If you are like most job seekers, you have registered your resume on the major online job boards such as Career Builder, Monster, TheLadders.com, Headhunter, etc. But are you aware of the plethora of good information and job search tools that are available on these sites in addition to job listings?

Take monster.com for example. The main navigation pages at Career Builder are "Home", "Find Jobs", "Post Resumes", "Job Alerts", "My Career Builder", "Advice and Resources", and "Career Fairs". Most online job hunters typically will use the Find Jobs and Post Resumes pages. About half might sign up for Job Alerts. Career Builder offers two sections that could be the most valuable sections to job seekers but not all visitors will read them. Those sections on Career Builder are "Advice and Resources" and "Career Fairs".

Of particular interest on monster.com is the "Advice and Resources" section. In this section, Career Builder has ten different sections on various subjects from continuing education to resume services to financial advice. At the top of the page, Career Builder highlights four articles of special interest to job seekers. These articles rotate on a regular basis so the visitor should check back often to see new articles and to read past articles that are listed in their appropriate headings by Career Builder.

At the very bottom of the Career Builder Advice page, there are seven different sections that are collections of articles on job hunting, business opportunities, and education that have been written by experts. In the career advice section at the bottom of the page, there is an option to watch various videos of career experts talking about different aspects of job search. This option also appears on Career Builders' home page. This is a new feature by Career Builder that actually allows the job seeker to watch a short instructional video on various topics.

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Losing your job is a shock no matter how it happens. Fired, laid off, downsized-it's all spelled 'unemployed'. But once the shock of a job loss wears off, you might discover there can be real benefits to being unemployed By looking for the positive aspects of your situation, you can start to achieve the life you've always dreamed of.

The first benefit of being jobless is that it gives a person time to re-evaluate life. Where am I going in my career path? Is this where I want to be? How does this mesh with other areas of my life? In what areas do I need to create more balance? Take some quiet time to reflect on where you are now, and start to carve out a path that leads to your ideal life. Put in writing the answers to these questions so you can look back on them in the future and track how you are progressing towards your goals.

Another benefit is that being jobless forces you to reassess your job skills. Do you have the skills and experience to do the type of work you really want? If not, what will it take to get that level of skills and experience? What skills do you already posses that you'd like to build and improve upon? Once you have a list, get busy honing those skills to get where you want to be. There are many resources for additional training and support, something for every budget. It doesn't hurt to ask about sources of training available in your area. A call to your local Job Service office can put you on the right track. And of course, read. At the library, a bookstore or on the Internet- there is a never-ending list of resources available in print. Somewhere there will be an information source to learn the skills you need.

The biggest benefit of unemployment may be the doors of opportunity that will open when you are free to make changes. Now is your chance to go after that dream job. Or maybe you've always wanted to own a business. Depending on the type of business, how much you have to invest of your own funds and the credit you qualify for, there is a world of options available to you as a new business start up. If you desire a high level of support, purchasing an existing business or franchise may be an option to look at. But be careful! Often owning a small business means trading in a boss for the equivalent of a job (since you still have to show up at the work place every day), only with longer hours, lower pay and a host of other expenses and headaches you didn't have before. Since you'll be working long hours, make sure you love what you do.

Maybe the thought has crossed your mind more than once that it would be nice not to rush off to work every morning. In that case, a home based business might be good for you. Statistics show that 50% of households in the U.S. have some sort of business operating out of the home. The tax advantages of owning a home business are often touted as a reason to get in the game. But there are more important benefits than saving dollars on taxes, such as flexible scheduling. Hours saved not commuting or being stuck in an office can be spent with family or pursuing other interests instead. There are no nights, weekends or holidays to work unless you choose to.

Having the freedom to choose your own paycheck is another benefit of any business you own, though perhaps more so with a home business due to the lower overhead of working from home. There is no storefront to maintain, few, if any, employees and forget the headaches that come with managing people. These are but a few of the benefits of working from home. Some types of home business even allow a person to earn recurring income, so that you can continue earning money whether you are working or not.

