Job Seekers

This Page aims to provide you with the keys to use during your next interview, regardless of what industry you work in or what position you are interviewing for. These phrases can also be used as you write your résumé.

Using the right words in the job search begins when you write your résumé. To have a successful résumé you should use the same words that employers use. These are the words that are used in postings and ads. Whether your résumé is read by an electronic résumé system or by a human résumé reader, the process will be the same—scanning for “key words.” If the words are not there, you will not get the interview. The point is that it is not only important to use the “right “words and language during your job search—it is essential!

During the interview, whenever you are describing your successes and achievements, you will want to use up-to-date terms to describe your experiences and accomplishments. Words, like everything else in our lives have a “shelf life” and become old or dated. An example of using outdated words is to address a cover letter using the phrase: “To whom it may concern.”While this is proper as far as grammar and protocol goes, it is also very dated. This is true of industry-specific jargon as well.

Perfect Phrases:

Energy

Perfect phrase: “If you were to ask any of my coworkers at my last job, they would tell you they call me ‘Mr. Energy.’ I am always upbeat with customers or coworkers.”

Confidence

Perfect phrase: “I have a successful track record of working with people and solving problems quickly in a very fast-paced environment.”

Great communication skills

Perfect phrase: “In my last job my customers called and asked to speak to me directly because they knew that I would take care of them while solving the problem and following through.”

Ability to connect with the interviewer

Perfect phrase: “I am very interested in your company and this job. From what I have heard, it sounds like morale and team spirit run high here. That is the atmosphere where I thrive best. I feel I could bring added value to the team and to you as a manager.”

Job Applications And Interviews

By Bryan L Walkley

How to Complete Application Form

If you have a CV, you should have just about all the information you need to complete a job application. If you don't have a CV, now might be the time to create one. Applications forms are used by most employers to screen potential employees using selective information from the applications to determine who they are going to call for a job interview. Employers often ask you to complete an application after they have invited you for an interview. Many employers use applications as a way of standardizing the information they obtain from all job seekers, including some things that you would not normally put on your CV. You should complete the application as completely and honestly as you can remembering that the application is a tool for employers for deciding whether to give you for an interview. Before completing a job application you should read and follow the instruction carefully.

Take a few minutes to review the entire Job application. no two applications are the same some job applications ask for information differently to the next. All job applications have specific spaces in which you are expected to answer the questions. Think of the application as your first impression in following instructions. Complete the application as neatly as possible. Use good neat handwriting that is legibility. The application is a reflection of you. If completing your application by hand only use blue or black ink unless otherwise stated by the instructions on the application form. Don't fold, bend, or if you can have no mistakes visible on your job application. Answer the application form questions specific to the job it is written for. Show why you are more qualified than other applicants for the position.

Include experience from all sources, including previous jobs, schools and volunteer work. Don't leave any blanks. One of the reasons employers have you complete an application is because they want the same information from all job applicants. Don't provide any negative information to you job application as this gives the employer a reason not to employ you. Always answer questions truthfully. Any lies on a job application form will get it rejected. Always provide references as employers want to see that there are people who will provide objective information about you to them. Pick your references carefully and make sure you ask their permission first. Keep your application consistent with your CV. Make sure all dates, names, titles, etc., on your application coincide with the information on your CV. Once you've completed the application, sit back and take a moment to thoroughly proofread the document, checking for errors.

Job interview tips

In order to increase your chance of getting a job you should take time to prepare for an interview. A productive interview needs to be well researched, planned and implemented. Follow these tips for a great interview.

Research the company

find as much as possible about the employer's business model. Read their mission statement, identify main products and services, get a feel of the company so you can speak knowledgeably in the interview.

Thoroughly read the job description

Identify key skills and determine whether or not you meet the job requirements.

Be passionate

Show passion for the company by asking questions that address the employer's needs.

End interview strongly

Thank the interviewer for taking the time to speak with you. Express your interest in the company.

Job Application - Why Yours Was Rejected

By Ian R McAllister

It is only once their job application has been rejected, that most job seekers get an insight in why their job application failed.

