Even with all of the job sites that are available, networking is still considered the #1 strategy for finding a job.  Networking includes reaching out to family, friends, faculty, previous employers, alumni from your college, and anyone else who might be able to lead you to the right job.  We all know the old saying, “it’s not what you know, but who you know that matters”, and nowhere is that more true than when you are engaged in a job search.  Since approximately 85% of jobs are never advertised, it’s important to uncover ways that you can find those unadvertised opportunities.

In addition to all of the people you know and who you may have met while doing your job search, social networking has become a major force in the world of networking.  Using social networking sites is a way to build your personal brand and help you market yourself to prospective employers.  Social networking sites are a great way to connect with many people from a variety of industries and career fields.

 A professional online presence will give you a chance to showcase your skills and experiences and can put you in contact with people who are in a position to hire.  LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter are social networking sites that you’ll want to become familiar with.  Joining groups on LinkedIn can help connect you to other professionals in your field and having an online presence can make you easy to find when hiring managers are seeking people to fill current and future job openings.

So if you have not yet gotten into social networking, I recommend that you give it a try.  It could make a big difference in the time it takes to land your next job.

The US Department of Labor’s December report was released today showing an employment increase of 103,000 (goal was 150,000) jobs and a decrease in the unemployment rate from 9.8% to 9.4%.  It is hoped that these numbers indicate that our economy is becoming more stabilized and future employment increases are expected in the months to come.  We have come a long way since two years ago when the economy lost 800,000 jobs to 2010 where over a million jobs have been added over the course of the year. In addition, business and consumer spending are growing and all indicators show that businesses are beginning to increase their production while families are showing more signs of increased spending of their disposable income.

For those Americans who are still unemployed, this is excellent news.  It’s also a good indicator that if you have become somewhat lenient in your job search pursuits, it’s time to take a more proactive approach by getting your resume out there and begin engaging in some active networking with professionals in the field.  I know many people have become discouraged over the course of the past few years since all we heard was bad reports from the media on how difficult it was to find a job.  I encourage you to develop some concrete career goals for the New Year and be ready to make this year the one where you will turn yourself around.

Wishing you all a Happy, Healthy, & Prosperous New Year!

Does it seem like you have been in the job market for some time now?  Are you finding that you’re getting burned out by all of the networking, job searching, and prospecting you’re doing in order to find your next job?

Looking for a job can be unduly frustrating for those individuals who have held responsible jobs for the past 20, 30, or 40 years but don’t seem to be getting much of a response from all of the resumes they’ve sent out or online job listings they’ve most recently applied to.  Of course we all know that the competition for many jobs is fierce right now; but the fact is that the current job market is causing a great deal of frustration and stress among many of the more mature job seekers who may be feeling that they may never get another job. 

Fellow About.com Guide on career planning, Dawn Rosenberg McKay, offers some excellent tips on how to stay positive in your job search. Dawn’s tips are relevant for anyone who has devoted many hours to the job search possibly to the exclusion of doing those things that provide for a healthy and balanced lifestyle.  I also recently wrote a similar article for college students on stress, that you can find on my About.com site.

Focusing all your energy on finding your next job, can end up zapping the  energy required in maintaining an effective job search.  By taking time to engage in some relaxing activities (reading, hiking, meditating, meeting up with friends, watching a funny TV show or movie, or taking up a new hobby), you will be re-energizing your batteries and creating a more positive approach to helping you be successful in current job search.

According to Daily Finance, fewer  jobs than expected were lost in August. Even though reports show that over 151,000 jobs were lost as temporary census positions, manufacturing, and state and local governments shed positions, it was reported that companies added a total of 67,000 new jobs in August with an additional 17,000 temporary positions.

Unemployment is still extremely high (9.6% in August) with a large number of discouraged individuals who aren’t currently looking for work and who are not even counted in these figures.

Whether you are currently looking for a job or have temporarily stopped looking, Alison Doyle offers some great job search tips on her About.com – Job Searching site for you to consider.

If you are currently unemployed or seeking a new job because you’re miserable going to work each day, here are some suggestions I often give my clients:

1. Create a 30 second elevator speech to introduce yourself to everyone you meet
2. Begin networking with family, friends, acquaintances, and alumni from your college
3. Join social networking sites such as LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter to connect with old colleagues or to meet new professionals in the field
4. Join social networking groups to meet like minded individuals
5. Check out members of  your local Chamber of Commerce
6. Review the Classified Ads in your local newspaper
7. Prospect with companies you’d be interested in working for
8. Visit job boards and online job sites on a daily basis, but don’t make this your only job search strategy

By changing what you’re currently doing and engaging in some new and different strategies, you may find yourself getting a more responses from employers from all of those resumes you’re sending out.

If you are a new college graduate, try using these six tips for a successful job search:

1. Keep Motivated & Maintain a Positive Approach in Your Job Search

Being proactive in your job search requires a conscious effort in maintaining a positive attitude especially after you’ve just received several “personal” rejections.  

2. Focus on Your Goals yet Remain Flexible in Your Job Search

Establishing and developing strategies in reaching your individual career goals will help you achieve success in the job search process. 

3. Create Targeted Resume & Cover Letters

With the fierce competition in today’s job market, it is crucial to develop a resume and cover letter that stands out above the rest.

4. Increase Your Professional Network

Learning how to network early in your career can be beneficial no matter where you are in the career process.

5. Prospecting for Jobs

Checking out company websites, researching employers with potential jobs in your field, and networking are all excellent ways to uncover unadvertised jobs.

6. Become an Entrepreneur

Do you have advanced knowledge in a particular area (math, English, foreign languages) or possess a special skill (playing an instrument, art, martial arts computer programming) that you could use to tutor others? 

Best of luck in your job search!

Although initiating company lay-offs are one of the first things a company does during a recession, alternatives to company lay-offs are usually a much better course of action and ultimately the best thing for both the company and its employees. For example, restructuring within a company is more beneficial to the overall long-term health of an organization rather than immediately focusing on making decreases in employee retention and compensation that is usually used as a quick cost saving measure.

Job-hunt.org offers a number of tips to prepare employees for a company lay-off. They also offer some important do’s and don’ts to be accomplished immediately when you are actually being laid off. One of the key things to do is to remain active and not let yourself slump into inaction due to depression, fear, and a growing sense of hopelessness.

Being laid off from a job can often be seen as a blessing in disguise. It can be an opportunity to check out career options, especially if you look back and realize that you were not happy in your previous job.  Discovering your personal interests, values, and personality traits can lead you to finding a more satisfying and rewarding career.

Doing a thorough self-assessment, reviewing career options, researching available careers, and deciding on a course of action can be very positive steps to take for those who have found themselves recently laid off or those who anticipate that a job loss may be imminent.