Maybe your job has not ended yet, but will soon. All better for you! By utilizing this time now to get going on your next income venture, you will be well on your way when the current stream of income stops. In today's economic climate, even if your job seems secure, having the extra 'insurance' of other income doesn't look too bad, either.

So, if you are newly unemployed, or about to be, try seeing this change as a source of inspiration, an opportunity to change your life for the better. Go after that dream job, or pursue one of the many other options available to you. What have you got to lose? Remember, fortune rewards the bold, so step out there and go for it! In a few months time, you may be heard to tell someone, "Lost your job? Good for you!"

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You've schemed, you've scammed, you've plotted, but the elusive layoff has evaded you for the last time. Your desire to go to that spacious severance-package-in-the-sky needs to be fulfilled without further ado. How will you get upper management to see how pointless your position really is? Follow these five tips and soon you'll be packing your pictures.

1. Work in customer service.

Between voice-response systems, outsourcing to other countries, and form emails, who needs to talk to a person? See Exhibit A:

"Dear Sir or Madam, Thank you for your feedback. At this time we are unable to . We highly value you as a customer and apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. We hope you will consider NeverDoingBusinessWithYouAgain, Inc. in the future. Sincerely, Generic Jenny"

With quality responses such as these, who needs to talk to a customer service agent?

2. Apply for middle management.

In the pyramid-scheme of employment, middle management is the most superfluous. You're the guy whose job it is to make sure that other employees are doing their jobs. If you work for a micro-manager, your boss isn't only making sure that you're doing your job; he's also making sure that your employees are doing their jobs. If your industry is in a slump, has put a freeze on hiring, and employee numbers are eroding due to attrition, why have 10 people managing 250 employees when previously they were managing 300? Is $60,000/year, benefits, paid vacation, and personal time really worth an increase of 0.002% in productivity? If you can do the math, so can upper management. Submit that e-application immediately.

3. Work in the telecommunications industry.

Between cell phones, cable internet, VoIP, and mergers, the telecommunications industry is all but dead. Countless individuals been talked into keeping a landline by their telephone company "just in case" their cell phone goes dead. These consumers will soon realize that their cell phones almost never go dead, and, if they do, they can always port to a different company with better coverage areas. With "naked DSL" (DSL service that does not require a landline) becoming available in more and more areas, landlines will soon be a distant memory. And the phone number the customers have had a cozy, intimate relationship with for the past 25 years? These landline numbers can be ported to cell phones, too! The heat of the home phone has fizzled.

4. Work somewhere for a long time. Remind people of this. Constantly.

Sure, there's a learning curve for every job, but somewhere between years one and two you'll hit that proficiency peak. After this point, you need something else, like incalculable business relationships or unique knowledge, to keep you afloat. If you don't have these, don't seek them. If you do, downplay these assets. Upper management will begin to wonder whether your 10 years of experience is really worth all the extra pay.

5. Work somewhere with a disproportionately high sign-on bonus.

If you're Larry Page or Sergey Brin, the founders of Google, or an actuary with dueling master's degrees in Actuarial Science and Mathematics, you deserve a hefty sign-on bonus. If you're flipping burgers at McDonald's or telemarketing at Geico, you don't. When a company with a "high school diploma preferred, but not required" policy is offering a sign-on bonus, itis because they're desperate for help during an uncharacteristically busy season. These companies are hoping that attrition will conveniently dispose of these extra employees when customer volumes return to normal. If this doesn't happen, you're looking at your coveted cash cow of unemployment when they drop the axe.

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Tips for a Successful Local Job Search

If you are seriously searching for a local job, but you have no idea where to look, you may be just one of the thousands of unemployed people in the country. However, finding a job is easy when you know where to search.

Where can you find employers? How can you find your desired local job?

Before anything else, you should determine your skills and abilities, update your resume and be ready to face the employment process. There are several options on where to find employment.

1) Job Center: Job centers provide numerous vacancies for different kinds of work. Majority of job centers update their employment board frequently.

