Job Search Engines | Jobs Banks

Using Journal to Support Your Job Search

2009-10-19T02:29:00.000-07:00

Are you searching for a job? Here are some tips on how you can use journaling in that pursuit.
It is important to know what we are looking for in a position and company. Normally, we can write a long list of stuff we don't want, but what do we want? We hear all the time from career coaches and professional development gurus that we need to define our ideal job. But golly gee, getting past the mindset that we deserve our ideal job and that the ideal job is really out there, is something else. Then after we weed through that muck, we need to write down the characteristics of what we "do" want.
All this is enough to make anyone want to stay in bed with the covers over their head. With the lengthy list of all that needs done, and in what priority, it is perfectly understandable why people stay in a job they don't like. The overwhelm of everything is daunting.
Job hunting is a chore whether it’s in an employee-focused market or an employer-focused market. Of course, it’s easier when the job market has more positions then lookers but that hasn't occurred in a number of years now. And the prediction is not in favor of it changing any time soon.
Career professionals tell us that we should be preparing for our next position the same day we start any new position. Yes, this can be mighty difficult, especially when all the butterflies are still unaligned and you are still trying to figure out where to find the rest rooms and lunch room. If you mentioned all this to your friends they would think you are crazy and that you should be satisfied that you just have a job. If this happens to be you -- you are in a new job and still feeling lucky to have that one -- it’s the prime opportunity to pick up your journal and begin defining your next move.
If you are job hunting and going through the interviewing process, use journaling to practice interviewing dialogue. Many of the interviewing books available provide typical questions to get your started. Find the questions and practice various responses. Do this 10 to 15 minutes a day and you will be an expert interviewee fairly quickly.
If you are going on an interview and you are nervous, write about your apprehension. The mental expression will also calm your nerves. If you can, arrive early, sit in the car or the lobby and record your feelings before heading up to the interview.
During the interview ask if you can take notes and record the questions. After the interview record the questions in your journal. After the nerves have calmed, practice a variety of different responses. Continue practicing until you feel comfortable with your answer. It is important to continue practicing with these questions several days later when you have a different perspective on the interview. During this process, the journaling will help you expand language skills, communication skills, and cognitive skills.
It is important to learn as much as you can about the company before you sit in their chair. A research journal is excellent for tracking this information. If you find newspaper articles about the company, copy and paste them in the journal. Amy, a recent law student graduate even goes into the interview with her "job search" journal in hand. Occasionally, she explained, she opens the journal purposely and asks questions she prepared and makes sure the interviewer sees the article, company brochure, and other information when she is thumbing through. On many occasions she has found that even the interviewer never saw the article. Offer to bring a copy back when you return for the second interview.
Having a positive attitude in anything always gives us a heads up for success. Using journaling to support you in locating you're next job is a great way to begin, a great way to progress, and a great way to come out ahead. You will find that you are way head of the game when you do this. Your competition most likely will make all the excuses of why they didn't do this and you will move up closer or even snag your ideal job.

#1 Way To Get Into Medical Sales

2009-04-03T03:44:00.000-07:00

I wanted to write a short post about what I believe is the #1 way to get into the industry. You need to find a friend. It is a fact that someone who is referred by a friend within an organization is more likely to get hired. This eliminates a majority of the risk on the employers part. When a good employee refers you their reputation is on the line so you must be good. Right?
So here is your challenge, make a friend with someone in the industry. If you already know someone take them to lunch and tell them your intent to get into the industry. I have had multiple people offer to take me to lunch and pick my brain. Guess what, many of them are know medical sales reps. I had one of my younger sisters aquaintances whom I did not know call me up and offer me lunch. We met and I gave him some tips regarding websites, local recruiters, local managers etc and he went from making 50k in b2b to 120k in an entry level job with JNJ. It only took him 2-3 months. He was highly motivated, took everything I said seriously, did all I told him and it happened. I have gotten people into my own corporation as well as other companies in the industry through the network that I have developed. This can happen for you to, you just need to step out of your comfort zone and get to work on networking with reps who are in the industry. I would strongly encourage you to do take this challenge. If you have 1-2 years of solid outside sales experience and you do what I recommend you will get interviews.
Here are the steps.
1. Find multiple friends in the industry and use their contacts to find jobs.
2. Join the right job boards. (Look under Medical Job Boards Category).
3. Have a solid resume showing your results.
4. Apply to all the jobs on the recommended boards.
5. Work a recruiter list when you know your resume is ready to send out. Following these steps will get you in touch with the majority of the jobs out there.

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Job Hunting Inspirations - Taylor Hicks Style

