When you’re looking for a new job, it’s important to keep in mind that it’s not necessarily the best suited and qualified person which gets the job, but often the one who knows the most about how to get hired. Some people feel uncomfortable getting a job based on who they know rather than what they know, but networking is a fact of life. Networking can be an important way of getting hired, and is definitely an effective employment strategy, but what is it? And how is it done? Because of the nature of the job market these days, many people fear that their current job may become obsolete. People are likely to need to reapply their skills into different jobs throughout their lives. Networking is a process of interacting with people who share similar interests. It normally involves the sharing of information about these shared areas of interests, and often the passing on of names and contact details who also share those interests. The idea is that it is beneficial for everyone involved. It [...]

Too many would be job applicants get overly worried about the quality of their resume (curriculum vitae). Although I’m not advocating a sloppy document, in my experience, too many people spend a disproportionate time on it. Most would-be candidates I speak to will spend 10% of their time looking for jobs, 10% preparing for the interview and 80% making their resume look perfect. Worst still, once they’ve perfected the resume, they keep it static, regardless of the role they’ve applied for (but that’s another story). At the risk of sounding like I’m talking to a dog, I’ll spell this out as simply as I can. A resume won’t get you a job. Don’t confuse yourself. Nobody got a job just by applying. Ok, I’ll admit maybe one or two have, but for 99.999% of roles, it simply moved them one step along the process. Recruitment is a numbers game. Simply put, the more applications you make, the more interviews you will get. The more interviews you get, the more job offers you will receive. You [...]

When most people start looking for a new job, they tend to consider the activity as one complete process. Successful job applicants, however, will see it as three distinct phases: Job searches Resume (curriculum vitae) preparation Interviews The aspect that the casual applicant will spend the least time and effort on is job searches – yet logic dictates that this should be the area that gets most attention. For every job offer there are typically a higher number of interviews. And not every application receives an offer of an interview. So it is amazing how many people treat finding jobs so casually. Typically they will have two or three places that they focus 90% of their effort on and the remainder of their time is spent browsing a few more sources once every few weeks. It is no surprise that these people tend to have the least success in finding a new role. Good job hunting requires effort and nowhere is this more important than finding the vacancies in the first place. Most job hunters [...]

The current US recession has been viewed by most as the worst that ever that hit the country and prompted the Obama administration to approve the 7 billion stimulus package last February, which it hopes will save the economy from further sliding down. The unemployment has reached a 26 year high of 8.10 percent which is equivalent to about 651,000 jobs. The unemployment rate is expected to reach 10 percent by the end of the year. The US has one of the largest percentages of home ownership at 68 percent. Around 27 percent of these are mortgaged. The mortgage industry has been pinpointed as the root cause of the recession. Houses that used to command outrageously high prices is now worth less than what most home owners have loaned. According to First American CoreLogic "about 8.31 million properties had negative equity at the end of 2008". And with the unemployment high, a big number people could lose their house due to foreclosures. The recession have also toppled business giants such AIG, Citi Group, Fannie and [...]

From the looks of it, the US economy is poised for a comeback. The Obama administration’s 7 billion stimulus package which is designed to provide money for public works, extend unemployment benefits and help the ailing mortgage industry is having a positive effect. The package plus the multitude of government moves such as slashing the key bank lending rate to an all-time low and the approval of programs to inject billions of dollars into the financial and banking system is delivering encouraging results to a recession which has its roots in the mortgage industry. The stocks are rising, the housing industry is on the rebound and the general consumer index is bouncing up. Everything seems to be on the upward trend, even the Federal Reserve chairman, Ben Bernanke described the recent developments as a "gradual resumption of sustainable economic growth", except for one big factor which that up to this point just refuses to join the party. The US unemployment rate zoomed to a high of 8.5 percent in March as employers axed 663,000 more [...]

In the current economic climate there are news stories on TV every day of businesses closing down and people being laid off. It makes for pretty grim viewing. As a direct consequence the employment market is becoming saturated by people looking to get back into full time employment as soon as possible. Not since the dark days of the late eighties have so many people been looking for work outside their normal skill sets; people are even considering relocating to get back into employment because there is no prospect of getting work locally. Every major town and city in the UK has seen an increase in the number of people applying for any jobs that are advertised. One city council recently experienced over one thousand applications for about thirty positions in the local refuse collection department. But London jobs, it seems, are the most sought after with many people saying they would either move to the area or consider commuting long distances if they were offered one of the London jobs that they have applied [...]

With news channels running more and more stories about the declining UK jobs market you could be forgiven for thinking that there are no jobs available and that in a few months time the whole country will be jobless. Although the recession is clearly doing a lot of damage the UK jobs market is not dead yet and there are even sectors that are experiencing little or no effect at all. Chemical and pharmaceutical industry – The research and development of new medicine has a long history in the United Kingdom, as does the development of chemical compounds and chemical based products. The UK is home to two of the world’s largest pharmaceutical firms, GlaxoSmithKline and AstraZeneca and the industry at large is a large employer, particularly in London. UK jobs in the chemical industry are also a major part of the local economy in the North of England. Avecia and BASF are both based in the area. Service Sector – This is the biggest growth industry by far in Great Britain and the number [...]

Being a college grad in the middle of a recession is one of the toughest times to try to find a job. Unfortunately, there are thousands of students who have recently graduated – or are about to cross the stage – who will be looking for employment with 4 million others who have recently been laid off. So how can someone with very little experience compete against candidates who have years of know-how and education under their belts? There are a few tips to consider that can help to make the job search a little simpler. Let’s take a look at what they are … Take Advantage of Your Youth One benefit that recent grads have over professionals who have been in their chosen industry for years is youth. While it’s true that many employers like to play it safe with an employee who has tons of experience, some employers understand the need to stay ahead of the curve in most all industries due in large part to constant technological advancements in the business world. [...]

Job seekers usually make some common mistakes when submitting their job applications, and this reduces their chances of getting hired. -Research – Job seekers usually forget or neglect this issue without realizing that research is very important. Do your homework on your potential employer, and you will be able to find some interesting points which may help you during your interview. Perform simple research on the company, as it will surely reveal the type of people they are looking for. This research will also uncover the company’s ethics and working style. You can do research by simply visiting their website. If the website provides financial information, then try to understand their current position in the market. -Communication – Job seekers usually fail to communicate and present themselves in line with professional expectations. Employers are usually dissatisfied with candidates who are unable to express themselves. They hire employees to solve problems, and if they find your communication skills lacking, then your chances of landing the job are slim to none. -Interview – During the interview is [...]

The First Step Is To Visualize Job hunting is just like preparation for a marathon. It has the same elements of planning, preparing and endurance. The first step is to visualize. When you set a goal, visualize achieving it. Start visualizing the things related to that job such as the workplace, the people you will be working with and your daily working schedule. Also, visualize other details about your job, as if you are already working there. Even if you have a few setbacks in landing that job, retain the vision of your working in that job, in your mind. This is important, as it turns your desire for the job into firm determination. Persistence Pays Off Obviously, job hunting is not going to be smooth sailing or a cakewalk all the way. You are bound to face setbacks, rejections, and negative responses during the process. Nevertheless, always remember that only through persistent effort and sustaining confidence can you win the race. You just have to keep trying and never give up! The benefits of [...]