The best way to get a new job is to stop looking for one in the traditional way – sending out resumes, waiting for interviews and hassling recruiters. Become a resource – a treasure trove of information – not a nuisance on the job search, said executive career coach Darrell W. Gurney in the article [...]

Referrals and references remain the strongest tool available to job seekers. Seventy percent of jobs are obtained via referral according to the U.S. Department of Labor and the article “How to Get Job References Without Asking,” on TheLadders. Referrals do not automatically mean you have the job or that you will guarantee you an interview, but they [...]

With the holidays here, you may be inclined to put your job-search efforts on hold while you celebrate. But career advisers say laid-off professionals should keep at it because the season offers some unique opportunities.

Reinvent columnist Alexandra Levit answers reader questions on becoming a more effective job seeker, getting out of a skills rut and getting a book published.

Investment Banking Analyst, San Francisco, CA
Consulting Analyst, Washington, DC
Financial Analyst, Chicago, IL
Sales Associate, Cambridge MA
Junior Equity Trader, New York, NY

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With this year coming to an end, it’s time to make some New Year’s resolutions. And if you’re looking for a new job in the new year, here at Doostang we composed a list of job search resolutions all job seekers should take to heart.

Doostang News December 28: Ten New Year’s Resolutions for Your Job Search

1. I Will Apply to More Jobs

This is logical - the more job applications you submit, the greater the chances that someone will actually review your resume, invite you for an interview, and offer you the spot. Creating simple rules for yourself, such as “I will apply to at least 3 jobs a day” or “I will average 15 job applications a week” is the first step, so start spending more time on Doostang.

2. I Will Focus on the Jobs that Matter

Don’t just amp up the quantity of job applications, do it strategically. Don’t apply for positions you’re blatantly underqualified for, and - this goes without saying - don’t apply for positions you’re not interested in, just to fill your daily quota. The less time you waste applying to jobs that are out of your league, the more time you will have to focus on the opportunities that really matter.

3. I Will Perfect My Resume

You may think you’ve perfected your resume already, but is it really at its full potential? Doubtful. Remember that your review is bound to be biased and try to look at your resume from the perspective of someone who’s never met you. Can a stranger get a good reading of what you can bring to the table? Can they tell what you actually did at your last job? Are all the jobs and responsibilities you have listed relevant?

4. I Will Have Someone Else Review My Resume

A fresh, outside perspective can shed light on things you may have missed in your review, so ask a friend to go over your resume with you. Or better yet, get a professional resume critique and you can be sure nothing gets overlooked.

5. I Will Personalize Every Application

Make sure you personalize your materials to the job you’re applying for. No need to make massive changes to your resume every time, but it is important that the experiences and skills you’re listing are highly relevant. Make a separate list of all of your accomplishments and responsibilities. For every job you’re applying for, go down the list and pick the most relevant ones - those are what needs to go on your resume, the rest you can leave out.

6. I Will Write a Cover Letter for Every Job

Always include a cover letter with every resume you send out. It will give you a better chance to elaborate on your experiences and skills as they relate to the position you’re applying for. And as with resumes, make sure each cover letter is targetted to the job you’re applying for.

7. I Will Come Prepared to Every Interview

Do the research before every interview and get as much detail about the company and the position you’re applying for as possible. Try to figure out ahead of time what kind of person the employer wants to hire for the spot, then show the interviewer that you possess the desired skills.

8. I Will Have Better Answers for the Interviewer

Odds are your interviewer will ask you to elaborate on your employment history. Prepare this summary ahead of time and make sure it supports and enhances everything you’ve listed on your resume. When answering questions, give concrete examples that prove your point. Take some time to think of stories that illustrate some of your strengths: an example of you skillfully handling conflict, a story that shows that you’re a dedicated worker, and so on. Write these down and study them before your interviews, so that when you are, in fact, asked if you’re a team player, you can not only answer affirmatively but have a supporting story ready as well.

