Guide to Performing an Effective Job Search

Searching for a job can be a stressful activity. How can you be sure you are doing enough to land the job of your dreams? Follow these tips and you are sure to perform an effective job search.

You should start by taking a look inward and ask yourself tough questions about what you are looking for in a new position and what your priorities are. Do you want fulfilling, meaningful work and are less worried about income, perks, and prestige? Are you willing to start at the bottom of a field that is new to you, or do you want to stay in the field you are experienced in and apply for a higher-level position? Do you have a stable position now and thus have time to really look around and be picky, or have you been laid off and are scrambling to find something, anything, quickly? Only once you answer these types of questions can you truly begin your job search.

Once you have established what you are looking for, you can begin to do research on fields, industries, and specific companies. Use websites such as Glassdoor to read reviews about companies from their current and former employees. LinkedIn is a valuable resource not only to research industries and companies but also to search for jobs once you are ready to start looking. Make sure your LinkedIn profile is updated and is an honest reflection of your knowledge, skills, and experience. Upload a professional photo to your profile, as studies show that profiles with photos are clicked on more consistently when they come up in recruiter searches than those without photos. You can join groups on LinkedIn; the groups are mostly comprised of people in a particular industry or members of professional associations. Joining and following these groups will give you valuable information about fields you may be interested in.

Once you have zeroed in on a field (or if you already have one) you can use LinkedIn, Glassdoor, and other job websites such as Indeed to search for jobs. You can also search the websites of your local and regional newspapers, or even scan the classifieds of the print versions-sometimes people just look online and you never know what you might find in the old-fashioned classifieds.

If there is a company that you are interested in working at, don’t wait to see a job posting for an open position there. Conduct online research to find an email address for the Human Resources department. Or look on a LinkedIn to find people who already work at the company (either in HR or in a department you are interested in) and reach out to them. It may at first sound like pushy or aggressive move but, if done cordially and professionally, will actually reflect very well on you. Companies like to be liked; they want to find people who are interested in working for them and generally will appreciate when you reach out to them to express that interest. HR departments in particular are happy when you can ease some of the financial burden and leg work required in recruitment. Be sure to be specific in your communication with the company; tell them what specifically interests you about their company and how you see yourself as being able to contribute to their continued success. If you don’t receive a response from the company, you could perhaps follow up in a few weeks’ time. However, it is probably better to instead just directly apply to open positions at that point. You want to seem interested, but you don’t want to become an annoyance. Keep following them on LinkedIn and Twitter, and respond favorably to their social media posts. That will keep you in their sights without being obnoxious.

Perhaps the most important job search tip is also the simplest. Once you find a job to apply to, follow the stated application directions! So many otherwise qualified candidates ruin their chances of even getting an interview by not following the directions. If they ask that you upload your resume, don’t email it! If they tell you to put the position number in the subject of an email, please do so. Companies specify these details for a reason; ignoring them will make you stand out for all the wrong reasons.

3 Ways to Celebrate Earth Day

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Earth Day is an incredibly important holiday, yet it seems to fly under everyone’s radar year after year. It’s about time we acknowledge the damages being done to our planet, and find ways to make it better. Be sure to celebrate Earth Day the right way the next time April 22nd rolls around! Here are three ways you can celebrate:

  • Let’s clean up the environment! Tons and tons of plastic is dumped into our oceans, and this number grows every year. There are many volunteer groups who get together to pick up trash not only from the ocean but other places like parks, road sides and many other public places. Let’s also be aware of our plastic outtake and try to minimize it as best as we can.
  • Another way to celebrate would be to plant a tree or grow a communal garden. Other volunteer groups and/or non-profit organizations gather to plant trees in designated areas. We take so much for granted, it’s time we give back to Mother Nature.
  • Lastly, be sure to spread awareness! Earth Day is an underrated holiday and it’s important to spread awareness about the reparations done to the Earth. Let people know that they can also help out by doing volunteer clean-up, and/or adding to their daily routine by recycling more often.

The Earth is a beautiful place, so let’s try to keep it that way!

Why a Die-Cut Card?

 

Whether you are sending holiday cards, birthday cards or some other sentimental card, you are sending a message that the recipient of these well wishes are important and that your company goes the extra mile to make its customers feel special. Sure, you may have other reasons to send out cards such as staying relevant in the market or keeping your name on the cusp of clients’ minds. But no matter what your thought process, you still have the recipients’ name on your list.

How many times do you walk into a business office or your doctor’s office and see beautiful cards on display? All the time especially during the holidays, I am sure. The problem is you are looking at this gorgeous card decorated card with holiday pictures or a gorgeous outdoor scene, and yet, you have no idea who sent this card.

Well now there is an easy answer to this dilemma. Die Cut cards are cards that have a window that looks to the inside of the card. In this opening, your custom imprint can be seen. You can put two lines such as FROM ALL OF US AT on line one and your company name on line two. If you prefer, you can just put your company name.

Depending on the size and detail of your logo, this die cut card window can even display your logo. No matter where your card is displayed, the people checking out the card you sent can see your company name. Die Cut cards are definitely beneficial in keeping your business name front and center.

Appropriate April Fool’s Pranks at the Office

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I guess the word to adhere to is “Appropriate.” We can all think of pranks that would be totally unacceptable for your place of work, whether it’s an office or not. So let’s not go there.

One fun prank that works, but doesn’t hurt your co-workers, is the “fake cast.” It’s great if you like to hike, bike, bowl, or play some sort of team sport, etc. because the cast and your explanation will be very believable. If April Fool’s Day is in the middle of the week you’ll have to dream up some accident other than the weekend recreation scenario. Be creative.

Now, the night before, wrap your knee with stretch gauze and secure it. Then apply some plaster of Paris and let it harden. Don’t forget to cut a slit in the back for easy on-and-off access to your knee the day of the prank. Reserve some fresh gauze to cover the slit in the cast the day you wear it. A cane is a must if you don’t have some old crutches somewhere around the house. You have to look the part.

“Oh, Bob. What happened to you?” you’ll hear as soon as you hobble into the office. “Well, I was …” and regale them with a really sad expression on your face & shocking tale! Ask someone to please get you a cup of coffee and bring it to your desk. Play it up outrageously and see how long it takes for someone to catch on. It’ll be fun – I know because I’ve already tried it!