Unemployed in Des Moines —

Ex-search adviser used her own tips to land her dream job

by Crissanka Christadoss on June 29, 2011 · 0 comments

Scott Nishimura is a Texas business reporter, editor, for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

Patty Revis, now a business development executive, found her dream job 10 months after she lost her position at jobing.com.

Patty Revis spent more than four years as a North Texas community relations director for jobing.com advising jobseekers on how to run their searches and root out opportunities.

So when jobing.com laid off Revis’ department last July, she put her plan to work — except for one piece of advice. Normally, she counseled jobseekers to take a week or so off after a layoff. Revis, in need of a recharge, ended up taking a month off before picking her search up.

Ten months later, she landed her dream job running business development for ADD:Immotion Studios, which operates under Marketing Management Inc., a 45-year-old Fort Worth private brand marketing firm.

It’s one she fantasized working for since she toured it while working for the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce more than a decade earlier.

With the aroma of fresh crescent rolls — a product being tested that day — wafting through the building, Revis, 47, sat down last week with the Star-Telegram to talk about her job search.

How’d you end up at this company?

Twelve and a half years ago, the Chamber and MMI had a business after-hours open house. As I was going through the tour, I was going, “I’ve got to work here.” I’m such a foodie, and I’m fascinated with the reason people buy things. Along the way, I would apply for a job here from time to time. Maybe twice in 12 years. But the turnover here is really low.

You learned about your layoff at jobing.com on Facebook. What was that like?

Our headquarters was in Phoenix. An employee in Phoenix thought my meeting had already happened and that I’d already been laid off. She sent me a lovely note wishing me well. The lesson is, social media is fast and the company wasn’t communicating properly.

What did you do after you got laid off?

My general advice to jobseekers was to take a week, sit and cry, sit in the middle of the floor with a gallon of ice cream, do whatever you have to do. I needed a break, so I did take about a month off. I went and rekindled relations with my husband who (it seemed) I hadn’t seen in four years. I tubed the Comal River. I went and visited some family.

How did you start your search?

I didn’t quit anything. I sat on three boards and four or five committees at the time. I found some more committees to get on. I did some volunteer work. I was able to negotiate with one association, Fort Worth HR, where if you are a member in good standing and become in transition, your next year’s dues are waived. My dues were waived for 2011. I continued to go to my networking groups. I went to MAGiC (a marketing and communications networking group run by the Fort Worth Career Search Network). I created my jobseeker business card.

Did you sit behind a computer and fire out resumes into Monster.com?

Even though I was with a job board, I would tell jobseekers: “Do not sit behind a computer all day and stay on Jobing, CareerBuilder, Monster or whatever. You’ll go stir crazy. You have got to get out.” I filled my days with what normal activity would have been for me, minus the job part. I made sure I was going somewhere every day.

So how’d this opportunity here come up?

Through a friend. He said, “I’ve got an opening I think would be perfect for you.” I’m like, “Yeah, send it over.” I opened it up, it was Marketing Management Inc., and it was for business development, which is what I knew I wanted to go into. I turned to my husband and said, “You’re not going to believe this.”

What was the process?

I interviewed in March. I was the first interview, and they interviewed several other people. And then in April, we were asked to make a formal sales presentation to the decision makers. They made the offer in May.

What did you do to follow up with the company after the first interview?

I sent my handwritten “thank you” note. A week or so later, I invited them to be on Linkedin (an online networking site). Then I started following them on Twitter. I kept dropping little hints along the way. I honestly don’t know if they connected the two, but in my mind, they did.

How do you sense the job market is going now?

I’m hearing a lot more activity from jobseekers. They’re getting a lot more leads. When I took my donuts to MAGiC after I landed, there were four other dozen donuts. (Under job networking etiquette, jobseekers are supposed to bring a dozen donuts to their group after they land a job.) It tells me a lot of people are landing. We’re hiring here. We’re looking for a graphic artist and prepress person.

Scott Nishimura, 817-390-7808

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10 Must-Do Job-Search Tips for Spring 2011 Grads

by Crissanka Christadoss on June 27, 2011 · 0 comments

in Uncategorized

Liz Ryan is an expert on the new-millennium workplace and a former Fortune 500 HR executive. This article published May 6, 2011.

