Unlaid off

Jen reports on being "unlaid off."

I have learned one big thing... one shouldn't wait for something like this to happen to get you working on things you have always thought about doing.

Good point.

Leggo My Ego!

"The job market has shrunk; your ego needs to as well." -- Stephen Viscusi

Susan Bryant offers some well-needed advice for job seekers in today's job market, in this article on MSN Careers, entitled "Forget Your Ego in Today's Job Market." Read it, learn it, become it, apply it.

Effectiveness Tip of the Week via email from FranklinCovey

Gone Fishing

Back and forth, searching for the right spot, you throw out your line time and time again. "This is the place," you think, as you wait for a bite. Another snag! You begin to reel as the tension increases. Snap! Tired of fishing for information? According to one study, you may spend up to 28 minutes a day looking for lost information. What a drag on your time and energy! Cast aside your old habits and try some new techniques:

• What, When, Where. When you capture information for future access, remember the basics:"What" information you'll need to access, "When" will you need it (day and time), and "Where" will you store it in your planning device.
• Consistency. No matter whether you use a calendar, planner, or handheld, record needed information the same way each time.
• Floaters. Eliminate floating information -- any piece of information you have written down that you cannot have at your fingertips within 10 seconds. Give it a try. You'll be hooked!

The Skinny on Online Job Posting Sites

Wired News reports that Traffic and revenue are up at the Web's major job hunting/job listing sites. While this is good news for the companies that run them, this does not necessarily mean good news for job seekers. As John A. Challenger, of Challenger, Gray, and Christmas, puts it:

The company wants a haystack and the candidate is the needle. When you apply for a job online, your resume just goes into the void. You feel like you're accomplishing something, but you're probably just spinning your wheels.

Last month I quoted an article from Reuter's that states that the ease of posting one's resume on the internet now appears to be a job-seeker's greatest obstacle. I also provided some links to some helpful advice from Richard Bolles, author of What Color Is My Parachute? Go back and check it out now to get the real skinny. And let me know what you think.

Slashdot | Dealing with Employers Who Perform Credit Checks?

This post about mandatory employee credit checks has generated a lot of buzz over at Slashdot. Well worth reading, especially the feedback from others. What do you think?

"People are happy and good who have found their vocation: what vocations there are will depend upon the society within which they are practiced." -- W.H. Auden, crossposted at QuotesBlog

Could Depression Cost You Your Job? crossposted at Journey Inside My Mind

According to this WebMD article, it could if you don't seek help for it. People with depression are more likely to call in sick and be otherwise unproductive at work. In a study that tracked 5000 people over five years, the researchers found that "42% of those who showed symptoms of depression in the study's first year eventually lost their jobs."

Lead researcher Mary A. Wooley, MD, writes:

There's a huge stigma associated with depression. People need to realize that depression is a disease just like diabetes and that there are plenty of treatments that offer relief from suffering and can also help you keep your job. People need to overcome the stigma and not be so embarrassed about saying: 'I need help.'

The 'Joy' of Not Working

From Kathryn Lively I found out that Victor recently lost his job in the fallout after the WorldCom fiasco. Many thoughts and encouragement are headed your way, Victor. I, too, appreciate that you're taking a healthy outlook to the situation.

Let me know how I might be able to help. That's one of the reasons why I have this blog.

Somehow You Got Here, the GTJ! Version

I have perused the referrer logs for this blog, and I am intrigued and pleased that in the search results many people have conducted, this blog showed up among the group. Consider the following list of searches for which this blog was among the results:

• lycos search: career development resource
• yahoo search: pitney bowes personal postage meter reviews
• google search: cinergy laid off
• google search: Solo Retreat Volunteer Job
• msn search: msn february 3 stress job
• google search: GOVITJOBS
• aol search: rapping as a career
• google search: ”The Millionaire Next Door”, "30 minutes", we
• msn search: JOB HUNTING IN CLEVELAND OHIO
• aol search: job interviewing tips for christians
• google search: When your daily activities are in concert with your highest priorities,
• yahoo search: google ghandi quotations
• blogdex search: job hunting
• yahoo search: Dayton Job and career Fair
• google search: unemployment rates psychologist
• google search: blogs job hunting
• google search, australia: Job Hunting procrastination
• google search: quotations for job fairs
• google search: blogger dayton
• google search: getthatjob
• google search: hide job hunting from boss
• cluster.searchboss.com search: university cincinnati faculty jobs available

So, in some way you arrived here, and I hope that your visit was worthwhile.

