Gathering Career Information via Networking

We`ve all heard the adage "it`s not what you know, its who you know." Moving to a new area has seriously put a huge hole in my job finding network, so I`m putting my cold calling skills to use to make new connections. I`ve even had the chance to help other job seekers learn cold calling and networking (both online and offline) skills. I am a helper at heart and I enjoy teaching others the skills I`m proficient in. My main goal is not to find work necessarily but rather figure out what I want to do next! I want to be really smart with my next career decision and although the Internet has lots of information, it lacks the personal touch.

There are so many ways to meet people who are willing to inform you about their industry. The information a person gathers from direct contact with another individual is very valuable and beneficial. Associations and Networking groups offer an organized approach to meeting people in the same industry or the industry you are interested in. Friends, neighbours, colleagues, associates, and anyone you meet in line at the grocery store might be a lead to someone else, a new contact, and new information.

Facebook and Linkedin are full of people wanting to manage their contacts and stay in touch. These online tools are very valuable for keeping in touch but they don`t replace real world relationship building. The Internet makes it so easy for us to hide behind a screen and pretend that we are building quality relationships, but it can`t replace the connection a handshake provides or the communication that body language portrays. The Internet fools many of us into a feeling of self confidence that isn`t really there and when faced with the real world networking tactics we sometimes fall short.

Part of the job searching course I`m enrolled in is networking to make connections and uncover the hidden job market. Most of the attendees are non sales people and have never made a cold call in their life, let alone attended a formal networking session. Since I have extensive experience I offered up lots of advice during class and found myself helping others formulate their scrips and qualify their leads. I really enjoyed training those who were really interested in making calls and making connections with people in their chosen fields. No surprise there, I always love putting my 2 cents worth in.

My problem with this exercise is not making the calls or the connections, its figuring out what industry or career I`m looking for. Advertising, Marketing, Marketing Research, Event Management, Training, or do I go back to what`s comfortable - Sales? So my goal is to contact various industries, various departmental managers and make a solid decision about where I want my career to go.

What to do.... What to do..... What do I Want to Be When I Grow Up?

The great thing about life is that we can change our destiny no matter how old we are. When I graduated high school the Internet wasn't more then a dos program that dialed up snippets of useless information from other computers. Nothing like what it is today. Today, the Internet is a valuable tool in my search for my next career position.

Onet online is a valuable tool for anyone looking to change their career or trying to figure out what they want to be when they grow up. A person can find a career that matches their skills, or what skills they need for a certain position. The information that a job seeker can obtain from onet online can help them tailor their resume to the position they are applying for, when there is no ad for it.

School aged children should be introduced to onet online and utilize it when making choices for their future. The schools don't do enough to help kids succeed in the world and it is up to parents to help fill the huge gap. Schools need to partner with government sponsored programs to teach children how to find a job, write a resume, and get into the right educational programs. Until then there is the Internet and parents to help direct them.

Looking for Work - Getting Help!

So today it starts, I have to get serious about finding a job and the government is going to help. Since I'm on Employment Insurance there are a number of organizations that provide job seekers with support, direction, education, and motivation. The first step is to see an employment counsellor at one of the many employment resource centers across Canada. From there a job seeker will be referred to one of the many different programs set up to help them be more efficient and successful.

I have to admit I thought it would be for unskilled labour and a huge waste of time. Day one was boring for the most part but had some jewels of information. I'd done most of the self assessment work already, but for those that haven't the worksheets they provided were helpful. The binder will help me get organized and get more serious about applying for work. The biggest benefit today, getting motivated to do those things I've been putting off.... namely creating a contact card for networking. A must for any job seeker that wants to market themselves better.

Tomorrow we start the resume writing workshop. This is the main reason I was referred to this particular program, I guess my initial one sucked. However, since then I spent a day at the library researching and reworking my resume, so tomorrow may be more of the same. If anything I may learn something new or just confirm that what I've got now is the best resume for my job hunting needs. Sometimes just confirmation that what we are doing is right is enough to boost our confidence and motivate us to keep going.

The main benefit for me is going to be focusing on finding a position. I have had big distractions and now that we are settled in our new place, well for the most part, it's time to get back to work. A refresher course couldn't hurt.