This is not the easiest time to be graduating from school: The job market, while showing signs of life, remains tepid compared to prerecession activity levels. New grads need to focus intently on clarifying their job search direction, getting branded, and winning a hiring manager’s attention. We’ve put together our Top 10 to-do-now job-search tips for people who are completing an academic program this spring and hoping to convert their sheepskins into paying gigs. Don’t wait. Start ticking our Top 10 tips off your to-do list now.

1. Choose a Direction, or Two, or Three The biggest job-search mistake new grads make is to hit the market without a clear direction. Let’s say your new degree is in marketing. Do you want to do marketing for a consumer products firm or an accounting firm? I know, I know—you’ll take any job you can get. Still, employers need to see direction and focus. Choose two or three job-search “prongs” that meet our three-way job-search direction test. (Would you enjoy the work? Does the career direction make use of your talents? Are there jobs available?) Then focus your search on those few areas, avoiding the “spray and pray” approach that frustrates so many hopeful new grads.

2. Customize Your Resumés It’s fine to construct more than one resumé, which you’ll need to do if you settle on more than one job-search prong. If you choose three areas of focus (consumer products marketing, professional services marketing, and health-care marketing, for example) you’ll need a dedicated version of your resumé for each prong. Each resumé will brand you as a great hire in a particular focus area, in three ways. First, the resumé summary at the top of the document will tell the reader why you’re interested in the field and why you’re a great choice for it. Second, the stories you choose to highlight in your resumé bullets will relate specifically to the prong you’ve selected for that resumé. Finally, your descriptions of each role (what we call “framing the role”) will emphasize the aspects of each job you’ve held, even part-time ones, that are most relevant to the prong in question.

3. Use Our Examples Marissa is a new grad who is following three avenues in her job search (consumer products marketing, professional-services marketing, and health-care marketing). Here are Marissa’s three resumé summaries, each focused on a specific job-search prong:

Consumer Products Marketing: “I started paying attention to smart marketing around the time I began browbeating my mom for an American Girl (MAT) doll. Now that I’m out of school, I’m eager to learn consumer products marketing from the ground up. Fresh off an internship at an organic chocolates company and with a huge appetite for on-the-fly learning, I’m excited to join a product marketing team and help expand audience, buzz, and revenues.”

Professional Services Marketing: “The last project in my marketing program at the University of North Carolina was a group consulting project for a local accounting firm, where we overhauled the firm’s marketing plan to shift into a new, lucrative practice area. I’m chomping at the bit to help a service business rev up its revenues as an in-house marketing pro. I’m comfortable with everything the social media world has come up with so far, and enough of a left-brain/right-brain mix to enjoy and thrive on the quantitative and analytical parts of marketing, as well as the creative bits.”

Health-Care Marketing: “What’s fascinating for me about health-care marketing is the combination of quantitative analysis and simple, old-fashioned listening it entails. I’m a new grad from the University of North Carolina with a passion for accessible health care and for better communication about how patients can use the resources around them.

I’m excited to join a health-care marketing team and learn its craft while helping patients learn about wellness and nutrition for themselves and their families.”

4. Use a Human Voice Corporate-speak boilerplate is out. A conversational tone in a resumé (and a cover letter and LinkedIn profile) is essential to grab a hiring manager’s attention. The old “results-oriented professional with a bottom-line orientation”-type branding won’t make a hiring manager’s heart beat faster. It’s okay to use “I” in a resumé—after all, the document is about you—and to use normal, conversational English instead of stuffy corporate language. A conversational resumé, LinkedIn profile, and cover letters will put you out in front of the hordes of job-seekers hitting the market this spring.

5. Get LinkedIn If you’re not already on the mega-popular social networking site LinkedIn, what are you waiting for? Granted, it’s not as colorful and gossipy as Facebook, but it’s far more effective for businesspeople and job-seekers of all stripes. A basic account is free and a great, professional photo (head and shoulders—no bikinis, bongs, or beer steins please) is a must for your LinkedIn profile. Get connected to your schoolmates, your parents’ friends and the friends of your parents, along with high school buddies and anyone else you know who’s already using LinkedIn or could be induced to join. You’ll use the site (with some 100 million members in the business-focused social networking space) for research, to reach out to hiring managers and others, and to increase your knowledge of industries through LinkedIn’s Groups and Answers functions.

