What Comes With Your Free LinkedIn Account

There are some well written articles on why active and discreet job seekers should create a LinkedIn account.  I'm also an advocate of LinkedIn however; this post is not about why you should create a LinkedIn account but how to leverage your LinkedIn account during your job search.

The LinkedIn tools that I am going to describe are F-R-E-E with your F-R-E-E account (we like free).  You may not find all of these tools suitable for your search strategy so I'll sort each tool in separate buckets making it easy for you to read and decide which ones you do want to use.

*IMPORTANT NOTE - If you have not created a well written profile read Alison Doyle's article called "LinkedIn Profile".  At the time of this post Alison's LinkedIn profile ranked #6 when I did a Google search for "Alison Doyle".


Groups
Groups can strengthen and extend your existing network and link you to like-minded professionals.  As a group member you can invite other members of your group to become part of your network.  Once they accept your invite you'll have someone within your network who can "introduce" you to others within their network.  Here's an example of how I would use my group during my job search.

Sally is a recruiter for a company that I would like to work for however; Sally is not part of my network nor is she part of my group.  Robert is connected to Sally and Robert is a member of my group.  I send Robert an invite and after he accepts the invite I can direct message him asking for an introduction to Sally. The concept is the same when you go to a party.  If you want to meet someone you find someone you know at the party who knows that person and get an introduction.

Groups can also keep you updated on industry news and trends.  You don't want to go into an interview using buzz words that are no longer in style or you're unfamiliar with the newest industry related technology, software, or best practices.

Being a member of a group also enables you to build your own social brand by starting conversations and commenting on other conversations.  By contributing to group discussions you are displaying your knowledge around a particular topic.  I am a member of a couple groups and I provide resume and cover letter writing ideas, job search techniques and other related topics to my group's discussion boards 1-3 times per week.

Some groups post job openings that a job seeker could be missing out on.

LinkedIn has over 12,000 groups with the keyword "jobs" that are all free to join.  Don't be overwhelmed with the number.  Choose your industry and then find 2 or 3 groups for job seekers that has the largest number of members.

Following Companies ("Company Pages")
The Company Page offers businesses a platform to present their brand and service.  As a Recruiter I follow my competitors to see who was promoted and who departed.  As a convenience I receive an email summarizing the company's activities and I am able to set the frequency of the emails.  As a job seeker I would follow a company that I would like to work for to find decision makers and find new job opportunities.  Someone who leaves a company may mean a new job opportunity for you.  If you are connected you could send your resume and cover letter expressing an interest in applying for the role that John Doe vacated (provided you are qualified) before the position is posted externally.

Search Profiles
LinkedIn profiles are searchable but in order to contact the user you must be connected directly.  If my background or interest is IT and I am interested in connecting with IT recruiters I can find 44,000+ recruiters who recruit in the IT industry.

In my instance I have 12 recruiters in my network and 8, 562 recruiters who I have group relationships.

LinkedIn Answers
LinkedIn Answers is another space where you can build your own social brand by answering questions posted by others, showcase your knowledge and stay abreast of industry news.

Your answers to questions are fed to your homepage profile, added as your network status update and your answer is emailed to the person who asked the question. 

Merely creating a LinkedIn account is not going to attract staffing personnel to your profile.  You need to brand your profile, establish your credibility and connect with others.  All of the features I mentioned will do that for you.  And the beauty is all of them are free and low maintenance.

If you use LinkedIn please share your best practice(s) in the comment section below.

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Build Your Twitter Profile For Your Job Search

If you want someone to think of you when a job opening surfaces you need to be on Twitter.  For starters, make sure your Twitter profile is presentable (professional) and optimize it so that will attract staffing personnel and managers.

Don't protect your tweets.  It prevents your tweets from being indexed by Google, and from getting discovered by recruiters.

Don't mix business with pleasure.  If you plan to tweet a lot about your personal life create a second account.

Don't use inappropriate pictures in your profile or a picture that is not you.

Do choose an identity wisely.  Select a professional screen, whether it's your first and last name or one that captures your industry (i.e, marketing_professional, finance_person).  The latter is best for passive job seekers who want to be discreet.

Do make use of the web link.  Insert a link to your online resume or LinkedIn profile.  Don't have an online resume? Check out any of these free sites: Blogspot, Wordpress, or VisualCV

Do think about keywords you would want your profile to show in a search.  It's not necessary to use hashtags (#).  Your words will show up if keyed in a search.  Adding hashtags in your profile only takes up the 160 characters we are alloted. 