What Employees Think of the Company they Work For

I googled a couple companies that I am interviewing with this week and discovered a couple employee feedback sites. For the most part the reviews are written by former disgruntled employees but that in itself gives one an idea about the environment - however, you must take it with a grain of salt and understand that there are 2 sides to every story.

It did get me thinking though, for companies who want to portray themselves as quality places to work these sites are a good tool. They are also a good tool to generate feedback from those who work for you and utilize the feedback to make positive changes. The trick is getting enough quality employees who love where they work to post their reviews.

Business owners should be aware of these sites and what their current and former employees are saying about them. Potential clients and potential employees can access this information and will judge your business accordingly. Who knows your business better than employees? Every prospect is wondering, what is the sales person not telling me? So they google you. Have you googled yourself lately?

Utilize sites like these to promote your online reputation as a quality employer.

Check out these sites:

Job Vent

Glassdoor

My Resume Sucks and Getting a Grip on Rejection

I haven't changed to layout of my resume since my first one 20 years ago. So when my employment counsellor told me it sucked I was surprised to find out that I was doing it all wrong. So off to the library to find out what the pros suggest and what do you know I didn't know a thing about writing a resume.

It's not so much that the information was wrong - I can't change my working history, experiences or accomplishments - it was how I laid it out and presented the information that is an issue. I wasn't looking at my resume and cover letters as pieces of marketing literature or sales tools. I always thought a resume was just a chronological list of your past positions and skills.

I have spent hours writing marketing materials and sales tools in the past and yet I only ever spent a fraction of that time on my resume. I mean really how blind could I be? I'm not putting the time in to sell myself.

Selling myself is the thing I hate most about the whole looking for work thing, which is odd in itself since I'm a sales professional. I could blame my mother or the humility teachings of my Christian upbringing but that wouldn't be honest. I have a hard time selling myself because I fear rejection of my "self." Selling someone else, promoting another business, or selling a product is easy - the rejection is not personal. Prospects can say "NO" a hundred times over and I'd still come back with a different angle... but when an employer says "NO" that's harder for me to come back at. Harder for me to pull up my socks and say - ah but did you know this about .......

Business owners have to be confident in their "self" and accept rejection of their business services or product as just that and not a rejection of them. That's the hardest part about owning a business, realizing that when a propect says "NO" its not personal.

Presently, I'm not an expert on resumes or cover letters but I am learning from the many different books on the subject. It's going to take a while sitting here to create slick pieces of salesmanship that will hopefully open doors to me that I have been unable to open before. When the doors do open I have to remember that any rejection is not personal - it only means that the product I have presented is not meeting their needs for one reason or another. It's not about not liking me - its about matching the skill set I have presented through marketing materials and presentations (also known as interviews) with the position the employer needs to fill.

What's Your Personal Brand? What Do You Portray to Employers?

Branding is not just for large companies, small businesses must brand themselves to the market place and individuals must brand themselves to the job market. Have you created a brand beyond yourself? What image, attitude, and impression do you want to portray to employers in the market for your services? I am presently marketing my son, at his insistence, to the film industry so I sat and watched Canada's Next Top Model for the first time to get an idea of what that industry looks for. I learned a lot about personal branding and it occurred to me that everyone looking to sell themselves into any job needs a brand, including me.

You know the accountant who's books are a mess, the notary who doesn't have a will, or the mechanic who's car doesn't work.... that's me at the moment, the marketer who doesn't have a brand. Well that's not completely true, I do have an image, everyone does, it's just not a purposeful conscious and planned brand.

I need to figure out what I want to portray to the marketplace, to potential employers, and to new friends. From there I need to work hard at making sure I am that brand. Everything I do needs to go back to that brand.

For example, I want to show that I am professional - so my marketing documents (cover letter and resumes) must be professional. I have to invest time, money and energy into getting the right look and feel into these documents. I also need to look the role, which for me means getting fit and fitting back into my business suits, getting an expensive quality hair cut and taking better care of my skin.

I want to show that I am reliable and responsible - so I have to act reliable and responsible. I have to behave in a reliable and responsible manner at all times. This isn't too hard for me already but it does mean that I have to keep up a daily record of what has been requested of me, what I've promised to get done, and make sure that everything I say I'm going to do is done in a timely manner.