E-mail Can Be Key to Employment: Keep Your Contact Information Handy

Don't assume that someone will take the time to look for your contact information in their files. Instead, include it in the body of your email. You can create an e-mail signature that will automatically appear in each message, or you can type your name, address, phone number, and e-mail address at the bottom of every e-mail you send.

In either case, it will make it much easier for recruiters, hiring managers, and other important contacts to get in touch with you.

HotJobs has some additional helpful information in their article entitled "E-mail Your Way to Work."

Go Get That Job!

Get a Job at Your Dream Company

Peter Vogt reports, "Chances are ... you'll need to get a little more creative if you want to land a job at your dream company. Here are five ways to do just that.." Show me

Contract Employee's Newsletter

The Online Version of Vol. 3, No. 2 of The Contract Employee's Newsletter is available.

Also, you can read past issues of The Contract Employee' Newsletter at http://www.pacepros.com/CENewsletter_html/cen_home_archive.html.

Senate: No More Unemployment Benefits Extensions

President Bush recently extended unemployment benefits by 13 weeks. Now Democrats want another 13-week extension, but the Senate voted "no." Read more from the HotJobs article...

Effectiveness Tip of the Week from the folks at FranklinCovey:

Take it to the bank. KA-CHING!

How are your EBAs these days? You know, your Emotional Bank Accounts -- the trust you have built up in your different relationships. Still waiting for a "statement" to arrive? Here's one: If you don't know, you're probably overdrawn! Maintaining a reserve of trust in relationships requires constant investing. Consider this advice:

• Bad checks. What you consider to be a deposit (like going to the movies when your date wants to talk) may actually be a withdrawal for others. They can't collect on your efforts because it does not meet their actual needs. Really understanding others is key to building trust.
• Pocket change. Showing respect, kindness, and courtesy may seem like small deposits, but over time they compound and increase your reserve. Neglecting the little things will soon have you in the red.
• Count on me. Breaking commitments or promises often can bankrupt you. Keeping them is the best way to save for a rainy day in any relationship.

Rich relationships -- what a great payoff!

oddtodd.com - No Nothing Productions

oddtodd.com - No Nothing Productions

Feeling down about your job search? Go to oddtodd.com and watch all the cartoons. That's okay. I'll wait...

Finished? Okay, then, what'd you think? Funny, right? Hilarious!

As Jane, whose comments are found at Jenny's blog, puts it:

Laugh heartily. Feel less depressed about being unemployed. Then figure out how to make a living doing what you love...Go for it! Odd Todd is living off his Web site and even has a book deal. He's fulfilling his dream of being a cartoonist, thanks to being laid off!

So, there's hope in the midst of being unemployed! Now, stick around here and see if there's anything else you might find that can help you on your journey (wait a minute... that's a different blog.).

Organize Your Messy Desk

Ian's Messy Desk shows you how.

Access thousands of tech job listings in ZDNet's Career Center.

Sure the door may be closing now, but...

I found my way over to Jenny's blog and found out that she, among many others, has lost her job. I can't help but feel compassion and empathy (are those the same thing?). That is why I started this blog. Let me encourage you to share this blog with anyone whom you think would benefit from it.

And, if anyone from over at Jenny's blog has come by to visit, welcome.

Wired News | Latest E-Sign of a Lousy Job Market

Mercy! A group of laid-off former employees are auctioning their talents on eBay. That sounds a bit radical to me. There are other, more proven, methods of finding a job, I believe, when you take a look around here.

Oh yeah, and if you wanna read that article, here's another link to it.

Get Over Getting Mad

This article from MSN Careers has some ways of constructively dealing with anger and frustration. God knows I need help with this myself. Read on...

And speaking of networking...

... this is a fantastic article about how to become a natural networker!

CareerJournal.com -- The premier executive career site from The Wall Street Journal

Chock full of lots of job hunting advice, including one section that is sure to become one of my favorites: the networking section

paradox1x | For Job Hunters, Stability Is The Thing

Interesting post from Karl. What do you think about it?

5 stupid things to say when firing someone

This is a very good article.

