Bing: Best-paid part time jobs

Here, experts and job seekers weigh in on what they consider to be the best moonlighting gigs. The suggestions run the gamut from child care to cosmetic procedures but all provide a means for pulling in some extra income.

1. Second job: bartender
Details: “I am an attorney who moonlights as a bartender,” says Brianna Sadler, partner at a law firm in Minnesota. “It’s actually a great way to meet future clients without violating theModel Rules of Professional Conduct, as I am able to have a personal relationship with the guests/clients and help fulfill both their need for a drink and possibly legal advice. As I am a plaintiff’s attorney, it’s also a great way to pay my rent until I have my ‘one big case’ we all dream about.”
Potential pay: Bartenders earn a mean hourly wage of $10.25, according to the BLS.

2. Second job: freelancer
Details: “I recently started my own consulting business in August, and while I was getting that up and running, I was actively seeking freelance writing work,” says Sophia Habl Mitchell, principal at Sophia Mitchell & Associates, LLC. “Taking small gigs through freelance sites … can be a great way to supplement income. The best part is that this work can be done at home, before or after a ‘regular job.’”
Potential pay: While pay varies based on type of freelance assignment, Mitchell says she earned $3,000 in four months by doing a variety of freelance work, including writing for a travel website and ghostwriting blog content.

3. Second job: cosmetic laser technician
Details: “Cosmetic laser technician is a career some people do part time while holding down another full-time job,” says Louis Silberman, president of National Laser Institute. “Cosmetic laser technicians work mostly in med spas and doctors’ offices as independent contractors. They perform procedures like laser hair removal and laser skin resurfacing. Some RNs have received their laser certification to increase their earning potential by performing cosmetic procedures.”
Potential pay: According to the NLI, the most common scenario is a blend of an hourly rate plus commission. The hourly rates usually range from $15-25 per hour, in addition to a commission ranging from 3-20 percent. At med spas, technicians typically receive gratuity.

4. Second job: child-care provider
Details: My husband and I have two small children, and we juggle going back and forth to the office and staying home with the kids,” says Brina Bujkovsky, owner and CEO of The Younique Boutique, Inc. “We decided to start a home day care to take advantage of the tax deductions, earn extra income … and provide playmates for our kids. We are helping the community by providing affordable care for children six weeks and up, and we are earning a nice second income.”
Potential pay: Bujkovsky says she makes more than $2,500 a month through her home day-care gig.

5. Second job: Futures trader
Details: A recent survey conducted by TopStepTrader, an international scouting agency that recruits and trains futures traders, found that more than half of the workers surveyed conduct futures trading as a second job. “With the markets open 23-24 hours a day, there is a lot of flexibility and profitability in this career as a second alternative job,” says Michael Patak, president and CEO of TopStepTrader.
Potential pay: According to TopStepTrader, part-time traders that trade lightly can earn an estimated $2,000 a month, while active part-time traders can average up to an estimated $4,000 a month.

6. Second job: Container/organization sales consultant
Details: If you’re outgoing and like organization, consider being a sales consultant for a container company. In this role, you’ll help plan or host fun parties — often held at people’s homes — where guests will have the opportunity to try out and buy your products. Some companies now offer e-commerce options too.
Potential pay: Earning potential can vary based on company and role. According to Lee Padgett of Clever Container, their starting consultants make 20 percent on their retail sales, and after they reach $1,000 worth of product sales, they make 25 percent on their retail sales.

7. Second job: mystery shopper
Details: Bethany Mooradian, author of “The Mystery Shopper Training Program,” suggests mystery shopping as a great way to earn extra cash. “To be a successful mystery shopper, a person needs to be reliable [and] honest, have basic Internet skills, decent writing, spelling and observation skills and live in a fairly metropolitan area,” Mooradian says. “Any time I’ve needed money, I just jump right back into mystery shopping … It’s perfect for anyone who wants a flexible way of earning extra income, has basic skills and doesn’t want to stay trapped behind a desk.”
Potential pay: Mystery shoppers can make up to $38,520 in annual salary, according to CBSalary.com.

Debra Auerbach is a writer and blogger for CareerBuilder.com and its job blog, The Work Buzz. She researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues.

“A vital component of your career management plan is your résumé, which must instantly position you as a well-qualified and highly competitive candidate,” the authors say. “The easiest way to accomplish that objective is by developing a powerful, performance-based résumé.”

In their book, Enelow and Kursmark provide numerous résumé samples, divided by career field, that are aimed at people at all levels of management, from front-line supervisors to top-level executives. They also offer nine strategies for writing effective résumés:

1.     Write for the job you want: “You cannot write an effective résumé without knowing, at least to some degree, what type or types of positions you will be seeking.”

2.     Sell it to me, don’t tell it to me: “If you ‘tell it,’ you simply state facts. If you ‘sell it,’ you promote it, advertise it, and draw attention to it.”

3.     Use keywords: “Keywords are … specific to a particular industry or profession. … When you use these words and phrases, you are communicating a specific message.”

4.     Use the “big” and save the “little”: “Try to focus on the ‘big’ things — revenue and profit growth, new initiatives and ventures, special projects, cost savings … then save the ‘little’ stuff — the details — for the interview.”

5.     Make your résumé “interviewable”: After “you are contacted for a telephone or in-person interview, your résumé becomes all-important in leading and prompting your interviewer during your conversation.”

6.     Eliminate confusion with structure and context: “Be consistent, make information easy to find and define the context in which you worked.”

7.     Use function to demonstrate achievement: “A résumé that focuses on your job functions can be dry and uninteresting and says little about your unique activities and contributions.”

8.     Remain in the realm of reality: “Do not push your skills and qualifications outside the bounds of what is truthful.”

9.     Be confident: “There is only one individual with the specific combination of employment experience, qualifications, achievements, education and technical skills that you have.”

“Your résumé can have tremendous power and a phenomenal impact on your job search. So don’t take it lightly,” Enelow and Kursmark say. “Rather, devote the time, energy and resources that are essential to developing a résumé that is well-written, visually attractive and effective in communicating who you are and how you want to be perceived.”

Lori Michelle Ryan is the marketing communications specialist at JIST Publishing, America’s Career Publisher. In this role, she helps job seekers, career changers, students and working professionals develop the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in the job market and world of work.
Copyright 2012 CareerBuilder.com

“What words come to mind when I say Gen Y?” Aaron Kesher asked the many attendees at 2011′s Society for Human Resources Management conference who were packed into the room. ”Entitled!” shouted one person. “Job hoppers,” chimed in another. Soon, many in the room (many of them non-Gen Yers, with some Gen Y members sprinkled in) were shouting things like “smart,” “résumé builders,” “technically savvy,” “stereotype,” “comfortable with change,” and “creative.”

Obviously, we all have specific words and phrases and ideas that match how we perceive Gen Y to think and behave in the workplace. Gen Y, made up of those born between 1980 and 2000, have their own notions of themselves, too. In Aaron Kesher’s, “Why Y? Plugging Into a Generational Powerhouse” session, Kesher encouraged all of us in the room to rethink our notions of what we think Gen Y is all about, to consider the strengths they bring to today’s dynamic workplace and to use this knowledge and understanding to more successfully recruit and retain Gen Y workers.

“Do not doubt that this generation will change the face of the American workplace as their parents did,” Kesher said. “In the next five to 10 years, the number of Gen Yers in the workforce will increase dramatically.”

As the number of Gen Y workers is only getting larger, it’s about time we as a collective workplace learn more about Gen Y so that we can understand them, appreciate their unique strengths, and more successfully integrate them with other generations in the workplace.

What is work from a Gen Y Perspective?

·         Work ethic: Job loyalty, for a long time, was shown by how long you stuck around and paid your dues — and older generations still think in line with this. Gen Y, on the other hand, says, “I show you love by how hard I work, not how long I stick around.”

·         Tech savvy: It’s not so much that Gen Yers are tech savvy, Kesher pointed out — they’re tech dependent. They’re the generation that’s come of age with the explosion of technology, so it’s natural that they would be comfortable with it.

·         Communication and teamwork: Gen Y is not necessarily entitled; they just feel comfortable asking for what they want. When it comes to communication, you can often count on Gen Yers to spread out the message fast and often. We need to realize, Kesher said, that throughout Gen Y’s public education, the majority of the work was done in groups, and that their role wasn’t usually as the leader of a group — instead, many were “equal” team members. Therefore, many Gen Y members function fairly well as a group and as “team players,” but some struggle in standing out as individual, assertive leaders.

·         Money: Employers, listen up: Gen Y is talking to each other about the money they are (or aren’t) making at your organization. They are comparing how competitive your salary is with your competitors — and they’re not afraid to share their findings. One audience member mentioned recently hearing Gen Yers discussing openly the job offers and bonuses they were getting — and she was shocked.  After all, discussing how much money you make is one of the last great American taboos — yet Gen Y seems more comfortable with discussing this sort of information.

