6 Jobs For a Secure Future

Posted on January 18, 2012 by meghan_ntroduction

Though it can be said the economy is on an upswing, it’s still a touch time to find work. And even if you do have work there are no guarantees that something won’t happen to the job you’re in.

Enter Laurence Shatkin’s new book 150 Best Jobs for a Secure Future. In his new book he talks about jobs that may offer just a tad bit more security than others. “During economic downturns, these fields tend not to shed workers as much as other fields do, and the overall outlook for employment in these fields is good to excellent,” Shatkin said.

So before you consider which field to search for work in consider this list of the six most secure fields and the most secure job in each, according to Shatkin’s book:

Computer Systems Design – Software Developers, Systems Software
- Annual earnings: $92,130
- Percent growth: 57.4
- Annual openings: 6,120

Educational Services – Administrative Services Managers
- Annual earnings: $74,970
- Percent growth: 19.3
- Annual openings: 3,430

Government – Social Scientists and Related Workers
- Annual earnings: $76,120
- Percent growth: 19.3
- Annual openings: 860

Health Care – Physicians and Surgeons
- Annual earnings: $153,970
- Percent growth: 26
- Annual openings: 29,480

Repair and Maintenance – Industrial Machinery Mechanics
- Annual earnings: $40,140
- Percent growth: 19.1
- Annual openings: 650

Utilities – Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Powerhouse, Substation, and Relay
- Annual earnings: $66,270
- Percent growth: 10.3
- Annual openings: 410

Avoiding the Black Hole When Job Hunting

Posted on December 21, 2011 by meghan_ntroduction

One of the biggest complaints coming from people looking for work is the proverbial black hole that exists in today’s job market. You know the one. The black hole that your resume falls into and is never heard from again? Hiring managers, HR reps and Recruiters alike all have an increasing habit of not responding too the many resumes they receive for job openings.

While this can probably be attributed to the countless qualified men and women applying for jobs it doesn’t exactly mean that common etiquette should be tossed out the window. And it certainly doesn’t help ease the already frustrated job seeker who waits eagerly to hear about another job that they had applied for.

There are a few ways to work around and handle the black hole of job hunting. Always remember to keep looking! Don’t set your sights on one great sounding job. These days with so many people looking for work no matter how perfect you may be for the job there’s always the possibility you may not hear back.

Be sure to follow up with email, phone calls or even an old fashioned letter. Those these won’t guarantee you get a response it can sometimes help.

Don’t rely only on traditional recruiting and job ads. We’ve talked about before the importance of building a network, now is the time to use it! Take advantage of the network you’ve built online on the following websites and social networks.

Facebook/Twitter: You’d be amazed at how much of a response you can get from your Facebook friends. Put the word out on both networks and let your friends know your looking. There’s a good chance you could right skate in the back door into a great new job.
LinkedIn: Their job search feature is getting better everyday. And what sets their job search apart from the rest is the fact that they let you know how well your network is connected to the jobs you find. Say your searching for a Customer Service position and you search your area and find some. LinkedIn will then tell you who in your LinkedIn network works for those companies or is connected to someone who works at them. All the technology of a great job search engine with the bonus of cutting out the middleman and connecting you with someone who can get you in the front door.
Ntroduction: Right here at Ntroduction we are all about cutting out the middleman and skipping the whole black hole theory all together. Taking advantage of the services we provide here, you can go straight to the hiring manager yourself face to face and get the job you deserve. Forget the recruiters and answering anonymous job ad after job ad. Get your foot in the door the old fashioned way, face-to-face.

Don’t forget to connect with other friends who are on the hunt as well. Work together to help each other out. Make a list of friends who you know are also looking for work and in what field they’re looking and ask them to do the same. That way when you come across something or know someone who is hiring for a position they may be suited for you can connect them and vice versa.

In these still uncertain times the best weapon you have in the fight to find work is actual face time with the people doing the hiring.

5 Tips on Turning Your Online Network Into Your Real Life Network

Posted on December 9, 2011 by meghan_ntroduction

It seems you can’t go anywhere online without reading about the importance of your online network. And while that is important, especially when trying to establish a network to build a career, change careers or even to find a job, it’s just as important to maintain your real life network.

A lot can be said for a strong and extensive online network. Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and many other sites throughout the web give us incredible opportunities to connect and network with people across the globe. But many of these sites offer you the chance to connect with people local to you as well.

Take some time to explore ways to connect your online network to your real life network and you could open up a whole new set of opportunities.

Twitter Lists: A few months back Twitter introduced a great new feature that allows you to create a list of Twitter users based on whatever category you’d like. A great way to localize your twitter stream is to use the Twitter search function to search your town or surrounding area. Add the people you find to a list you create and start interacting and Networking with people in your area.
Attend a Tweetup: Tweetups are meetups put together so that people who interact online via twitter can meet in person. These are usually great ways to network and to bring your online network offline and into your real life. Once you’ve started following folks in your area start asking around to see is anyone is putting something together.
Organize a Tweetup: If no one in your area is taking the initiative to schedule a local tweetup, do it yourself! If you have connected with people locally g for it and start planting the seed. Here are some great tips for organizing a great Tweetup.
Facebook Fan Pages: Many cities are creating fan pages for the city itself or institutions within the city. The local library, community center, Parks & recreation District and chamber of commerce in your area all may have active fan pages. Become a fan so that you not only connect with other locals who are fans but to stay abreast of any networking events or job fairs in your hometown. This is truly becoming a great way to stay connected locally and build a network of people nearby.
The Local Paper: You don’t have to have the paperboy deliver the hard copy to your door anymore to take advantage of all that a local paper has to offer. If you have a local paper, chances are they are online and you can subscribe via email, usually for free. Many groups and local clubs still religiously list their events with the local paper. This is another great way to network locally.