Clearly, there is no easy or right time to fire anyone. But that doesn't mean you must be harsh or unfeeling. Do not rush into a termination meeting just to get it over with. Think it through. Put yourself in the employee's shoes.

The more candid and respectful you can be, the less pain you will cause. And the more respect you might get back.

'Nuff said.

CareerFile - A Dayton Ohio Community Site

See what happens when you Google "Dayton Ohio Community"? Not quite what I had expected, but okay.

WetFeet.com | Careers For Creative Types

"There are plenty of careers out there that will allow you to exercise your creative muscle and earn a steady paycheck in the process." Read more...

Between Jobs? Don't Let It Get You Down

Dude, but it's been so long! Here's a teaser to Carol Kleiman's article, which you'll want to check out:

"Now is the time to consider (whether) you want to stay in the same industry, line of work or job function," Smith said. "This is the time to further your education, to get more involved in professional organizations and stay involved with people. Don't sit at home." Alright then, take me there...

Effectiveness Tip of the Week via email from the folks at FranklinCovey:

The Productivity Pyramid

Four servings of values, six servings of goals, a healthy dose of weekly planning, and a big bite of daily planning. Sounds like a lot to chew when it comes to a nutritious productivity pyramid, right? However, spending time in each of the four pyramid steps will keep your life at a healthy balance. A few tips:

• Identify Values: What do you value? Loyalty, adventure, freedom?
• Set Goals: Write it down, give it a deadline, make it doable, commit.
• Plan Weekly: Review roles, choose areas of focus, schedule the week.
• Plan Daily: Check today's appointments, make a realistic list, prioritize (ABC, 123)

Now, if you'll excuse me. I've got some planning to do myself.

Forbes.com: My Job, Myself, My Problem?

This article by Joanne Gordon has some links to an online survey about job satisfaction.

Here's the gist: Of 1,100 people from 1,004 companies with 500 or more employees, 55% described their work in negative terms--using phrases such as exhausted, confused and unsupported. A full third felt "intensely negative." Say what?

BBC NEWS | Technology | Women spurning tech jobs

Making sure women stay in technology jobs is as important as persuading girls to pursue such careers in the first place.

This was the view of a succession of speakers at the third annual Women in Information Technology conference held in London on Wednesday. Okay, I'm interested...

Office surfers may face wipeout - Tech News - CNET.com

Be careful out there...

WetFeet.com > Interviews: Turn Your Weaknesses into Strengths

Sometimes interviewers will ask you questions that require you to look at your weaker traits. Find out how to come back with answers that will make you shine. Take me there...

Find your local Chamber of Commerce

Whether traveling or relocating, Chambers are powerful resources for community information. Scanning the membership directory of your local chamber of commerce via the Internet or at your local public library is one way to get to small businesses, which tend to lead the curve on hiring following a recession. Additionally, because they are more nimble, small companies are faster to ramp up or down.

So, why not find your local Chamber of Commerce? The U.S. Chamber of Commerce: Chamber Member Directory Search Page has a map of all 50 US states and links to International Chambers of Commerce.

HotJobs - 10 Important Job Trends for 2003

"So with news of such massive layoffs, one would think this is neither the time nor the place to look for a job. However, inside this dark unemployment cloud there are actually some areas in the market that are expanding and hiring." more...

MSN Careers - Call Your References

MSN Careers reminds us that having a great reference list is one thing, but keeping in touch with them throughout your job search is another. Specifically,

So you've got your list of references, and they're all super. They're people you've worked with, who know how well you've performed and are willing to talk to prospective employers. But when was the last time you talked to them?more...

Employment opportunities and resumes, via the Greater Dayton IT Alliance

Greater Dayton IT Alliance - Annual Meeting

According to the meeting notice, this is "the place to see and be seen, network with your peers in the Dayton Technology Community."

The meeting is from 5-7 PM on Tuesday, January 28, 2003 at the Dayton Convention Center.

Please check the meeting notice for more important information.