·         Recognition: Gen Y is a generation of the “there are no losers — everyone’s a winner” mentality. “But they didn’t make that up (boomer parents),” Kesher pointed out, to a round of laughter. Gen Yers don’t care how it gets done –they just want to get it done. And they want to be told they did a good job once they do it; recognition is very important.

·         Diversity: “Why do only white people work here?” might be something a Gen Y worker thinks while viewing a company site or sitting in the lobby while waiting to be interviewed and noticing the lack of diverse employees. Gen Y doesn’t embrace diversity — they expect it — and if your company says you believe in diversity, but then a Gen Y worker shows up and all workers look the same — they will think you’re not living up to your diversity message. This generation has grown up with a greater awareness of and comfort with diversity of all kinds. From home lives, to school experiences, to messages absorbed from pop culture, they often don’t see what all the fuss is. This can manifest as difficulty in understanding why others struggle with issues around differences. A question of whether gay marriage should be legalized, for example, is a non-issue for many Gen Y individuals — and this shift ties into a larger cultural shift in general.

·         Work versus life: “I love my job, but I love my life more” — that’s something you may hear a lot of Gen Yers say. One of the critical issues that will need to be ironed out at work in the future, Kesher said, will revolve around workplace flexibility. We’re increasingly seeing workplace flexibility issues evolving in the workplace, and Gen Y workers in particular (though they’re not alone) want to know how they can maintain their relationship with work while still having the flexibility to live the life they envision. As mentioned above, Gen Y has no problem with work or with the idea of working hard — it’s just that their job will never be the whole of their identity. They were raised with the imperative to “follow your dreams!”, and their job and life may intersect in new ways than we’ve seen in past generations. “Gen Y,” Kesher stressed, “doesn’t want a job — they want a life that hopefully includes a job.”

·         Being green: This is the generation that’s leading the green movement — so give them the power to build, make changes, and become leaders in your organization’s (existing or non-existing) green movement.

Why worry about Gen Y?

Ensuring that the different generations working together under one roof actually work well together is a big concern for many employers. After all, if knowledge isn’t able to be sufficiently shared from generation to generation, older generations will eventually retire — taking with them decades of experience. In addition, workers who work well together are likely to be happier, more productive and better brand ambassadors for companies.

There’s hopeful news for soon-to-be graduates, too. According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers’ Job Outlook 2012 survey, employers plan to hire 9.5 percent more graduates from the Class of 2012 than they hired from the Class of 2011. While many of those job openings will be triggered by attrition, it’s still a good sign that the number is increasing.

What this all means is that things are starting to look up, but there will still be bumps in the road ahead. Yet some industries are seeing growth — so much so that some can’t fill their positions fast enough.

If you’re a job seeker, consider exploring a career in one of these nine occupations, all of which are expected to grow in 2012.

1. Biomedical engineer
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, biomedical engineers apply knowledge of engineering, biology, and biomechanical principles to the design, development and evaluation of biological and health systems and products. This is one of the fastest-growing occupations, with an expected 72 percent increase in employment from 2008-2018.
Average salary: $82,421*

2. Computer software engineer
The computer systems design and related services industry has seen continued growth throughout the second half of 2011, according to the BLS. In addition, the NACE Job Outlook 2012 survey found computer sciences to be one of the top bachelor’s degrees in demand by employers.
Average salary: $97,581

3. Customer service representative
This occupation is expected to experience faster than average growth, one reason being the high turnover rate in the field. This is also a good industry to consider if you are fluent in multiple languages, as opportunities for bilingual representatives are fruitful.
Average salary: $29,314

4. Home health aide
Home health aides provide in-home care, a service that will continue to be important as the elderly population continues to grow. According to the Department of Health and Human Services, the number of Americans 65 and older is projected to be 88.5 million by 2050, more than double its estimated 2010 population.
Average salary: $28,173

5. Management analyst
Management analyst is an occupation in the management and technical consulting services field, a field that grew by 3.8 percent from September to October 2011 and has seen steady growth throughout the second half of the year. According to the BLS, management analysts study and analyze business-related issues and recommend solutions.
Average salary: $72,197

6. Medical assistant
The BLS predicts that the medical assistant field will grow by 33.9 percent from 2008-2018. Medical assistants often work at physicians’ offices and perform administrative and clinical duties. Proper training and skills can be acquired by attending a one- to two-year program at a vocational school.
Average salary: $37,571

7. Network systems and data communications analyst
The BLS notes that this occupational category, with sizable employment growth projections through 2018, includes network architects and engineers, as well as Web administrators and developers. According to the Labor Department, the type of degree required depends on the position level.
Average salary: $48,316

8. Registered nurse
The registered nurse profession is the largest health-care occupation and is expected to grow by 22.2 percent from 2008-2018, according to the BLS. While RNs can be employed by physicians’ offices, most work in hospitals.
Average salary: $71,692

9. Retail salesperson
The record-busting Black Friday and Cyber Monday retail sales show that consumers are starting to feel a little more confident about the economy. In fact, the retail trade has overall trended up since June 2011, with a slight dip from July to August. Due to this occupation’s high turnover rate, employment opportunities are expected to be good.
Average salary: $25,557

*All salary estimates are from CBSalary.com and are the U.S. national average salary.

Debra Auerbach is a writer and blogger for CareerBuilder.com and its job blog, The Work Buzz. She researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues.

Moving in on two years of unemployment, Hadley is willing to try different tactics to see what might work. He has begun to leave off some of his education as well as the fact that he is a published author. “I don’t want to have to omit such things, but I feel as though I don’t even get considered if they are on my résumé,” he laments.

While only time will tell if this strategy works for him, plenty of other job seekers deliberate the same issue. Here, a few perspectives on leaving info off a résumé.

Crafting

Many experts will caution job seekers about even applying for positions for which they are overqualified because of decreased earning potential, boredom and a larger applicant pool (not to mention the bruised ego if one doesn’t land that “crummy” job). For applicants who still decide to give it a shot, “crafting” is often the route of choice.

A good application for any position should be created to match the employer’s needs as closely as possible. Thus, simple (yet truthful) changes can make you a better candidate.

Duncan Mathison, a career consultant and co-author of “Unlock the Hidden Job Market: 6 Steps to a Successful Job Search When Times are Tough,” recalls a client who felt his master’s degree in psychology might be hindering his chances for a business sales job. “We dropped the degree and replaced it with an ‘Additional Professional Training’ statement that said, ‘More than 500 hours in professional training on topics such as buyer motivation, persuasion and organizational behavior.’ This allowed him to position the value of his psychology training for a sales position without listing the degree. It was truthful, and it worked.”

Similarly, terminology changes such as “manager” becoming “project team leader” may be a better match to a particular job ad. Some job seekers tone down executive-sounding titles, especially if inflated (such as opting for a managerial title rather than showcasing that you were vice president in a company with only five employees).

“I often tell my more experienced and older clients to omit their dates of graduation (if they graduated on schedule rather than mid-career),” says Roy Cohen, a career coach and author of “The Wall Street Professional’s Survival Guide.” “This frees them up to leave off as many years of experience as necessary, so the application doesn’t feel burdened by the weight of their careers.”

Another option is creating a functional résumé instead of a chronological one. By sorting experiences into skill clusters, there becomes less of an emphasis on the length or extensiveness of past positions.

Beyond the résumé

Candidates are free to present themselves in the way they see most fit (outside of lying, of course). But what happens, say, if an employer asks about items like missing dates?

“First, that’s a good thing because the applicant was invited in for an interview with the company,” Cohen says. “He can always respond, ‘I left it off intentionally. I wanted the attention to be focused entirely on my relevant and very valuable experience. Let me tell you about what I’ve done … ‘”

Some job seekers, however, find it hard to sell themselves.

“I took my MBA off my résumé and tried to dumb myself down, but in the interviews, it got tricky,” says Tiffany Bradshaw of California. “They would ask about certain experience and if I had it, and I felt like I was telling stories/lies to try to cover up the items I had taken off.”

Likewise, employers may feel duped if the applicant who shows up is older than his résumé suggests or if the conversation feels disjointed.

“It’s dangerous to leave relevant experience off a résumé, especially in the legal field,” says Cheryl Heisler, president and founder of Lawternatives, a career-consulting firm for lawyers. “In much of the law, the devil is in the details. If you are perceived as loose or careless about those ‘unimportant little details,’ you can send the exact wrong message to a future employer. Better to ‘spin’ the parts of your background that might make you seem overqualified than to extract them.”

The decision

Like most career decisions, there isn’t an easy answer about what to keep or delete on a résumé. Perhaps reflecting on how to make the document appealing to a prospective employer while still painting a portrait you are comfortable with is key. For when a candidate feels confident about her presentation, it is bound to get noticed.

Beth Braccio Hering researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues for CareerBuilder.com. Follow @CareerBuilder on Twitter.