Do include your actual geographical location (city and state) rather than "USA", "Everywhere", "The Planet".  If you are open to relocating write "Open to relocation" in your profile.

Do use a standard background.  One that will permit you to give more details about your background.

Do measure the power of your profile.  Go to Twitter Grader.  My profile grade is 97.7 out of 100.

This is all you need to do to your Twitter profile to make is discoverable.

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Use Social Media In Your Job Search - A Must

Like all of my other posts this particular one will provide you with advice on how you should bare your experience and background to Recruiters, HR professionals, Headhunters and hiring managers. For this post I am picking social media and how you can leverage this resource to enhance and boost your job search.

Did you know there are more than 100 social media sites? If you are curious as to what they are go here. You probably use at least 2 forms of social media to connect and re-connect with friends. The most popular ones are Twitter, Facebook, MySpace and LinkedIn (which is actually a professional network).

Why should you use social media in your job search?
Recruiters, HR professionals and hiring managers are embracing social media and use social media as a "harvesting ground" to find talent for their organizations. Just check out Listorious and WeFollow for a list of Recruiters who want to be found.

Where should you go?
Twitter
Twitter is a great tool to network with employers who may be interested in your experience and engage and market yourself to a large audience of people. Many people can find the right contacts on Twitter to help them to find a job. For staffing and recruiting professionals, Twitter is a quick, easy, and direct way to find job seekers. Especially job seekers with specific skills sets who live in specific places. Unlike Facebook Twitter is searchable site for Recruiters. In my next post I'll share with you what Recruiters are saying about your Twitter profile.

LinkedIn

Recruiters and Human Resources managers are adding their own profiles to sites like LinkedIn and making connections with job seekers for employment. Besides making those connections also use the Company Profile feature. Company Profiles are a powerful research tool that helps you find and explore potential companies to work for. See whose leaving because that's a position that will need to be filled. Stay tuned because in my future post I will share some helpful information on how to create a profile as well as insight on how to search LinkedIn for your next career.

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Networking Tips for Career Advancement

Source: Career & Employment News
Establish networks with professionals in your current or desired fields. Search for and attend association events, cocktail receptions and critical seminars that will attract the people you should know.

Be prepared to talk with new people.
Draft a few questions and statements that will help get the conversation going. Ask what inspired your new contact to join his/her company or what experience he/she brings to the job. Share your positive experiences, what you've learned and your intended career path. Get his/her contact information!

Look for mutual opportunities.
Perhaps your new contact could benefit from your friend's business. Offer to make an introduction. Maybe your new contact knows someone working at your dream company. Ask if he/she would consider sharing your information with that person. Look for reasons to maintain contact and share resources. Be reliable! Don't promise something that you can't deliver.

Keep in touch!
Mark your new contact's business card with the date you last spoke. Follow up every few months just to say hello, see how business is going, set a coffee date...anything that will keep you top of mind. Nearly all networked affiliates share job leads, business leads or tips that can help you achieve your goals.

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Putting Veterans First in the Job Market

Finding a job is hard enough these days, and even harder for returning military veterans. Now Thomas R. Suozzi, the Nassau County executive, wants to put servicemen and women returning from Iraq and Afghanistan at the front of the line for job openings.

By Linda Saslow-
“Although in today’s economy it’s hard to foresee how many jobs we will be able to provide, the veterans will have first preference.”


Mr. Suozzi announced Warriors to Work, a program to provide job opportunities for those veterans. He said it was the first public-private program in the country to provide employment opportunities for returning veterans from the current wars.

“Over 3,000 Nassau County residents have served in Iraq and Afghanistan since 9/11, and there are still hundreds more fighting for our country today,” Mr. Suozzi said after announcing the initiative. Federal Labor Department statistics for 2007 show the unemployment rate for veterans, including those 18 to 24 who served in Iraq or Afghanistan, was considerably higher than the rate for nonveterans.

Mr. Suozzi said he got the idea for the initiative from Fred Wilpon, the principal owner of the Mets, who, during a Dec. 15 meeting at a Nassau restaurant, suggested that Mr. Suozzi “do something for veterans.”

Mr. Suozzi met with officials of the Building and Construction Trades Council and the North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System and received commitments for jobs from them. Then he received pledges from four trade unions and a dozen other companies. The participants include the Long Island Federation of Labor, the Bethpage Federal Credit Union, CVS, King Kullen and the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum.

The unions and companies committed to placing more than 200 veterans who have served in Iraq or Afghanistan in jobs on Long Island this year. The county’s Veterans Service Agency will work with human resources departments to help match veterans to appropriate jobs.

