Let me know if you hear about anything I would be interested in.

Recently I was introduced to someone who almost immediately told me he was looking for a job. Then he said those deadly words: “Let me know if you hear of anything for me.” What a networking killer.

I didn’t know enough about him to even be able to identify a good “anything” yet here he was asking me to let him know when I found one of those. At this point, unfortunately, people often say “sure” and then move on. Don’t kid yourself the way I used to. They won’t remember you.

The Easy Way Out (Leading Nowhere, unfortunately)
It’s hard to think about, but right now we should ask ourselves, “Have I done that?” If you have, think about what you were hoping to accomplish. And how did you feel when you said it?

Remember the words and tone of the response you got. That memory alone may convince you not to make those requests any more.

Help Them Be Able to Help You!
I told him I wouldn’t know how to identify a good “anything” for him. He paused, and then said, “Oh, I’m asking you to do all the work here, aren’t I? Not only do I want you to let me know when you hear about something, but I am leaving it up to you to figure out what I would want to hear about.” He got it!

Sample of Email Requests that Get You Nowhere (again!)
I wanted to share a portion of an email I got from someone just a couple of days ago. I did not know this person, and there wasn’t any way I could be of any assistance to him based on the information in the email.

In addition, I have no idea what “seek your advice on any current and/or future searches for your clients” really means. Strangely that phrase or something similar is in almost every email I get from job seekers.

“I’m currently in a career transition following the elimination of my position due to a company-wide reduction in force.

A copy of my resume is attached and I can be reached on xxx-xxx-xxxx. Please let me know if you hear about anything that might be of interest to me.

I’d appreciate it if you would let me know when you have searches for your clients that would be a good fit for my experience and skills.

Thank you for your time and consideration and I look forward to hearing from you.”

Heartbreaking Results from so much Effort
If I hadn’t been curious about where he learned to write this kind of networking email and how he expected it would help him, I would never have called him. I would have deleted his email and not kept his information. I bet he sent a lot of these out, and I know that was a lot of work.

When I spoke to him, he admitted that he had been coached on how to write this email. He said he had sent it to a lot of people, and was really disappointed in the results. I was the only person who had contacted him!

Tip to Try: Help Others Help You
Please be specific about how others can help you in job search. People do really want to be of assistance. Give us specifics about how we can help you, and you’ll be delighted at the good information that starts coming your way.

Author: Katherine Moody

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2. Job Interviews – 101 Common Mistakes to Avoid
3. Five Ways to Improve Your Job Search

Most likely you will send out a greater number of resumes than ever before, you will have fewer interviews than ever before, and you will face rejection frequently. This frustrating situation is the result of a weak economy and a shattered job market. Secondly, it is important to remember that this type of rejection really is not personal. You are riding the “rejection boat” in the company of many competent, experienced and talented applicants.

So, when rejection comes, and it will, what should you do? Be sure you do an attitude check and choose to handle this minor setback with a positive attitude. If you need an attitude adjustment, quickly work on it. Use this rejection as a learning tool. Honestly review your resume or have a trusted associate critique it for you. It is possible that it needs a few tweaks.

Mentally review the interview process. Were you on time and prepared for the interview? Was your appearance appropriate for the job? Were there any “oh no” moments in your mind during or after the interview? Maybe you could have provided better responses or asked better questions. It is not the end of the world. Use this experience to make the next interview stronger. Do some additional research and rehearsal for a more focused interview.

The question that haunts everyone after rejection is “but why?” It is possible that there was a candidate with more education, more experience and better qualifications. Or, maybe you were just spared a miserable work environment. We all want to believe that everyone likes us, but it is possible that there was a lack of chemistry during the interview. Would you really want to work for someone that had a negative attitude toward you? Can you imagine the communication problems that would result in the work place?

Although everyone would like the answer to ‘but why?’ accept the fact that you will probably never know the reason for the rejection. You need to move forward. View this as an opportunity to improve, grow and learn. You are in control and you have the option to stay positive. You can go forward stronger and better prepared. The perfect job is waiting for you and may be just an interview away!

Mel Otero, author, worked in management in the mortgage banking industry and title insurance industry for over 25 years. She has been mystery shopping part time for over five years. She has started web sites and written articles to provide information, resources and inspiration during this difficult economy. She loves to write, learn, and share information.

Author: Mel Otero

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If you have been searching for a job for a while and are tired, feeling discouraged, and just want a break, it’s time to employ some rules that will help you to stop overextending yourself. Before engaging in a job search, it’s vital to take some time to develop good habits that will help you stay motivated and optimistic.