9. I Will Prepare Questions for the Interviewer

Don’t forget to have a list of insightful questions ready for your interviewer. Ask things that show that you’ve done your research and are eager to know more. Perhaps the most important question to ask is what problem the employer is trying to solve by hiring someone for this spot. Once you find out what the challenges are, show the interviewer how you’re the right person for the task. And remember, this is also your chance to get more details about the position and see if it’s a good fit for you.

10. I Will Always Write a Thank You Note

This is a vital but sadly, often overlooked step in the application process. A Thank You note is your final chance to make your mark on the interviewer, so don’t take this step lightly. Try to send it within 24 hours of your interview and reference some of the things you’ve discussed during the interview so that the interviewer can easily recall who you are. And of course, use the Thank You note to remind the interviewer why you’re right for the job and what you can bring to the company.

And there you have it job seekers, if you take these 10 Doostang resolutions seriously and make them your own, job search in the new year should be a breeze. Good luck!

Wishing you much career success in the new year,
The Doostang Team

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Southern cities dominate a recent survey of regional hiring trends. “Of the 25 cities where the most businesses will expand hiring next quarter, 23 are located south of the Mason-Dixon line,” according to a new survey by Manpower Research and reported by the Christian Science Monitor. One of the highest ranking Southern cities on the Manpower list [...]

It’s good to work for a consultant. Consultants and contractors make up six of the top ten positions on the GlassDoor.com list of “50 Best Places to Work.” Glassdoor.com uses anonymous reports from users to track salary info and company performance at U.S. companies. The survey was based on user responses. “The survey addresses key workplace [...]

Make sure you have something to offer every contact every time you reach out to them, said John Crant, a career expert and founder of SelfRecruiter.com. Tapping your professional network to find a job means tapping many of the same contacts over and over again. To ensure you don’t outlast your welcome, maintain a two-way relationship, [...]

The Unemployment League, a weekly job fair held at a Michigan bowling alley, is a bid to lift the prospects of residents in a state leveled by the downturn. (Nov. 24, 2009)

Men who lack post-high school education once found work in construction, but now they have fewer prospects in a job market favoring brains. (Oct. 1, 2009)

I’m hearing from more and more people I meet with and interview how difficult it is out there. Particularly during the holidays when you are reminded about a holiday bonus, giving gifts and sharing good times with friends and family.  You may not be in much of a mood to celebrate, but you have to show up, put a smile on your face, and pretend anyway. It’s not that you can’t be a good actor but why do you have to try so hard?  It’s times like these where you have to hold onto the vision and trust that the process will unfold.

Your vision of your perfect job, your successful career, your ability to make money is not a far off pipe dream.  It might feel like it when you can’t seem to build enough traction to move yourself forward let alone your career.  It’s hard to find the trust in something that frankly has not delivered the results you were hoping for.  After all, how long do you have to wait to get your life back on track?  Why is it less than qualified people seem to be in a better position than you are in right now?

Believing in yourself at times like this really is the only course of action you need to take.  Visualizing all that is possible in your perfect world is a powerful motivator to force you to move in the right direction.  I heard recently where the actor Jim Carrey wrote himself a check for $20 million dollars, folded it and put it in his wallet and carried it with him everyday.  Ironically or not, he earned that exact amount of money for his second film. According to Jermaine, when Michael Jackson was growing up, he wrote on the mirror of his bedroom in big letters, that he would be the world’s number one music star.  Holding onto the vision no matter what it is has a powerful effect whether you realize it or not. Never mind worrying about everyone else and how they are doing, focus and trust that you are the number one priority in your job search and trust that doors and opportunities will open for you just when you think you’ve lost all hope.

Think of all the times when you thought, “This is it-I have no job leads, no interviews, no job offers-I’m going to fail!” Just when you thought it was over, bang, someone out of the blue calls you for an assignment, meeting, interview and you are on your way. Think of how often you have been in a place where you remember how good it use to be, where you were in your dream job, making great money and long for a chance to do it over again. So you think, maybe this time I won’t squander my money. Maybe this time I won’t take my job, boss, or position for granted.  Maybe this time. Well, pretend it is “this time” and think very intently on your situation and visualize clearly how you would do it differently if you had to do it over again.