To start your personal branding for your employment search, you need to answer some simple questions:

1. Why should an employer hire you? Your strengths and benefits.
2. How are you different from other applicants? How are you unique?
3. Who is your target employer? Values, Qualities, Names, Products, Industry.

Understand the brand of the employer you are targeting, does it match your brand? If not maybe look for a different company to target.

The most frustrating thing I've experienced in my working history is being in an office environment that doesn't mesh with my personal values. When this happens my focus is removed from my job and into the soap opera of office gossip. When I am working in an environment that is more in line with my own values I am very productive and extremely satisfied with my career choice. When you are looking for a good 'fit,' knowing who you are and what you want is more important then just getting a job. Looking for a career position is a lot like looking for a mate, if the values and goals aren't the same then divorce is inevitable.

What Type of Job has Everything I Want? Do YOU Have Any Ideas?

As you already know I am looking for work .... again. I don't have the seed capital to start up a good business so I'm on the job hunt. I don't know where to start though, I'm not sure which positions or companies I should target. Here's what I need:

1. Flexible Hours. - I need to a position where I am not tied to desk or have to punch a clock. I'm a hard worker and usually end up working longer hours then required, I just have to be able to work from home a bit, out and about sometimes, and at the office other times. I have to be able to get my kids off to school so I can't start until 9:00 or 9:30 depending on the commute. As well, I have to be able to be able to get my son to auditions and on set when he gets work. I also want to make sure I can get them to their activities after school. Plus my personality just isn't a 9-5 watch the clock sit at my desk all day type of worker.

2. Creativity - I am a creative person and as you may already be able to tell like to creative problem solve. I've always been on the more artistic side of life, whether I'm painting or creating digital ad layouts I enjoy the design process. Which is probably why I enjoy scrapbooking and cardmaking so much - layouts and design.

3. Advisory - Come on I blog because I like to put my 2 cents worth in. I enjoy writing and having an advisory role. I enjoy helping people hit their goals and most of the time I give my advice and knowledge for free.

4. Ethics - I need to be in an ethical environment with people who inspire me because of who they are and what they do. I need to respect my boss because of who he / she is and what they do to help make the world a better place. I am inspired by those who have values, morals and ethics.

5. Money - I have to make a decent wage, Vancouver is not a cheap place to live. My husband also wants to go back to school for a year so I'm on the hook to pay for the bulk of the expenses and I don't want my kids to have to give up their activities again just because I can't afford them. If I'm going to be concentrating on something other than my family or myself again I need to be paid well.

6. Professionalism and Value - I prefer a company that is professional and values its employees. I'm tired of companies that treat their employees like easily replaceable parts. I have a lot of skills to offer a company and I want to know that I am an integral part of their infrastructure. I don't need stupid token contests and gifts for what I did yesterday. I just need to know that what I offer is valuable and worth holding on to. Professional companies that understand what professionalism is and value employees that work hard is where I want to hang my hat for the next 10 plus years.

7. Productive - I need to feel productive, like I'm doing something, contributing to a bigger picture or bottom line.

8. Challenged - Challenge, I am the type of person who looks for solutions and challenges. I take the initiative and don't wait to be told what to do and how to do it. For some companies this would be a problem, for others a valuable commodity. I am a proactive and assertive individual when given the chance can do more then was ever expected to.

I believe the first thing anyone looking for a job needs to do is know exactly what they are looking for. I'm a little lost at the moment but with some help I think I can get back on track to find the right position for me. Just as any business must have a business plan, every job seeker needs a career plan and that's what I'm trying to develop.

Look for Your Next Job at Your Local Library

I don't mean apply to be a Librarian. Libraries, especially the big city ones, have a mass of resources available for the job hunter in their business section. Everything from the latest Career Choicing book, What Colour is Your Parachute, to lists and resources you never thought of looking for. Need a resume - find books and books of how to write the perfect resume and cover letter. Not exactly sure about the job titles in an industry or what you want to be? They have thick resource books on different job titles in different industries with a descriptive write up about each one. Big help when trying to figure out what jobs you really want to go after.

If you are applying for a job with a company you need to know why you want to work with that particular employer. The library is filled with information you won't find easily on the internet. Old publications, new periodicals, information on CEOs and CFOs.

Take a day to head down to your public library's business section and ask the resource desk for a little help finding information on a career.... you'll be amazed at what you find.