Remember that Job Seeking is Job Within Itself

Many people take for granted the amount of energy required to conduct a job search. Neither your mind nor your body are prepared for the activity. In order to become skilled at job searching, you’ve got to put yourself out there every single day, and get used to the idea of searching for a job as its own occupation. Like any other daily job, you may eventually get tired and bored with job searching. So give yourself breaks in between, and even give yourself room to adapt to your “learning curve.”

Take Care of Your Entire Self

You may be used to thinking of yourself as a “worker” and now that you’re out of work and searching for employment, you’re struggling to regroup. A job search can be a great time to get on-the-ball physically and mentally.

For instance, you might have been accustomed to physical activities before you started your last job, but let those die down as you traded them for hard days at work. Whether you’re into running, basketball, or something else, you now have the time to get back into your physical activity and improve your body. It’s also important to watch what you’re eating. As the old saying goes, you are what you eat, so develop a diet that will keep you lean and energetic, focusing on greens, fruits, and other high health menu items. Working out and eating right will revitalize every aspect of you, and you’ll feel much better.

On the emotional side of things, it’s good to pay attention to how you’re feeling during your job search. For emotional drain, which can be pretty taxing, keep a journal to help you stay focused and encouraged. To keep your mind calm during a stressful job search, try meditation, prayer, or even yoga.

Conducting a job search for a long period of time is definitely a tall order. It’s something you don’t want to take for granted because the wear and tear can drain you before you know it. This makes it important to watch all aspects of your health, so take occasional stock of how you’re doing physically, emotionally, and mentally. This will help to prepare you for not just the job search, but also interviews, and essentially your first day on your new job.

Author: Heather Eagar

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The harder the job, the harder it is to get the job. Essentially this means that if you are an entry level employee, it should be a fairly reasonable process. But if you are at mid-career and have held significant authority and responsibility, it’s going to be a more lengthy and sophisticated course.

As someone who has been in the staffing industry for more than 18 years, I wanted to share an “insider’s perspective” on what every job seeker should know about the process. I’m continually amazed that potentially great candidates for my jobs simply don’t represent themselves as well as they could by not playing by the job-search rules.

Yes, I agree there should be room for creativity in the process, and what works for one might not for the other, but there are some general rules that apply 99% of the time. Here are 50 recommendations to apply to your search:

The First Step – a Killer Resume

1. Don’t worry about it being one page. Since most resumes are emailed and rarely printed, it’s not a big deal to have a two-page document. Be sure to have your contact information at the top of the second page as well. You could possibly need a third page, but try to avoid that.

2. Put the best information at the top. Since resumes are viewed electronically (most often using MS Word), the top half of the first page is what is in view when the recruiter reviews your resume. If the most relevant and most compelling information isn’t in that partial view, it is often not even opened or printed.

3. Replace your “Objective” with “Summary of Qualifications”. That way you don’t have to customize your resume with each position you send it for. This information is more meaningful to the reader as well. List your top professional skills at the top of the resume so it’s the index to the rest of the document.

4. List your most recent job first. Resumes should list work history in reverse chronological order with the most recent at the top. Typically you would go back through the last ten years, but that’s up to you based on how related and impressive your older jobs are. The point is that you don’t have to go back to the jobs you had in high school.

5. Balance tasks with accomplishments. Recruiters want to know what you did, but not on a micro level. It’s not necessary to list each and every task you do in a day. A general summary of your key responsibilities is important to have on your resume. Additionally, a bullet or two about your results as related to your tasks proves your success in your role.

6. Accomplishments should include quantifiable information. Include specific values in your statement (i.e. dollars saved, percent of increase or decrease, numbers of employees supervised, etc.). This information adds validation and credibility to your employment history and can really set you apart from others.

7. Save some information for the interview. Think of your resume as the Cliff Notes of a great book. You are just presenting the important highlights. The details and stories associated with the content are meant to be discussed in the interview.

8. Format your resume so it’s easy to read. A plain font like Arial or Century Gothic is easy on the eyes. A “curly font” like Times New Roman can be distracting and busy looking. A font size of 10 to 12 works best. White space is important, so keep your margins to an inch on all sides.

9. Include Searchable Keywords. Most recruiters use keywords to search for resumes on the job boards and in their own databases. If your resume does not include the keywords they are using in their search, it won’t pop up. Read job descriptions for your skill set and add recurring words from the description to your resume. Keywords usually are specific to education, equipment, and job titles. So, if the position required a bachelor’s degree and experience with Vertical Milling Machines as an Industrial Engineer, the words bachelor’s, Milling, and Engineer would be used to search for resumes.

