Archive for the ‘Job Search’ Category

In the current economy it’s no surprise that unemployment remains to be the toughest issue facing most Americans. This remains true despite if the fact that unemployment is remaining steady at 10%, a good sign that we are on the slow road to economic recovery here in the United States. And the recent jobs bill passed by congress will hopefully help create more jobs as well as extend the benefits of people currently living on unemployment.

Here on the Ntroduction blog we’re doing our best to help you change your perspective when it comes to looking for your next job and hopefully our tips are helping weather these tough times of being unemployed and turn the situation into opportunity.

That’s exactly what green jobs are doing for unemployed. With a new awareness and understanding of the things we have to protect and restore our environment green jobs are becoming the hottest topic in the unemployment market.

Well based on research and trends everywhere from Forbes to Fast Company we’ve handpicked five of the hottest “green jobs” around.

• Urban and Regional Planner – With an expected increase of 15% by 2016, this is a smart move to make. An urban or regional planner’s job description encompass a lot and will probably include more in the coming years. But the biggest responsibilities of the planner are two fold. Planning contingency plans, flooding, heat waves, earthquakes and other possible disasters. And after the recent earthquakes in Haiti and Chile that is certainly becoming an even more important part of the job.  And of course the traditional aspect of the jobs s described by education-portal.com, creation of social, economic and environmental blueprints that make optimum use of the resources of a community in order to provide for growth, renewal and maintenance of the region.
• Conservation Biologist – Protecting and preserving the environmental and the ecosystem around is becoming more necessary each day meaning the need for more people to do the job also increases. The fact that President Obama’s stimulus package increased funds for science and research related to conservation biology only boosts the appeal of this career.
• Farmer/Forester – The need for sustainable farming and forestry is only going to increase in the coming years. To make the most of earths resources with as little disturbance as possible is vital. Also the increasing desire for organic foods and products also increases the demand for organic farming.
• Environmental Engineer – According to the Bureau of Labor and statistics Environmental engineering, Engineers apply the principles of science and mathematics to develop economical solutions to technical problems. Their work is the link between scientific discoveries and the commercial applications that meet societal and consumer needs. It’s expected to grow rapidly and the salary for environmental engineering is among the highest for college graduates.
• Heating and Cooling Installer- With standards changing quickly to reach a better quality of air, this profession is among the fastest growing in the United States.

These are just a handful of the many green jobs that are considering to pop up in the job market. All of them do require a degree or certificate. You should contact your local community college or Adult education program to see what programs they have to offer to help you enter into the growing world of green jobs.

These days looking for work can require a certain amount of creativity. Not only are the jobs harder to find but also the market is saturated with other people competing for what jobs there are. On top of the fact that with today’s ever evolving use of social networking and technology new jobs are being created every day as well as new ways to find people to do them.

This is why you should always have a job search plan that goes beyond the old job board and newspaper ads. If your reading this blog, it should be safe to assume that you’ve already taken the initial steps in setting up an online presence. You’re on Facebook; maybe Twitter and you have a profile on LinkedIn. If not, you should head over there and do those things now.

I think it’s also safe to assume since you’re here hanging out on Ntroduction.com you’re familiar with the networking services we provide here. And again, if you’re not go check it and come back. Its ok, I’ll wait.

Since you have the basics down here a list of how you can use social networking to put you ahead of the game when it comes to competing for the job.

• Facebook- if you suddenly find yourself in need of work one of the first things you should do is put the word out to families and friends on Facebook. You never know who know someone who’s retiring or an opening that will be coming up soon. People won’t no to give you a heads up if they don’t know you’re looking. But take it to the next level, become a fan of companies who are in your field and that you’d like to work with. Be active on their page. Also think about paying for an ad. A few folks have had success with purchasing ads for themselves and targeting the ads for people and companies in the area their looking for work.
• Focus on LinkedIn- One of the cool things about you using the job search function on LinkedIn is that you can sort it by “relationship.” So that jobs you already have a connection with show up on top. This is one of the most important reasons to keep your LinkedIn network growing. Join groups that fit your interests and your field. Also, every time you meet someone new in real life or online find him or her on LinkedIn.
• Brand yourself – Get a blog and create a YouTube account. A blog is a great way to enhance your online network and allow people to get the chance to know you better. You can set something up on Wordpress.com for free with little effort. There you can also create a page for your resume and to list references. On your YouTube account (which you should link to your blog, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter accounts). Leave regular videos explaining what you have to offer or even examples of what you do and why you’re the best. Make a video resume. Stand out.
• Look somewhere else – If you’re not having any luck finding work in your chosen field, think about choosing another field. Sometimes when you find yourself looking for work and closing one chapter of your life, it’s fate’s way of telling to start a whole new book.

As always, good luck!

Though there will probably never some a time when job boards, newspaper want ads and employment agencies will ever become obsolete, the fact remains that in this day and age the true key to getting a job is who you know. Of course there has always been a lot of stock in that ideology since the beginning of time, but now who you know is really the name of the game when you’re playing the job hunt shuffle.

Research and studies are showing that not only are job seekers looking more at their online and real life network to find their next job, but employers are looking more to other employees or other personal referrals when looking to fill open positions.