Effectiveness Tip of the Week via the folks at FranklinCovey:
First, some Quotes:

• "Learn to say no. It will be of far more use to you than to be able to read Latin." -- Charles Haddon Spurgeon
• "A 'no' uttered from the deepest conviction is better than a 'yes' merely uttered to please, or what is worse, to avoid trouble." -- Mahatma Ghandi
• "When your daily activities are in concert with your highest priorities, you have a credible claim to inner peace." -- Hyrum Smith

No Thank You

No. Nicht. Nulle. No matter how it comes out, saying "no" isn't always easy. Project overload, interruptions, and demanding coworkers can make it tough to speak this language. Remember, you have a right to say no... graciously but firmly. If you respond evasively, you'll build false expectations. Saying no takes practice. Here are some phrases that might help:

• "I have so much on my plate now that I don't know when I can get to it. But I do know someone over here who can help you now."
• "Sure, I can help you with your request as long as we both understand that what I agreed to do for you yesterday might be delayed."
• "Thanks for thinking about me, but no thanks."
• "I won't be able to do it until tomorrow, but I could provide you with some resources that might help you do it today."

MSN Careers | Lifetime Career in IT: Is it Possible?

And now, for an interesting article from MSN Careers... Bottom line, IMHO: I agree with what one individual's comments that the key to longevity in an IT career is taking personal responsibility for your own career path. This means keeping yourself retooled as necessary, whether the company pays for it or not.

Encarta eLearning Center | Five Hottest Career Tracks

"A recent report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics identified fields with the most job openings for applicants holding bachelor's or associate's degrees." They are

1. Nursing
2. Management
3. Teaching
4. Information Technology
5. Accounting

Now, go read the article...

Question

Does anyone know where someone can get free training in a programming language like Java or XML?

WetFeet.com | Technology and Internet Channel

Industry and career profiles, portraits of real people in technology & the Internet, IT certification information, advice on resumes and interviewing, and more! Go there>>

MSN Careers | Interviewing

This page includes links to over 30 different articles about interviewing. Read more...

MSN Careers - The Ten Worst Mistakes Career Changers Make

Barbara Reinhold writes: "Changing careers is never easy. Half the world thinks you've lost your mind, headhunters say you'll never work again and your mother-in-law steps up the old 'I told you so' routine. But for many burned-out, bored or multitalented folks who are sitting on skills they're not getting a chance to use, changing fields is the only way to keep from losing their marbles." Regardless of your career change strategy, you'll want to watch out for these potential pitfalls. Read more...

Jobs That Suck

Chris lists some jobs he'd "just as soon forget."

Job Searching Could Pay Off in Bush Plan

President Bush has proposed spending $3.6 billion over two years for states to create "re-employment accounts" of up to $3,000 for about 1.2 million people collecting unemployment compensation who are having difficulty finding jobs. The money could be used to pay the costs of looking for work, such as job training, transportation, child care and moving expenses.

Four Tips for Better Communication

Is Your Boss a Difficult Person?

Effectiveness Tip of the Week via an email from the good folks at FranklinCovey:

Resolve to Real Productivity

On January 1, millions of Americans took part in the annual ritual of setting New Year's resolutions. According to a recent FranklinCovey survey, statistics show that by February 1, most of these resolutions will have failed and the people who set them will have fallen back into the same habits they tried to eliminate just one month earlier. However, statistics also show that setting realistic goals, adopting a plan of action and sticking to that plan can be the deciding factor in the ability to successfully achieve a goal.

According to the study:

• 78% of successfully achieved goals had plans.
• 84% of goals were successfully achieved within the original plan

Wetfeet.com Job Search Advice

Since things aren't much easier in the job market, you'll want to get as much of an edge as possible to land the job you want. Wetfeet.com's Job Search 101 Insider guides cover everything from how to develop approach and cover letters to saying the right -- and avoiding the wrong --things over the phone and in your interviews:

• Job Search 101: Communicating Effectively
• Job Search 101: Networking, Interviewing, and Getting the Offer

Also, check out these articles on Job Hunting Strategies, which offer "fresh insights to cure the job search blues."

Online job sites swamp employers with resumes-study

Reuters reports on a study done by a Vermont-based staffing agency. It basically concludes that "the relative ease of applying online is now job seekers' greatest obstacle, since their resumes may be lost in the crowd."

This is more reason not to rely solely on Internet job posting sites to conduct your job search. Dick Bolles, the author of What Color Is Your Parachute?, has some excellent stuff with respect to Job-Listing web sites, including "The Fairy Godmother Report on Job-Listing Sites".

Details of Unemployment Bill

"President Bush signed legislation Wednesday extending the federal emergency unemployment program for an additional five months at a cost of $7.25 billion. Here are some details and background..."