Some things haven’t changed. It’s still tough out there. There are still many people competing for few opportunities. But with the right tools, you can improve your search, broaden your networking opportunities and align yourself with a career that fits your skills.

Here are 10 tips for a successful job search in 2012:

1. Create a job search strategy. Employers hate receiving applications from candidates who are not qualified for positions. So it’s time to stop using the shotgun approach to your job search. You’re wasting your time, and you’re wasting the recruiter’s time. Carefully read job postings and determine whether you could do a majority of the tasks required if you started tomorrow. A recent CareerBuilder job forecast reported that employers are not finding qualified candidates for their open positions, so learn how to tailor your existing skills to a job’s requirements and spend time preparing better résumés and cover letters instead of just blasting a generic one to every single posting.

2. Define your goals and your brand. It can be challenging to stop and ask yourself, “What do I really want out of a job?” Answers as simple as a paycheck or benefits may be a reality, but the fact is that you do want more out of your job than just cash. Your career needs to satisfy you in more ways than just your pocketbook. By defining what you want out of a job and what you offer up as a job seeker, you become better at applying for jobs that are aligned with your overall career goals. By taking the time to define your brand as a job seeker, you can figure out what your best selling points are and the most valuable skills you have to sell to an employer. Make sure your social media accounts are professional if used as part of your search. And if they aren’t, keep them under lock and key, since more and more employers are screening applicants via social profiles.

3. Diversify your search. While employers still utilize sites like CareerBuilder, many are branching out in multiple ways to connect with job seekers. You should be readily available in each of those channels. Whether it’s through social media or local networking events, utilize today’s technology to further spread the message about your brand. Today’s job search can be summed up in one word: hustle. The more you switch up your efforts, the more opportunities you’ll come across and the more you place yourself ahead of the pack. Also, know your industry and what trends are happening. Manufacturing companies may still have you apply in-person, whereas digital advertising agencies may expect a much more elaborate electronic portfolio available via the Internet.

4. Evaluate your skills and add more. Perhaps your skills aren’t up-to-date with most of the jobs you are seeing in the market, or perhaps they are a little rusty. Brush up on your underutilized skills with online courses or community classes. You could also consider going back to school. Government funding and other programs are available for out-of-work job seekers who want to enroll in training or continue their education to better position themselves in the current workforce.

5. Be unique. You already know that defining your brand can help set you apart from the competition. When an employer asks, “Why should I hire you?” you will already have a list of your best qualities. As you come across jobs that you feel confident about, do something that will help you stand out and be memorable to the recruiter or Human Resources manager. Dig around, and before applying, find out the name of the hiring manager or someone who heads up the department the position is in, and contact him directly. Utilize the information on LinkedIn to your benefit. Reach out with a brief introduction, and let him know you’ve applied for the position and you hope to be in touch. After applying, it never hurts to follow up with a company via social media to share your excitement about the position.

6. Proactively listen. Searching for a job can be tedious, and you can get so focused that sometimes it’s easy to forget to listen, research or monitor conversations. Pay attention to how employers are communicating about jobs via social media and through their websites and how you can speak to them in their own language. Connect with other job seekers or career experts, and see what methods you can adopt from their job search strategies. Join Twitter chats and online career fairs to connect with more employers and broaden your network. Just be sure that while you’re out selling your brand, you take the time to listen to how others are finding success in their search.

7. Set goals. The overall goal may be either get a job or get a new one, but when you break that big goal down into smaller goals, you set yourself up for more success and less frustration. When you only look toward that big goal, it can be disheartening when it takes a long time to achieve it. Choose monthly goals like joining professional organizations or volunteering at a nonprofit that will allow you to flex and utilize your skills. When you are able to create a to-do list and hold yourself accountable for achieving these goals, you’ll feel better about yourself. That self-initiation can be shown off in your job search and interviews as a great example of your character. By forcing yourself to focus on small goals, you continue networking with new individuals that can assist you in your job search.

8. Prepare for anything. You can’t always predict when you may get called for an in-person or phone interview, so you should always be ready. You should go into an interview with at least five examples that demonstrate your best qualities. When they want examples of real-life successes or things you’d do different, have them prepared. If you volunteered or taught yourself a new set of skills, be sure to mention this. Rehearse for interviews with mentors or friends so you won’t ‘wing it,’ which can diminish your chances of portraying yourself in the best way. Leave the interviewer with phone numbers of references who will back you up with recommendations.

9. Positive thinking can lead to positive results. Use your career search as a time to see every situation as a learning opportunity. Of course every job hunt will have moments of frustration and hopelessness. But don’t give up on yourself or on the belief that the right job is out there. Use the time to re-evaluate your career path, which could lead you to a more fulfilling career. A positive attitude is also contagious, and the more positive you are, the more likely others will be willing to go out of their way to help you.

10. Stay balanced. Job searching can take a lot out of you. Create a schedule or routine for yourself, so you don’t burn out. Make sure you get plenty of rest, talk to friends and family, stay active and allow yourself those moments to do things you enjoy. Take the time to play a video game, go for a jog or play with your pets — do whatever it takes to get you back to you.

Finding the perfect job is attainable, but you have to put in the work and effort and have faith that you’ll reach your destination. By being proactive, connecting with others and having a can-do attitude, you’ll be able to tackle some of the biggest job search hurdles in 2012.

Justin Thompson is a writer and blogger for CareerBuilder.com and its job blog, The Work Buzz. He researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues.

There are essentially three generations of job seekers vying for jobs today: Baby Boomers, Generation X or Gen X, and Generation Y or Millennials. Because of this, job seekers are finding themselves competing with people of all different ages for the same job; people that can bring different experiences and skill sets to the position.

I asked career coaches, advisers and recruiters if there are any patterns in how job seekers from different generations go about the job search. Here are some that they noted:

Baby Boomers: Often show a high level of professionalism and excel in face-to-face interviews. “Baby Boomers know that the job search is ultimately about relationships, and [they] tend to invest the time in the process of developing relationships,” says Lynne Sarikas, executive director of the MBA Career Center at Northeastern University. “They know the value of a handwritten thank-you note.”

Gen X: Tend to utilize both in-person and online communication effectively. “When it comes to overall communication skills and working knowledge of technology, members of Generation X fall squarely between their 20-year-old and 50- to 60-year-old counterparts,” says Maribeth Kuzmeski, author of

“The Connectors: How the World’s Most Successful Businesspeople Build Relationships and Win Clients for Life.” “They are used to online job searches, emailing résumés and following up via both email and

handwritten notes.”

Millennials: Often adept at using all forms of social media in their job search. They tend to embrace all kinds of technology and use that technology to their advantage, including applying via their smartphone or tablet or following up via creative ways online.

“[Job seekers] over 50 years old may be used to looking for work in a newspaper, attending job fairs, dropping by a company to inquire about job leads and speaking to those in their network regarding job opportunities,” says Lavie Margolin, career coach, speaker and author of “Lion Cub Job Search: Practical Job Search Assistance for Practical Job Seekers.” “A younger generation would be more apt to look for jobs online and use social networks to reach out to people for help as opposed to speaking to people face-to-face or giving someone a call.”

So how do job seekers compete with those from other generations? Perhaps it’s by learning from each other and applying a combination of new and tried-and-true job-search tactics. Here are some tips on how job seekers of all generations can be successful in their job hunt.

Embrace both offline and online communication

To get the most out of a job search, try using both online and offline resources. Search for jobs on career websites as well as social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn. Consider building an online portfolio that houses your résumé along with examples of your work or previous successes, but don’t forget to bring hard copies to an interview, too. Also try meeting with a headhunter or recruiter who specializes in finding jobs in the field for which you’re applying.

Networking works

“Regardless of generation, the single most important thing you can do to support your job search is networking,” Sarikas says. “Identify alumni, former colleagues, friends of friends or family who work in the companies you are interested in as employers. Conduct informational interviews to learn about the company, the culture and the types of roles in your area of interest. Meet as many people as possible who can help support your efforts, and identify how you can help them as well. While you can use the Internet and other tools to identify resources, do your networking in person whenever possible. Have a real conversation.”

Execution matters

“Execution matters – cover letters and résumés must be flawless; no spelling or grammatical errors,” Sarikas says. “You should be well prepared for your interview. Research the company and the people you are meeting. Have questions prepared. Information is easily accessible, so there is no excuse for not being well prepared.”

The power of thank you

Follow up with both an email and a snail mail thank-you note. “Write a handwritten thank-you note to each interviewer and show your enthusiasm for the job as well as your appreciation for their time. It makes them remember you in a positive way,” Sarikas recommends.

Tech marketers bring these two pursuits together, and the more seamlessly the better. So how do you convince a prospective employer that you have both the technical aptitude and the communication savvy to make their cell phones, computers, tablets or other gadgets irresistible to target audiences?

How you approach your prospective employer will vary depending on how far up the corporate ladder you’re aiming. But the tips below are useful for a broad spectrum of tech marketing jobs.