Jeremiah Owyang of Web Strategy did a 5-part series based on a survey he took recently titled, “Jobs in a Recession.” In the first series of results Owyang found that of the all the respondents that had found work since September 2008 (when the recession started) 43% found those jobs through their immediate online network of friends, colleagues, alumni, or family. This is why many insiders and corporate insiders recommend devoting the majority of your job search time to networking.

The same can also be said for companies looking to hire, who trust a good referral more than a generic reference. This is why so many companies are either implementing new employee referral plans or building on plans that already exist.

A recent article on Martketwatch.com talked about just that. According to the article a good majority of positions are never even advertised because companies are choosing to rely on employee recommendations instead.

Companies such as Prudential and Vistaprint both offer lucrative employee referral programs. This benefits the company, who is hiring based on a trusted recommendation, the new hire, and of course the employee who made the recommendation who is not only helping the company succeed, but also making some quick cash in the process.

Prudential’s program offers $500 and $2,500 for each successful referral, depending on the job level. Vistaprint has the “Everyone Here is a Recruiter” program, which offers employees not only a home theater system for the employee with the most referrals hired, but also a $1,500 referral award for each successful hire. It’s no wonder that 48% of Vistaprint’s new hires in 2008 came from employee referrals.

This is a big part of the theory behind Ntroduction as well. With the majority of new hires coming from personal referrals, it’s important to know the right people. Be sure and check out our leads or list you own and see how YOUR network might work for you.

In a highly competitive job market there are certain realities that job seekers need to face. Things like there are jobs that you will apply for, that you’ll never hear back from. Or that the sometimes education doesn’t replace experience and sometimes vice versa.

Here are a few things that you may want to think seriously about when looking for work. A few things that Hiring Mangers know but aren’t willing to share with you.

• A Hiring freeze is in place – every head count is important. They’ve only got one shot at hiring the right person and don’t have the option to split that one job into two positions. Which means they may be cramming more than one position into the one you’re applying for. Be prepared and willing to perform multiple roles, Analyst, Manager, Technical and non-technical.
• That Hiring Manager is looking to hire the best talent/skill/experience in economical locations – may not be in Bay Area, may not be in US, maybe in Asia. Though this could sound discouraging, it could actually work for you. Sometimes the cheapest location is virtual. If you see a job that could conceivably be done virtually, apply for it. Be sure to include the ways that making the position virtual is going to save them money. If not, think about relocating to where they want you to be.
• Hiring Manager gets bonus and credit for getting results – not for hiring a new team member. The hiring manager wants proof that you can deliver results. A good handshake and pleasant smile are great, but show him proof that you can get the job done.
• Hiring Manager cannot make the decision right away because requirement is not finalized. Basically the age old “Don’t count your chickens before they hatch” saying applies here. The hiring manager may just be checking to see who’s out there and how the hiring manager can achieve that goal, may not be ready to hire anytime soon. Just because the interview went well, doesn’t mean you’re going to be getting a call soon.
• The job title is not final – it may change probably to a lower title. These days’ titles change more times than Paris Hilton during a magazine shoot. That also means when searching the jobs ads, don’t just look at the title in the heading. Look closely at the description itself before deciding whether to apply or not. Also, Don’t count on the title of the job as the one you’ll actually be using. When you present yourself for the interview, be prepared to explain tasks you can/have performed in the lower titles too. You might get a job with lower title but you can grow quickly, given your previous experience in higher title
• He/She is looking for personal references – from people he/she knows closely. Nothing gives you a boost more than a first person reference. That is the Ntroduction’s core value – Which is also why LinkedIn is becoming more and more popular with hiring managers.
• He/She is looking for certifications as well as brand name company experience (such as Big4). The importance of secondary education has never been more important than it is today, but so is the importance of some real valid experience from reputed companies
• They’re looking for a team member, not a leader – the Hiring Manager wants to retain that role of leader. The Hiring Manager isn’t looking to hire someone to run the show, so don’t go into the hiring process acting like you’re going to do so. Demonstrate flexibility that you can lead as well as be a contributor.
• The hiring manager is looking for somebody who is available almost all the time to perform tasks – not somebody with commitments. Make sure when you interview that you make it very clear you’re willing to work overtime, be on call and go above and beyond the call of duty. These days hiring managers are looking for people who can do more than just pull their own weight.

Keep these things when looking for work and going on interviews. But don’t be discouraged, it may be slow going but things are definitely starting to turn around for the job market and hopefully, the long hours or lower titles will improve.  In fact a government report released today and mentioned on CNN.com shows that the number of job seekers competing for each job opening has dropped from 6.4 to 5.9, according to the latest Job Openings and Labor Turnover survey from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

It’s still tough out there, but it’s getting better.

Job fair attendance across the country has increased dramatically over the last year.  With job fairs usually offering a handful of jobs to hundreds or even thousands of attendees (depending on where you are) you may ask yourself, why bother? Well don’t be so quick to dismiss the oversaturated job fair scene.

First and foremost, you never know. Armed with some good looking resumes, a few references (many people at job fairs don’t bring these along, so set yourself apart by having some handy) and the right attitude you just maybe walking into a great opportunity. And that doesn’t necessarily mean the companies who are there looking for a few new hires.

One of the greatest things about a job fair, especially ones with a lot of people, is it gives you a chance to network with other people looking work, in your field in particular. Today’s job hunter could be tomorrow’s hiring manager.

