1. You are a career professional who is returning to school and that one Math class is trying your patience!

2. You are straight “A” student, but there is something about A.P. Biology that does not make sense.

3. You are about to take the ACT for the first time and you want to optimize your score — the first time.

4. You have more homework than you can manage and you need time management tips.

5. You want to learn how to work smartly and not necessarily hard on your assignments.

6. You cannot seem to get past that grade of “85″ on your History tests.

7. People say that Statistics is useful, but you cannot seem to see how.

8. Organization is not your strength, and you need tips, strategics, and suggestions on how to improve.

9. Your second grader is trying to decode the pronunciation and spelling of new vocabulary words.

10. You need assistance editing your final research paper as the last project of your class.

These are 10 reasons why you may need a tutor. There are certainly many more. Do you see yourself or someone you know on this list? All of these have one thing in common. That is the goal of lifelong learning which is the key to sustained success!

Tutors assist learners of all ages. Think about hiring a tutor to help you achieve your goals today!

You can organize your journal by date or by topic sections. Following are examples of sections in your journal:

• In a section for just your thoughts, daily entries can reveal a great deal about your focus, goals, aspirations, and actions toward landing the job of your dreams!
• A section can be reserved for your “doodles.” Yes, that is right! Some of the most significant insight are discovered among your doodles.
• A calendar section can be used to track appointments and submission deadlines.
• An address section can be reserved for special contact within certain companies.

Each section complements the others. Be creative. This is your job search journal. Allow it to be your compass, your record, and your muse!

Did you know that the least percentage of positions are landed by randomly submitting resumes to ads and electronic job boards?

Since the un-advertised positions are landed first by candidates who actually intercept the entire process, have you considered directing the focus of your search to the un-advertised job market?

OK, so your next question is probably, “Where IS this market, and how do I find it?” I am glad you asked! UN-advertised jobs can be sourced within the following:

• People you know the best. These are your family and close friends. Most of them have jobs and thus probably know about open positions in their respective companies. Do not hesitate to ask them for a referral.
• People in your next nearest circle. These are your neighbors, former co-workers, and the friends of your closest friends. Again, ask for a referral within their companies.
• Your next nearest circle would be customers, suppliers, vendors, and community business owners.
• Do you see a pattern? Insert your next circle here!
• Branch out until you reach a circle of people that you do not know that well.  Then proceed as follows…
  • Jot down all of your circles — your  list of names in your “job search” journal. (More on the journal in a later post…)
  • After your list is complete, notify all of the people in your circles (in some sort of way) that you are now looking for a job. Email is a great way to reach out to your circles. This way you can attach your resume! Call them up, drop by to see them, send them a note. Give them a copy of your resume and be sure to carry your resume everywhere you go. You never know when it will come in handy during an impromptu meeting.
  • The resounding message, here, is to network, network, network!
  • Let many people know that you are looking for a job. They then automatically become personal job searchers on your behalf.
  • If you are targeting a particular industry in your search, join the related organizations and attend the meetings and luncheons. Talk to the members and let them know about your search. Gain access to the job board of the organization. Watch it diligently.
  • Research companies in your area. Find out key contact names within the organization. Contact each name and introduce yourself in a conventional or creative way — whichever is more comfortable for you. Follow up with each at a later date. Your initiative will not go unnoticed.

As you continue your search, consider the un-advertised job market, and I really believe that you will be pleasantly surprised at the results!

Best wishes!

Would a recent graduate have something to show for $150K of debt that was accrued on student loans? She said that she makes under $50,000 a year. What could have possibly been the degree, the field of study, and the industry that she works in now? What was the university? How long would it really take to realisitically pay off that size of a loan? Would this really be worth it in the long run? Maybe, maybe not? Each scenario is different.

I guess my point is that I hope most people would not accrue this much debt unless there is a specifically well researched, well thought out path forward. Relatively speaking, the principle is the same even if the student loan is $150K or $50K or $10K. If the degree or field of study will not net the graduate a salary or future career that justifies spending the money (and time, and effort) at the particular school, then why bother…with THIS particular path? Why not think, look inward, research, and plan for an education that results in futhering specific career goals?

Analysts are beginning to question the validity of certain degrees, in certain fields, from certain schools.  Food for thought…If it is not a degree that is tied to a SPECIFIC skill or skill set or certification or function, then perhaps it deserves a second thought, further consideration or simply a pass up…perhaps.  With the economy, recession, and new green environmental initiatives, I would think that it would make sense to opt for a degree that will net meaningful, future-thinking, sustainable, innovative, long-term work.