Unfortunately this tells them that with some fore thought, they could have figured this out for themselves. Let me help you avoid these common mistakes, and give you some insider advice on how to maximise your job application success

Job Application: it's a personnel thing

All job applications do not start with the job seeker, but with the employer. A job is approved inside an organisation through the combination of two forces:

• Business need
• The manager of the team in which the job will be fulfilled

This is an important insight, as it should tell you that the final decision on who is employed is made by that manager, and that the successful job applicant will be considered the most able to deliver the defined business requirements.

The result of these two forces is the creation of a job description, from which the job advert is derived. Only after the job is approved to this stage, does job application become a personnel process. But not recognising the human beings wholly in the personal exchange - the manager and the successful jobholder - is a key mistake of many job applicants

You and Your Job Search

A job application starts long before you start reading newspapers, crawling job boards, trudging to the Job Centre or chatting to friends. Your job search starts with you, and a clear definition of:

• Who and what you are
• What you hence offer
• What you want to do/see yourself doing long term

If you don't know what you want to do, then any job will do, and hence multiple job application rejection will follow

Job Market testing

Although you now know what you want to do, the jobs market may at that point in time not want those exact skills, in that search geography, for the pay level which makes economic sense to you. You need to test that the job market is offering that job at the right pay level, and this is where the real advantage of the jobs board driven job search becomes apparent.

Go to your favourite jobs board, keeping the title/skills consistent and setting the pay level to zero. Then open the geographic search criteria until the result shows at least 20 jobs. If you can't find at least 20 suitable jobs, then your ideal job presently doesn't exist in the jobs market. Either: go back to stage1 and think of another interim step to your ideal long term job; wait three months; or accept constant job application upset.

The second problem at this stage is having too many jobs to apply for. Again, go to your favourite jobs board, and if after filling in your desired criteria there are more than 100 job results returned, then go back and more closely define what you offer an employer/seek next and long term. Falling into any job will do syndrome means that you are not focusing sufficiently in the eyes of the employer on what you can do well/offer, and hence will be rejected.

Professional CV

Although it disappoints me to say it, as a Professional CV Writer if you approach your job search in a particular manner, you don't actually need a Professional CV. But, for 95% of job applications, you will at some point in the legal and hence defined HR process need a CV. In the modern world, a one-size fits all CV just won't get you the required telephone interview: the only output action required when an employer takes when presented with a good CV.

If like many today you heard a friend or someone in a pub used a free template successfully to get employed, make sure you don't follow the herd: templates mean you don't stand out from the crowd. Good Professional CV Writers create engaging 2page documents that make employers pick up the telephone, because they communicate that the job applicant has the desired skills to fit the job description, and show social fit with the organisation/manager. If your template doesn't, how ever pretty it is or however long your list of hobbies and interests, expect to be rejected

Job Application Form

The one thing that job seekers fail continually to understand, and yet employment professional do, is that you can't beat the odds of where you find and how you apply for jobs.

For instance, as an internal employee offered a promotion, your chances are 90%. For a known person interacting directly with a recruiting organisation, your chances are around 50%. Your best chance of getting employed via a public job advert, be that on a company website or via newspaper, are around 12% on average. Where as a "follow the process" application via a job sourced on a jobs board could easily be as low as 2%

So why do so many job seekers think that they will be successful spending more than 10% o the time on jobs boards? Rejection is bound into and dictated by the where your find jobs and how you apply

Job application confidence

This is the last point of job application rejection, and it is a general issue throughout the current job-seeking world: personal confidence. Job seeking in itself is a job, and it is a tough one. There is research, marketing, paperwork, cold calling, direct costs and worst of the lot: a high level rejection. Even the successful job seekers will be rejected at least once, which means that their success ratio is 50%. I haven't yet met an unsuccessful job seeker who was in some way lacking in self-confidence. It is one of the reasons that I decided to in part cross the divide and become a CV Writer, because universally in most job searches the CV is a common point. If you read through this article, and are still wondering why you are rejected, then after looking in the mirror get out with friends and family and remember what's important. After taking a break for a day or two, then go back to applying for jobs with renewed vigour, and seek some help in your job search.