Originally, these career centers cater to young jobseekers up to 21 years old. They arrange for appropriate job interviews, which they believe, would match your skills and abilities. Some job centers also process training vacancies and apprenticeships to young people. Today, these centers also cater adults' need of employment.

2) Newspapers: Local and national newspapers, non-profit papers and job hunting newspapers provide advertisements on current job vacancies. You could find all the existing newspapers in libraries and check all the recent job postings.

Majority of newspapers today have their content available online. You could browse through them one by one and list all the jobs you prefer.

3) Journals and magazines: Every industry has their own periodicals, magazines or journals. Most employers go to these publications for employing professionals. Some could be bought in magazine stands and others come by subscription. Therefore, if you are hoping to establish your career based on your finished field of study, you could subscribe to a professional magazine and increase your local job prospects.

4) Agencies: Employment agencies handle most of vacant local work. Covering all kinds of work for various industries, these agencies are listed in local directories and Yellow pages.

5) Employer grounds: Many companies have job vacancies on their premises. Since these companies such as food retailers make use of internal notice boards, they do not advertise in newspapers and agencies. You could walk into these companies and ask the front desk for employment vacancies.

6) Internet: The most cost-effective way in finding local jobs is through the internet. Majority of employment agencies, newspapers, top companies, magazines and job centers have their own website. You could save time by searching through them one by one and apply for the job you prefer the most.

Making use of all these options could save you a lot of time searching for your desired local job. You could use all of these methods simultaneously to increase your chances of employment.

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"Everybody does it" as they say. Face it, the job market can be a very tough place to compete. If everyone inflates their experience then how can an honest person get a job?

Well, as tempting as it may be, you do NOT want to risk lying on your resume.

Whether it's personal information, job experience, or schooling - employers are finding new ways to sniff out liars and you don't want to be one of them.

PERSONAL INFORMATION

While some information may not be easily verified, information such as a criminal record, can be very costly to you in the event it is checked out. With sites like rapsheets.com you can never guarantee that an employer won't be able to find the information, even if your employer is hiring you for domestic work and is not a business.

JOB EXPERIENCE

Clearly this is not the place to boast about fake employment as you are going to list the businesses you worked for which may be contacted for verification. As this is the most likely area your interviewer will do a check on, avoid misrepresenting yourself at all costs.

EDUCATION

Think that nobody will notice if you slip in an education you don't really have? Perhaps you do have the skills, but you can't afford to claim education you can't provide proof of. EmployAct.com is a new service that will allow employers to have background checks - similar to criminal or credit checks - to verify your claim.
WHAT YOU SHOULD HAVE

With all that said and done, how can you create a resume that will highlight your skills and abilities without needing to lie?

Give yourself credit. Your skills in the workforce can be weighty indicators of your ability to work in a given job. You may not know what an employer is looking for. With many jobs that don't require a particular expertise, you many find that they are looking for people who are able to learn on the job. Proof that you have gained skills as a worker (or even a volunteer if you're just starting out) can be very valuable.

Be certain that you focus on skills. Expand your descriptions. Do not say 'I worked in an office', rather say 'I was responsible for answering the phones in a professional manner and directing calls to the proper departments. In a busy work environment I was able to multi-task by providing supportive administrative assistance to the head receptionist including maintaining a filing system, processing inter office memos, delivering documents in a timely manner, directing clients to their meeting appointments and providing relief reception. I was quickly able to learn the filing and switchboard systems as well as create good working relationships with fellow staff.'

As you can see from the above example, it is perfectly acceptable to elaborate on your skills, but do so in an honest and ethical manner. If you need help you can find software programs which will give you suggestions on wording depending on the position you are describing or you can hire someone who writes resumes to help you. Have confidence in keeping the job you are sure to get by doing it right the first time.

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Looking for a job involves a wide range of responsibilities: preparing a resume, looking at ads, contacting employers, calling and visiting friends and acquaintances, follow ups, interviews. While none of us ever plan to be out of work for very long, it can be very useful to immediately start documenting your activities and your feelings to provide a road map of where you have been and where you want to go. It helps to have a central location for recording your daily actions so you don't miss anything important or forget a critical deadline. It is also reassuring to have somewhere to go when you're feeling blue and too lethargic to go anywhere or do anything you consider "productive."