6. Assemble Your Network As a new grad, consider everyone you’ve met in your life a possible conduit to your next job. Make a list of 100 people (you read that right—it may take an hour, but it’s worth it) who should know about your job search, including the lady you used to babysit for and the folks whose lawns you mowed back in high school. Don’t leave anyone out: Scoutmasters and high school musical directors, every boss you’ve ever had, and former co-workers all count as networking contacts with value. If they’re not on LinkedIn and you don’t have their e-mail addresses, find them on www.whitepages.com and send a snail mail letter. People who knew you as a toddler are undoubtedly game to help you launch your career. Don’t be shy. There is no statute of limitations on human relationships.

7. Research Employers Which employers are hiring in your area or the city you plan to move to? Use ~~, a massive jobs aggregator, to find out. Plug in keywords (the site has only two fields, one labeled “What” and the other “Where”) to spot job opportunities in the geographical areas you’re focusing on. If you find interesting employers that don’t now have perfect-fit jobs available for you, go back to LinkedIn and sign up to follow these employers so you’ll get a heads-up when they have news or leadership appointments. Indeed.com also lets you create alerts that will ping you when new jobs crop up. Jump on those. If you can compile a list of 20 or 30 likely employers to follow, you’ll be way ahead of the new-grad job-search pack.

8. Know Your Market Value What are new graduates getting paid in the geographic areas you’re targeting, as wall as in your functional area? You’ve got to have this information before you hit the talent marketplace. Use Payscale.com and Glassdoor.com to learn who’s getting paid what and where. You may have a range of salary targets if your job-direction prongs vary—for instance, social work jobs pay less than finance jobs)—but in every case, you’ve got to know the prevailing salary levels before you get hit with the question: “What do you expect to earn?”

9. Practice-Interview, a Lot On-campus career placement offices love to mock-interview students and new grads. If the service is available at your school, go for it. There’s nothing like interview practice to iron out rough spots in your stories and help you overcome perfectly normal job-search jitters. Get used to answering such standard interview questions as “why are you interested in our company?” and “what are your goals for your career?” When your parents and friends make introductions to working people who are willing to have coffee with you, grab those opportunities, too. The more mentoring, advice, and mock-interviewing time you can snag, the better.

10. Get Your Spiel Down Imagine that you’re a middle manager who needs help in your department this summer. You meet a couple of new grads at a neighborhood event. You ask each one: “What are your plans, now that you’re out of school?” One new grad says, “get a job, I guess.” The other one says, “I plan to go to law school down the road, but right now I need some practical experience to understand how the business world works. I’m especially interested in how companies negotiate contracts.” Which new grad is going to get a second look? The one who has a sense of direction, no doubt. Whether or not your department’s extra-help need involves contracts, you’re likely to bring the second new grad in for an interview. So get your spiel down, now—the answer to the question, “so what’s next for you?” Your clarity and conviction are more impressive to a hiring manager than specific experience in his or her functional area. After all, you’re a new grad. No one expects you to have years of experience.

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The Power of Patience

by Crissanka Christadoss on June 24, 2011 · 0 comments

in Uncategorized

Crissanka Christadoss is a Des Moines transplant, having spent time on both the West and East Coasts before returning to the Midwest where she grew up. With a Masters Degree in Health Communication from Emerson College in Boston, MA, Crissanka uses her specialized training to create stories and messages that increase awareness for health care organizations and relevant health issues. She likes to think she is patient as her patience has recently paid off with a great job offer. LinkedIn| Twitter

If you weren’t patient before, well, now’s your chance. You’ve networked, you’ve sent of 50 bajillion resumes/cover letters, you’ve done your part and you continue to do your part. A week, two weeks go by and nothing.

One thing that job seeking can teach is the underestimated power of patience. We live in times of instant gratification, everything moves so fast. But when job seeking, patience is worth its weight in gold.

I love how this article on patience in job searching is equated with fishing, one of the most patient pastimes! The author of the article also talks about networking, and how you shouldn’t expect immediate results:

“If you go out and network with five people, that doesn’t mean that you’re automatically in the ‘hidden job’ market and jobs will automatically begin to be offered to you. Yet, with a slight bit of exaggeration, that’s the expectation: ‘I saw five people, which was a lot of work, and I’m no further along than I was when I started, so why should I continue to network?’ is the type of reasoning that I often hear.

…because of the lack of immediate results, far too many people give up on networking and kill their chances of getting into the hidden job market. Yes, a certain amount of knowledge, of how-to-do-it, is involved. But the overwhelming mistake, at least in my experience, is a lack of patience to allow your efforts to work.”