A job application is as easy as you make it for yourself, but the one big piece of inside advice you should take to avoid job application disappointment: if you don't know you, what you offer, and what you want to do, then you will be: REJECTED!

Good Luck!

Online Job Application

Now you never need to leave the comfort of your own home to apply for jobs. With an online job application you simply plug in your information and hit submit. The number of companies asking you to fill out an application online is increasing, and you need to be prepared for what you are going to find.

Gone are the days where you dress up to collect applications, dress up again to drop them off, and then dress up the third time for the interview. With an online job application, you can find all of your job applications online and only have to dress up for your interview. However, there are a few different kinds of online applications and you will need some skills to fill them out.

First, you have to have basic computer and typing skills to fill out your online job application. Most online job applications are not necessarily difficult, but you should understand the basic difference between the tab and enter button along with how pull-down menus work. You will also need an e-mail address when filling out your online job application. You can get a free e-mail address through Yahoo! or Hotmail.

The most common online job application is the one that is submitted via the internet. You will need to plug in your information, which are not very different from paper applications. Typical fields in an online job application include your name, address, phone number, schooling, and job history. Most of these applications include a disclaimer that if you hit "submit" you are telling your potential employer that all of the information is accurate.

Another type of online job application is the one that you can download, but you need to print it out and mail it to your potential employer. This type of application benefits the potential employee that does not have the best typing skills. Many government agencies have online job application forms that need to be printed, because they may require a legal signature.

The last type of online job application is not really an application. It is more of a request for you to send in a cover letter and resume to a company. Often these applications will require you to put in basic information like your name, phone number, and address. Then there will be a place for you to either download a cover letter and resume or you can copy/paste your cover letter and resume. Many companies are moving away from allowing you to attach files to your online job application due to viruses.

One of the nice aspects of being able to fill out an online job application is that you can often take more time filling it out than you could if you were filling out an application in person. Most online job applications give you an ID and password so that you can stop and come back to your application. This allows you to really think through your answers and present yourself more professionally.

Seven Reasons Job Seekers Pursue the Wrong Opportunities

By Chris Archer

Although it's wise to be on the lookout for interesting opportunities, the key to successful job searching and interviewing is to be discriminating about which opportunities are right for the individual. To be discriminating, it is essential to know and understand the person's target position. Hiring managers and recruiters expect the job seeker to have self-knowledge about their strengths, interests, passions and motivators. Therefore, the very first step in the job search process is to understand personal values, priorities, and career direction.

Why do some job seekers jump at any opportunity that passes their way without regard for their goals? Here are the top seven reasons an individual may pursue the wrong opportunity, and how to prevent being caught in this trap.

Career options have not been explored thoroughly, and there is no focus or commitment.

Some job seekers are guilty of poor career planning, and have fallen into an opportunity simply because it appeared at the right time. Sometimes these careers work out, but more often times they don't. To avoid falling prey to this scenario, always take the time to confirm that a solid career plan is in place. An individual should be in charge of their professional life - not the other way around.

The job seeker sets sights too low, and settles for a lesser position - due to fear or lack of confidence.

Two people with equal qualifications might land very different jobs, depending on their confidence in themselves and belief that the "right" position is out there for them. For job seekers who sense that lack of confidence is undermining their interview performance, they must realign their self-beliefs to combat this situation. Take the time to role-play tough interview questions, consider working with a career coach, or connect with a career agent who can build confidence and help navigate the job search waters.

There is pressure on the home-front.

Anyone who has ever been out of work, or been employed in a position that their spouse of family approves of, understands the negative effects of extraneous pressure. Perhaps the family member feels the job seeker is not trying hard enough to land a job, or is in the wrong career field altogether. It could be an individual's current job is not paying as much or enough as another position. Unfortunately, while family-members believe they are trying to help, their pressure-packed messages don't always have the job seeker's best interest at heart. Sometimes there's a payoff for the other person to see their spouse stay where they are - the other person is fearful to watch him or her grow and develop professionally. Break free of others expectations by having personal goals, and creating a strategic plan to attain them. Spouses, family members, friends, and colleagues who previously exerted pressure are far less likely to continue doing so when the job seeker has a clear personal vision for their career.