Start a job search diary right now. Even if you have been unemployed for some time, start one anyway because a late start is better than never doing it at all.

Take a plain old exercise book and title it: Job Search Diary. Find a spot to keep it where it will always be close at hand when you need it, probably several times a day.

If you are newly jobless, start out by recording your feelings. Writing out (keep it simple, it's not the great American novel) what you are thinking, in black and white sentences, helps to sort out your jumbled emotions, clear your mind, and reach a better understanding of your inner self. Jot down your anger, your fears, what you expect, what you secretly dread. Pouring out your soul will release a lot of the inner tension you're feeling and soothe your nerves.

This record is for you - no one else will ever see it - so you can be brutally honest. If you fear you are a loser who will never amount to anything, write it out. If you think you're really a good, competent worker but your old boss was a jerk or the company sucked, put it down.

If you have been out of work for a while, make your initial entries a recap of what has been happening in your life since you lost your job. Trace the sequence of events and see if you can remember how you felt at different times. There were probably times when you were overwhelmed and stressed out: record when you felt that way and, if you can recall, what activities you were engaged in when those feelings appeared. There were also probably times when you felt hopeful or elated. Record that too and what events were connected with such emotions.

Use your diary as a place to plan what you want to do. List all activities that you are going to perform that will get you back to work. You might initially plan on updating your resume and reading the classifieds to gauge the state of the labor market. If you are further along in the job search, you might list some networking targets or identify some employers where follow up on earlier contacts might be beneficial. Frequently, throughout the day, record what you did, who you talked to, how you felt.

This is going to become your Special Place where you have a record of your journey from the badlands of unemployment to the green fields of regular work. Visit it often to keep updating your plans, record your smallest successes and failures, and unload your emotional baggage.

When you can't bear the thought of one more telephone call leading to one more rejection; when you can't find the energy to get dressed up to visit an agency or cold-call an employer; when you can't stand the sight of another misleading ad or internet job site; then reach for the comfort of your journal. Read over what you have written and see the changing moods of your long pilgrimage. See if you can identify a pattern. What were you doing when you felt despondent and alone? What were you doing when you felt upbeat and positive about the future? Concentrate on your own specific actions, not merely your reaction to outside events. If you can find a thread relating what you do to how you feel, you have found a valuable key for managing your hunt for work. You now know what to do to feel pretty good and what not to do to avoid a recurrence of despair.

Maintain your diary throughout your job search and it will become an increasingly rich source of information about you and your inner self. It will challenge you to get active and it will comfort you when you just want to curl up into a ball and turn your back on life.

When your final exultant entry is made - I got a job! - find a quiet time to completely read through all the entries to give yourself a full appreciation of how far you have come and how hard you have worked for your eventual success. Give yourself a mental pat on the back for hanging in there and never accepting defeat.

Then close it up and lock it away in a safe place. If you ever find yourself jobless again (and it happens to many of us over and over), take it out. Reread it for the insights you will gain, and the mistakes you'll be able to avoid, in your next (probably shorter) job search campaign.

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Education is the key to successful career and this is a well-known fact. The power of knowledge is so great and magnificent that people long for it since our first college years. Education predestines one's future and gives a perfect background for an employer to work with to create a great employee. If there are any doubts about your future place of employment, some of your works can show your abilities and possibilities. You don't have to seek anything else if you are keen on research and scientific work in your field. Your research is the best way to show how useful you can be to the employer. Your thesis is the main creator of your authority and the last step on your educational way. Officially it is so, but every researcher knows that education is a never ending process that is both exciting and hard. To make your career successful you are to put a lot of effort into your research to make a good impression on your advisor.

What difference does your thesis make in the world of science? For somebody your thesis may be just a stack of 100 papers that needs to be approved, but for somebody it is a vital part of one's education, a great chance to contribute to the field you research. But when it comes to th esis proposal you may keep it simple, because it is not a fact that your thesis will make an important discovery in your field, but it is certain that it will contribute to it. Think of your thesis as a final step towards finish of your studies or just a start of scientific life you are going to live. Thesis statement is what you build your research around. Here are some hints not to make mistakes in defining it.