1. Know the technology … or convince them you can learn it.

This is fundamental. As a marketer, you’ll often be introducing new products and services. If you don’t really understand the technology, you’ll be forced to stick with generic pitches — always less convincing than a well-tailored argument. And you’re more prone to make an embarrassing flub.

If you don’t have a tech background, you may still be a strong candidate. Show that you’ve learned as much as you reasonably could about the relevant technology before stepping into the interview. Technology changes fast, so demonstrating that you can catch on quickly is a good idea, since it’s pretty much guaranteed that you’ll be constantly learning on the job.

2. Know the company.

You don’t need encyclopedic knowledge of every product the company has ever released, but it’s a good idea to be familiar with its major product lines, as well as its market space and biggest competitors.

3. Show that you can translate technical ideas into language anyone can understand.

Part of the genius behind Apple’s marketing is its willingness to forgo tech jargon for simple human appeal (hence the “I’m a Mac, I’m a PC” commercials, or the iPad ad that simply showed someone using one while lounging on a couch). That underscores the point that you don’t have to be a technical wizard to market technology, but you do have to be a deft communicator, both in writing and verbally. You’ll have ample opportunity to showcase the latter skill in a job interview. If you can talk about the company and its products in a compelling, succinct and persuasive way, you’ll go a long way toward convincing your interviewer that you’re right for the job.

4. Give examples of marketing plans you executed successfully.

(Even more importantly, show the strategy you used to get there.) Perhaps you’re thinking, “I’m pretty new to this business, and I haven’t had the chance to conceive a marketing plan yet.” Don’t let that stop you from sharing your ideas. Strategic thinking is critical in marketing, and if you’ve got it, (politely) flaunt it.

5. Look beyond cool to the bottom line.

New technology is often exciting — Look, I can make a movie on my phone! — but more sophisticated marketers know that cool isn’t always enough. Show that you understand the wow factor, but then describe how you would market the product to the company’s business advantage.

But, just because 2011 is quickly winding down doesn’t mean your job search has to.

In fact, the next couple of months can actually be one of the best times to look for work. By October, most companies have regained speed after the summer lull, and many will be trying to make hiring decisions before the holiday vacation season begins in late November.

“Beginning the week of Thanksgiving, many companies’ hiring processes start coming to a slow grind, due in a large part to many people using the holidays as vacation time, adding extra days off to the holiday schedule,” says Dorothy Tannahill Moran, owner of Next Chapter, New Life, a career coaching firm. “For a job seeker … this means they need to be networking, conducting informational interviews and sending applications immediately so they can be focused on by the hiring company while a full staff is still available.”Looking for a job? It’s time to kick your search into high gear. To give you a jump start, here’s a list of 15 companies that are hiring new employees this month.

1. Addison Search

Industry: Recruiting

Sample job titles: Coder, customer service, escrow, credit analyst

Location: Texas, N.Y., Ill. , N.J., Mass.

2. Bethesda Lutheran Communities

Industry: Nonprofit/Healthcare

Sample job titles: Registered nurse, behavior support specialist, caregiver/ direct support professional, area director

Location: Calif., Colo., Ill., Ind., Kan., Mich., Mo., N.J., Ohio, Ore., Texas, Wash., Wis.

3. CapTech

Industry: Professional consulting

Sample job titles: Java developer, Java architect, SharePoint developer, and SharePoint architect

Location: Richmond, Va.; Charlotte, N.C.; Philadelphia

4. Carfax

Industry: Consumer services

Sample job titles: Marketing manager, business analyst / operations analyst, customer support specialist, field sales consultant, production support specialist, Java developer, senior web designer, project manager, national accounts manager

Location: Nationwide

5. Dollar General

Industry: Retail

Sample job titles: District managers, store managers, store manager candidates

Location: Nationwide

6. Family Home Health Services

Industry: Healthcare

Sample job titles: Business development manager, occupational therapist, physical therapist, nurse

Location: Fla., Mich., Ind., Mo., Ohio

7. Farmers Insurance

Industry: Insurance

Sample job titles: Insurance sales agent

Location: (cities or states): Ill., Ind., Minn., N.J., Ohio, Penn., Va., Wis.

8. John Knox Village

Industry: Health care

Sample job titles: Food service, CNA, LPN, RN, EMT

Location: Mo., Kan.

9. Men’s Wearhouse

Industry: Retail

Sample job titles: Sales consultant, sales manager

Location: Nationwide

10. Modern Woodmen of America

Industry: Insurance and banking

Sample job titles: Managing partner, financial representative

Location: Nationwide

11. PricewaterhouseCoopers

Industry: Professional services

Sample job titles: Accountant, auditor, tax accountant, consultant

Location: Nationwide

12. The Prudential Insurance Company of America
Industry: Financial services
Sample job titles: Financial professional associate (entry level and experienced)
Location: Nationwide

13. Titlemax

Industry: Consumer services

Sample job titles: Store manager, district manager, bilingual customer service representative, commercial construction field estimator, customer service representative, general manager trainee, store manager trainee, regional manager

Location: Nationwide

14. TMG Health

Industry: Business process outsourcing/professional services

Sample job titles: Analyst, senior market research; supervisor, operations compliance; supervisor, workforce management, analyst II, systems, account executive

Location: Dunmore, Penn.; King of Prussia, Penn.; Dallas; Little Rock, Ark.

15. Warner Chilcott

Industry: Pharmaceutical

Sample job titles: Pharmaceutical sales rep, women’s healthcare pharmaceutical rep, osteoporosis pharmaceutical sales rep

Location: Multiple states

In case you missed it, last week, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the economy created no jobs in August, and that the unemployment rate held steady at 9.1 percent.

At the same time, however, the BLS also reported that nearly 2.7 million jobs went unfilled in August, and, according to Manpower’s 2011 Talent Shortage Survey, 34 percent of employers report having difficulties filling open positions — a 3 percent increase over 2010.

So, to help close this employment gap and direct all of you job seekers out there toward the employers that need your services, we’ve put together a list of companies that are most in need of workers right now.

In total, these 14 companies have a combined total of nearly 10,000 job openings — and they need employees as badly as you need a job. (Note, while all of these companies have lots of job openings currently posted on CareerBuilder, not all of the openings are listed on our site. Visit the companies’ websites for more information about complete job listings).

<--more!-->

1. PNC

Number of jobs available: 1,000+

Types of jobs: Mortgage loan officer, bank branch manager, software engineer, part-time teller, relationship manager and financial advisor

2. AON

Number of jobs available: 1,390+

Types of jobs: Risk management, insurance brokerage services, benefits outsourcing, human capital consulting and actuarial

3. U-Haul

Number of jobs available: 1,575+

Types of jobs: General manager and trainees, shop manager, customer care representative, programmer, web designer, traffic control manager, storage team manager, structural engineer, production manager and transfer driver

4. Yellowbook

Number of jobs available: 1,000+

Types of jobs: New media specialist, client service representative, entry-level customer service, finance, it- engineering, developer, programmer, entry-level production and entry-level field distribution management

5. Comfort Keepers

Number of jobs available: 900+

Types of jobs: Caregiver, home health aide, LPN, personal care aide, registered nurse, community relations and marketing director

6. Motorola Solutions

Number of jobs available: 600+ globally

Types of jobs: Various IT and engineering roles: product manager, systems engineer, information security specialist and software engineer

7. Red Ventures

Number of jobs available: 1,000+

Types of jobs: Inside sales, web developer, online marketing, sales trainer, corporate recruiter, php developer, sales recruiter, human resources and copywriter

8. Bridgestone Retail Operations

Number of jobs available: 400+

Types of jobs: Retail management trainee, retail sales (full-time and part-time), automotive technician (full-time and part-time) and automotive maintenance technician (full-time and part-time)

9. Earthlink

Number of jobs available: 300+

Types of jobs: Account executive, major account executive, national account executive, system sales, channel sales, sales engineer, field technician, NOC technician and branch manager

10. UniTek Global Services

Number of jobs available: 400+

Types of jobs: Cable installer, satellite installer and wireless installation project manager and foreman

11. Certified Payment Processing

Number of jobs available: 400+

Types of jobs: Outside sales

12. Pilot Flying J

Number of jobs available: 500+

Types of jobs: Retail and restaurant managers

13. Senior Helpers

Number of jobs available: 400+

Types of jobs: Certified nursing assistant, caregiver, scheduling coordinator, marketing manager, client services manager, community relations coordinator

14. Harbor Freight Tools

Number of jobs available: 500

Types of jobs: Field positions at all level within our stores, nationwide. Corporate positions in all functions: finance, legal, marketing, sourcing, category management, etc.

See a job you’re interested in? Give yourself the best chance at landing one of these jobs, by following these three tips from Joyce Gioia, workplace futurist, CEO of Employer of Choice International, Inc., and the author of five business books.