James Castellane, president of the Building and Construction Trades Council and a Vietnam War veteran, said in a telephone interview that the initiative was modeled on the Helmets to Hard Hats program, which since 2003 has been helping veterans find jobs within the 36 trade unions represented by the council.

“These jobs have to have a pension, an annuity, medical benefits and a union card,” he said, referring to the council’s commitment. “Although in today’s economy it’s hard to foresee how many jobs we will be able to provide, the veterans will have first preference.”

John R. Durso, president of the Long Island Federation of Labor, which represents 135unions and 250,000 employees on the Island, said the county’s program would give business and labor an opportunity to work together to support veterans.

“We will be talking to different employers and affiliates to get as many jobs as we can,” he said in a phone interview. “Where there are already jobs available, we will help slot them for veterans, and we will also work with employers to help create new positions.”

Michael J. Dowling, president and chief executive of the North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System — the Island’s largest employer, with 38,000 employees — has already increased his initial pledge for 2009 to 20 jobs from 10. He said he expected to be able to provide even more jobs to returning veterans, at all levels, on a continuing basis. Since 2004, North Shore-L.I.J. has hired 94 people who identified themselves as veterans, said a spokesman, Terry Lynam.

“Being such a large organization, there are openings all the time, and we are committed to providing permanent positions with benefits and a career track,” Mr. Dowling said.

Two years ago, he said, North Shore-L.I.J. set up a family wellness center to help veterans deal with stress-related problems; for employees who serve abroad, jobs are guaranteed upon their return, with compensation for salary missed during military service.

Richard A. Cody, a retired four-star general who served as vice chief of staff of the Army from 2004 to last July, joined Mr. Suozzi to announce the new initiative.

“When soldiers return after 12 to 15 months away from their families, many haven’t had time to do job searches or think about their transition,” General Cody said. “Today, veterans return home with broader skill sets than ever. Many of the vets possess years of high-tech vocational training, leadership skills, and some have earned college degrees while on active duty.”

Mr. Suozzi said that he would continue to encourage businesses and agencies to sign on to the Warriors to Work initiative and that the county’s monthly newsletter to veterans would remind them of the program.

Source: Veterans Today

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Stable Demand for Sales Jobs

SalesJobs.net, a Beyond.com career community and Web site for job seekers and employers in the sales industry, reveals there is a stable demand for sales jobs providing hope for sales professionals and new college graduates alike in the face of today’s economy.

The recent recession has caused a decline in jobs across a multitude of industries, creating a pool of highly qualified talent not seen in years. Many businesses are taking advantage of these candidates to fill sales positions that offer high-reward and low-risk to the company. This trend has allowed the sales sector to remain strong, experiencing close to a 10% increase in the number of sales jobs posted to SalesJobs.net in January 2009 as compared to December 2008. In Q4 2008, the top positions for sales jobs were Sales Manager (68%), Pharmaceutical Sales Representative (15%) and Cashier (5%), with the top cities for jobs ranked as Houston, New York and Chicago, according to SalesJobs.net. Of the sales jobs posted in Q4 2008, 67% were looking for a candidate with less than one year of experience and 63% required at least a four-year degree. With the increased quantity and quality of competition in the job market, SalesJobs.net reported a 27% increase in sales professionals looking for a job over the past year.

Source: Recruiter Trends

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Veterans Green Jobs Career Training Program Supports Veterans

Veterans Green Jobs announces that it has opened enrollment for the Spring and Summer 2009 sessions of the Veterans Green Jobs Academy™.

The Academy is a unique hybrid of classroom and on-the-job training designed to move the experienced, disciplined military veteran into a meaningful career in green industries. Veterans Green Jobs Academy™ programs include free or low-cost green job training; multiple industry-recognized home energy audit certifications; and job placement services to veterans seeking to help America restore its economy, environment and communities. All honorably discharged veterans are encouraged to apply now for 8-week training programs beginning in April, June and August 2009. The Spring 2009 session of the Academy focuses on home energy efficiency and conservation with an intensive Home Energy Audit Training (HEAT™) certification program. HEAT™ brings environmental education together with supervised on-the-job-training to meet the consumer demand for experts to help lower residential energy consumption. "Reports indicate that there are nearly 2 million returned or returning military personnel who now face the challenging task of transitioning into civilian careers after their tours in Iraq, Afghanistan or elsewhere. Without effective support and viable economic options, many veterans and their families face serious hardships," says John M. Garcia, Secretary for the New Mexico Department of Veterans Services. "At the same time, America has a rapidly growing demand for trained workers to implement a nationwide shift to more sustainable 'green' technologies, energy sources, business practices and lifestyles." The Veterans Green Jobs Academy™ has designed scalable curriculums in environmental industries, business management, and specific job skills that can be immediately applied to the marketplace. The HEAT™ Program is just one of several energy-efficiency-related programs being developed, and future programs offered by the Academy include renewable energy, green building, historic building preservation, and disaster preparedness, response and reconstruction. "Veterans Green Jobs is working to mobilize a highly-skilled population to lead the revival of a national service ethic to address our most pressing problems," says Brett KenCairn. "That includes setting a standard so that green jobs in this country offer a true living wage and job security, and so that careers in green industries lead to energy independence, ecological restoration, community renewal and economic prosperity for all Americans." In collaboration with a broad consortium of partners, Veterans Green Jobs is supporting veterans' military transitions through programs and support services that promote their personal healing, along with a community-based movement towards healing the economy and the environment. In doing so, Veterans Green Jobs is also mobilizing a dedicated field-tested workforce that our society has already invested in to help the US move quickly towards greater environmental and economic security. Academy programs will expand to 15 states in 2010 and are anticipated to be in all 50 states as soon as possible.