Playing pretend with your goals and your career life is not such a waste of time as you might think. Focusing on yourself and what it is you truly want actually does help bring you closer to your goals even though you might not think so.  We are so busy worrying about lining up the next interview in hopes of a job offer, that we don’t give enough time to letting the process unfold.  Your actions are motivated by your desire and if your desire is to line up interviews, well that’s what you will get a lot of interviews.  If your desire is to find a job to pay the bills, that’s what you’ll get, a job to cover your bills. If your desire is to find a career where you will thrive and flourish and pays you very well, then that is what you will get- perfection.

Holding onto your vision of who and what you want to be when you grow up, whether it’s a recruiter who wants to be a fashion designer, or a sales executive who wants to be an animator or just following the career path you originally chose, will help you materialize your dreams quicker than any single action you could take. Remember affirming the positive aspects in your life is a lot more productive than feeding the negative thoughts that surface.  Go ahead, dream big and watch the doors fly open!

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A new study of 195 executives found that over a third of them–36 percent– believed that it did not matter how long a candidate was unemployed, according to a news statement by Boston-based technology staffing firm Veritude. Another 36 percent of survey participants said their ideal amount of time for being out of work was [...]

Education and background being equal, black men and women still face higher rates of unemployment than their white counterparts, according to a report in today’s New York Times. College-educated black men, especially, have struggled relative to their white counterparts in this downturn, according to figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The unemployment rate for black [...]

You know the old expression, “When the going gets tough, the tough get going!”  Well, these days it might mean you should run!  We are in the midst of tough times, no doubt about that.  We also need all of the inspiration we can get and we are not likely to find it from our immediate surroundings. It’s times like these we are in need of a little inspiration, or in this case it might be a little “jobspiration.”

The idea that we can be our own source of inspiration might be enough to make some of you break out into a sweat. But we need to be able to inspire ourselves, when frankly we can find little inspiration elsewhere.  When the “NO’s” start pouring in and the rejections turn into a daily ritual and you are not sure where the next opportunity will come from let alone an actual job offer, we need to seize these times and take stock that we really are tougher than we think.

How do you make jobspiration work for you?

1) Every time you receive a “NO” to something you really want, think of the alternative.  Creative thinking and problem solving is the key to inspiring yourself into a job and into a career that’s really right for you.  It not only keeps your energy flowing in the right direction, but you automatically inspire yourself with your creative problem solving capabilities.  ’Cause lets face it, if we are pushed up against a wall, we all know how to push back.

2) Be thoughtful about your approach to others and project how you want to be treated yourself.  No point in playing the blame game when a job offer does not come your way, or you can’t seem to even get your foot in the door for an interview.  Understand there is a time and a direction for everything, including where you’ll ultimately wind up.

3) Keep your options open.  Turn down no offer of employment, meeting, introduction, network, chance to connect on any level.  You never know where your next job offer will come from and these days, it’s not always the traditional approach that will land you your next job.  Think of spontaneity and being open to all possibilities.  Be flexible with yourself and offers will start materializing before you know it.

4) Treat yourself with respect.  Know you are important and deserving and will ultimately attract what you put out.  If you are focused, intent and know exactly what you want, you will get it.  Maybe not in the exact time frame you want, but you will get it nonetheless.

5) Nothing turns my engines on more than hearing words like, “No,” “Not Approved,” “You can’t.” I move into full throttle when obstacles are placed in my path.  Call it a natural fighter instinct, call it survival, we all have it we just need to know what buttons to press to turn it on.  When the road gets tough and road blocks appear to be falling from the sky, you can either run and hide, get hit in the head or run like hell to dodge an impact, moving yourself forward one leap at a time.

Giving yourself permission to be inspired, to allow yourself to tough it out and know that you will come out the other side stronger, wiser and gainfully employed, is all you need to get your jobspiration in full gear and go get the job you really want and you really deserve.

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Scientists and engineers are expected to see a hiring increase at the Wright-Patterson Air Force base, where the Pentagon is transferring many technology jobs in Dayton, OH, from military complexes nationwide, according to the Dayton Daily News. Wright-Patterson will absorb research programs including aerospace medicine, sensors and human performance from other bases, under decisions made [...]