Bush Signs Jobless Benefit Extension Bill

"WASHINGTON - President Bush (news - web sites) signed hastily passed legislation Wednesday extending unemployment benefits for 2.5 million victims of a weak economy, the first accomplishment of a new, Republican-controlled Congress." Read more...

Jobless help gets support

"Both advocates for the unemployed and conservative think tanks are giving high marks to the Bush administration's novel idea to give certain jobless workers up to $3,000 to help with expenses, saying it offers a valuable financial boost as long-term unemployment rates climb." read more...

Fortune.com - Best Companies to Work For

This list also includes links to find the right company for you, 10 great companies in Europe, oddest jobs, how companies satisfy workers, etc. read more...

MSN Careers - Articles

MSN Careers has some interesting articles worth a read - at least:

• You Can Survive the Behavioral Interview"
• Job Stress Management Tips to Start Today

BusinessWeek online | Hiring Outlook '03

"Companies are upgrading their workforces and bringing on better people. But they're being very selective. They want the A-players..." Part One

"Our most forward-thinking clients realize that we're in a ceasefire in the war for talent. They're building up their bench..." Part Two

Working in IT

Might as well bookmark it. Might want to come back later. Yeah, I might.

Tech skills the ticket to best jobs

"Is technology creating a "class system" among America's workforce — of haves (tech savvy and continually learning new skills), have-nots (unskilled) and people somewhere in between?"

Also, HR pros recognize two related workforce trends showing that technology skills are becoming increasingly more important among all professions, not just the rebounding tech industry:

• "People are changing careers more frequently than in the past, and tech skills are enabling them to do this more successfully.
• Greater numbers of people are becoming independent contractors, as businesses outsource more work, and being at the top of their game technology-wise enhances their chances of having steady work."

The article also lists Tech skills in demand, along with advice on what you can do as a job seeker in this environment. A must read! read more...

Great Free Courses from Barnes & Noble University

Barnes & Noble University features free courses on everything from great literature to business skills. Pick a class and start learning today!

Effectiveness Tip of the Week from the folks at FranklinCovey:

What is Your Plan for 2003?

Come on, we all make New Year's resolutions. But come February, most of us say, "Ah, forget it. Maybe next year!" Ringing in the New Year means ringing in 365 new days that are full of possibilities. Make the most of the next twelve months by effectively setting goals and proactively acting upon them. Tear up those traditional New Year's resolutions and try these tips:

• Re-evaluate your New Year's resolutions: Do yourself a favor and rewrite them. If they aren't related to a principle or a value you believe strongly in, take them off your list.
• Don't lose control: Don't let your goals control your life by making you feel guilty or overwhelmed. Turn them into a framework to explore your own creativity.
• Measure up: Set clear and definite goals with quantifiable standards to measure them against.
• Aim to Achieve: A new planner, a motivational training course, and software to keep it all together... arm yourself with the tools needed to achieve your goals.

365 days to achieve your goals-- how's that for no excuses?

New Year's Resolutions for Your Job Search: I Will Not Let Rejection Slow My Search

MSN Careers | Interview Cheat Sheet

"Relax -- a cheat sheet is not really cheating. It's a checklist to make sure you stay focused before, during and after the interview..." more...

Bush to Unveil Economic-Stimulus Package

The Associated Press reports that President George W. Bush said he will unveil an economic stimulus package next week:

Aides have said in recent days that the president has not yet approved any new economic stimulus plan, and Bush gave few clues about what the package will contain. He made plain, though, that its primary focus will be to create jobs.

"What I'm worried about is job creation, and I'm worried about those who are unemployed," he said.

HotJobs 2002 Year in Review

This Overview provides a look into the most popular Industries searched by job hunters, fastest growing industries, US states with the lowest unemployment rates, and US states with the highest unemployment rates.

USA Today - Entertainment | Resolution No. 1: Start with a workable plan

Karen S. Peterson reports that we shouldn't "dismiss New Year's resolutions as trivial." According to psychologist John Norcross, a pioneering change researcher at the University of Scranton in Pennsylvania, the key is that "You need to know how to execute a plan, how to form the specific skills to keep you there."

William Knaus of the Center for Creative Change in Longmeadow, Mass., and co-author of Overcoming Procrastination, offers suggestions for a plan for change. Read more...