Hopefully these tips will just be the tip of the iceberg for you when it comes to making your online network grow and become a part of your local network. You never know what new job and career opportunities may await at your next local Tweetup.

One more reminder: When you do attend local events to meet up with online friends always remember your business card! Have a number, email, website address and of course your Twitter handle on a card ready to hand out at all times.

Good luck!

Social Networking and What it Can do For You

Posted on November 21, 2011 by meghan_ntroduction

There are dozens of social networks out there and all of them have something to offer you. Though each and every one of these social networking can vary to some extreme degrees there is one thing they all have in common. They are all there to help you build a network. Networks not only help rebuild old friendships but nurture new ones. And that goes for connections related to your line of work as well.

One of the greatest parts of having a large social network is how strong and how much it can help you when you least expect it. One of the most important things to remember about building a social network is that it doesn’t grow over night. So it’s important to work at it everyday. You never know when someone in your network is going to come across a job or an opportunity tailor made just for you. And you never know when you may suddenly find yourself out of work and needing to tap into your network to find another job.

Here are four social network sites that you should be actively building a network on.

LinkedIn – This has become one of the go-to sites for professional networking. If you want to stay in synch with folks in your industry or the industry you’d like to break into. With the opportunity to get recommendations from colleagues you find that the stronger your network is the more of an edge you’ll have when performing a job search on LinkedIn. The Q&A section and groups give you other opportunities to network with other people in your field of interest as well.
Facebook – No surprise here. Facebook gives you a much more conversational and casual atmosphere than LinkedIn. It also gives you a broader opportunity to connect with both online friends as well as real life friends. I’ve seen people do everything from sell furniture, get animals to finding work by posting things on Facebook. As people get to know each other on Facebook they create more and more opportunities to open doors for one another when new opportunity arises.
Twitter – Many people consider themselves either Facebook people or Twitter people. But in reality they compliment each other quite well. Twitter is probably the best place to meet new people. And with the ever growing search functions and hash tag system you are really able to comb the world for news and opportunities relating to just about anything. The conversations move fast but the networks built can be tight and help you just when you need them the most.
Ning – Ning networks are do-it-yourself social networks that anyone can create for any topic they have an interest in. GovLoop & Twittermoms are two of the most heavily populated sites that have connected people in thousands of ways. From GovLoop has sprouted job opportunities, conferences, connections, and a much smaller world for Government employees across the country. Sites like “jobs in Social Media” among hundred of others provide numerous opportunities to connect with anyone in any industry.

5 Tips For Making the Most of Your Ntroduction

Posted on November 11, 2011 by meghan_ntroduction

ntroduction

We here at Ntroduction always like to take in feedback from our providers and members. Recently we did just that and out together a list of tips for job seekers to consider when using Ntroduction. Hopefully these tips will help you turn you’re introduction into your next dream job.

Don’t ask for introduction simply for a referral fee – Ntroduction may not work if you do not provide additional details, meet with the provider or if you are not willing to discuss your business model.
Be very clear about your professional standing – If you have a lot of experience in various fields, even have brand names experience but don’t offer details. The ‘my service/job/offerings is unique and you cannot find it elsewhere’ pitch. For example, a Seeker requested an introduction to a CFO recently but failed to highlight that he has a mix of Financial Audit in Manufacturing and Supply Chain markets – eventually, after about 5-6 weeks, when the provider curiously asked for more details, the Seeker provided this and the seeker landed the job within 2 weeks.
The provider sees nothing unique in your pitch – Don’t come across as every other job seeker/consultant/consulting company/Product sales professional if you have the brand name companies and other solid experience that sets you apart. Ensure you are very solid in how you differentiate. For example, a consulting company recently presented to a provider and the provider said, ‘tell me something different- I meet people like you three times a week’. On presenting the comparison that ‘While my competitors offer a wide scale staff augmentation services, we provide teams to lead Organization Metrics to save you money and project better – we come in as a team and ensure you are satisfied before our team leaves’. Presenting unique values is one thing, comparing with and showing how you rise above the other candidates is how you get the job.
Provider does not see you as a candidate for a C-level introduction – Perception matters – Your attire and attitude add to a provider’s perception of you. How you carry yourself, how you dress and how you present yourself make a huge difference.
Provider believes you are not flexible enough to do the project or job – Don’t come across as inflexible. This includes your rates not being flexible or not willing to make changes for the job.

Hopefully these tips will help you make the most of your Ntroduction so that soon you’ll find yourself with the job of your dreams.