The Top Seven Things To Do To Get A Job

Helen Coster,

Figure out what you might be doing wrong, and fix it. Here's how.

If you've been out of work for several months and aren't getting any interviews--or you're going on interviews but not getting any offers--you should adjust your approach to job-hunting.

First, reevaluate your résumé. Replace hackneyed expressions like "strong team player" and "possess organizational skills" with strong, active verbs that demonstrate results. Whenever possible, use numbers to indicate performance. Instead of saying "Managed a team of three" say "Managed a team of three employees who interacted with clients and had a 100% client retention rate over two years."

Include keywords related to your skill set and background, since many big companies use computers to screen résumés for phrases like "analyst" or "financial modeling." Have a friend double-check your résumé for spelling and grammatical errors, and always be honest. "You cannot succeed in this competitive market if your résumé isn't 100% accurate," says Connie Thanasoulis-Cerrachio, a career coach and former chief operating officer for Merrill Lynch Campus Recruiting.

Write a one-page cover letter that makes a compelling case for why you should be hired. It shouldn't be a regurgitation of your résumé. The introductory paragraph should state the position you're applying for. The middle few paragraphs should highlight the critical three elements of the job description, explaining why you're a good fit for the job. Use the hirer's language. If the job ad says the candidate needs 10 years of experience using communication skills, describe how your communication skills brought in new business at a previous job.

Conduct a targeted job search, applying only for positions that you truly want and are truly qualified for. Make a list of the companies where you'd most like to work, and use your personal network and sites like LinkedIn to find connections at each one.

First, make sure that your online reputation is clean. Either set your Facebook settings so prospective employers can't see your updates and photos, or choose to post information that presents you in a positive, professional light. Post your résumé and a good photo on LinkedIn.

Start a Twitter account that you use professionally, and follow human resources people at companies that interest you. Retweet what they write when it's good, and comment on any interesting posts. After a few weeks of following them, send them a message directly, saying, "I'd love to talk about your company. It's a place I've always wanted to work, and I'd love to hear about your experience there," suggests Dan Schawbel, author Me 2.0: Build a Powerful Brand to Achieve Career Success.

Learn as much as you can about the company and the position before you go in for an interview. Always prepare at least three smart questions in advance. In the actual interview, don't be afraid to look eager. Be enthusiastic, and convince the hiring manager that you truly want the job. Don't boast, but boldly state your accomplishments, and tell stories that illustrate your best qualities. Never badmouth a former boss, co-worker or company. Try to mirror the interviewer's tone; if he or she is casual and friendly, try to loosen up.

Page Two and Original Article

Intelligence Means Squat: Study Shows One Trait Predicts Success BETTER

By J.T. O’Donnell

Okay, so you weren’t the brightest bulb in school. Perhaps, you spent more time partying then you did in the library? Well, good news! A new study pioneered in part by a psychologist at the University of Pennsylvania, Angela Duckworth, says one trait is a better predictor of success than intelligence.

So, what could possibly be more important than genius? Well, this trait also begins with a “g” but it represents resilience, stamina, persistence, determination, perseverance and conscientiousness.

Yep, when it comes to predicting who is going to succeed, you gotta ask yourself one question:

“Got GRIT?”

The study shows people who focus on a goal and stick with it long-term seem to achieve more professional success than those who jump around . Duckworth explains this in a recent Boston Globe article as follows:

“Grit is very much about the big picture,” …“It’s about picking a specific goal off in the distant future and not swerving from it.”

In fact, what got Duckworth interested in the whole idea was an observation she made amongst her classmates post-college:

“I first got interested in grit after watching how my friends fared after college,” Duckworth says. She noticed that the most successful people in her Harvard class chose a goal and stuck with it, while others just flitted from pursuit to pursuit. “Those who were less successful were often just as smart and talented,” Duckworth notes, “but they were constantly changing plans and trying something new. They never stuck with anything long enough to get really good at it.”

So, what does that mean for YOU, the job seeker?

Well, if this study grabs the attention of hiring managers (as suggested by my favorite magazine, BusinessWeek, who tipped me off to the study in an article in their August 17th edition), then you can expect a premium being put on a track-record of single-minded commitment to something in your life. BW’s takeaway:

“The straitlaced job applicant who has pursued a hobby for years may be a better hire than the renaissance fellow who has dabbled in martial arts, the cello, and para gliding.”

I find this fascinating! Why? Reality today tells us the rate of change in business is so significant that every job is temporary. (Hence, our site, CAREEREALISM.com’s tagline). Thus, how does a company identify talent with long-term potential when the average job seeker is only spending 18 months on the job before moving on? This could end up making a strong case for assessing an applicant’s ‘grit potential’ as a way to determine how well they’ll fare in the position.

Original Article - CareerRealism - Because EVERY Job Is Temporary

How to Beat the Job-Search Blues

By Maura Judkis

Jacob Roberts wasn't that surprised when he got the ax. The 28-year-old New Yorker worked in finance, after all. Shortly after things began to head south on Wall Street, he started saving money and revamping his résumé. Roberts was snared in the fourth round of layoffs at Information Management Network, a corporate finance conference company where he was an assistant producer. Still, he wasn't worried. "The way I looked at it at the time was, 'I'm 28, I have a college degree, and I live in New York City. There must be plenty of jobs,'" he says.

He was wrong. Roberts's search lasted more than eight months—from mid-June 2009 until late February 2010—before he accepted a job with the online medical portal WebMD as an associate editor. He says the job aligns perfectly with his aspirations to work in writing and editing. Here's how he got his new gig—and what he learned along the way.

Remember that finding a job is a full-time job. After Roberts was laid off, he took a two-week break before starting his search. "I treated it as an extended holiday," he says. "Sometimes I wish I hadn't [taken time off] ... But in retrospect, it probably wouldn't have mattered. I didn't find a job for more than eight months." Roberts took several breaks in the midst of his job hunt. He says each hiatus helped him combat fatigue, but he regrets wasting time. "I should have used that week to think of new ways to look for jobs. I sort of got complacent."

Volunteer for a ­worthy cause. To avoid spending money, Roberts seldom left his house. After endless hours at a computer futilely applying for jobs, Roberts started volunteering 14 hours a week, which gave him a morale boost. New York Cares, a network that matches participants with a variety of projects throughout the city, led him to community service helping inner-city kids maintain a neighborhood garden. When the weather turned colder, Roberts taught English as a second language at an Arab-American center in his neighborhood. It gave him a chance to network with other unemployed volunteers, who assisted one another in their job searches.

[How to Turn Volunteering Into a Job.]

"It's not totally altruistic," says Roberts, who included volunteer jobs in his résumé. "'What have you been doing since you lost your job?' was always the second question I was asked in an interview, and it was better to say, 'I've been volunteering,' than just 'searching for a job.' My line was, 'It gives me an opportunity to help people, which I never had while I was working.'" Even though he's now employed, Roberts still volunteers through New York Cares, spending two hours a week helping inner-city high school sophomores prep for the SAT.

Find ways to beat discouragement. The toughest thing about Roberts's job search wasn't rejections: It was silence. "If someone sent me a rejection, I'd be happy, because at least then I'd know that somebody had seen my résumé, looked at it, and said, 'You are not worthy,'" he says. But at other times, "there was complete silence from everyone and everywhere." Roberts wrote freelance articles and a short-lived blog to break the monotony. "You can't do the same thing for nine hours a day," he says.

