technology to find gainful employment. “Courtesy of the Web, social networks and online services, all the tools you need to find full- and part-time work, or start a promising new career, are right there at your fingertips,” he says. As a supplement to our online job hunting guide and rundown of vital career building strategies, we asked him to compile a list of ten job hunting tips that every serious professional should know. Following are his essential strategies for boosting your career or landing the job of your dreams:

1. Customize Your Resume

“One size fits nobody – you should always custom-tailor your resume to each different employer and position,” Steinberg insists. He also suggests looking for keywords (common terms recruiters might enter into computerized searches, such as “sales associate” or “senior engineer”) in job descriptions. Once identified, he says, work both these phrases and common alternatives into the document, and early on within it at that. Still, however you adjust it, your CV should also read naturally and be brief and to the point (think two pages max), while an individualized cover letter is imperative as well.

2. Focus Your Job Search

While large job search engines like Monster and CareerBuilder.com can be effective, you’re often better off using more targeted services focused on specific industries, salary ranges or regions, Steinberg says. Also worth noting, he claims: “It pays to concentrate on the 5-15 companies you’d most prefer to work for rather than employing a shotgun approach.” He recommends signing up for email newsletters, participating in online company forums or attempting to contact current employees for informational interviews, among other strategies. The thinking being that you won’t just do a better job by emphasizing quality over quantity – you’ll also maximize chances of being noticed.

3. Invest in Continuing Education

Best practices and technology standards change rapidly, according to Steinberg, making it imperative that you always stay abreast of the latest developments, whether currently employed on no. “Keeping your skills up-to-date and polished makes you more valuable to your employer, and shows an aptitude and willingness to change,” he says. This sort of flexibility is going to be even more important going forward, Steinberg claims, as a flooded marketplace comes under further pressure from an onslaught of new, newly unemployed and/or international workers also vying for a limited pool of positions.

4. Leverage Social Networks

Using social networks such as LinkedIn, Plaxo and Facebook, it pays to create a professional looking profile and source recommendations from friends and colleagues. Afterwards, says Steinberg, it’s important to actively set about connecting with peers, potential mentors and prospective employers and let them know you’re searching for work, especially since they’re literally all just a click away. “With upwards of eight in ten job opportunities going unadvertised these days, you really are who you know,” he asserts.

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5 Insider Tips for Job-Seeking College Grads

With unemployment still in the double digits, December college graduates face a grim job market

By Zach Miners

Posted December 30, 2009

The latest data from the Labor Department show that employers might be beginning to dip their toes back into the hiring waters, but that doesn't mean finding gainful employment will be easy for recent college graduates. It will take a combination of networking, assertiveness, and tech savvy to land that first job, counselors say.

Harrison Barnes, founder and CEO of the job search website EmploymentCrossing.com, says applying for jobs now could give winter graduates an edge. But heeding some key advice—not just winging it—is still a must. "It's not a seller's market. It's still a buyer's market," says Ed Koc, research director at the National Association of Colleges and Employers.

Here are some strategies to keep in mind:

1. Make a personal connection before the interview. Scouring the job search boards online and sending out dozens of applications blind might sound like a solid way to get in the game, but experts say that all that does is get you lost in the shuffle. More and more employers are instead posting open positions to their own websites, so a slightly better strategy might be to decide which companies you're specifically interested in and then apply directly through the firm. But even that method might be an exercise in futility.

"The trick now isn't getting the interview and getting the job. It's getting the interview, period," says educational consultant Eric Yaverbaum, president of the website CollegeClickTV.com, which partners with U.S. News to provide video reviews of colleges nationwide. To do that, you're going to want to try to get to know, face to face, the people at the places where you're trying to get hired, before the interview.

One way to do that is to research the most prominent associations within the industry you're interested in and then attend their events and conferences. Every industry has them, they're scheduled regularly, and experts say it's a great way to start the networking process. If you want to go into public relations, for instance, check out the Public Relations Society of America. "Join the community you want to be a part of before you even have a job in it," says Yaverbaum. "That personal contact is what gets you remembered."

Mark Smith, assistant vice chancellor and director of the career center at Washington University in St. Louis, recommends talking shop with friends of parents and with parents of friends. But don't flat out ask for a job, he says.