The nation’s leading business economists are growing more optimistic about the prospects of an economic recovery this quarter and next. Members of the National Association of Business Economists (NABE) said they expect (survey) the economy to grow at an annual rate of 3 percent for the fourth quarter and to grow 3.2 percent in 2010. NABE [...]

While most of us are busy getting ready for the holidays, whether that includes traveling to visit family or making plans to entertain friends at home, we might want to make the most of the time we have now and do something a little different, like focus on ourselves. We tend to busy ourselves with plans that usually involve helping and taking care of others. In all that entails, we should remember to take the time and attention to tend to ourselves. If we don’t, we can’t always expect others to jump in and to help out when we need them.

Whether you are secure in your current work situation, or taking a break from your grueling job search, remember that now is the time to reflect on what it is you want and to develop the plans and strategies that will help you to succeed in the coming months. Making excuses that you are too busy, the holidays are upon us you have to much to do, is not productive and will set you behind schedule.  Now is the time to get to work, literally, on the one project that matters most, you.  Okay, if you are really into “To Do” lists, then here’s one that you might find helpful as you tackle your most important project this holiday season-you.

1-Make time to focus on the future.  Take an hour out of your day, preferably right after you wake up in the morning and are refreshed, to visualize your dream job, your dream house, how much money you’ll be making, the success of a professional project, how you look, feel, act.  Play this visualization game as often as you can and really start to feel and believe the future you are about to create.

2-Take time to nurture your physical self.  Whether it’s a long walk, a swim, a run or just stretching your body on the floor of your living room, make the healthy choice to take care of your body the way you do your mind and your soul.  No doubt whether you have a job or are looking for one, you are under a tremendous amount of stress. This is a time to unwind and physically allow the changes to occur.  You can help yourself along by just staying in touch with your physical self and doing things that feel good to you.

3-Make a list of your dream job.  Even if you are in one or are looking for one, take some time and write out what it is you are looking for and what you hope to find in your perfect work situation.  Focus on how your perfect job will make you feel and imagine your day and what you will be able to accomplish if you were truly happy and content in your everyday work life. Knowing what you specifically want is as much a part of finding the perfect job then preparing your resume or rehearsing for a job interview.

4- Make a list of contacts that could help you in your quest for the perfect job.  It might include people not in your immediate “professional” circle.  Think of those people in your life who are successful or who seem to embrace the life that you would like to live if you had the money, time and resources.  Write a a script on how you might ask them for help.  It might include, “I’ve always admired the way you manage your time and the way you seem to attract the right opportunities to you.  How would you suggest I develop those same skills? …”  Go ahead, ask for help, people actually do like extending themselves, or at the very least, they like to hear themselves talk!

5-Create a timeline.  After you have created your “To Do” list, make sure you can measure your success.  Put timelines next to each goal so that you can keep track of your progress towards finding the perfect job. This should not include unrealistic dates, like I’m going to find the perfect job by Monday. You should look to add realistic goals and timelines and not ones that add pressure or you won’t stick to. Remember you are in control and you can change your timelines any time you’d like.

Holidays are a time of reflection and for quieting and slowing down. When you are ready to embark on a big life change, like finding a new job or leaving an old one, you need to slow down almost to a halt before you can switch gears and make forward movement again.  This can be scary but think of the alternative, being stuck when another force comes charging towards you and forces you to change when you are not ready. Being prepared and making time for yourself in the midst of making time for everyone else is the single most important thing you can do for you.  Make the most out of the holidays and get to work on you.

Copyright © 2010 Lisa Kaye | HR | Consulting | Los Angeles | Entertainment | Human Resources | Search - The Career Rebel
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Private Equity Associate, Independent PE Firm, Los Angeles, CA
Marketing Manager, Innovative Healthcare Startup, San Francisco, CA
Senior Investment Banker, Recognized Investment Bank, New York, NY
Communication Specialist, Top Commercial Real Estate Firm, Chicago, IL
Venture Capital Analyst, Leading Global Venture Capital Firm, Boston, MA

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Thank you notes are little messages that can pack a whole lot of punch in your job search. Taking the time to write a thank you letter sends a message that you are both considerate and professional. It reinforces the positive impression you left and almost always increases your chance of landing your next big opportunity. So why - oh why! do so many people insist on forgetting them?

