5 job networking tips

If you have done any research on job hunting tactics then you probably have heard of networking. As a matter of fact, networking is recommended for anyone, whether they are working or not. Connections, people you know who know other people, are usually regarded as one of the most effective job search tools.

 

But how do you go about it?

 

Here are 5 networking tips.

 

1. Who can be in your network? That’s easy, everyone especially those folks that you know who work in the same field as you. Don’t discount anyone because you may be passing up a chance on finding a job. 
2. I can’t think of anybody? Where should I look for contacts? Relatives, good friends, people you used to work with, people you go to church with, old college friends anyone.  
3. Make a list of the people in your network. Better yet make a database, with contact information and how you know them. 
4. Don’t be shy talking about your desire to find employment. Most people will be sympathetic because at one time or the other they were unemployed and looking for work also. 
5. Help others if they are in the same boat that you are. It will enhance your reputation as someone who cares about other people and of course it is the right thing to do.

 

 

 

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Car repair jobs are safe from outsourcing

In this economy or any economy you have to know whether your job is safe from outsourcing. This trend of sending jobs overseas has been going on for decades especially now that the economy is bad companies are looking for cheap labor. Fortunately there are jobs or careers that are safe from outsourcing. Anything to do with car repair should be pretty safe.




The reason this job is safe from outsourcing is you can’t send your car overseas to get it fixed.



Automotive repair education

Usually an automotive tech or mechanic completes a course at a local community college or vocational school. Because of the ever changing technology of cars you will have to continue to learn new things to keep up with the times. And if you work for a particular car manufacturer they might also have specialized training for you.



Job outlook

There should be opening in this field in the coming years because there will be so many auto techs retiring. You will greatly increase your chance at finding employment with a strong automotive repair education.



Many good mechanics have started their own successful car repair businesses over the years that is something that you should consider.



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Thinking about work and jobs

So you are unemployed right now, is this the first time since college that you have been without work? Did you ever change jobs before? Give a 2 week notice and then off to a new company without missing a paycheck. You didn’t have to worry about unemployment insurance because you went from one company to the other. If that describes you that’s great, but for a lot of folks being unemployed right now isn’t anything new.




When you were unemployed the last time did you have a pretty good idea how you were going to find a job and where you were going to find a job? The first place that most unemployed folks went to was the want ads. Have you seen the want ads lately? There isn’t much there. Or maybe you knew someone who had connections at a company where you wanted to work. That’s a good idea, because networking among friends and acquaintances have always been a good source for job hunters.



Do the same ideas come up now about finding work that you had the last time you were unemployed? Forget it, looking for a job now a days especially in this economy requires a lot more thought and creativity. Of course you shouldn’t waste much time on the want ads in the newspapers you’ll find a lot more jobs on job search sites and social media sites.



It would be great if you could do your entire job search behind a computer but that isn’t possible. You will have to hit the pavement also. Job fairs might not seem promising but you shouldn’t pass the opportunity to talk about yourself and find out some information about other companies. You should also call companies and see if you set up an informational interview, another great opportunity to find out what companies want and what you need to do to become an employee.



There is a lot of information on the internet about how to find a job dedicate as much time as possible to study and learn all that you can about job hunting.



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Dental assistant jobs

If you are looking for on the job training then you might want to consider becoming a dental assistant. This shouldn’t be confused with a dental hygienist who cleans teeth, takes x-rays, examines gums and assists the dentist.

What does a dental assistant do?

A dental assistant has various duties around the dental office such as…

• Sterilize equipment and lay out the equipment that the Dentist will need. 
• Work with the dentist during procedures handing instruments to them. 
• Advises patients on post dental procedures 
• Perform laboratory duties  
• Perform office duties such as setting up appointments, receiving payments and ordering dental supplies

  

Dental Assistant Training

While there are Dental Assistant programs in some community colleges, many dental assistants get their training on the job. The amount of education and whether any certification is required varies from state to state.

37 States recognize the Certified Dental Assistant Credential. To qualify you may either take a dental assistant education program or by having a certain amount of experience.

The outlook for this position in the future is excellent according to the US Department of Labor.

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Entry level jobs with the government

With so many jobs being eliminated today, it isn’t easy for the unemployed to jump into another position without any experience. It used to be that the entry level jobs or positions were reserved for those right out of college. But not anymore, with the wide selection of potential employees due to the massive number of layoffs older workers are also looking at entry level employment. One the best places to look for entry level jobs is with the Federal government.

The Federal government, more so than the state and local governments, are still hiring and will probably continue to hire in the near future. In the next year they plan to hire more than 50000 new entry level jobs. Most of these jobs require taking a test. There is a pay scale with the government and entry level positions usually start at GS 5-GS7.

