new 15 career tips for recent grads

Do Your Research

Before you go in for your interview, be sure to research the company you are applying to. By having an in depth understanding of the company as well as some background information on whoever is interviewing you, you will come across as prepared and interested in the company.

Practice Interviewing

Take time to practice interviewing before you go in for an interview. Have a family member or friend ask you the most common interview questions so you can be polished and know what you are going to say ahead of time instead of winging it.

Come Prepared With Questions

At the end of any job interview, the interviewer will ask you if you have any questions for them. Make sure you have a few questions to ask the interviewer. This can be anything from “what do you like best about your job?” to “how would you describe the work atmosphere here?” By asking a few questions, you show interest in the interviewer and the company.

When in Doubt, Dress Up

If you aren’t sure what kind of dress is expected of employees, be sure to go more formal than informal. By dressing up, you show that you are professional and that you are taking the interview process seriously.

Be Flexible

When applying for jobs, be flexible about where you apply. Don’t limit yourself to just one city or one company. Keep an open mind about all potential opportunities.

Keep Building Your Resume

While you apply for jobs, continue to build your resume. Take on an internship, volunteer, or take on a part time job. By continuing to build your resume and increase your skill set, you make yourself more marketable to potential employers.

Figure Out Where You Are Going Wrong

If you aren’t landing any jobs, take a look at where you are going wrong. If you aren’t getting any interviews, go back over your resume and spruce it up by getting more experience or adding information to it. If you are getting interviews but not jobs, practice your interviewing skills so that you can be more successful in your interviews and potentially get job offers.

Utilize Your Network

Reach out to the people in your professional network for their assistance in your job hunt. Oftentimes when it comes to getting hired, it’s not what you know but who you know. So send along your resume and have your contacts pass it along to anyone they know at their

Don’t Rely Solely on the Internet

When searching for a job, don’t depend solely on the Internet. Be sure to attend job fairs, industry events, and utilize other networking opportunities to get your resume out there.

Have an Elevator Speech

An elevator speech is a 30 second spiel about your experience and career goals. Having an elevator speech is not only a great way to quickly introduce yourself at networking events but is also a good way to answer the “tell me about yourself” interview question.

Sign Up for LinkedIn

LinkedIn is a great way to get all of your professional contacts in one place for networking. Sign up for LinkedIn, add everyone you know, and make sure to fill out your profile completely. LinkedIn also has a job search tool, so take advantage of that.

Send Thank You Notes

After every interview, be sure to send thank you notes to each person who interviewed you. Sending a thank you note shows that you appreciate the interviewer’s time and gives you an advantage over candidates who don’t send thank you notes.

Do What You Love

No matter what, take a job that you will love. If you don’t, you will be miserable and probably won’t end up staying at your job very long. Be sure you are happy with what you are doing.

Don’t Get Discouraged

If you are getting lots of rejections, don’t get discouraged. Remember that times are tough right now and getting a job is hard. Keep sending out your resume and stay positive.

Utilize Your School’s Resources

Most schools will give graduates access to their career center up to one year after graduation. So head on over to your career center to get your resume critiqued, practice your interviewing skills, and check out recent job postings.

Career advancement Tips

Here's a list of the top 10 tips you can use to advance your career:

Don't be afraid to say "I don't know."
If you don't know something, say so; don't try to fake it.

Take responsibility for your actions
If you're at fault, admit it and take the blame. If you're wrong, apologize.

Never gossip
Gossip can hurt the careers of two people the person being talked about, and the person doing the talking.

Never say "That's not my job."
Don't think you are above anything. Pitch in and set a good example, especially if the job is one that nobody else wants to do. Your willingness to do so will be noticed and appreciated!

Share the credit
People who share credit with others make a much better impression than those who take all the credit themselves.

Ask for help when you need it
Don't let a difficult task get out of hand. When you need help, ask for it -- before things get worse.

Keep your dislike to yourself
If you don't like someone, don't let it show. Never burn bridges or offend others as you move ahead in your career.

Don't hold grudges
Life isn't always fair. If you were passed over for promotion, didn't get the project you wanted, etc., let it go. Be gracious and diplomatic, focus on the future and move on. Harboring grudges won't advance your career.

Be humble
When you're right, don't gloat about it. Never say "I told you so!"