Your thesis statement is an assertion, not a not a statement of fact or one of your observations. You build your proof around it so it has to be quite clear and brief. It takes a stand rather than announcing a subject. Your statement should be rather narrow, with no points to clear up. It should be rather narrow but contain a short explanation what are you going to write about. If you define your statement properly, your further work will be much easier to structure. Even being not very eager to write and work at it you have to realize its importance in your studies. It is without doubt the last stage you have to complete to achieve instant acclaim. Put yourself up to any hardships you may meet on your way. Focus, focus and again focus! Soon you will celebrate the end of your worries and the beginning of your miraculous career.

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When I began my working career, drug testing was not even a word combination. I had never been exposed to drugs beyond the point of alcoholic beverages, and then only on special occasions and holidays. To contemplate daily usage of some foreign substance was beyond my realm of possibilities. I was not alone. That was twenty-five years and many drug issues ago.

Today, if you apply for a job, of any kind, you will be drug tested. Why? Because a lot has changed in twenty-five years. Today, the prevalence of drug abuse in every level of our society has grown beyond anyone's belief. Drugs have infected our teens, our adults, the rich, the poor; even the sanctuaries of our churches are no longer exempted. If you can manage to reach the age of thirteen, without exposure to marijuana, hallucinogenic substances, or the common place alcoholic beverage, you are an exception. With so many opportunities for experimentation, it's no wonder that we have a problem with drug addiction in our workplace. Once a young person becomes addicted to a drug, the chances of abstinence are low, until it begins to affect their ability to generate an income, or interact in relationships.

The point of intervention for most employers is to simply prohibit the employment of an individual that tests positive for drug use. The cost to employers for employees with drug or substance abuse problems is staggering. Employees will cost their twice as much in medical bills and workmen's compensation claims. Drug related crime is the second largest expense to an employer. Lost productivity for victims and lost employees due to incarceration for drug crimes accounts for the bulk of the drug related expense.

Thanks to the advent of drug testing in the workplace, drug use rates have continued to decline since 1992, and remain stabilized today around 7%. Implementing a drug testing program in your place of business has never been easier, and the cost is minimal. Businesses have access to many hundreds of companies that are drug testing administrators. These companies will provide your business with everything you need to drug test all employees, or randomly test a few employees. You simply notify the administrating company when you're ready to test, and they handle the rest. The administrator performs onsite interviewing and testing, proceeds to having the tests processed and providing you with the results.

Drug testing for the most common illegal drugs is readily available, and some of the more difficult testing options can be incorporated at the customer's request. Drug test kits for the most common tests require the individual being tested to supply a certain amount of urine, in a tube, vial, or small cup. Introduction of a fairly new test strip further ensure the laboratory that the urine provided is not "borrowed" and brought into the testing facility. Other common forms of test methods are saliva, hair and blood. Generally speaking, however, urine provides the most reliable results at the most economical expense.

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When considering the best way to write your resume, there are many things you can do to help you land your dream job. This can include anything from using the correct type of paper to using the correct words and phrases. This article will provide resume tips for landing your dream job.

TIP # 1: Your resume should be neat and tidy without spelling errors.

This is an important resume tip that everyone should adopt. Even though it might seem like common sense, many people still submit resumes containing smudges, dirty fingerprints, or grease stains. Employers have been known to receive resumes containing common spelling mistakes. Even if you are not great at spelling, you should run the spell checker for your word processing program, before submitting your resume.

TIP # 2: The resume should be typed and printed on quality computer paper.

This second resume tip can also help you to land your dream job. The resume should never be handwritten. It must always be typed, even if this means using an old typewriter to accomplish this. Submitting a handwritten resume is very unprofessional. Also, it is a good idea to use quality computer paper to print your resume. Using scented paper or multicolored writing paper with designs is viewed as unprofessional. This will create a bad impression with most employers. This is not the time to pull out your leftover funny, fancy or frilly stationary. Plain paper or understated letterhead is best in this situation.