So, how do you learn this magical art of patience? I think this is a good start:

Empathy for others: Not everyone or everything is working on YOUR timeline. Be cognizant of what others are going through and their responsibilities, which includes hiring manager, HR rep, organizational structure, your networking contacts, etc. Everyone wants to help, but they have other matters to tend to as well.

Setting realistic expectations: You can’t say to yourself “I am going to get my ultra-glamorous dream job in my dream company in two weeks, no exceptions.” You can certainly SAY IT, but it may not happen. In my experience the entire process of applying, interviewing and hiring takes a few weeks to at least a month (on a good month that is and depending on the job you are applying for).

Do your part: You have to bug/harass a few people to get information to help you propel your job search forward. You obviously just can’t wait for things to happen. In this case, make sure your follow up accordingly (not annoyingly).

Were you patient enough to get through this post? Do you think patience is truly a virtue? Does it pay off?

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Recruiters Say Job Boards Are Here to Stay

by Crissanka Christadoss on June 22, 2011 · 0 comments

in How To: Job Search, How To: Resume, Recruiters

Dan Schawbel is a personal branding expert, #1 international bestselling author of Me 2.0, speaker, syndicated columnist, and blogger - Millennial Branding, LLC. This article explores the usefulness of job boards through an interview with two experts in the recruiting world.

My last Forbes article created quite a stir in the recruitment world and a lot of recruiters left comments and posted their own articles to dispute it. I wrote about how job boards and resumes are no longer useful and how LinkedIn will put them both out of business. Recruiters, on the other hand, believe that job boards are here to stay. In order to get their side of the story, I reached out to two of them who could provide more information and research on the topic.

Chris Russell, a ten year veteran of the online job board industry, is the founder of allcountyjobs.com. James Durbin, with twelve years of experience as a recruiter, is the founder of socialmediaheadhunter.com.

Why are job boards still important/relevant?

Chris Russell: Because employers still rely on them greatly, especially for small business which typically practices reactive recruiting. When they have a need, they post a job. Plus job boards are good at driving lots of eyeballs to a job listing whether it’s for a certain industry or location. That’s why niche and local sites will always be around.

James Durbin: They are faster signals to the market. Searching LinkedIn takes time, and only works in targeted searches. Major job boards tell you who is available, right this second. Those resumes are a signal from the job seeker, and create good churn in employment markets, since it forces companies to move quickly if they don’t want to lose available candidates.

How does LinkedIn fit in the job search/recruitment equation?

Chris Russell: From what I hear from the recruiters I talk to it’s used primarily as a sourcing tool, not as a job board.

James Durbin: A fantastic, updated database that in varying degrees, showcases bright and active talents. The apply button sounds good, but from a technical standpoint, it’s no different than “apply online,” which causes huge amounts of resume spam from candidates not willing to read the job before sending the resume. LinkedIn is a different kind of database, with different strengths, that has more user data and interaction. A powerful tool, but still only a portion of the process.

Do you have any research on people getting hired through job boards versus other means?

Chris Russell: I have some testimonials but I’ll also point to Gerry Crispins recent sources of hire study that says 27% of hires are made through job boards. For many of my clients, my job boards are their only source of hire.

James Durbin: Gerry Crispin is the one to go to for this –but be careful – comments like “referrals are our biggest source” doesn’t cover modern social media or employer branding and there’s a limit. Few companies can ramp up their referral hiring more than it already is. Folks have been trying that for years. The well goes dry too quickly, and most people overvalue their ability to judge their friends.

What are companies investing in more, social networks or job boards and why?

Chris Russell: I think the bigger companies are doing more with social media but not smaller firms. They dont have the time to manage social media. For them job boards and referrals are the primary tools.

James Durbin: Social networks, because of their potential, but job boards are still relevant. The big difference between the two is that job boards make a lot of money, and a lot of profit. Most social networks do not. And while the social networks have the support of the public, they are not as easily harnessed by companies. Engaging in them takes a lot of time from the right people. Social networks can put pressure on job board prices, but they could also cause another growth spurt when social media burnout is reached in the employment space. Scaling is the biggest problem. It’s been a problem since electronic resumes became the norm. It’s too easy to flood any individual who doesn’t put filters in place. Put a craigslist job opening out there, and see how many resumes you get, and you’ll see what I’m talking about.

What do you see as the future of recruitment and what does it mean to job seekers?

Chris Russell: There will continue to be more tools in the recruiters toolbox to recruit. New technologies will not replace any of the others, rather they will compliment our augment whats already in place. Ex: A Twitter account can be used to drive traffic to a job on a job site.