"If you know what type of work you want to do, talk to them about the industry, and ask them if there are other people you should be networking with," says Smith. If you meet them at a party, tell them you want to learn more, and arrange to meet them for coffee or at their office. Dress nicely, bring a copy of your résumé, and ask them about other individuals or firms to contact. And keep the lines of communication open after that. If you do ask directly for a job, and he or she says no, the conversation could be over.

Going the online route is a good idea if you're using it for social networking. NACE estimates that almost a third of employers are using social networking websites, including Facebook, in their recruiting efforts. If you have a Facebook profile, consider tidying it up to look more professional, and post a status update such as "Looking for leads in the marketing field in New York," says Smith.

And think about creating a profile on LinkedIn.com. If you meet a potential contact in person, ask if you can connect with him or her on the site. But don't simply glue yourself to your computer screen. "It's easy to hide behind the Internet, but that's not enough," says Yaverbaum. "You want to get the people face to face."

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11 Twitter Tips - Job Search in 140 Characters

Guest editorial by Phil Rosenberg, ReCareered

Twitter is a fast growing tool, now being used for more serious purposes than advertise what you had for lunch. However, Twitter is a firehose of information, making it overwhelming for both the noobie and experienced user to find relevant information, or encourage relevant people to find your own information.

So how can job seekers make Twitter a part of their search strategy?

Getting found on Twitter: Recruiters and HR reps are now on Twitter looking for talent. In addition, Tweets are now indexed by Google, giving savvy candidates more visibility with recruiters and HR reps who search Google for candidates. Here are some ways you can encourage others to find you Twitter:

1. Tweet your resume: Store your resume online (suggestions: your ResuBlog or Online Portfolio, box.net, Google docs). Then tweet links along with industry information if you are a stealth candidate, or a statement that you are looking and some key words (ex: Java programmer) if you are active. Even stealth candidates can use this, since Twitter uses link shorteners, so the link you broadcast won’t contain the word resume or your name.

2. reTweet industry articles: This is Twitter’s way to “pass it on”. reTweeting industry articles is especially effective for passive job seekers who want to be found, but not be seen as an active job hunters by a current employer. As Tweets are now indexed by Google and can’t be erased once Tweeted, a direct statement that you’re “looking for a job” may be risky for stealth candidates.

3. Tweet your own articles or comments: Even if you don’t blog, if you comment, sending a Twitter link to your blog posts or comments shares the discussion with others, including industry recruiters.

4. Build a list: Build an industry list (see http://recareered.blogspot.com/2009/11/how-can-twitter-lists-help-job-seekers.html). If you are a Customer Service Manager, build a list of other customer service people, companies and recruiters. Tweet that you’ve built an industry list, and offer to share with others.

5. Use Hashtags: Hashtags allow others to easily find your Tweets. Use hashtags with industry terms if you are stealth or job search terms (see below) if an active candidate. Hashtags can also serve as keywords for Google searches.

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The New Job Is in the Details - Five danger zones where small slip-ups could damage your chances

Here's an important New Year's resolution for job hunters: Sweat the small stuff.

Minor missteps can derail your search. With U.S. joblessness still rampant, numerous hiring managers are knocking applicants out of the running over the slightest mistake.

That's what sporting-goods sales executive Daniel Obergfell did while seeking a marketing manager last winter. He rejected one contender for mispronouncing his surname four times—after correcting her thrice. (His last name actually is pronounced "Oberfell," with a silent "g.") She was among 40 people he interviewed for the $80,000 post, which attracted more than 400 prospects from one online listing.

"Your nerves cause you to do things you would not normally do when you must vie against many people for a job," Mr. Obergfell says. Despite such sentiments, he explains, he "couldn't get past" his disappointment over the woman's failure to pronounce his name right. "Given she never really got it right—even after being corrected, told me it was probably started with nervousness, but the issue more than likely ran deeper than that," he says.

Small interview errors are becoming more common. "Compared with two years ago, about 20% more candidates interviewed by our clients are not getting offers because of gaffes made due to their high anxiety," says Dave Campeas, president and chief executive officer of PrincetonOne, an executive-search firm in Skillman, N.J.

The incidence of nervous job candidates has doubled since 2006, causing some to commit careless mistakes that "ruin their chances because they didn't present themselves well," says David Mezzapelle, director of marketing and development for Goliath Jobs Inc. in Stamford, Conn.