The company or position title is impressive.

Every position out there is unique. The company may be one of the most reputable and prestigious in the industry, but if the duties and responsibilities don't align with an individual's short and long-term goals, the opportunity will not be a good fit. Job seekers must evaluate each prospective position in light of their priorities, and know what matters to them. During the evaluation process, if the job does not coincide with personal wants and needs, it is better to turn down the job now, than quit just down the road.

The new position has a convenient and easy commute.

A job seeker has received an offer for a position located right around the corner. Think of the savings in gasoline expense! Better yet, they will only have a 20 minute round-trip commute each day; making him or her available to pick up the kids from school and save on child care expenses. Seems like a match made in heaven, right? Not necessarily. Perhaps this position has more duties and responsibility for the wages earned. Maybe the company has mandatory over-time six days per week. Possibly the savings in gas and child care are not equal to the salary for the same position at a different company. Job seekers should not let a little less time on the freeway become the reason for accepting just any position.

Dangling the carrot - higher compensation.

Income is important, no doubt. It can quickly become less critical, when every ounce of energy is being sucked out of an individual by working in the wrong job. As a rule of thumb, an employer pays according to the work performed. Why does this company pay more than others in the same industry? Are the duties and responsibilities the same as positions within other companies? While it's easy to take the job that pays the most, this should never become the only reason to accept a position. Always do the research, and make sure this career move works cooperatively with professional objectives.

The requirement of making ends meet can lead to career compromises.

When an individual is unemployed and has limited financial reserves to sustain a job search, work smarter - not harder. The job seeker should choose a position that enables them to learn new, marketable skills, or will serve as a stepping stone to their target position.

Above all else, it is imperative the job seeker understand his or her professional goals, and have a deliberate career plan to fall back on when facing the challenges presented here. Don't compromise strategic career goals in light of any situation, and experience the rewards of managing a successful professional life.

#1 Skill Needed by Every Successful Job Seeker

By Robert C McEachnie

I have traveled all over the world, and while at airports waiting for my flight, I always try to find a gate where the plane is having mechanical issues, is extremely late, or was cancelled altogether. And I would go to the gate just to watch majority of the people go through the stages of grief: Denial/Shock, Distraction/Panic, Irritation/Anger, Bargaining, and Depressed. I would literally watch the passengers go through, or get stuck in these steps. It was cheap entertainment and better than airport food. The professional travelers did not panic. They took action and were rebooked almost immediately through the private club assistant, a customer service representative, companies travel expert or their PDA. What do these seasoned travelers' know that the other passengers not know, or do?

Top CEO's and professionals including seasoned traveler's know a secret and execute this secret everyday when hit obstacles - RESILIENCE

Job Seekers initially hit the downsizing, out of work obstacle that will move them into the stages of grief. They will also hit job-seeking obstacles along their career transition.

Now the secret of handling any major change is not to avoid these steps for everyone goes through these at some rate. The secret is to rapidly more through the steps of grief, using only second's not hours or even days to accept the current state and get to work on your future state. The remedy to is to put Resilience into action.

Resilience is the number one skill that all successful Job Seekers posses.

Take an inventory of how resilient you are: Positive, Focused, Flexible, Organized and Proactive.

Positive
Successful Job Seekers are positive that this will work out and for the better. It will take hard work and some long hours, yet it can and will be done. Along the way you will make some great friends and build your personal network. You will learn to do without some things and be better for it. In the end you will grow and be stronger and better positioned to grow personally. You may need to learn some new skills and become better in others and with some study you will get better. You have the ability to learn. You are positive that with practice executing resilience will help you transition rapidly toward your next opportunity.