10. It’s okay to double dip. Most resumes are emailed these days, but why not use an old-fashioned technique of mailing a nicely printed hard copy as well? The extra step will serve as a reintroduction of your credentials and also show you are willing to go above and beyond to get the interview.

Don’t Skip the Cover Letter

11. Have one. Whether you choose a full letter or a detailed email message, it is important to customize your resume by adding a specific message when you send it. This is an easy way to stand out as so many people simply attach their resume and do not bother to outline their experience.

12. Correlate what they want with what you have. Read the job description and requirements thoroughly and write three key bullet points that match their information with yours in your cover letter. This makes it easy for the reader to determine your qualifications quickly.

13. Use sir names. It is appropriate to refer to the recruiter or human resources representative by Mr. or Ms. in your written communication. Until you meet personally and are given permission to call them otherwise, it is best to be more formal.

Attention to Detail Goes a Long Way

14. Make finding your resume easy. When submitting your resume by email, include the title of the position you are applying for in the subject line. You can also include a short tag line that catches the eye. For example, Customer Service Manager-10 years experience in multi-channel center. And use your full name as the file name for your resume document so it can quickly be referenced.

15. You shouldn’t be crazylazy@yahoo.com. Be sure your email address is appropriate for a job search and not personal. You can get additional email addresses at most domains like AOL, Yahoo, and Gmail.

16. Use a header for your contact information. Include your name, phone number, and email address at the top of each page of your resume. Especially at job fairs, resumes with multiple pages can easily be separated.

Where to Search

17. Surf the Net. A company with 100 or more employees is highly likely to post their position on one of the major job boards like Monster, CareerBuilder, HotJobs, and/or Craig’s list. Be sure to get your resume posted to all those sites, so it can be searched by as many recruiters as possible. But, when searching through job postings, just use a site like Indeed.com which pulls positions from all the boards. That way you only have to visit one site to get the benefit of all of them.

18. Read the Sunday paper. Yes, printed Help Wanted ads are used less now that the Internet is so integrated for job searching, but smaller employers still use this resource since licenses for posting on the major job boards are expensive.

19. Stop in the CareerCenter offices. These state funded and operated centers offer one-stop information on getting a job, opportunities for training, hosting on-site interviews and job fairs, and networking opportunities. Plus, their services are free. Make it a point to visit a CareerCenter at least once a week during your search.

20. Brave your way through a job fair. What a great way to hit up a slew of employers all in the same day. Yes, you have to repeat your story and schmooze the whole day, but the efficiency is worth it. Don’t pass by any booth without stopping to ask, “What kinds of positions are you hiring for today?” Employers are paying to be there and are interested in seeing many candidates. It’s win-win to at least make an introduction with every employer there.

21. Spread the word. Connect with former coworkers and managers, friends and family, and just about anyone who knows people. Let them know you are in the market for a great job and give them permission to share your resume. Follow up with an emailed copy so they can easily forward it to their contacts.

22. Tap into social networking. Using sites like LinkedIn.com is helpful for researching positions, companies, and the people who work at them. Get your profile posted for free and join groups associated with your industry and interests.

Be Prepared for Being Screened on the Phone

23. Even though it’s on the phone, it’s still an interview. Recruiters often call candidates whose resume initially matches their requirements to get further information and make a decision about inviting them to an interview. Play the part and represent yourself in the same way you would if sitting in front of your interviewer.

24. Be sure the timing is right. If a recruiter calls you unexpectedly and it’s not a good time, politely offer to call them back later in that same day. That way you can focus without distractions; they understand you have a life. Plus, you’ll have time to review the details of the position and the company and collect your thoughts before returning the call. Better yet, when you are in job search mode, let your calls go into voicemail so you can take control of the return phone call.

25. Be a compelling communicator. Since there is not an opportunity to see facial expressions and body gestures on the phone, your voice qualities have to be top notch. Sounding confident, interested, cooperative, and pleasant is a skill that is worth practicing before going live.

26. At the balance of power. You are not in the driver’s seat with the interview process. Let your interviewer guide the call and ask the questions. At the end, if they invite you to ask any questions, always find out what the next step of their process is. Close the call by thanking them for their interest and expressing your own.