Make others feel important
Compliment others, emphasize their strengths and contributions, and help them whenever you can. They will enthusiasitcally help you in return.

9 great interview tips

1. "Do your study. There's nothing worse than walking into an interview without knowing about the company. You should be able to clearly articulate why you're interested in that particular company and that particular position. Check the company's site, search for current news items featuring the company, read the company's blog and look for their Twitter or Facebook page."

2. "Know yourself. You need to be prepared for all sorts of questions about yourself, including your past experience, education, knowledge, skills, strengths, weaknesses, preferences and personal traits. Figure out how these things align with the needs of the employer."

3. "Prepare questions in advance. When an employer asks ‘Do you have any questions?' always ask questions. It shows you're enthusiastic and interested in working for the company."

4. "Practice, practice, practice! Visit Career Services for a mock interview, where we simulate the actual interview experience and provide you with feedback afterward. This is a great way to ease your nerves and boost your self-confidence before a true interview."

5. "Dress for winner. Any time you meet with a potential employer formally (through an information session, workshop you attend or a career fair) or informally (through a family friend or for a casual informational interview), always dress and conduct yourself in a professional manner."

6. "Before you arrive, put the mobile phone away, change your shoes and attire if necessary and put away your water bottle miles away. You never know who you can run into."

7. "Shake his or her hand and look him or her in the eye, even if you're nervous. No one expects perfection, just professionalism. Nonverbal cues are just as important as what you tell."

8. "Have extra copies of your resume with you."

9. "Always, always send a follow-up ‘thank you,' either as a card or e-mail. Follow-through is a main transferable skill to exhibit."

Interview tips: Preparation is job No. 1

Customize your resume to highlight the skills you have for the position you are seeking. Study information on the company, look at the products they sell or the services they provide. Find out what makes that company different.

Be prepared to answer the question, "Tell me about yourself." It's your opportunity to connect to the position. Speak about earlier work experiences that relate to the job to which you are applying. Summarize your experience in two or three sentences.

Be ready to describe a hard work situation and how you handled it. These types of questions can be intimidating, but display your adaptability and analytical skills to the company. Describe the situation or task, the action you took and the results.

Be prepared to talk about your weaknesses. When an interviewer asks for your weaknesses, be honest, but turn the negatives into positives. Tell them something that was a weakness but you overcame. For example, you were terrible with Excel and then took a community college course on the program.

Never say anything negative about your earlier employer. Statements such as "My visions were special than the company's" or "There wasn't room for growth" are acceptable answers. Another sensitive topic may be compensation. Research the salary for the position, but it's OK to ask for the range if the information is not shared up front.

Bring in questions for when the manager asks, "Do you have any questions for me?" If you do not ask any questions, the interviewer may think that you are uninterested in the position.

Thank you notes show your appreciation for the interviewer's time and consideration.

Show enthusiasm "An interviewer can tell when you are interested in the position

Ten Tips for Career Changers

1. Understand what’s behind your desire to make a change.

Maybe you are starting to become disillusioned with your job. You’re bogged down. Perhaps you’re no longer on the way up. This is the time to step back and start to think about life more broadly. But be warned, career changers can go into mourning. All of a sudden, you realize how you miss their old career, and you’re not really open to replacing those things.

2. Get your life in order.

Get physically and financially fit. Change is stressful. When you’re physically fit, you have more power and are mentally sharper to face the challenges ahead. Starting a fresh career later in life takes an incredible amount of strength and energy.

3. Be practical.

If possible, make your move in stages. You may need to upgrade your skills and education, but take one class at a time. If you’d like to go to graduate school, maybe start by taking a night classes. You don’t have to enroll in a full-course load. You can include more classes as your direction and motivation become clear.

4. Find a mentor.

Ask for help. Seek advice from people who have been winning in the field you are interested in switching into from the start. Everybody likes to be asked for counsel.

5. Be prepared for setbacks.

It’s not all-smooth sailing, but if you’ve laid the correct groundwork, you’ll get through the rough patches. Having your family or partner at your back for support will help tremendously. They don’t have to own your dream, but be supportive.

6. Volunteer or moonlight.

You might try on several jobs before you find the one that’s correct. Anne Nolan, executive director of Crossroads Rhode Island, the state’s biggest homeless shelter, started as a volunteer. She didn’t know what she wanted to do when she lost her executive-level career. She had a year’s salary and time to think her options through. She decided to volunteer at the shelter–not because she dreamed it would turn into a full-time job.