I want to be clear. My education proves that I am an advocate of education.  I just believe that getting prepared to successfully land and maintain viable employment involves many more strategic efforts than killing yourself for years upon years, and ending up in debt with a huge student loan. This could realistically end in landing no job, or a job that you could have landed without that particular degree.  I feel that equal emphasis, effort, and time should be spent on mapping your career path, discovering your passion and your career goals,  learning to promote yourself in an effective way, polishing your resume, and nailing down your transferrable skills.

Over the next decade, people will be seriously and creatively re-thinking education, types of education, places to get educated, how to combine education with other credentials, and how to train for jobs of the future.

As a career professional, I have received MANY; and as a talent acquisition professional, I have sent out MANY! 

If I had a nickel for every rejection letter I have touched (coming in and going out) over the course of my years in the workforce, I could retire!!!  (I could also have some unique wallpaper for my  bathroom… I hope you get the picture!)
 
This is the way to change your perspective about these pieces of correspondence. Look at every rejection letter as avoiding something that  you did not need at the time. If the time was not right, the particular job was not right. This was not the right job for you and this time.  Each rejection letter gives you the emphatic chance to RE-THINK and RE-DIRECT.  

Even though we are in a recession, these are EXCITING times!!! It depends on how you view this time in your career.  I personally get a spark from all the SHAKE-UP in this country these days. You get to show your best and most creative talents during crazy times such as these!!!! The biggest accomplishments in our history have come about during recessions.
 
Thinking innovatively about your career and maintaining peace of mind is the definition of SUCCESS for today…

We now live in an era where working for the same employer or even in the same field lasting 25 or 30 years is an occurence of the past. This day is long gone. Most professionals change jobs, positions, and even fields 5 to 7 times (or more) during their career. The key to staying ahead of this trend is to continually “re-invent” yourself. This simply means that you engage in expanding your job search by thinking, planning, and acting in ways that are vastly different than what you did to secure your last job. In essence you are “creating” a whole new “story” that plays out quite differently than the search that landed you your last (or current) job.

In practical terms, re-inventing yourself could mean the following:

• Embracing social networking as one component of your self-marketing plan and job search.
• Changing your lifestyle by building your life around a totally different set of habits, hobbies, and interests.
• Expanding your network and circle of friends to encompass exposure to other fields.
• Brainstorming and recording a list of jobs that you would like to pursue…regardless of how unique each one may seem.
• Totally shifting your paradigm or your perspective on what you feel is the perfect job for you. You may already be a nurse, but with a different perspective you could explore being a teacher. (Success in these careers requires many of the same skill sets. As a learning exercise, take a minute to jot down similarities in these or other careers that interest you.)
• Creatively reviewing your resume to map out how your existing skill set can transfer to other jobs.
• Looking into other areas of the country for a job you may want.
• Taking a course or pursuing a degree that complements, enhances or is totally different from the education you currently have.
• Digging deep into your passions, values, history, and motivations (not necessarily your skills at this point…) to identify what you will pursue next as your career.
• Taking a free online assessment to see a selection of careers that you may have a natural affinity for. (You may be surprised at what you find out.)
• Conducting informational sessions and shadowing professionals that are doing the job(s) that interest you.

If you would like assistance with your career “re-invention,” please do not hesitate to contact  contentmedic.com.

This may seem to be a very basic piece of advice, but really think about it — have you truly made the effort to do exactly the following?

• Locate a free typing program online. Become familiar with it. Use it daily to increase your typing speed.
• Practice everyday until your typing speed reaches at least 85 wpm, and your accuracy rate reaches at least 95%. With this skill level, you will stand out from virtually every other candidate applying for the same job that you wish to have. (I know candidates who have landed positions based solely on their outstanding typing skills – which is the feedback they received from their new employer. It takes a minimal amount of effort, and it can even be fun!)
• At the same time, utilize information on the Internet, your local bookstores, used bookstores, online bookstores (where you can get books for as low as one penny plus shipping…), your computer-savvy friends, your current employer, temporary agencies, or any other appropriate source to gain increasing expertise in the Microsoft Office Suite. Begin with Word, for word-processing, move to Excel, for creating spreadsheets in the tabulation of data, to PowerPoint, for presentations, and then to Publisher, for the layout of print communications. Make sure you know how to navigate through Outlook in the professional distribution, storage, and tracking of email communications. The beauty of the Microsoft Office Suite is that once you learn the functions in one application, you can intuitively use the same functions in the other applications.
• Next, if you really want to break into a higher new level, study Access (and even Visual Basic) in creating useful databases. This automatically begins to put you in the position to achieve a higher salary. If you are going to put energy into a real job search, why not maximize your return by implementing certain strategies at the same time? Afterall, what are you truly trying to achieve with a job search — meaningful work and a competitive salary?

