The Monster Blog

The Monster 5 for Friday--Careers Edition--March 4

We say it a lot because it keeps happening: the job market is improving. Today's labor-market report from the U.S. Department of Labor puts the unemployment rate at 8.9 percent--that's the first time we've dropped below 9 percent in almost two years.

Of course, 0.1% isn't a huge gain--and it wasn't greeted by a whole lot of fanfare in financial circles. But it's interesting to note that we're seeing improvement in some industries that have lagged behind the rest of this sluggish recovery, including manufacturing.

Paradoxically, this report may set the actual unemployment rate a bit higher: the report counts people who are actively looking for work--and as things look more hopeful, more people who'd given up the search are coming back. So even if we climb to somewhere above 9 percent in March, I hope we can say that our recovery is continuing.

Here are five of this week's best career-advice articles from the Web:

5. Are you one of the many people who have been unemployed for a long time and are now considering a return to the job market? Read "Breaking Out of Long-Term Unemployment."

4. Coping with a long period of unemployment can pose special challenges for someone writing a resume. Read "Resume Writing After a Long Work Absence."

3. Do you feel your days slipping away from you? Whether you're swamped at the office or looking for a job, getting organized can help. Read "Stay Focused at Work." 

2. What's the file name of your resume? It can make a big difference. Read "How to Get an Employer's Attention in 20 Seconds."

1. Have you filed your taxes yet? If you're unemployed, you'll want to read "Tax Tips for Job Hunters." 

Do you need job-search advice? What job-seeker topics would you like to see covered? Leave a message for us in the comments section below, or find @monstercareers on Twitter and send a message.

Advance Your Career with Daily Feats

Having a successful career or a great job isn't a one-step goal. Like living healthily, being a good friend, or raising a family, it's a process--a series of small choices and small successes that add up to a better way of life.

DailyFeats is an online social platform that understands this. Powered by users' energy and commitment to doing good, for themselves and others, it's a community where people share and earn rewards for their positive actions. Markus Kolic, DailyFeats' director of content and marketing, says the idea for this community was sparked by the rise of micro-investing websites: "We started thinking of 'micro-actions,'" he explains. "Small events on the Internet can have a big impact."

As an example, one of the many feats a person can complete is taking the stairs. Performing the feat earns you points that are redeemable for coupons and various other goods and services in your area--and it can also earn you praise from other members of the DailyFeats community (and that praise also earns points). It's a win-win: you take a small step toward a healthier way of life, you inspire others, and you receive positive reinforcement and tangible rewards.

There are currently more than 125,000 rewards--available nationwide--that anyone can earn for doing good. New sponsoring companies come on board every month. Markus says, "The beautiful thing about this idea is that it almost sells itself--it's such a win-win. … It allows a brand to connect to something that's essential to what they're trying to do."

Monster.com has joined with DailyFeats; now members of the DailyFeats community can better themselves by strengthening career-related skills or completing tasks on the job.

"At Monster, we want to encourage seekers to do away with the status quo, always aspiring to reach new career heights," says Monster.com chief marketing officer Ted Gilvar. "By teaming up with DailyFeats, we are encouraging them to better themselves--within their careers but, perhaps more importantly, within their everyday lives, too, all while earning rewards along the way."

The new Monster.com feats include:

!yourpotential (work toward a great accomplishment) !newskills (learn new abilities, through classes, training or research), !makeconnections (reach out to someone who might help your future), and !updateresume, among many others.

Check out all the Monster.com feats (and start earning points!) today.

Also check into DailyFeats at South by Southwest (SXSW, March 11-20, 2011, in Austin, Texas). Conference attendees can explore the world of positive actions unlocked by DailyFeats, and use them to navigate all the good things converging on Austin, including special one-time-only SXSW feats like !inspired@SXSW and !network@SXSW.

Using the new DailyFeats app for Android and iPhone, or by visiting DailyFeats.com on their mobile browsers, SXSW attendees can access Monster's slate of feats related to career goals, and connect with other people in Austin--and around the world--who are also pursuing positive goals.

From Volunteer to Job: Networking Tips

For job seekers, volunteering can be a very smart use of time: it can help you gain skills, help fill gaps in a resume if you're unemployed for a long time, and (perhaps most important) help you expand your professional network.

"Volunteering, sometimes referred to as 'adult interning,' is a great way for someone to hone specialized skills and be in the right place at the right time when a position comes available," says Debra Yergen, the author of "Creating Job Security Resource Guide."

(For more tips, read "Volunteer for Your Career.")

Volunteering to work at a conference related to your industry combines all three benefits: often, volunteers gain free access to some workshops and events--and, of course, networking opportunities abound.