Source: Recruiter Trends

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Niche and Local Job Boards

Hong Kong job seekers and recruiters are set to benefit from the launch of a host of industry-specific websites serving the region.

The sites, led by Jobs-In-Hong-Kong.com, are being launched by The Omni Job Board Network, Inc. in response to changing needs in the internet recruitment market. The Omni network was created by a team of former recruiters, web developers, human resources (HR) and marketing professionals, "who had become disillusioned by the high cost and inconsistent results they experienced with traditional job boards." Their research reveals that the vast majority of internet job seekers have little loyalty to major job board brands, instead relying primarily on search engines to deliver relevant and up-to-date job listings in their area, according to the website. Despite being newly launched to the industry, the sites feature highly in internet search engines, including Google, Yahoo! and MSN Live, giving employers and recruiters a high level of exposure to high quality candidates from around the world.

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Part-time Opportunities

Most people (meaning job seekers) perceive part-time jobs as a waste of time and offer less than full-time positions.

Many part-time jobs pay just as much as full-time as a 40 hour per week job and there are number of part-time jobs that offer benefits such as health insurance, 401(k), vacation days and employee discounts. Here is a list of the best part-time opportunities.

1. Tax Preparer
2. Substitute Teacher
3. Private Tutor
4. Part-time Receptionist
5. Computer Technician
6. Copy Editor
7. Direct Seller

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Hiring Firms Gear Up for Finance Mop Up

The expected clean-up of the U.S. financial sector and an anticipated economic stimulus package has staffing firms preparing to find jobs for everyone from blue-collar workers to highly trained compliance officers.

While most headlines in the past few months have been about companies and industries eliminating jobs and closing factories, once these federal government programs roll out, demand within some sectors is expected to spike!

"Cleaning up the bad loans and reregulating the financial sector is going to be huge," said Brendan Courtney, Vice President of Mergis Group, a unit of staffing company Spherion Corp, which has set up a special group to handle hiring related to the U.S. financial sector bailout. "None of this is going to get done without armies of people."

The U.S. Congress is debating a nearly $900 billion economic stimulus package, including tens of billions of dollars for infrastructure projects to create jobs.

President Barack Obama has also vowed to overhaul the nation's financial regulatory system, which may include stricter rules for hedge funds, credit rating agencies and mortgage brokers, to prevent a repeat of the credit crisis that has plunged the world's largest economy into deep recession.

And U.S. policymakers are considering whether to place toxic or virtually worthless assets left in the wake of the financial crisis into a bank cleanup program that some analysts estimate could cost as much as $4 trillion.

Although the exact form of these programs has yet to be decided, staffing companies say they are preparing to fill a raft of different jobs with accountants, engineers, lawyers, bankers, mortgage specialists and compliance officers.

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Job Seeker Support Groups

One of the best sources of job leads is other job seekers.

People who are unemployed or under-employed are finding strength in support groups. Members of these groups are the front-line soldiers in the battle for jobs, and as a group, know more about where the openings are than probably any other single source. Except in the rare instance when two people are looking for the same type of job -- at the same level -- in the same geographic area, most job seekers are eager to share their knowledge and leads with others.

That is why career strategist and counselors (and I) recommend all job seekers connect with at least one job search group. I recently created such a group.

It's called the Frustrated Job Seeker Lounge.There are no membership fees or other costs associated with the group. You can make friends, network, ask for and share job leads, exchange ideas and experiences, role-play with other job seekers, and you can participate in the group whenever you want from the comfort of your home. Membership is open to anyone who is unemployed, under-employed, or considering a career change.