James Durbin: Recruiters use social to get better at sourcing and building talent pipelines on an individual basis, and companies who are willing to fund that individual talent will do well. Most companies will simply try to wring as much value out of the social networks as possible, leading the public to create its own solution. Job seekers need to improve their profiles, and seek the hot new way to get in front of managers. Standing out, and doing personal branding, is a great way to do so.

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How I Got the Job: Leslie High, 57

by Crissanka Christadoss on June 20, 2011 · 0 comments

in How To: Interview, How To: Job Search, How To: Networking, Struggles

This profile is from the Kansas City Star written by Sue Dye Babson, who has written several other profiles on others who have been successful in their job search.

The job: Executive director.

The employer: The Kansas City chapter of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation was established in 1994 and serves the western half of Missouri and all of Kansas. The foundation’s single mission, to find a cure for type 1 diabetes and its complications, is supported by fundraisers such as Kansas City’s May 2011 Annual Dream Gala. This year’s Kansas City event raised a record of more than $1.5 million. The other main fundraising event in Kansas City is the October Walk to Cure Diabetes. This year’s event will be on Oct. 1 at Legends Outlets Kansas City.

My role: I provide the leadership and vision for the Kansas City chapter. Along with a strong board of directors, we implement the strategy needed for our chapter’s fundraising success and fiscal responsibility. With my background and experience, I represent a new avenue of success for JDRF – major gifts fundraising. My role is to ensure the events JDRF is known for – the Dream Gala and Walk to Cure Diabetes – continue to grow, and also to introduce private philanthropy (major gifts) to JDRF. We have strong outreach programs, government relations and volunteer support, which add to our success and strengthen our community while furthering our mission.

How long have you been in this position?
Since March 28.

How did you find your job?
I wasn’t actually looking for this job; it found me! I had been with the Truman Medical Center Charitable Foundation as director of philanthropy at the TMC Lakewood campus for more than 10 years. I loved TMC’s mission and my generous donors. In my pursuit to be a better fundraiser and stay engaged in the fundraising community, I was encouraged by my mentor, Davoren Tempel, executive vice president for Hartsook Cos. Inc. in Kansas City, a full-service fundraising consulting firm. She suggested I reach out to Yvonne Miller, who had had great success in building the Kansas City chapter before becoming national director of corporate relations for JDRF in New York City.

I sent her a message saying she was someone I wanted to meet and brainstorm with, as a fellow Certified Fund Raising Executive. We met at Starbucks and, at the end of the conversation, Yvonne said, “We have an opening in our KC chapter for an executive director, and you’d be wonderful.”

I actually replied, “I love my job and wouldn’t consider changing!” But the seed was planted and Yvonne kept asking for my resume. I had not updated my resume in 10 years, so that was a painful process. But I submitted it electronically to the JDRF national office.

A few days later, I received a phone call from human resources asking for a phone interview. I had a total of four phone interviews, as well as online personality testing, as I was moved up the pipeline. One of the phone interviews was with David Moore, regional director in Indianapolis and my future boss. We had a wonderful conversation in which he convinced me this was an organization I could believe in and was a great place to finish my career.

After that, I came to the Kansas City chapter office and interviewed with a panel of board members and volunteers, which included David Moore. Next, I had a second interview with the six staff members at this office. Both interviews were very important for them to know me and for me to understand the culture and passion of JDRF. David Moore later called and offered me the position. I’m so very lucky! I have a great staff, an engaged board and passionate volunteers. Everyone has welcomed me with open arms, and I truly feel like I’m home!

What was your biggest stress, and how did you overcome it?
Since I wasn’t looking for a job at the time, it was stressful to bring my resume up to date and to familiarize myself with current interviewing protocols. I read books, searched for Internet articles and interviewed fundraising leaders and mentors, as I updated my resume and prepared for my interviews. It helped me to gather my thoughts about what I’d accomplished. A great byproduct of this research was that I had the opportunity to ask for advice on how to be the best boss for my staff, board and volunteers. This was amazingly helpful and gave me confidence in my abilities to do the job.

What is your best advice for others in the job search?
Stay connected through professional groups, networking opportunities and LinkedIn. You can’t discount the value of leaders and mentors in your field and the advice they can give you.