Leave no stone unturned. Roberts's search utilized every major job-board website and his entire network of friends and former colleagues. While he originally sought only writing and finance jobs, he cast a wider and wider net until he found himself seeking hourly wage jobs at Barnes & Noble and GameStop, to no avail.

In the end, working with a recruiter helped him land his current job. Roberts was contacted by Iben Krogh of Park Hudson International in December 2009 for a job that he felt wasn't a good fit, but Krogh was able to get him the interview at WebMD a month later for a six-month, contract-to-hire position. "It's a numbers game," Rob­erts says. "If you call 100 people, it's always the 101st who will give you a job. There's always that hope."

Original Article

In Job Hunting, Honesty Is Still the Best Policy

By ANNA PRIOR

What's the harm in a little white lie on your résumé, especially if it will help you finally nab that full-time position?

Just ask George O'Leary, the Notre Dame football coach who was forced to resign five days after being hired when lies about his academic and athletic background came to light. Or Marilee Jones, an MIT dean who fudged on her credentials and quit when she was found out.

Sure, these are high-profile examples, but rank-and-file workers also fall into the trap -- and get caught.

Yet with all the uncertainty and anxiety these days over landing a job with a steady paycheck, more job seekers are finding it harder to resist fudging on a résumé or job application in order to paint themselves in the best light.

After all, while the unemployment rate remained at a steady 9.7% in March, more than 6.5 million people are still facing long-term unemployment, according to the Department of Labor Statistics. It will be a slog to make a big dent in the nation's unemployment numbers.

"It's such a tough spot that many people find themselves in right now with the number of long-term unemployed at historic highs," says John Challenger, chief executive officer of global outplacement consultancy Challenger, Gray & Christmas. "It's easy to falsify or embellish beyond a point that would be an ethical representation of your accomplishments."

According to the 2009 Screening Index released by ADP, a human-resources and payroll provider, 46% of employment, education or credential reference checks conducted in 2008 revealed discrepancies. That's up from 41% in 2006.

And the current job climate is even riper for résumé fraud, says Jenifer DeLoach, a senior vice president at Kroll, a New York-based global risk consultancy.

Crossing the Line

The art of résumé writing does allow you to push skills to the limit of an imaginary line, says Wendy S. Enelow, an executive career consultant in Coleman Falls, Va. "It's about merchandising and selling a product. You do want to highlight the benefits and value of that product, but only within the realm of reality."

The hard part, of course, is to avoid crossing that line.

Say you're an accountant and spend 80% of your time focusing on accounting and 20% on IT-related work, says Ms. Enelow. If you now want to pursue an IT job, you should highlight your skills and qualifications on a résumé in a way that places more emphasis on the IT. "This way someone sees a qualified IT professional who happened to be an accountant as opposed to the other way around," she says.

Crossing the line would be stating that you "single-handedly spearheaded the effort to switch from system A to system B" or some other claim to leadership in the IT department, Ms. Enelow adds.

Résumé Rules

Walking that line between promoting yourself and being untruthful can be difficult. Here are some ways to do so.

• If you haven't earned a degree, disclose how far you've gotten. For example, "completed 50% of requirements for Bachelor of Science in Business Administration" or "Bachelor of Arts Candidate, anticipate completion in 2011."
• If you were fired from your last job, leave that detail out. But be prepared to discuss it during an interview if asked.
• If you're over age 45, focus on the relevant experience, achievements, skills and qualifications that position you for your next role. It's OK to omit specific dates.
• If you've never held a leadership position, state the activities and achievements that convey leadership skills and experience.
• If you're looking for a salary boost, don't state salary requirements or inflate your most recent salary.

Steven Lurie, the author of "Handbook for Early Career Success," says he worked with a woman who exaggerated her responsibilities and previous salary when applying for an administrative job at a law firm last year. She got the job. But her exaggerations were discovered during a background check soon after and she was fired.

"A lot of companies have zero-tolerance policies if they catch you" lying, says Mr. Challenger.

People who didn't complete a degree program can still list the school on a résumé, but they should indicate the "strongest possible presentation that is truthful," such as "completed 50% of requirements for Bachelor of Science in Business Administration" or "Bachelor of Arts candidate, anticipate completion in 2011," says Louise Kursmark, an executive résumé writer and career consultant. Crossing the line would be saying you graduated with that degree.

Older job seekers can leave off the years they went to school. Changing the years is lying.

Also a no-no: stating that you were part of a mass downsizing when you were actually fired, says Mr. Challenger. But do leave off the reason for leaving a previous job, says Ms. Kursmark.

In fact, you want to avoid filling a résumé with too many details, especially personal ones. If you have a black mark -- a stint in jail, a trip to rehab or you've been fired from a previous job -- "that's something that should be dealt with during an interview," says Meg Montford, an executive career coach in Kansas City, Mo. If you're asked or it looks like a job offer is imminent, "you have to be honest," she says, especially since more companies are doing reference and background checks.

ADP says the number of background checks it performed for companies rose 24% in the first quarter from a year earlier.

You should be upfront and briefly explain why you parted on negative terms with a former employer, or why you were arrested. "Don't blame anyone but yourself," says Ms. Montford. "And end your story about your situation with what you learned and how that impacts how you work going forward."

Damage Control

Read The Rest Of The WSJ article

How to Job Search at Work (Without Getting Caught)

By NicoleWilliams.com staff

It’s hard enough to keep up with a demanding boss and your never-ending to-do list, but finding a new job on top of everything else is enough to make even the most organized and on-top-of-it gal feel a little crazed. If you’re as guilt-prone as I am, then you may feel a little like you’re cheating on your company by sneaking around behind your coworkers’ backs. The long lunches, the extra lipstick stashed in your purse, the secret phone calls behind closed doors…you get the idea. Here are a few tips to keeping your search on the DL.

Nix the guilt: Gone are the days when people would work for the same company for 30 years and get a gold watch at their retirement dinner. Job hunting is a fact of life. Your boss or coworkers may be doing the same thing, so don’t feel like you’re being disloyal. Remind yourself that a new job will give you a better quality of life and help advance your career. Be sure to make it a routine to check online job engines once a day for new opportunities. Monster’s new search-and-match technology will save you time job hunting by returning only a handful of great options that are the most tailored to what you’re looking for, rather than returning hundreds of “so-so” options.

Schedule accordingly: Many interviewers understand that you’re currently employed and are willing to accommodate a request for an early-morning or late-afternoon interview to minimize interference with your current job responsibilities. If someone insists that you meet with them from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on a Monday afternoon and that is wildly inconvenient for you, consider whether you really want to work for someone who is so inflexible!

Give yourself time to breathe: In an ideal world, you’d take the day off to go to several interviews scheduled a few hours apart and allow yourself plenty of time to prepare mentally and physically. (Plus, you’d avoid giving lame excuses to your coworkers.) In reality, you’re probably sneaking out during lunch and praying your boss doesn’t notice that you’ve already had two “dentist appointments” in the past month. I normally take the subway to work, but if I’m unsure of where an interview is or I’m concerned I might be late, I’ll splurge on a cab so I can arrive unruffled and on time. Time permitting, you could scope out the address a few days in advance so you’ll know where you’re going.

Get personal business cards printed: Some companies are totally chill about you fielding calls from recruiters, but my past employers were not. I used VistaPrint to order custom business cards with my cellphone number and gmail address printed on them. That way, I could give potential contacts my digits without scrawling them on a napkin. Personally, I think my cards are a lot better-looking and better reflect my professional brand than my company’s logo.