7. Research. Look for jobs that leverage experience.

Check out job web sites like encore.org, retiredbrains.com, workforce50.com, to get a flavor for what others are doing and what jobs are out there at the present. Investigate fields like healthcare, the clergy, eldercare and education that have a growing demand for employees. The Bureau of Labor Statistic’s Occupational Outlook Handbook is a good reference.

8. Don’t lock yourself into a must-have salary.

Salary is the biggest roadblock for most career changers. Chances are when you start-over in a new field or move to a nonprofit, you will need to take a salary cut at least primarily. If you have an emergency fund to buy you time, you can to do a more thoughtful job hunt. Pare back your discretionary living expenses to reflect a more realistic view of what you’ll earn. What are the things that are main in your life? What things are actively giving you pleasure that you might have to give up?

9. Keep your hand out of the cookie jar.

Don’t dip too deep into your core savings. Of all the mistakes older employees make in launching second careers, this is probably the bad. Would-be entrepreneurs aren’t necessarily raiding retirement accounts to launch businesses, but they’re tapping home equity and other savings, and that has obvious implications for retirement safety.

10. Do something every day to work toward your goal.

Changing careers can appear overwhelming. Don’t struggle to find an ideal initial point or perfect path, is great advice I gleaned from Clearways Consulting career coach Beverly Jones, a second-acter herself. Once you have some picture of where you want to go, get things moving by taking small steps toward that vision. What really matters is that you do a little something on a regular basis.

Quick job hunting tips

Networking is the greatest way to find jobs. Talk to family, friends and acquaintances, attend job fairs or business events, use the Web or volunteer.

Research workplaces. At least know their history and mission before the job interview.

Be specific when listing technical skills on resume. Don't say, "I have computer skills"; write, "I am proficient in Microsoft Word and Excel."

Make sure resumes and cover letters have no mistakes. Ask three to four other people to review them for errors and clearness.

Don't send the same cover letter and resume to each company, and don't list every skill or past job. Tailor the resume to showcase which of your talents and skills fit the job description. For manufacturing jobs, for instance, highlight machining abilities and training. For consumer service, focus on social skills and experience.


Ask one to three question during the interview. Also ask when you may expect to hear back from the employer.

Send the interviewer a hand-written thank-you note by the day after the interview. If the interviewer is hours away and a hand-written note isn't possible, send a mail.

Put contact details on the cover letter and include that you'll follow up in one week.

10 tips for boosting your career in 2011

1. Look out for number 1

Take responsibility for your own career growth. Many big organizations have scaled back on training and development a regular outcome of the economic downturn and small companies can rarely provide significant support.

2: Be strategic

Have a long-term career strategy, or at the very least, a sense of where you’re headed. Ask yourself, “What do I actually want to do?” or “Where do I see myself in 5 to 10 years?” Seek people in similar roles and ask for their advice.

3: Work in step with your company’s goals

Connect the dots from your role to your company’s vision and key objectives. How does your work align with the organization’s aims? What can you do to maximize your contributions?

4: Be customer centric

Whether your clients are internal or external, know their wants and needs and be fervent about meeting them. Bring the voice of the customer into your day-to-day job and let it enhance your decisions and deliverables.

5: Collaborate

Working with and through others is requisite to innovating, creating, and producing business results. Adopt a mindset for teaming and collaborating and put it into every day practice.

6: Hone your communication skills

Communication skills can make or break careers. Pick one part that needs your attention considering skills such as listening, presenting, influencing, persuading, or distilling messages and commit to development. Take a class, practice with a trusted friend or colleague, or join a group such as Toastmasters.

7: Cross over functionally

Many winning executives have risen through the ranks by taking cross-functional roles, such as moving from finance to sales or from marketing to IT. Follow their lead and you can develop your skills, your network, and your political capital.

8: Expand your experience

Volunteer for special projects or assignments that are outside your daily role. Discuss your aims with your boss, an HR representative, or a senior leader and ask for help in finding opportunities to broaden your experience base.

9: Find a guide

Mentors can serve as influential role models and provide important guidance for your career. Reach out to a potential mentor within your company or industry and see if he or she would be open to mentoring you for a particular purpose and timeframe.