Ace the Interview

27. Knowing a little means a lot. Visit the company’s website and be familiar with their products or services. Determine what makes them different from others in their industry. That way when the question, “What do you know about our company?” comes up, you’ll have a great response.

28. Dress the part. Keep the “one-up” rule in mind. Always dress at least one step up from what you would be wearing on the job. It’s far better an option to be overdressed than it is to be underdressed, so respect the process and your interviewer by suiting up.

29. Go with your “Sunday Best”. You never know what the taste of your interviewer will be, so it’s always best to be conservative in your style and color choice. You can’t go wrong with a solid color suit or separates and a button up shirt or blouse. Avoid open toe shoes and over accessorizing.

30. Arrive 10 minutes early. Not a half hour early. Not 10 minutes late. Ten minutes is enough time to settle down a bit before you actually meet. If for some reason you will be late, realize you have possibly blown the interview, but make a phone call to explain your situation.

31. Make a powerful introduction. Set the tone for a great meeting with a warm handshake, look in the eye, “happy to be here” smile, and “Hello, Mr. Insertnamehere, it’s nice to meet you.” Regardless of gender, it is proper in a business meeting to greet your host with a handshake. It should be appropriately firm and use the full hand.

32. Bring additional copies of your resume. This shows your interviewer that you are prepared and resourceful. Plus, now you get to show off that baby in its intended form; resume paper still exists.

33. Be polite. Wait to be shown where to have a seat. Don’t put your personal belongings (ex. Padfolio, keys, and resume copies) on his/her desk without asking first. Accept the glass of water if offered. You may need it since you will be doing most of the talking, and being nervous can make you choked up and dry.

34. Honesty is always the best policy. A good part of the interview is centered on your work history. Be honest about your skills, contributions, and reasons for leaving. There is a way to present even not-so-pleasant situations in a reasonable and understandable way. Covering up, omitting information such as work history, or lying is sure to come to light eventually.

35. Show interest. When the interviewer is talking, you want to show signs of engagement by looking at him/her directly, nodding in acceptance, smiling, and showing interest. You can be enthusiastic without looking excitable. You want the vibe to be positive and open, so approach the meeting as such. Your body language will follow your mindset.

36. Don’t wear out your welcome. You’ll know when things are wrapping up. Have a few questions saved for the end, but don’t go on too long. Most interviews are less than an hour, and often the interviewer’s schedule includes more appointments after yours.

37. Ask the “must know” question. It is important that you know what the next step is in their hiring process. Often, more than one interview is required to get the job. Ask about the hiring process and when you can expect to hear from them next, and confirm that you have provided enough information to be considered for the next step.

38. Leave a lasting impression. There is no better way to do this than to shake their hand, thank them for their time, and express your interest in all that you heard. Saying something like “I am very excited about this opportunity and look forward to hearing from you by Thursday.” reinforces your interest and confirms the timeline for next steps.

Following up is a Forgotten Art

39. Send a thank you note or email. This is as obsolete as rejection letters have become. But, it’s one more opportunity to make a positive impression, so why not do it? As many times as you can get your name in front of the person responsible for hiring you, do it.

40. Follow up after a reasonable amount of time. Hiring the perfect fit takes time. But, if it’s been more than a week, or later than you were told you’d be contacted, you should send an email to express your interest in the position and ask for information on where they are in their process. It’s a good idea to attach another copy of your resume to this message.

41. Say thank you to “No, Thank You”. If you get word that you have not been selected to move to the next step, reach out once more to thank the interviewer for his/her time and valuable information. You might have missed this opportunity, but additional contact could keep the door open for future positions.

Some Harsh Realities

42. It’s a competitive job market. You read the job description and consider yourself perfect for the position. The problem is that others will feel the same about themselves. The way to stand out is by not only having all of the skills required of the position, but some additional or unique qualifications as well. Maybe your education is from an impressive university; perhaps your longevity is legendary; it could be that your accomplishments are more striking than most. The only way to know is to send your resume and cover message and point out those distinguishing features. It’s okay to feel confident about your specialized skills and showcase them in this process.

43. Fast is not always fast. The advent of Internet recruiting has a down side – quantity verses quality. Recruiters get flooded with response immediately after posting their position. Their job is to filter the random to get to the right one, and that can be an exhausting and time consuming process. Keep track of the resumes you’ve sent and follow up after a week if you have not received a response.

44. A resume black hole does exist. Some companies have sophisticated applicant tracking systems, and others are quite unorganized and amateurish with their hiring process. It is not unusual for resumes to get overlooked or misfiled. If you feel truly qualified for the job and a week has gone by without a response, resubmit your resume and cover letter.