Excel at your current job: If you’re kicking butt at the office, who can fault you for taking an hour off here and there? Delegate when you need to, but keep plugging along so you’ll earn a solid reference from your boss. Though she’ll be sad to see you go, she’ll be happy that you’re off to bigger and better things.

About Nicole:

Career expert and best-selling author of Girl on Top, Nicole Williams is redefining the world of work -- making it glamorous, entertaining and relevant to modern women. Nicole founded WORKS by Nicole Williams in 2006 with the vision of building the first media and content company focused on career development specifically for the highly dynamic and powerful market of young professional women. Her Web site, Nicolewilliams.com, is the go-to destination site for modern working women.

Original Article

Do Men Have Stronger Interview Skills than Women?

by Ronnie Ann

What does it take to give a strong interview? Do men in general naturally present themselves (and maybe even think of themselves) in a way that makes them seem like the better candidate – especially for higher level jobs? And does that ability – whether the skills are innate or socialized – in some way actually make them a better candidate choice for the company in the long run?

Now before you think I’ve been kidnapped and brainwashed by a secret pro-male society, let me explain where these questions about gender-based interview skills are coming from, what they may mean for the way we interview, and how they may even influence the way we handle our careers.

First let me backtrack to what started me thinking about all this. I was listening to NPR’s On the Media. They were talking about NPR – of all places – and their own weak showing when it comes to using female sources and commentators. As part of their decision to take a hard look at themselves, they asked “blogger, professor and man Clay Shirky” to offer his own theory as to “Why so few women?” (unspoken words: at this supposedly politically correct organization.)

Here’s what he came up with: A Rant About Women

Basically, he suggests women for the most part don’t have the risk-taking behaviors that help men get ahead in the business world. In his words: “Not enough women have what it takes to behave like arrogant self-aggrandizing jerks.” Now even though he framed this (or tried his best to) in a way that didn’t blame women, rest assured he got plenty of flack from people who thought he was full of crap. Definitely worth reading both his article and the comments. I leave it up to you to decide how much truth, if any, there is in his words.

But I will say that again and again throughout my career I’ve seen women (although there are certainly exceptions in any gender) less willing than men to be bold and take real chances when it came to things like self-promotion and suggesting they could take on things they’ve never done before. Books like Lois Frankel’s Nice Girls Don’t Get the Corner Office speak to these points. (More on this at another time.)

So What About Gender in Interviews Already?

Glad you asked. The one thing that really stood out for me was Shirky’s opening paragraphs:

“So I get email from a good former student, applying for a job and asking for a recommendation. “Sure”, I say, “Tell me what you think I should say.” I then get a draft letter back in which the student has described their work and fitness for the job in terms so superlative it would make an Assistant Brand Manager blush.

So I write my letter, looking over the student’s self-assessment and toning it down so that it sounds like it’s coming from a person and not a PR department, and send it off. And then, as I get over my annoyance, I realize that, by overstating their abilities, the student has probably gotten the best letter out of me they could have gotten.”

The student is a male. And from there Shirky goes off on his self-described rant.

So this got me wondering about the way women interview and go about their job searches. Are most women aware just how much of today’s Job Search 2.0 necessitates boldness and willingness to promote oneself in a way that may feel uncomfortable for many of them? Networking and branding are THE way now. And job search actions that really get you to new places most often take daring and leaps of faith.

And yet, as Shirky also mentions, there seem to be very real societal expectations (read that as limits) of just how bold and self-promoting a woman can be before she goes “too far” and, heaven forbid, gets labeled one of those rhyming words also used for female dogs or magical people.

Speaking of Women and Job Search 2.0…

I was coaching a young woman who, although she is doing well in her current job and was even recently promoted, is miserable and desperately wants to move on. So she asked me for some creative job search tips to help her stand out from the competition.

Yet as we discussed possible approaches, she kept seeing all the roadblocks, but not the ways around them. Even though she’s extremely capable and has been recognized many times for her business skills, she agonized over almost everything – how would she be viewed by people she’s asking for help (as if it’s wrong to want to get ahead or give people a chance to help – they can always say “no”); what if her boss found out and how would she be viewed by her company after all they’ve done for her (as if her hard work hasn’t done a lot for them); how could she find time when she still has to do a good job where she is (in a job she hates mind you), etc.

Why wasn’t she applying her strong problem-solving skills to solving her own problem? Why was she stuck in safe mode – looking at job boards “whenever she could spare the time” and worrying about what others thought – but not stepping up to a higher and bolder level of job search where the jobs really are now? I couldn’t help thinking maybe – just maybe – Shirky has something worth thinking about after all.

Brings to mind a quote I saw today on Twitter:

It is not because things are difficult that we do not dare, it is because we do not dare that they are difficult. ~ Seneca

Since I have no absolute answers, I leave you with some questions:

How far in the direction of boldness can a woman go to advance her own career before her efforts turn into a negative?

Do most men really find self-promotion and daring to go where no man (or woman) has gone easier than most women do?

Does the male hunter-adventurer find things like networking and job search more in tune with his nature?

When it comes to careers and job search, do women worry too much about pleasing and making everything ok?

Are women so afraid to “bother” people they can’t self-promote or network as successfully as men?

Just how much does gender really have to do with the way you interview and search for jobs?

Original Article

3 Guerrilla Job Search Case Studies

If you're job hunting in this tough economy, take heart from the following three stories of people who found work in three to four months -- about half as long as the average job search, which takes nearly 8 months (31.2 weeks) as of March 2010.

By Kevin Donlin, Star Tribune Sales and Marketing

If you’re job hunting in this tough economy, take heart from the following three stories of people who found work in three to four months -- about half as long as the average job search, which takes nearly 8 months (31.2 weeks) as of March 2010.

How did they do it?

By using Guerrilla Resumes (explained below), LinkedIn, and smart networking, among other tactics.

Read on to learn more from the Q&A I did with each of them …

Case Study #1: Brad Viles, from suburban Madison, WI.

Time to hire: about four months (hired on March 8, 2010)

Tactics used: LinkedIn and Guerrilla Resume

Kevin: How did you find the production supervisor job you just accepted?

Brad: I made contact on LinkedIn with an HR person at the company. I used Linkedin to forward my resume to them because three weeks earlier they had advertised the position.

I figured I might as well apply. I really had nothing to lose. And I got a response within about three days. The interview and everything went fine after that.

Kevin: What did employers say about your Guerrilla Resume?

Brad: I can’t begin to tell you how many times they complimented the form and the info on it. The quotes [from past managers] -- you’re showing the people comments about what you do and how they relate to you and what you can offer to a company.

Case Study #2: Patty L, from suburban Detroit, MI

Time to hire: about three months (hired on April 5, 2010)

Tactics used: Guerrilla Resume, list of target employers, smart networking, and preparation

Kevin: What was the most-important tactic that helped you find the Director of Customer Service job you just accepted?

Patty: Probably making sure that people in my network -- especially those who are at my target companies -- had my short, one-page Guerrilla Resume.

Kevin: By targets, this was a list of employers you wanted to work for, regardless of whether or not they were hiring. How many companies did you target during your three-month search?

Patty: Probably six to ten companies.

Kevin: What was the general reaction of employers to your Guerrilla Resume?

Patty: They liked it because it was different from the other 100 resumes they got in the mail.

Kevin: What else helped in your search?

Patty: Preparing. The morning of my phone interview, I stood while speaking and stuck my resume on the wall.