Websites to Aid in the Search for a Career in Canada

I've started looking for work - due to relocating from Calgary to the Lower Mainland BC - and I started by creating a list of companies I'd want to work for. Here are some links to sites that help a job seeker make a list of quality companies to target in a job search.

Top 100 companies to work for in Canada. - lists the best companies in Canada and it's provinces to work for. It also provides lots of information on the companies, what they do, where they are, why they are the best, a bit of history and any current online job postings.

BC Business - has their own top businesses to work for in BC. The lists are smaller and divided into less than 100 employees and more than 100 employees.

Canada Business Magazine - has their own list of top businesses to work for.

Alberta Venture Magazine - has a variety of lists of top businesses and lots of background information on what is happening in the business world there.

Alberta Oilweek Magazine - for those wanting to find work in Alberta's Oilfeild... keep abreast of what is happening in the industry.

Alberta Oil Magazine - if you want to work in the oil patch then get to know the who's who and what's what.

June Warren Publishing - for everything and anything on the oilpatch in Alberta

Business in Vancouver - have published a Book of Profiles of the who's who in Vancouver Business.

Canpages - If you want to target certain industries in a certain geographical area you can easily find a list of all the companies. Search by heading and area use the map features to either condense or expand your geographical choices.

Companies Use Internet to Find Employees

One thing I've noticed recently is that companies will use various Internet tools to advertise jobs and find employees. Here are just a few:

1. Job boards like Monster, Workopolis, Job Shark
2. Company Website's Career Sections
3. Blogs
4. Twitter and Facebook
5. Classified directories like Craigslist and Kijiji

Finding a good job in a newspaper is becoming a thing of the past.

Where did you find out about your current or past position?

When Looking for a Job you Have to Know What you Want

Unfortunatly, I cannot wait forever for a position to open up at Canpages again. I have to help contribute to the family's finances, especially with the higher house prices in the Lower Mainland. So as much as I hate to, I have to start looking for work again.

The first step for looking for any job is to know exactly what I want from a position. This will help me focus my efforts on postings that match my skills and my needs. Without this type of a list I will waste more time interviewing for positions that I don't want and may end up in a position that doesn't fit. It's the difference between shooting at something with a shot gun and a rifle, both do the same job one is less messy and hits closer to the mark.

I do the same thing when looking for a house, I make a long wish list of everything I want in a home first. I won't get everything, especially at my price point, but knowing what I want and what I will compromise on is better than having no clue. I can waste time looking at less then perfect options or I can focus my efforst on those homes that meet the criteria I've set out.

So what's the perfect position for me?

One that is flexible with time and enables me to work from home part of the time so I can get my kids to and from school without daycare. I would be willing to compromise if I could start at 9:00-9:30 so I am getting my kids to school in the morning and daycare in the afternoon.

A position that I find challenging that is filled with research, planning, facilitating, public speaking, promoting, and creative problem solving.

I would love a position that enabled me to promote a company to the marketplace through public speaking, networking, and writing.

I would love a position that facilitated the logistics of events, corporate change, or personal change. A position that would enable me to manage, plan, and oversee projects, events, or relocations.

A position that would value my lead generating skills, relationship building, and customer service skills.

A position with a company that valued its employees and cared about keeping their employees within the organization. A company that saw value and communicated that with its employees. A company filled with management I could respect for their knowledge, experience, integrity, and values.

Although I cringe at the thought of pounding the pavement, I know it has to be done. So let the adventure begin....

Working Long Hours - A Week 'til The Phone Book Goes to Print

This week is what my office calls Open Season and all leads are now open to anyone to call, which means I get to make a lot more cold calls everyday. I've been hung up on, yelled at and yet, I've met some interesting small business people who want to expand their client base. Even though I make appointments doesn't mean someone will be there when I get there. I get stood up all the time, most re book but with the price of gas and the traffic it can wear on you.

With the book close just a week away I have literally 1000s of numbers to call and hopefully I will meet with 3-4 business people a day. I don't have time to rebook appointments because there are business people out there who want to advertise in the phone book but don't know how affordable it is. These are the types of business people I'm hoping to find during this last kick at the bucket.