Kaitlin Madden, CareerBuilder

Savvy job seekers can use the site to gain all kinds of job search advantages: information on the types of people the company hires, the name of the hiring manager for a particular job (and if they’re really lucky, an email address) and even the ultimate “in,” a personal connection at a company of interest.

But, for every job seeker that expertly navigates the online networking scene, there are plenty of others who fumble their way through it, often over- or underestimating the role the site should play in their job search.

“LinkedIn is a valuable tool, but sometimes when people search for a job they can confuse activity with productivity,” says Tony Beshara, president of Dallas-based placement firm Babich and Associates, and author of the book “Unbeatable Résumés,” for which he surveyed more than 2,000 people on their LinkedIn use. “No matter what activity you’re doing, whether it’s writing your resume or browsing profiles on LinkedIn, if that activity isn’t actually getting you an interview, it’s not as productive as something that would get you an interview.”

If your online networking has been less than productive (read: if it hasn’t actually lead to a connection or interview with an employer of interest), then you might need to revamp your LinkedIn strategy. These guidelines will help ensure the time you spend on the site is most effective.

When reaching out to your contacts:

Don’t be shy
The whole point on LinkedIn is to connect with people, so if you’re hesitant to reach out to a co-worker you haven’t spoken to in a while, don’t be. She’s on the site for the same reason you are — to network with people — so she probably expects the occasional introduction request.

“Interestingly enough, everybody that’s on LinkedIn expects the same thing out of everybody else,” Beshara says. “[The thought is] ‘What I do for you today, you’ll do for me tomorrow.’ People are a lot more open to responding to you because they know that somebody else is going to do the same thing for them, or that you’re going to do the same thing for them the next time.”

Don’t be needy
When you do find someone in your network who has a connection or works for a company you’d like an introduction to, your approach will play a big part in the person’s response.

“Make it known early in the process that you’re not expecting your networking connections to do the hard work for you,” says Diane Crompton, author of the books “Seven Days to Online Networking” and “Find a Job through Social Networking.” “In other words, if you want them to introduce you to a contact at their employer, say something like ‘I’m not expecting you to endorse me for this position or intervene on my behalf.’ This will take the emotional burden off of them should they feel too much ownership in your job search process.”

If your networking contact is new, or someone you don’t know very well, it’s especially important to make it know that you’ll be the most active part of the equation, Crompton says. For example, “Ask if you can use your contact’s name as a door opener to get the conversation going with your desired end recipient. By doing this you’ve taken them off the hot seat in terms of their involvement,” she says.

Take it off line
InMail, LinkedIn’s messaging function, is great for making initial contact with someone. But once that’s done, move the conversation to email or a phone call. Not everyone checks their LinkedIn profile consistently, so communicating this way is often ineffective and slow.

If you’re browsing your connections and find out that someone you know pretty well works at a company or has a connection of interest, you can even skip the InMail message altogether.

For example, says Beshara, “Once you find somebody you know an organization, call them up and say ‘Hey Mary this is Tony, I understand you work with Leroy, and I’d like to get a hold of him. Can you tell me a little bit about him, or what’s going on at your organization?’ That sort of thing.”

When making introduction requests:

Let your contact know it’s coming
If you plan on asking a contact for an introduction and have the person’s email address, send them a “heads up” to let them know it’s coming. Doing so will help you gauge the person’s reception to your request, Crompton says. “[Plus], not everybody is active on LinkedIn everyday and this will ensure that your message doesn’t sit in their LinkedIn Inbox for a long period of time,” she says.

Make a good first impression
Something that not all job seekers realize before they send introduction requests: “When using the ‘Request an Introduction’ function on LinkedIn, you’ll need to create messages to your ‘bridge’ (middle) contact as well as to the end recipient,” Crompton points out. “Keep in mind that both people receive both messages, so if you’re on a casual name basis with the introducer you’ll still need to keep the communication more formal and professional, knowing that your end recipient will also get the message you sent along to the middle connection.”

When researching companies

Find the hiring manager
If you’re interested in a particular job, try finding the hiring manager on LinkedIn. Job descriptions will often include the title of the person the job will report to.

If the position reports to the director of marketing, pull up the company page, and see if you can find the person with this title. If you do find the hiring manager, “it’s absolutely OK to reach out to him or her directly,” Beshara says. If the person’s email address isn’t listed, you can often find the company’s email format online (for example, FirstName.LastName@companyX.com), and you can plug his or her name into this format.

Look at who they hire
Browsing company profiles and looking at the company’s page on the site will not only give you a better idea of whether or not you’re the type of person the company usually hires, but will also clue you in about potential alumni connections you may have missed.

“You can look at employee profiles and find out what kinds of people the company has hired in the past, what companies employees come from, if you went to school with any of them , etc.,” Beshara says.

If you find a common bond between you and someone you’d like to reach out to, “Use the transparency of LinkedIn to assess the best approach for communicating with your end recipient,” Crompton suggests. “Customizing your message by using these commonalities will build rapport and make your initial approach that much more ‘warm.’”

Kaitlin Madden is a writer and blogger for CareerBuilder.com and its job blog, The Work Buzz. She researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues. Follow @Careerbuilder on Twitter.

Kaitlin Madden, CareerBuilder Writer

Little actions have big results

Rich Christiansen, now an entrepreneur and author of “The Zig Zag Principle,” remembers being a “peon” at a start-up company where “everyone was busting their gut to make this little leading-edge technology business work.” As he was leaving one night, he noticed that the office’s floor needed mopping and the place as a whole was pretty filthy. With an important potential investor set to visit the next day, Christiansen decided to come back that night and clean up.

The next day, there was a buzz among the workers as to who had secretly played janitor, and someone eventually figured it out. A vice president offered him a promotion and became a lifelong friend and mentor. Christiansen notes that “by being competent and looking for ways to give and do a little extra, I was able to form a relationship that has been mutually beneficial over the years.”

Skills are often transferable

During her early 20s, Tracy Brisson of New York City participated in Teach for America. While she discovered that K-12 teaching was not her calling, she still values the experience. Today, she owns The Opportunities Project, a recruitment consulting and career coaching business.

“Working with kids teaches you how to communicate, use data (test scores) to meet an end and think on your feet. It gives you stamina, grit and resilience. I couldn’t run a successful business without having learned these skills in the field. When a lesson doesn’t go the way you want in the classroom and you experience failure and disappointment, you learn how to get up the next day and try again because you have no other choice.”

An end can spark a beginning

Trouble finding a job in her field in the early 1990s led advertising graduate Nancy Sipera to various positions, including waitressing and temping. She then got a job at a small printing company — only to be fired a month later for spending too much time with the customers.

“That job changed my life; nothing like anger to motivate you to get moving,” Sipera notes. “I decided to start freelancing on my own and picked up a few graphic design jobs through local advertising.” Today, she owns New Jersey-based First Impressions Advertising and “spends as much time as I like with the customers!”

Figuring out what makes you happy is worth the time

Fresh with a degree in computer science, Laura Allan of Seattle, Wash., “absolutely loved” her first job out of college as a programmer with a large corporation. “In any given day, I might be writing new functionality, fixing bugs, helping the time clerks in the field use the application or presenting training on the application. I also loved that my customers loved me. I was who they came to for help, and I was always there to support them. It was really nice to feel that what I did made a difference to others.”

Not always as happy as her career progressed, Allan went back to school in her late 40s to get a master’s degree in counseling. Today, the psychotherapist and coach sees commonalities between that first job she loved so much and what she does now.

“I have variety in my day. I’m always learning something new and teaching it to my clients. And though I may not be fixing computer program bugs, I get to use similar skills to help my clients uncover what is keeping them stuck in a place they no longer want to be. I’m again in the position of being the place of unconditional support for my clients.”

The ladder is yours for the climbing
While plenty of people switch jobs during their 20s, there also are workers who find their niche and stay in one place. Jason Coleman of Federal Way, Wash., is one such employee, starting as a part-timer for a sporting goods retail chain and working his way up to overseeing multiple stores as district supervisor. He notes that his initial position influenced the rest of his life, not only because it led to his current duties and responsibilities but also because he learned the value of hard work.

“Oftentimes, people encourage you to ‘go the extra mile,’” Coleman says. “I’ve learned firsthand that the extra mile isn’t crowded; not that many people travel it!”

So remember that whether you end up spending two months or two decades at a workplace, chances are the experience will shape you in some way — even if your 20s are history by the time you realize it.

Beth Braccio Hering researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues for CareerBuilder. Follow @Careerbuilder on Twitter.

Beth Braccio Hering, Special to CareerBuilder

Generally, the decision to change careers isn’t made lightly. It’s a process — and for some a dilemma — that stirs many questions, doubts and fears. You may worry that a career change will lower your earnings, require an expensive investment in education and training, or force you to start from scratch in an unfamiliar industry.

When faced with these concerns, it’s no wonder why you may hesitate to make a change. But you should never feel “stuck” in an unfulfilling job, because your career change options are greater than you probably realize.