Kevin: Yes. Here’s why that’s important …

Stand and deliver: When you’re on your feet or walking around, your voice has more energy and enthusiasm, which employers can sense over the phone.

And taping your resume on the wall eliminates the sound of paper shuffling, which makes it appear as if you’ve memorized the whole document. You can’t help but sound smarter this way.

Obviously, Patty’s new employer agreed.

Case Study #3: Scott Melrose, from Mokena, IL

Time to hire: about four months (hired on April 2, 2010)

Tactics used: Guerrilla Resume and Linkedin

Kevin: How did you find the Account Executive you just accepted?

Scott: It found me! I got contacted via one of the people who will be my counterpart saying, “Hey, you look like someone we would like to have on our team.”

Kevin: So they found you on LinkedIn?

Scott: Yes. When I started using the Guerilla Resume and building it into my LinkedIn profile, people started finding me. They started coming out of the woodwork. I actually ended up with a position that is a better fit for me than anything I was able to find through research.

Kevin: What was the reaction employers had to your resume?

Scott: It was killer. Everybody that I showed it to was really impressed.

Kevin: Do you think that helped you interview more confidently?

Scott: Absolutely!

Now.

The astute reader will note that each of these job seekers used a Guerrilla Resume to find work about 50% faster than the national average of 31.2 weeks.

Google “Guerrilla Resumes” for my past columns on this topic, but for now, know that this resume format has two essential elements:

1. logos and/or graphics (from past employers, clients or schools) and
2. quotes (glowing recommendations from past managers or clients).

In addition, these job seekers used “smart” networking and/or Linkedin to connect with the companies that hired them. The common element in both tactics? Meeting people.

Whether you’re networking smartly (by telling people exactly what job you seek and the 10-20 companies you want to work for) or using LinkedIn correctly (by making connections at target employers), it all comes down to meeting more people. That’s the only way to find a job fast -- in this economy, or any other.

Kevin Donlin is contributing co-author of “Guerrilla Marketing for Job Hunters 2.0.” Since 1996, he has provided job-search help to more than 20,000 people. For a free Guerrilla Job Search audio CD, visit www.MyNewJobHunt.com

Are you still so sure you wanna tweet?

BY ELI AMDUR

The Record

SPECIAL TO NORTH JERSEY JOBS

For years in this column I've been talking about — and warning about — what is turning out to be a major, and now very serious, issue affecting your career and job searches: the lack of privacy caused by your overexposure on social-networking sites.

As recently as a month ago when, discussing a related issue, I mentioned that I would be addressing the subject of communicating via Twitter, little did I know that, by the time I got around to doing it, there would be an earthshaking piece of news about Twitter. Earthshaking!

Before I offer opinion or advice (both of which I fully intend to do), let me first cut to the chase. I hope you're aware of the announcement last week by the United States Library of Congress that it will acquire and digitally archive every single tweet ever tweeted — every single one — since Twitter began in March 2006.

That's right: The very same auspicious cultural institution that houses a draft of the Declaration of Independence, a Gutenberg Bible, Stradivarius violins, handwritten presidential speeches, original comic books, a million newspapers, and a half million films, now has you and every silly thing you've tweeted on file — forever.

Their reason, as stated by them, is that Twitter is a major cultural development of the 21st century. Well, lah-dee-dah. It very well is, but the bottom line is that everything you've written is now searchable in an orderly way — every ridiculous note you've written; every suggestive comment you've made; every casual opinion you've shared, like, "wow eating an awesome donut" or "class sucks can't wait till Friday" or "really love my new tattoo" or other such nonsense; and every serious remark you've made about politics, for instance, which hiring authorities just love to look for. I could write a much longer list of indiscretions, but that is no longer necessary. This story alone should do it for you.

In my eyes, there are two problems here: privacy and quality. I've been harping on the first one as long as I've been in this space; the second issue is newer.

Regarding privacy, you might remember when I responded a few years ago to a young man who learned he was disqualified as a candidate for a job when the HR people found some goofy stuff he had put on Facebook. Irate, he wrote and asked me, "Isn't this an invasion of my privacy?" My totally unsympathetic response was, "Privacy?!? What privacy? You're the one who put it all out there." And now with things like Twitter, people are putting more and more out there. One-hundred-thirty-million Twitter users are now sending out 50 million tweets per day!

Now, the quality issue is becoming just as serious, and here's why. There is little, if any, chance of saying something well in 140 characters, but there's every chance of saying something silly, incomplete, incorrect, undeveloped, un-researched, or unintelligible. And that's because we've taken such a casual approach to communicating, that all the rules and conventions seem to have been tossed out the window, along with style and form. These things used to command all the respect in the world; they now are in danger of extinction. We no longer seem to put a value on quality communication. But we surely get judged on it.

Recently, a student asked me to look over a paper he was doing for another class, which I was happy to do. I made the following comment: "This is four pages of 'tweets.' You need to write this seriously." I may have been a little caustic (which is definitely not my style) but I couldn't keep still on this. Funny thing: When he revised his paper, it was quite good. That was all the anecdotal proof I needed to support what I'm saying about treating quality too casually. The ability is — or should be — there. The standards, though, are not. Along with the loss of privacy, your exposed low quality will work against you every time because not only is it out there forever once it's out there, but now it will also all be much too easy to find.

As I said recently, social-networking sites are awesome pieces of technology, but the problem is not that we don't know how to use them; it's that we don't seem to understand them.

Well, this news from the Library of Congress ought to set things a little more in perspective. Simply put, you're in the spotlight, under the microscope, in the crosshairs of anyone, anytime.

This should have been evident to everyone by now. Apparently not: only 7 percent of Americans, for example, think that information about them online affected their job search, while 70 percent of American recruiters and HR professionals have rejected candidates based on information they found online. And while only 15 percent of social-site users think it's appropriate for employers to consider personal data posted online, 84 percent of employers do it. Mark my words: Those numbers will grow before you can say "Library of Congress."

If all my pleadings in the past have not been enough to convince you to guard your privacy and regard your quality, then I ask you to think deeply about this news which, by the way, was appropriately sent out by the Library of Congress on — guess what — Twitter!

George Orwell would freak out if he saw this.

Career Coach Eli Amdur conducts workshops and one-on-one coaching sessions in career planning, career-skills development, résumés, interviewing and communication. He is also an adjunct professor of two graduate-level leadership courses at Fairleigh Dickinson University. He may be reached at 201-357-5844, via e-mail at eli.amdur@amdurcoaching.com, or through his Web site at www.amdurcoaching.com.

Original Article

Handy FaceBook Tip For Job Seekers

Don't want the world ( including prospective employers ) to know about you web visits???

If you don't want people to know that you have a FB account: As of yesterday, there is a new privacy setting called "Instant Personalization" that shares data with non-facebook websites and it is automatically set to "Allow." Go to Account > Privacy Settings > Applications and Websites and uncheck "Allow".

Social Media Being Used to Screen Job Applicants

By Andrew B. Einhorn

Today's job market is the toughest in decades. And the old adage about finding a job having to do more with who you know than what you know seems to be more pronounced than ever, as employers are turning to social networking sites like Facebook to screen applicants.

A recent survey commissioned by Microsoft discovered that 79 percent of recruiters and hiring managers in the United States have reviewed online information posted to social networking sites and blogs to screen job candidates, and 70 percent have rejected an applicant based on information they found.

The study was conducted by market research firm, Cross-Tab, between December 10 and 23, 2009, in France, Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Approximately 275 recruiters, human resources (HR) professionals, and hiring managers, and about 330 consumers were interviewed in each country to obtain the results.