In this job market, it is all too likely for a pool of similarly qualified applicants to be vying for very limited positions, and you can bet that the one guy who sends a thank you letter when you don’t will be the one landing your job.

This lack of written appreciation is all too common, especially among young graduates first entering the work force, but it can make all the difference. Take our lead, and you’ll be writing like an expert in no time flat.

First: when should you write a thank you letter?

A thank you letter should always be written after:

• An interview
• Any important professional contact
• Any time you encounter someone with whom you would like to garner a successful professional relationship

When not to write a thank you note:

• When you just sent one the day before – as always, too much of a good thing…is an annoying thing.

Make sure to always take business cards from the people you become acquainted with. Without basic information, your noble attempts at writing a thank you letter will be doomed before they even begin!

So, what have we learned thus far? Thank you notes are ALWAYS a good idea! Simple!

Next we’ll tackle the how: How are professional thank you letters written?

The type and length of your note depends on the situation and how formal your acquaintance is. The three main types of letters are typed, handwritten, and emailed.

• Typed letters are the most formal and are always appropriate after interviews or other formal professional contacts.
• Handwritten letters are used for shorter, more personal notes to individuals you know well or have briefly met during on-site interviews or who may have helped you in a more personal context.
• Emailed thank you notes should only be used for persons who have specified a preference for email communication – and only as a preface for a typed or handwritten letter. Remember: tangible letters trump all! An actual letter is seen as more thoughtful and sincere – two qualities you want this person to know you have!

And that’s it – just three choices. To make it even simpler, typed letter: always appropriate. Check.

Finally: what do you actually write?

The body of your note should never be more than two to three paragraphs in length and never span more than a page.

Make sure that you:

• Thank the person for their help or time
• State exactly what it is that this person did for you, or the position you applied for and reasons you are excited about the position. This is especially important for formal business contacts or interviewers who may not know you in another context. They probably won’t remember you right away - give them a quick reminder.
• If this note is for an interviewer, convey your enthusiasm about the opportunity for which you were applying. In the second paragraph, review your qualifications and special skills, or anything you feel was overlooked in your interview. Be sure to keep this section classy and concise! This is not a way to mop up a terrible interview – just a little push in your favor to reinforce a job well done.
• Close in an open way. Offer up an invitation for future contact with your own information and thank the reader once again.
• Give a date for a follow up phone call. Stick to it! Take note of deadlines and make sure that you follow up before a final decision is made.

That’s it!

Thank you notes are effective, easy networking tools that can only help your professional relationships. Think about it - from a psychological perspective, when you make others feel good about themselves, they instinctively feel good about you and are more likely to help you out in the future. Your chances of receiving positive feedback increase dramatically when you show sincere appreciation. An appropriate thank you letter can mean the difference between a call back and a cold shoulder, so learn to write them well and learn to write them often! Ready? And…..go!

So Dear Reader:

To conclude, thank you so much for taking the time to review this article. We hope it has helped you to better your job search in some way, and we look forward to blogging more enticing articles for you to read in the future.

If you’re looking for access to exceptional job openings, please do not hesitate to browse www.doostang.com at any time of the day or night.

Thanks again, and happy job hunting!

Sincerely,

Team Doostang

Even the employed want to find a job. Sixty percent of currently employed workers told surveyors from Right Management they plan to look for a new job in 2010; another 21 percent answered “maybe” to the same question – will you be looking for a new job in 2010. In the exclusively executive ranks, the numbers are [...]

The United Stated Census Bureau plans to hire hundreds of thousands of temporary census takers for the 2010 Census, according to its website. Pay ranges for the part time work vary from $10.00 to upwards of $22.00 an hour depending on your state and the county you apply. The Census website has an interactive state-by-state [...]