Your Job Search

Are you looking for a new job? In addition to making sure your resume is in order, you may want to take a look at your credit score and your credit reports. Many potential employers pull your credit file before they hire you. No, it doesn't seem fair; if your finances were in such great order, you might not need a new job, right? Right or wrong, here's their rationale: - Studies show that employees with extensive debt or who are in financial trouble are at greater risk of committing corporate fraud or embezzlement. - As the self-improvement gurus say, “How you do one thing is how you do everything.” If you're irresponsible with your finances, you may be irresponsible on the job, too. (They say!) - If your finances are a mess, you may have trouble concentrating, which could lead to poor work performance. (Again, isn't your financial mess why you need the job in the first place?) Raise Your Credit Score in a Hurry If your credit score is less than stellar, there are ways you … [Read more...] about Is Your Credit Score Hurting Your Job Search?

Many Americans wish to move to Israel and live in the capital of Jewish culture.  The biggest obstacle to making the move: finding work. Getting a job is hard all over the world today, but for Americans attempting to live abroad it can be even more difficult. However, for those who are motivated and willing to be proactive in their search, there are ample work opportunities available for Americans in Israel. Check out these job hunting sites to begin your job search and start the transition to living (and working) abroad in Israel. Once you've found some enticing positions, half the battle is done. Take a look at these tips for Landing the Job once you've found work. •    Israemploy: For English speakers who can't conduct their searches in Hebrew, Israemploy is the best option for finding work abroad. The site is up front about the fact that it is a payed site ($30 a month Israeli for a standard membership.) Still, you'll appreciate that they're up front about … [Read more...] about The Best Job Hunting Sites in Israel

Whether it's waiting for a call from an interview for your dream job, the 4-1-1 follow-up on an audition for your awesome band, or an acceptance confirmation on a creative piece you've penned, the wait can be hell.You know the script...You check your emails several times a day in eager anticipation. You wait by the phone constantly checking to make sure the phone is on the hook. You second guess whether or not you've made a good first impression.Sound familiar?It seems like every day plays out like dog years.Unfortunately, it's a necessary evil that comes with seeking better opportunities and broadening our horizons. But there's an art to waiting gracefully and making the best use of those endless hours. And if you do it well, you won't grow weary, you'll grow wiser.Here are a few pointers to help you keep your peace and proper perspective, without pulling your hair out.1.    In the famous words of Robert Deniro of the Sopranos, “fuhggetabout it!”  … [Read more...] about How to Master the Waiting Game

  Obreanna McReynolds is a guest blogger for Pounding the Pavement and a writer on technical schools for Guide to Career Education.   In today’s competitive job market, standing out from the crowd has become at once more important, and more difficult, than ever. As desperate as many job-seekers may feel, employers are just as eager to find that one superstar hire buried in the thick stack of cover letters and resumes. Luckily for both parties involved, the tools for building a polished, marketable and most importantly hirable personal brand have exploded in recent years thanks to the rapid expansion of online networking technologies. For the job hunters of the twenty-first century, submitting a paper resume is just one piece of a much larger equation. The most competitive candidates supplement, or even replace, their printed materials with virtual resumes, online portfolios, and social media profiles. Especially for those interested in telecommuting, online credentials … [Read more...] about The Importance of Virtual Resumes and Online Portfolios

Do you find yourself searching for a job—even when you’re relatively happy with the one you have? Most of us keep our eyes out for jobs that would cause us less stress, but if you're constantly looking when you don't need to, you might have a problem.  And yes, attending an endless loop of career fairs IS a problem. Signs of job-search addiction include: Feeling like you must visit job boards daily or several times a day Failing in your attempts to stop visiting job boards Doing things you wouldn't normally do to access job boards (like hijacking Wi-Fi on your vacation) Feeling like job boards help you deal with even minor problems at work Focusing more and more time and energy searching for jobs Sound familiar? Fear not! We're about to go Dr. Drew on you and get you into recovery. Here’s how to spot trouble and correct it: Warning Sign #1: Repetition If you find yourself conducting the same job search every day, several … [Read more...] about Are You Addicted to the Job Search?