The findings should make would-be applicants take a second look at their privacy settings and be far more cautious about what they are blogging or tweeting about publicly, as all of it -- including what may seem like innocuous drinking photos -- can be used against you by hiring officials.

Another interesting finding of the study lay in the fact that recruiters and HR professionals aren't just screening haphazardly; they have actually made online screening a formal requirement of the hiring process. And 85 percent of survey respondents said that positive online reputation influences their hiring decisions.

Despite these realities, 85 percent of job candidates stated they did not feel their online reputation mattered to hiring managers, showing a huge discrepancy between perception and reality.

So what exactly are companies looking at when they screen?

The study identified 13 different types of websites used, including search engines, blogs, social networking sites like Facebook and MySpace, photo sharing sites like Flickr, Twitter, personal websites, gaming sites, and even virtual worlds. The percentage of hiring managers using these sites are listed below.

Interestingly, male hiring managers were more likely than female employees to screen job candidates using online information. Regardless, both sexes were looking for information about the candidate's lifestyle, inappropriate comments left, unsuitable photos and videos, memberships in certain groups, and surprisingly, inappropriate comments left by friends, family, and colleagues.

Given these realities, job candidates in and outside of government would be wise to watch what they say to protect their personal information from prying eyes.

Original Article

*****

Personally, I use Social Media to drive candidates to apply at my corporate job site. Why would I want to rule out an otherwise great candidate just because I don't like their taste in music or political affiliation? It is hard enough to find qualified candidates without having to worry about things that won't matter on the job. TE

12 Tips to Get the Most from LinkedIn

12 Tips to Get the Most from LinkedIn

Susan GuneliusBio | Email
Susan Gunelius is the author of multiple business books, and she is President & CEO of KeySplash Creative, Inc., a marketing communications company. She also owns Women on Business, a leading blog for business women.

LinkedIn has grown into more than a social networking site for business people. Today, it's also one of the first places employers and business partners go to learn more about the people who want to work with them. It's also one of the first places that employees go to learn more about potential leaders, managers, colleagues and so on.

Not only does LinkedIn offer information about people you consider working with, but it can also open doors to new opportunities and relationships that can benefit your career in the long term. Don't just create your LinkedIn profile and forget it. Instead, follow the tips below to make your LinkedIn profile work for you.

1. Make sure your LinkedIn profile is comprehensive.

Simply entering your name and current job into your LinkedIn profile isn't enough. Instead, take the time to make your profile comprehensive, so it tells your entire story. Lead with your strengths and make sure visitors to your profile see your most important and relevant information first.

2. Continually search for new connections.

Use the LinkedIn search tool to find people to connect with. Search groups related to your business or expertise and connect with people you know or request an introduction to people you don't know from your own connections who are already connected with them.

3. Ask for recommendations (and give them, too).

The LinkedIn Recommendations tool is typically under-utilized by LinkedIn members. Recommendations act as testimonials of your abilities and knowledge. Write recommendations for your connections and request that they write recommendations for you in return.

4. Answer questions in LinkedIn Answers.

Leverage the LinkedIn Answers feature to search for questions related to your business or area of expertise and answer them. LinkedIn Answers offers an excellent opportunity to establish your expertise but also to connect with and build relationships with more people.

5. Search for and join groups.

There are many, many LinkedIn groups (including the ForbesWoman group, and you can join up to 50 with a free LinkedIn account (and additional sub-groups). Search for groups related to your business and area of expertise and join them. This enables you to connect with other group members and join conversations happening within those groups.

6. Start your own group.

If there isn't a group related to your business, expertise or niche on LinkedIn already, then create one! It's free and takes just a few minutes to create a group. Just be sure to keep the group active with new content and conversations, so people find enough value in it to join and to come back again and again.

7. Keep your content fresh.

Take the time to update your LinkedIn profile frequently and add to Group conversations frequently else you'll be forgotten quickly.

8. Automate some processes.

Save time by automating processes such as feeding your blog posts to your LinkedIn profile and groups that allow you to do so using the group news feature (not all groups allow this). Also, automate the feed of your Twitter stream to your LinkedIn profile, and link your SlideShare account with your LinkedIn profile using LinkedIn apps. By automating processes, you free up time for other activities and ensure your LinkedIn content is fresh and interesting.

9. Promote your LinkedIn profile to increase connections.

Include a link or icon on your Web site and blog inviting people to connect with you on LinkedIn. Similarly, include the link in your email signature and anywhere else you can think of to get more exposure and boost your quality connections.

10. Consider placing a LinkedIn ad.

LinkedIn Advertising is an easy to use feature that enables you to create ads that are served using the targeting criteria you select and the budget you determine. They can help you to promote your LinkedIn activities and your business.

11. Don't forget about LinkedIn Jobs.

The LinkedIn Jobs tool allows LinkedIn members to publish job postings for their own companies (for a fee) or search for job opportunities that fit their own skills.

12. Use LinkedIn Events.

Promote your events and accept RSVPs using the LinkedIn Events feature. Follow the link to get answers to frequently asked questions about LinkedIn events.

Connect with Susan Gunelius on LinkedIn.

Connect with ForbesWoman on LinkedIn

Original Forbes Article AND Other LinkedIn Tips

Know How and Why Using Keywords to Search For Jobs Online is so Important

by Bill in Employment News, Resumes

Did you know that almost all of the popular job search websites will let users input keywords into the search engine while looking for job postings? How about trying to find a job in an area of the country or the world for that matter, did you know you could do your searches by entering a location? Having this sort of knowledge can be beneficial to you. By using accurate keywords the job seeker is more likely to receive job postings for which they are qualified and/or interested. There is a trick to using the keywords in order to find the right job for you. This article will seek to explain how confident online job seekers make the best use of keywords.

The most common use of a keyword search is to enter the actual title of the job you wish to seek. That being the most obvious route to take in your search mostly because job advertisements include the title of the position being offered so the job seeker will receive a many relevant search results. When looking for employment one should always do job searches based on titles because that is how they will find the most results. Do not make the mistake that so many do by limiting their searches to only titles. A better strategy would be to search for job announcements by using alternate names for the job titles. By using this approach you will broaden the scope of your search.

Still another way to find results that will help you would be to use keywords pertaining to the skills that you possess. Employing a strategy like this may provide you with some new options that you may not have considered on your own. There could be jobs that require some of your skills that never dawned on you and when the economy is up or especially down we all need all the help we can get. A career change may be just what you needed in the first place.

Entering your degree in search engines will also provide another avenue to find employment that pertains to your schooling. Having any sort of degree may be the key to getting any job anywhere. How many times have you seen announcements with requirements of a degree? If you have a degree make sure you use it. All too often, those holding degrees jump immediately on the first job offer they receive. Many of them seek new employment, but will ordinarily remain in the same field.

Maybe it is important to you what sort of attire that is required to work at certain jobs. Well, by the use of keywords you can use the sort of dress that you want in the search engines. Some people have no desire to get dressed up to go and do a job, where on the other some need a suit and tie. Whatever you can think of is what you need to enter into your search keywords.

In closing, those of you wishing to find work online need to use keywords in your online job search. The best online job seekers will use as many keywords throughout their resume and cover letters as possible. The reason they do that is because many job search websites allow users to store their resumes in a database where employers can find potential employees by using keywords. Your resume will then be displayed in the search that the employer initiates and yours will be a highly relevant search result.