What is your educational and work experience?
I have a bachelor’s degree in human resource management from Friends University, Kansas City campus (1999), and a graduate certificate in health care administration from Kansas City’s Avila University (2006). I also have CFRE credentials from CFRE International in Alexandria, Va. (2007). Before becoming director of philanthropy at the TMC Lakewood campus, I served TMC Lakewood as director of volunteer and auxiliary services. Earlier in my career, I was corporate outreach coordinator for Children’s Mercy Hospital & Clinics’ volunteer and auxiliary services.

Is there anything else you would like to share related to the job search?
I truly believe things happen for a reason. Although sad to leave my many friends at Truman, I didn’t lose them. I just made many more friends who are helping me be the best I can be, both personally and professionally.

How does this job fit into your long-term career plans?
In the field of fundraising, becoming an executive director is what you want. It represents a body of experience and possibilities. And, it opened every door in the world for me. JDRF is a superb organization driven by the passion to find a cure for diabetes. It’s my desire to be successful in creating the model for major gifts fundraising for this organization and, along the way, to teach my staff to be better than me. I want to eventually retire with JDRF. I can only hope a cure is found before then!

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Top 5 Unhealthy Habits Keeping Job Seekers Miserably Unemployed

by Crissanka Christadoss on June 17, 2011 · 0 comments

in How To: Interview, How To: Job Search, Recruiters

Colin Daymude is the chief employment officer at The Job Genius and specializes in teaching active job search strategies that dramatically reduce the time a candidate spends in the market.

Sometimes in life our actions are completely counter-intuitive! Take, for example, if you decide to go on a diet. The first thing most people do is think they must eliminate something or cut back. In reality, the challenge of a diet is you must add more good foods versus taking away bad foods. The good naturally replaces the bad. But, it is a huge challenge to plan and add good healthy foods to your diet 5 to 6 times a day versus running through the drive through 2 times a day.

The same is true for your job search. Are you going to get job healthy by adding good habits to your daily routine, or are you going to stay fat, miserable and unemployed by choosing the “fast food” route? Of course, the challenge is to know what is healthy and what is not. Here are the top 5 unhealthy job search habits and how to replace them with healthy ones.

1. Targeting Human Resources and Recruiters

Yes, eventually you will likely have to talk to those folks, but they should be the last group you actually try to get in front of. Most people think they make the hiring decisions – they don’t; the hiring manager does. And not only that, but the hiring manager is the one who has a vested interest in filling the position. They are the one who will lose sleep if the position is not filled. So, change your habit of going to HR and instead start going directly to the source or even better, get a referral to the source (that gives you the inside edge).

2. Thinking the Interview Has Anything to Do with You

In reality, your objective should be just like a salesperson when they are trying to make the sale. Your number one job is to serve others. And, the better job you do of proving that, the better you will be received. The interview has very little to do with you and everything to do with how you are going to solve the problems the company is facing. You find that out through research and good Socratic interviewing.

3. Trying to Be the “Most Qualified Candidate”

Honestly, the most qualified person rarely get’s the job. First of all, the most qualified person probably didn’t even apply. Secondly, he or she may have the best technical qualifications and years of experience, but be an absolutely horrible fit for the culture and objectives of the company. The best candidate is the best fit, the one who can help the organization meet their goals, not cause a huge rift and stay for a long, long time. Simple enough, but more challenging to prove than just copying the qualifications from a job description and expecting an offer.

4. Using Quick Fix (Fast Food) Solutions

The list goes on and on and includes “resume distribution” services, and fancy resume writing packages and SEO services. Unfortunately, all of these quick fixes have one thing in common. They are passive ways to get a job. That is also called gambling. Sure, sometimes they work; and sometimes people win the lottery. Instead, do what 80% of successful job seekers do and get proactively involved by researching and contacting as many companies and individuals that you possibly can.

5. Posting Your Resume on Major Job Boards

This may be the most fattening solution of all! Why? Because it serves our need for immediate gratification, yet gives us virtually no benefit. We feel like we have done something, and in reality, we just took a short cut and went through the drive-through. By taking the time to continually post your resume and apply for jobs you are taking valuable time away from healthy, pro-active solutions. Think about the act of posting a resume on-line. It’s not even as good as buying a lottery ticket. At least when you play the lottery, you find out in a week or so why you didn’t win!

Taking the easy way out is what most people do (you know, because it’s easy). For true success, you have to do just the opposite of what most people are doing. All you have to do is get off the couch and stop waiting for the phone to ring. Instead, cause the phone to ring. Wow, I can see the job search fat just melting off. Congratulations, you have now joined the ranks of fit, active, fulfilled job seekers.