10 Ways to Speed-Up Your Job Search Effort

Today everyone knows at least one person who has lost their job to down-sizing, right-sizing, cut-backs, production reduction or a mean, vicious "bogus leader" who could care less about your family, your life or your existence at the company. This may sound a bit overboard, but everyone has probably experienced the manager, supervisor or company leader from hell, and if you haven't just stick around.

It is this type of leadership that is taking companies down the path of death and destruction. So what's a jobless person to do? First you must get organized and do a serious self examination. Look at the things you love to do, your gifts and talents. This is not fluff, you may be at the best time of your life if you are willing to get real and do some serious work. You cannot expect others to do this for you, you have to own the unemployment label, and decide where you want to go from here. Leave the pity party for later.

Do you have a charismatic personality? Have you ever done sales? Can't live knowing that your life depends on you getting a commission? Try it. Yes, that's easy for me to say, but "nothing ventured nothing gained" and you should always have more faith in yourself than a "bogus leader." It is unfair and foolish for employees today to think that their employer should always have their best interest in mind when planning company growth and expansion. The company leadership is looking out for the bottom line and that's all. In a perfect world they would care about workers, but this is not a perfect world it's a global economy and it's "all about the Benjamin's."

Here are 10 things you must do before starting your job search:

1. Do an honest in-depth evaluation of your job skills. Take a serious look at your management, financial, communication, research and computer skills.

2. List all those transferable skills, for example, auditing, appraising, recruiting troubleshooting and organizing, and all those task that fit under the umbrella labeled "other duties as directed."

3. When writing your resumes select your words carefully. Use only strong, positive points that are relevant to the job you are seeking.

4. Use skill titles and job headings that match the job you want. Unrelated job titles are a sure indication that you do not have knowledge about the position.

5. Consider doing contractual work. Just consider it.

6. Practice your interviewing skills before the actual interview, and master the one important aspect of nonverbal communication?eye contact.

7. Consider taking a job in an area outside your comfort zone. You might like it.

8. Remember to speak with those folks willing to act as a reference. Never assume that they will say positive things about you, call them and make sure your relationship is still sound.

9. Never email a cover letter as an attachment without a signature. Those cover letters without signatures are often the ones eliminated first. Use a scanner or email from a copy store i.e. Kinko's that will allow you to scan your signature and send a signed cover letter.

10. Keep track of all those positions you are applying for and make sure the people living with you are aware you are applying for positions so they answer the telephone with style and grace. You are a representation of the type of home your come from, so remind everyone to be professional.

To learn more about "bogus leaders" visit http://www.paraview.com/features/bogus_leadership.htm .

D. Davis is a writer with over 20 years of experience, and has produced a series of e-Books that support parents in creating a good life for their family. Dee may be reached at detra_davis@supportingourchildren.com, or by mail at J. Davis & Associates Publishing, P. O. Box 44782, Detroit, MI 48244-0782, Attention: D. Davis. To learn more visit: http://www.supportingourchildren.com

RELATED ARTICLES

Networking - A Key Factor in a Successful Job Search
In today's economy, job seekers need an edge beyond their experience, education and specific industry and job-related skills, in order to find and secure a position. Regardless if you are looking for an opportunity as CEO, Vice President, IT Manager or Customer Service Representative, you need effective tools to compete within a market that is job-poor and candidate rich.

Ive Got the Big Bad B Word on My Job!
That "B" word---B O R E D O M.

Four Simple Steps To Better Results With Your Resume
Is every job description you read the same? No.

Rethink Your Career Transition
Are you going nowhere in your career? If you've decided it's time to change your career completely, here's a new way of changing!

Who Should Write Your Resume?
This is a question we get a lot. It seems rather easy to do it yourself if you have access to a word processing program and printer and feel comfortable writing your job history.