2009-03-28T00:26:00.001-07:00

Looking out on the morning rain,
I used to feel so uninspired.
And when I knew I had to face another day,
Lord, it made me feel so tired.
Before the day I met you, life was so unkind,
But your love was the key to my peace of mind.
Aretha Franklin - "A Natural Woman"
Although the Queen of Soul first belted this hit over the airwaves more than three decades ago, its sentiments are as relevant now as they were then. Today, every media vehicle teems with negatives. Browser pages on our computers greet us each morning with news of natural disasters, violent crime, and the ever-sinking economy. In such times, we grasp for and cling to encouragement wherever we may find it. When truly fortunate, we are directed to something whose intrinsic worth is more far-reaching than immediate forms of respite and motivation. Often, that "something" is a "someone:" a role model. Neophytes in business have dedicated mentors; sports figures have team captains and coaches. While these are avenues and examples of traditional role models, we sometimes find our guiding lights through routes perhaps not as obvious as these.
When Taylor Hicks first entered our living rooms in January of 2006 via American Idol, he seemed to have anything but "role model" stamped all over him. Gleaning a single winner from the 100,000 hopefuls nationwide, Idol represented the back door, the "hidden job market," if you will, to Hicks. As one of the oldest contestants and the only one sporting prematurely gray hair, Taylor's powerful, emotional voice was throwback-bluesy and flavored with old school soul; his stage presence recalled the iconoclastic and admittedly spastic Joe Cocker. Hicks, a Birmingham, Alabama son born and bred, was 180 degrees removed from the ultra-cool vocal styling and fashion sense of the younger, hipper, more marketable competition that had historically reached the summit of the Idol ladder. Taylor knew full well that he was facing an uphill battle.
However, as Simon Cowell unleashed a resounding "Nay" to this underdog's entry into the competition, few could have envisioned that Taylor would not only win American Idol, but become a role model for so many, including the founders and members of charitable organizations that sprang up in his honor, and those of us now facing apparently fruitless job searches. An obscure singer, songwriter, and instrumentalist touring the Deep South for nearly ten years, Taylor conducted his own brand of networking via his job search for a seemingly elusive record contract. Half musician/singer/songwriter and half self-promoter, Taylor marketed himself ferociously to all potential employers. Peddling his independently released and self-bankrolled CD's, "In Your Time" and "Under the Radar," from the back of his van, he pitched record producers, DJ's, and other would-be reps: the counterparts to human resources personnel, hiring managers, and recruiters. But all of his knocking never opened a single door. Undeterred, Taylor re-applied himself to his job search with unwavering focus and drive.
He researched, contacted, and sweet talk-badgered booking agents, gaining occasional buy-in's from established luminaries such as Jackson Browne and James Brown, who allowed Taylor and his band to open for them ... without pay. The never-say-die Alabamian also networked with rising stars such as Dierks Bentley, a buddy from Taylor's frustrating Nashville days and now a country music recording star.
The inroads that Taylor carved, however, were not enough for a man driven to make his living exclusively by crafting, recording, and performing his music. In desperation, he turned to the one place where he was almost certain to meet defeat: a reality show whose audience seemed to crave younger, moldable talent ripe for commercial radio. In capitalizing upon his equivalent of the hidden job market, Taylor realized his dream, hopping a train to victory paved with the tracks that he had laid with faith, focus, and application. Garnering the lion's share of the final 63 million public votes, Taylor Hicks nailed a million-dollar contract with Arista Records. When this relationship later dissolved via mutual consent, and through Taylor's desire to gain full creative control over his work, the winner continued to market himself conscientiously, expanding his network of possibilities.
Now flying under his own label, Modern Whomp, Taylor will launch his newest work, "The Distance," on March 10, 2009, as produced by Eric Clapton/BB King/Faith Hill collaborator Simon Climie. His additional, independently won accomplishments include a bring-down-the-house role in the Broadway-gone-national gangbusters play, "Grease," and a Lifetime Achievement Award bestowed by the renowned children's medical research and services organization, the Shriners Hospitals for Children. A clear winner on many fronts, Taylor does not rest on his laurels: he continues to market himself constantly.
Attempting entry into a job market glutted with competition, we, as job candidates, can take inspiration from Taylor's trials and triumphs. If the job boards, print ads, and recruiters do not yield viable opportunities, we must network via less obvious routes. We must establish connections and/or reconnect with members of industry/professional groups, school alumni associations, and various organizations, such as local Chambers of Commerce as well as charities for which we may volunteer. (Taylor, by the way, was "giving back" to the community even as a struggling musician; primarily to Kid One Transport and Studio by the Tracks). We must also capitalize upon opportunities inherent in the ever-growing member populations of Internet sites such as Linkedin, as well as the large social networking boards: Facebook, MySpace, and the recently popular Twitter. Like Taylor Hicks, with diligence, concentration, and the courage to step "outside the box," we may yet emerge as winners.

Overcoming Mountainous Problems

2009-03-25T04:43:00.000-07:00

John sat at his desk and stared at the phone he'd just hung up. He sighed, picked up the receiver, and punched in his boss's extension. "Hi Bob, just got off the phone with Acme. They want a new system set up by the end of this year! No, there's no way that we can meet that schedule. My whole team is overworked as it is. We simply don't have the manpower, Bob, and you know about the hiring freeze. Yes, I know we need to bring in more work to meet our minimum requirements, but this one's too big. We'll have to tell them we can't do it. There's just no other option!"
Has something like this happened to you before? A problem that seems so monumental that there just doesn't seem to be a solution? In our busy day-to-day life, it's easy to get so caught up in the daily grind that we tend to become very regimented and short-sighted - which prevents self improvement. If none of the obvious solutions will work, we give up in frustration - or worse yet, miss out on lucrative opportunities or experience loss of income.
It doesn't have to be this way. Here are some self improvement methods that will help you sharpen your creative thinking skills.
Open Up Your Mind
Instead of saying "There's no way...," assume "There IS a way, I just have to find it." Nothing will stunt self improvement progress more than giving up before you've given creative thinking a fair chance.
Ask for Help
As the old saying goes: two heads are better than one - and in the case of problem solving, three or more is even better. Since everyone has his or her own set of knowledge and experience, other people will bring different perspectives and ideas to the table. Look for people who have experience with a problem similar to yours, and sometimes a complete outsider's fresh perspective might see a solution that you're blind to. Self improvement comes through learning from others, so don't try to solve your problem alone. Tap into your resources!
Define the Problem
The problem in front of you may seem like a huge mountain. When excavators blast a tunnel through a mountain to create a road through it, they first analyze the type of rock the mountain is made of in order to choose the correct type and position of their explosives. They do this for safety reasons as well as to do the work most effectively.
Don't skip this analyzing step in breaking through your mountain. Even if you think you know what the problem is, take a few minutes to write it down. I like to use a large, blank piece of paper or a white board. Write the problem in the center, and then look for root causes and write those as well. What are the outcomes of the problem? What will or will not happen because of the problem?
Brainstorm all the "properties" of this problem, and physically write them where you (and others helping you) can see them. Sometimes thinking through these basics can open up interesting fissures in the mountainside to investigate.
Identify Constraints and Assumptions
Make a list of all the reasons you can't overcome the problem, and any assumptions you may have. These are your "blockers". Now try to look around those blockers - what if they weren't there? What would you do if they weren't? (This tip applies to all areas of self improvement: you can't work through your blockers if you don't know what they are.)
Break the Problem into Little Pieces
Now work on breaking your mountain into boulders, then chip those boulders down into smaller rocks that you can work with. Find the smaller problems within the problem and look for ways to solve those. Sometimes when you're able to solve small bits of the problem, the bigger problem changes form and becomes more manageable.
Listen to All Ideas
Listening effectively and creatively is a very effective self improvement tool. Don't automatically assume that someone's idea to solve the problem can't be done. Refocus your attention away from the problem and how big it is and onto analyzing solutions and finding ways to make them work. Many times, even if someone's idea is far-fetched, you can "piggy-backs" onto it and morph it into something workable.
Persevere!
Thomas Edison created hundreds of prototypes before he was able to finally make the light bulb glow. Stick with it, and don't give up unless you've truly exhausted all possibilities. Expect the creative thinking process to take time, effort, and dedication.
A Great Skill for Self Improvement
Exercising your creative thinking muscle is not only helpful on the job, but also in every area of your life. We've all done a little creative financing with our checkbooks from time to time, and I'm sure you'll find other aspects that it will benefit.
With a little elbow grease and a lot of creative thinking, the next time you come face to face with a mountainous problem, you'll be equipped to forge your tunnel - and on the road to greater self improvement in general.

