5 Strategies to Help Stay Motivated During Your Job Search
Being unemployed is not easy to deal with. Fear starts to set in and we start wondering about how will we pay our bills and what if we don’t find something before our unemployment runs out. If the economy and job market were in a better place, we would have more hope of finding another job quickly, but that’s not today’s reality. Job loss can lead into depression and cause job seekers to become paralyzed in their job search.
I recently experienced that fear mentioned above. At the end of July my recruiting project was downsized and I was unemployed for 2 months. I had to make sure I stayed on track with my job search and keep myself motivated everyday.
Today I’m sharing 5 strategies to help you stay motivated during your job search:
- Set daily goals: There are so many steps in a job search and it can become overwhelming trying to do everything at once or to figure out what to do first. Setting daily goals can help keep you on track and you will stay focused to accomplish what you need to. For example, on day one, you can set your goal to getting your resume updated and researching effective resume formats and the best ways to ensure your resume will stand out against others. On day two your goal can be to make a set number of contacts to people you know, announcing your job search.
- Stay organized: With all of the contacts you are making, interviews being scheduled, and career events you might attending, there’s a lot to keep track of. Keep a calendar of interviews and events, get a notebook with dividers to keep track of contacts and connections. When you start your day off knowing what you need to accomplish, being organized can help you achieve those goals and keep you focused.
- Connect with other job seekers: I have seen so many local support groups for job seekers formed over the past year. Connecting with other job seekers helps to share frustrations and experiences with those who are in the same situation as you are. Everyone likes to talk to someone who can relate to what they are experiencing. Support groups for job seekers are a great way to stay motivated and learn about job searching strategies that you may not have thought about. Some groups even offer job listings and resume services. Talk with other job seekers, you aren’t alone in the job seeking world.
- Attend career and networking events: Job searching should not be limited to an online job search. Getting yourself out there and meeting others face to face is a huge part of job searching. Attending career fairs and networking events helps to make connections with employers and recruiters, allows you to use that elevator pitch you have been practicing, and can help you land your next job. Research local networking groups and start attending their events.
- Take breaks: This last strategy is probably the most important one to staying motivated. Job searching is hard work and is a full time job. Take a break in the middle of the day and take a walk, read the newspaper, attend to the housework that needs done. Taking a break will revitalize you and some of the best strategies may pop into your head while you are taking a break.
Job searching is not easy and I know from experience it’s difficult to stay motivated. Make the choice to stay positive and utilize the 5 strategies above to keep moving forward in your job search. You will find another job, but the key is, you have to take the steps to get there, it will not just happen by itself.
Resume resource – resumebucket.com
I was recently contacted by Josh Stomel, the Founder of resumebucket.com, asking me to take a look at his site and inform job seekers about it.
Resumebucket.com offers resume editing, sharing, and accessing your resume from anywhere. You upload your resume and resumebucket converts it into a web page and given it’s own unique URL so it can be viewed online. You can store more than one resume and create a new resume using a resumebuilder that’s included in the website. Resumebucket will also submit keywords from your resume to search engines such as Google and Yahoo, giving your resume online exposure. If you want to keep track of how often your resume is being viewed, you can utilze the resume metrics which tracks how often your resume is being viewed daily, weekly, and monthly.
Additional perks the site offers is a blog that gives you tips on how to promote your resume URL to LinkedIn and Twitter, how to promote your resume using your resumebucket badge, and other job searching topics.
Resumebucketcom is a great additional resource helping you with your job search and it’s a free resource!
Why haven’t I had any recruiters respond back to me on LinkedIn?
I was having an email discussion with a job seeker and he mentioned that he just started using LinkedIn for job searching and that he contacted several recruiters but haven’t received any responses.
As a recruiter myself, I know that I have people contacting me on LinkedIn letting me know they are looking for a job. As common courtesy, I respond back to everyone who contacts me, it may not be right away, but I make sure to respond. Other recruiters on the other hand, may not respond especially if they don’t have any jobs to present to you.
When using LinkedIn, I do think that making connections with recruiter is important because many recruiters are using their connection list to search for candidates when they get job openings, recruiters post jobs on their status updates, and recruiters connect with a lot of hiring managers who could be potential connections for you.
I wouldn’t suggest ONLY connecting with recruiters when using linkedIn to search for a job. Research some companies you want to work for and then search for people at those companies and connect with them. Contact hiring managers for mentoring and job searching advice, it could lead to a job opportunity or them referring you to someone they know who is hiring.
Many LinkedIn users think that the best contacts to get when job searching are recruiters and HR people, and the truth is, that’s not true! Connect with the decision, makers, connect with others who can introduce you to decision makers, research companies and get connected to those who work there. LinkedIn is a powerful tool so don’t limit yourself when using it.