Cold calling and being stood up aside, outside sales is a fun career, how much you get out of it depends solely on how much you put in. So far I've been putting in 10-13 hour days and I'm getting very disorganized because there isn't time to ensure I stay caught up on paperwork. My numbers are now reflecting my hard work and my kids are showing signs of rebellion.

I do like the flexability and the freedom it provides you, it's like running your own business, but you have someone to ensure you make quotas so you stay profitable. However, It is a grind because every morning you start at 0 trying to make as many calls and book as many appointments as you can. It's easy to get frustrated and want to quit but that's when you truly fail.

I have found that as long as I'm not comparing my luck to other's luck and I put my head down and work I can keep the green eyed monster at bay. Some reps will get more breaks from management and some will get more help but persevering despite that is an accomplishment in itself.

New Job -- Lots of Stress - NO SLEEP

Ok I finally got a great position in an industry I'm extremely passionate about, advertising! I've been through 2 weeks of training and my first day cold calling a list of 60 was able to book 6 appointments and sold an ad on my first day in the field....... so now can I sleep???

I've been so stressed about having to go through training and make minimum quotas in sales that I've had lots of sleepless night and have not been eating right. Why do I do this to myself? I always overbook myself, stress myself out wanting to be the best and I make myself sick.

It's not the work that stresses me out but the reviews of performance, getting scripts approved, and hitting sales quotas that has me up at night. This is the first job where I have a comprehensive training course and consistent performance reviews. I could hear the word 'no' over and over, in fact in my line of work I hear 'no' everyday and it doesn't phase me..... but not approve a script I've written out or have a critism of my way of doing things and I'm in knots.

I realize in two weeks these sleepless nights are going to be a bad memory but until then.... pass the nytol.

Prepare for the latest Interview Assessment Tests - Master Jin Jin's IQ Challenge

I have taken a lot of different assessment tests over the years during interview processess and the latest one can be prepared for. With practice you won't be stressed when you sit in front of a computer and take the assessment test. It is a timed 50 question test that assess your natural skills.

I was shocked as I took the test how similar the questions were to the IQ game I play on my kids nintendo DS, Master Jin Jin's IQ Challenge. This game is a wonderful practice tool and will help you assess your natural skills on your own.

This game with other brain challenge games are a fun daily exercise for you brain and skills.

Becoming a Pro at Finding Work - Home Based Business Opportunity for YOU???

I'm becoming a pro at finding opportunities and applying for work. It is so time consuming and a full time job. Recruiters work to find candidates for opportunities and I need someone who works to find opportunities for the candidate. If I had any cash I'd find someone to hire. If you already have a job and you are wanting a new one hiring someone to find you the best opportunities may be the way to go.

So if you are looking to start a home based business, this might be one for you. Do you have good research skills? Are you intuitive and analytical? Do you have strong interpersonal skills and confidence to call and talk to anyone?

Where would you advertise? Online is free or at least cheap, job board forums, blogs, and advertising sites like kijiji. Networking is a wonderful way to find clients by word of mouth. Classified Ads in Newspapers would put you in front of your target audience but can be expensive.

You would need to decide if you were going to be a niche player or a generalist. It may be easiest to find opportunities and candidates in the industry you were working in.

It would have to be organized and set up as a service for candidates and paid for by candidates, NOT companies. Recruiting agencies concentrate on the companies what I'm proposing to you is a company that concentrated on the candidate.

Kicked Down Again thanks to Credit Report - How to Keep Going and Going Like the Energizer Bunny

If you've been following these posts then you know I've had lots of set back recently in both business and job search. Staying positive and not giving up have become harder but I keep getting back up, I must love eating dust. This time my credit report is the cause of my not being offered a position. Although I've never declared bankruptcy or ever been arrested because of late payments I've been denied a position I would have been perfect for.

Let this be a lesson for you as well, keep your credit rating good, you never know what you'll loose because of a bad credit rating. It doesn't take much to have bad credit, just a few late payments is all it takes to knock a hundred points off your rating and the only thing that can fix it is time.

Here's some things I've learned about credit rating and how to keep a good one:

1. Order your report from Equifax or other credit rating company. Are there any discrepancies? Any errors? I found one, too late for the job but good for the future.

2. Do you have late payments with any company? Make sure you aren't late again for the next 6-12 months - this will help you to create a better rating.