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Wanted - Heavy Equipment Operators

Heavy equipment operators will have plenty of career opportunities in 2009.

Job opportunities for construction equipment operators are expected to be in abundance through 2012, due to the shortage of adequate training programs, according to the National Heavy Equipment Operators School. The National Heavy Equipment Training program is offered in two phases: distance learning and resident training. Resident Training requires a month of hands-on heavy equipment training, of which students are required to complete 201 hours of hands-on heavy equipment operator training in order to graduate. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, construction equipment operators held about 416,000 jobs in 2002. Jobs were found in every section of the country and were distributed among various types of operators. About three-out-of-five construction equipment operators worked in the construction industry. Many heavy equipment operators worked in heavy construction, building highways, bridges, or railroads. About one-out-of-five of all heavy equipment operators worked in state and local government. Others, mostly grader, bulldozer, and scraper operators, worked in mining, manufacturing, and utility companies.

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100 Best Companies to Work For In 2009

http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/bestcompanies/2009/full_list/

Check out one of my online discussion groups. You may be able to connect and network with a current employee or former employee from one of this companies.

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Health Care Employers Are Hiring

While the recession injured many industries in 2008, health care was one of the few bright spots in the employment picture, growing by 372,000 jobs last year, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ January 2009 Employment Situation Summary. The large aging population has health care employers in need of qualified workers: stat. Therefore, despite the current economic conditions, health care employers will continue to increase staff in 2009, according to CareerBuilder.com’s annual health care hiring forecast, conducted online within the U.S. by Harris Interactive.

Close to one-in-five (17 percent) of large health care employers (50 or more employees) plan to increase the number of full-time, permanent employees in 2009, while 67 percent foresee either making no change in the number of employees or are unsure.

"The health care industry continues to boast high demand for qualified workers. Employers are reacting to this need by continuing strong recruiting efforts this year," says Jason Ferrara, Vice President of Corporate Marketing for CareerBuilder.com. "Half of health care employers, the highest among industries we surveyed, have open positions for which they can’t find qualified candidates. In response, health care employers will have to adjust their recruitment and retention strategies to find and keep top talent."

Health care recruitment trends for 2009
1. More Flexibility. Flexible work options continue to be an important benefit for health care employers to provide in an effort to attract new candidates and to prevent employee burnout. Forty-one percent of health care employers will provide more flexible work arrangements for employees in 2009, including:

· Alternative schedules – come in early and leave early or come in later and leave later

· Compressed work weeks – work the same hours, but in fewer days

· Telecommuting

· Job sharing

· Summer hours

2. Recruitment Tools. As demand for qualified workers continues, health care employers will leverage a variety of recruitment tools to reduce the time-to-hire cycle and fill open positions. Health care employers plan to spend more money on the following recruitment tools in 2009:

· Online recruitment sites

· Newspaper classifieds

· Career fairs [click the "Job Fair Calendar" tab at the top of the page]

· Staffing firms and recruiters

· Social networking sites

3. Freelance Workers
To help alleviate their employees’ demanding work load, health care employers are hiring contract and freelance workers to help get the job done.

4. Green Jobs
Being "green" is a burgeoning movement within the health care industry as companies seek ways to run more efficiently. Health care employers plan to be more environmentally aware in 2009, as 14% plan to add "green" jobs, up from 7% in 2008. "Green jobs" are positions that implement environmentally conscious design, policy and technology to improve the conservation and sustainability.

With the growing job count in the nursing profession, NursingCrossing, a job site catering to nursing professionals, has reportedly added 12,255 nursing jobs in a single week, bringing the site's job count to a staggering 89,923.  As reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, jobs related to nursing and residential care facilities grew by 19,600 from January to August 2008.

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10 Cities for Growth Opportunity in 2009

If your job search strategy includes opportunities outside your local area check out this list of cities projecting job growth in 2009.

No. 1: Madison, Wis.

Unemployment rate: 3.5%

Madison has several things working in its favor, one being the University of Wisconsin, a major employer. The university's technology arm, the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation, supports scientific research at the school and helps drive breakthroughs in health care, biotechnology and medical devices, resulting in strong local businesses in all those fields. Adding to the city's optimistic job outlook is its highly educated workforce and the fact that it's the center of state and county governments--both big employers (city government is a big one too). Add to that an ideal mix of start-ups and medium and large businesses, and you have a city that is not reliant on one main employer.

No. 2: Washington, D.C.

