My recent articles have focused on what CEOs and the leaders of the world are not getting or doing right.  I was called out on the fact that given the present state of (my) unemployment and the malaise that has resulted from market losses, financial instability and government debt, my tone and perspective has been less than inspiring.  I say, The manager accepts the status quo; the leader challenges it. ~Warren Bennis
With that said, I did ponder what it is that has me on the “let’s call them out” soapbox?  …

When people lose their jobs, the obvious comes to mind. No income. However, experiencing unemployment personally, I have learned the numerous benefits of work, along with the pains of unemployment. Understanding this and preparing yourself can mitigate the ways unemployment will hurt. It’s not only about money.
My initial caution to a client (my work was helping others become employed) is that a job search is like being in a boxing ring with your hands tied behind your back, sometimes with a blindfold. A potential employer demands all kinds of personal …

Fact: The advertised job market is literally the tip of the iceberg.
Fully 70-80% of jobs go unadvertised by employers, who fear being deluged by hundreds of resumes from applicants, most of whom won’t be qualified.
With that in mind, it makes sense to spend about 80% of your time cracking this “hidden” market of unadvertised jobs. And a good way to do it is to contact hiring managers at companies you want to work for. Your aim? To prove that hiring you would be a terrific investment, one that makes or …

A recent Global Economy edition of a New York Times article indicated “After losing eight million jobs since the recession began in December 2007, payrolls finally surged in March, the Labor Department reported on Friday. Employers added 162,000 nonfarm jobs last month. Nationwide, the unemployment rate held steady at 9.7 percent.”  Wow, that’s a “surge”?
It goes on to say, “The economy needs to add more than 100,000 jobs a month just to absorb new entrants into the labor market, let alone provide a livelihood for the 15 million Americans already …

So far in this series I’ve covered Taking Aim of Your Target in Part 1 and Writing your Pocket Resume in Part 2.  So at this point, we’ll assume the following:

You’ve met this person who you previously didn’t know.
You’ve chatted with them socially in some way.
They are in possession of your pocket resume.

Now don’t get frustrated by the fact that your treasured pocket resume is now in some business card pile with OTHER cards that will never see the light of day.  Your job now is to get your new …

Whether you’re a new college grad or a seasoned executive, if you’re hitting the pavement in search of work this spring, here’s good news …
After more than a year in the dumpster, hiring appears to be on the upswing with employers in the Twin Cities and other metropolitan areas.
“Things are ramping up exponentially. This year, we’ve seen a lot of upper managers and directors being hired,” says Linda Forseth, President of recruiting firm IQ Staffing Solutions, in Spring Park, Minn. (www.iqstaffingsolutions.com).
Forseth reports about a 90% increase in job placement requests …

A certain television station likes to pitch its programming with the slogan: “It’s not reality it’s actuality.” It’s an interesting statement, although a bit confusing – much like today’s job market.
The reality is if you read a variety of articles or talk to a group of “experts” you’ll actually get a broad range of opinions about the current state of the job market.
The National Association for Business Economics reported statistics indicating there has really only been a marginal increase in jobs due to the stimulus money. However, government reports …

“Don’t be afraid to give up the good to go for the great.”~ John D. Rockefeller
A credo which appears to be working for “nearly 2,000 House of Representatives staffers [who] pulled down six-figure salaries in 2009, including 43 staffers who earned the maximum $172,500 — or more than three times the median U.S. household income.”  (See the details by clicking here for the www.politico.com story.)

Thus, one’s response to the President’s call to public service would not only be admirable but which can come with financial gain as well.  Not a …

Last week, I started Part 1 of this series stressing how important it is have your job hunt or career goals clearly written down.  If you were short on goals, you don’t have a target so you’re aiming at who knows what.  That’s not a good thing.  In Part 1, I also provided some recommended resources so you can set your goals and get that part of your job search settled.  Here is a quote worth repeating from that earlier article,
“…if you even think you are unclear about your job …

How do you find a job quickly, in this rotten economy?
Hunt like a Guerrilla.
That was the experience of Mark Thomas, a systems administrator from Mesa, Ariz., who started a new job on March 8, 2010, after a search of only 6 weeks.
According to Thomas, he would have been hired sooner, but “the entire executive team was gone at a conference for a week.”
Thomas succeeded after using three unconventional job-search tactics:
1. The Job Shopping List
2. The Guerrilla Resume
3. The Coffee Cup Caper
Read on to learn how he did it …
1. The …