He bases his estimate on several thousand calls from job seekers, who use a free phone service provided by his firm's two employment Web sites. The 39-person concern grew from 28 staffers a year ago.

The best solution? Prepare better for interviews. Added legwork should include extensive role playing, thorough homework about a possible employer's culture and an empathetic sense of how your skills match its needs. "Turn your dial up on sensitivity," suggests Gerard Roche, senior chairman of recruiters Heidrick & Struggles International Inc. "The little stuff counts."

Here are five danger zones where small slip-ups could damage your chances:

The Best and Worst Jobs of 2009

By SARAH E. NEEDLEMAN

At least twice a month throughout the recession, headhunters have dangled job opportunities in front of Ryan McAllister, an actuary for Fireman's Fund Insurance Co. in Novato, Calif. "If I were ever unhappy with my employer, I could pick up the phone and find something else very quickly," says the 28-year-old Mr. McAllister. He joined the high-net-worth property and casualty insurer after graduating in 2005 from the University of California at Davis, with a bachelor's degree in applied mathematics.

Being in high demand is just one reason actuary landed at the top spot on a newly released study ranking of the 200 best and worst jobs in the U.S. in 2009. The findings were based on five criteria: environment, income, employment outlook, physical demands and stress. Les Krantz, author of "Jobs Rated Almanac," compiled the rankings using data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Census Bureau, as well as studies from trade associations and his own expertise.

Actuaries, who evaluate the financial impact of risk on an organization, fared best because they work during standard business hours and in favorable conditions—indoors and in places free of toxic fumes or loud noise—as opposed to those jobs toward the bottom of the list such as iron worker, dairy farmer and the biggest loser from last year's study, lumberjack. They also aren't expected to do any heavy lifting, crawling or crouching—attributes associated with occupations like bricklayer, auto mechanic and roofer, also near the bottom of the list. (The physical demands of a job were measured using formulas devised by the Department of Labor, with higher scores given to jobs involving great exertion.)

The study, commissioned by job site CareerCast.com, also looks at pay, which was determined by measuring each job's median income and growth potential. (CareerCast.com is published by Adicio Inc., in which Wall Street Journal owner News Corp. holds a minority stake.) Mr. McAllister says he earns a total annual compensation within the average range for actuaries in his niche with four years of experience—between $91,000 and $133,000, according to global recruitment firm DW Simpson, based in Chicago. "If you enjoy and understand numbers, but also want to be involved in a fast-paced business environment, it's a perfect opportunity to merge those two interests," he says.

Qualifying for actuary jobs generally requires first passing a series of exams, in addition to obtaining a minimum of a bachelor's degree in an analytical field, such as statistics or economics. "For the first five to 10 years you're locked in a room studying. It's a big commitment," says Mr. McAllister.

Other jobs at the top of the study's list include software engineer, computer-systems analyst, biologist, historian and last year's winner, mathematician, which fell to No. 6 due to the recession's impact on the number of employment opportunities available. (See methodology).


Meanwhile, musical-instrument repairer, No. 66 overall, was identified as the least-stressful job, followed by medical-records technician. But Sean McGarry, who fixes broken guitars and other stringed instruments at Third Coast Guitar Service Inc. in Chicago, says his job is often nerve-racking. "Some instruments we work on are worth between $50,000 and $100,000," Mr. McGarry says. And he says he earns just $30,000 annually.

Replacing strings, fingerboards and bindings using precision tools also can cause minor injuries. "Every one of us who works here has one or two bouts of tendonitis a year," says Mr. McGarry, 36.

Of course, that isn't much compared with the kind of pains common to firefighting, the most stressful and physically demanding job identified in the study, and No. 188 overall. Even so, Matt Brett quit a recruiter position (No. 55) at Yahoo Inc. in 2007 to take up the profession for about half his previous income. "It's more in line with my values," he says. "Obviously you can get killed any day you go to work. But the culture is very unique and a lot of people get into it because they want to do something helpful."

Mr. Brett, 37, often works 48-hour shifts for the Livermore-Pleasanton Fire Department in Pleasanton, Calif. He says firefighters continuously engage in training to avoid getting hurt, and with time, the job becomes easier. "You get more comfortable with each type of thing thrown at you, so stress goes down over time," he says.