What are some of the ways you have used LinkedIn as a job seeker and how has it helped you with your job search?
Have a question? Ask the Recruiter
7 Strategies to get your resume noticed online
Sourcing is a term used for recruiters to find and uncover candidates and recruiters are getting more and more creative with their sourcing techniques. One creative sourcing technique being used today is going to Google or other search engines and putting in search strings filled with keywords and terms to generate resumes from all over the internet.
Since recruiters are getting creative with their sourcing techniques, job seekers should start getting creative with online exposure techniques.
7 strategies to get your resume noticed online:
- Create a career blog: Start a blog that focuses on your career industry and include tips, articles, news, and industry related topics. You don’t have to be a writer to create a blog. You can link to other articles and news about that industry topic and add comments showing your industry knowledge. Also, set up a page on the blog for your resume, where you are highlighting your industry knowledge, experience, and expertise. You can easily set up a blog for free using programs such as blogger.com or wordpress.com
- Use free document sharing websites: There are a number of free file sharing websites that can help you gain more resume exposure online. Save your document in different forms such as DOC and PDF so your resume shows up under those search terms. Yes, recruiters will search for resumes using words such as pdf, rtf, doc, and cv. You can even save your resume as a powerpoint presentation! Here are few free sites to check out: keepandshare.com, slideshare.net, Google docs
- Set up a resume web page: A one page website for your resume is great exposure and a great way to link others to your resume. You can add your website url to your resume, to other online profiles, and at the end of your signature in emails and posts. You can find free resume website builders such as: Emurse.com and VisualCV.com.
- Social and professional networking websites: It’s no secret that social and professional networking websites are becoming hubs for job seekers and recruiters. I use LinkedIn all the time when I’m recruiting and I’m searching keywords to pull up profiles of potential candidates. If you aren’t on these networking websites, you are missing out on a ton of exposure. You can utilize these websites by putting in your professional profile or resume and links to your resume websites or blog posts. There are so many of these sites out there, but the majority of recruiters utilize LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and Myspace.
- Use keywords: Recruiters are searching for resumes by using keywords and a lot of company resume databases are searching through resumes using keyword searches. If your resume doesn’t have the keywords that are being searched, it won’t be included in the results. I wouldn’t go crazy with keywords, but making sure you have certain technology and terminology that’s common in your industry listed on your resume is highly recommended. For more information on using keywords, check out my article Resume + Keywords = job opportunities.
- Online groups: There are a ton of online groups that can help get you exposure online and recruiters are going into online groups to source for candidates. You can join industry specific groups, association groups, and groups based on location. I highly recommend joining LinkedIn Groups, I am always using the LinkedIn groups to source and contact candidates. Other groups you can look into are Google Groups, Yahoo Groups, and Meetup.com groups.
- Job Boards: I wouldn’t rule out getting your resume posted on the job boards. There are many recruiters who still use the job boards as their primary sourcing tool and even though I utilize more creative sourcing techniques, I still do some sourcing from job boards as well. So make sure you get your resume posted to popular job boards such as monster , Executive Openings! ,Job.com, careerbuilder
Don’t miss out on being found online! Use as many resources as you can to make sure that your resume is getting noticed online.
Free Online Resume Builder
Recruiters are doing a lot more than searching websites such as Monster.com or Careerbuilder.com to search for resumes. They are using search engines such as Google and MSN to find resumes online and they are using creative techniques which include keyword searches to find resumes.
Job seekers should have their resume online and not just posted to the job boards. A one page resume website can increase your chances of being found online, especially by recruiters who search the net for qualified candidates.
Getting a website can be expensive, but Emurse.com is a free tool that allows you to create and host your resume online. Emurse.com is a great tool that offers more than just getting your resume online. It keeps track of resume distribution, allows you to keep notes, and set reminders. Emurse will also analyze your resume and deliver relevant job opportunities. Other features include resume templates, resume distribution, and a personal web address (http://yourname.emurse.com).
Emurse.com will help you to be found on search engines and employers will be able to download your resume easily in all formats (DOC, PDF, RTF). You can see how Emurse.com has been rated by reading these articles:
Whether you are an active job seeker or not, your resume/professional profile should be accessible online to Recruiters and Hiring Managers. Don’t be left behind, go to Emurse.com and get your resume website up today.
For more info: JobSearchingStrategies.com
Pittsburgh’s Ultimate Career Connection
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Six Mistakes Job Seekers Should Avoid
by Andrea Coombes
Desperation, and six other mistakes job-seekers should avoid
Economists call it the labor market, but for job hunters competing with almost 15 million unemployed workers, it probably feels more like a labor jungle.
And many economists expect the current 9.5% unemployment rate to get worse before it gets better, possibly topping 10% — a situation not seen since the early 1980s, when for a 10-month period the jobless rate hovered between 10% and 10.8%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
In times like these, bad news isn’t hard to find. But jobs are — and job seekers are all too aware of it. That alone can have negative ramifications, some experts say.