10: Network now

The best time to raise your network is today. Starting at the present, get involved in groups such as professional associations, charitable organizations, or even sports leagues. Step into leadership roles and make your expertise known.

10 tips to improve your interview skills

1. Know the job, and know the company. "If I've got a place open for a nuclear engineer," told Laura Paddock, talent acquisition manager at TVA, "do they understand that I'm a utility. Do they understand what TVA does? We're always surprised to hear public say, 'I don't know a lot about you, other than that you make electricity.' "

2. Be willing to do what it takes. Brad Pope, vice president of human resources at Memorial Health Care System, told knowing that a candidate has the willingness to do the job for which he or she is interviewing is the No. 1 thing he looks for during a conference.

3. Be on time. Or early. And if you're kept waiting, be gracious about it. "We've had candidates who have complained," told Kathy Reid-Papson, talent acquisition manager at BlueCross Blue Shield of Tennessee.

4. Be honest about your experience. "Don't lie, either on your resume or during the interview," Paddock said. "Don't oversell yourself." Speak accurately to the roles you had in previous jobs.

5. Turn off the cell phone, or better yet, leave it in the car. You want to focus on the interview, not on what is ringing or vibrating in your pocket.

6. Address the interviewer by the right name. "It seems like many candidates don't go to the trouble, when setting up an interview, of listening to hear with whom they'll be speaking," told Reid-Papson. "Maybe it's one person, maybe it's three, but they need to know who they are and what their titles are, so ask that when the interview is being set up."

7. Look and act the part. Be professional in dress and demeanor. "Can they articulate?" said Paddock. "Do they provide professional responses, regardless of the position?"

8. Don't talk to the interviewer about your personal problems. "If a person's looking for a job, obviously they need and want to work," told Reid-Papson. "But if they start getting into too many details about not liking their former boss or their husband doesn't want them to go to work, anything that's personal can become a turnoff pretty fast."

9. Don't ask about salary out of the gate. "That's a bit of a red flag," said Paddock, "because it sends the message that the person is only interested in the salary and not in the bigger picture."

10. Be specific. Employers are interested in hearing examples of your successes and failures. Rather than just saying, "Yes, I have management skills," tell the recruiter about a project you led and what you learned.

Here are five tips to refresh your job hunt

• Reconsider the chronological resume. Using a format that highlights skills instead of employment history may be more productive

• Invest in latest packaging. Look outside the particular industry or field you’ve focused on. It’s possible the skills that make marketable in that field can be transferred to another

• Switch up your networking. Look for different groups to join and fresh ways to meet people outside your usual circle

• Get a second opinion. Ask a friend with good professional judgment to give you comment on your interview performance and have a recruiter or friend give you ideas for your resume and

• Expand your reach. If you can’t find what you’re looking for locally, explore options outside your present city.

Job Hunting Tips For The New Year

•Narrow your search. You are wasting your time applying for jobs that you're not qualified for or don't truly want. Instead, focus on the jobs you're well-qualified for.

•Do something to stand out from the competition. If you come across a job you want, send the hiring manager an email directly. Chances are the data can be found online.

•Check out your online reputation. That HR manager will. Better you take control of what the search of your name will bring up before that happens.

•It may help to start a Websites. It's a fine way to showcase your skills and talents. Websites aren't as expensive or difficult as you might think.

•Stay current. Keep in touch with what is going on within your industry. It may help you when that job interview comes.

5 smartphone tips for job hunting

1. Launch your Facebook app and remove damaging images of yourself. If you don't consider this is necessary, guess what — it is. Recruiters are getting savvier, and Google and Facebook searches are becoming the norm, so get embarrassing pics out of your photo album. Oh, and don't forget to parse pictures that your friends have tagged of you. (Your pics might be pristine, but you know some doofus uploaded that image of you and your ex doing body shots last month.) If your app doesn't support that, try it in your cell phone browser, or leave yourself an audio note, email or other reminder to do it when you're at your desktop, so you don't forget.

2. Access Linked In via an app or browser and accept EVERYONE (well, maybe not that high school chum with the criminal record and school listing of "Graduate of F.U.!" Yeah, him you can leave off). This will widen your networking pool, which is accurately what you want when job searching. And don't forget to message earlier supervisors and ask if they'll write you online recommendations. If you're actually into the Linked In thing, then joining industry groups for your desired field is also another way of connecting with new contacts and potential employers.