I love the Wizard of Oz when the Wizard hands out gifts to each of Dorothy's friends who are missing some quality: Courage, Brains, or Heart. As a Job Seeker you too might be missing some key qualities. That is why you build a team around you. You hire a coach, or mentor; you attend network sessions, training, groups etc. and ask the experts. With a little training and hanging out with smart people I am positive you can ask the right questions, learn what you need to, and be able to market yourself on-to the "MUST HIRE" List.

Focused
Distractions will happen. Successful Job Seekers keep distractions under check. They stay focused on the key actions they need to accomplish and when they need to accomplish them.

Distractions will happen and sometimes will drag you back into one of the steps of loss. It may be some statement or message that you process and drags you down. This is where the power of resilience can take you through those grief/loss steps and back focusing on the important steps that are your future. Learn from the past, but don't live there. Live in the present - Today. And plan on your future opportunity.

Focus on today. To many Job seekers jump to what I call the sexy part of job seeking - The Resume. The love the marketing, yet forget eight of the most important steps every Job seeker must accomplish before ever crafting one word on their resume. Focus is key.

Flexible
Successful Job Seekers are flexible in the sense they use social networks, coaches, and friends for support, in keeping positive, focused, flexible, organized and proactive. These people, your team is essential for helping you remain resilient.

We also find flexibility when it comes to learning new skills, and perfecting your personal brand that matches your target companies needs. As a successful Job Seeker must be better than the competition, so forget what worked in the past. You must be flexible at perfecting your stories, and personal brand to you market and their needs to use social networks and relationships. It is time to rebrand, perfect, sharpen, and present a dynamic brand not a cut and paste resume and cover letter blasted out to the internet void.

Organized
Successful Job Seeker is organized with various tools that structure all the activities of your job campaign. This is an area that many people struggle and fail. Failure to fully utilize these tools will dramatically reduce your return on investment. Each person will have a Vision, Mission, Goals and pain messages that will direct their activities. Each activity is structured to support the next activity and tied to short and full term goals.

Also organization will help focus on the use of the top search strategies allowing a return on investment. Companies have systems that help them accomplish more and so you must also have tools/systems to manage your contacts and the marketing materials disbursement and management.

Proactive
Successful Job Seekers are proactive by planning their work and working their plan. They are working 30 or more hours each week. They are using ONLY the top strategies that return results not Internet job boards that are the least effective strategy and have a low ROI. They help others and take time for themselves during downtime. They put resilience into action every day.

Remember the key skill Job Seekers must have in executing a successful career transition is resilience. Having resilience does not mean you won't get depressed, angry, fearful, or upset. It does mean you'll recognize it quicker and move through it faster and reframe the issue as an opportunity.

Job Seekers Must Sell Themselves Because No One Else Will

By Dan Milstein

Job seekers in today's economy face a daunting challenge unlike any other in their lives because competition for each available job is so intense that only the most dedicated and skilled seekers catch the attention of employers.

For most new jobs there are 30-50 or more applicants and only a few will be screened and maybe a half-dozen interviewed. The ultimate survivor who is offered the job will be the job seeker who does the best selling himself/herself to the employer.

The critical point all job seekers must understand and come to grip with is that to find a good job you must be a good salesman and to find a super job you must be a super salesman. Absolutely no one but you is expected to sell yourself. References, after all, are only checked after the sales campaign ends and the job offer is extended. You and only you must sell yourself to a prospective employer.

One of the frequent quotes I give to salesmen at work is "If you don't believe in oranges then sell apples." Paraphrasing for job seekers, "If you don't believe in yourself, retire!"

Seeking employment is a full-time job requiring full-time effort. My motto in sales is "Always Be Closing" and the motto of the job seeker should be "Always Be Pitching" yourself. Always be reading to engage a friend, colleague, or stranger in conservation directed at finding the right job for you.

Here are some specific steps you should take to find the right door to the right employer:

Don't Leave Home Without Your Passion. After several rejects and weeks of unemployment it is easy to become discouraged. Don't! Wake up each morning exciting about your job search and what you will do this day to discover the right job lead. You must learn to enjoy the job seeking process.