3. Don't apply for any credit -- any credit rating search or denial of loan will hurt your rating.

4. Close all accounts that you don't use, keep your credit amount lean and request reduction in limits on all credit you keep.

5. Use your credit regularly, just make sure you pay regularly too.

6. Protect your SIN and your other personal information to ensure you don't become a victim of identity theft that will destroy your credit.

7. Don't use any agency that claims to fix your rating for a fee -- it's a scam, the only way to correct your credit rating is time!!!!!! Be a responsible borrower for a year.

8. Have a plan to get out of debt and to get your payments made on time. Know your dates and minimum amounts, this is where I got screwed up. If possible make your payments automatic from your bank account and if you can't see if they will accept post dated cheques, I've been hit here too because they've either misplaced the cheques or I didn't record when the last cheque would be cashed.

It is getting harder to keep up the search for work, it's getting harder to be positive and optimistic about my chances. However, I can't give up because if I do I'll never get a job or get ahead. I want a career and the only way to get one is to keep going and find one, while at the same time building on my skills and knowledge.

Work from Home - Lots of Options Available but is it for YOU???

Working from home is a dream situation to many individuals but is it for you? You see the pictures of moms with their babies on their laps in front of computers and you think, ya that's what I want. But is it all it's made out to be? Working from home is a commitment and you have to be self motivated, if you aren't guess what - you won't succeed.

There are lots of work at home options out there, some good, some not. So how do you find the one that will work for you? First you have to know yourself, your passions and talents. Be honest with yourself don't idealize what you want to be, be realistic about your skills, habits, and motivations. Second, once you know what your about find a company that will match who you are. If you choose a company that doesn't match you - guess what, you won't succeed. There are more things to consider check out my article on choosing a direct sales or network marketing company, these are the two most important though.

Want to know more about network marketing companies or multi level networking companies?Reviews Articles on various multi level marketing or direct sales companies

When you work from home you have all sorts of distractions, especially if you have young children. You have to be able to compartmentalize your life and your children have to be able to understand that when you are in your office working not to disturb you unless it is an emergency. Your spouse or partner will have to be very supportive and helpful during the time you have set aside as work time. If you don't take your work at home situation seriously, your family won't so make sure you draw the boundaries right away.

When you work from home the condition of your home could be a distraction if you want to make sure it's clean before your start working. If you can't ignore the pile of laundry during scheduled work time then you won't be able to succeed. You need to ensure that you have planned out your time and you do what needs to be done in it's allotted time. If you keep putting work off to clean the house or do laundry you will never get to work and will fail.

A side effect of working from home is working all the time, it's hard to keep work at work when your home is your work. If your personal home phone is also your business phone you could find yourself answering business calls 24/7. Many people who work from home find they love the flexibility but they also end up working more hours a week then if they had an outside office.

Working from home is a wonderful experience, one I've been fortunate to hold in the past. My husband has freedom and spends more time with the kids, but at times he works all the time and misses out on the kids activities because he can't keep to work hours. He doesn't have to commute further than a few feet but his clients demand on calling any time to book an appointment and show up late in the day to pay their bill. My husband has a successful business but he feels he never gets time off and we have to leave the house to leave the work stress behind. When deciding if you should work from home you need to take the good and bad into consideration before you make a decision.

Looking for Work - Recruiting Agencies or Head Hunters

I've met with my fair share of head hunters or recruitment agencies over the years, most have interviewed me to work for them instead of offering me options. I am disillusioned by head hunters and have yet to be impressed by the service they provide. That said, they are a useful resource when looking for work because they have plenty of opportunities to fill with quality candidates. Trick is finding the one you can work with and trust.

They are looking for the perfect candidate to put forth to the company and when they find them they are hoping for a quick hire and a paycheque. Anyone would right? If that was how you got paid wouldn't you want it to be an easy match? Thing is when it isn't a match and either you don't get offered the job or you turn down the job some head hunters write you off, especially if you've made a taboo mistake during the interview process. Don't forget that their reputation is riding on your performance.

Companies pay a lot of money to recruitment agencies when a match is found and they aren't willing to take a chance on anything less than a perfect match for that reason. So if you are going into an interview set up via a head hunter make sure you are over prepared: Study the company, press your suit, get a hair cut, leave the cell phone at home and know the answers before you arrive preferably early.