Setting Goals, New Year's Resolutions: How to measure success

I almost forgot to encourage you to consider this...

Rapping with Small Talk

"Rapport is present when two people speak easily with each other, with a natural rhythm and flow of conversation..." more...

HotJobs.com's Top Five Job Tips of 2002

Effectiveness Tip of the Week from a weekly email from the folks at FranklinCovey:

Me, Myself, and I

It's time to get a little selfish and focus on you for a moment. When was the last time you did something to make yourself feel good? (And we're not talking about that pint of Chocolate Dream ice cream.) A few tips to treat yourself and your body:

• Physical: Get a good night's sleep, play your favorite outdoor sport or activity, and enjoy a well-balanced meal.
• Social/Emotional: Call a friend you haven't seen in a while, volunteer time to charity, or do something nice for someone--anonymously.
• Mental: Visit a library or museum, solve a brainteaser, puzzle or riddle, or watch an educational show on TV.
• Spiritual: Spend some time in nature, research your genealogy, or go on a personal "retreat" (like a spa) to rejuvenate yourself.

Benefiting your mind and body - a solo act!

BusinessWeek Online | What Will Revive IT Spending

According to tech expert David Moschella, "Simple applications for everyday things that everyone uses are key to getting the industry going again." Read more...

Some Good Reading

I was going through my planner, doing some end-of-year cleaning out, and I uncovered a list of books that I thought were worthy to be read at some time:

• Business Beyond the Box - Applying Your Mind for Breakthrough Results by John O'Keefe
• Competing on the Edge - Strategy as Structured Chaos by Shona L. Brown & Kathleen Eisenhardt
• Leadership and the Art of Conversation - Conversation as a Management Tool by Kim Krisco
• The Leadership Engine - How Winning Companies Build Leaders at Every Level by Noel M. Tichy with Eli B. Cohen
• The Last Word on Power - Executive Re-Invention for Leaders Who Must Make the Impossible Happen by Tracy Goss
• The Millionaire Next Door by Thomas Stanley & William Danko

Six Steps to Conquering -- OK, Managing -- Procrastination

Follow Marty Nemko's model and you may procrastinate much less. Read more...

Yahoo! Dailytips - Uncovering a Cover Letter Myth

Your cover letter summarizes your resume, right? Wrong! Some people think that a summary of the resume attached to the resume seems a little repetitive. The purpose of your cover letter, then, is to add a warm handshake to your resume and zero in on why the employer should be interested in you. Your cover letter should put your resume in context, drawing attention to your strengths and present nonresume material that can make a difference between you and your next closest competitor when the interviewing decision is made.

Effectiveness Tip of the Week from a weekly email I receive from the folks at FranklinCovey

First... some relevant quotes, from QuotesBlog:

• "Go confidently in the direction of your dreams! Live the life you've imagined. As you simplify your life, the laws of the universe will be simpler." -- Henry David Thoreau
• "Awaken your sense, your intuition, your desires. Awaken the parts of yourself that have been sleeping. Life is a dream, and to live it, you must be awake." -- Rachel Snyder
• "True life is lived when tiny changes occur." -- Leo Tolstoy

Mission Possible

Ever feel like a double agent, living one life and dreaming of another? Be the leader of your life! Sound impossible? It's not, when you have a Personal Mission Statement. Here are some clues:

• Unique: It's different for everyone. It can be a sentence, paragraph or poem.
• Focus: It's a clear guide based on your values -- what you want to be and do. Ask yourself this question: "What can I imagine myself doing if time and money were not obstacles?"
• Passion: It's what excites you most in the world and lifts you up on your soapbox.

Take 5 minutes RIGHT NOW and write as much as you can about your personal mission in life. It doesn't have to be perfect. You can revise this first draft later. Keep it in your planning device and read it morning and evening for the next week. Decide what things you can do during the day to live your mission. (Warning! This message will "self-construct" in 5 minutes...)

Don't Catch the Negativity Virus

I need this one myself. Read on!

Encarta eLearning Center | Prepare for a career in
writing

"In today's information age, work for the nation's 340,000 writers and editors abounds. And, whether to fulfill old dreams or to satisfy practical needs, many Americans are moving into editorial roles... The outlook for writers is good. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) predicts that by 2008, editorial opportunities will have increased 21 to 35 percent over 1998, assuming moderate economic growth. Many of the available jobs will be in high-technology and electronics fields and in journalistic outlets in small markets..." read more...