As mentioned in this week’s earlier post, Avoiding the Black Hole When Job Hunting, a good way to open doors is by working together with friends and colleagues who are also looking for work.

Follow up with contacts you make at a local job fair. Ask them about what kind of work they’re looking for and tell them that you’ll them to a list of other contacts looking for work and that you’ll be sure to send them any job leads you find that may be w2ell suited to them. Ask them to do the same.

Soon you could find yourself with a great circle of contacts all working together to find work.

And hey, you never know! You could find yourself being wooed by any one of the companies hosting a booth at the local job fair too.

Be sure to check with your local paper or Chamber of Commerce for job fairs in your area. You can also visit sites such as, EmploymentGuide.com to find job fairs near you.

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.

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.

If you’re thinking about going into business for yourself 2010 just might be the year to do it.  There are many pros and cons to becoming self-employed but with a less than stellar job market, looking at other possibilities is a wise move. We’ve offered tips on being self employed before on the blog and how research suggests that self-employed people are the happiest people.

But now a recent press release from the company BOTH (short for Back of the House, a company that offers support for self-employed individuals) predicting that self-employment is only going to grow in 2010 based a number of factors.

• Historically serious recessions has always led to a large group of workers who find their way back into the workforce via self employment or contract work.

• Even as unemployment begins to level out the growth rate for new jobs will take some time leading many companies to seek less expensive ways to get projects done. Leading to an increase in contract and freelance work.

• Professionals will resort to other measures to generate income outside their regular pay grade.

• With technology and the Internet job mobility has become without limits. As people become able to do more and more from virtual offices, companies will look to increase flexible work environments that embrace that.

• With many Americans having had the proverbial rug pulled out from underneath, many people will shy away from traditional “job security” and instead look for situations in which they have more control by working independently.

As the job market remains somewhat unstable now is a good time to take mental stock of your schools and abilities and see if branching out into freelance or contract work would be a good way to generate an extra income or replace a lost one.

It’s not exactly a secret that right now is not the best time to be looking for a job. No matter what field your searching within. But have you ever stopped to wonder if possibly the area in which you live poses more of challenge then other metro areas in the country? That could very well be according to the job search engine Juju.com a leading search engine.

Juju recently updates their Job Search Difficulty Index, which measures the difficulty of finding employment in major cities around the country. According to Juju.com,

“The Index was calculated by dividing the number of unemployed workers in each metro area, as reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), by the number of jobs in Juju’s comprehensive index of millions of online jobs in the United States, which is compiled and updated continuously from thousands of employer career portals, recruiter websites, and job boards all over the Internet.”

Location plays a huge part in a successful and serious job search. Thinking outside the box and looking at the place YOUR searching for a job can make a big difference.

The Top 10 “Least Difficult” Metro Areas to Find a Job

1. Washington, DC
2. San Jose, CA
3. Baltimore, MD
4. Salt Lake City, UT
5. New York, NY
6. Hartford, CT
7. Boston, MA
8. Denver, CO
9. Austin, TX
10. San Antonio, TX

The Top 10 “Most Difficult” Metro Areas to Find a Job

1. Detroit, MI
2. St. Louis, MO
3. Miami, FL
4. Riverside, CA
5. Los Angeles, CA
6. Las Vegas, NV
7. Sacramento, CA
8. Orlando, FL
9. Portland, OR
10. Providence, RI

Where does your hometown fit on the list?

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!

US News and World Report released its list of the Top 50 Careers for 2010. It was an interesting list that included five categories with 10 jobs in each. The jobs were chosen based a few factors. Pay scale, growth rate and of course educational requirements. Though a few of the jobs listed were no real surprise (Biomedical, environmental and computer software engineers) there were a few that I wouldn’t have guessed.

So here are a few of the more obscure or unexpected top jobs for 2010 hand picked from US New World Report’s list of the top 50. One job from each of the five categories. Science & Technology, Healthcare, Education & Civic, Creative Service, and Business & Finance.