Consider the upcoming SXSW (South by Southwest) Conferences and Festivals. People  who attend the Music and Media Conference, the Film Conference and Festival, and the Interactive Festival are there to show off new work and new technological innovations (and to have a good time), but they're also there to network.

Are you attending SXSW, either as a volunteer or a registrant? First off, be sure to visit the SXSW Hiring Hub. Presented in conjunction with Monster.com, the Hiring Hub will connect talented job seekers with organizations at SXSW.

Second, be sure to make a networking plan. Remember, when it comes to networking, quality definitely trumps quantity. Handing out your business card to everyone you meet is probably less beneficial than getting a couple minutes of conversation with a few key individuals.

Here are a few more tips:

* Prepare an "elevator speech"--and practice it!

* Do your research on the companies and people you'll encounter.

* And don't forget to follow up!

 

 

 

 

How to Get Good References

There's an interesting fact for job seeker's to note on Alison's Job Searching Blog: A Society of Human Resource Management survey reports that 76% of the respondents said they conduct reference checks for all job candidates, and 22% said they check references for select candidates.  

So your references really matter--maybe more than you realized! And of course, the best time to get your references ready to sing your praises is long before they get that phone call. (A reference should never be surprised to be asked questions about you.)

Here are some tips to keep in mind when you're thinking about references:

1. A great reference doesn't have to be only a former manager--think of all the people you've wowed, not only in your professional life but also as a volunteer or student. A great reference can be a former colleague, a former client, or members of professional organizations. If you're applying for a role in which you'll manage people, a former direct report or someone you've mentored might make sense as a reference.

2. Don't worry if your reference no longer works for the company at which you worked together--as long as your time together was significant.

3. Before you give a potential employer a reference's name, ask the reference if you may. And don't take it personally if you get a no in response--some companies prohibit employees from giving professional references (and ask that all references be handled through human resources).

4. Prepare your references for the questions they may be asked, and help them understand the job you're currently applying for.

5. Keep a personal file in which you can store or record emailed messages of praise, letters of recommendation, and so on. These are not only great resources to refer to when you're composing a resume or preparing to talk about yourself at an interview, but also very helpful when you're preparing someone to sing your praises.

For more tips, check out "Help Your References Help You" on Monster.com.

 

 

You Can Do It: Finding Transferable Skills

Applying for a job requires that you take a look at your background, your work experience, and your education, and think about how they've prepared you for your target position. And this is especially important when you're switching careers--or when you're applying for a one-of-a-kind job, for which there isn't really an obvious career path.

Career switchers can look back at their experience (remembering that not all experience is gained in paid positions), and see how it matches up to the target job. For instance, if you're a finance person moving into event planning, perhaps your experience planning local PTA meetings is relevant. (For more tips on career switching, read "Jump-Start Your Career Change.")

Then there are those one-of-a-kind opportunities. A great example is the role VP of Pop Culture for popchips and Ashton Kutcher. It's an incredibly cool job! And there are only a couple of days left to apply. But you may be thinking to yourself, "I don't have any experience as a VP of Pop Culture." That's where you have to get creative. Look at your background, and see what's applicable.

Have you ever:

* worked on a school newspaper?
* gotten 1,000,000 people to like something on Facebook?
* won a talent show?
* been a Trivial Pursuit champion?
* sold more Girl Scout cookies than anyone in your state?

Do you:

* read 20 pop-culture, fashion, and celebrity blogs daily?
* have a Twitter following that rivals @aplusk?
* speak in #hashtags?
* make friends in every grocery-store line you're in?
* love snacking?

These are all qualities and skills that will help you in your quest to become the next VP of Pop Culture. Apply today (or just check out the competitors and vote for your favorite)!

 

 

 

The Monster 5 for Friday--Careers Edition--February 25

This weekend brings us the spectacle of the 83rd Academy Awards--where actors, directors, musicians, editors, makeup artists, cinematographers, and all those other movie-industry types get rewarded for doing their jobs exceptionally well.  

Most of us never get these levels of applause for our work--but we can dream! And we can take a lesson from the way people behave when they accept their Oscars: the best speeches show us how to best accept the praise we get in our workaday life: say thank you, share credit liberally, stay humble, and be brief--don't hog the spotlight.

Here's another lesson we can take from Hollywood folks: Even while actors, directors, producers, and crew are working on one project, they're thinking about what's next: the next film, the next screenplay, or the next pilot. And we'd all do well to keep in mind that a job search doesn’t end once you find a job. It's ongoing: the most favorable time for networking, polishing a resume, and maintaining professional relationships (and so on) is while you have a job. Devote a little bit of time each week. If your career meets an unexpected plot twist, you'll be better able to make your way to a happy ending.  

