?? 35 Smart Things to Actually Do and Not Do at Job Fairs

?? 35 Smart Things to Actually Do and Not Do at Job Fairs 284 Can you get hired at a job fair? You can if you follow these tips. Photo by Filip Bunkens I've been to many career fairs, both as a job seeker and as a speaker and advisor. When looking for a job, I would typically come to the fair early in the event, dressed well and holding a binder or folder with resume copies. Once inside, I'd scan the room (or fair map) to decide which companies to visit. Then I'd head first to whichever company stand had the shortest line of waiting job seekers. I came more or less prepared, yes, but too often I arrived with the wrong mindset: I basically treated the fair as a simple item to check off on my job search to-do list. Instead of aiming to really push my job search forward, I would ultimately just go through the motions of handing out all the resumes I brought with me, trying to get it all over with and get out of there as soon as possible, without truly taking advantage of what was going on around me.eval Sound familiar? The main reason why job fairs are good for jumpstarting your job search is for meeting company reps, but they can do so much more IF you know how to take advantage of everything they have to offer.eval Here's a list of 35 job fair do's and don'ts for success at your next fair. Are job fairs a waste of time? Yes No View Results Free bonus: Download JobMob's Job Fair Success Guide with over 60 job fair tips. Before the job fair Do fill in an online application form in advance if the career fair organizers requested that you do so. Do dress professionally. For guys, that means ironed shirt and pants, possibly even a jacket and tie. For girls, that's a pressed skirt or pantsuit with sleeves and necklines that are conservative. Don't wear jeans or flashy jewelry. Do have many copies of your resume with you to distribute. Needless to say but I'll say it anyway, make sure the resume is up-to-date. Bring a work portfolio too in case of snap interviews. Don't give out rumpled copies or anything less than crisp CVs, which is why I usually brought a folder or binder. Do come with note-taking gear â€" a smartphone, or a day planner and pen. If a recruiter offers you a meeting or interview, immediately update your agenda with the date and time in front of that person, which builds your credibility and makes you look professional. Don't try to commit that information to memory and risk forgetting it, which would be very unprofessional. Do have a small backpack or briefcase to hold any business cards, flyers or swag that companies give you. Don't carry about a plastic bag from a local supermarket with your resumes inside. You'd be surprised. Do prepare in advance and have clear goals for the job fair. If you know which companies will be at the fair, research them by visiting their websites and seeing if they have any open positions that interest you. If so, learn about the business and be ready to answer questions when you meet their representatives. Don't make unrealistic goals. Walking out of the fair with a job contract in hand would be one of them. Even interview invites are often unlikely, but it is realistic to get hiring manager contact information that you can act on later. Do make a sales pitch for yourself, also called an elevator pitch: a 30-second infomercial about you. Practice saying it to other people. When you're comfortable enough, you'll get the hang of tweaking it on the fly as you discuss yourself with other career fair attendees. Don't wait until the last minute to do follow these pre-job fair tips but even that is better than not preparing at all. During the job fair Do arrive early to take some time to develop a plan of action for your time at the fair. Don't bring up the fact that you arrived late if it happens. Do talk to as many people as possible within reason â€" bearing in mind that quality is more important than quantity â€" since networking is an important element of any job fair. Don't interrupt other people when they're talking at company booths. Do look directly at recruiters and listen to them. Don't answer your cellphone when talking to any company representatives. Do smile, be friendly and try to relax. Bring a friend if it will help break the ice and make it easier for you to approach the company tables. Don't come to the fair and expect that people will approach you or call out at you like in the shuk (Israeli marketplace, or bazaar). Do take note of whom you submitted resumes to, for following up later. Don't give out your resumes to uninterested companies just for the sake of doing so. You may run out of resumes sooner than you think. Do request business cards. Write down who you met and where on the back of each business card you receive, and in front of the giver. If they have none, ask for their contact information and note it. Don't just stuff the business card in your pocket as if you're doing the giver a favor by taking it from her. Do visit companies that you are unfamiliar with e.g. because you didn't know they'd be at the fair. If their representative asks, give them that reason and say that you normally would have researched them otherwise. Don't pretend that you know their business. They'll notice sooner than you realize. Do ask when is best to contact the company after the fair and write it down. Don't ask and then forget or otherwise miss that contact deadline. Do stop and reflect midway through the fair. Have you accomplished any of your goals? If not, what do you need to change before the fair ends? Otherwise, what's left to be done? After the job fair Do follow up any job opportunities that you discovered at the fair. Email is good, telephone is better. Don't call during lunch hour or any other inconvenient moment. Do send thank you letters with copies of your CV, especially if you ran out of CVs during the fair. Don't pester these new contacts or be too insisting and appear desperate. Be courteous of the recruiter's time. Do take a look back at your performance. Did you reach all of your goals? What did you do well? Where could you improve for next time? Don't browbeat yourself. Everyone has bad days. What's important is to learn from your mistakes. Behind every success story is a list of failures. It can be easy to have a successful job fair if you take the time to prepare for it and act professionally throughout. You'll leave a good impression and might even find your dream job. Question of the article Which job fair tips have worked well for you in the past? What new ones will you need to try next time? Tell us in the comments. More job fair success tips How to Work the Job Fair Nine Tips to Improve Your Chances at Job Fairs 9 Career Fair Tips To Get You Hired Free Bonus JobMob's Job Fair Success Guide explains why you should go to the fair with over 60 tips. This free download contains: 25 Reasons Job Fairs Are Not a Waste of Time 35+ Job Fair Success Do’s and Don’ts Click the image below to get access to JobMob's Job Fair Success Guide: JobMob Insiders can get this free bonus and other exclusive content in the JobMob Insider Bonuses area. Join now, it's free!