45. You are likely to not get any response to most of your resume submittals. Rejection letters faded away several years ago because the task of sending them became overwhelming due to the volume of candidates generated from Internet recruiting methods. Again, if you feel the position perfectly suits your background, follow up with another copy of your resume after a week has gone by. For added follow up, mail a printed copy as well.

46. Recruiters and Human Resources representatives often do not fully understand the job description. They may hire for every position in the company, so it’s understandable they can’t be an expert on the requirements for each job. Here is where LinkedIn.com can be helpful. If you have not had any response to your resume, and you feel you are truly qualified, search the company name on LinkedIn.com and consider sending it to someone in the company who may better understand your qualifications. It’s a risky move, and could ban you for life with that recruiter, but it can also be a bold and resourceful move that gets you to the next step with the right person.

Preparing for the Emotions Involved with the Process

47. First there is the Fun Phase. When you first start your job search, it can be very exciting. There are a lot of positions out there, and so many seem to be a perfect fit for you. You spend time thinking about what’s next, and how great it’s going to be, which is very enjoyable. Bask in the fun phase; it usually doesn’t last very long.

48. Then you move into the Frustrating Phase. After sending out countless resumes and getting no response, it’s easy to get frustrated and annoyed. You attend every job fair and have circled through your network more than once with no job offers. No news is not good news in the job search process. Allow yourself permission to be in this phase, but pull yourself out quickly because it can be very defeating.

49. The worst is Futile Phase. When things aren’t going your way, you start to give up because of your lack of controlling the process. You feel depressed and useless. The best way out of this downward spiral – be useful. Volunteer some of your time, tackle that list of things you’ve wanted to do around the house, take a break from the job search process for a few days and enjoy time with your family. Again, accept this phase as part of the normal cycle, but be aware of when you are in it and what it takes to get you out of it.

50. And then it’s back to fun. The timelines associated with each phase vary with every person. It’s okay to move through them at your own pace. It’s helpful to have a good support system in place and to talk to others who are in the same situation. As much time as you can spend having fun with the process, the more productive you will be. Getting a job is a job-but it can be an interesting, informative, and inspiring one if that’s the way you choose to work it.

Author: Carol Albert

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The first way people usually do a local job search is from a newspaper. This is not always the best way to do a local job search, but it is commonly used. The first way to do this local job search is to get your local newspaper.

You can either have it delivered to your home or purchase it a grocery store or gas station. You then open your newspaper to the classified section and start your local job search. The jobs are sectioned off by their designated fields such as: legal, medical, labor, drivers, sales, etc. Before you start this local job search, you may want to have a resume already made.

The most popular form of a local job search is to go online and do a local job search. There are several websites that offer a local job search. I find the easiest website to use for a local job search to be careerbuilders.com. At this website you begin your local job search by first creating a resume. You can either copy and paste a resume you have already created or you can use the websites free resume builder. You can save up to 5. Next you begin the local job search. First select your city and state. You then select how far away you are willing to work from your zip code. Next you select the categories of job interest and click “enter.” Soon you will have tons of jobs listed from your local job search. You can then select jobs you are interested in and automatically send them your resume. It is the easiest way to do a local job search. Careerbuilder.com even emails you daily with jobs that match the local job search you did on the website.

The last local job search website you may be interested in is monster.com. This website is probably the most popular, but not as user friendly. It is very similar to careerbuilder.com except that they do not send out email alerts for jobs you may be interested in.

Finding a great job is very important. Finding the best job is not always easy. Use the information you have just been given wisely. With it you should have no trouble finding the perfect job.

Author: Jay Moncliff

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Do you realize how important good references are to your chances of receiving a job offer? Some people believe that hiring managers and recruiters never bother to call references, but they do. (Recruiters are especially vigilant about checking references, because our reputation depends on our delivering quality candidates–so we gather as much information as we possibly can.)

References are not an afterthought. They are a major player in your job interview process. Your references are another area where you can set yourself apart from other candidates and shine. That can be critical in a competitive job market.

The real secret to having great job references? Place as much value on your references as you do on your resume, your 30-60-90-day plan, your brag book, your interview outfit, and your answers to interview questions. If you value them, you’ll work to make sure they’re great.