According to Laurence Shatkin, Ph.D., one strategy that can open many doors is to reroute your career using what you already know. “You can make your next career the sequel to your previous career. Do something different that uses the knowledge and skills you already have,” he explains.

In his new book “The Sequel: How to Change Careers Without Starting Over,” Shatkin overviews several types of sequel careers. Here are five of them and details from Shatkin about the kind of work and skills they involve.

The management sequel

Here are some of the work activities you may do as a manager:

• Develop specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize and accomplish your work.
• Create constructive and cooperative working relationships with others; maintain them over time.
• Handle complaints, settle disputes and resolve grievances and conflicts.
• Negotiate with others.
• Provide information to supervisors, co-workers and subordinates by telephone, in written form, through email or in person.
• Get members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.
• Analyze information and evaluate results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
• Provide guidance and direction to subordinates, set performance standards and monitor performance.
• Identify the developmental needs of others and coach, mentor or otherwise help others to improve their knowledge of skills.
• Schedule events, programs and activities, as well as the work of others.
• Keep up to date technically and apply new knowledge to your job.

Here are some of the skills you may use:

Management of financial resources; management of material resources; quality control analysis; management of personnel resources; troubleshooting; operation monitoring

The teaching sequel

Here are some of the work activities you may do as a teacher, professor, instructor or trainer:

• Develop specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize and accomplish your work.
• Identify the educational needs of others, develop formal educational or training programs or classes, and teach or instruct others.
• Keep up to date technically and apply new knowledge to your job.
• Identify the developmental needs of others and coach, mentor or otherwise help others to improve their knowledge of skills.
• Develop, design, or create new applications, ideas, relationships, systems or products (including artistic contributions).
• Create constructive and cooperative working relationships with others; maintain them over time.
• Provide information to supervisors, co-workers and subordinates by telephone, in written form, through email or in person.
• Analyze information and evaluate results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
• Identify information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detect changes in circumstances or events.
• Schedule events, programs and activities, as well as the work of others.

Here are some of the skills you may use:

Learning strategies; instructing; writing; reading; comprehension; monitoring

The advocacy sequel

Here are some of the work activities you may do as an advocate:

• Communicate with people outside the organization and represent the organization to customers, the public, government and other external sources.
• Develop specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize and accomplish your work.
• Create constructive and cooperative working relationships with others; maintain them over time.
• Observe, receive and obtain information from all relevant sources.
• Provide information to supervisors, co-workers and subordinates by telephone, in written form, through email or in person.
• Keep up to date technically and apply new knowledge to your job.
• Analyze information and evaluate results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
• Handle complaints, settle disputes and resolve grievances and conflicts.
• Negotiate with others.
• Identify the underlying principles, reasons or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
• Compile, code, categorize, calculate, tabulate, audit or verify information or data.

Here are some of the skills you may use:

Writing; speaking; persuading; active listening; critical thinking

The standards enforcement sequel

Here are some of the work activities you may do to enforce standards:

• Use relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations or standards.
• Keep up to date technically and apply new knowledge to your job.
• Create constructive and cooperative working relationships with others; maintain them over time.
• Communicate with people outside the organization and represent the organization to customers, the public, government and other external sources.
• Provide information to supervisors, co-workers and subordinates by telephone, in written form, through email or in person.
• Observe, receive and obtain information from all relevant sources.
• Identify information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
• Compile, code, categorize, calculate, tabulate, audit or verify information or data.
• Analyze information and evaluate results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
• Develop specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize and accomplish your work.

Here are some of the skills you may use:

Troubleshooting; quality control analysis; operation monitoring; systems analysis; operations analysis

The communications sequel

Here are some of the work activities you may do as a communicator:

• Communicate with people outside the organization and represent the organization to customers, the public, government and other external sources.
• Develop specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize and accomplish your work.
• Develop constructive and cooperative working relationships with others and maintain them over time.
• Keep up to date technically and apply new knowledge to your job.
• Develop, design, or create new applications, ideas, relationships, systems or products (including artistic contributions).
• Provide information to supervisors, co-workers and subordinates by telephone, in written form, through email or in person.
• Observe, receive and obtain information from all relevant sources.
• Identify information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
• Schedule events, programs and activities, as well as the work of others.
• Analyze information and evaluate results to choose the best solution and solve problems.

Here are some of the skills you may use:

Writing; reading comprehension; active listening; speaking; critical thinking; active learning

Selena Dehne is a career writer for JIST Publishing who shares the latest occupational, career and job search information available with job seekers and career changers. She is also the author of JIST’s Job Search and Career Blog (http://jistjobsearchandcareer.blogspot.com/). Follow her on Twitter at http://twitter.com/SelenaDehne

For experienced workers who’ve been in the hunt for employment, the interview is where you want to shine and get the offer; but it’s also a time to spot red flags regarding the company, its management and its culture.

Taking the “wrong” job may mean you’ll be unhappy, unproductive and unfulfilled.  And, you’ll be back in the job hunt.  Here are five potential on-site interview warning signs that might indicate you should say “No thanks” to a potential offer and continue your search.

1. The age-old question about age.  This may be considered common knowledge today, but it’s against the law to ask a job applicant his or her age – along with a lot of other personal information like race, creed and national origin. In fact, this kind of discrimination is protected by the federal government and enforced by the U.S. Equal Opportunity Commission. Any manager who poses this line of illegal questioning probably would not be too respectful or supportive of experienced workers.
2. So, what exactly will I be doing? Job descriptions should be clearly stated in all help wanted notices and discussed in greater detail during the interview. Be very concerned about hiring authorities who fail to provide a written description of job and supervisory responsibilities or are reluctant to discuss specifics at the interview table. It could be a set up for failure if you’re offered the job.
3. Where’s the fire?! The hiring process these days, especially for managerial and skilled professional positions, takes a lot of steps, including in-person interviews. There’s no real “average” length of time required for an interview.  Initial screenings can last 30 minutes, while second or third interviews can last three hours and involve several staff members. But be very wary of anyone in the interview chain of command who rushes the interview and fails to ask engaging questions. It’s disrespectful and signals they’re unprepared and disorganized.

4. Excuse me while I take this call. It’s plain rude for a hiring authority, human resources professional or anyone from the company to take a phone call during a formal interview.  Plus, it could cut into the time allotted for the meeting and disrupt the flow of the conversation. If they display this kind of behavior before you’re hired, image what it might be like during the work day.

5. Are we on the same team? The interview process really is a two-way street: The company is deciding if you’re the right employee, and you’re making a determination if you want to work for the company. Part of your due diligence in the process should center on getting an opportunity to meet the people who might be your colleagues. Flash a big “caution” sign if the company will not let you meet others within your department.  The level of caution is increased if you’re being hired to manage these people.

Some experienced job seekers may have spent much more time across the table from the hiring authority than their younger counterparts. Still, it’s critical for even the most experienced job seeker to recognize these red flags and others before signing on the dotted line.

By Edward M. Bury, special to PrimeCB.com

You can get that same feeling if you return to the job market after a decade or more away. If you’re a parent who stayed home to raise your children or you were recently laid off, your résumé is outdated and your interview skills are probably rusty. The workplace has also changed, and employers want to hire someone who doesn’t need a lot of hand holding. In other words, you have a lot of work to do and you need somewhere to start.

According to Nancy DeCrescenzo, the director of Eastern Connecticut State University’s office of career services, confidence is essential. Without confidence your job search will be fruitless.

“Regardless of how long a job seeker has been out of work, success is always influenced by confidence,” DeCrescenzo says. “Until you’re able to convince yourself that you’re the candidate for the job, you’ll never be able to convince anyone else.”

Getting to that point takes a little work, but it can pay off big.

The technology issue

Perhaps the biggest concern a job seeker in this situation might have is proving technological savvy. Karen Friedman, author of “Shut Up and Say Something,” encourages job seekers to avoid appearing incompetent in today’s Web 2.0 world.

“Be careful not to talk about how inexperienced or confused you are by technology or how you have no use for social networking,” Friedman says. “Just the other day, an experienced, very bright, turning-60 colleague told me she doesn’t need a smart phone because she’s gotten by all these years with a regular phone. You can sound out of date, especially if you are talking to younger people.”

Friedman reminds job seekers that a recent Pew study found technology to be the most significant gap between generations at work. Employers know this and you don’t want to prove them right.

“Be careful of inadvertently giving an impression that you are closed to new ideas and fresh approaches. While you don’t have to be expert in the latest gadgets or trend, it is important to continually build and update your skills so you appear fresh, informed and experienced.”

Know what to expect

“Interviews have been evolving over the past decade. Most organizations have gone to more behavioral interview questions where they ask hypothetical questions that don’t permit a simple response…” says Kurt Weyerhauser, managing partner for Kensington Stone, an executive search firm. “Instead the questions are more open ended and require you to respond in greater detail.”