How to Write a Good Resume For A Recent College Graduate

How to Write a Good Resume For A Recent College GraduateIf you are a recent college graduate, or even if you have been out of college for quite some time, the chances are that you are not well-versed in the resume writing process. You might still be trying to figure out how you can get your resume read and finally taken seriously. If this is the case, I want to share with you a few basic tips on how to write a very good resume.No matter how many colleges you attended or how long you have been working, no college graduate is automatically a good candidate for a certain job. The point is that the vast majority of college graduates who apply for jobs that require resumes will end up getting rejected. That is why it is so important for those of us who are already in the business of writing resumes to keep our skills sharp and increase them in areas where we are likely to be hired.The most important skill that you can learn when it comes to writing a successful resume is to make sure that you are as organized as possible. Think about it. As soon as you hit the 'send' button you are putting yourself at the mercy of that particular job hiring process. The very next thing that they are going to be thinking about is what kind of cover letter you sent out, and how they will respond to it.If you try to cram everything that you did in two days, you are probably going to have a hard time paying attention to the details. Try to keep in mind all of the main points that you need to stress. This way you are in a better position to highlight what you should emphasize in your resume. There is no point in highlighting things that are really not important.Make sure that you know your skills and what you can offer. Obviously, you are going to need to list your education, but also be sure that you emphasize the fact that you are an expert in your field. As I mentioned earlier, just because you have a college degree does not mean that you are good at your job. In order to get hired, y ou need to be able to demonstrate that you are able to do the job effectively. One of the best ways to do this is to list the various positions that you have held.Another tip that you can use for all other resumes is to make sure that you use professional looking fonts, and make sure that you are aware of the specific requirements that all college graduates should follow. You want to make sure that your resume looks professional and is in line with all of the requirements that are specific to that specific job. Most people who apply for a job tend to overlook these details, which makes their applications look unprofessional and makes them seem like they do not know what they are doing.It is important for all new graduates to learn how to use Microsoft Word. When you apply for a job you should be able to use Microsoft Word to create an effective resume. If you are a person who has a habit of using different fonts, that is another big red flag. Remember that you need to get your resum e written in a professional looking font so that people will read it properly.In conclusion, your resume as a recent college graduate should follow a few general rules of thumb. You should make sure that you list your education but also highlight your experience. After you have listed these two things, you should make sure that you use professional looking fonts, and if you can, make sure that you follow the exact requirements that are required for any particular job.