Is Anger Counseling For You?

2009-03-17T02:03:00.000-07:00

Sometimes it just seems like it's all too much. The pressures of the day, the frustrations, the letdowns. They all build up in us and we can't seem to let them go. Then there's the last straw - and sometimes it truly is something little - and we blow up. Often at our loved ones.
If this is the scenario you see yourself in all too often then you may be a candidate for anger counseling.
A problem big enough to require anger counseling can manifest itself in many ways. Here are some of the symptoms that are worth watching out for.
You fly off the handle easily.
You find it very hard to forgive someone who has done you wrong.
You still get angry when you think of the bad things people did to you in the past.
You have taken out your anger on undeserving others.
At times, you've felt angry enough to hurt someone... or worse
If things are bad enough, you'll throw things.
When someone says or does something that upsets you, you don't usually say anything at the time, but later spend a lot of time thinking up cutting replies you could have made.
You am apt to take frustration so badly that you cannot put it out of my mind.
You've been so angry at times you couldn't remember things you said or did.
If someone embarrasses you in front of someone else, you're furious
If you found you could relate to some of these statements, you have an anger problem that needs to be dealt with. One way of dealing with it is to find someone in your area that provides anger counseling. You can check your local yellow pages to see if there's someone close by you can turn to for help.

Work For Your Dreams

2009-03-13T09:06:00.000-07:00

In the news on March fourth, there was a story about a Russian professor, Igor Panarin, who is predicting the fall of the U.S. in 2010. He states that he has been here and what he saw was that the people have lost the American dream. I would go one step further and say that most people the world over have lost their dream.
In this time of economic hardship, it is easy to see how people lose their dreams. They see no hope. They are losing their jobs, their homes, and everything they worked for. The problem is, they lost their dreams a while back. When people have a dream, it usually includes bettering their lives. They make choices and work toward the object of their dream. They are not easily swayed by others. They are focused. In doing all this, they often make the lives of those around them better as well. In today's world it seems that most everyone is listening to anyone who seems to have a little power and taking what they say as gospel. People will hear what this professor Panarin says and believe him. After all, he is a professor, he must know what he's talking about. They will begin to think in terms of survival. They might begin to stock weapons and ammunition, knowing that professor Panarin can't be wrong. Their dreams are on hold in favor of reacting to someone else. We listen to the media, the politicians, and anyone who claims some form of power.
I am sure that professor Panarin and the leaders of his country would like nothing more than to see his prediction come true. Their own country is on the verge of collapse. The Soviet Union fell because their economy and their society failed. Communism may sound good, but when there is no hope of ever rising above the masses to find your dream because, by law, everyone must be on the same level, hope becomes lost. Russian began to prosper under the new regime when the USSR failed. Now, under the current government, democracy is being replaced by communism once again. The hope of finding and making dreams come true fails again.
Any country that has risen to any level of greatness did so because of dreams. Ordinary people dared to dream about being more than their position in society or their birth-right declared. They believed that they could be more and that life could be more.
Let's show them for the liars they are! Dream again. Work for your dreams. Not the dreams that someone hypes to you, causing you hardship and them fortune, but dreams that better you life and the lives of those around you. What makes any country, any culture great is having dreams of a better life and a better world and working for those dreams to come true. Find your dream again. Who cares what the economy looks like or what those in power are saying? Have the strength to look toward the horizon and see not storm clouds, but a beautiful sunrise full of promise; promise of dreams fulfilled.

You're 2 Secrets Away From Exploding Your Productivity

2009-03-12T03:23:00.000-07:00

Have you had a very busy day just to find at the end of the day that you did not accomplish anything concrete? Or anything you were hoping to? The operative word is "hoping". Working out of the house is a blessing, but it can also be a hard thing to control. It is very easy for distractions to find you in your home: the cell phone, a cat or a dog, your friends texting you, your significant other calling you...etc. No matter how dedicated you think you are, there are times when even with best hopes you don't end up getting done things you should get done that day.
That is because the "hope" is not enough. You actually need to have a plan - and that plan is called TO DO list. It makes a huge difference in productivity if you take few minutes at the end of the day to create a list of things to get accomplished the following day. So when the next day comes, you will not find yourself tempted to maybe do this instead, or just do this for a little bit first and then you'll get back to so and so...It's all laid out for you, you do #1, then #2 and so on, until the list gets done. There are few different ways we can help ourselves stay focused and on track. One thing I found works great is shutting your email down and turning your cell phone off for 2 hour blocks at the time. Those two hours use solely for working on your tasks and every two hours or so only, check your email and voice mail for any contacts that need to be made at that time. I found it works like a charm for me and I think it will do the same for you.
Many studies have been done proving that brain is easy to concentrate for about 2 hours at the time, at which time a body goes through a low. That is the time to take a few minute break, stretch you legs, drink some water, eat a piece of fruit or some nuts and then get back to work again for another block of uninterrupted time. If you do these two things on regular basis, you should see a great improvement in your productivity. I'm sure we can all use a boost at times.