Still, you need a plan. Here’s the best practical advice I can offer you to make sure your references are the best they can be:

1. Collect references throughout your career. The time to work on great references is before you’re looking to change jobs. Stay in touch. Don’t give me (the recruiter) or your employer conquest a reference that can hardly remember you. You can’t expect to get the incredible reference that you’re looking for if the reference hasn’t heard from you in 5 years. This is networking. For example: before you exit a company, ask your current boss for their personal email and phone number. Stress that you want to stay in touch and and ask if could you use them for a reference in the future. Then stay in touch. Every 4-5 months, drop them an email or call. Stay in contact with them on LinkedIn. Keep them updated on what you’re doing and where you are. Offer them something: a piece of industry information, a link to a great blog site, an informative ezine article, etc. Ask them if there is anything that you can do for them…..if you help others, they will definitely help you!

2. Choose appropriate references. The best references are past managers or supervisors–or your current employer, if that’s doable. Customers, clients, or former co-workers can be great references, too. Make certain that whoever it is can see you in the job that you are looking to get….(I had one lady tell me that all she could say about my sales candidate was that she was very good in her laboratory – very meticulous). Great. That same lady could have said that the candidate showed a lot of leadership, was very persuasive and thrived in interactive meetings. What a difference that would have made. Don’t give me your college roommate. I want a work reference. A relevant reference. A great reference. Don’t just choose people who like you-choose people who can specifically highlight your capabilities and accomplishments to give you the best chance of getting the job.

3. Prepare your references. First of all, you’re going to give them a heads up when they’re about to be called. Let them know about the details of the position you’re seeking, so that they can say something relevant to that, focusing on the details that will interest your prospective employer. Give them a copy of your resume. Refresh their memory about outstanding work you’ve done. Give them suggestions for topics they can bring up when contacted. The easier you can make this for them, the better it will be for you.

4. Check your own references. Know what your references will say about you. You need to be in control of the information that will be provided to your future employer. It’s not acceptable to wonder if they’ll give you a good reference. Your job search is too important. If you have the slightest concern that you might not receive a good reference from someone, have a buddy check your references before you give them to a potential employer.

References can absolutely be the tipping point in the hiring decision. Once, I had a great candidate my client company was not excited about. The candidate perceived that there was a roadblock and had one of his references call me to proactively tell me about this candidate. That is impressive. And that is what gets you the job.

About the Author: Peggy McKee is the owner and chief recruiter for PHC Consulting , a recruiting firm providing top sales talent, sales management, marketing and service / support personnel to some of the most prominent high growth companies in the medical and laboratory products industry for over 10 years!

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Below we present 9 Tips to help you find your new job!

Network

Think of all the people you know — relatives, friends, teachers, classmates, old co-workers, and others. Now you have to start to make more of an effort to meet with people, and use these conversations to ask their advice and to make them mindful of your job search. Ask them about their job and their organizations. Try to get the names of others who might be useful in connecting the dots in your job search.

Targeted job search and Resume

Make sure your resume is targeted to the employers who are receiving it. Make sure that your resume is easy to read and the most important details stand out on the page. Always have more than one resume ready and available if you’re applying to different industries for a job. Don’t apply to different industries with the same resume. Tailor each resume to a specific industry.

Be prepared

You should always have a copy of your resume on you at all times! You never know who you are going to run into while you’re out. It is also a good idea to have a fresh copy of your resume prepared in case you are called to an interview at the last minute. Always bring a copy of your resume with you to the interview along with a couple of questions to ask the employer.

Create a contact database

Write down all the employers that you contact along with the ones that contacted you. Write down or make note of, the date that you sent your resume, any contact made, people you talked to, and any important info. Keep a notepad with you at all times — take notes any time you hear about an opportunity or when you leave an interview.

Learn how to talk about yourself

I know for some of you this is a hard concept, but you have to get comfortable with it, if you are going to land a job. Throughout your job search you will be speaking with many people in many different positions at different levels. You must be comfortable having conversations about yourself with others. Keep in mind that you never know what or who may end up being useful to you in your job hunt.

Prepare a speech

You never know who you’ll meet in an elevator, in line at the coffee shop, or on the street. Know what your skills are and how to communicate them to others. You should be able to talk to prospective employers along with others you meet about what you can offer there company or industry. You should also be able to talk about how your skills will relate to the industries that you’re interested in.

Find out all there is about the employers in your field

This means research! Try to remain current on all the issues or developments in your field, read trade journals, professional publications, or the newspaper. You can always jump on the Internet and Google it. It is extremely impressive to employers during an interview if you know all about the latest merger or industry updates and news.