• Meteorologist-Science & Technology- Though we all might first picture our local weatherman when we think meteorologist, the fact is the majority work for the National Weather Service. With Climate change and global warming becoming bigger issues each day it’s no surprise that jobs for meteorologists are expected to increase by about 15%. Meteorologists can move own to starting there own weather consulting firms or working in the private sector for research firms. The median salary is $81,000 not too shabby. To be a meteorologist you need a bachelor’s degree in Meteorology or at least chemistry or physics. To focus more on the research aspect of meteorology you’ll need your PHD.
• School Psychologist-Healthcare- Of the handful of healthcare positions mentioned, this one stuck out the most. School Psychologists is a career that’s expected to increase by 11%. Certainly more stressful than meteorology, becoming a school psychologist would mean obtaining a specialist degree, which most schools require. That would be on top of three years of graduate school. The median salary is $64,140 but could rise considerably if you start your own practice. Stressful, yes, but a job that would enable to truly help many children in need.
• Clergy-Education And Civic- This was one of the more surprising mentions on the list. And there was no real explanation as to why the growth in the Clergy. There is an expected increase of about 13% across the board.  Pay, opportunities and schooling require varies heavily depending on the church. Smaller congregations have the largest need but the smallest salary. Methodists and Catholic churches have the larger salaries and career paths. The room for growth also depends on the church and congregation. Education requirements for the clergy vary from needing a Masters n Theology to no previous education at all. Once again, depends on religion and church. Maybe the stressful economic times have created a growing need for clergy.
• Plumber-Creative & Service- So this is not usually on any list of top careers. In fact most people would not likely consider being a plumber very glamorous. But if the standard for a dream career is a steady work with a stable paycheck, than the Plumbing industry should top every list. With an expected increase of 15% and a median salary of about 45,000 to 79,000 it’s not a bad choice to make. While some people attend tech schools or community college, many plumbers find their way through on the job training or apprenticeships. Opportunities are large, as any successful plumber can eventually start his own business with an even larger income potential.
• Actuary- Business & Finance- Many of you may be starring blankly at your computer screen wondering what the heck is an actuary? Generally actuaries are most often found working for insurance providers and their job is to “evaluate the likelihood of events and quantify the contingent outcomes in order to minimize losses, both emotional and financial, associated with uncertain undesirable events.” Sound a little boring? Maybe. But with a median salary of $85,000 and an expected growth rate of 21% over the next decade, it’s wouldn’t take an actuary to figure out it’s a safe career to move into. In fact most Actuaries start at 56,000 right out of college. Casualty Actuarial Society and the Society of Actuaries offers certification programs and you would most likely need a bachelors degree in mathematics, statistics, economics or even actuarial science (if you’re local school offers it).

Maybe not the most glamorous of career choices but glamour isn’t exactly topping anyone’s list of needs as 2009 comes to a close. Check out these careers as well as the rest of US News and World Report’s list of top careers. Maybe you’ll find the perfect match for you in 2010.

Once you do be sure and update that resume and prepare for that interview! Before you know it you’ll be spending 2010 doing a job you love.

Good Luck and Happy New Year!

With the New Year right around the corner, there couldn’t be a better time to go over your resume and get a jump on your 2010 job search. One of the most vital tools to any job search, whether it is online or in person, is your resume.  So take a little time over the holidays to revamp your resume and make sure it’s up to date.

Here’s an easy checklist to make sure your resume is got everything you need to get the job you’re looking for.

• Make Sure it’s updated. Delete any job that doesn’t have any bearing on the job you’re looking to land. Make sure you ad anything that may be missing. And don’t overlook time spent volunteering or anything else that could help boost your skills.
• E.E.S. These three things should be on every resume, no matter what fields you’re looking for work in.  Experience, Education, and Skills. The key pieces of information any potential employer is looking for is going to be in these three sections. If they’re missing, you just might miss out on the job.
• Grammar. Always run a spell-check and take your time with easily overlooked grammatical and spelling errors. Sometimes a simple grammatical mistake can cost you.
• Ask for help. A second pair of eyes is priceless! Ask a friend to take a look and proofread your resume and see of they catch anything you may have missed.
• Correct the dates. Take the time to double check the beginning and end dates of your jobs to give any potential employers a correct timeline and idea of your experience.
• One page wonder. One of the classic pieces of resume etiquette that still remains to be the norm is keeping your resume at one page. Though this isn’t always possible, always try to keep your resume to one page if you can.
• Contact info. It may seem like a no brainer, double check that your name and contact info are correct. If you apply for a job and they can’t get a hold of you to tell you it’s yours, then what?
• One thing that becoming more common in resume today’s is listing the results of jobs or projects you’ve worked on. Future employers don’t just want to see what’s you’ve done in the past, but what results you’ve had with those jobs.

Now that you’re resume is in top shape it’s time to start 2010 with the new job you’ve been searching for! Good luck in your New Years job search.

When talking about being self-employed it draws many different pictures to many people. For some being self-employed is being a consultant, a subcontractor, a freelance writer or artist, accounting, running a daycare, floral design, wedding planner, the list goes on and on. As different as all these jobs may be, the decision to become self employed and what goes along with being self-employed remains the same no matter what field your in.

With many people finding themselves out of work under a troubled economy now couldn’t be a better time to consider becoming self-employed. But there are a number of things you should think about before taking the leap.

• How’s the Industry? Is industry your considering entering established? Is it crowed with competitors? Maybe the career you’ve worked in up until now can give you a built in network or edge when building a client base, because you’ve already been in the industry.
• What are the logistics? Can you work from home or will you have to find an office? Working from home can save you a lot of money and provide some extra tax incentives. If you have a computer, printer, fax, phone, scanner and a handful of other home office essentials, working form home might be the way to go.
• What’s your back-up plan? If you have a spouse who has a job that offers health benefits make sure you use them. Otherwise check into unions for the type of work your doing and you may be able to find group plans that can help you get health insurance for your family at discounted rates. Also, whenever possible when starting a new line of work for yourself, having at least 6 months worth of expenses in the bank is always a smart idea. Though not many of us can do that these days…
• Pay the Taxman. Make sure you talk to your accountant or at the very least research it on your own online to see what you can and cant deduct for taxes and make sure you keep detailed records and copies of everything you do for your business. Remember, if your spouse is working you can set up to have YOUR taxes deducted from their paycheck. A smart move that can save you from having to owe at the end of the year.

Remember that being self-employed has many ups and downs but it can give you more freedom and satisfaction than any regular employment could ever give you. Good luck!