Top Social Media and Job Search Tips by Bill Boorman

Top Social Media and Job Search Tips by Bill Boorman What are your favourite social media tools? That is really hard to answer. Channel wise, my preference is always for Twitter and Tweetdeck is the tool that enables me to filter the stream properly. (I have close to 6000 followers.) I also use Hootsuite when I’m out and about because it is entirely web based and doesn’t need any downloads if you are logging in from a P.C. other than your own. As you probably gathered, I like finding the best ways to use applications in all the channels. At the moment I would pick out the following 12 as being really useful: Blastfollow â€" For following everyone using a twitter hashtag at the same time. Tweetcloud â€" For seeing what key words appear most often in tweets for a targeted individual. Great for making conversation. Tweetgrid â€" For following twitter chats which often overload the API limits and stall tweetdeck. It is also easy to reply and retweet from Tweetgrid. Twittersheep â€" Which shows the key words contained in a twitter followers bio. This enables me to see if I need to either follow all of their followers by using a tool like Refollow that allows me to follow them all on masse, (remember 50% follow you back) or you can select individual followers that match your target area. WTHashtag â€" Gives you a definition of the common hashtags if they are registered. You can see the number of individual tweeters behind the hashtag and the top 10 contributors. (If the hashtag is in your target area you should follow and get try to engage all of these. If the chat or conference is of particular interest, this also enables you to see and save the entire transcript for later reference. The Twitter application on LinkedIn. This enables me to update my profile from Tweetdeck by using #in and to follow all of my connections that list twitter on their profile. LinkedIn is great for finding people that you want to target, whilst twitter makes engagement much easier. FB140 â€" Enables me to follow all my Facebook friends on twitter and send friend invites to my twitter followers. Combining followers in all your channels means you can communicate with them where they want to engage and spend the most time. BranchOut â€" Turns Facebook in to LinkedIn you can see where your friends work, group them together by employer or skill set and see where your friends friends work. It also has a neat targeted job board that is free, and allows direct messaging within the network. Related:  How to Use BranchOut on Facebook [REVIEW] RSS Feed â€" I use my RSS feed for receiving questions from Linked In in my target area, Staffing. (You can also set these up for job notifications.) This way I get to answer plenty of relevant questions, which is great for network building in this area and getting noticed. Box.Net â€" This allows you to add any number of downloadable documents to anywhere. All job seekers should definitely use it to add their C.V. to their linked In profile. The paid for version and it’s quite cheap, allows you to see who has made the download for follow up. This is also great for recruiters who can add Job Spec’s, terms of reference and other documents. You can use Box.Net on any of the social channels in particular LinkedIn and Facebook. Slideshare â€" This enables you to share PowerPoint presentations and video in multiple sites. Add a brief welcome video on your linked In profile to stand out (I’m just doing mine,) and any presentations you might have done that will reflect well on you. I have seen recruiters use slideshare for presenting their services and job seekers on “what I can offer.” You can also post Slideshare in Facebook and on Twitter via a link. WordPress â€" Not really an application, it’s the platform I use for my blogs. Blogs are a great way to share your message, whatever that might be, and to get noticed as a recruiter or even a job seeker. Gary Franklyn, an in-house recruitment manager and founder of the FIRM is currently using his blog to chart his job search. This puts him firmly in the shop window and lets everyone know he is looking in a positive way. These are my 12 of the moment, though I’m constantly adding to the list. Applications now make social media simple (I’m in no way techie), and enable really effective networking whatever the objective. Your best social media tips for job seekers out there? I think just to get out there and do it. If you are out of work then you need to be very visible. Make it clear that you are looking for a job and the type of work you are looking for. There is no shame in being out of work. Don’t try to dress it up with phrases like “In Transition,” just say you are looking for a job! This should be clearly listed on your Twitter bio, LinkedIn profile and Facebook Profile. Use Box.Net to add your C.V. to these places in simple to download format and announce the location via twitter with regular posts, asking your network to retweet. Make sure you attach a relevant # to the type of work you are looking for so that you show up in more than your follower’s stream. The #HFUK (Hire Friday UK) stream is followed and circulated by recruiters and others on a Friday. Monitor this stream as it also contains links to jobs. Post the link to your C.V. and your details in the stream each Friday. You must be easy to contact. Recruiters lose patience quickly if they have to look too hard to find you. Be sure you include your e-mail address clearly in any of your bio’s, and make sure the e-mail listed isn’t something like SexySister69 @ hotmail.com! Draw up a list of target companies that you want to work for and find out if you are connected with anyone that works there. You can use LinkedIn and Branch Out on FB to do this. Is there anyone among your connections that could effect an introduction for you? Join relevant groups on Linked In and post a link to your profile with an appropriate message of the type of work you are looking for in the groups. Post regular comments and questions related to your job search in the groups. The more you post and comment, the more people will look at your profile, and the more people that look at your profile, the more chance you have of getting an opportunity. The key is getting yourself noticed, and you get noticed by engagement and getting involved. Look for the on-line places that your targets visit or post in. This could be in any of the channels. Get involved in the conversation, look at what your targets are talking about and contribute on both a personal and professional level. Once you are on tweeting or commenting terms with a target you can make an approach. People will be flattered to be asked for help or opportunities and this could open the door for you. It’s a bit harder if you are employed and looking to move. You need to be more discrete so as not to draw attention to your search. This means building a network first and engaging in order to reach the point where you can make a phone call or communicate via DM, Linked In e-mail or FB Message. Make sure your profiles are key-word rich and that you are easy to find in searches. You can find the best key-words to use by researching what searches feature highly at google.com/sktool/# which tells you the most common key-words or phrases searched for in Google. It is very simple to use, free (unless you choose to buy links) and works. Your on-line profiles need to be not only well written and presented but easy to find. Most importantly, social media channels are great door openers but there is no substitute for conversation and face to face networking. Social Media should form no more than a third of your job search strategy. Network at every opportunity, go to events and find opportunities for phone calls and sitting down face to face. Best advice I heard recently was to use the 9.00 â€" 5.00 for getting out and about, and network on-line out of these hours. Make finding a job your full time job and don’t rely on anyone else to do it for you. Social media won’t get you a job, but used effectively it will open doors to opportunities, the rest is down to you! Is it true that you are known as @BillBoorman in real life? Anyone that knows me would describe me as a twitterholic, and I’m not yet recovering. It was natural when I launched my new business that I called it by the name I am best known as, @BillBoorman. It’s on my business card and my Bank Account. Lloyds Bank announced that I was their first @ account! Related: Killer Recruitment Tips by Bill Boorman