Recruiters and Head Hunters have lots of positions they need to fill with highly qualified and good quality candidates. Remember, they are focused on the companies needs not on the candidates needs so don't go in expecting them to find you a position. You need to do your homework and continue to search job boards, newspapers, and websites for opportunities. You will be in the recruiters database but unless you are in constant contact with them you will not be a top of mind candidate.

Choose an agency that has the image you want to portray to the marketplace. If you are looking for labour blue collar jobs register with an agency that specializes in these types of jobs. If you are looking for a professional office position steer away from industrial recruitment agencies and towards agencies that specialize in your industry.

That's the great thing about agencies, there are so many different types. Whether you choose a general bit of everything agency or a niche agency focused on one industry make sure you work with the recruiter. Keep in contact, give feedback about the interviews you go on, call to see if there are any other opportunities, and make sure you know what you want before you meet with them. You don't have to be a star with an amazing resume to use head hunter services, there are plenty that will help you.

I've met only 2 head hunters that I think are really good to work with:

Nancy @ Tag Recruitment Group in Calgary
Paul @ Holloway Schultz in Toronto

Do you know any head hunters that are really good to work with? If so please pass on their names as it isn't easy to find the good ones if you are a candidate.

Unemployed and Looking for Work takes 3 Ps - Patience, Perseverance, and Prayer

The waiting, the interview game, the searching, no wonder I wanted to buy a career for myself. I want to get going on a career so bad I can taste it. Finding a new position that fits what I want and what a company wants is stressful, anyone who has looked for work knows the rejection, the anticipation, the effort, the stress.

So what can you do while you wait for the right job offer to come along. First off, why do you have time to do anything else? Looking for work is a full time job in itself. If you do have time though, read books and periodicals that pertain to the job and industry you want a career in. You may even find a job, you will impress during your interviews and you will feel like you are doing something productive. Patience does not come easy, but without it you'll make reactive decisions and not proactive. Take it from someone who knows, lack of patience means bad rushed decisions. If you feel productive you'll be able to weather out the storm.

Rejection is hard to take, even for the most confident person. You've found a position you want really bad but you didn't interview well or someone was just more suited for the position and you don't receive an offer. I've been there, you've been there, everyone has been there - You are not on your own. The thing is if you give up after too many nos you'll never get anywhere in life because life is full of nos. If you want to work or want a career you have to keep going, regardless of how many times you've been kicked down. Without perseverance you'll always be unemployed and down.

Looking for work can be a lonely occupation, especially if those around you are stressed about you being out of work. It's hard to stay positive have patience and persevere when you feel like your alone in the world. Prayer will help you talk out your feelings, failures, and make you feel like you're not on your own. You will need someone or something to listen to you so you can get perspective on your situation.

A couple years ago my life was great, I was content with what I had and excited because I was going back to work outside the home and start a career. I was reading Philip Yancey's book "The Bible Jesus Read" at the time and the first chapter was on the book of Job and my study of the Book of Job ended up being a warning about the future.


I've been kicked down so many times and have had so much go wrong that my closest friend keeps commenting that she doesn't know how I get out of bed in the morning. I'll let you in on a secret -- I try really really hard not to feel sorry for myself or expect others to feel sorry for me. I keep a positive outlook by focusing on the positive aspects of my life and not the negative. It's all about perspective and staying positive even when things don't go my way. Family has asked how I keep going and really, what else am I supposed to do? I am determined to have a successful career and do something with my life and in order to do that I have to keep going and persevere over every no, every rejection and be patient waiting for the right offer.

The don'ts of an interview

My Job Search seems to be Going Really Well

Looking for a position to re jump start my career has been a full time job but the work seems to be paying off. In a real short time I have received a lot of interest and have 3 interviews a day. The amount of interest in my resume is good for my self esteem and I hope to be working before the end of June.

Sending out resumes, re writing my resume and cover cover letter and fielding calls is time consuming. Jobs are not always posted on job boards or in the paper and searching out all the websites of good companies to work for takes some effort. Researching the company before an interview by reading their website information and googling the company for non corporate information takes time. Answering questions and being prepared to answer any question that comes at you takes practice. Add to the equation, kids and lack of money and it becomes a stressful experience. One I hope to not have to do again for a very long time.