20 Steps to Courage

2009-03-11T01:51:00.001-07:00

These activities once applied will wake up courage in you. Courageous behaviour can be developed only by eliminating fear from your life. The first step will explain how to get rid of this negative emotion.
1.Face the fear
Facing fear is not the only option to overcome it, but it's the quickest one. All you should do is still be afraid, but do what you are afraid of anyway. Then you will realise that there was nothing to be scared of in the first place.
Let me quote wise words of William Walker Atkinson: "Remember, the only thing to fear is Fear, and - well, don't even fear Fear, for he's a cowardly chap at the best, who will run if you show a brave front."
2.Completely master mind power
Another way to gain courage is to master mind power. This can be done through controlling what thoughts you have in your mind. Instead of allowing chaotic thoughts, you will need to establish some rules in your mind. Allow only positive thoughts to dwell in your mind. This way no matter what fearful situation presents itself, there will always be a way around it because you have planted only good seeds in your mind. You cannot experience anything negative unless you focused on negative thoughts.
3.Understand fear
As there is saying "Know your enemy", the same applies to understanding fear. You should try to understand that fear is nothing more than your creation. Nothing in itself is fearful. You just perceive it to be scary because of your certain beliefs about it. If you start questioning your beliefs, you may find that they have no solid ground. Therefore, you created fear from your false perception.
4.Understand courage
As you gained better understanding of fear, now you can try to understand courage. Courage arises from a person who controls his thinking. As a result, he understands that he is 100% responsible for all outcomes in his life. If you learn to control your mind you will understand that there is no need to fear anything.
5.Understand consequences
You develop fear by fearing big things. It may be a huge debt, sudden turn in life or something as big as that. Since you use all your energy to these circumstances, they look more and more fearful to you. After some time you start fearing smaller things, then smaller, then smaller... You end up fearing any uncertainty, no matter how small it might be. When you are courageous you benefit your body, mind and soul greatly. You realise that you are a powerful being, you are divine and have limitless choices in life. You develop your own personality, uniqueness and style. To sum up, life gets better and better!
6.Do opposite to what others do
It is fun and beneficial to be a rebel. If you don't want to end up like the majority of people, you should be completely different to what you see every day. For example, if everyone watches TV, don't watch TV. This way you will avoid harmful media effects. If you read my articles you probably know that I am against media. It is a total waste of your time. You should spend time reading books and learning something that will benefit your life rather than staring at the TV screen.
7.Develop your lifestyle
If you want to live courageously, you should develop your own taste. You shouldn't look for others' suggestions to what you should do. Live the life you want. Choose the things you like. Never try to see what others are doing and think that you are supposed to live the same way.
8.Be creative
Creativity = Value = Prosperity = Courage
In other words, if you enjoy doing something, you should do it as efficiently as you can, create as much value as you can. This way others will want to get whatever you are creating and in exchange you will be paid for the service. By being acknowledged in this way you will gain so much confidence and courage that it will shine through no matter what you do.
9.Find like-minded people
Like-minded people will increase your courage because you will understand that there are plenty of people that are quite like you. This will make you feel more confident.
10.Be blunt
That's the reason I like Donald Trump so much. He is so blunt! It is amazing how people get shy and lost when he states something boldly. This is the power behind bluntness. When you express your opinion in sharp and short sentences, it works wonders. Others sense your authority and don't want to mess with you!
11.Understand beginners psychology
If you are shy because you are trying something new, here's what I can advise. Firstly you should understand that all experts were beginners at first. Whatever you start, you will not perform well for some time, but that is completely okay. You cannot master something overnight. This understanding will give you some extra strength and assurance along the way.
12.Be unique
Learn something that is not considered to be mainstream. This will give several benefits: Firstly when you start new relationships you will always find what to talk about. Secondly, others will consider you to be very interesting. That will certainly boost your confidence!
13.Master a skill
Mastering new skill is a real courage-booster. When you are better at something than your friends, you feel strong and not afraid to express your opinion. Friends start treating you like an authority and you start believing in yourself.
14.Never follow anyone else except for inspiration
Never follow anyone else, except when you have an excellent role-model. You don't want to be like the other sheep, do you? You should strive to become a leader, not a follower. You should want others following you and not the other way round.
15.Don't lose you head
You shouldn't let anyone's opinion influence your decisions. Listen to yourself first. Then try to understand others' points of view, but don't necessarily follow them. You will develop a common mentality if you follow everyone else's opinions. If you think that someone's idea is a perfect fit for you, than you can act on it. You shouldn't do that often though. If you keep following others' actions and thinking, you will eventually not be able to think for yourself. So try not to lose the balance.
16.Use your head
Before asking anyone else's advice, try to work out what is unclear yourself. You will be surprised how little time you actually need to work most situations out. However, if you need very specific information, you should seek skilled advice. But still, don't take everything you are told for truth. Think about someone else's suggestion carefully and act on it only if it feels right. This way you will develop courage to go through life consciously.
17.Keep shifting comfort zones
Nothing is worse than stagnation. You should always strive to grow, learn and experience. Try to constantly be on the move, exploring different possibilities and mastering new skills. You should avoid stagnation at all costs. Stagnation only establishes you in your comfort zone. The longer you stay there, the harder (and scarier) you will find to progress.
18.Explore something new
Try to surprise yourself by doing something completely unlike you. This will push you out of your comfort zone to experience different surroundings. It always works wonders and you may find new hobbies or even change your mindset along the way. This develops courage very quickly as you constantly put your ego aside and prevent it from growing.
19.Think outside-the-box
Uncommon thinking is important because you can re-think the accepted standards and not allow yourself to be affected by them. For example, is it really good to watch TV? All it does is put you in fear and make you insecure. By learning to think outside-the-box you will be able to escape many negative influences.
20.Find new solutions
When you are stuck in one situation and feel threatened by it, pull yourself away from it for a while. Then go back to it again and ask yourself: "What are the solutions to this situation that I presently cannot see?" Keep repeating this until you find another solution.