Fast, accurate typing, advanced proficiency in the Microsoft Office Suite, and elevated computer knowledge will open doors to many new and exciting positions. Do you need a tutor to help you navigate through certain computer applications? Contact me at janice-29@msn.com

(Tip: ALWAYS have a copy of your resume and cover letter in a folder and with you at all times. If possible, keep a copy of these documents in your vehicle also. This will ensure that you are always prepared for any opportunity that may arise. You would be surprised where and when a job opportunity can occur!)

Before you decide that you have done EVERYTHING you can to land that perfect job, don’t call it a day until you make sure that you have done (at least) the following:

• Be open minded and consider positions to which you can transfer applicable skill sets. Think outside of the box in a logical way.
• Take a free online career assessment. See what it says about jobs that you naturally can do well that you may not have ever considered. This is not a crystal ball reading  to your future career; but it can spark your creativity and perspective in thinking about different positions.
• Review the job section of a hard copy of your local newspaper on Sundays. Get your red pen out and circle the jobs for which you qualify. (Remain open-minded.)
• Go to newstands around town, pickup and review hard copies of employment related newspapers and bulletins. They are free!
• Check all Internet job boards, read their forums, tips, and suggestions.
• Create job agents with the Internet job boards so that you will be notified via email when jobs are posted that match your areas of expertise or interest.
• Study job listings for careers that interest you. Look for and write down listed requirements for education, computer skills, and experience.
• Check the careers section on websites of area companies.
• Also create job agents with the Careers section of these sites.
• Have someone proof your current resume and cover letter.
• If you are applying for vastly different types of positions, create more than one resume and submit the correct one for the job.
• Contact your specifc branch of every temporary agency in your area.  Go to their websites and complete the online application. Check the websites regularly. Develop a professional relationship with a consultant at each agency to have a contact for information and questions. (Many companies hire through temporary agencies. I have seen a continual increase in this practice. Some positions are temp.-to-perm. There are also permanent positions handled through these agencies. Many, many times, they have the inside track to jobs in your area.)
• Contact employment recruiters. If you land a position, your new company will pay the fee to the recruiter for finding and presenting you.
• Utilize the placement services of prior schools and universities that you have attended.
• Join the professional organization that pertains to the field that you are interested in. Develop professional relationships with members of the organization. Get involved and volunteer for meetings, seminars, luncheons, newsletters, events, etc.
• If possible, follow up on resumes that you emailed. This can help you in developing a relationship with the HR person at a particular company. HR contacts can definitely help you in your search.

This is not an exhaustive list, but it is a really good start. Remember that searching for a job (in this information era with use of the Interet by millions of people) is an endeavor of persistence. The more you get your resume out and in front of the hiring decision maker, and the more interviews you effectively complete, the better your chances of landing your dream position. Be strategically selective, be careful to meticulously match your credentials and transferrable skills to the open position, set this forth in a cover letter, submit the correct resume, be positive, be optimistic, and keep at it. It will happen. Before you know it, you will be receiving more calls than you know what to do with! I have seen this happen over and over. It will happen for you as well…

• Take about half an hour, conduct job-related research, make a list, and check it twice!
  • So, how is this done? (I am glad you asked!)
• Make a list of 25 companies in your metro area for whom you would like to work.
  • Where can you find these company names? (You ask such good questions!)
• Utilize Internet job boards, search engines, company websites, or any online sources by which you can search your local area for jobs.
• Use your favorite search engine to search for all contract/temporary agencies in your area. Add them to your list. Go to their websites and you will find more companies in your area.
• Do a search for all companies in your area. You can choose to narrow the search by field or industry.
• Keep going, don’t stop until you reach 25. You will be surprised at the companies you turn up from your research that you may never heard about or considered in the past.
• After you complete your list, visit the actual websites of each of these companies and apply directly for positions for which you are qualified. If you have transferrable skills, use your cover letter to make the connection.
• If you would like to go one step further, make a follow-up call to each company. Attempt to learn and write down the HR contact’s name, and inquire about the status of the position for which you applied.
• Keep a notebook, journal, or spreadsheet designated for the purpose of your search;  and be sure to make brief notes on your list that include pertinent information about each company. As you become more interested in certain companies, and as certain companies become more interested in you, make more extensive notes so that you will be ready to discuss the company WHEN you have your interview!)

Contact your Content Medic for more ideas or resume preparation at janice-29@msn.com.