Road to Me 2.0 The Ultimate Personal Business Card Revealed - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Road to Me 2.0 The Ultimate Personal Business Card Revealed - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career For the release of my new book and to capture everything I do in the personal branding world, I had new business cards made. It costs about $170 to get 1,000 double-sided, color, 12 pt thick, glossy business card.   One side is the cover of my book and the other has my picture, with my contact information, two media quotes and my title.   From a branding perspective, these business cards will make people remember my face and the book that I have coming out in April.   Whether youre in college, an entrepreneur or a manager, you should have your own business card.   If you want to learn how to create your own business cards, see my previous post on this topic.

Do You Have A Word For Resume Writing?

Do You Have A Word For Resume Writing?The goal of your resume writing is to land you a job and get you noticed by your prospective employer. This requires that you do some preparation work to optimize your chances of getting a job.Resume writing is a vital step to your goal of getting hired. It's the initial contact with your prospective employer, so it is imperative that you know how to write a good resume. A well written resume will be compelling enough to help you get the job, but if your resume does not show your personality you may miss out on that next great job opportunity. So it is absolutely necessary that you create a resume that best suits your personality and accomplishments.In order to get a top spot in the resume pile, you must show that you have what it takes to do the job. A good way to get started is to write down your goals and take a look at what you've accomplished in the past. See what it was that made you want to succeed and what led you to that point. That coul d be a specific achievement or a general one that pertains to what you will be doing when you do become a professional.After reviewing your resume and pinpointing exactly what you wanted to accomplish in a particular area you can then look at your qualifications. Remember that you are trying to show that you are qualified to do the job that you are applying for.Writing about your experiences is a good idea as well. You will want to write something that shows you are willing to go to new heights and do things that most people won't. If you are a trouble maker, you might write about something that is of interest to the company. Perhaps you've helped your team fix a problem and you needed to do the phone calls, write about that experience, something that shows that you are willing to help your co-workers and others.Resume writing also requires that you have a skill or two to contribute to the project. For example, if you have a degree in marketing or sales, maybe you can do some writin g about why you would make a good candidate for the position that you are applying for.Another part of your resume that can be of great benefit is your skills, experience, education, or professional training. If you have a position that you feel is lacking, maybe you can tell the hiring manager about that, maybe the company needs someone to help their other employees with some training, maybe you have experience with these kinds of areas and can provide that.Any time you get the chance to pitch yourself, do so. Think about what you can add to the company that they are looking for. In other words, your resume is your selling tool, so make sure that it is selling you!