Using NLP Coaching in Setting SMART Goals

2009-03-07T00:12:00.000-08:00

In NLP coaching we come across lots of people wanting to know how to or need help with setting SMART goals. One question we get is why it is some people write and set smart goals and get them and some people write and set smart goals and do not get them? What is it about setting goals that makes the difference? The process of setting SMART goals is nothing new however getting results and getting them on a regular basis can be hit and miss. Here are some new tips using NLP coaching on setting SMART goals that will improve your results as well as how NLP coaching can help in the process to making sure your SMART goals have every chance of becoming reality.
First things first what is a SMART goal? These are goals that are:
S-Simple and specific M-Measurable and meaningful to you A- As if now, achievable, all areas of your life R-Realistic, responsible / ecological T- Timed, toward what you want
There might be a few variations on these definitions however this is the model we use in NLP coaching in order to get results and I guarantee when followed you will get results!
A few points worth mentioning, if you are on a fixed income and earn $50k a year and set a goal that you will have $120M in the bank in 3 months you will be disappointed as while it is possible, it is not really realistic to be able to make that kind of money in that timeframe.
So the first test is to believe your SMART goal is possible. By this I mean 100% possible. Ask yourself this, will the sun rise tomorrow? Sure you might not see it but will it rise? Most people would be 110% sure it will rise, this is how sure you need to be about your goals. So I hear you say, "if I set a goal for something that I am sure I can get, why set a goal?" Well this is the point. The goal needs to be SMART! We are not saying you can not set a goal to have $120M in the bank just a realistic time frame. I had one person tell me he set a goal to be "surrounded by millions of dollars in 6 months". Is that realistic? Maybe; he got a job as an armoured car driver where every day he was surrounded by millions of dollars, just not his!
So let's get started. The first step is to pick an area of your life: • Health • Relationship • Career • Family • Spirituality
Remember keep it simple and specific. In the following example I am going to use career, in the context of sales.
The monthly budget for my business is $66,000. For the same month last year I did $55,000. So my SMART goal is to make $66,000 for the month. Because we are using a sales budget it will cover the first point of being simple and specific.
$66,000 in monthly sales is also measurable. Now if you are in your own business or work in sales, what will $66,000 mean to you? When setting your goal I would suggest you mention how much profit or commission this figure in sales will give you. For example, $66,000 in monthly sales for the business will yield a profit of $15,000. So let's make this goal as if it is now and check to make sure it is achievable. Last year we did $55,000 so to do $66,000 is not a stretch but is it achievable? Well in this example yes, but you need to check on your own goal. If not, why not? It might be a limiting belief you have. This is why having a NLP coach working with you on your goals helps. A NLP coach can help you remove what your limiting beliefs, but more on this later.
So back to our SMART goal; write your goal as if it is now: "It is now January 31 2009 and I have made $66,000 in sales with a profit of $15,000 for the month". In a small business maybe there are other staff that contribute to sales, so we need to include them. Also make sure it is responsible to have the goal for all. So "It is now January 31 2009 at 6pm and we have made $66,000 in sales with a profit of $15,000 for the month".
It is time for the last SMART goal test. Your goal needs to be timed and towards what you want. Well when we stated the goal as if it is for now, we put in the time and date, and as a tip never leave it as a limited goal, so "it is now January 31 2009 at 6pm and we have made at least $66,000 in sales with a profit of at least $15,000 for the month of January. This will set the business up for a great February".
Let's double check, "it is now January 31 2009 at 6pm (timed and stated as if now) and I have made at least $66,000 in sales with a profit of at least $15,000 (specific, measurable, realistic and achievable) for the month of January (timed and specific). This will set the business up for a great February" (towards what you want).
There we go a SMART goal. But that is just the beginning. You have written it but have you set it? There are a few different ways of doing this. Some say write it on a piece of paper and put it where you can see it. Some say make up a storyboard for your goal. I believe that you need to put it out into the future and let the law of attraction help deliver your goal. This is not just a bit of mumbo jumbo, but is a proven technique. It's the difference that can make goal setting a success.
Have you set goals and not achieved them before? How can you be sure your goal will be achieved? What if you have an unconscious behaviour, habit or limiting belief that has you sabotaging your goals? To find out how to set a goal so that it is achieved, join our goal setting program. Sign up here to receive your free week's worth of videos on setting goals.

Murder Grief

2009-03-06T03:06:00.000-08:00

Murder grief may be somewhat less difficult to deal with than suicide grief, simply because the answer to "why" always points to a third party rather than the deceased individual. Otherwise, the difference is akin to being hit in the head with a 5 pound sledge as opposed to a 10 pound sledge. Either of these will cause a lot of damage. The question of "why", in this case, leads us to try and understand the killer's motivation which rarely delivers a satisfactory answer.
Murder has its own attendant shock response when we first hear about it. The event is sudden, unexpected and horrifying. What only happens on television has now struck home for family survivors. It all seems surreal. In the early stages the news seems unbelievable. How could it happen that someone we love has been killed by another person? For these and other reasons, murder grief presents its own level of difficulties to be overcome.
Like a car accident resulting in death, the reality of murder delivers a powerful blow to surviving loved ones. It knocks us to our knees and leaves us baffled. Who would do such a thing to someone we love? It seems so alien to us that the reality takes some time to settle in. I dealt with several cases of murder in my 25 year career as a therapist. Each of these incidents presented a level of difficulty that no other grief experience could match.
My first case involved a man in his late thirties who came to see me accompanied by his second wife. His first wife, whom he had divorced, and their 2 children, had been murdered by her second husband. The children, a boy and a girl, were 8 and 10 years old at the time. It took a few years of working with this man to finally bring him to a satisfactory level of acceptance and peace.
The second case I encountered involved a woman in her forties whose second husband had been shot to death by a neighbour. In addition to dealing with the murder, she had also learned that her deceased husband had been making advances to the neighbour's wife. This proved to be a double blow for her. Not only did she have to deal with her husband's sudden death, but also with the reality that he had probably been unfaithful.
The third case I want to mention had a more personal relevance to me and my extended family. A first cousin, aged 22 at the time, had been stabbed to death on a local beach. Her assailant had struck while she was sunbathing and likely asleep. At the time of this incident, this perpetrator was out on bail for some other act of violence. This event shook our whole family, especially my aunt and her daughters who were directly impacted. We were all thrust into the reality that a family member had actually been murdered for no reason at all, except being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Losing a loved one to murder is horrific. Accidental death of any kind is much easier to take. The problem with murder is that someone else made the decision to take an innocent life. In our family's case it was a completely random act. The perpetrator was not known to the victim, or vice versa, something he readily admitted during the trial. The shock of losing someone to murder takes hold immediately and leaves family members totally bewildered.
The question of "why" comes up of course, but is directed at the killer rather than the victim, which is the case in suicide. People hope that by understanding the killer's motivation, they can make sense of their loved one's demise. That rarely if ever happens and here's an example.
In case #1 mentioned earlier, the father of those 2 children actually visited the killer in prison in the hopes of getting answers to that very question. He thought a face to face meeting would bring him some closure. Sadly, he came away from the encounter just as confused as ever. Talking to the killer only confirmed what the psychiatry report and my own assessment had already concluded. The killer was a mentally disturbed individual who had descended into paranoia and delusional thinking upon hearing that his wife wanted to leave him. He snapped and became a family annihilator.
There is rarely any satisfaction derived from such meetings. The motives that drive people to murder are simply not understandable to the average person who would never consider such an action. As soon as this is realized and accepted, survivors can move out of shock and into the process of murder grief The same holds true for revenge fantasies and the pursuit of justice and punishment. Although some satisfaction will be derived from a guilty verdict, the need to take care of one's grieving process remains the same. When all is said and done we victims still have to engage in grief recovery.

