Happy New Year!  With 2009 right around the corner (29 hours and counting), it’s high time to give some thought to your New Year’s resolutions.  If you are looking for a job, no doubt finding gainful employment is right up there on your list.  But are you doing everything you can to maximize your job search?  Here are nine resolutions to get your started: 1. Become a perpetual student. Never stop learning — whether that means going back to school to finish your degree, enrolling in a Master’s program, taking a few distance learning classes, or just being an avid...

Last week, I talked about the importance of keeping the course during your holiday time job search. And while that advice is true, it does not take into account just how hard it is to follow.  ‘Tis the season for joy and light, but when you are in the middle of a protracted job search, the last thing you feel is joyful light. So how do you stay positive about your careers possibilities even in the face of frustration? Here are some of my ideas. Get away from it all Yes, I did say that the holidays are a key time to stay on top of your job hunting game.  And that’s true.  But ...

My local paper ran a story in the Sunday edition about job hunting during the holiday season. It got me thinking.  Their job expert said good job hunters know that there is no such thing as a holiday break when you are looking for a job.  She suggested that there are two reasons for the full throttle approach to job hunting during the holidays: * Companies that are planning to hire in January (and there are still some of them) have already allocated the funds for the new employee’s salary — which means, they are interviewing and making job offers NOW. * A lot of job hunters ta...

When I was looking for my first job, I had a friend who was also job hunting.  She printed her resume on pale pink paper.  I think it may have even been scented.  I always thought it was over the top — excessively so. I figured that if you wanted to get noticed, you should be focused on making sure that your resume left the others in its dust. Be a stand out in terms of experience? Yes.  Scented pink paper?  No. If you are considering dousing your resume in cologne (or other “drastic” measures), stop and reconsider.  Here are five better ways to get your resume notic...

Recession, economic downturn, depression.  Call it what you want, but there is no doubt that this is not a great time to be looking for a new job.  While unemployment figures have yet to pass into the double digits (with the exception of the hardest-hit communities in states like Michigan), companies are focused these days on getting through the tough times — not on expanding their payroll. Despite the doom and gloom, there are many of you out there who need to find a job.  Now.  So, recession / economic downturn / depression be darned — you can make this job hunt work for y...

In my post last week about Transferable Skills, I briefly mentioned my favorite career planning book of all time, “What Color Is Your Parachute.”  This perennial best-seller has been around for decades and it’s updated yearly, making it both a classic and a timeless work of genius!  The nod to “What Color Is Your Parachute” got me thinking: There are tons of books out there that can be helpful in your job search, but with so many to choose from, where do you start? Voila!  Here is a list of the Top 5 Most Helpful Books for people looking to launch their careers. All of the...

Every Tuesday, we discuss tips and hints for making the most of your job search. We welcome input from our readers and want to hear about your most challenging job hunting issues.  To get a crash course on Career Planning 101, check out JobMonkey’s section on Job Hunting Tools. Whether you are facing a career change or looking for your first job, one of the biggest challenges is writing a resume that truly markets your skills to a potential employer.  If you don’t have a lot of on-the-job experience, or if you want to pursue a career in a new field, then this task becomes even more d...

Did you all see that article I posted yesterday from MSNBC.com about how to get a job in the Obama administration?  Whether you are a red voter or a blue one (or none of the above), the salient point of that article still applies: Volunteering and networking are two great ways to get your foot in the door, especially in a hyper- competitive job market. Since we have talked pretty extensively on here about career networking, I thought I would take a look today at the power of volunteering. Now, you may have been motivated to volunteer by your Save the World ideology, but do not let your altrui...

As you probably know by now, Tuesdays are tip day at the JobMonkey blog.  That’s the day that I offer you all kinds of ideas and suggestions for making the most of your job search.  We’ve talked about writing resumes, maximizing your job references, networking in person (and networking online) and more.  Today I’m going to look at the ultimate tip for landing a job: Acing your job interview. Here are five tips for making sure you nail your next interview. 1. Make Your First Impressions Count Whether you are interviewing for a six-figure executive position or a minimum w...

Your resume is stunning and you aced your interview.  The job offer seems like it’s a shoe-in. But wait, before plying you with a great salary and stellar benefits, a future employer has one more I to dot: Checking references.  Here are six tips to ensure that your references help you to seal the deal: 1. Make a list of all the people who know your strengths, particularly as they relate to your job search.  If you have been working for a few years, you should have no problem coming up with employers, supervisors, coworkers and professional associates.  If you are sti...