How to Convince Your Manager to Let You Work from Home CareerMetis.com

How to Convince Your Manager to Let You Work from Home There are lots of reasons why you might want to work from home. Childcare is expensive, long commutes are a drain on your energy and resources, andâ€"let’s face itâ€"the office environment isn’t always great for productivity.Remote work is a growing trend in the workforce. According to the results of a recent survey, it’s estimated that by 2028, 73% of all departments will have remote workers, with 33% of full-time workers out of office.evalUnfortunately, there are still holdouts who aren’t sold on letting their employees work from home. So how do you get your boss to sign off on letting you work remotely?1) Be a good employeeevalSuccessfully working from home is all about trust and communication, so before you can have a conversation with your manager about remote work, you need to work on earning that trustâ€"especially if your employer has had negative experiences with remote workers in the past.A great way to start is by simply being a good employee. Show up to the office on time, demonstrate your investment in the business, practice good communication skills, and work on proving your value to your boss.Basically, if you make yourself indispensable, your manager will be invested in keeping you around. Then they’ll be more likely to see the benefits of giving you flexible workplace options, and it may help to overcome their bias against remote workers. Plus, you’ll have the trust and mutual respect you need for a successful work-from-home plan.2) Make sure the technology is in placeTechnology is crucial when you telecommute, so before you actually talk to your boss, you’ll want to make sure you have the tools to get started.evalYou can start by making sure you have reliable high-speed internet at home Now that you’ve laid the groundwork, it’s time to make the pitch to your boss.Start by explaining all the reasons why you want to work from home. If you have young children and need a better childcare solution, explain that to your manager. If you deal with a long commute or inconvenient transportation, bring that up. If you just think you’d work better away from the fluorescent lighting and chatty co-workers at your office, mention that too.Next, in your proposal, highlight some of the many well-documented telecommuting benefits. Here are a few to get you started:i) Higher job satisfactionStudies have repeatedly found that working remotely has a profoundly positive effect on employee job satisfaction. And if your manager needs a good refresher on why employee job satisfaction is important, you can remind them that satisfied employees statistically drive better resultsfor their employers.ii) Less turnoverMost employers understand that employee turnover is costlyand generally bad for business. So your boss may be more inclined to consider your work-from-home proposal if you make the case that companies with flexible work options have seen sizable drops in employee attrition.iii) Better productivityEven more studies have shown the incredible benefits remote work can have on productivity. Many employees who work remotely find it easier to put in a full workdayand concentrate better during their work hours. That makes them more efficient, which makes them a better investment for the company.iv) Fewer sick daysWorking from home has another effect that many employers don’t consider: it results in fewer unscheduled absences. Basically, they’re not taking sick days for minor illnesses because they’re not worried about spreading their sniffles to other co-workers. And fewer sick days means enhanced productivity.v) More profitevalNot only will your company makemore money if you’re more productiveâ€"it will also savea lot of money too. With fewer workers in the office, your boss can spend less on office furniture, real estate, and ancillary benefits like snacks. In fact, some studies estimate companies see an average cost savings of $10,000 per yearfor each full-time remote worker they employ.Yes, p lease.4) Present your planHopefully, by now, you’ve warmed your boss up to the idea of employees working from home. But they may still be skeptical about the mechanics of incorporating remote work into their business. To combat that, your proposal should include a concrete plan for how you intend to make remote work feasible for yourself, your boss, and your colleagues.evalHere are some questions your plan should address:a) What will your work schedule be?One great thing about working from home is the flexibility to work at the best time for your schedule. Unfortunately, that’s scary for a lot of managers, so be open about your schedule and make sure you’re clear about when you’ll be available. What time will you start? How many hours will you work?You may also want to come up with a way to track your hours so your boss can verify you’re putting in full-time work. Or if you work part-time, you may need to find a remote time clock software that allows you to punch in and ou t from home.evalFinally, you may want to include in-office days in your plan. Communicate clearly which days you plan to be in the office and which days you’ll be at home.b) Where will you work?When a lot of employers think of remote work, they either imagine an employee who stays in bed all day or an employee who goes surfing during work hours. This mental image feeds into the impression that remote workers do the bare minimum amount of work and prioritize their own enjoyment over their responsibilities.A good way to combat this negative perception is to share details with