Original Article

How to Boost Your Personal Brand With Social Media

By Chris Garrett
Published April 21, 2010

Want to build your personal brand? There are few tools as powerful as social media for quickly building a positive personal brand. Whether you’re focusing on a global audience or a local one, social media can help you get visibility and help you forge connections.

In this article, I’ll share some tips to help you leverage social media to gain more exposure.

#1: Reap What You Sow

What are you aiming for? What is your goal?

If you want to get yourself known, social media is a great way to build visibility and a platform. Getting known might be your goal or it might be a means to an end. Again, social media can help you build connections that pay off in terms of opportunities and offers.

At the very least, when you do the right things in social media, you’re building a profile that represents you in the best possible light when anyone wants to look you up. It is a rare potential employer who will not do a quick Google search, and apparently even potential dates now do this routinely!

#2: Model Real Life

Social media grew out of real-world social rules and therefore what works in real life works well in social media, but with wider distribution and accelerated cause and effect.

Often people say to me that social media does not work, but what they really mean is they tried to extract value before they put any in. In fact, at the time of this writing I almost got into a protracted debate on Twitter about this very thing. Because this one person didn’t see any results, he believed social media “didn’t work.” The problem is, social media does not work for people who just want to take and be selfish, so he is setting himself up for a self-fulfilling prophecy.

You can’t withdraw very long from an empty social capital account. Essentially, if you want to get out value, then you need to start putting value in.

#3: Be Likeable

Another aspect of social media engagement is that your basic interactions are communicating more than the 140-character status updates. People also read between the lines. Again, this can work for or against you.

Brands are built through experience just as much as what you say and any image you create. The brands you love and hate are much more about how they have treated you than their logos and corporate mission statements!

The same is true on a personal brand level. It’s about treating people well and giving them a positive experience with you. It really helps if you like people because you are going to need to be consistently a good person to know.

Using light humor, being kind, sharing about more than just your work—including your interests—allow people to connect with you on a human level as well as a business and technical level.

Beyond this we have to be aware of boundaries and limitations to sharing. We have all seen the damage that can be done through “overshare” or Too Much Information, and also what we find humorous might well put people off, or even cause emotional or professional damage.

Consider a popular blogger who is constantly on the attack, belittling people, making fun of people, “digging up dirt” and so on. Yes, he will gather a following—bullies often do—but how do these kinds of tactics affect long-term relationships and loyalty?

At SXSW I had a discussion about this very topic and we realized many of the highly visible people who used this approach 4 or 5 years ago are now seldom heard from and nobody will take their calls.

Social karma works in the negative as well as the positive, and the Internet has a LONG memory!

Does This Really Work?

At this point you might still be skeptical. So to reassure you that there is some real cause and effect going on here, just look at your own social media activity.

* Who do you follow? Think about your top three social media users and what they have in common.
* Which blogs do you read? Again, which are your “must-read” blogs?
* When have you had the best results? Think back to when you had your best win. What did you do?
* How do you attract new contacts? When you want a social media or list boost, what works best for you?
* What can you test today? Still skeptical? Good! Test, verify—what can you try today to move your metrics needle?

I am 100% sure that when you put out good, valuable, positive stuff—when you share only the best—that’s when you will get the best results. It also follows that the people you are most attracted to or listen to most are the people you get the most value from, be that entertainment or education, and with whom you feel the best connection.

#4: Share, Share, Share

Tactically this is about sharing good stuff. If you want to position yourself as an expert, then share what you know.

The more you share good stuff, the more people will want to listen to you. Even better, if you share your expertise with good stuff from other people mixed in, it shows you’re generous and have your followers’ best interests at heart rather than pure self-promotion.

* Answer questions in LinkedIn.
* Share links, videos and anything useful that you find in Facebook and Twitter.
* Post your slide decks to Slideshare.
* Upload advice videos and demonstrations to YouTube.
* Write valuable content in your blog and answer comments.
* Invite people to ask you questions on your Facebook fan page, Twitter and your blog.

#5: Conduct a Whuffie Audit

Cory Doctorow of BoingBoing fame invented the futuristic reputation, or social capital–based currency, of Whuffie. Some days I wish Whuffie really existed and that just by looking someone up we could see what kind of person they were and how much they added to society. Unfortunately we do not have Whuffie yet, but you can “audit” yourself to see how much social capital you are generating.

Keep an eye on your key metrics to see if they are growing and what behavior is influencing them:

* Followers, friends and subscriber counts—How many people you have following you is not the best metric, but it does tell you if you’re attracting versus annoying people!
* Retweets, clicks and shares—If people want to share your stuff, it’s a hint that what you are putting out is valuable.
* Comments, favorites, discussions—Can you spark discussion and debate? That’s value right there.
* Key contacts, referrals, recommendations and testimonials—Are you reaching people and are they telling others about you? What do people say about you behind your back? Will people publicly connect their name, and reputation, to yours?

Closing Thoughts…

I know how frustrating it is when we say things in interviews like “provide value, join the conversation.” Hopefully I’ve explained a bit more about what this means and some of the steps you can use. It comes down to having the intention to really help, inform and be an excellent person to know.

A reputation is difficult and time-consuming to build, but with social media we can damage it in an instant. When you have what’s best for your community in mind, you will not go far wrong.

How does this work for you? Got any tips to share? What has worked best in your experience? Please SHARE your thoughts in the comments! :)

Minnesota's online job search and career planning tools going nationwide

By Brad Allen | Published Wed, Apr 21 2010 9:54 am

Minnesota may be known for its lakes and loons, grumpy old men on ice, medical devices and mosquitoes, but it’s also becoming nationally recognized for innovative online employment and career self-help tool

The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) developed a one-stop website, Job Skills Transfer Assessment Tool (JobSTAT), that knits together a rich set of different databases — from skill-matching tools and salary information for particular jobs, to hot jobs in demand, green jobs and actual job openings posted by employers around the state.

Launched April 1, the site has attracted positive attention from several other states as well as the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL).

DEED — which has managed DOL’s national job search website, CareerOneStop, for more than a decade — was recently awarded a multimillion-dollar contract to enhance the national site, adding many of the same features as Minnesota’s website, as well as additional features.

Minnesota’s JobSTAT: Answers from different databases
As the economy lurched into the deepest recession in decades, Minnesota’s jobless numbers swelled and the states’ 49 workforce center offices were swamped with the newly unemployed. Steve Hine, director of research for labor market information at DEED, imagined that those newly unemployed were walking into those workforce centers with lots of questions:

What other jobs and careers am I qualified for with my experience and skills? What’s the salary range for a particular job? Are jobs growing or declining for the new career I’m interested in? What education is required and where can I find courses that will help me quality for a new career? What jobs in my field are available near where I live?

Hine also knew his department was sitting on top of “different buckets of information” that could help a job seeker answer those questions. One site contained tools to match the skills learned on one job with the requirements in a different job. Another site contained national and regional salary information for various occupations. A third site listed “occupations in demand,” and a separate site contained job openings posted by Minnesota employers.

As job hunting, career searches, resume posting and applications become almost exclusively web-based, even for entry level positions, online databases and tools can seem scattered, difficult to use and confusing, even for the computer savvy. Hine recognized that there was no easy way to sort through all the information and evaluate career options. But with pressing priorities elsewhere, the department “never had an opportunity to pull it all together in a way that made sense for the user,” Hine said.