Shades of Grey
A paperweight sits on my desk, etched in silver the message: Life isn't always black and white. It serves as a reminder there are few absolutes at work (or in life). Yet, it would be easier if there were; if good ideas from bad, trustworthy people from non-trustworthy, and right paths from the wrong ones could easily be discerned. I've learned in twenty years in management that increasing one's perspective increases the grey, as words like always and never become obsolete for describing most situations and most people. But early in my career, I was convinced there were right ways and wrong ways to do things at work. Of course, my way being right and someone else's wrong. Dug-in positions that at the time seemed immensely important strike me now as limited in knowledge, understanding or perspective. Now, I'm as convinced there are often many ways to accomplish the same goal and many right answers to the same problem. Certainly some approaches may be better than others, but whose interpretation defines better? It is a subjective workplace and a matter of judgment if an idea is a good one, a performance rating accurate, or a decision correct. Sometimes that interpretation is based on quarterly profits, employee morale, company goals, personal filters, necessity, or a passionate champion embracing a challenge. But here's the thing. That subjective element often frustrates us. We think there should be a play book we understand or a standard method to judge an outcome so we can agree whether it's good or bad. Yet we have differing vantage points, information and criteria depending on our roles. There may be big picture, long-term, short-term, temporary, personal, best, best of the worst, and a long list of considerations. I learned this concept as I debated my boss over a decision he was about to implement. As a Human Resources Director, I was concerned the decision would impact morale. HR was the filter by which I judged the world at the time. He gently closed the discussion agreeing with my view point, "Yes, it's true employees will be unhappy. But they'll be unhappier if there are layoffs next year. My job is to make sure everyone has a job." Absolute thinking limits perspective, causes mistakes in judgment, misunderstandings, disappoints, conflicts, and frustration in the workplace. Most work issues are not black or white, right or wrong, win or lose. They are varying shades of grey. If you want to be winning at working, you need to adjust your eyes to see more grey and adjust your beliefs to understand, for the most part, people are doing what they believe to be right, for reasons they believe are right. If we could stand behind them and see what they see, we might even come to the same conclusion. (c) 2004 Nan S. Russell. All rights reserved.

Become an LPN, the Fast Path to a Nursing Career
Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) Careers

Medical Billing And Coding Profession
Medical billers and coders are in high demand among the allied health occupations. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), health information technicians are one of the 10 fastest-growing allied health occupations. It is a challenging, interesting career where you are compensated according to your level of skills and how effectively you use them.

Is Pursuing a Career in Patent Law the Right Move for You?
What's It All About? The field of patent law is wide open to Biologists, Chemists, Engineers, Computer Scientists, and many other science and technology professionals. And it's true; individuals with the proper science or engineering degree need only pass the Patent Bar to become registered Patent Agents. Upon becoming a Patent Agent, you may gain employment writing and prosecuting patent applications at law firms, technology transfer offices, biotech or engineering corporations, and government institutes. From there, you may decide whether or not to go on to law school and become a Patent Attorney. In addition to writing and prosecuting patents, a Patent Attorney can also litigate in patent infringement cases. The Perfect Skill Set Patent law is the perfect field for many creative and talented individuals since it requires so many qualities to be successful. There is definitely a people-oriented side to a career in patent law. This is especially true when you consider the "isolated lab environment" most scientists and engineers are used to. Contrast this with the fact that an inventor's hopes and dreams will be riding on the invention and that you will be there every step of the way to help them achieve their goals. Obviously, a great deal of interviewing and excellent communication is required in order to adequately learn what was invented and write a patent application. Which brings us to the next point; patent practitioners must also have excellent writing skills. Drafting a quality patent application is tedious work that requires the absolute best in written communication. In addition, a strong background in either science or technology is a must. You will have to understand exactly what has been invented in order to write a quality patent application. Lastly, as a Patent Practitioner, you should possess a thirst for never-ending knowledge. You will be right on the cutting edge of research and development. You will constantly be exposed to new and exciting discoveries virtually before anyone else! The Dollars and Cents It's the million dollar question. What might you expect to make as a professional in the field of patent law? Well, the pay scale varies from $45,000 up to $250,000+ for Patent Practitioners and is determined by many factors (yes I realize that's quite a span). First, as we've already eluded, if you are a scientist or engineer without a law degree you will be classified as a Patent Agent after you pass the Patent Bar Exam. If you have a law degree and are already considered an attorney, you will be classified as a Patent Attorney upon passing the exam. As a Patent Attorney with the same level of experience as a Patent Agent, you will typically earn the higher income because in addition to writing and prosecuting patents, you may also help protect patents in a court of law. Second, your degree level will help determine your pay. If you have a Bachelor's degree in your particular area of expertise, you will typically make less than someone with a Master's or a PhD. Third, your experience level will make a difference. Your previous positions will count when factoring your salary. The number of years you have worked as an engineer or scientist will make a difference. The more experience you have, usually the more valuable you will be perceived by the company. The longer you have worked in the field of patent law, the higher your pay will be as well. Lastly, where you seek employment makes a difference in your pay. Law firms typically pay the most, whereas a Technology Transfer department at a University will usually pay the least. Furthermore, the state and city you apply for work in will also play a factor. Hot Commodity Businesses in the science and technology sectors regard patents as their lifeline. Therefore, gaining status as a registered Patent Practitioner can open many career doors for you. Since the fields of research and intellectual property are so intertwined, imagine the new career opportunities you would be presented with if you were trained in both areas. Furthermore, as a scientist or engineer, most of the qualifications necessary to achieve registration as a Patent Practitioner have usually already been met. It is likely that your only requirement may be to pass the Patent Bar Exam. It is a difficult hurdle, but in comparison to the time and money you already spent to become a scientist or an engineer, the time and money necessary to pass the Patent Bar Exam is reasonable. In today's unpredictable job market, expanding your skills makes sense, especially when this can be accomplished for a relatively low expense and little time. Compared to getting a degree, setting aside even a full year (although it can be completed in much less time) to learn about the patent prosecution process and take the Patent Bar Exam is very reasonable. Especially when you further consider the fact that it will open an entirely new career door for you. Whether you wish for a complete job change or the desire to become more marketable for technology based companies, gaining skills is always a smart move to make. Please review www.PatentBarStudy.com to learn more about the Patent Bar Exam and how you can jump-start your career as a Patent Practitioner.