TIP # 3: Construct a draft resume first.

It is a good idea to first review what qualifications the employer is looking for exactly, and then construct your resume to illustrate this. For example, if the employer would like to hire someone with extensive marketing experience, your resume should highlight your previous employment in which marketing was one of your responsibilities.

TIP # 4: Ask a friend's opinion

After you have written your draft resume, it is a good idea to ask a friend or associate's opinion. You should ask a person who has experience writing resumes and hiring people, or one who has been successful at getting hired themselves to review and critique your resume and cover letter. Accept their constructive criticism and adjust your documents accordingly. This step could help you immensely since your reviewers will see what the employer would be seeing while you still have time to make improvements.

Follow these brief, but important tips and you will be closer to landing your dream job.

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There are keywords that work better then others and not every single one of the keywords listed below will pull up legit jobs every time, but they are worth using. You might just uncover a gem of a job!

Try the following telecommuting keywords when searching for a job.

- telecommuting
- telecommute
- telecommuter
- telework
- teleworking
- virtual
- virtual employee
- virtual company
- virtual assistant
- virtual office
- working virtually
- home workers
- home-based
- home-based employee
- home-based employment
- home-based jobs
- must have home office
- must have dsl
- remote work
- remote contractor
- outsourcing opportunity
- freelance
- freelance jobs
- 1099 employee (or IC)
- independent contractor
- off-site
- self-employed

So there you go! A great start for your job search. It's important to use keywords (like the above) so that you have a better chance at weeding out the scams.

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There is nothing more frustrating and depressing when you are out of work and trying to find a job and your job search is going no where. Don't feel bad, you are not alone and there is a good reason why searching for a new job can be so difficult. There is no doubt the job market has changed. 30 years ago when I applied for my first job I remember answering an ad in the paper, calling and speaking to a real person, going in for the interview, filling out a application, had the interview and was offered the $3.75 and hour shipping job. Things are not that simple today. Back then there was no voice mail, no email, you mailed in a typed resume, who had a fax at home? You called and talked to a real person. You may of filled out a application but not the dozen forms you need to today. And you never had to prove you were legally allowed to work in the United States.

Today if you are looking for a job how to you stand out in the impersonal hiring environment that exists in most companies. If you apply online you are competing against dozens if not hundreds of others. Competition is stiff for a most jobs and a human may never even see your resume. Are there steps you can follow that will improve your chances? After being unemployed for several months after 3 years of self employment and becoming more depressed and frustrated in not finding a job, I took my job search to a new level which finally paid off in a new job.

I had been self employed for 3 years but after a divorce and starting life over, my self employment was no longer working. I had to bite the bullet and start looking for a job. The first mistake I realized was my resume was not working. I had updated it to reflect my self employment which was not related to my previous career. I was trying to find a position similar to my previous career in the graphics and computer support industry. By starting my work history with my self employment it made it look like I had been out of the industry even longer and my skills even more outdated. I was just shooting myself in the foot. I changed my self employment to reflect my computer skills so while I had been out of the industry for awhile I wasn't out of touch. Some employers have doubts about people who have been self employed. They think they are going to go back to their own business or worse they only want a job so they can use company resources for their own gain. In my case I was able to explain that I had an opportunity to work at home and spend time with my preschool son, it had been for family reasons. Most employers respect that.

To begin with you really need to take a hard look at your resume. If you have always worked in one area and are applying for a position similar to those you have had in the past then your resume may just need some updating and polish. There are a number of good books and websites on resume writing. If you really need help then a resume service may be money well spent.

How many resumes do you have? There is no reason you can't have several. I was applying for a variety of unrelated positions. I would of looked "over qualified" or my experience would of been too unrelated for the position if I stuck with just one standard resume. I created a "general" resume that listed a variety of skills that could fit any number of non specific jobs. You can have one that is very specific for the industry you are applying for and there is no reason you can't change it to a specific company especially if it will be scanned in and checked for "keywords" Some companies scan for keywords or buzzwords related to the position, their company or industry. Even if you are the most qualified person for that position, if your resume doesn't have those keywords, it will never get seen.