Take a look at five of our favorite career-advice articles from this week:

5. We all know these job-interview basics: show up on time, bring a copy of your resume, make sure your breath is fresh, and so on. Time to take it to the next level. Read "Job Interview? 9 Great Tips to Get You to Round 2." 

4. A great career doesn't just happen--it requires planning and forethought. Are you ready? Read "6 Career Decisions You'll Have to Make." 

3. Speaking of Hollywood--how would you like to work with Ashton Kutcher, as his VP of Pop Culture? OK, even if the job isn't right for you, this article has tips on how to shine in any job application. Read "Job-Search Tips That Really Pop." 

2. What's even harder than making a great first impression? Undoing the damage of a bad one. Read "Seven Networking No-Nos." 

1. This week, one of our followers on Twitter asked for help preparing the questions he wanted to ask before a job interview--and we advised him to read "Nine Good Questions to Ask at a Job Interview."

Do you need job-search advice? What job-seeker topics would you like to see covered? Leave a message for us in the comments section below, or find @monstercareers on Twitter and send a message.

Your Next Move

Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Labor announced a new online tool for job seekers: My Next Move. The tool is aimed at "providing job seekers with information on more than 900 occupations, as well as local job openings and training opportunities in a simple, user-friendly format."

The tool looks like something that will be especially useful for students, young adults, and other first-time workers as they explore potential careers based on their interests. The new tool complements the department's mySkills myFuture site, which is designed to help people with previous work experience match their existing skills to new occupations.  

"This administration is committed to expanding opportunities for all Americans. That includes ensuring all workers--those with years of experience and those just entering the workforce--have the information they need to make informed career decisions and get good jobs," said U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis. "By leveraging technology in a user-friendly tool, My Next Move will help those seeking career guidance learn more about work opportunities in fields that are of interest to them and that are likely to have job openings today and well into the future."

The new website allows users to search for jobs by occupation, by industry and using the "O*NET Interest Profiler," which matches an individual's interests with suitable occupations by asking 60 questions. 

Users can also search for jobs in three categories: careers with a "bright outlook" in growing industries, jobs that are part of the "green" economy and occupations that have a Registered Apprenticeship program.

For job seekers unsure about that steps to take in their career, these could be very helpful mapping tools. Using the information gleaned here, it is then very easy to narrow your job search at Monster.com. For tips on using keywords in your search for the perfect job posting, see "Making the Most of Monster's Job-Search Tools."

Good luck and happy hunting!

 

What Is Google Saying About You?

There was a bit of interesting news last week from Google--it seems that the search engine is going even more social (building on changes it made in 2009):

According to the company, "... social search results will now be mixed throughout your results based on their relevance (in the past they only appeared at the bottom). This means you'll start seeing more from people like co-workers and friends, with annotations below the results they've shared or created."

(Read the complete post on the Official Google Blog.) 

This is interesting news for any job seeker who has an online presence--that is, almost all seekers (even those who aren't looking for a new job now but might someday). With these changes, a professional contact you're connected to on LinkedIn (or an acquaintance you interact with on Twitter) is likelier to come across your shared or blogged content in his or her searches.

Say a recruiter in your network is planning a trip to Paris and searches Google for Paris restaurants. If you've written a blog post on that topic, your post could be a top result.

According to the New York Times' Bits blog, "Google will also let you know if a friend of yours has shared a particular link on the Web. This is a big change, because before, Google would only highlight material that acquaintances actually created." (Read the complete Bits post.)

This is good news for people who are trying to establish and maintain a strong personal brand online. If you produce and share a lot of great content, it's likelier to have a wider audience. (Read "What Is a Personal Brand, and How Do I Get One" for tips on broadening your online footprint.) 

It also means that the line between "personal" and "professional" on the Web continues to blur for all of us. Once we put something on line, in any fashion, there's really no telling who will see it--we have to assume that it may pop onto the screen of a future hiring manager or recruiter.

What do you think about this change to the way Google works? How are you establishing or revamping your online persona? Let us know in the Comments section.

 

Some Top Mistakes of Job Seekers

When it comes to your career, taking a long view is often wiser than working for short-term rewards, according to Ken Sundheim, a career coach and the founder and president of KAS Placement, a New York-based sales and marketing staffing agency. 

We asked Sundheim for more of tips on how to manage your career--here's what he had to say:

The $5,000 Sprint
Sundheim says that the career mistake he most often sees people make is taking a job for a little bit more money--and no other reason. He says that true rewards (financial and otherwise) come from being passionate about your job and your career.