About Your Work
I like Simon, one of three judges on American Idol. I find his feedback refreshingly honest. And while his words startle me with their ego wounding potential, the traditional feel-good, let-you-down-easy, sugar-coated feedback is not much of a gift. It's hard to tell someone they're not good enough and their dreams are not going to happen, at least in this venue. But not telling them is no gift either. Some contestants rise to the challenges he throws at them. Some don't. And, some can't. Which one are you?

Revitalize Your Recruiting for 2005
Happy New Year! The forecasts are in agreement: Hiring is on the rise. 2005 will mark the revitalization of our economy. In fact, hiring plans may rival 1999 statistics, when the economy was at its strongest.

Are You In A Groove Or A Rut?
Ruts: the routines in our work and lives that have become uninteresting and bothersome.

Which Half Are You?
When more than half of Americans were identified as overweight, people took notice. Major news outlets began educating on how to stay out, or get out, of that statistic. I wish the same attention had been paid when the Conference Board released their statistics saying half of Americans are satisfied with their job.

Managing Emotions During Career Change and Job Search, Part One
How can you manage your emotions during your career change or job search? To answer this practical and wise question, let's first define what emotions are. Emotions, also commonly referred to as feelings, are energy released in your body in response to perceived events, that is, to data received via your five senses.

10 Ways to Speed-Up Your Job Search Effort
Today everyone knows at least one person who has lost their job to down-sizing, right-sizing, cut-backs, production reduction or a mean, vicious "bogus leader" who could care less about your family, your life or your existence at the company. This may sound a bit overboard, but everyone has probably experienced the manager, supervisor or company leader from hell, and if you haven't just stick around.

Finding a Job Under Tough Circumstances
Anyone can find a job. That's right, I said "anyone". And I meant it. But the caveat is: I didn't say what kind of job. You can go out and start flipping burgers, and whine about the tough breaks life handed you when your company down-sized, or you can reach higher, and go for that job you really want, and know you have the experience and enthusiasm for.

A Peek at Nursing as a Career
We need more people to choose nursing as a career. There is a national shortage, so the career choice would guarantee future employment fresh out of school.

Your Job Search -- a Marketing Campaign?
The successful job search is really just a personal marketing campaign. And the same techniques used in infomercials and junk mail can help you get hired, too.

The Six Figure Job Search
Before we start discussing how to search for a six figure salary job, let's set a goal. The goal I suggest is to double your income every five years. That may sound like a stretch. Well it is? but it is a doable stretch goal.

Driver Team Solo Positions: The Nitty Gritty On Truck Driving Jobs
Trucks and truck drivers are a constant presence on US highways and interstates. A person on even the shortest drive is likely to pass by a truck or two transporting goods, and even merchandise that travels by ship, train, or airplane travels on a truck for some phase of the journey to the customer. Because trucks are such a major part of industry, truck driving jobs are important positions and good paying jobs.