Be a Cheerleader for Yourself. You must believe in yourself and be enthusiastic about the company and job you are applying for. Enthusiasm will be noticed during an interview. If you are not convinced you are the best person to perform the job why should anyone hire you?

Make It About the Employer. Do and say everything possible to convince the employer that hiring you will be the best decision they can make. Remain positive at all times. It is nearly impossible to overcome a negative impression so do not create one.

Plan for Employment. Develop an employment plan that identifies prospective employers, details your job skills, includes an elevator speech, and details job search strategies. In today's tight job market, you have to be more flexible, able to continually adapt your plan to new opportunities and obstacles. Our plan should not be just to find a job but to advance your career and obtain success in life during "good and bad" economies.

Look Beyond Your Past Job. Too many job seekers limit their search to the field they were working in before their job loss. Broaden your search. Consider new skills. Inventory your job skills. Look at your jobless time as a springboard to a new career and a better life.

Be Accessible. Job seekers must be available to job makers. Do not use the extra time created by your job loss to take a month's vacation. Answer the phone, check your email often, find out where job creators hang out and be there! Place your resume online in places where it can be found. Attend job fairs where you can personally meet prospective employers.

Market Yourself Creatively. Let the world know that you exist and that you are different and better than all other job seekers. Sign up for email alerts. Place your resume online at several job seeking boards and at corporate websites. Remember that 100 people may be applying for the job you want. A computer will scan 100 resumes to come up with the 10 best prospects. Be accessible to the computer scanner by making the very first paragraph of your resume a summary of your skills and experience. When necessary rewrite that first graph to grab the attention of the computer as it scans for the key words programmed by human resources.

Be Positive Or Else. There is no room in the workplace for complainers. No one enjoys a crybaby. Do not whine about your past work experiences, do not rationalize why you were laid off or why you were not promoted often. Talk about solutions; not problems. Expressing a positive attitude about your past companies and past work experiences, and being positive about the hiring company, its products and employees, is critical to getting a job offer.

Take a Risk, be Bold. To put yourself above the massive number of job seekers, be bold, be courageous, and be creative. Don't stand still but step up and step forward. Say what other job seekers won't say in any interview, talk about initiatives you will take that others won't, use active and assertive language in your resume. Do not be content to wait in line; put yourself in the front of the line. Make yourself known to employers before a job is created. Write a marketing letter and send it to every company you would like to work for. Look at what every other job seeker is doing and don't do that.

Almost all employers will not accept phone calls or walk-in candidates but will refer you to the employment section of their website. You must use websites and email for your job search but in spite of this always devote time each week to making phone calls, walking into companies with resume in hand, and placing yourself where employers are. Devote time each week to making yourself known on Facebook, Twitter or other social networks but always remember that your greatest asset is yourself and the best way to sell yourself is with personal contact. So network, network, network!

Silly Job Seeker Mistakes

By Tanya Willette

The job seekers that think they know what to avoid doing during a job interview are usually the job seekers that make silly mistakes! Your everyday habits carry with you during a job interview, and because they are habits, most job seekers don't even know they are doing something! Before your next job interview, make sure you don't make any of the following silly mistakes:

Silly Job Seeker Mistake #1: Too Much Perfume or Cologne

This is my favorite! Have you ever been in a room, or an elevator, where the person next to you is suffocating you with their perfume? Or how about smelt a perfume that smells worst than your dog's breathe? I don't know about you, but when that happens to me I try to get as far away from that person as possible! So, if the employer is being suffocated by your perfume or gets a migraine from being around you, I wouldn't count on being in the interview for very long!

Silly Job Seeker Mistake #2: Run in Your Tights

You decided to wear a professional skirt, and like you should, wore tights. Then, after sitting down you go to gross your legs and realize you have a run going from your knee down to your heel. Check your tights before you interview! This shows sloppiness!

Silly Job Seeker Mistake #3: Unzipped Fly

This happens to many people, so don't worry, you're not alone. But, think of it this way. When something is out of place and it bugs you, what do you do? Stare! So instead of focusing on you the employer is focusing on how to inform you that your fly is down without making either of you feel awkward.