It seems that lately, quite a few people I know are working in temp or part-time jobs. In a recent Wall Street Journal article, “Employers Increasingly Rely on Temps, Part-timers,” Sudeep Reddy examines how usage of temps has grown, citing that “temporary-help payrolls have risen for 11 of the past 12 months, with the sector adding 16,900 jobs in September.” In this uncertain economy, maybe these positions are as good as it gets?If you really need a job, temping might be your only option until something full-time comes along. Quite awhile ago, I temped for a large company for almost three years with the promise of being hired as soon as the department budget expanded. I was finally hired, but I noticed my co-workers had a hard time adjusting to me being a new permanent hire and not “The Temp.” And yes, back then there was a definite status difference.Not having benefits with a job is difficult. Fortunately, my husband had insurance for us through his … [Read more...] about Is Temp the New “Permanent” Job?

Though I now work in a great office at Airsplat, the nation's largest retailer of Airsoft guns, it took a strategic search to find this position and I am often dismayed at the struggles of my friends who are on the hunt. Seeing their constant disdain, I reflected on the primary differences between my search and theirs and came to the realization that I instinctively approached the process using war tactics. I have a favorite book, The Art of War in which Sun Tzu said "If you know the enemy and know yourself, your victory will not stand in doubt" and my strategy was relying on this concept. I know you are probably thinking that the employer is not the enemy and you are right – but unemployment is! The reality is that if you face unemployment as an enemy to be vanquished, then employers are your allies and you must strategically create those alliances. I teach some military training courses with airsoft on weekends as a side gig. Recently I decided to hold an airsoft seminar that … [Read more...] about Sun Tzu and the Art of Getting a Job

You’re not alone--most people find job interviews stressful. With only one crack at making a good impression to escape your current job, increase your pay, and expand business connections, who can blame you. Aside from quitting your job and giving an anxiety-provoking public presentation, few things in the workplace induce more fear than an interview. Thankfully there are several simple things you can do to reduce job interview stress.1. Sleep well--two nights before. Many people toss and turn the night before a job interview. Since most have no problem running on fumes for a day, aim to sleep well for two nights leading up to your interview. Accomplish this by exercising vigorously and tiring your body.2. Get there early--but not too early. Rushing, getting lost, and the fear oft being late all provoke anxiety. Print out directions to the interview location the night before (get an alternative route as well) and plan to arrive 30 minutes early. But do not enter the building … [Read more...] about 7 Ways to Reduce Job Interview Stress

Looking for employment, or trying to change careers? Need a second job, to save for that dream trip? Then search no further than Twitter for job search, the social media site that's proving to be fertile grounds for all types of information, including job leads, interviewing and resume tips, and more. Following the right tweeter can save time and energy, as tweets sent directly to your cell phone can alert you to the job next door, just waiting to be filled, and keep your employment search focused. Some of the best to follow include:1.) JobsDirectUSA.  With over 17,000 tweets, this user keeps followers updated not only on jobs postings nationwide, but also on job-market data and facts, as well as news on the latest knowledge and skills employers want most.2.) mashablejobs. Over 5,000 people follow this Twitter extension of online social-media, entertainment, and business-job guru Mashable. An excellent way to keep in the loop about these fast-moving jobs while interviewing, … [Read more...] about Twitter for Job Search? 10 Users to Follow

Despite dozens of books, thousands of blog posts, and 131,000 Google results, I have never believed that there is a "hidden job market."Our buddies at Quintessential Careers, a career tools website, have also doubted the existence of a treasure trove of secret jobs by commissioning a professional study.  Taking things a step further, 70 career experts were recently asked if they believed a hidden job market is the real deal.  Surprisingly, many believe is is.  But they did find several problems with the notion.1. Definitions and interpretations of the “hidden job market” may not reflect reality. “Hidden” may not be the best term for this sector of available jobs since employers don’t deliberately hide vacancies.2. Those who are skeptical about the hidden job market generally admit it exists but dispute commonly bandied-about figures – that the hidden job market comprises 75-95 percent of the job market -- contending that the portion of … [Read more...] about Do YOU Believe in the Hidden Job Market?