Concentration Skills

2009-03-05T00:16:00.000-08:00

Life has a way of placing obstacles in the way of focusing your attention, but the obstacles don't have to win. Focus, which is your ability to pay attention to one thing, needs the brain power of concentration, a key factor in learning and memory development. By improving your concentration skills, you will increase your mental focus.
One step to improving mental focus and concentration is to make an area for yourself that is conducive to meeting that goal. Have you ever tried to focus when you have 15 piles of random papers covering your desk? It doesn't help the cause; it distracts you from your current focus and draws your attention to other things that need to get done. This is why many of us have many projects started and none completed. Clear away a space to work on your project. Leave the TV and radio off. If you do need some noise, you can try listening to classical or instrumental music. Music with lyrics tends to distract from good focus and concentration.
Set a plan for yourself. You are much more likely to improve focus and concentration if you have a vision of how you are going to accomplish something. Just jumping into a project can leave you feeling disorganized and unsure of how to complete it. This distracts you from good focus and concentration.
Take care of yourself. If you have a lot of emotional stress happening in your life, focus and concentration skills. Your attention is drawn to what is causing you stress rather than what you need to do to resolve it. Limit or avoid caffeine and alcohol. Caffeine gives you a charge, but can lead to feelings of anxiety and can also impact your ability to sleep. Alcohol slows your reactions and inhibits your brain function. Also, eat healthy foods. You may want to consider adding a multivitamin to your daily routine.
We need good concentration skills to be able to focus on the tasks that need to get done. Making some life changes and changing how we tackle those tasks can greatly improve our focus and concentration. Give yourself the right tools and the right environment to make this happen, and you'll increase your mental focus.

Your Home Job Tips and Tricks

2009-03-03T02:00:00.000-08:00

The working culture of 9-5 is changing; more and more people are escaping the hectic working hours, unnecessary traffic, taking off their power suit and jumping into the new band wagon and are now making money from home. Newbies will find that the home job culture either online or offline is liberating, yet may bring them challenging experiences.

Finding a perfect job opportunity could be tricky thus job seekers may opt out too soon because of scams, illegitimate jobs, get rich quick schemes, not finding the desired job listing or sometimes jobs banks are not wide enough . These are some home job tips that you may want to consider :-

1. Identify or outline the work from home jobs that are most suited to your needs. Important for you to choose a job that you are keen on, have experience/passionate about. This may safe you time and agony of wandering the options available. Chances are you may stick on to the job you like and improve better in time.

2. Work from home may not be for everybody, nevertheless ask yourself- are you cut out or ready to work from home, will it provide your true needs . Again acknowlede your needs as it will lead to a long term commitment.

3. Get into the right circle and get as much reviews, information, ideas, leads and experiences by joining related forums, blogs, articles and message boards to find a wide variety professional job listing or opportunities. Networking with others like you and be consistent with your needs.

4. By joining a reputable job bank will provide you a lifetime good job listing.

5. Remember to prepare a precise yet professional resumes of you past skills.

6. Discuss with your family the flexible working hours that is suitable and get them to support your efforts too.

7. Working from home means you can work at places other than your home. But whereever you are choose a conducive working environment most suitable and this can help you to meet datelines.

8. Some may opt to have more than 2 jobs, so leverage on your skills and experiences.

9. Do not give up, be persistent and it may take some hard work….in the beginning at least,

Systematic Job Hunt Tips " Play the Game"

2008-05-03T05:53:00.000-07:00

SETTING OUT ON A JOB HUNT!

Do you know what kind of job you would like to do?Since most people spend about a third of their lives working, it is essential to one's happiness and success that one selects a career most suited to one's temperament, abilities and interests.It is also important to remember that these can change over the years, depending on such factors as the general state of the economy and of course your needs over time. So at each stage, be as honest with yourself as possible, keep an open mind and grasp new opportunities when they ariseChoosing a Career is a Process: As Ginzberg, an American psychologist and well acclaimed writer on career development states:

"... occupational choice is a lifelong process of decision-making, in which the individual constantly seeks to find the optimal fit between career goals and the realities of the world of work".

However, job-hunting becomes a lot easier if you have some idea of what you would really like to do! If you don't have an idea of the kind of job you may want to do, speak to a counsellor at the Student Counselling Centre. They may be able to suggest possible career options for you to consider.

If you still have a problem deciding you may request to have a career assessment, to further guide you towards making an informed career choice. Searching for a job involves more than just knowing the job that you want to do. It also requires some preparation, careful planning and persistence. Start your search for a career by considering what interests you most.

Then evaluate your abilities and preparedness to meet the demands (both mental and physical) of your chosen career. The Job Search Process Job Search is a process that involves a number of interrelated steps: INFORMATION GATHERING Effective job search should be preceded by gathering a wealth of information about the world of work. Note that there are many jobs that never get advertised. Therefore it is important to establish your own network / contact people to help you in your search. Here are some good sources of information to help you in your job search:

1) People currently employed in the industry
2) Internet - Company websites
3) Newspapers - the job advertisement sections
4) The yellow pages directory
5) Employment agencies
6) Job search / Career sites eg. Job Web
7) Community organizations, NGO's
8) Department of Labour
9) Career Information Centres

UND Student Counselling Centre careers library THE WINNING CV Your Curriculum Vitae (CV) is your most important MARKETING TOOL. It helps you sell your education, experience and qualifications to prospective employers. Therefore, it must be well presented, set out in a logical way and always typed.A good CV helps you get that interview and maintains a positive impression long after the selection process.TYPES OF CV's There are different types of CV's, including among others:

Chronological CV
Creative/ Skills CV
Targeted CV
Functional CV

The CV most suitable for new graduates is that which combines both the Chronological and Functional formats. Chronological CVThis is the most popular, straightforward and easy to prepare CV format. It presents personal, educational and other information in a logical, chronological sequence. Functional CV This format requires careful thought. It groups your skills into categories according to function, indicating to the prospective employer the skills you have developed through your degree, work experience and extramural activities. Your CV Checklist Use the following Items to ensure that your CV covers all the necessary areas of your life (career related):

Personal Information or Identifying Details including:
Full name and surname
Address, phone numbers and E-mail
Date and place of birth
Your career goals / objectives
Description of skills obtained, with examples
Details of work experience (vac jobs), with dates
Extra-curricular activities (clubs, societies, etc)
Details and dates of qualifications
Universities attended, with dates
Selected accomplishments
Special interests and aspirations
Seminars, workshops and conferences attended
Referees

Availability to start IMPORTANT NOTES· Use positive wording, pointing out actual accomplishments. Bear in mind that action words such as "created", "supervised" etc, will give your CV more impact. · A well-presented CV is worth any extra time you may spend on compiling it since many companies keep CV's on file and draw on them for future vacancies. · Never send copies of your CV to employers unless they are as neat and clean as originals.· Always have your CV typed and laser printed.· Notify your referees and get their permission to put their names on your CV. These must be people who know you well and can give informed opinions of your strengths and capabilities. (Employers DO contact referees for information about yourself) · Have someone check your CV for any spelling/ grammatical errors before you make a final copy. YOU ARE THE BEST AUTHOR OF YOUR OWN CURRICULUM VITAE! THE JOB INTERVIEWWhy The Interview?Usually, the interview is the last step in the job search / selection process.