3. Keep a copy of your resume and a cover letter on hand — like in an app like DropBox, for example. I'm a big fan of DropBox, since there are Android, iPhone and BlackBerry apps for this, in addition to desktop and online access to free accounts. All that stays in sync, so there's no worry over sending the wrong version, no issue which you use. Of course, it's better to tailor each cover letter for the particular opening — not to mention that typos are notorious on handsets — but if you happen to come upon an opportunity that needs urgent response (and you're nowhere near your computer), at least you'll be prepared.

4. Keep your own professional contact info in your own addressbook (complete with URL to your online resume). I've actually had amazing conversations with people at parties, social outings and random venues that lead to incredible opportunities. With your own info on hand, you can mail it to the contact on the spot, or better yet — if they're carting around the Bump iPhone or Android application, you can knock devices to share your 411, all while looking like a savvy, hip, techno-forward professional they'd just love to have.

5. Use job search apps. In truth, some are excellent, some aren't. You'll have to do a little research to see which offer the best opportunities in your area. Generally speaking, for the iPhone, there's Monster.com's app. For Android users, there's Job Search. Both are must-haves on any job seeker's device, but feel free to bookmark the online classifieds in your cell phone browser of choice as well.

Tips to Boost your Interview Skills

Even the smartest and most qualified job seekers need to prepare for job interviews. Why, you ask? Interviewing is a learned skill, and there are no second chances to make a great first impression. So study these strategies to enhance your interview skills.

Practice Good Nonverbal Communication:

It's about demonstrating confidence: standing straight, making eye contact and connecting with a good, firm handshake. That first nonverbal impression can be a great beginning -- or quick ending -- to your interview.

Dress for the Job or Company:

Today's casual dress codes do not give you permission to dress as "they" do when you interview. It is important to look professional and well-groomed. Whether you wear a suit or something less formal depends on the company culture and the position you are seeking. If possible, call to find out about the company dress code before the interview.

Listen:

From the very beginning of the interview, your interviewer is giving you information, either directly or indirectly. If you are not hearing it, you are missing a major opportunity. Good communication skills include listening and letting the person know you heard what was said. Observe your interviewer, and match that style and pace.

Don't Be Too Familiar:

The interview is a professional meeting to talk business. This is not about making a new friend. Your level of familiarity should mimic the interviewer's demeanor. It is important to bring energy and enthusiasm to the interview and to ask questions, but do not overstep your place as a candidate looking for a job.

Don't Be Cocky:

Attitude plays a key role in your interview success. There is a fine balance between confidence, professionalism and modesty. Even if you're putting on a performance to demonstrate your ability, overconfidence is as bad, if not worse, as being too reserved.

Take Care to Answer the Questions:

When an interviewer asks for an example of a time when you did something, he is seeking a sample of your past behavior. If you fail to relate a specific example, you not only don't answer the question, but you also miss an opportunity to prove your ability and talk about your skills.

Ask Questions:

When asked if they have any questions, most candidates answer, "No." Wrong answer. Part of knowing how to interview is being ready to ask questions to demonstrate an interest in what goes on in the company. Asking questions also gives you the opportunity to find out if this is the right place for you. The best questions come from listening to what you're asked during the interview and asking for additional information.

Don't Appear Desperate:

When you interview with the "please, please hire me" approach; you appear desperate and less confident. Maintain the three C's during the interview: cool, calm and confident. You know you can do the job; make sure the interviewer believes you can, too.

Job Hunting Tips for your New Years Resolutions - Reactive Search

Tip #1 - Know what you want and where to look.
Before starting to look, do a good assessment of your preferences and priorities. Know what you are looking for and where you won't go. It is better to begin by identifying your bull's eye job and expand from there than to apply for anything and everything you find online. If you know you and your significant other have no intention to move to Iowa, don't begin applying for jobs there. If you know that you would prefer to work in marketing or PR, don't start applying for jobs in logistics. More times than not, you might get these jobs, only to be left having to launch another job search after you confirm what you already knew (i.e. you don't like to live in Iowa or like working in logistics). Being able to articulate your preferences will also be invaluable to keep your supporters and network updated about what you like and how they can help you. Also, know that hiring managers are busy and want to make sure that they get the most bang for their buck. Therefore, they will avoid big job boards and instead will advertise their jobs on industry-specific job boards. For more information about responsible job boards, see my earlier post on where to find job postings in Corporate Social Responsibility, Social Enterprises, and Non-Profit Management.