Unemployment rate: 4.2%

That's a rise from 3.2% in October 2007, but still it remains well below the national average. The largest job growth has been in federal and local government. Other major employers include defense contracting, law and education. There are so many schools and colleges that education is the third largest employer, and the area is expected to add 30,000 more education jobs in 2009.

No. 3: Boston, Mass.

Unemployment rate: 4.4%

Boston's unemployment rate has risen almost a full percentage point since October 2007, when it was 3.5%, but things continue to look good on the job front there. All those colleges keep on employing thousands of area residents, and the many hospitals and research institutions make for a strong showing in health care. Not everyone who works at those institutions is a physician or researcher either--finance staff, managers and all kinds of back-office workers are always needed. With so many educated men and women wanting to stick around after graduating, Boston has become a hub for the tech and pharmaceutical industries. The city lost just 900 financial sector jobs in the past year--far fewer than other, harder hit places.

No. 4: Richmond, Va.

Unemployment rate: 4.4%

A year ago, Richmond's unemployment rate was 3.1%. But at 4.4% currently, it's still well below the national average. One reason is its healthy mix of industries and business sizes. The area doesn't rely on one or two huge companies to employ most of its residents. Public accounting, manufacturing and service remain strong fields, and with the nation's capital just three hours away, there are plenty of jobs in government contracting and defense. The military bases in the area contribute to a strong showing in government-related jobs.

No. 5: Milwaukee, Wis.

Unemployment rate: 4.8%

Milwaukee's unemployment rate is barely changed from a year ago, when it was 4.7%. The aging population has helped health care jobs multiply; they've grown by almost 30,000 in the past 12 months. Many health care, energy and environmental companies that were based in Chicago have been moving to Milwaukee for its cheaper expenses. The city is only about an hour from Chicago by train.

No. 6: Pittsburgh, Pa.

Unemployment rate: 5%

This city's unemployment rate has climbed in the past year from 3.9%, with much of that job loss in manufacturing. However, it continues to have several strong industries, particularly education, health care and government. The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center is the city's largest employer, with 40,000 workers. Banking, technology and education also continue to keep the economy and job market lively.

No. 7: Baltimore, Md.

Unemployment rate: 5.1%

Though unemployment in Baltimore jumped from 3.6% the previous year, the jobs in education, professional services and business services have grown. The city's close proximity to Washington, D.C., means there are many government contractors around and many commuters who live in Baltimore but work in the nation's capital.

No. 8: Seattle, Wash.

Unemployment rate: 5.3%

Unemployment here increased from 3.7% in October 2007, but certain sectors have stayed quite strong, including biotech and health care. The area has a large elderly population and several Veterans Administration hospitals that employ considerable numbers. You'll do best looking for a job in Seattle if you're trained in the knowledge economy; the city has very few blue-collar positions to offer.

No. 9: Houston, Texas

Unemployment rate: 5.4%

The unemployment rate has risen from 4% in the past year. However, government jobs, particularly in oil, gas and other types of energy, continue to be strong. The city added 11,100 government jobs just in the last year.

10. Dallas, Texas

Unemployment rate: 5.6%

Dallas enjoys job growth very much like Houston's, concentrated in government positions related to energy. The city also has growing technology and information technology industries that are providing work, and it's home to many companies handling government contracts.

Source: Forbes.com

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New Year Resolution - Get That Job! Get That Job! Get That Job!

At the end of each year we reflect on events that shaped our lives and how we improved our lives. We look forward to the New Year with new commitments to reform a habit or a lifestyle change. If your goal in 2009 is to secure a job or transition into another career add “create and execute an assertive job search strategy” to your New Year resolution list. Read what my colleagues say are the “must do” activities to jump start your career search in 2009.

Get on Twitter. “Use Twitter to demonstrate your professional expertise and draw the attention of people in your industry who will want to hire you. At the same time, actively reach out to those kinds of people by following and networking with industry recruiters and other insiders.”
Jacob Share, Job Search Expert and creator of JobMob

Help Others with Their Job Search. “You don’t have to give someone else your hottest lead, unless you decide that it's really not right for you. But, you can help them connect with someone you know who works (or worked) at their target employer, give them help with their resume, a ride to the next job search support group meeting, etc. Particularly when you are unemployed, helping others can help you feel more useful personally. And, it often, but not always, comes back to you. That person you helped with their resume has a neighbor who might be able to help you, and so on. As "they" say, “what goes around, comes around,” and paying forward to help others really does seem to payoff. Do it for that reason, if for no other.”