“Job hunters, because they are so fearful and full of anxiety, the way they are approaching job hunting is more off base than ever,” said Andrea Kay, a career consultant and author of “Work’s a Bitch and Then You Make It Work.”
They’re “not taking time to think about strategy,” Kay said. “They’re merely reacting.”
Hide Your Desperation
When asked about the biggest mistakes job seekers are making, the three most-cited problems were “too desperate/willing to take anything,” “poor interview preparation” and “weak resumes,” according to a survey of 500 executive recruiters conducted for TheLadders.com, a career site for executives.
In this job market it’s not surprising people are “willing to take anything.” Still, career experts say it’s important to spend time digging up information on jobs that are well suited to you, rather than applying to any open position.
“It’s not about how many jobs you apply to; it’s applying to the right one,” said Alex Douzet, president and co-founder of TheLadders.com. “The skill and preparation is in narrowing down the right job for you.”
The right strategy is not complicated, Kay said. “A good job hunter has two jobs: They should be discovering the problems that employers have for which they need help and then they should be presenting themselves as the solution.”
Is the company struggling to stay in business? Developing a new product? “What are their issues that I as an IT person or a marketing person or a customer-service person can help them with?” Kay said.
Others agreed that in job hunting, strategy is all-important. “Even during good times, there are still people competing for virtually every job listing,” said Richard Bolles, author of “The Job-Hunter’s Survival Guide” and “What Color Is Parachute?”
“During hard times, you have to have better job-hunting skills to compete,” he said.
Developing a strategy can help you focus your search and, ideally, help you overcome that sense of desperation. Also, consider these other mistakes to avoid when job-hunting:
15 Ways to Annoy Your Job Interviewer
Consider whether you’re guilty of any of these less than horrendous but still irksome mannerisms
By Karen Burns
Posted: September 28, 2009
Of course, almost everyone knows you shouldn’t light up a cigarette at a job interview, or text your closest friend, or eat, or bring your dog, or show up drunk, or challenge the interviewer to arm wrestle (all things people have actually done at job interviews). You’d never dream of doing any of this, right?
But you may be guilty of other less horrible but just as damaging behaviors. While you’re trying to wow hiring managers with your knowledge and enthusiasm, you may forget that they’re watching you as well as listening to you. In fact, hiring managers actively search for annoying mannerisms in job applicants. They assume that if you are a little annoying at an interview, you will be much more so once you’re hired and off your guard.
Unfortunately, lasting impressions are formed within 90 seconds of first meeting. So, consider whether you’re guilty of any of these less than horrendous but still irksome mannerisms, and take steps to eradicate them:
Top 10 Online Job Search Tips
Article Source: CareerBuilder.com
While the popularity of online job boards puts millions of jobs at one’s fingertips, it has also made the job applicant pool that much bigger. For this reason, national job search sites and the Internet as a whole have gotten a bad rap from some industry professionals as an ineffective job seeker tool; on the contrary, the Internet actually can be a great resource for job seekers — they just need to know how to use it.
When it comes to a fruitful online job search, successful job seekers follow these 10 guidelines.
1. If you build it, they can come.
Instead of simply posting your résumé on a Web site, take it one step further and design an easily-navigable Web site or online portfolio where recruiters can view your body of work, read about your goals and obtain contact information.
2. Check yourself to make sure you haven’t wrecked yourself.
Google yourself to see what comes up — and what potential employers will see if they do the same. If you don’t like what you find, it’s time to do damage control.
3. Narrow your options.
Many job boards offer filters to help users refine their search results more quickly. You should have the option to narrow your job search by region, industry and duration, and, oftentimes, you can narrow it even more by keywords, company names, experience needed and salary.
4. Go directly to the source.
Instead of just applying for the posted job opening, one of the best strategies to finding a job is to first figure out where you want to work, target that company or industry and then contact the hiring manager. Also, many employers’ career pages invite visitors to fill out candidate profiles, describing their background, jobs of interest, salary requirements and other preferences.
5. Find your niche with industry Web sites.
Refine your search even more by visiting your industry’s national or regional Web site, where you can find jobs in your field that might not appear on a national job board. More and more employers are advertising jobs on these sites in hopes of getting a bigger pool of qualified applicants.
6. Try online recruiters.
Recruiters will help match you with jobs that meet your specific skills and needs. Not sure where to start? Sites such as recruiterlink.com, onlinerecruitersdirectory.com, searchfirm.com and i-recruit.com provide links to online headhunters for job seekers.
7. Utilize video résumés.
Video résumés are just one more way to stand out to employers. Intended as supplements to — not replacements for — traditional résumés, video résumés allow job seekers to showcase a little bit of their personalities and highlight one or two points of interest on their résumés.