With the rapid rise in unemployment, he recognized a need to “break down the silos of information ... [and] put it together in a package” providing useful, timely and accurate information in an easily accessible way for Minnesota job seekers.

But it was the aggressive marketing pitch by an outside vendor trying to sell the state an online job-matching tool that finally motivated Hine to act. “The tool was limited,” he said. Designed to quickly place people into jobs, it eliminated options where someone “might need to brush up on skills or take a course ... [and] led to downward mobility,” Hine observed.

After the presentation, Hine was asked for his reaction, and he said his department could come up with a better alternative for less money.

“Darned if they didn’t take me up on it!” he said.

With federal stimulus funding available, Hine was able to pull together a small team working in collaboration with the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (MnSCU) to develop the rich tool Hine had envisioned for job seekers. The part-time effort began last fall and cost about $25,000 in staff time, Hine estimates, compared with the annual $100,000 fee the private vendor had been asking for the more limited product.

Minnesota managing national job search site

Read The Rest Of The Article

Job Tips – Finding a Job When You’re Over 50 – Melding the Old With the New

If you’re over 50 and currently looking for a job in this time of economic downturn, then you’ve probably already either experienced, or heard about, how difficult it is to even get an employer to look at your resume due to your age. It’s almost becoming a cliche – employers don’t seem to want to hire older workers.

This is unfortunate, because older workers have years of on-the-job experience and can really contribute a lot to a company that needs to improve a certain area of their operation. The fact is, there’s now a glut of people looking for a job over 50 years of age. So, if you’re in that category, you’re competing with thousands of others for slim pickings.

In the future, more jobs will be created as the U.S. slowly moves its way out of the current age of confusion and job cutting. It may not seem like it now, but there will come a day when all ages of workers will be welcomed back into the workforce. However, right now, the country is still reeling from the shock of economic meltdown and the immense shedding of jobs that will never return.

But, of course, you already know this. You’re sitting there wondering how are you going to pay your bills and feed yourself and your family in the here and now. Let me just say, that the last thing you should do is become despondent and give up. Instead, accept the fact that your job search is going to be a challenging one, and you’ll need to be aggressive in finding opportunities to earn a living.

What Can You Do for the Employer Now?

At this stage in life, you’ve maybe gone through multiple jobs and done a multitude of different job tasks. That’s to be expected, but that’s all water under the bridge. When you are working on your resume, don’t give employers a litany of things you’ve done over the past 20 years. Instead, keep things current by telling them actions you took in your last position that helped your previous employer increase efficiency, get more customers or make money.

Employers want to hire employees that can be effective for their bottom line. So, you need to know what your more recent experience can do for a future employer. If you’ve had some recent career training classes, this will also help in making you look like you’re someone who is employable in this day and age, as well as, bring real value to the table.

Are You on the Social Networking Bandwagon?

These days, you not only want to use traditional means to conduct a job search, but you should also be plugged into the current online networking community. There are several popular networking sites where 50 something folks are welcome to join. In fact, being included in an online social network means you’re more likely to find those hidden job openings that are just right for your particular skills.

You can also start your own social network group or create your own blog around a certain topic. This activity keeps you current and shows employers that you’re on the ball with the whole web 2.0 trend.

Get in Shape and Spruce Up Your Look

While there’s no way you’ll be able to hide your age, you can do things that will make you appear younger than you are. Start paying attention to your personal health and do things to get your energy level up. If you’re feeling slouchy and slumpy, this will come across to potential employers, and they won’t even be interested in talking to you.

To quickly get your energy going, start exercising regularly and improve your eating habits. Also, be sure to get plenty of rest. You want to still feel youthful and invigorated so that you can show employers that you may have more years, but you’re just as ready to get the job done as any 20-something.

Update your wardrobe so that you look fresh and current. Also, if you’ve been wearing the same hairstyle for ten or more years, it’s time to get something new. If you’re a guy who has a comb over, or is significantly balding, consider shaving your head clean for a more modern look.

Adjust Your Attitude

This isn’t the time to be a wallflower or bitter about your circumstances. Remember, you’re constantly putting out energy to the universe. If your energy is negative, you’ll get back negative things. If it’s positive, then the sky’s the limit. Yes, getting a job over 50 years of age isn’t easy, but if you stay positive and visualize yourself working at your new job, then one day very soon, you may be enjoying a new work experience, and a new chapter in your professional life.

Full Article and Other Info

Other Articles By Bill Vick

Are You Doing It Wrong? How to Make Networking Really Work.

by Lydia Dishman, PayScale.com

Networking. Does the very thought of getting out there, shaking hands, and schmoozing give you butterflies? You are not alone. But networking, either informally or at an organized event, is something that everyone should actively do--no matter how old they are or where they're at in their career.

"You always love a job until you don't--or until it no longer loves you--so continuing to build and strengthen your network even when you're employed will help you maximize your options if and when it's time to move on," says career expert Liz Lynch.

As founder of The Center for Networking Excellence and the author of "Smart Networking," Lynch knows a strong network can help you get industry information quickly and find opportunities to grow your business. But a recent Yahoo! HotJobs poll found that networking or an in-person referral is the most effective way to find a job today, too: over 20 percent of surveyed workers and job seekers say they've stepped up in-person networking activities in the past year.

Too often, poor preparation or lack of follow-up make networking ineffective. Fortunately, there are some simple things to do before, during, and after networking to ensure that you make a lasting impression.

Polish your image
You just never know when you'll run into a potential client or employer, so it's important to be ready to network at any time. That means keeping business cards handy and up-to-date with a mobile number and links to a professional website and/or a LinkedIn profile.

Prep your elevator pitch
Lynch says it's necessary to be able to answer the question "What do you do?" with a response that rolls off your tongue without being too long or full of jargon and buzzwords. "If you're currently unemployed, you want to answer confidently and in a way that focuses on what you're looking for instead of what you've been through," adds Lynch.

Rachel Weingarten, a marketing and brand strategist, says this is especially important if you've spent years repeating the same thing and ignoring how your skills may have evolved. An easy way to do this is paying attention to how people you admire in your industry are describing themselves. "Don't copy them, but use it as inspiration to create your own short, snappy self description," advises Weingarten.

Target your efforts
To make a real impact with networking, hone in on events and opportunities targeted to your industry. Freelance journalist Gina Roberts-Grey suggests joining a professional organization. "Members often introduce each other to colleagues and share contact information," says Roberts-Grey, adding that networking is also a main function of industry conferences. "Attendees expect to be approached in elevators, hallways, and even bathrooms."

Toot your horn (but pay attention, too)
Once you're talking, Roberts-Grey says, "Don't be afraid to brag a little. If you don't tell the world what you're doing, chances are no one else will." Lynch says that you should also listen and try to find ways to be of help. "Find out if they would be open to meeting with you so you can learn more about their company. Don't push your resume. Focus first on building the relationship," she adds.

Follow up
Roberts-Grey recommends sending an e-mail or follow-up note as soon as possible after the meeting. Weingarten says, "It's polite and professional and works toward cementing more of a relationship with the person you just met," and she suggests including specific details of the conversation.

You should also do your homework by researching growth sectors and average salaries in your industry so you'll be ready to negotiate if you have the opportunity. Says Roberts-Grey, "Don't be afraid to show that you're ready, willing, and able to work with them."

Original Article

Digital Photocopiers Loaded With Secrets

Your Office Copy Machine Might Digitally Store Thousands of Documents That Get Passed on at Resale

By Armen Keteyian

CBS) At a warehouse in New Jersey, 6,000 used copy machines sit ready to be sold. CBS News chief investigative correspondent Armen Keteyian reports almost every one of them holds a secret.