People come to me looking for help with their careers and businesses and I tell them if we are going to partner, they have to adhere to my three “golden rules”. Thou shalt not prejudge, compromise or assume.
Now that sounds simple enough, right? But how many times each day do we do that?
Many people prejudged Grace Groner and assumed a few things about her, including the folks at Lake Forest College in Illinois.
Since it’s been big news this week, you may have heard how sweet Grace gave the school a …

I wrote my Think Pocket Resume Mentality for a Better Resume and Pocket Resume: Who Would Have Thought articles about a year ago.  Since then I’ve given several presentations using the material and every time, job hunters tell me,
“I can put this to use.  This can make a real difference.”
So in this series, I’m writing a multi-step article on how to write yourself a pocket resume and get it trolling the waters (them’s saltwater fishing terms for you non-Miami folk) to get you back to work and fast.
Step 1- Taking …

You might think there’s never been a worse time to look for work in the traditional job market, with unemployment at 10.4% and no relief in sight.
But you would be only half right.
While there’s never been a worse time for traditional job-search methods, “Guerrilla” job hunters are enjoying consistent success — even in today’s awful economy.
Why?
Because Guerrillas choose not to participate in the recession.
To illustrate, here’s a recent story from our client files: Steve Cobain, from Pittsburgh, Penn.
Cobain was laid off as a financial services executive in December 2008, after …

Toni Bowers’ wrote an article on her TechRepublic Career Management blog with the headline “Talking smack about former employers is not advisable.” She points to the farewell message sent by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Dan Neil announcing his departure from the Los Angeles Times to go work for the Wall Street Journal. It’s the kind of note you can get away with if you’ve won a prize like that. It’ probably not the best approach for the rest of us. We just don’t have the clout.
Your first …

Interestingly, with all the publicity about the Healthcare bill, the President has (quietly) retreated on Education Reform.  A recent Wall Street Journal OpEd (03/18/10,p A17), stated that Mr. Obama would judge schools not by whether they were meeting reading and math standards, but primarily by a more amorphous standard: whether they are producing “college-ready and career-ready students”.
The irony of this retreat is instead of the “No Child Left Behind” goal of students reaching grade level performance, the intent is to make them able to enter the job market.   That begs the …

Are you wondering if your resume best positions you to land the job of your dreams in a parallel market, new industry or higher level position? One area you want to make sure to check is your key-words.
Resume key-words are simply the words used to describe your hard and soft skills. Many companies today use key-word scanning software to organize and qualify applicant matches with available positions. Even if a company doesn’t use key-word scanning software, it’s still extremely important to mirror the key-words listed in a position as much …

Spring forward has a positive and hopeful connotation. However, if you are still reading and listening to the economic stories and information, it remains a much-desired illusion.
Take this article on how the very few wealthy are “surviving” the present state of the economy. With one exception, you can easily describe their lifestyles beyond the imagination of the common man.
Yet, the other article that has my attention and gives me angst is the one about the senate passing another bill extending the unemployment benefits, which among other issues, has added …

If you’re looking for a job, success may be as close as your kitchen cabinet … or between your ears.
That’s according to best-selling author of “Swim With The Sharks” and Twin Cities business leader, Harvey Mackay www.HarveyMackay.com).
In his latest book, “Use Your Head to Get Your Foot in the Door: Job Search Secrets No One Else Will Tell You,” Mackay offers practical employment tips from his 45+ years of experience as an executive.
Here are Mackay’s answers to common job-search questions. Read them and reap …
Question: How can people handle rejection …

In the current economy, some folks are looking far and wide for jobs, including out of state.
But there are plenty of obstacles to relocating, right?
Not exactly. Most obstacles to a long-distance job search are in your mind, not the employer’s.
That’s according to David E. Perry, co-author of Guerrilla Marketing for Job Hunters 2.0 (Wiley; 2009).
Perry, a working recruiter with more than 24 years of experience, offers the following tips if you’re thinking of relocating to find a job …
“Here’s the simple solution: Don’t tell employers where you live. Period. The …

A sensitive but timely topic in the media is about those in important and powerful positions who abuse their status and role, and intentionally or not, violate the moral and civil codes of ethics, and yet expect to be exonerated because of who they are and what they do. Take a look at “Rash of Scandals Tests Democrats at Sensitive Time” to get the details on the dirt.
The above is premised on a recent New York byline regarding the NYS Governor, among other politicians, who finds himself embroiled in an …