Build or Enhance Your Personal Brand . “My recommendation to all job seekers would be to focus on building, or enhancing, their personal brand. Attract potential employers to you rather than reaching out to them. That puts job seekers in a much better negotiating position that the reverse, even in a tough economy.”
Susan Joyce, President and Editor/Publisher of Job-Hunt.org
[Read my post "How to Make Your Resume Discoverable on the Web]

Google Yourself. “Put positive and branded professional content under your name and Google yourself everyday.”
Maor Kaplanski, Personal eBrand & ORM expert, Israel

Think Outside and Inside the Box. “Think outside and inside the Box (that computer screen in front of you, that is). In other words, you need to diversify the way you market yourself, whether it's online at job boards, or at social network sites like Twitter or LinkedIn; or offline at campus recruitment opportunities, job fairs, networking events in your field, or spreading the word to friends. The more ways in which you get the word out that you're looking, the more potential jobs you'll hear about.”
Dawn Papandrea, managing editor of The CollegeBound Network, and blogger at CollegeSurfing.com/blog

[Read my post "Job Hunting in Times of Uncertainty: Five Overlooked Strategies to Help Make Your Job Search More Productive -- and Successful"]

Rely on Your Professional Network “to try and get inside information for future openings or current openings. Of course if you have a LinkedIn profile you will want to ensure your profile is up-to-date and is robust, fully completed, and full of industry keywords that draw attention to your skills and accomplishments. Highlight areas where you can provide added value if you were to be hired.”
Linda, Reeder, Training Specialist,LinkedIn
[Read my post "The Secrets of Successful Networking, Part 1

Use Keywords. “Analyze job postings for keywords and incorporate them in your resume. I also recommend that job seekers review at least 6 to 8 job postings in their field to find keywords that appear consistently in these postings. This gives job seekers a good idea of what skills hiring managers are looking for. These are also likely to be the keywords that hiring managers search for when going through their database of resumes. Incorporating these keywords into your resume increases the chances of your resume being seen by a hiring manager.”
Cheryl Palmer, Certified Executive Career Coach,Call to Career
[Read my post "Optimize Your Resume with Keywords

Know Thyself. “What do you want to do (goals)? What do you bring to the table (talents & skills)? What differentiates you from your competition (accomplishments and capabilities)? What is your passion and calling?” Give to Get. “The karma of the job search says ‘What goes around, comes around.’ If you want to receive something, first you must give something. Freely give your time and talent to others. Give without expectation of getting anything back.” Terrence Seamon, Learning and Organization Development Consultant


Expand your Job Search Resources. “Job boards and networks are fantastic - also contact your alumni office, placement office at your college/university, industry associations, professional organizations, read trade journals - all can be great resources for your job search.”
Elaine Basham, Partner,The Resume Group

Stay Positive. “While there may be times when the job search will leave you feeling frustrated, don't ever give in to negative feelings or let them derail you from your professional goals! When you're feeling down spend time with a friend or family member who has a positive outlook. The key is to be with someone who is going to reinforce your efforts and give you encouragement and suggestions. This is not the time to be around people who complain or who have a negative outlook.”
Laura Zurowski, Director of Outreach, Marist College
[Join a discussion group]

Step outside your comfort zone. “Avoid limiting your search to your current industry or field. Identify your transferable skills and experiences, and communicate them to prospective employers.”


Minimize work history gaps. “If you are unable to find a position right away, consider temporary assignments, internships and part-time opportunities, all of which can potentially lead to a full-time role.”
Chris Russell, Webmaster, Blogger and Podcaster for the online job search industry

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America's Best Paying Jobs

High Paying Careers / Occupations

Management Occupations $96,150
Legal Occupations $88,450
Computer and Mathematical Occupations $72,190
Architecture and Engineering Occupations $68,880
Healthcare Practitioner and Technical Occupations $65,020
Business and Financial Operations Occupations $62,410
Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations $62,020
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Occupations $48,410
Education, Training, and Library Occupations $46,610
Construction and Extraction Occupations $40,620
Community and Social Services Occupations $40,540
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations $39,930
Protective Service Occupations $38,750
Sales and Related Occupations $35,240
Production Occupations $31,310
Office and Administrative Support Occupations $31,200
Transportation and Material Moving Occupations $30,680
Healthcare Support Occupations $25,600
Personal Care and Service Occupations $23,980
Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance Occupations $23,560
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Occupations $22,640
Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations $19,440

Top 10 Highest Paying Careers

Anesthesiologists $192,780 = 4.6% (% Change)
Surgeons $191,410 = 3.9% (% Change)
Orthodontists $185,340 = 4.8% (% Change)
Obstetricians and Gynecologists $183,600 = 3.1% (% Change)
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons $178,440 = 8.3% (% Change)
Prosthodontists $169,360 = 6.6% (% Change)
Internists, General $167,270 = 4.0% (% Change)
Physicians and Surgeons, All Other $155,150 = 9.1% (% Change)
Family and General Practitioners $153,640 = 2.5% (% Change)
Chief Executives $151,370 = 4.7% (% Change)

Would you like to see more salary information? Visit the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.