Follow-up with leads immediately

I cannot stress this enough. If you find out about a position late in the day, call right then. Don’t wait until the next day. You have to jump on any lead that you find when you find it. And if all possible get a phone number and call them directly to get them on the phone.

Stay confident and positive Job hunting is going to take time and energy.

Remain confident, but prepare yourself for all the challenges ahead. Don’t get disgruntled if you are still looking for a job and it seems like everyone you know has an offer. You will find something if you keep positive and keep moving forward.

Article contributed by http://www.JobBrite.com

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But digital resumes use simpler, technologically friendly formatting, and they emphasize keywords. This section describes two types of digital resumes: Plain text resumes that can be e-mailed to employers or posted to databases and scannable paper resumes that can be read by computer optics.

Plain text resumes

Resumes that are e-mailed or posted to Internet databases are designed for computer use. These resumes must be written using the American Standard Code for Information Interchange (ASCII), also known as plain text.

Plain text contains no special formatting codes, so every computer can understand it.

To create a plain text resume, open your existing resume document with a word processing program, and save it as a text or ASCII file.

This will eliminate formatting codes. You can use the computer’s built-in text editor application, such as Notepad for Windows or Simpletext for Macintosh, to edit the resume.

The success of your resume depends, in part, on the number of keywords it contains—the number of times its words match the words requested by a manager. You can add keywords to your resume by scrutinizing job announcements and, where appropriate, copying their exact words when describing your skills.

Fill your resume with important nouns the computer will recognize, such as professional organizations and industry jargon.

Each abbreviation you use should be followed by the phrase it stands for, with the exception of B.S. and B.A. for Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Arts.

List every keyword that applies to you; do not expect the computer to infer. For example, don’t simply write “word processing: Microsoft Office.” Instead, write “word processing: Microsoft Office, WordPerfect, Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.” Rules about length are relaxed for digital resumes.

Some career counsellors even suggest adding a keyword paragraph to the top of your resume, but others do not believe such paragraphs are useful.

Writers of plain text resumes should not use any characters or formatting not found on a standard keyboard. Boldface, italics, and underlining are unavailable, as are tabs, bullets, and multiple font sizes. But alternative attention-getting devices are still useful; asterisks and plus signs can replace bullets, rows of dashes can separate sections, and all capital letters can emphasize headings. The word wrap function is also disabled when writing in ASCII.

Words will not automatically move from one line to the next. Instead, you must hit the enter key at the end of every line. A line should hold only 65 characters, or it may not fit on the reviewer’s screen. To be certain your line lengths are correct, count characters and use a standard-width typeface, such as Courier. Times New Roman is not a standard-width typeface, so 65 of its characters will not always translate to 65 of the reviewer’s characters.

Before e-mailing your resume to an employer, e-mail it to yourself and a friend to see how it transmits. That way, you may be able to uncover some formatting errors. When an employer asks for an e-mailed resume, never attach a word-processed document unless specifically requested to do so. Employers may not be able to open a word-processed document. Even if they can, they may not want to risk receiving a computer virus. Always send your cover letter and resume as text in a single message.

If you are responding to an advertisement or job posting, use that posting as the subject line of your message. You can also post your plain text resume to Internet databases and apply instantly to thousands of companies. When you do this, the posted resume becomes public information.

Take precautions, such as omitting your home address and the address of your current employer. The Internet can be part of a complete job search effort, but it should not be your sole job searching technique. Most companies still do not use Internet recruiting.

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The role of the recruitment consultancy

By allowing professionals to handle your job search you can use your energy and time in doing your current job to the best of your ability.

A good recruitment consultancy knows the relevant marketplace well and can quickly assess your skills and match your aspirations to available opportunities. The services of a recruitment consultancy should be fast, effective and efficient. The relationship you have with your consultancy is a vital key in your future success and there are ways to make the relationship work for you.

How do you get off to the right start?

First of all, make sure your CV is completely up to date. Telephone your chosen consultancy to obtain a relevant contact name before sending your CV. This means that your CV will be registered without delay when it arrives. If you can, talk to a relevant consultant to find out exact procedures and to see if there is anything in particular that they want that could enhance your application.

What should you send?

• An up to date CV with daytime contact number.
• A brief but comprehensive covering letter detailing your situation. This should include details of hourly rates/salary expectations, reasons for looking for a new job, notice period, and availability.
• If you are responding to an advertisement state which one and where you saw it.
• Copies of written references if available.
• Passport/visa details if appropriate.