Nearly every digital copier built since 2002 contains a hard drive - like the one on your personal computer - storing an image of every document copied, scanned, or emailed by the machine.

In the process, it's turned an office staple into a digital time-bomb packed with highly-personal or sensitive data.

If you're in the identity theft business it seems this would be a pot of gold.

"The type of information we see on these machines with the social security numbers, birth certificates, bank records, income tax forms," John Juntunen said, "that information would be very valuable."

Juntunen's Sacramento-based company Digital Copier Security developed software called "INFOSWEEP" that can scrub all the data on hard drives. He's been trying to warn people about the potential risk - with no luck.

"Nobody wants to step up and say, 'we see the problem, and we need to solve it,'" Juntunen said.

This past February, CBS News went with Juntunen to a warehouse in New Jersey, one of 25 across the country, to see how hard it would be to buy a used copier loaded with documents. It turns out ... it's pretty easy.

Juntunen picked four machines based on price and the number of pages printed. In less than two hours his selections were packed and loaded onto a truck. The cost? About $300 each.

Until we unpacked and plugged them in, we had no idea where the copiers came from or what we'd find.

We didn't even have to wait for the first one to warm up. One of the copiers had documents still on the copier glass, from the Buffalo, N.Y., Police Sex Crimes Division.

It took Juntunen just 30 minutes to pull the hard drives out of the copiers. Then, using a forensic software program available for free on the Internet, he ran a scan - downloading tens of thousands of documents in less than 12 hours.

The results were stunning: from the sex crimes unit there were detailed domestic violence complaints and a list of wanted sex offenders. On a second machine from the Buffalo Police Narcotics Unit we found a list of targets in a major drug raid.

The third machine, from a New York construction company, spit out design plans for a building near Ground Zero in Manhattan; 95 pages of pay stubs with names, addresses and social security numbers; and $40,000 in copied checks.

But it wasn't until hitting "print" on the fourth machine - from Affinity Health Plan, a New York insurance company, that we obtained the most disturbing documents: 300 pages of individual medical records. They included everything from drug prescriptions, to blood test results, to a cancer diagnosis. A potentially serious breach of federal privacy law.

"You're talking about potentially ruining someone's life," said Ira Winkler. "Where they could suffer serious social repercussions."

Winkler is a former analyst for the National Security Agency and a leading expert on digital security.

"You have to take some basic responsibility and know that these copiers are actually computers that need to be cleaned up," Winkler said.

The Buffalo Police Department and the New York construction company declined comment on our story. As for Affinity Health Plan, they issued a statement that said, in part, "we are taking the necessary steps to ensure that none of our customers' personal information remains on other previously leased copiers, and that no personal information will be released inadvertently in the future."

Ed McLaughlin is President of Sharp Imaging, the digital copier company.

"Has the industry failed, in your mind, to inform the general public of the potential risks involved with a copier?" Keteyian asked.

"Yes, in general, the industry has failed," McLaughlin said.

In 2008, Sharp commissioned a survey on copier security that found 60 percent of Americans "don't know" that copiers store images on a hard drive. Sharp tried to warn consumers about the simple act of copying.

"It's falling on deaf ears," McLaughlin said. "Or people don't feel it's important, or 'we'll take care of it later.'"

All the major manufacturers told us they offer security or encryption packages on their products. One product from Sharp automatically erases an image from the hard drive. It costs $500.

But evidence keeps piling up in warehouses that many businesses are unwilling to pay for such protection, and that the average American is completely unaware of the dangers posed by digital copiers.

The day we visited the New Jersey warehouse, two shipping containers packed with used copiers were headed overseas - loaded with secrets on their way to unknown buyers in Argentina and Singapore.

Original Story PLUS The Video

39 Most Popular Facebook Pages In The World for Job Search

Learn where so many job seekers are going on Facebook for leads, job search tips, company research and more.

How to use this list

• Each row shows how many fans that page has right now, and mentions which language is used regularly on that page besides English.
• A country flag means that page is for people in that country only while the globe icon () means a page with international scope e.g. job listings for multiple countries.

Please share this on Facebook with friends who will find it useful, and don’t forget to fan the JobMob Facebook Page.

On to the list…

1.		Jobs in Indonesia – 179,168 fans, English/Indonesian – official page of the large jobindo.com job board in Indonesia, it’s just a lot of job listings. There’s only a little bit of English used in the job descriptions here but this page was too popular not to include in the list.
2.		CareerBuilder - 90,527 fans – the main Facebook page for CareerBuilder (CB), this corporate page is mainly used to publicize articles from their (good) The Work Buzz blog and to announce CB-sponsored and CB-hosted events. Funny- under their Boxes tab, CB claims to have the “largest job search employment & careers page”. Oops.
3.		Ernst & Young Careers – 41,341 fans – official page for Ernst & Young, there’s a lot of information about the company for targeting purposes. Not much of an attempt to build a community, as the few moderator responses mostly just point people to their website’s job listings.
4.		Petroleum and Petrochemical Jobs – 32,663 fans – job listings in Indonesia for the oil & gas industry.
5.		CareerBuilder Healthcare Jobs – 28,861 fans – Unlike the main CareerBuilder page above, this one seems to have been created with the idea ‘if you build it, they will come’ but aside from links to its sites and a few job postings on the Wall, most of the (high) activity is from other people posting healthcare job listings. The only fan page whose fan numbers went DOWN while this list was being compiled.
6.		Verizon Wireless Careers – 21,115 fans – not too many job listings on this recruitment page for Verizon, but the Wall does have many people asking questions about their jobs and getting responses from the company recruiters. Very much aimed at college grads and grads-to-be, there’s a lot of content here. Verizon’s doing a great job with their page to announce events and just build their employment brand well.
7.		Jobs au Maroc – 17,913 fans, French only – job listings in Morocco.
8.		Career Network – 15,723 fans – official page of the Career Network job boards, the Wall mostly lists job search news while getting a lot of reaction from community members. A good place to discuss job search.
9.		CareerBuilder Finance Jobs – 14,908 fans – another shell of a Facebook page from CareerBuilder, this page was created with the same disappointing formula as the CareerBuilder Healthcare Jobs above, albeit while containing finance-related jobs in this case.
10.		Ernst & Young Careers – Australia – 13,376 fans – this official page is a great place to connect with recruiters at Ernst & Young Australia, who do a good job responding to queries.
11.		Jobs Vacancy – Lowongan Kerja – 13,253 fans – job listings in Indonesia, they also have a nice list of scholarships for Indonesians.
12.		Resumark.com – Get Paid to Post Your Resume – 11,796 fans – Mostly job search tips and Q&A about the Resumark service, the moderators are quick to reply.
13.		Microsoft Careers – 11,890 fans – this very well-planned page is where Microsoft recruiters reach out to everyone on Facebook. The Wall is mostly people asking questions and getting responses directly from Microsoft- cool, but the many other tabs are all actively used too.
14.		Hyatt Hotels and Resorts Careers – 11,761 fans – very active official page for Hyatt Hotels and Resorts. If you’re interested in working for them, get onto this page. Great work by the Hyatt people here.
15.		NACHE Indonesia Hospitality Career – 10,917 fans – although this is the page for an Indonesian website, most of the job listings are for Arab countries.

Read more at: http://jobmob.co.il/blog/facebook-pages-job-search-2010/#ixzz0lVe3nrcn