Though reports show that unemployment may finally and slowly be starting to level out it is still well over 10%. Looking for a job under any conditions can be a stressful endeavor but in an uncertain economy while competing with obscene amounts of other job seekers many people can find themselves under enormous amounts of stress while looking for work.

Not only is this unhealthy but the effects of stress can easily hinder your ability to find the right job, or any job. Stress can lower your self-esteem, your energy level, your ability to focus and your attitude. And attitude is the key to any job search. Here are a few tips to managing your stress while looking for work. It could mean the difference between finding the job the job you want and finding your self still looking for work.

• Meet people of your age who are also looking for work. Don’t look at people your own age as the competition, look at them as allies in the war against unemployment. Especially if you live in the same neighborhood, have kids that attend school, or intermingle in the same circles. They can give you a heads up to new opportunities, take turns watching kids during interviews, and just give you an understanding ear after a couple of hits in the job search.

• Specifically meet people with positive attitude and are realistic. No matter what the age of the people you’re around, negative folks can do nothing but drag you down. Both negative and positive attitudes are like a yawn. Both are incredibly catchy and your take in what the people around you are putting out there. Hang back from the friends who can’t find anything positive to bring to the conversation and spend more time on friends who are putting out a good attitude.

• Take long strolls everyday which will give you energy to speak better, write better and interact better with confidence. This will help keep you focused and keep your game sharp. It’s critical to take some reflective time to yourself every day.

• Do a 10-minute meditation – Simply gaze at a tree and watch it move in the breeze for about 10 minutes – do not think of anything else – this will give your mind a bit of rest to gather energy and positive attitude. Nothing conquers a high stress level better then meditation each and every day.

• Take your food in regular time everyday and do not waver from your regimen of taking food or doing exercise or meditation everyday. Remember that as your health decreases your stress level increases. So keep your diet healthy and exercise as much as possible. Whether it is at the gym or just a 15-minute yoga routine at home.

If you keep yourself focused and don’t let stress get the better of you, you will continue new ideas in your job search and new confidence. 2009 is almost over – may the New Year yield you that dream job your looking for.

As unemployment continues  to rise due to layoffs in most industries across the country many people are finding themselves facing an uncertain future. One way many people are dealing with that uncertain future is by going back to school. Whether it be to finish obtaining a degree or credential you never quite got to whether it’s to start fresh on a career path you always dreamed of pursuing going back to school seems to be the most logical step for many adults facing unemployment.

If you find yourself thinking about returning to school, here are a few tips to help you on your way.

• Go back to school virtually: Though there are many online universities out there, the truth a lot of them may not be what they appear to be and fake degrees is a continuing issue in the world of online education. Stick with legitimate and well-known universities like the University of Phoenix. Though these legitimate online universities offer degrees in many areas, the one downfall is that they do tend to run a little costly. Your local community college may offer a similar program for much less, or even completely paid for if you qualify for assistance.
• Get it Paid For: Many working adults (especially those with kids) may be surprised to find out that they qualify to have the majority if not all of their expenses paid for by various grants and scholarships. Careers in early education even have additional programs where they award you many for taking so many classes. Money to help sustain your household, pay for books or get a new laptop. They’re rewarding you for choosing to go back to school. Don’t overlook these opportunities. Go to your school’s financial aid office and ask someone to help you find out what you qualify for. Free money is always a good thing!
• Be Equipped: Going to school is not the same thing as it was when many of were kids. If you’re taking the leap to go back to school make sure you have a laptop to help keep you n top of your work. Especially if you’re a parent who may be doing a lot of homework on the go you’ll need something mobile. Don’t fret; look on craigslist for something new or even Walmart or Target for a basic Dell or something similar. See the above tip for ways to cover your news laptop and other necessities for going back to school.
• Talk to Your Family: Going back to school whether its online or in the classroom requires time and commitment on just your part but your whole family’s as well. Make sure you talk it over and that everyone is on board for the extra effort it’s going to take form everyone while you’re studying and accomplishing your goals.
• Have a Game Plan: Though flipping through the course catalog for your local community college is a great way to start when it comes time for registration talk to a counselor! They can help you map our what classes, credits, and in what order you’ll need to accomplish you’re goals in the most efficient way.

Be proud and stick to it! You’ll be glad you did.

It’s no surprise that with the current state of the economy and unemployment that Americans are stressed. A recent survey conducted by the American Psychological Association found that 80% of American’s surveyed fare stressed over personal finances and the economy. It also found that 50% are stressed over meeting the needs of their family and 56% over the security of their job.

People questioned in the survey were asked how the stress was affecting them. 60% stated they regularly feel angry and irritable over stress and 53% feel fatigued a majority of the time. 52% admitted that they simply lie awake at night due to overwhelming stress.

After reading these staggering, yet unsurprising statistics, I did a little research to find out what jobs would be good for people who are becoming buried beneath the stress of simply getting by. I came across the Best jobs in America List on CNN.Money and Payscale.com where they had a category that enable you to look up the least stressful jobs.

1. Education/Training Consultant
2. Physical Therapist
3. College Professor
4. Software Developer
5. Technical Writer
6. Telecommunications Network Engineer
7. Speech-Language Pathologist
8. Software Architect
9. Occupational Therapist
10. Civil Engineer

So if you’re being kept up nights by stress and you’re looking to switch careers to something a little less stressful you can check out these job listed above. You can also look at the entire list of the Best Jobs in America to see where yours falls on the list.