A what-if scenario shows employers how you think and how you handle yourself in difficult situations. Even if you’ve never worked in this particular industry before or faced that specific challenge, you should expect to explain why you would do something and how you could carry it out.

“Some [interviewers] will care more about your looks, some more interested in hearing something specific in answering their questions, some will be most interested in your previous experience, etc.,” Weyerhauser explains. “Ultimately, the best any candidate can do is be as genuine as they can. There is no need to build a facade or act in any particular way. If an organization has a preference for a style, culture and personality that is entirely different from your own, then it’s most important to remain true to yourself. [If] you fake your way into this organization, they’ll expect that person to hide behind that facade every day on the job. That’s simply not how most people today are willing to live.”

What to remember

For professionals embarking on their first job search in a decade, Weyerhauser suggests four key points to remember:

1. Know what you have to offer.

“Many job candidates don’t reflect much on their skills, experiences and competencies. It’s difficult to be effective when you really don’t know what you are good at and what benefit you can bring to a company. So you have to really ‘reflect’ on what your true skills and capabilities are. The more you understand what you offer, the more confident you will be going in and the more focused you will be in sharing your skills and abilities,” he says.

2. Be yourself — it will benefit the company and you.

“Understand that today it’s less about conforming to a new company; instead it’s all about naturally fitting into an organization,” Weyerhauser says. “If it’s a good fit, being genuine will resonate with them. If it’s not a good fit, it won’t resonate with them. But that’s exactly what is supposed to happen. It’s no longer about simply landing a job; today it’s far more important to land the ‘right’ job.”

3. Give a good answer, not a quick one.

“There is no need to respond the very second the interviewer has stopped talking. If a question is more involved, don’t just start jabbering away. Think it through for a few seconds and think of one or two key points you want to make and then answer. It’s actually more correct and positive for an interviewee to say, ‘That’s an interesting question, I’ll need a moment to think about that.’”

4. Give concrete examples

“It’s nice if you say that you are a team player, but adding a real life example makes it even more powerful and believable. A simple answer to a question is not as powerful as an answer that is accompanied with an actual example,” he explains.

Does this describe you? If so, it seems that you may finally be reaping the benefits of your long-term patience and perseverance. While full-time positions are not as readily available as they were before the beginning of the global economic recession, the availability of temporary, contract, and project assignments has steadily increased in the past few months.

An increase in contract or project work, along with a lackluster number of available full-time positions, can lead unemployed professionals to ask a variety of questions. Why is there still a lack of full-time, salaried positions? Will these positions increase anytime soon? If companies are unwilling to hire full-time employees, why do they seem to be able to steadily hire contractors?

Of course, such questions lead to a two-word answer — the economy. Until the recession begins to slow down and the economy further improves, most organizations will simply not have the funds to provide full-time, salaried positions to prospective employees, no matter how qualified they are.

Ideally, all unemployed workers should have opportunities to improve their skill sets and to display their talents within their desired industries. At the same time, all professionals truly deserve to earn wages according to their past work experiences and skills. However, full-time positions are so few and far between that many workers have focused on another career opportunity for the time being — temporary, contract, or project employment.

In the meantime, contract employment can provide positive experiences to unemployed workers. Some of the benefits of contract positions include:

• Freedom and flexibility — Many contract workers are able to work according to their own pre-determined hours, providing them with a sense of freedom and flexibility that full-time employees may not enjoy. If contract employees happen to work more than 40 hours, they are paid overtime. This is not always the case with full-time employees.
• Opportunity to discover new career options — Through temporary or project assignments, individuals are able to attain a variety of positions within different industries. By obtaining work experiences in various fields, contractors are able to identify what type of career they would likely enjoy in the future, as well as which ones they would never like to experience again. It is important to realize that many contractors do indeed discover their dream jobs through contract engagements — you can too!
• Networking — During contract employment, individuals meet and network with a large number of employees within a wide range of industries. By developing such a vast and varied list of contacts, you can learn about temporary and full-time positions that are currently available, outside of your usual career field, before the positions are posted on career websites. Networking can lead people to acquire unique, highly enriching careers that frequently change their lives.

By accepting contract assignments, you will not only receive regular, weekly paychecks, but you will also acquire meaningful work experiences that will possibly lead to a full-time position once the economy improves and the recession lightens. Often times, many contract workers are well-rewarded for their achievements, as well as the positive impacts they have on their organizations, as they are typically notified of full-time offers within their current organizations.

Looking ahead

If they are not offered full-time jobs, some contract workers may also learn about permanent positions that are available at a variety of other organizations, due to the relationships they have developed through networking. By maintaining a high level of positivism, as well as continuous persistence, you will not only thrive as a contract employee, but you may also succeed in a full-time setting once the economy improves.

Kelly Services, Inc. (NASDAQ: KELYA, KELYB) is a leader in providing workforce solutions. Kelly offers a comprehensive array of outsourcing and consulting services as well as world-class staffing on a temporary, temporary-to-hire and direct hire basis. Serving clients around the globe, Kelly provides employment to 480,000 employees annually. Revenue in 2009 was $4.3 billion. For more information, please visit www.kellyservices.com.

Do your homework

Erika Milonas, director of campus recruitment for The McTigue Financial Group (part of Northwestern Mutual) in Chicago reviews more than 1,000 résumés a year and interviews about 400 candidates to choose 40 for the company’s internship program. With such competition, it would seem that interviewees would be incredibly prepared, but that isn’t always the case.

Milonas finds some candidates unable to answer the simple question, “What do you know about The McTigue Financial Group and Northwestern Mutual?” She calls failure to be able to discuss the company at this basic level a “deal breaker,” regardless of how the rest of the interview went.

Since most businesses have websites, learning about a potential employer is relatively easy. Find out what the company does and its main products/services, and be familiar with recent developments in the industry.

Know yourself

Once you know something about the employer, it’s time to think about why you would be a good match. Since it is often difficult to formulate answers on the spot, practice responses at home.

“Before your interview, write out answers to potential questions you are likely to be asked,” states Robin Ryan, author of “60 Seconds & You’re Hired!” “Keep your answers concise, no more than 60 seconds.”

While question will differ by employer, Ryan recommends thinking out responses to these standards:

• Why did you leave your last job (or why do you want to leave)?
• What is your greatest weakness?
• What is the salary you are looking for?
• Describe the worst boss you’ve ever worked for.

Engage in, but don’t take over, the interview

Employers want workers who bring positive energy to the workplace. Two common pitfalls Milonas sees among candidates are that they lack interest in the opportunity and answer questions with a simple “yes” or “no” rather than engaging in meaningful conversation.

On the flip side, Linda Matias, president of CareerStrides and author of “201 Knockout Answers to Tough Interview Questions: The Ultimate Guide to Handling the New Competency-Based Interview Style,” cautions against overwhelming the interviewer.

“Though it is true that job seekers should be active participants in the interview process, they should not take over the interview,” Matias states. “Usually, job seekers take over when nerves get the best of them or when they feel they have to fill in the silence. It’s a delicate balance, but job seekers need to learn when to ask questions and when to allow the interviewer to take charge.”

Once again, practicing beforehand can make the difference.

Look the part

“In the first ten seconds of meeting a candidate, the interviewer makes a mental decision on whether you look right for the job,” Ryan states. “If your personal presentation is inappropriate, you’ve lost that position without saying a word.”

Some fields accept greater creativity in apparel, but experts generally agree to err on the conservative side.

“This is not the time to be a fashionista,” Milonas says. For men, this translates to a business suit or blazer, shirt and tie. Women should consider a suit (either a jacket and skirt or a matching pantsuit).

“Neatness counts, too,” Ryan says. “Shine your shoes. Clothes should be cleaned, pressed and fit well.”

Remember your manners

Finally, make sure your conduct fits the part. Punctuality shows respect for other people’s time. Use of polite terminology should be standard during an interview, but it also reflects well to be equally courteous when addressing receptionists and other office workers.

A big etiquette faux pas is not sending a thank-you letter immediately after an interview. “Too many job seekers have an ‘if the manager is interested, she or he will call’ mentality and wait by the phone,” Matias notes. “After a few weeks of the phone not ringing, that’s when they decide to follow up. By then it may be too late. Or, if it’s not too late, chances are that the job seeker is desperate. That anxiety may come through and turn off the interviewer. To avoid tripping up, job seekers should follow up quickly, not only because they want the job but because it’s the polite action to take after they’ve been invited for an interview.”

While e-mail makes sending a rapid thank-you note easy to do, consider going the extra mile by composing a handwritten message sent via snail mail. After all, you’re not out simply to be another candidate, you want to shine! 

Beth Braccio Hering, CareerBuilder Writer

Anyone who has ever suffered through long-term unemployment can identify with Schembari’s scenario, and such comforting may be just what is needed to right the world before sending out another application. But what happens when your desire to persevere needs an extra boost?

Before reaching for another scoop of Ben & Jerry’s, check out these motivational tips from experts and fellow job seekers.