Interviews are conversations with a purpose, designed to dig out the maximum amount of relevant information about the applicant and the job. You must make the most of this opportunity to find out important facts about the job and the company. The interview is your best chance to show a prospective employer that you are the right person for the job! The first impression that you make is very important as it indicates to the employer whether you are the right person for the job or not. Most interviews take about 20 - 45 minutes. Before The Interview:

Find Out:Find out what you can about the company. Find out about the type of business, services offered, reputation with staff, size of the organization etc. Also find out about the Interviewer (s) i.e. the name, title, and if possible, the personality. It is also important to find out about the job itself. You may ask about the duties involved, salary and general prospects. Speak to friends and, if possible, someone who works there. Finally find out about the actual place or location where the interview is going to take place. Prepare to Take Along:

Copy of your CV
Copies of other certificates
Samples of your work (portfolio), when necessary
Pen and paper

List of questions you would like to ask the employer Be punctual for your interview. Make sure that you dress appropriately for the position you are going to fill, ask others what would be suitable. Too casual dress may cause the interviewer to think you don't care. Never overdress!During The Interview:BE YOURSELF!
Smile with the interviewer and maintain eye contact.

Sit still. Don't lean on the Interviewer's desk. Don't smoke unless you are invited to.
Do use the interviewer's name, but not first name unless invited to do so.
Avoid using swear words and slang expressions.

Answer questions honestly and concisely. Don't ramble and don't attempt to take command of the interview. If you don't know the answer to a question, say so.

Don't criticize or be rude about past employers, gossip about them or give out confidential information. It is unethical, and shows you cannot be trusted.

If you don't agree with something, say so politely - and say why. You have a mind of your own, so don't be afraid. On the other hand, rudeness and aggression are not admired and may destroy your prospects.
Do not discuss your personal, domestic or financial problems in an interview.

Leave questions about salary and benefits until the end of the interview. At The End of the Interview:
Thank the interviewer for his/ her time and interest.

Soon after the interview, review your performance and make some notes. Your post-interview notes will be a valuable guide in preparation for future interviews.

Write a thank-you note to the employers (optional). SOME TYPICAL INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

Why are you applying for this position?
What are your goals?
What do you expect to be doing in 10 years from now?
Do you think that your education prepared you well for this job?
What can you offer this company?
What kind of people do you like working with?
Do you like working on your own?
Tell us about yourself?
What does success mean to you?
How did you hear about this job?
What do you do in your spare time?
If you were hiring a graduate for this job, what qualities would you look for?
What do you expect to be earning in five years?
Which is more important to you, the money or the type of job?
What do you consider to be your greatest strengths and weaknesses?
Describe the relationship that should exist between a supervisor and those reporting to him/her ?
What two or three things are most important to you in your job?
Are you willing to travel?
How do you work under pressure?
What university subjects did you like most/ least, and why?
What do you know about our company?
Do you think that your results are a good indication of your academic achievement?
Do you have plans for further studies?
What have you learned from participating in extracurricular activities?
How would you describe your ideal job?
What major problem have you encountered and how did you deal with it?
How do you feel about change?
What have you done by way of self-development over the past few years? QUESTIONS FOR EMPLOYERS These are some of the questions that you may like to ask employers:
What are the opportunities for personal growth?
What are your expectations for new members of staff?
How is an employee evaluated and promoted?
Are there maternity/ paternity benefits?
How did the position become eligible?
Describe the work environment.
How can you utilize my skills?
What is the overall structure of the department where the position is located?
When will I be expected to commence duty?

When can I expect to be told whether or not I have been successful in securing the position? Remember :Keep your list of questions as short as you possibly can. Try not to sound like you are interviewing the employer! WHAT EMPLOYERS WANT Usually interviewers assess prospective employees along the following lines:

Capability and suitability for the job.
Social skills.
Initiative and energy.
Motivation.
General interest in the job.
Stability and level of maturity.
Self reliance/ independence.

Leadership qualities. There are some other forms of interviews that some candidates may have to go through in addition to, or as an alternative to one-to-one interview. These include: GROUP INTERVIEWS This happens when a few short-listed candidates get invited together, as a group, for the final selection procedure. This may include psychological testing and assessment, group projects, group discussions and workshops.DO:
Be friendly but competitive
Co-operate with other group members
Help the group achieve its goals
Show enthusiasm
Have a pleasant sense of humour
Relax, and be yourself PANEL INTERVIEW: Here you are interviewed by a panel, usually consisting of a chairperson and some other senior members of staff. "Rules" of this interview are the same as those for a one-to-one interview. DO:
Always address your response to the person who has asked the question, but include others through eye contact.

SEQUENTIAL INTERVIEWS:This is a combination of one-to-one and panel interviews. You will be interviewed usually by a panel first, followed by an interview with each person individually. DO:
Establish rapport with each interviewer
Be consistent in your responses to questions
Maintain your enthusiasm
Be alert and at all cost, be honest OTHER VARIATIONS ARE:
Interviews by personnel consultants

Social interview

Telephone interview Do bear in mind that being invited to an interview does not guarantee you a job, The more interviews you attend, the greater the chance that you will get a job. Look at all the interviews that you attend as a process of learning in preparation for the career of your life! GOOD LUCK!

Jobs Fair: Be Prepared

2008-04-30T22:22:00.000-07:00

Job fairs are a great way to shop for new job opportunities, network and make personal contacts with recruiters at various organizations.

Here are some techniques recommended by experts to ensure that your performance at the fair doesn't turn into a circus:

Do some scouting. If you've never been to a job fair, attend the next one that comes to your city for observational purposes. Pay attention to recruiters and fellow job seekers to pick up some pointers on how to dress, how to approach a company's booth appropriately and how to successfully work the room.

Do some research. Find out which companies will be represented and learn about them in advance through corporate Web sites or other tools. The more you know, the more you can converse with the company representative in the booth and the more memorable you will be. You will also appear much more professional than unprepared job seekers who make the mistake of starting off their conversations with company representatives by asking, "What does your company do?"

Deliver your key messages quickly. Interviewers are very busy, so don't waste their time. Work on a "sound bite" that says what your skills are, the type of work that interests you and the kind of company with which you want to associate.

Plan some questions. If you have additional time, be ready to ask intelligent questions. Ask how departments are organized and how your skills might be utilized within the framework of the company. Also show you know something about the company by asking questions about a recent product release, acquisition or other relevant news. And make sure to ask the interviewer what he or she likes best about the corporate culture to better assess if this company is right for you.