One of the most unfortunate things about making our way through the current economic recession is the fact that things are tough all over. Which means that while this is the time when you and your family need a raise the most it’s also the time when your company may be in the worst position to give it to you. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try.

There is one thing about an economic recession, companies that have loyal hardworking employees that are doing their best to help keep business rolling want to do all they can to keep those employees happy. So just because things may be tough for the company you work for, doesn’t mean they aren’t going to want to give you what you need to keep you working hard.

If you think it’s time to start looking into getting a raise at your job use these tips to help prepare you and give you the best chance at getting what you deserve.

1. Find out how what your salary is compares with what your salary should be. The first thing you should do is see how your salary ranks with what other companies are paying. Websites like Payscale.com or Salary.com help you figure the average salary for your job in the area you live and work in. See where your paycheck fits on the scale and use that as your jumping off point for how much you should be asking for.
2. Research the company. Don’t relay on company gossip to figure out how things are going for the company you work for. About.com has a great section about how to research a company to see what the condition is, how the market fairs, and how successful the industry you work is in is doing. These favors can help you come up with a reasonable request when meeting with your boss. Not to mention be armed with the facts about the status of your company’s well being always gives you an edge while negotiating.
3. Read the Employee Handbook. Refresh your memory on the do’s and don’ts of your company. See if there is a set protocol for asking a raise that you should be following. Be sure and reread your job description as well. Are you doing all that your job entails? Are you doing more?
4. What can you bring to the table? Sit down and make an honest list of everything you do for the company. Then make a list of all the things you can offer the company to help keep them successful. What can you do that no one else can?
5. Get the lowdown. Do you have friends or coworkers who have already asked for a raise in recent months? Even if it’s someone who doesn’t work for your company find out how they went about it and went right or wrong with during their experience.  Take notes.
6. Come up with Plan B. You have to be sure that you have a game plan in mind BEFORE you walk in the door. How low of an increase are you willing to take? And what does it mean if your boss says no? Are you going to be willing to take no for an answer or will this be an all or nothing ultimatum. Whether you’re willing to quit your job if you don’t get your raise or not is a decision you need to make before setting up the meeting.
7. Set up a meeting. Make sure your boss knows your mean business. Don’t just pop in to his/her office on your way out the door or grab he/she in the break room. Call ahead and set up a meeting so he/she knows you’re serious.
8. Be Confident. No one knows your situation better than you, and know one knows what your worth better than you.  So when you step in that room be sure you don’t walk out settling for anything less than what you deserve.
9. Stay Confident.

Planning Your Job Search: Think outside the Box Before you go Job Hunting

Today’s job market is one of the most volatile we’ve seen since the early 1980s or possibly even since the Great Depression. The number of people searching for work continues to grow each day, while the amount of jobs available continues to shrink.

The unfortunate reality is that even though there has been a small drop in overall unemployment, according to a recent article from Time.com, the more serious issue of long-term employment shows no signs of stopping. According to the article long-term unemployment (unemployed for 27 weeks or more) increased from 4.4 million to 4.9 million from June to July. One in three unemployed workers have been unemployed for 27 weeks or more. The most disturbing statistics is that one-quarter of long-term unemployed people; never return to the work force. This leaves the possibility of an almost permanent recession in the United States.

Given all this, competition is ruthless and salaries are shrinking. That doesn’t mean the right job isn’t out there for you. It just means you have to step outside the box a little to find it. Here are some tips to help make your job search work for you. Use these tips to figure where you should be living and looking for work.

• Where are jobs and who is hiring – what is happening
• What Professions are in demand
• Where are the safest and most affordable cities to live in?
• What Cities are the best places to live if your single?
• Consider how far are your friends & relatives

Once you picked a city or two that looks like the right place for you to find your next job, here is what you do next:

• Summarize the salaries.
• Visit some online resources that enable you to look for jobs at national level for the areas you have in mind.
• Online resources to gather neighborhood information on the neighborhood you’re thinking about moving too.

And don’t forget the most precious resource you have, a list of who you know. Former colleagues, friends, and associates. And of them may have the right connection to get you your next job. Don’t forget to spread the word that you’re looking, the right introduction may just be the one that leads you to your future.

You can also reach out beyond your Network here at Ntroduction.com – simply ask for introduction and achieve your career goal(s).

Good luck!

Would I introduce my buddy at Ntroduction?

Would I introduce my close buddy  at Ntroduction to a seeker?

That is a judgment call I have to make – I may not necessarily introduce my close buddy, the buddy of my ‘inner circle’.

Let me define who is my  “close buddy” or “the buddy of my inner circle”?  If my buddy watches out for my interest and I watch out for him/her, then I would treat such buddy as buddy of my inner circle or close buddy.

Ntroduction : Who would you introduce at Ntroduction.com?

I may not necessarily introduce my close buddy, the buddy of my ‘inner circle’  -  However, I would provide introduction to somebody who I know professionally and I am not very close to him or her – my buddy in my ‘outer circle’. I would also be upfront and tell him/her that I am getting paid for the introduction.

