Do you have a second occupation

Talking with others that are successful in procuring their next position it has come to my attention that many have secondary occupations they enjoy. It may not be their end all spot but it can help them through a downturn. Pay attention to those avocations that you enjoy and could put together in a pinch.

Met a young fellow that loves bicycles so he took a class on bicycle repair and currently volunteers repairing bikes. Just a thought!

Why should I hire you?

This is a big question. As you make your presentations remember that the interviewer is thinking that statement. There is more to the process than just your knowledge. You need to be able to communicate and the biggest part is fit with the team. You can have every skill, education that is needed yet if you don't fit the group it isn't going to work very long. Sometimes it may be that you could improve some skills then again on the other hand you will realize that you are just not comfortable. It is a hard decision to turn down a spot that your skills fit but if YOU don't fit you are better off to thank them and move on.

Resume follow-up

Since resumes are still used and asked for why not have the best one you can have. You should accumulate all the information and data about you. You can now gather this all on one file then copy and paste what you want to deliver. You should go to your state employment department and take any classes they offer on resumes and interviewing skills. If you have a few dollars it is advisable to find a professional resume write look at your masterpiece and help you along. You will learn about you and a different way to present your skills.
Remember there are two basic resumes: Chronological and Functional

With computers the beauty is your can tailor make resumes for those asking for it.

Speaking of Resumes

It has been hinted that resumes are obsolete. That is fine with me since resumes are used more as a rejection tool than a hiring tool. Think about it. You are looking to hire a body, you receive 300 resumes. Are you going to study each one or are you likely to find a reason not to read some and narrow it down to ten?
Without the resume how will we apply for opportunities? So many ways. Personal meetings are by far the best. You won't always be able to do that though.
What you are going to find out is that it is most important to be able to speak with others and tell stories.Cover letters can do wonders as long as they are short.

Connecting cards

We heard of: Business cards, contact cards and courtesy cards. How about we calling them "connecting cards"? When we think of what true networking is we know that it works best when we take enough time to learn about the other person first. In so doing we do in fact "connect" by making a personal connection. Or, personal relationship building.
It is far simpler to carry a pocket full of cards than resumes. All that is really needed is: name, e-mail and phone number. You can add color or pictures at extra cost. People do remember a good looking card though.