Tip #2 - Focus on quality over quantity.
Hiring managers are too busy to parse out what on your resume is most relevant to the work you are applying for. Furthermore, many times, your application will not be reviewed by a hiring manager right away. Instead, it will be scanned by a software programmed to assess whether 60-80% match in words appear between your resume and the job posting. If you do not meet that requirement, your resume will be discarded even before any human being has a chance to evaluate your credentials. Therefore, when applying for jobs, make sure that your tailor your resume (and cover letter) to highlight your most relevant qualifications and education using when possible the same terms as those provided in the job description. Of course, you need to remain truthful and accurate about your experience and education. The more you can highlight how close your profile is to the ideal candidate described in the job posting, the higher your chances to get the interview.

Tip #3 - Be pleasantly persistent.
Applying for the job online is only the initial step in converting your application into an interview. Within 10 days of your application, I would recommend that you conduct informational interviews with people who work at the organization to learn more about the organization's culture. Learn as much as you can online, and then connect with friends of friends, friends of mentors, or alumni from your alma mater who work in the organization. Tell them about what you have learned online that make you interested about the organization, and ask them about their experiences at the organization. If they ask if you are interested in a job, you can say yes, but focus the conversation about their experiences at the organization, taking notes about how these conversations further strengthen your interest in the organization. About 10 days to 2 weeks after you apply, send a follow up email or call the hiring manager to ensure that s/he received your application, and to reiterate your interest. Then include 2-3 additional points from your conversations with people from within (provide their name and their title as well) that make you even more interested in the opportunity. Then follow up with them every 10 days to two weeks if you don't hear from them. Always remain pleasant in your conversation, reiterating your interest, asking if the person has any insights regarding the hiring time line for the position, or needs any additional information regarding your application. As compared to the vast majority of other candidates who might not have followed up or taken the time to learn more about the organization, this step might become your differentiating factor. Most importantly though, this step will also enable you to find out whether this organization is the right environment for you.

Five ways to risk failure and improve your career

Don’t let it sting.
If you try something new and difficult such as applying for a “reach job” and then you miss the mark or get rejected, don’t think of it as stoppage. As my mother used to say, “Failure is just a perception.” Pat yourself on the back for taking the risk, and move on.

Find a problem.
If your job feels unfulfilling, find a difficulty at work that needs solving. Then work on finding the solution. This is also a basic recipe for identifying new business ideas. If you don’t succeed, figure out why and try again.

Get unstuck.
If you hate what you’re doing, fix it. Take on new tasks at work, for example, or learn a new things. The worst thing that can happen is you’ll fail. More likely, though, you’ll figure you why you’re stuck.

Surprise yourself.
Do something completely out of character. Apply for a job in a foreign country. Sit in on a meeting in a different department. Open your mind to new career possibilities by taking a chance at something unknown.

Easy does it.
Many people get all worked up trying to come up with ways to forward their careers. Great ideas often come when you stop trying so hard. Pay attention to your daydreams and the things you read or see on TV that truly interest you. There might be a future career or business idea there.

6 Tips for Career Success & Balance

It's based on several premises of yoga, each of which can be applied to several aspects of your every day life:

1. Don't pay attention to the actions of others - watching others in action, whether it's in yoga class or on the job, is of little help to you. It distracts you from the issue or task at hand.

2. Keep your focus on how you're doing - are you moving advance? Or is it time to make some modifications to your style and approach? This is just as main for your financial situation, as well as personal and occupation aspects.

3. Push to the limit, but be aware of your limits - a lot of careerists think they can accomplish greatness by just spending more time and energy on the issues or roadblocks they face. I've seen a lot of "success stories" fail in a pile because they went beyond their limit one time too often.

4. Be mindful of goals, recognize progress - the most satisfied people I've met over the last 30 years have a detailed plan for their life. They do not put their faith in others to look after them. They review their preparation regularly.