your boss about your workspace. Show them pictures of your home office, your desk, and the equipment you plan to use. Basically, give them no reason to think you’ll be less efficient while working remotely.Also: you may be all about that digital nomad lifestyle, but if your boss is already hesitant to allow remote work, you may want to hold off booking that backpacking trip until your work-from-home situation is a little more established.d) What distractions do you foresee? How will you handle those distractions?Sure, you and Iknow that there are often fewer distractions at home than in the office. But to your manager, working from home presents hundreds of temptations that might distract you from your job.To anticipate and address those concerns. Make a list of potential distractions (social media, children, the lure of Ellen) and describe what you will do to combat those distractions and how you’ll communicate to your coworkers that you’re unavailable.Showing your boss that distractions won’t negatively affect your ability to work will help your case substantially.e) How will you participate in meetings and collaboration remotely?A lot of employers worry that remote employees won’t be able to collaborate and participate at the same level as in-office workers. Fortunately, you’ve already scoped out the technology available to your company and should have ready solutions for r emote meetings and collaboration.Share your plan to communicate using instant messaging, videoconferencing, email, cloud storage, project management tools, scheduling software, and any other tools you think are necessary. If you’ve already got those solutions worked out, it means less work (and less stress) for your boss, which ups your chances of getting your work-from-home request approved.f) What new processes are needed to make working remotely effective for yourself and your team?Having a remote team member can create some pain points for your coworkers too, especially if your current processes include a lot of face-to-face collaboration. But if you anticipate the pain points your flexible work arrangement may cause and propose solutions, you may be able to sway your manager to see things your way.Will you need to schedule extra recurring meetings to better collaborate? How will you hand off projects to colleagues who work in a different location? Do any of your team’s day- to-day processes need to change for you to work remotely?Address all that in the plan you present to your manager.5) Start a trial runEven after you’ve presented all the benefits of remote work, your manager may still feel hesitant.In that case, advocate for a trial period. This gives your boss the opportunity to try your proposal without committing to an at-home employee policy.A trial run may also be a good thing even if your boss iscompletely won over. After you work remotely for a bit, you may find that you miss interacting with your coworkers daily or you underestimated the distractions of working from home.In any case, make sure that you and your manager set clear expectations about how long your trial period will be and what constitutes a successful test.Schedule regular check-ins with your manager so you can touch base on how the test is going, and agreeing in advance on what the next steps will be once the test is over.6) Get your work doneYou’ve put a lot of work into talking your boss into allowing flexible work. Now, all you’ve got to do is not blow it. Unfortunately, though, you may have to work even harder to deliver on your promises.It’s sad but true that many employers have a negative impression of at-home workers. So even after you’ve proven to them in theory that working remotely is good for the business, you’ll still have to prove it to them in practice.That means you’ve got to overcompensate in terms of productivityâ€"at least until you’ve definitively proven that you can work from home without it negatively impacting your work.It’s also a good practice to start meticulously documenting your work and your achievements. Keep track of your sick days, your hours, your efficiencyâ€"anything you can use to prove that your work-from-home proposal has merit.7) Be proactiveOne of the drawbacks of remote work is that at-home workers are often forgotten or overlooked because they’re not putting in face-time with the boss every day . To combat this (and cement your ability to work remotely long-term), it’s important to be proactive about anything and everything relating to your work.During your trial run, be aggressive in asking for things you need. If you have tasks that pose a challenge because of your flexible workplace arrangements, be communicative about those obstacles and suggest solutions.Once your trial period is over, proactively schedule a conversation with your manager to go over the results. Come prepared with your documented work stats and ready to talk about how your plan has been successful (or how it can be improved).Finally, be your own advocate! Some studies suggest that even though work-from-home employees are more efficient, they’re 50% less likelyto receive a performance-based promotion. Be vocal about your wins, and don’t hesitate to ask for raises and promotions when you feel you have earned them.THE BOTTOM LINEWorking remotely benefits not just workers but employers as well.But i f your boss has a hard time seeing the positive effect at-home work can have on the business’s bottom line, you may have to help them warm up to the idea.Hopefully, with this guide, you should be well set-up to start drafting a business case for your boss and get your proposal approved. Good luck!

