Using social media for your job search

If you are unemployed you might want to look into social media sites to help you’re your search. There are so many social media websites that it is hard to keep up with them all. Each seems to have its own angle. With Facebook, you can connect with old friends, meet new friends and do lots of other things like games. Twitter limits you to 140 characters, a tweet, a short brief message that you can send to everybody you’re connected with. The site linkIn is geared toward making a business or employment connection with other people or possible employers.

Which is the best?

At first glance it would seem that LinkIn is the best. You can post your profile on LinkIn so that potential employers can see it and you can check out company profiles to see what companies you might want to work for. And of course, networking is a big advantage with this site also, as it is with most social media sites.

Although twitter limits you to 140 characters it is still a great place to network and look for jobs. Most job sites have twitter accounts that you can join so you can keep up to date on the latest job posting and information. Another great thing about twitter is all the applications that are being developed to make it easier to find people with similar interests as you. Do a twitter search for jobs or employment and you will find numerous tweets.

Facebook has groups that are focused on employment. It is easy to join a group and post messages on their ‘wall’ (a kind of bulletin board). Because of hundreds of millions Facebook participants business networking can be very advantageous to anyone looking for work.

These are just three of the social media site available to you for searching for a job.

Stress and suddenly being laid off

You might have seen to coming, there were plenty of signs, such as the company not making money, the rumors that seem to always be true and talk of outsourcing. So you prepared yourself and waited. When the day came you were still in shock. How could it be? You worked hard for this company for many years and you are downsized, laid off, fired. Don’t panic because you aren’t alone, especially in today’s economy. While it is true that you need to search for a new job, your first order of business is keeping your physical and mental state intact.

You have every right to be stressed and you have every right to be worried. Even if the economy is turning around (not everyone believes that) it is going to be difficult to find a job. But it is going to impossible if you get sick. Stress can break down even the healthiest of people. It can interrupt your sleep, your eating and your ability to think clearly.

It is a tall task to eliminate stress in an extremely stressful time, but you have to do it. How? If you don’t exercise already now would be a wonderful time to start. Even walking can take the edge off the worst concern that you have. Riding a bike or swimming are other great ways to work off your troubles. If you are older and haven’t exercised in a while always consult your doctor first before attempting any form of physical activity.

Now would also be a good time to watch what you eat. Proper nutrition is vital to your general health. If you eat a healthy diet and exercise you might find yourself in the best shape of your life.

And don’t forget about getting plenty of sleep. Without the right amount of rest your body becomes prone to illness and stress, two things you don’t need when you are unemployed and looking for work.

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Job fairs and the older unemployed

Job fairs always seem to draw a lot of attention especially in the present economy. Men and women will pack the fair with resumes in hand hopeful to find an interesting company that might be hiring. College graduates and young people swarm the job fairs in search of that first job. But with the economy impacting everyone today the question is it worthwhile for the older workers to attend a job fair.


The answer to that depends on the theme of the job fair. Many of them are geared toward finding entry level workers not necessarily seasoned veterans that is why it is important to do your research before attending any job fair. Check out what companies are going to be there and research the companies also to see how the company is doing business wise. You don’t want to work for a place that is about to go under.

And even if you go to a job fair and you don’t receive any interest from the companies there you can always use the time to network. Also you can practice making a pitch to companies on why you would be a great employee.

For a comprehensive list of job fairs through out the country check out Employmentguide.com.

Ten major job sites

1. Monster.com – Long time favorite among job hunters 
2. Indeed.com – job aggregator site like SimplyHired.com 
3. USAgov.com – you will find Federal jobs listed here 
4. Careerbuilder.com – has everything you want in a job search site 
5. Dice.com – Technology jobs are their niche 
6. Linkup.com – This site lists jobs listed within company sites 
7. Yahoo Hot Jobs – Another long time job search favorite 
8. SimplyHIred.com – Like Indeed.com a job aggregator site 
9. LinkedIn.com – A network site and a job site 
10. Craigslist.com – Many jobs are listed on Craigslist.com 

 

Five online resources for the unemployed

There is a lot of valuable information online for the unemployed. There is so much that it can be a little overwhelming at times. Start out with a few Government sites that will help you make a plan on finding a job. Here are five good places to start.

1. Assess yourself – This is the best place to start because you need to consider what employment opportunities are a good fit with your skills. Check out the Career net exploration tools which will profile your skills and abilities. 
2. Explore Career options – there are various online sites that give detailed information on occupations and what skills are needed for those occupations. 
3. Gain experience and Credentials – You will need some experience and education, the resources here will point you in the right direction on obtaining them. 
4. Find a job – Numerous job banks and online sites list jobs and give great career advice. 
5. One-stop career centers – Department of Labor sponsored website that is dedicated to helping you find employment.

 

Unemployment and depression

If you are over fifty you probably remember your parents talking about the depression and how difficult it was to survive during that time. You might have also seen old film reels of bread lines during the depression, the looks of despair and hopelessness were haunting as these people went from day to day wondering how they would survive. Although we aren’t as bad as shape now as during the thirties there is a deep sense of despair in the country today.

Many people who have been unemployed for what seems like eternity are very desperate for work. They have tried and tried but nothing seems to work. The bills never stop but the unemployment checks will. What will you do? Sell off what ever you can, cut back on expenses but you only cut back so far.

And while all these financial problems continue to mount, your state of mind slowly sinks down to where you don’t believe things will ever get better. You can’t ever turn on the TV without hearing about more layoffs and how the recovery is a long way off. You become depressed.