"When someone takes a new position for the extra few thousand, they feel fresh and excited," he says. "But that new energy lasts only for so long. A career is a marathon, not a sprint. When candidates take jobs for a small salary increase, they burn out--often, they become so burnt out that they then welcome hearing about opportunities that pay less, because they need to pursue their interests."

Sundheim thinks the career-success-happiness formula is simple: "If you like what you do, you'll work harder, learn, and--in the long run--are likelier to earn a healthy salary."

Blind Salary Requests
When negotiating a salary, candidates often don't know what to base their target salary on.

According to Sundheim, candidates need to know that the job market is simple economics. "It comes down to supply and demand," he says. "We never know what we are worth until people make offers to us."

"All job seekers--and all people--tend to put a higher worth on themselves than others do. Therefore, job candidates should be very careful when stating a salary request," he adds.

(For more advice, see Monster's collection of salary-negotiation tips.)

The Resume That Isn't Tailored to Online Job Boards
Most people read computer screens in a way that's different from the way they read the printed page. Sundheim suggests that job seekers keep some Web-display tactics in mind when they design a resume.

"Simple tricks include not putting any lines in your resume," he says, adding that lines serve as a subliminal stop sign for people who are reading something on a screen.

"Moreover," he says, "only 30 percent of readers scroll down to the second page of a multiple-page document. So it's imperative that you have compelling wording, right off the bat. Candidates should get their most important information on the top half of their resume."

(For more formatting tips, see "Resumes for a Digital Age.")

Failure to Grow and Learn
Sundheim says, "I've relied on constant reading and ceaselessly teaching myself relevant information to help me further my career. When speaking to the job seekers I work with, I often explain different theories--on persuasion, negotiation, and other topics. They seem to be engaged and usually ask, 'How do you know this stuff?' And I tell them, 'From reading books.'"

He says that he sees many candidates making the mistake of not bothering to learn good interviewing skills: "If a candidate can’t take it upon himself or herself to at least learn about interviewing techniques, it suggests to the interviewer that that person might not take the initiative to learn much else."

The "It's All About Who You Know" Myth
"Nobody is ever going to hand you a job unless you can actively do something for their company," explains Sundheim. "When I was younger, I always thought that sons and daughters of wealthy individuals got to work at their parents' firms and would have a pretty easy life."

But while this may be true in some cases, Sundheim says candidates can all too easily give up trying because they feel that they don't know the right people.

He adds, "When you look at the most successful people, like Warren Buffet, Bill Gates, and Jack Welch, they tend to be self-made. Nobody is ever going to hand anything to you. Contrary to popular belief, it just does not work that way. Regardless of industry, you must have the mentality that you are the only one who is going to make something of yourself, no matter where you come from."

(Share your top job-search mistakes in the Comments section.)

 

Job-Search Tips That Really Pop

One of the many cool jobs on Monster.com right now is a role as VP of Pop Culture—for Ashton Kutcher and popchips. Paying $50,000 for a one-year term, the job entails official pop-culture duties such as mingling "with pop stars and fashionistas" and getting "snapped by the pop-arazzi," and it provides benefits such as "all-expenses paid travel to top pop culture events around the U.S." As you can probably imagine, this job is going to have some fierce competition. Here's how you can position yourself to rise to the top of this—or any—field of candidates:

Do your research: This job requires an understanding of pop culture, yes—but this is also a spokesperson job, so it will require a deep knowledge of, and enthusiasm for, the popchips brand. Successful candidates will likely have to demonstrate that.

Offer value: It's also a job application where you'll definitely want to show off your personality. But as with any job you apply for, there’s more to success than just showing them how wonderful you are. You have to clearly demonstrate how your wonderful qualities will benefit the employer. In this case, for instance, demonstrating  your knowledge of pop culture is only half the battle—successful candidates will probably also have to show how they can use that knowledge in ways that make popchips part of the story.

Check your image: Like many jobs these days, this one requires Web smarts. And nothing says "Web stupid" like a bunch of embarrassing stuff about you online. No one is going to hire a VP of Pop Culture who has been tweeting or posting a lot of foul language, talk or pictures of illegal substances, and so on. Make sure your online presence is appropriate for all audiences.

Sell your experience: This is a unique sort of job, so you might not have a lot of relevant experience. But that’s OK—and it happens to a lot of job candidates. What you have to do is think of your history and your major achievements (at school, at work, during volunteer efforts, and even in your social and family life), and explain how they might be applicable. You may have never mingled with pop stars, but perhaps you sold more Girl Scout Cookies than anyone in your state, or worked at your college radio station. Be prepared to talk about how your past experience makes you perfect for the job.

Apply (and get more info in a video from Ashton) now! To keep up with who's in the running, check out popchips on Facebook, and follow popchips and Monster on Twitter--use the hashtag #popVP to join the conversation.