5. Take a deep breath - many people really forget to breath at times during the day. As in yoga, that limits performance obviously. I suggest that you consciously do some deep breathing a couple of times a day to ensure you are getting enough oxygen to perform at a high level.

6. Let it go - when the class done, don't continue worrying or fretting about why you couldn't get into a pose as well as the previous class. It's common that our bodies and our brains work differently each day, don't struggle against nature. Accept it and take advantage of what's working now.

5 Tips for making sure you can find a new job

1 .Get involved in networking organizations. Look for networking groups that have a broader membership than those in career transition: ExecuNet, which has chapters across the nation, is a group that brings executives, recruiters and business leaders together for discussion in person and online. Leadership organizations can also be large networking groups.

2. Use your alumni network. The term “alumni” can apply to different groups: your college, high school, sorority/fraternity or people you worked with at a previous employer. Mobilize the m all. Alumni associations can give a wealth of contacts and resources for job hunters. Have you caught up with a college roommate lately? Use LinkedIn or Facebook to find out how they are and where they’re working. You could find a potential advocate for a target employer. If not, you’ve at least reconnected with an old friend.

3. Volunteer your expertise. Use your knowledge in a field to help others, and it can advantage you in your job search. Employers want to hire people who are well regarded in their fields. Volunteering provides the opportunity to build a reputation in an industry while making key contacts.

4 .Be curious wherever you go. As you’re networking or just running errands, be aware of what’s going on around you and ask questions. Curiosity generally leads to discovery. That can mean meeting someone who will lead you to a potential job. If you’re shy about touting yourself, asking people about their works, careers or interests can be a way to expand your network in new and surprising ways.

5 .Remember, it’s a little world. With so many people in so many industries displaced in the recession, it’s highly likely you will know people at potential employers. earlier work experience with someone on the inside can be a major advantage.

How to Get the Top Jobs

1. Get varied experience
Don’t get stuck in your job, role, or even field of work–try at least two or three job functions over a period of time. Human resource chiefs and recruiters typically look for people with varied knowledge when hiring for the top job. Even having worked in different cities or countries counts, because it shows how adaptable you are.

2. Specialize
This may sound contrary to the point above, but experts say that ideally you should be a expert in at least one role. That goes a long way in earning respect from your peers and juniors.

3. Get more education
Getting a mid-career education can help leapfrog your occupation.
What you study depends on your aim.
One obvious option would be to sign up for an executive or full-time management program, where you can learn about strategy, business development and so on. Or, you could do a expert course on leadership-development, or people-management, skills essential for a top-level manager.

4. Take risks
One easy way to get noticed by the bigwigs is to sign up for tough projects. Maybe the organization is looking for someone to begin a new initiative in a remote town, or you have an out-of-the-box idea that could help raise the productivity of your team.

5. Join a start-up
If your present organization doesn’t give you the chance to be bold or try new things, your best bet might be to join a start-up. This is an extreme case of risk-taking, because it could mean lower pay (if at all) and the chance of failure is large. But it’s a great way to learn a lot about running a business, managing people and several other things in a short period of time.

6. Keep up with the world
To achieve the top, you need to know a lot about what’s happening in your industry, and even related industries.

7. Networking
Everywhere in the world, networking is key to career achievement. This is particularly true for high-profile jobs, which are often not advertised openly. If you know the correct people, and enough of them, it will be easier for you to learn of vacancies when they come about.

Job-Hunting Tips For 2011

1.Keep your social networking alive, well and professional.

If you've been neglecting your Linkedin account and playing Farmville instead, it's time to switch gears and look at social networking as one more step in the successful job search. It's okay to have accounts for personal social networking, but spend less time on those and lot more time on the profiles you have that relate to your past, current and future career. Get involved in local groups on Linkedin, update your professional blog every day and follow professionals in your field on your Twitter account.

2.Find a job with Twitter.

Twitter is helpful for far more than to-the-minute updates on the personal lives of your favorite friends and/or celebrities. Twitter can help land you a fresh job. First, follow influential folks in your field. Keep up with what's going on. Participate. Be part of the profession even if you're still looking for a job. Second, use a Twitter search device to look for jobs, conferences and networking opportunities with people in your field

3.Polish up your resume.

Social networking is a great way to get the contacts you need, but most often you'll still have to send in a resume for those job applications. Don't send an outdated resume in after you've updated your online presence. Make sure that both your resume and your online profiles are current and the best representation of your job experience and education.