How would you use ths information in your salary negotiations?

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US Employment will Grow in 2009

Despite the recessionary views of economists, workforce employment will grow in 2009. Job seekers in 2009 will continue to hear a lot of conflicting and sometimes confusing information about the state of the job market and the state of the economy overall.

If you are in the market for a job you need to understand the changes surging through the economy in order to determine which companies to pursue and which to avoid. The U.S. employment market is evolving quickly, and you must be both knowledgeable and nimble in order to position yourself to find promising careers

Schonfield and Associates, an analysis firm, predicts 2009 employment will continue to grow modestly in many industries with productivity, as measured in sales per employee, also continuing to grow.

Many foreign companies will also show employment growth.

Among the twenty largest public corporations, ten of the largest employers will be non-U.S. headquartered firms.

According to Schonfeld & Associates, the largest U.S. based employer will be Wal-Mart Stores with over 2.4 million employees in 2009, up 5.8 percent.

The largest non-U.S. based employer will be Gazprom, Russia’s largest company, with 611,000 employees, an increase of over 10 percent.

The Commercial Banking industry will be the largest employer with 4.4 million employees in over 500 banks, reflecting a 8.8 percent increase.

Variety Stores will be second with 3.7 million employees, up 6.1 percent.

The medical services sector will be a continuing source of employment growth. Home Health Care Services, Skilled Nursing Care Facilities, as well as Offices of Medical Doctors are all growing at over 11 percent.

As in the past, areas of computer software development continue to show workforce growth.

The Prepackaged Software industry, growing at 9 percent, includes over 280 companies employing 674,000 workers.

The future is not as bright, however, for all sectors of the economy.

Employment by Motor Vehicle Manufacturers, Air Courier Services, as well as the large diversified food manufacturers, will experience negative growth.

These predictions come from the 2008 edition ofWorkforce Ratios & Forecasts by Schonfeld & Associates.

The study contains historical employment for 2007, an estimate for 2008, and a forecast of 2009 for over 7,200 individual companies and summaries for over 400 industries.

In an era of downsizing, right-sizing, mergers and acquisitions, the numbers are encouraging for job seekers.

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Working with Recruiters

Job Search: Working with Recruiters - The best video clips are right here





[How would you rate this article? Should I write another article similiar to this?]

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Use the Holidays to Step Up Your Job Search

That’s right. This holiday season is a good time to step up your job search activities. While companies use the holiday season to relax recruiters continue to search for candidates at all times of the year. It’s the needs of the business such as growing markets, competitive pressure, and business initiatives that drive these recruiting efforts. These areas do not take a break.

Some people give up their job search between Thanksgiving and New Years. Granted that hiring during the holidays can be complicated sometimes because key decision makers may not be available the need to hire still remains. Companies have already developed their budget and business plans and have allocated funding for new hires for 2009. I started recruiting at the beginning of December for openings in my market that must be filled the first week of January. For those who continue to plug away during the holidays will be the ones who will reap the benefits.

If you are attending a holiday social event, it is definitely appropriate to mention that you are job searching. Accept all the invitations you receive, both personal and professional. You never know who may be able to help. Friends and family, as well as business acquaintances are typically more than happy to assist.

Send a "Happy Holidays" or a "Happy New Year" greeting card to networking contacts, recruiters, and to employers you have interviewed with is another good way to connect with those who can help with your job search.

Send e-mails or use a professional or social networking sites (like LinkedIn, MySpace, or Facebook) to get in touch. The holiday season is a good excuse to touch base and a good time to reinforce or expand your network.

Get a seasonal job. Retail may — or may not — be your dream job. But getting a seasonal job, many of which are in retail or other service industries, is a great way to earn some extra cash while building up your resume and exposing yourself to new networking opportunities. Most seasonal jobs are part-time, so you would still be able to dedicate full-time energy to your job search as well. I delivered pizzas. I was able to increase my network and discover “hidden jobs”.

You can also volunteer. Spend a few hours every week helping others and gain a little perspective on your own struggles. Plus, many volunteer placements offer leadership and executive experience to help you round out your resume and opportunities to meet people you may one day want to work with or for.

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