Jump Start your Job Search with Positivity

Author and Speaker Nan Russell offers a simple and inspired recipe to jump start your job search with positive, proactive steps in just 7 days. As Nan states, "Forward action, no matter how small, fuels motivation, builds energy, and ignites job search creativity. It enhances perseverance, and gets results."

I want my clients to consistently combat worry, fear, self doubt, and frustration by making a committment to take action each day to advance your strategy. Whether it's company research, networking, informational interviewing, professional development, volunteer work...the key is to act and manifest positive change.

Check out Nan's full article and take action TODAY: 7 Steps to Re-Start Your Job Search Momentum with Positive Actions

As a career coach who believes in a pro-active search, I whole heartedly agree with Ford Myers of Career Potential. He shares some crucial advice for individuals engaged in the job hunt.

"Many people make significant job search mistakes and never even know about it. These blunders are easy to make, and they can cost you the job offer or lose you thousands of dollars.
10 Mistakes job seekers make...and how to avoid them!"

In Search of the Purpose Driven Career

Eve Troeh of Marketplace tells us an all too familar stoy on the job search.

"With unemployment in the U.S. near 10 percent, many job seekers are settling for jobs that are lower paid and of lower status. But Eve Troeh reports that a better approach may be to keep your high standards in place, and to strive for purpose in a career." Read (or listen to) the whole story at Marketplace on NPR.

Money and Holiday Stress

I wanted to share some thought provoking information from Shawn Bakker at Pyschometrics Direct (a leading company for career and personality assessments).

Shawn...
The holiday season is fast approaching, and brings an extra level of busyness with school pageants, social gatherings, work parties and family get-togethers. Based on my own experience, and the stories that I hear from others, it is common to feel run off your feet.

Each year at this time we have presented a list of stress relieving activities. This year I have taken a slightly different tack, but believe it will take you to the same destination - a more enjoyable holiday experience. Below are two articles that discuss research about happiness; one is from the New York Times and the second is from Money Magazine. I found them interesting and insightful and I hope you do as well.

But Will It Make You Happy?

Can Money Buy Happiness?

And here are some wonderful tips on Holiday Stress Busters from Mercy College. Enjoy a happy and healthy holiday season...celebrating the blessings in your life.

Lists, Lists...and More Lists!

I am such a big fan of researching companies of interest as a strategic approach to the job search. Rather than sitting at the computer hunting and pecking for relavent postings on job boards, why not go to the source. Reviewing the opportunities on the "Careers" page of company websites is the modern day equivalent of pounding the pavement with your resume in hand.

My coaching clients hear me sing the praises of the Atlanta Book of Lists (at your local library or alumi career services office). Check out the Lists of Top Companies at INC. and see who may have your next career position listed on their "Career's" page. The lists are organized by category, including Metro Atlanta.

7 Surprising Reasons You Didn't Get a Call Back for that Job

I'm pleased to share some very powerful, common sense advice from Heather Huhman.

It’s natural to wonder why you didn’t get an interview – or perhaps make it to the second round – for a job you thought was a perfect fit. While I always feel it’s best to ask the hiring manager what went wrong, do a little self-analysis first. Perhaps you made one of the following mistakes:

Check out the full article!

Anyone Can Build a Career Network

In their article, "How to Build a Career Network", Bob Rossner and Sherrie Campbell offer an outstanding common sense approach to one of the top job search strategies. Here is an excerp:

Have you ever asked yourself why networking is important to your career? Studies show that the number one way to get a job is by career networking - and when it comes to starting or advancing a career, your career network should be the first place you look. So rather than asking why networking is important to your career, start with asking, "How do I network?"

I encourage you to read the full article (link below) to immediately start beefing up your networking strategy. http://www.payscale.com/how-to-build-a-career-network-recession