If you are at this point you need to seek help. Check with government agencies or churches or something but seek out help. There isn’t any shame in asking for help. Being unemployed is difficult for anyone at anytime but it is especially difficult when the economy is as bad as it is now.

Entry level jobs for baby boomers?

You are unemployed and over fifty and you have a wealth of experience. You have worked for years honing your skills and adding to that experience. So why can’t you find a job? It is not just you; it’s a large percentage of unemployed people who can’t use that skill and experience to get another job. You don’t want to start over, but you just might have to consider an entry level job.


It can be a maddening and humbling experience to lose your job after many years of hard work and dedication but it is even more frustrating that you can’t use those skills to find another job. But the fact remains that over time some jobs and skills become obsolete as technology becomes more advanced. And unfortunately some jobs are being shipped overseas to take advantage of cheaper labor.

What can you do?

Start over; it’s simple to say but not always easy to do. The barriers to starting over generally come down to one issue, you are too old to start another career. That just isn’t true, although many people feel that way you shouldn’t allow yourself to buy into that concept. In this economy things have definitely changed and so should you. No matter what others may think you can start another career after fifty, really after any age.

Of course it isn’t going to be easy, but in today’ economy nothing is! Age discrimination may be one obstacle in your way. If you think it is report it to the Department of Labor. You have rights.

Discouragement on your part might also slow you down but try to stay positive during the tough times.

Over fifty and part time jobs

Full time jobs are difficult for anyone to find in this economy especially for those over fifty and unemployed. The old way of doing things might now work so now is the time to be creative when it comes to finding ways to pay the bills. No, you don’t have to rob a bank, but you might want to consider working part time jobs.


Of course working one part time job isn’t enough to live off of it but it could be your way to a full time job. Many places hire part time workers first before making them full time. And part time employment allows you the time to continue to look for a full time job which is a job in its self. You might also get lucky and get some kind of health insurance in the bargain (maybe).

Many people today are trying to survive on two part time jobs in place of a full time job. That would certainly make for a hectic schedule but you do what you have to do in this economy. Don’t forget that some companies hire part time workers during the holiday seasons so the extra money would come in at the right time.

As for where to find part time jobs go online to the big job websites where they will part time jobs listed.

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How do people find jobs?

Where do you think that most people find a job at? Answering an ad in the paper? No. Sending out a few million resumes that all look the same? No. The highest percentage of jobs found is from word of mouth. That really isn’t surprising. But what are the other ways that people find jobs?

1. Contacting a company directly is an effective way to find a job, especially hidden jobs. You may have to call quite a few companies in this economy but it is well worth your time and effort. Research the company before hand to see if you can find someone in the area that you are interested working in.
2. Internet listings for jobs are all over the web. There are big job sites that have listings of jobs from many different categories and websites that cater to a particular niche in the employment job search. It would be a good idea to search them all and make notes as you go.
3. If a government job is what you are after there are numerous websites on every type of government job imaginable and don’t forget the state government websites also.
4. Employment agencies are another place that people find a job. Just be careful if you have to pay a fee that you get the job that you want.

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Virtual juror job

There are so many things that you can do online today, such as watch a movie, pay your bills, shop, write a blog, stay in touch with friends and the list goes on. And of course there are many online jobs that you can do from home; one of them you don’t hear much about, the virtual juror job.


For most people the thought of jury duty is as enticing as root canal. But becoming a virtual juror is a different story. For one thing you don’t leave your house and sit in a room at the courthouse all day wondering if you will be picked for a jury.

How does it work?

What essentially happens is that some lawyers would like to test their case before going to the real trial. In order to do that they will need people to act as jurors (you wouldn’t be legally deciding cases). The lawyers go through online agencies that have people lined up as jurors. As you juror you will be given question regarding the case, the lawyer will use the information that you give them with their case.

Needless to say you wouldn’t become rich but you can certainly earn some money becoming an e-juror. Just make sure that you don’t pay anything up front to become a juror. If that is the case then it probably is a scam.

Consider going to school online

You are unemployed and you feel that you don’t have any marketable skills to offer a new employer. There are skills that you would love to have but don’t have the time or money to go back to school. But today there is an alternative to the old way of driving to a college every night to take a few classes, and that is online colleges.

• The most important advantage of online schools is the convenience. You don’t have to leave your house in order to attend. Which means you can take classes in the comfort of your own home.
• Another is that online schools usually try to work with students on scheduling classes because they know the time constraints of either looking for job or have a job during the day.
• Something else that favors online schools is that their tuition is cheaper than your traditional college or university. They can charge less because of their lower overhead.
• You can get your degree faster at an online college than a traditional college.

How do you pay for your education? The same opportunities for paying for traditional colleges are applicable for online schools also. Government loans, grants, and the Pell grant among others. For more information go to http://www.finaid.org/


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Jobs at the IRS

During this recession the one place that is still hiring is the Federal government. With many online resources to look at you should definitely consider it an employment option. One government agency works with AARP to focus on hiring mature workers. So if you are unemployed and over fifty you should think about a job with the IRS.


AARP’s National Employer Team NET has three federal agencies as members, the IRS, the Peace Corp and the Small Business Administration. The IRS has always been in the fore front of hiring older workers for their expertise and dependability. Now even more so since they have teamed up with AARP.

The IRS has many employment opportunities besides accounting. There is also IT, business and customer service among others. Besides full time employees they also need seasonal and temporary help during their very busy tax time.

Like all government positions, the IRS benefits are excellent. They include the best health care plans available and you can join the Federal Employees Retirement System FERS.

Their Career Website is easy to maneuver through showing all the positions that the IRS has to offer. They also have a easy to use website on applying for a job at the IRS that breaks down the process in 10 easy steps.