For example, while working as part of Finance department,  say, I came across Tom, a Sales Director who is looking for a sales person to hire.  Would I introduce Tom at Ntroduction to a member seeking for a sales job? Yes – it would depend if he is part of my ‘buddy of my inner circle’. If Tom is not part of my ‘inner circle’,  I will reach out to Tom, the Sales Director and inform that I may get paid if  he ends up hiring the candidate I introduced.

Needless to say, I will review the candidate’s resume, possibly meet him/her and obtain comfort that this person comes across as a Sales person, is personable and has general qualities of a sales person

However if Tom was really my close buddy, my buddy in my inner circle, that would be a judgment call. If my close buddy Tom reached out to me and said “I really  really need to find this Sales person as soon as possible,  please let me know if you know somebody that fits my requirement“, then I will probably think about helping Tom with the referral – I would probably ask Tom “I may get paid from this candidate for investing my time qualifying this person, is that OK?“  If Tom agrees, then I will probably proceed.

How about you?

Can Swine Flu turn professional world chaotic?

With flu’s favorite chilly weather fast approaching, get ready for the  Swine influenza (also called swine flu, hog flu, and pig flu).  Media has been speaking about how bad it can be and looks like 1 in 5 would be affected by swine flu.

Nobody knows what might happen but the better news :

• Even with no vaccine, winter is ending in the Southern Hemisphere without as much havoc as doctors had feared, a heavy season that started early but not an overwhelming one.
• The strain that doctors call the 2009 H1N1 flu isn’t any deadlier than typical winter flu so far. Most people recover without treatment; many become only mildly ill.
• Importantly, careful genetic tracking shows no sign yet that the virus is mutating into a harsher strain.

Only this week do U.S. researchers start blood tests to answer a critical question: How many doses of swine flu vaccine does it take to protect? The answer will determine whether many people need to line up for two flu shots – one against swine flu and one against the regular flu – or three.

As if we have life less complicated, when  the vaccine becomes available by mid October, there could be scarcity of vaccines so, there would be preference to  – pregnant women, young kid’s and young adults who have breathing problems – over others.

Alright! – What would happen to the professional world?

What if 1 in 5 in critical departments gets sick? Can this drive chaotic?

Typically Corporations have two plans – business continuity plan (BCP) and disaster recovery plan(DR) drafted and tested (mostly dry drills) that is executed when a crisis such as earth-quake or some action of god hits.

Can these plans be executed to avoid chaotic professional world?  Depends – It is designed for a situation to avoid losing business except that the assumption here is,  personnel who are responsible in executing the above plans should be mindful and healthy to execute the BCP.

You see where this is going?

So, let’s talk about how you can try to avoid getting affected:

• Make sure that it is a policy in your kids school to send sick kids home that shows the symptoms of flu (coughing, sneezing) – No disrespect intended to anyone. Same policy should be instilled within the corporate wall too.
• Take a lot of Vitamin-C and such, that can strengthen your immunity
• As soon as you and kids get home, no matter how tired you/they are, take a shower – Water vapor can help keep the lungs clean while body gets sanitized
• Avoid going to crowded places if you can
• Make sure you wipe your hands with anti-bacterial sanitizer as soon as you come from bathroom or from kitchen or meetings
• If you happen to catch  flu,  email the team to take leave and most importantly,  take the medication within one day, worst two (The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends the use of Tamiflu (oseltamivir) or Relenza (zanamivir) for the treatment and/or prevention of infection with swine influenza viruses)

Let’s hope that the majority of people infected with the virus make a full recovery without requiring medical attention or antiviral drugs

Am I stupid?

I know many of you got a good review, hoping to see teeny-weeny bit of a hike or a small bonus  or a promotion.

Heck… your boss walks up to you and indicates that you are not getting promoted this year and you need to be thankful for your paycheck.

Then, your boss sends a meeting invite that is scheduled in an hour along with a HR person into a conference room ‘Mount Fuji’.   Your blood pressure begins to build.

That moment comes – Your boss is not looking at you eye to eye but introduces the HR and excuses himself.

Now comes the ’striking moment’ – HR personnel slowly speaks about how good you have done, your recent ratings etc which you don’t really care as, all you want is, to hear the catch!

You are about to scream – “Get to the point! – Show me my money!”

The HR personnel slowly and smoothly talks about how the economy is affecting the company revenues and in fact corporate executives are doing everything they can to avoid laying off employees.

Sure! Fair enough! – “Get to the point!”

Now comes the Kamikaze that knocks you down – Management has decided to instead, rescale the salary on case-by-case basis. You realize that is why he is here to talk to you.Then he tells you, your salary is rescaled to go down by 20% starting this week.

Huh…? What…?

You now need, more than any other time – a hug, a caring person who can patiently hear you and say ‘honey, don’t worry, I will take care of your shortcoming salary’.  You wish!

You walk out of the conference room with a silent nod to HR person. He says  ‘ I totally understand this is a bomb blast and if you want to take the rest of the day off, please feel free to do so’ .

But there is a all-hands meeting in the afternoon. So, you want to stick around.

Alright! – The week started with aspirations on Salary Hike, a tiny bonus and  perhaps promotion – all of these got promoted to the dreamland!

Then the CIO speaks at the all-hands meeting in the afternoon – ‘You have to be flexible to do anything needed- sometimes my controller of finance fetches me coffee and that’s how flexible we ought to be’.