There are some definite perks to working for the government such as job security, tuition reimbursement, great benefits and terrific retirement plans and job security in this economy is a rarity.

Here are 10 of the entry level Federal government jobs according to Monster Government Central http://govcentral.monster.com/benefits/articles/3818-the-best-entry-level-government-jobs
 

1. Accountants  
2. Business Operations Specialists 
3. Police and Sheriffs Patrol Officers 
4. Fire Fighters 
5. Executive Secretaries and Administrative Assistants 
6. Civil Engineers 
7. Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers 
8. Computer Systems Analysts 
9. Construction Managers 
10. Social Workers

  Keep in mind that while they are entry level most require some college education.






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Should you work for a big or small company?

If you had the choice between working for a small company or a large company which one would you choose? Of course in this economy you would probably choose to work anywhere that made you an offer. But if you did have the choice there definitely are advantages and disadvantages of working for small and larger companies.




Large companies which are usually established have their advantages. The benefits are probably better than those in the small companies, especially when it comes to offering health insurance. Large companies can make a lot better deals for health packages than small companies. Large companies will no doubt offer a better severance plan if you get laid off too. And it is easier to get training in a large company.



But there are disadvantages of a large company. With so many employees you will probably feel more like an employee number than someone who is trying to make a difference. The bureaucracy of a large company can be cumbersome especially if you are trying to get something done.



The advantages of a small company are many. The more casual atmosphere is an environment that many people find very productive. Standing out is also easier in a small company when you do something outstanding, of course the reverse of that is also true, make a mistake and you will stand out too. With a small company you can learn everything about the business in a much shorter period of time.



The biggest disadvantage of working for a small company is that it isn’t as stable as a large company. If the company hits a rough spot in their business you might be out a job without any severance package or warning. Another problem is trying to get more money, a raise. Large companies usually have an annual performance review, small companies usually don’t.



So if you have the choice between small and large companies, weight all the pros and cons and make your decision.



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Occupational Therapist assistants

While not everyone wants to work in the health field you shouldn’t be quick to dismiss the idea. As you probably know the health industries is and will be one of the hottest areas for job growth. With the exception of working for the federal government, you couldn’t find a better field to get into for job security and growth plus the fact that you will have the satisfaction of helping others. Becoming an occupational therapist assistant is definitely a strong job field to be in the coming years as the population gets older and needs more personalized help.




What does an occupational therapist’s assistant do?

As you would expect an occupational therapist assistant helps the occupational therapist by assisting in rehabilitative exercises to those with physical or emotional problems. They also make sure that the patient is doing the exercises correctly. Another function of the assistant is to gage if the patient is making progress, if not they will work with the therapist to adjust their exercise program.



What education is needed to become an occupational therapist’s assistant?

An associate degree from an accredited school is usually the education needed for this type of job. An associate degree usually takes around 2 years. To become an occupational therapists aide you typically train on the job.



According to the department of labor the occupational therapist’s assistant field will be growing much faster than most careers. They estimate a 30% increase in employment in the next 10 years.



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Low stress jobs

It would be great if you had a job where there wasn’t very much stress. No more work related or stress related headaches, you anxiety level would be nice and low. You would feel great about work and your productivity would soar. Lately, I have seen quite a few lists on the web for low stress jobs, some I agree with and others I don’t.

• Computer Software engineers are usually at the top of most lists. This is puzzling to me because I have known quite a few software engineers and their stress was always high. They had deadlines and they had to fix their code in moment’s notice, so I can imagine that there would be a lot of stress involved in this. 
• If you are in sales I can’t imagine that there isn’t the highest level of stress involved in your job. And the sales manager would really be under the gun. 
• I would definitely believe that a massage therapist wouldn’t be too stressed out. At least you wouldn’t want to give the appearance of being stressed. 
• As far as physical therapists are concerned there would probably be a little stress but the feeling of helping others would probably outweigh any stress that you would have. 
• A technical writer writes technical documentation that the general public can understand. Compared to a software engineer is probably isn’t that stressful.

What is the criterion used?

Most of the lists use criteria such as how many hours are worked, time deadline, public speaking and the margin of error that is allowed on the job. All in all any of these lists are subjective at best.

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Your story and job hunting

To find a job today requires a lot of work and forethought. You have to map out a plan, prepare yourself and have the job hunting tools sharp and ready to use. Let’s say you get past the stage of sending out resumes, answering ads, and networking, you receive an opportunity to sell your self in an interview. Is the story that you are going to tell so compelling and interesting that the interviewer remains interested in your through out the interview? If not, you need to work on your personal and business story.