The job that ranked lowest overall in 2009? Roustabout. Also known as roughnecks, roustabouts typically work outdoors maintaining oil-field equipment used to produce natural gas, which is highly flammable. "We take safety precautions that outweigh the hazards," says Johnny Wall, a 26-year-old roustabout for Chesapeake Energy Corp., based in Oklahoma City, Okla. Recently he replaced a broken valve in 14-degree weather. "You're out there freezing," says Mr. Wall, who works weekdays from 7 a.m. until around 4:30 p.m.

Still, he says he likes knowing that his efforts help to provide a basic necessity—energy. "People are relying on us," he says.

Write to Sarah E. Needleman at sarah.needleman@wsj.com

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Bridging the qualifications gap

Computerworld - With their litany of requirements, job postings, especially ones for higher-level positions, can seem like an impenetrable barrier between you and the perfect opportunity. That's because few employers are willing to compromise when it comes to what they look for in new hires. They'd rather wait for a candidate who fits the opening exactly than risk a costly mistake. So, what can you do when you know you're capable of performing a job well, but your skills and experience don't completely align with its requirements?

The good news is that the candidates who look perfect on paper aren't always the ones who get offers. By considering yourself from the hiring manager's perspective, you can begin presenting yourself as an investment rather than a gamble. Here are tips to convince an employer that, despite initial appearances that may suggest otherwise, you truly are the best person for the job.

Reconsider the fit. First, make sure you're not wasting your time and the hiring manager's by applying for a job that you have no hope of getting. Do you come close to matching all of the criteria? If the ad indicates that 10 years of experience are required, and you have only three, don't submit your résumé. However, if you have nine years of experience, the firm may be willing to consider your application. Although a small gap between your qualifications and the job requirements may not be a cause for concern, a hiring manager is unlikely to consider you a viable option if the difference is significant. Also keep in mind that some employers will stand firm no matter what and interview only those individuals who meet their criteria exactly.

Find an ally. A referral or introduction from a professional in your network is indispensable if you're a job candidate who almost fits an opening, because your contact can speak to the hiring manager on your behalf and articulate strengths that may not be apparent from your résumé alone. Mine your network to try to locate a contact who can give you entree into the company. Web sites like LinkedIn and Facebook can be especially effective at uncovering valuable links. But be careful about approaching someone you don't know well. You need to establish trust and credibility with a person before asking him or her to go to bat for you.

Address concerns upfront. Don't try to hide an apparent shortcoming in your application or during an in-person interview. Instead, acknowledge the concern and then reframe it. For example, if you haven't held the exact title under discussion, have you successfully performed many of its duties in other roles? Or if you're obviously overqualified, you might note that you are looking to improve your work/life balance by seeking a slightly less demanding position than those you've held in the past.

Reduce risk. Under current conditions, employers may feel like they are going out on a limb by hiring a candidate who doesn't match their criteria to a T. Consider shortening that limb by finding ways to reduce the hiring manager's risk. For example, would you be willing to start on a project or contract basis to prove your abilities?

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Ideas for finding a new career in the new year

By PATRICIA MONTEMURRI FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER

Flip on your passion detector: It's not as difficult as people think to find their passion, says business coach Michele Wilke. "I ask people what are they working on at 3 a.m. in the morning," says Wilke. That's a clue. "Ask your friends, too," she says. "Your best friend will know. Your best friend will say, 'Oh, you want to be a chef.' "

Challenge yourself: Ask yourself if the skills you have are relevant in a changing market. If there's a gap, consider retraining and going back to school, says Mark S. Lee of www.leegroupinnovation.com and executive vice-president in the Detroit-area office of DHR International, an executive search firm.

Be prepared for a lower salary: Wilke says employers have the upper hand in negotiating wages right now because there's a glut of applicants. Perhaps you think $18 an hour is your bottom line, but if a good job comes in at $16 an hour, think about taking it if there's room for advancement.

Network: Throughout our careers, we meet lots of people, whether coworkers, vendors, suppliers or friends, says Lee, and now is the time to touch base with them. Schedule lunches, have weekly conversations, meet in social gatherings or simply pick up the phone to say hello.

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