In addition to having a few different resumes you should have it in several different formats also. If you need to mail it in then a nice easy to read printed resume is in order. Same if you will be faxing it in. If you email your resume then your cover letter will be the body of your email and your resume will be attached. Most employers request it be in a word .doc format or text but you can also use a pdf format. If you have your own website why not post it online with a link in your email. That way if your attachment can't be read they can print it off the internet. For example the link could be http://www.yourwebsite.com/yourresume.html. You should also have a unformatted text only resume for uploading to online job sites.

Be sure to include several ways to contact you. Home phone, cell phone, email. I had the unfortunate luck of having my cell phone and my home phone cut off for non payment within a few days of each other. As luck would have it someone I sent a resume to tried to contact me and couldn't get through. They did send me a email saying they couldn't reach me. I was able to call them and get a interview. Don't leave anything to chance. And if they leave you a message get back to them ASAP while your resume is still on their desk. When you get a interview, be on time, be prepared, do your research about the company you are interviewing with. You can usually find most everything you need off their company website. Come prepared with extra resumes, helpful if you have to fill out a application. Also have copies of your updated references. It is best to have more than 3. Some companies want professional references including past employers, others want personal references of persons not related to you. Be prepared for both.

Where to find a job? Dig! And keep digging! You may never know where one will show up. In some ways the internet has made job searches easier with a variety of job sites to search. You should probably set up accounts at the large sites like hotjobs and monster which will allow you to post your resume and apply directly to postings Also take a look at sites like indeed.com. They are a search engine of sorts for jobs. They search several jobs sites at once. Saves time from going to each site. Post your resume so employers can find you. ASK! Don't be afraid to let everyone you know that you are looking for a job. Drop a email to anyone who might know someone who might have a job opening. You might be surprised how many people really do want to help you. Network your pants off! If you don't ask no one can help you. Search everyday. Try and send out at least one resume a day if not more. Pick up the early edition of the Sunday paper. Send out 5-10 at a time. And keep sending them even after you have interviews set up. You can easily fall behind two or three weeks if you stop sending resumes in hopes of that job offer coming through. Nothing better than telling someone, "I'm sorry I accepted another position" Apply for every job you are remotely interested in even if you don't think you are qualified. Every job listed always has a laundry list of qualifications and requirements. In a perfect world they would find the perfect person that would match every requirement. But employers know that person doesn't exist and they are looking for someone who closely matches and they feel will be a good fit. At the worst you will never hear from them. At the best they will offer you a job or maybe something different within their company. You can always turn it down. Even if it turns out to be something you really don't want to do, it might help you get by for awhile until a better position comes along. Never be afraid to apply to any job!

Most of all don't give up hope, the right job will happen at the right time. Remember to take care of yourself. Go for a walk, get plenty of rest, do something you enjoy just for yourself. As long as you keep moving in a forward direction, if someone asks you what you have been doing to find a job you can proudly say "this is what I have been doing" Persistence will pay off. Good luck.

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After spending many late nights studying at the college library and hurrying to finish your term papers, you have finally graduated and it is now time to search for full-timeemployment. However, unless you have special training in a particular field, many college graduates will have to search for entry-level positions. The job search for an entry-level position is oftendifficult, but having an impressive entry level resume can help.

Beat The Rush

Well before your diploma has been handed to you it is important to send in your entry level resume to as many companies as possible. This would include researching companies that are currently hiring and submitting your resume to the Human Resources department or the person in charge of hiring.

Evaluate The Skills You Possess

As a recent college graduate, you might have few, if any experience in the fields in which you are seeking employment. This might entail you making a list of all the skills you possess along with any training you might have received during your college years. Any skill or experience such as Captain of the debate team, or Vice President of the Student Government Association should be noted on your entry level resume. This can help your to stand out among other entry level applicants.