Tell me about yourself

This should be easy considering it is about the one thing that you know best, you. The hard part is whittling it down to a few sentences that actually helps you in the interview. You don’t want to go on and on about things that aren’t pertinent to getting this particular job. Tell them a few personal things like where you are from and your education.



How does this question help or hurt you?

If you babble on about yourself or if you come across as inarticulate then it will hurt you immensely. Speak clearly and thoughtfully, show off your communications skills. Try to fit in your answer with something that you and the interviewer will find important to the company.



Make sure to practice what you are going to say way before the interview. If you don’t sound prepared it will be a great strike against you.



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Tips on finding a job in a tough economy

As you probably already know the economy is in pretty bad shape. No matter how often you hear on TV or read on the internet that things are turning around you still aren’t confident about finding a job in this economy. And why should you? The unemployment numbers are high and every time you turn around another company announces a new round of layoffs. But you can’t let that get you down; you need to stay focused on finding a job in a tough economy.

 

 

 

Here are a few tips on looking for work when times are tough.

 

• Don’t get down on yourself, it only makes things worse. Keep a positive attitude even when you feel that you can’t go on. You want to avoid job search burnout. 
• Make a strategic plan on how you are going to find a job. You need to use precise job hunting. 
• Take time to give yourself an employability checkup. 
• After you make a plan then you need to establish job search goals, this will show you how much progress you have made. 
• Leave your comfort zone to find a job. Sometimes we need to do things that we don’t like especially when we are job hunting. 
• Don’t give up.

 

 

 

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Job search burnout

You are at the end of your rope, you can’t do another job search or email another resume, and you just don’t have the energy or the will. You have been working so hard trying to find a job, that you now feel you are just spinning your wheels. Frustrated and tired, you are a victim of job search burnout.

 

It is not only the fact that you haven’t found a job yet, you also feel that you aren’t doing the right things, your confidence is at an all time low and you are bored. In your present state the chances of finding a job are nil. You need to break out of the monotony of you present course and become revived with a new spirit that will lift your job hunting and your confidence up.

 

Remedies for job search burnout!

• Take a break, rest for a short period and get your mind off job hunting. When you start back up again you will feel refreshed and ready to go. 
• Start an exercise program if you don’t already exercise. Exercise is great for the mind as well as the body. 
• Join a club and interact with other people. This might be a great networking tool. 
• Change your job searching routine. Nothing can cause complacency faster than doing the same boring routine over and over again. 
• Meditation can help relieve stress as well as open your mind to new possibilities.

 

 

 

But above all do something because job search burnout could lead you to discontinuing your job search entirely.

 

 

 

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5 things that you should know about mystery shopping

Mystery shopping has been around for quite a while. Market Research companies hire people to shop in particular stores and restaurants to see how the service is The information that the Market Research companies receive from the shoppers is then given to their clients who use it as to improve their company’s services and products. This information is vital to their marketing success.

Besides retail stores and restaurants there are many other types of companies like financial institutions, health care facilities, hotels to name just a few that use mystery shoppers.

Here are five things that you should know about mystery shopping.

1. You should not pay a fee to become a mystery shopper. This is well known but unfortunately some companies still try to get away with it. 
2. There is mystery shopping online as well as in brick and mortar stores. Online companies need the same information that more traditional stores. So you can mystery shop from home. 
3. Some companies pay in merchandize as well as cash.  
4. if you are looking to find out about legitimate research companies and just about anything dealing with mystery shopping then go to Mysteryshop.org  
5. You probably won’t be able to make a full time job out of it but it certainly would be an interesting way to make money and get free services or products.

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Precise job hunting

Years ago, many years ago right after college, I received a book from the career counselor at the college that I went to. The book had a massive list of companies that were in my field. Each company had a write up about them and what type of jobs was open. I went through the book and sent out 200 resumes and 200 cover letters. I received no invitations for job interviews but I did receive form letters that they weren’t interested. To say the least I was naïve at the time, I thought that a bombardment of resumes would at least to a few leads, it didn’t. The morale of the story is to use precise job hunting.

Of course I am not saying not to be picky or to concentrate on one or two companies. But you have to have time to really concentrate on the companies that you want to work for. If you send out a massive mailing campaign how are you going to research every company on the list. It is much better to start with a few companies and find out something about them. Of course the internet has information on just about anything so you should start there to do your research.

What information are you looking for?

• What does the company do? 
• Is it a public or private company? 
• What is its financial outlook? It is also important to see how it has been doing in the past 10 years or so. 
• Has it been laying off employees? 
• Check the latest news about the company, is there any bad news on the internet about it? 
• Who are its competitors and how are they doing?

  

Although it isn’t always possible but if you know someone who works for the company you can ask what it is like to be an employee there.

  

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