Interesting(?) Jobs I've Had

• Computer programmer
• Test analyst
• Business analyst
• Newspaper carrier
• Environmental Engineer
• Civil Engineering Co-Op
• Laboratory assistant
• City Highway Department Co-op
• Santa Claus
• Salvation Army Bell Ringer
• Telephone Surveyor
• Facilities Engineering Co-Op
• Program Planning Co-Op
• McDonald's Crew Member
• Wendy's Crew Member
• Taco Bell Crew Member
• Lumber Associate for a Hardware Company
• Pizza Delivery driver
• Pizza maker

IT Makes the FBI Most-Wanted List

Tischelle George reports that "Amid the slump in IT jobs, the FBI has been hiring, and it plans to pick up the pace. It's even changing some of its hiring practices to get techies in the door... It's also using the Internet for the first time to find the right candidates, posting its agent application at http://www.fbijobs.com...More people are interested in government IT jobs, says Robert Lyons, president of GovITjobs.com, a new online job board specifically for IT consultants looking for government contract work. The amount of data 'the government tries to manage using advanced systems presents a lot of opportunity for IT professionals,' he says."

• Read more from the article
• View the agent application
• Check out the new online job board specifically for IT consultants looking for government contract work

Wall Street & Technology Online Home Page | IT Career Center

I'm beginning to wonder if all these different career web portals all lead to the same stuff. Eventually we'll find out that McDonald's has their own IT Career Center. Well, maybe not.

Yahoo! Financial News | For Some Professionals, A Brand New Career Is the Best Way to Ring in the New Year

"Whether you use a New Year's resolution for an excuse or just a long-time desire to try out something new, a professional sabbatical may open the door to a new career and a new start in life..." read more...

Yahoo! DailyTips Cool Career: Broadcast Technician or
Engineer

"Broadcast engineering is the back door to a field whose front entrance is mobbed -- and you don't even need performing talent..."

Wetfeet.com > Weblog

Have I mentioned this before? Well, in the spirit of overcommunication, check out Wetfeet.com's weblog for some good career management advice.

Help Me Find Work

Strategies for Networking in Nontraditional Settings

I personally believe that networking needs to be where I place the most effort in my job search. Here's more advice from CareerJournal.com...

William Morin writes a great article with tips on 'Nonabusive' Networking...

CareerJournal.com | Advice for Job Seekers: Don't Stop in
December

In this article William L. Handler, the president of Handler & Associates, an executive-search firm in Atlanta, answers questions about job hunting and the dynamics in the marketplace at this time of year. Read more...

Job Posting Sites Elsewhere on the Internet

Dick Bolles, author of the perennial "What Color Is Your Parachute?", writes:

The Internet is larger than just the World Wide Web. Outside the Web, lie USENET newsgroups, mailing lists, and a number of other modalities or protocols, as they are called. Many employers find these protocols – especially newsgroups – more effective than the Web, when they're searching for employees, most particularly when they're searching for technical employees. So it is to newsgroups you must go, and not just to the Web, if you're interested in those employers' job listings.

There are newsgroup metasearch sites (on the Web, paradoxically) that will allow you to search a number of these newsgroups or a number of Mailing Lists all at once, rather than having to go to each newsgroup one by one.

Google Groups has messages from several thousand newsgroups. If it's job listings you're looking for, just type in your query, like: jobs AND Bay Area and it will give you the actual job listings that match, in reverse order (most recent, first). You can search within specific groups or search all groups.

FoxNews.com | Yuletide Job Hunting

Marla Lehner reports: "Career experts say with the nation's unemployment rate at 6 percent, the holiday season is an ideal time to meet and greet those who might otherwise be difficult to reach." [emphais added] more...

From QuotesBlog:

"Remember -- you are your own doctor when it comes to having cold feet."

MSN Careers | How interviews are like first dates

MSN Careers looks at how these two different things are similar. An important quote from the story: "Faulty thinking about the competition is a mistake. You are unique and should be confident in your strengths and positive qualities."