8. Run queries.
You run searches on everything else, from your high school sweetheart to low-fat recipes, so why not jobs? Enter a query that describes the exact kind of job you’re seeking and you may find more resources you wouldn’t find otherwise (but be prepared to do some sorting).
9. Utilize job alerts.
Most job boards have features that allow you to sign up to receive e-mail alerts about newly available jobs that match your chosen criteria. Or go a step further and arrange an RSS (really simple syndication) feed from one of these job sites to appear on your customized Internet homepage or your PC’s news-reader software.
10. Get connected.
How many times have you been told that it’s not what you know, but who you know? Thanks to the emergence of professional networking sites like LinkedIn.com, job seekers no longer have to rely on the old standby of exchanging business cards with strangers. These sites are composed of millions of industry professionals and allow you to connect with people you know and the people they know and so forth. (A word of caution: When you sign up for online social networking sites, you are in a public domain. Unless you are able to put a filter on some of your information, nothing is private, and it can be difficult to erase once it is posted.)
Administrative Jobs in Pittsburgh
Are you looking for an Administrative job in Pittsburgh? Find clerical, receptionist, secretary, office manager, data entry, and office clerk positions by visiting:
AdministrativeJobsinPittsburgh.com
More links to Administrative Jobs in Pittsburgh:
Office Manager jobs in Pittsburgh
Office Clerk jobs in Pittsburgh
Secretary jobs in Pittsburgh
Receptionist jobs in Pittsburgh
Data Entry jobs in Pittsburgh
Executive Assistant jobs in Pittsburgh
For more info:
Pittsburgh’s Ultimate Career Connection
Who’s Hiring in Pittsburgh?
JobSearchingStrategies.com
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Best Places to Work in Pittsburgh
The Pittsburgh Business Times surveyed local employees and came up with a list of 72 companies in Pittsburgh as the best places to work.
This list is a great resource for job seekers, whether you are looking for a career change, relocating to the Pittsburgh area, or recently experienced a lay-off.
So start polishing up your resumes, take the time to research the companies, and start networking, because the top 72 companies to work for in Pittsburgh look for the top employees to bring on board.
Best Places to Work in Pittsburgh
* ABARTA Oil & Gas Co., Inc
* ABG Capital
* Aerotek
* AllTek Holdings, Inc.
* Architectural Innovations, LLC
* Armada Supply Chain Solutions
* Benefits Network, Inc.
* Bethany Hospice Services of Western Pennsylvania, LLC
* C.H & D. Enterprises, Inc.
* Carbis Walker LLP
* Carol Harris Staffing, LLC
* Celtic Healthcare, Inc.
* Collaborative Fusion, Inc.
* Community Human Services
* Concepts In Meetings & Events
* Corazon, Inc.
* D.B. Root & Company
* Data Science Automation Inc.
* Desmone & Associates Architects
* Ditto Document Solutions
* Doubletree Hotel Pittsburgh Airport
* Edgar Snyder & Associates
* Energy Swing Windows
* ESB Bank
* F.B. Wright Company of Pittsburgh
* Fischer & Company
* Five Star Development, Inc
* Fragasso Financial Advisors
* Friendship Village of South Hills
* GatesmanMarmionDrake, Inc.
* Gateway Financial
* Global Links
* Goff Backa Alfera & Company, LLC
* Grant Street Associates, Inc
* Gregg Services
* Haddad-Wylie Industries (HWI)
* Henne Jewelers
* Horovitz, Rudoy & Roteman, LLC
* Houston Harbaugh, PC
* Jewish Family & Childrens Service
* Kelly Services
* KFMR Katz Ferraro McMurtry P.C.
* Kforce Inc
* Knichel Logistics
* KU Resources, Inc.
* Lamar Outdoor Advertising
* Legend Financial Advisors, Inc.
* Maher Duessel CPAs
* McKesson Automation
* Microsoft Corporation
* Motionplan, Inc.
* NAI Pittsburgh Commercial
* Net Health Systems Inc.
* NetApp, Inc.
* NGE, LLC
* pair Networks, Inc.
* Plus Consulting
* POWER
* Private Wealth Advisors, Inc.
* PWC Property Solutions, LLC
* Quest Diagnostics Incorporated
* Raudenbush Engineering, Inc
* Seubert & Associates, Inc.
* Sierra w/o Wires
* Square Cafe
* Summa
* TeleTracking Technologies
* The Duggan Rhodes Group
* The Sextant Group, Inc.
* The Tomayko Group, LLC
* United Jewish Federation
* Waldron Wealth Management
For More info:
Pittsburgh Business Times
Pittsburgh’s Ultimate Career Connection
JobSearchingStrategies.com
Free Job Searching Tips Newsletter
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