Silly Job Seeker Mistake #4: Open-Toe Shoes

This one you want to avoid! Open-toe shoes are meant to have a sexual appeal not a professional one!

Silly Job Seeker Mistake #5: First Name Basis

Just because you call your current boss by their first name, doesn't mean you can call the person interviewing you by theirs! Further, addressing someone by their last name shows a certain level of respect.

Silly Job Seeker Mistake #6: Chipped Nail Polish

By not paying attention to your appearance, how can an employer expect you to pay attention to your job? They can't!

Silly Job Seeker Mistake #7: Bed Head

Guys, left over hair gel is a big no-no and girls, snarly hair is a no-no! If you don't plan on showering, at least brush!

Silly Job Seeker Mistake #8: Uninformed References

This is one of my favorites. If you are going to put someone down as a reference, make sure they know. If a potential employer calls this individual and they get a response such as, "ummm, I don't know that person," it won't look too good!

The Hiring Process, The Internet, The Job Seeker

By Joy Jung

The internet has certainly changed a lot of things, and one of those is the hiring process, especially in regard to the applicant or job seeker. As a staffing consultant with over 20 years of experience, I have witnessed, implemented and survived the business changes in managing the hiring process for several major Fortune 100 companies. As an outplacement consultant, I have observed job seekers' frustration and disappointment due to the lack of communication from companies concerning their applications. This is especially true if the internet is the only vehicle the job seeker is using for their job search. In today's fast-paced, action-packed world, the job seeker must utilize a variety of strategies and tactics when seeking the next career. Otherwise they are left alone staring into the black hole of cyberspace.

During the emergence of the internet in the early nineties, many companies were downsizing; plus, the consolidation and buy-outs during the first decade of this century has created a very unstable job market. Unfortunately, this has resulted in companies creating smaller Human Resource departments, asking employees to "do more with less", outsourcing and a host of other programs aimed at keeping corporate costs under control.

However, companies still need to hire new employees. The first wave of baby boomers is ready for retirement. Companies look for the most effective method to conduct their business, and computers, along with the internet, offers a plethora of systems and techniques. They now have a whole array of options for placing job ads versus the old standby of putting them in the classifieds. Companies can place them on their own job board at their website; place it on a "universal or global" website or professional association websites, etc for nominal costs. It is much easier for them to get the word out about their opportunities in today's internet environment. Also, in some large companies, it is standard practice for one human resource recruiter to have between 50 and 150 open positions at one time.

From the job seeker perspective, the internet has made it possible for hundreds, if not thousands, of individuals to press a button and submit a resume to a company for an opening, and it becomes a numbers game. It is no wonder companies have turned to applicant tracking software to handle the massive amounts of traffic some of them receive each day from job seekers. While the software does help sort through the barrage of resumes, it is not "smart" by any means. It only matches words or key phrases from the resume to the position. (That's the main reasons job seekers are encouraged to use key words or phrases in their resumes from the job description.) Unfortunately, this software is used as a siphoning funnel by companies where all the information is received but there is none given back. This causes frustration for the seeker who submits resume after resume but gets nothing in return. From my experience, this is standard operating procedure in today's job market. There are a few, select companies, who actually will email applicants once the job has been filled. Consider yourself fortunate if you are given any feedback.

I believe the lack of personalization, in the hiring process over the internet, has increased the importance of networking when searching for a new position. Many times, the job seeker must find ways around the Human Resource Department and the system software. The human touch, going directly to a hiring manager or other individuals who can personally deliver your resume, is the best method for securing a second look. This often leads to an interview and a job offer.

Networking has always been the best way to find the next job. However, successful networking takes work. It's getting involved with people. It's about "putting on your best face" and talking to people about job opportunities.

Networking can be subtle, cunning, overt, simple or complex, to name a few. Networking is all about letting others know of your desire for a position. The most successful job seekers hone their craft. They have several different strategies and techniques to use at their disposal in a moment's notice. While computers are a great tool, hiring, to me, is a human resource function. It is all about the person to person contact - and that's called - networking.