Search For a Job In a New City

Search For a Job In a New City Searching for a job can be tough enough in the city that you live in currently, but finding a new position in a new city adds its own set of challenges. Two of the biggest challenges are 1) not having an established network and 2) not knowing the companies you want to target in the new city. Below are three ways to address these challenges and help you find a job in a new city. Take Stock of Your Network Who is in your network in your new city? Think beyond just the people you know. Many individuals say “I only know 1 or 2 individuals.” While that might be true, that doesn’t mean you do not have a network or ability to network in this new city. Consider those who might have a connection to you. These will be the easiest people to meet. Do close friends, family members, co-workers know individuals in the new city? Connect with Alumni Is there an alumni chapter from your University in the new city? If there isn’t a traditional alumni chapter in the city, are there alumni you can reach out to? Look into your alumni database to see who you can find. Typically, those who have a connection to you in some way will be the most likely to help you. Don’t limit yourself to those who are in your specific industry. You never know who these individuals know in your industry. Find The Business Journal Does this city have a Business Journal? If so, start reading it. Consider going to the Library to read it if you are unable to subscribe. If the city has The Business Journal, the library will also typically have a Book of Lists. The Book of Lists is published by The Business Journal and is a collection of lists of top companies in that city. Identify Local Chapters of Professional Organizations Research some of your industry or trades professional groups who meet in your city (i.e. SHRM, AMA, CNRA, ASWA). Attending meetings with these professional organization can help you meet others in your industry or profession and learn more about the companies who employee folks with your skills. If your profession doesn’t have a traditional professional organization or there isn’t one in your city, consider using www.meetup.com to look for groups of others in your city who are in your profession, or have the same interest areas as you. Moving to a new city while searching for a job brings some additional challenges for job seekers. It will most likely require you to do some extra work, take additional proactive moves, and overcome any fears of meeting new people or networking. The three steps above should help you compensate for the knowledge gap you have searching for a job in a new city.

Were You Just Laid off Now What! - Hallie Crawford

Were You Just Laid off Now What! Were you just laid off from your job? One small consolation is â€" you’re not alone. This is happening worldwide at an alarming rate. But even though it’s happening to so many people; it is still a shock to actually here those words, “We’re letting you go.” After you hear this your next thought it â€" now what? Here’s the answer to that question: You are more in control than you think. Obviously you did not create the weak economy leading to this event. BUT â€" you ARE in total control of how you respond to that event. Heres how that works: Suppose you get depressed and just give up. Your response would obviously create a negative reality in your life. But what if you instead respond by taking the tiger by the tail and start a new business on the web, or become a consultant in your field of specialization. You have then created an entirely different reality in response to the exact same event. Turn your frustration into a motivator to start your search for your ideal career. You’ll create a whole new reality for yourself that will allow you to move forward, instead of remaining stuck where you are. You may find that you are ready to switch gears completely.   You may wonder, am I really ready for a career transition? How can I best prepare myself for a change? But even before you delve into the components of a satisfying career, it helps immensely to cultivate a healthy and positive mental outlook. People who are successful at making a change are the ones who are willing to overcome their fears, doubts and insecurities in order to make it happen. You too, can be one of these people. Blast off towards your ideal careerIn my brand new coaching group, Identify Your Ideal Career Path  You CAN have a career that is fulfilling, rewarding and fun. Join my next coaching group to identify your ideal career path and learn how to make it happen. Heres to having a career you love! Career Transition Coach