Get the interviewer's business card. If an interview goes well, you will want to follow up with a letter that reinforces the points you made and the facts you learned. If you made a good impression at the fair, the interviewer probably has made a note to that effect and will remember that you passed his or her on-site screen.

Take advantage of the obvious. Sometimes recruiters will post job openings at their booth and provide written information. Grab all of the information you can on site before you get in line for an interview so you won't waste precious time discussing the obvious.

Dress appropriately. You are going to a job interview, so dress the part. Break out the business attire and shine your shoes. It's better to error on the side of the conservative than to be too casual.

Show your pearly whites. Smile when you meet the interviewer. Give a firm handshake. (If you are prone to sweaty palms, bring a handkerchief to use as a towel.) Keep breath mints on hand and make eye contact.
Be organized. Bring plenty of resumes with you. Keep them in a nice folder so you don't get fingerprints all over them. Have a notebook for memos to yourself.

Avoid the shopping spree. Many companies give out freebies at their booths. It's OK to pick up an item or two, but don't leave the impression that you are shopping for your kids. The main impression you want to make is that you are very interested and very qualified for a job.

Keep lively. The lines may be daunting, but don't fail to maximize this opportunity. Talk to every company that fits your experience and ambitions. If you meet with 20 recruiters, at the end of the day you will know 20 people by name. That sure beats sending a blind resume to "Personnel Director."

Effective Job Search Tips : How to get to the Interview Room?

2008-04-30T22:18:00.000-07:00

Landing an interview is becoming as rare these days as a night without a presidential debate.

Take Mike Mayer, a former marketing manager who lives in Cleveland. He's sent out hundreds of résumés but it's been six months since anyone has called him to set up an interview. "I'm looking for a sales or marketing job, and I have extensive international experience, but maybe that's working against me," he surmises.

And A.J., an accounts receivable associate for a property management company, is finding his efforts to leave his firm and embark on a new career in human resources have hit a job-search dead end. In the past three months of sending résumés out, he says, "I have not received a single call."

Welcome to the growing résumé abyss. More and more job seekers are finding they're lost in it, unable to even get a call back from a prospective employer acknowledging they exist despite their credentials or experience.
"It used to be that job seekers were able to take a shotgun approach and hit something," says Kurt Weyerhauser, a recruiting expert with search firm Kensington Stone. But in this economy, he adds, "you have to get beyond the résumé."

There's a host of reasons for the problem, aside from just not being right for the job: a souring economy that's gotten companies to cut back or suspend hiring; résumé overload by recruiters who are inundated by electronic résumés; and a growing desire on the part of hiring managers to hire someone they know, or at least hire someone who's recommended by someone they know.

"If you go back a year ago, people were talking about the war for talent; you don't hear that anymore," says Steve Gross, global leader for consulting firm Mercer. The company recently surveyed 126 U.S. employers and found that 33 percent of them were considering a hiring freeze or cutting back on staff because of the economy. That translates, he says, into a slowdown of the hiring process in general.

While you can't disregard the importance of a well-crafted résumé that's targeted to the individual jobs, unfortunately, it's probably not a sharp enough spear for today's job hunt.

Seriously, folks, you could be the perfect candidate for a job and never get beyond an electronic "thank you" reply for sending your résumé.

Dan Enthoven, founder of job search firm Trovix, conducted a study where he sent out fictitious résumés to companies that he knew were desperate to hire software engineers in Silicon Valley. The résumés included all the right credentials and background needed for each specific job posted on company sites, including degrees from none other than top engineering schools such as Stanford and MIT, just to make the candidates even more appealing.

Out of 35 of these perfect résumés sent, only seven received e-mails saying, "We'd like to talk to you," Enthoven says. "That was shocking."

If the perfect candidates out there have only a one in five chance to get called back, it's not good news for someone who may not be a perfect match or someone trying to break into a new career.

What's happened to the hiring world, Enthoven surmises, is recruiters just assume there is no one good to be found among the avalanche of résumés they receive with every job posting.

I know, this sounds unfair, but I suppose we're dealing with human nature here. No one really believes you can find a needle in the haystack, and who has time to search for a needle anyway?

So what we get is a so-called "trust" economy, Weyerhauser says.

"We give an advantage to those candidates who are being referred by people we already know and respect," he explains. "For instance, a candidate who is referred by a well-regarded current employee is much more likely to be invited to an interview than a candidate we know nothing about who blindly sent in a résumé."

The hard part is getting an employee to recommend you. One way to do this is throw a party.

I'm not kidding. Weyerhauser figures you probably know someone right now who knows someone at a company you might be right for.

Invite 30 people and have them invite some people, and before you know it you'll have a sea of connections. Ask your guests, do they know anybody? Provide them with some food and libations, of course, so it doesn't totally seem as if you're only trolling only for a job -- and have fun for goodness sake. Nothing's worse than a cranky job seeker. You need positive vibes to kick your networking into overdrive.

Now, just asking friends if they know someone at a particular company or industry may not always be enough. Check out your friends' LinkedIn or Facebook connections, for example, and see for yourself if there might be a networking fit. Typically, Weyerhauser notes, people don't realize how their connections might work for your job search. Take the initiative here.

Another strategy is to make yourself well-known in an industry by writing an article for trade publications or authoring a blog.
Weyerhauser offered a great example of a guy who wrote a well-read marketing blog.When he called a company he was interested in working for, the manager who answered the phone knew exactly who he was because he was an avid reader of his blog. He ended up getting a plum job at the firm, he adds.

Calling a company or stopping by to introduce yourself is always a great idea. Don't make yourself a pest, but try to connect with the hiring manager so your résumé doesn't get lost on the desk of someone in human resources.

At the very least, go to LinkedIn, or one of the other networking sites out there, and try to find managers or employees, or even former staffers, at a particular company you're interested in and send them an e-mail.
And let's not totally disregard résumés and cover letters.

Abhay Padgaonkar, a management consultant, says sending out 200 résumés at once is what he calls the "spray and pray" approach. So he advises job seekers focus, focus, focus their résumés.
"It's one thing to think that you are right for the job, it's entirely another to be able to understand the requirements of the job and have your résumé and qualifications demonstrate unequivocally that you are, in fact, right for the job," he adds.

Look at each job individually, he says, look at what's required and read between the lines.
For example, have you done negotiations before? If so, explain what you did and how successful you were in your résumé and in the cover letter.

And, Padgaonkar stresses that you have to sing your own praises. "Many times we are blind to our own accomplishments, so get someone to help you point those out," he says.

"Hiring managers spend less than a minute looking at a résumé. If you don't stand out, you end up in the circular file," he concludes.