4.Get active even (especially) if you're unemployed.

Local connections are one of the most powerful ways to find a job; and you'll only get depressed if you sit at home in your sweats every day. Join local organizations, volunteer and get involved in your community. Use your expertise to help other people out. Offer free seminars in your church or community association, write articles for the paper or mentor someone who's new to the field.

5.Look for ways to be an expert.

If you're a fresh graduate looking for your first job, then that whole "job experience" section of the resume is often a painful subject. You may not be able to fill it up with years on the job, but do what you can to establish some expertise in your part. Attend conferences and seminars, take classes and get certifications.

The big switch: Eight practical steps to making a career change

1. Review your history.
You know the saying: You can’t know where you’re going until you know where you’ve been. So think back, way back, to that third, fifth and ninth job and write them all down. For one, it’ll explain you how far you’ve come, and, if you’re like most Americans, it’ll illustrate just how many different tasks you’re capable of carrying out. Don’t forget to include volunteer positions.

2. Make a list. Or three.
Write down all the skills you mastered at each of those jobs, even the seemingly trivial. That major makeover you pulled on the office lunch room may seem inconsequential, but it may be a clue that you have a hope in interior design. On another page, list your interests. The things you like to do when you’re not earning a paycheck.

3. Find a direction.
The lists you made are clues to a new way, but you have to have the right tools to decode the signs. Soloway suggests using professional career and personality tests (check out careermaze.com as an example) to figure out what your skills and interests are telling you. Career counselors at JVS use the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, among other tools, to narrow down the types of careers that fit your individuality and talents

4. Try on some shoes.
You’ve narrowed down your options. Now how do you select between pastry chef and greeting card designer? Dig in and find out everything you can about your prospective career: which skills are needed, which degrees are required, what is the pay, what the job conditions are like. Simple online research can fill in many of those blanks, but for the real dish, you have to network face to face.

5. Stay busy.
Spending days at a time in your pajamas, rotating laptop, Blackberry and TV screens in front of your face will not only drag down your feel, it’ll sully your resumé. utilize your free time wisely to show prospective employers that you are active, resourceful and willing to work, even without a paycheck as motivation. Volunteer at your synagogue, a local shelter, school or food bank. Bonus points if you do something that’s relevant to your field of interest. Look for internships, freelance opportunities and other ways to get your foot in the door.

6. Hit the books.
To snag certain jobs, like an X-ray technician or an electrician, you’ll have to sign up for a vocational school. For others, you may be able to fill in the educational gap with classes at a community college, an online course, or some how-to books: i.e. Bartending for Dummies, Day Trading for Dummies, Event Planning for Dummies. Educating yourself shows initiative and drive, and even if the most important thing you study in your creative writing class is that you can’t string a sentence together, at least you can cross Romance Novelist off your list of potential careers.

7. Take baby steps.
Going from school psychologist to web designer is quite a leap, so consider making the transition in several steps. Soloway encourages clients to get “stepping stone jobs” that move them one step closer to their desired career. For instance, our psychologist can apply for a job writing content for the LAUSD website to gain some basic knowledge of what makes a site appealing.

8. Recruit cheerleaders.
Job hunting, particularly for career shifters, is incremental in nature and may take years to achieve the final goal. You’re going to require a cheering section, with verve, and stamina for the long haul. The career counselors at JVS are there to hand you cups of water and granola bars throughout the marathon, Soloway says. But you can recruit your best friend, your daughter, your neighbor – whoever will be genuinely interested – to keep track of your progress and help you focus on the positive.

Holiday job search tips offered Dec. 6

"Job Searching through the Holidays" is the topic of the Hudson Job hunt meeting on Dec. 6 at Christ Church Episcopal. Sign-in starts at 7:15 p.m., and the meeting begins at 7:30. It is free and open to the public.

Robin Raybuck, founder of Robin Raybuck and Associates, a career management and coaching firm, will share her ideas for job searching through the holiday period. She has extensive experience in the field and has had her own business for 16 years.She is a frequent speaker and author of several articles.

She completed her master's grade and some doctoral work in counseling and business at Case Western Reserve University.

Raybuck will talk about the strategies for successful holiday job search and will also offer ideas for handling the ups and downs of job searching during the holidays.