All of this will help prevent delay in the registration of your details and will enable a good consultant to activate your job search much more quickly and efficiently.

What happens next?

It is likely that a consultant will make contact with you but always make sure that your details have been received if you haven’t heard in two days.

Find out what the plan of action is. Often they will arrange a time to meet you. This is your opportunity to ‘sell’ yourself to the consultant. If this interview goes well your consultant will be enthusiastic about promoting your skills to prospective employers. Make sure you have answered their questions fully and honestly.

Keeping in contact

We all know that communication is the key to all successful relationships and the relationship between you and your consultancy is no different.

Make sure you know when you should contact the consultancy and when you expect to hear from them. In any event, make contact with your consultant or a member of their team at least once a week.

If your situation alters in any way let the consultancy know as soon as possible.
Always make sure the consultancy has your contact number. It is imperative that your consultancy is completely up to date with your situation. This means that your time will not be wasted responding to irrelevant messages, and the consultants’ time can be used positively on your behalf.

As a general rule, recruitment consultants are good at reading CV’s and situations but not minds! Your recruitment consultants will not mind if you find a job elsewhere, go travelling or change your mind about what you are looking for, but if they don’t know, valuable time could be wasted – yours and theirs.

A change of telephone number or a temporary assignment that is not communicated to your consultancy could be the difference between another similar assignment or the “chance of a lifetime”. A two-week holiday in the Seychelles without any clear guidelines to your consultant about what to do in your absence could mean you miss out on your ideal next move.

Discussing vacancies

Honesty is the best approach at all times.

Your consultant or one of their team (depending on how they operate) will give you an accurate description of the role. All they require is a clear idea as to whether or not you are interested.

If you are also looking at opportunities through other agencies or directly, let the consultancy know so that the valuable time spent on your job search is not wasted duplicating someone else’s effort and not getting you any further forward in your job search.

Preparation for interview

It is essential that you are well prepared for any interview. Obviously much of this is down to you, but a good consultancy will confirm all necessary details with you and will make sure that you feel confident in an interview situation. If you have any worries or questions you must ask!

Always give feedback promptly after interviews. The consultancy will want to hear your side of events before talking to the client on your behalf. If you don’t hear anything back from your consultancy, phone them up and hassle them!

Keep your consultancy on their toes!

Any reputable consultancy will want to know about the bits you are not so happy with, so do tell them how they can improve their services.

Always let them know immediately you experience any problems with an assignment or an interview process. They always do their best to sort them out.

When you have found your next ideal position, be it permanent or temporary; don’t forget that a THANK YOU still means a lot! Also, you may never know when you might need them again.

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Find below our top 10 research tips when targeting a company:

1. Start your research early. Don’t wait until you’ve secured an interview. Researching companies and the industry overall may point you to companies you never even considered applying to.

2. Your first step should be to visit the company’s Web page and read any recruiting information you can get your hands on. Familiarize yourself with the company’s products, services, and policies.

3. After you’ve seen what the company has to say for itself, search for media coverage of the company. Check the archives of online publications such as the FT and relevant trade journals.

4. Research the industry. You’ll want to be familiar with the top companies, the latest trends and growth areas, and the impact of new technologies on the industry, as well as the particular company. This will help you to formulate questions for the interview.

5. Find financial information on the company. It will give you an idea of where the company is headed, and may come up in the interview. Publicly traded companies are required to report certain financial information – annual reports, stock prices, and other related information is easy to find on the Web.

6. Read the company’s annual report but remember it is prepared predominantly with shareholders in mind and will present the company’s view of things which may sometimes present a ‘positive’ view of adverse events. Try and always get a balanced perspective with views from both inside and outside the company.

7. Check your facts. There are few things worse than spitting out an incorrect piece of information during an interview. Especially now that the Internet makes it so easy to check things out. If you can’t find a piece of information, ask your interviewer. They’ll be pleased to know that you were doing your homework.

8. Talk to people who work for the company you’re interested in. If possible, try to contact people who work in the position you are applying for. At the very least, talk to people in the department you are looking at. People in different departments may have a sense of how the company works, but they can’t really comment on life in the area you’re targeting. If you are introduced to people on the team you would work with, make the most of the opportunity. Ask them what they do and how they like their jobs.

9. Use your networking skills. Tap friends, family members and alumni networks for possible contacts in the company and in the industry (even people who work for competing companies).

10. Keep records of all your research. File away interesting articles, even they seem irrelevant. You may not be able to use them, but you never know when another job seeker will tap you for career advice.

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