Everyone giggles without energy.

You walk out of the corporate building slowly towards the parking garage thinking – you got a great review, a good rating and everyone in cross-functional departments raved your last year performance  – So.., “Am I stupid?”

Recession Recovery? Where..? When? How..?

I do not know about you but I keep hearing  more and more bad news about the economy on all of the different media channels.  What we need is some good news, irrespective of how minute impact it does to this economy.

I don’t want to rant about more bad news here but let’s look outside of US.  China is doing great. India is not doing badly. Japan is back in shape and UK is seemingly showing progress in its economy.

I was speaking to a senior member of the Church of Scientology who, just came back from a Asia and Europe tour. I was picking his brain on his experiences on the street (Part of his job is to ’spread the word’ and  enroll needy members into the Church).  He had visited in Nov 2008 and this visit was totally different. This visit was lot better in terms of donations to church and he saw a lot more friendly smiles.

So, what is it that we are missing? My friend then turned his conversation  ‘American greed’. He had heard this mentioned by the non-US members of his church.  It was clear to everyone outside of US that American corporations are greedy and that it is self-destructing jobs and hence economy recovery is far away if not impossible.

I am not sure if I agree with them but  lets say assume that American corporations are greedy.

So what?

We should  not look at the Government to fix anything that happens but we got to put some kind of mitigating process in place

• Rather than expecting President to do something, ask the corporations to give back  -  when you came to our cities, we supported you with jobs, real-estate and such. Now its your responsibility to give back
• The jobs that are eliminated should be sent to Job  elimination monitoring committee  (JEMC – OK, I made this up!) which should decide on a case-by-case basis and recommend the corporation to hold-off or go ahead.  Corporations should prove that  Job elimination is not just for monetary reasons but for lack of talent, etc (If H1-Visa requires some mandate that the petitioning company need to prove lack of talent in USA, why not JEMC? )

These are some of  my suggestions and I  think the US should consider getting  unemployment below 6% as the top priority for the economy to grow positive.

Employed or unemployed? - Look who is hiring/buying at Ntroduction

Based on national statistics, for every 20 people in this country today, 3 of them are unemployed on an average.  In this world of social networking and all, how do I know who can help me in my job search and who cannot?  Here are some of my thoughts.

I observed a large number of professionals are unemployed but show themselves as employed. Reason?  The kind of look you get when you tell someone that you are looking for a job is way-out-of-whack.  So, professionals project themselves as employed  (you can observe on linkedin about several D-Levels/C-Level professionals who have been off-loaded from their positions long ago but the linkedin profile seems to show that as current)

Well, what does this mean to you? If you are looking for a customer or looking to connect with a hiring manager, that’s misleading information.

However if you are just trying to network with them, then its awesome.  I like Linkedin for the same reason that I can grow my network, find where my colleagues are  – whether its of use right this minute or not. The only gripe about this is it could be outdated or they may not be ready to buy / hire. Right?

Now, where can I find professionals who are ready to buy product/services or even hire? You can browse  for introductions sought or introductions provided to get a clear idea of professionals ready to buy or hire.

Job losses - How Ntroduction can help

I was yawning  at the San Jose airport waiting for my friend who I had not seen for over 14 years (limited to email, phone calls) and  news Flash on the TV monitor in front of me, shook me – CA has 14% unemployment.

Man! – That might be a bit exaggertated. I would say perhaps 12% would be near to reality. I opened my iphone to check emails and my friend had sent me this link which is related to CA job situation.
Lets not feel happy comparing to the last year’s July planned job cuts as that’s not a happy news but overall, Say I am walking on a street of 20 people, 3 of them are without job in CA – Scary isn’t it?

These  are lost jobs to outsourcing or corporate greed or stockholders pressure or M&A. Whatever the reasons are, most of the jobs are ‘Gone Baby Gone’. What happenned to the promise by President that companies sending jobs would be taxed more?

I was talking to a friend, Director of IT in leading storage company and he agreed with me that IT jobs are now outsourced every second as we speak. So, , my advice to future employment force is to stay away from IT and look for something that is core to the business and that would be essential to keep it within corporate.  I would suggest you to browse professional introductions Seeked and provided and you will get an idea of what seems to be in demand.

Do I know you?

During 1999/2000, when the market was booming,  I played a role of Director of Business Development for about 6 months. I was part of several organizations where I would meet people, handshake and exchange business cards.

In one such event, I happened to exchange a business card with a Director of Marketing at Siebel. I called the gentleman next day or two and introduced myself on the phone. He immediately says “Do I know you….? Are you introduced to me by anybody?”.

Fair enough. We just met in an event and it is a two way street – he may need our product/service – but let’s put ourselves in his shoes – maybe, he had a bad day or it is his policy to speak to people that are introduced to him only.

But after years , I realize – I have been in both places – Buyer or a Seller and I have learnt to ask the same question “Do I know you…? Are you introduced to me by anybody?”.  If we have met in an event, I will simply answer the call with “Please send me an email – if I have budget, I will let you know”.

However, if I had been introduced first hand by somebody, it would have made a difference – he would probably have said “You know, I have a very bad day and I do not have budget. Can we discuss this on phone a month or two later?”.