How You Got Here

I've been looking through the referrer logs, and I found out that this website is currently third in the list of the Yahoo! search results for "job search websites in dayton ohio." Another Yahoo! search for "challenger job hunting method" shows this blog as second in the list. But it was 25th in the list of search results for "google job."

I sure hope that the Google Viewer gains popularity. With that tool, you get to preview the web pages in your search results.

Job-hunting expenses are deductible

In MSN Money's article, "The top 10 overlooked deductions," number 4 is "Let the IRS subsidize your job search."

Job-hunting expenses are deductible. If you're out of work, or even if you're still employed but looking for a new job, all of your job hunting expenses are deductible as miscellaneous itemized deductions. Such expenses would include resumes, phone calls, postage, travel costs and any other expenses related to your attempt to get a new job. If you’ve done a lot of driving in your job search in 2002, you can deduct mileage for your 2002 return at a rate of 36.5 cents a mile. For 2003, the mileage rate falls to 36 cents a mile.

Creativity here can be rewarding. For example, if you take a friend to lunch in an attempt to use him as a reference or referral, you can use the cost of the lunch as a job-hunting expense.

Effectiveness Tip of the Week from an email I receive from the folks at FranklinCovey

Your Personal Cornucopia

Take stock of your personal cornucopia. Is it abundant and bountiful? To live a rich life, it's imperative to believe in your ability to prosper -- that you are deserving. Once understood and embraced, an abundance mentality allows you to see your life and your relationships from a new perspective. It's about sharing the wealth and focusing on the universal truth that there is truly enough in this world for everyone. A few tips:

• Ponder how and what it would take to interact more successfully in your every day life.
• Let wisdom inspire you to become more generous with yourself and others in order to reap the benefits.
• Get rid of "all about me" and develop an everyone-can-win-mindset.

Some related quotes, also posted at QuotesBlog:

• "I am he as you are we and we are all together." -- John Lennon and Paul McCartney
• "Can you stop viewing the world through I-glasses?" -- from The Portable 7 Habits
• "This is your life, your one and only life -- so take excellence very personally." -- Scott Johnson

Job Search Agents

MSN Careers and other sites offer the ability for you to get targeted job openings by email.

At the same time, it is a good idea to find which are the best sites and learn what the limitations of all job opening sites on the Internet are. Dick Bolles' Job Hunter's Bible is a valuable resource for, among other things, the following:

• Fairy Godmother Report on job listing sites
• Statistics on the effectiveness of actual commercial web sites
• General job posting sites
• Regional job posting sites
• Fields-places that focus on a particular field
• Meta-sites - search many sites from one site
• Outside the Web - other places on the Internet to find job postings

MSN Careers | Ten Classic Resume Bloopers

Kim Isaacs recommends that we proofread our resumes meticulously and let others proofread it, especially for malapropisms like these ten real life classic resume bloopers.

MSN Money - CNBC | Secrets you can keep from your employer

Liz Pulliam Weston writes:

An employer's background check can dig up some pretty embarrassing dirt, but how much it will miss may be the biggest surprise. You can fudge on many things except your education and your most recent arrests.

Read more...

Effectiveness Tip of the Week from a weekly email I get from the folks at FranklinCovey

Rocks 'n' Roles!

Identifying roles and assigning specific weekly goals to each one will help you balance. A role is a key responsibility or relationship in your life. Here's what to do:

• List at least two of your most important personal or professional roles, (i.e. parent, manager, volunteer).
• Ask yourself "What is the one most important thing I can do in each role this week that will help me balance?" These goals or rocks form a solid foundation on which you build your weekly activities. Example: "Designer--Read 30 minutes from trade magazine."
• Make specific appointments for each goal in your planning device. As things come up during the week, prioritize and schedule around your goals. Your week will rock!

Blogging the Christian Internet

Neat!

The latest Internet for Christians newsletter has a section about Christian blogging. Blogs4God.com is mentioned. My weblogs

• Journey Inside My Mind,
• Letters to God,
• QuotesBlog,
• Get That Job!, and
• Streams of Consciousness

are a part of that community.

Here's a Thought

Would you apply to work for a company who has been laying people off or otherwise hasn't been doing that well? I believe that it is possible to land a job inside one of those companies.

What do you think?

Get Comfortable Networking!

Ooh! What a neat article from MSN Careers about Comfortable Networking! Read, digest, and become it!

blogs4God

Definitely something to add to the 'To Do List'.