Start your day with structure

“Get up every morning at your usual time and dress as if you’re going to work — because you are going to work, except now your work is finding a new job,” states Richard S. Deems, co-author of “Make Job Loss Work for You.”

While it may be tempting to sleep in or lounge around in pajamas, getting your day moving can provide a psychological boost. “I think that keeping a schedule has helped me,” says Cherie C. of Denver, Co., who has been unemployed for nearly a year. “I wake up with my partner as he prepares for work, shower, dress and tackle the job search.”

Use your computer … and then get away from it

Chances are you’ve used a computer to scout job postings, but have you explored the full potential of technology?

Erica Myers of London, England, spent seven months without a steady job. During this time, she learned new ways to connect to others and get an edge in the application process. Her tips to rev-up job search motivation by rethinking computer time include:

• Use social networking sites and Google searches to find a person to contact directly instead of sending a blind résumé.
• Build an online portfolio or a free website. (It not only looks great and tech-savvy, but it secretly gets you organized.)
• Read the websites of companies that interest you.
• Use connections and build on social media by looking through friends lists for useful contacts, searching through Twitter keywords and adding people on LinkedIn.

Designate certain periods of the day as computer time — then resist the urge to constantly check e-mail or see if one new position got posted. Too much screen time can zap energy. Instead, find other productive ways to pass the time.

“Do as much face-to-face networking as possible,” Deems says. “Even if you’ve talked with your network two weeks ago, contact them again.” He also is a fan of hand-delivering applications, noting that the return rate for mail-ins is about 3-5 percent.

While some job seekers may feel guilty about spending free time doing anything besides looking for employment, exploring interests can be rejuvenating — and potentially rewarding — during a trying time.

“If someone is job hunting without getting the response they want, volunteering at a local hospital or for a non-profit organization where they will meet new people who can extend their networking reach is a great game plan,” says Debra Yergen, author of “Creating Job Security Resource Guide.” “Not only will they keep their skills sharp, they’ll also have an opportunity to make a larger networking base aware of their availability.”

Give yourself a break

The familiar advice of persistence paying off holds true for finding a job. After all, you can’t land a position if you don’t even apply. Yet, while dedication will pay off in the long term, sometimes it helps to step away for a bit.

“On days when I lack motivation and don’t want to send a résumé, I really try to push myself to keep working, but sometimes I’ve found it’s best to wait a day,” Cherie C. notes. “Sending a résumé while in a sad or defeated mood could lead to typos or other errors that could cost me consideration for the job. I take a short break and try to refresh myself.”
It is easy to feel frustrated when your inbox is filled with rejections or (worse yet) you aren’t even acknowledged after pouring your heart into landing a seemingly perfect position. Job seekers are often hard on themselves when faced with such disappointments, but it pays to remember that setbacks are only a bump on a long career path that will have both its ups and downs. Take a look at your résumé to remind yourself of what you have accomplished, and when you’re feeling better about your capabilities, get back to sending it out. Someone out there is waiting to read it. 

Beth Braccio Hering, CareerBuilder Writer

It’s important to realize that job searching doesn’t have to be a negative experience. Richard Deems and Terri Deems, co-authors of “Make Job Loss Work for You,” believe there are several small steps one can take to conduct a faster, more rewarding job search.   

“Candidates who are out on the streets talking and meeting with people are those who maintain their energy and confidence,” they explain. “On the other hand, those who sit back at home and merely mail out their résumés are often those who get discouraged. The feedback they get during the job search comes from receiving either no response or some form of a rejection letter. With each rejection letter, the body cringes and shrivels a little bit more.”

In their book, the Deems father-and-daughter duo offers some additional tips to help job seekers boost their drive during the job search:*

Set up some kind of “office” where you can direct your job search

Make this a place where you can take calls, handle correspondence, and keep track of your research and other information. A separate room (such as a spare bedroom) works best, but even a corner in the basement can help.

You will need a desk, chair, phone, computer, Internet access, space to file materials/information and space to work. It doesn’t have to be fancy, but it does need to comfortable and provide you with the privacy needed to direct your plan for action. When you are in this space, you are “at work.”

• Maintain your normal schedule. Don’t sleep late. Get dressed each morning just as if you were going to be out talking to people — because you probably will. One successful person with whom we worked sat down at his “office” every morning at 7:30, coffee in hand, and read the local and national newspapers, just as he had for 10 years prior. His reaction: “It really helped!”
• Participate in some kind of physical fitness program. Some people jog, walk, play golf, lift weights, dance or do other forms of exercise. The important thing is that you’re doing something. Remember, exercise helps relieve stress and anxiety and enables you to think more clearly. Exercise also releases body chemicals that help keep depression away. If you’re a bit overweight, the extra exercise can help reduce the pounds and simply help you feel better about yourself.
• Watch your diet and eat right. Eat balanced, reasonably sized meals. Excessive coffee can increase tension and appetite. Excessive alcohol can dull your thinking ability (plus add weight). Excessive sweets and sugars can increase tension and irritability.
• View your activity as fulfilling your “job requirements.” Except now your job is to find a new position in another company as quickly as possible.
• Set weekly and daily goals in terms of contacts to make and research to conduct. Keep a record of your activity. People who devote four to eight hours to their job search per day become “JobGetters” faster than those who devote only a few hours each week. Take time on Mondays to set up these goals, and time on Friday to review your progress.
• Maintain your physical appearance. First impressions are important and you will want to look good. For some this may mean investing in a new interviewing wardrobe. An investment in an interviewing wardrobe can often have a tremendous payback in terms of higher salary in the next position. If finances are a major concern, look for the recycled-clothing shops or job search “closets” that exist in many cities.

*Excerpted from Make Job Loss Work for You by Richard Deems, Ph.D., and Terri Deems, Ph.D.

Selena Dehne is a career writer for JIST Publishing who shares the latest occupational, career and job search information available with job seekers and career changers. She is also the author of JIST’s Job Search and Career Blog (http://jistjobsearchandcareer.blogspot.com/). Follow her on Twitter at http://twitter.com/SelenaDehne.

What did you think of your last interviewer? Did you feel as if you were mortal enemies? Or were you on the same team? I know that can sound extreme, but many people view a job interview as a fight or a competition — a duel of wits. Actually, it’s just a conversation and collaboration to find the best candidate for the job.

So have you ever thought about the job interview process from the interviewer’s perspective? As a job seeker, you are more concerned about yourself and your personal needs. That is natural, but this selfish attitude could stop you from getting what you need and want: a job.

A job interview is like a graceful dance in which two people come together and find out whether they are in sync. There are three main components to all job interviews at any level:

1. Your personal agenda.

2. The company’s agenda.

3. The common ground you both stand on.

Now here is the thing: The interviewer already sees and understands all sides. And if you as the job seeker can see the different sides as well, you could have an edge on your competition. You’ll be able to communicate more effectively about how you can help the company and how you are the perfect fit for the position.

First think about that common ground. What do you and the interviewer have in common? To begin with, you both want to fill the position. You both want to be working rather than looking for that right fit. See yourself as being on the same side as the interviewer. The more you can find out in your research about the company (and the specific interviewer when possible), the more common ground you are likely to find.

Next, think about the motives: yours and the company’s. Have a clear idea about what you are looking for and why you’re well-suited for the job. That sounds obvious, but if you’re coming from a desperate any-job-will-do place, you won’t be convincing.

What is the company’s agenda? There will be specifics for each job, and remember that all companies are looking for two things: flexibility and loyalty.

How flexible are you? Are you willing to take on new tasks to help the company or are you only going to do what is strictly written in your job description? The more you’re willing to grow and stretch as the company grows, the more valuable you will be.

Loyalty also matters. As much as you don’t want to keep looking for a job, a company doesn’t want to keep training new employees. It’s costly to keep replacing and retraining. So if you are loyal by nature, and you want to grow with a company and be there through thick and thin, then you are an ideal candidate.

So is that the end of it? Know what the company wants and mirror it, right? Not so fast! If you don’t have qualifications, or you don’t believe in the mission of the company, be honest and upfront. That will make you memorable, you both will know where everyone stands, and you won’t waste each other’s time. You’re helping the employer find the right person for the job, and if you aren’t it, simply say so.

It might be tempting to say whatever will land you any job, but by lying, you could you get stuck in a job that isn’t right for you and end up looking for a job all over again. What’s even more likely is that you won’t land the job anyway. Your body language, that nonverbal communication, will rat on you. There’s even a TV show on the Fox Network about this very thing, “Lie to Me.” You may lie with your words, but you cannot lie with your body.

So what is your personal agenda? Do you want the job or just the money? When you apply for a job, are you thinking about how you can help the company and whether you’re just what they are looking for? Companies want people who want to work, want to grow, want to help and want to be proactive. If you are such a person, it will show.

So as you prepare and polish for your interview, practice seeing yourself from the other side of the desk, and go in knowing that you and the interviewer are on the same team, simply finding the right match for the job.