Check Out Your College's Career Center

Once you have decided which of your skills to emphasize and have listed them within your entry level resume, you can use these skills to narrow down your search for a job. A great place to start your search is at your college's career center. Many career centers will have job listings of companies interested in hiring college graduates, along with resources to help you write your resume and help you land a successful job interview. However, it is recommended that you not only submit your resume to companies that have posted vacancies, but to other companies you are interested in that might be hiring in the future.

Remember, the key ingredient in your job search is you. You must decide what you want and start early to work to achieve this new goal.

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Summary: Learn these three steps to an easier online job search, plus discover four kinds of websites that show you the hidden job market.

You spend all day in front of the computer looking at job listings and fine-tuning your resume. But all you get is a headache. How can you give your online job search an advantage?

An Easier Online Job Search: 3 Steps

1. Brush up on your job-hunting skills. The internet has excellent inside tips on the state of the job market in numerous industries.

2. Learn all the keywords and categories relevant to the position you're seeking, or the special skill set you have to offer. For instance, if you want to write technical manuals, you might want to try terms such as "help docs" or "documentation developer" in addition to the more standard "technical writer."

3. Once you've learned the important keywords associated with the position you're seeking, make sure to put them in the information you upload to the jobs search websites. If these keywords aren't in your profile, how is a potential employer searching through the database of applicants going to find you?

Where to Start Online Job Searches

Are you looking in the right places? Everyone goes to the major job search websites like Monster and Hotjobs--and well they should, since these sites have more jobs than anyone. But here are some other sites you should also check out to find jobs online:

• The website for the company you would like to work for. There are even "meta" job search websites that include the online job postings of large companies.

• 'Meta' online job search sites, which collect listings from numerous other jobs search sites. That means thousands of listings without having to go to hundreds of sites.

• Recruiters' websites. Mass-emailing resumes to employers can be a waste of time--and might technically violate laws against sending unsolicited messages. Instead, use one of the web services that will send your resume to recruiters, rather than employers. Recruiters are actually happy to get your resume since they know what to do with it.

• Good employment agencies, which are often simply two or more recruiters or headhunters working together, can be hard to find. The good news is that they usually advertise on job search websites. If you see a job listing that is unusually vague, it may be an employment agency. If you apply, you may be considered for other jobs that the agency has to fill.

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Job Search Tips for Sales Professionals

Each specific industry has a variety of requirements that an employee has to meet. In searching for jobs as sales professionals, how do you prepare for a competitive environment?

Here are useful tips you could perform in searching the appropriate job and acing the interview.

1) Research: In order to be prepared on your interview, you should learn important facts about the company beforehand.

* The internet is one of the best ways to search for information and most companies provide their own websites. Study the content of the company's website; know their background, goals, and information about the top executives.

* By using search engines on the Internet, you could also obtain news and additional information about the progress of the company, past projects and issues, and organizations where the company belongs.

* Review the stock market chart of the company. Since majority of shares are publicly traded, you could examine the recent stock price and learn the difficulties of its market over the past years. Knowing the strengths and weaknesses of the company will help you in the interview.

* Learn as many information as possible about its competitors. When you read articles about the market space, you will find out who leads the market and you can find out the company's competitors. Having this knowledge could help you during the interview since you could be able to justify how the company is better than its present competitors are.

2) Attitude: Having the right attitude towards the interview and the job itself would ensure the position is yours.

* Majority of successful sales professionals have a unique energy that you can feel. They command a presence and hold the attention of everyone. Be energetic about the job and interview.

* Be enthusiastic. Since you have done your research about the company and its competitors, the interviewers will appreciate your enthusiasm and interest about the position.

3) Preparation: The position you desire could be yours as long as you show up prepared.

* Create a presentation by researching the products and services of the company. Be prepared to speak directly and intelligently about the company's field.

* Provide statistics and industry related facts in your presentation. This goes to show that not only are you enthusiastic about the job, you are also aware of the condition of the industry.

* The fact about sales is its all about numbers. If you are asked about your numbers, simply provide them with production reports, past employment lists or a W-2 form of your yearly earnings.

By successfully performing these basic steps, your sales job could be yours in just a handshake away.

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