http://employment-essentials.com/

We’ll be migrating all the information available here, as well as posting more helpful info and advice designed to help jobseekers make the right career moves.  So if you’re looking for a new job, bookmark Employment Essentials for plenty of good advice to help you find a great job!

…odds are, you’re not going to be hired for that high-salary, management position you’ve been looking for.

So remember, when preparing your professional profile, make sure your personal profile reflects equally as well on you.  And, though you may not be thinking about a new job right now, consider that potentially every personal photo, video, or bit of information you post or share via Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, YouTube, blog, or email immediately becomes part of the Internet public domain, and subject to forwarding, linking, and posting elsewhere.  And that means the party you enjoyed too much last weekend might still be hanging over you several years down the road.

Most job seekers spend hours searching job boards and sending out résumés and, while those methods may get some acknowledgement, the time invested often yields little more than frustration for many.  And it’s those old job–search habits that need to be updated.

If you’re seriously looking for a new job, begin by developing a target plan that narrows your search to specific industries and companies within those fields.  Once you’ve decided where you want to work, start actively networking and making contacts within those fields.  In today’s economy, some companies even offer incentives to their employees for job candidate referrals, and networking with those employees can be a win-win for you and your contact.

Next, post your résumé and professional profile for the opportunity to be reviewed by a company.  Make it as easy as possible for an employer to see what you can bring to the table.  And don’t forget to diversify your search by setting up a professional profile on sites such as LinkedIn.  That higher profile will help you expand your network.

Additionally, research the companies you’ve identified on your target list and consider requesting advice meetings with their HR personnel or even the contacts you have within that company.  Don’t be shy! Research and speak to professionals who can give you insights about those companies and help you get introductions that will get you from point A to point B.  And don’t stop there! Ask a company you’re targeting to place your résumé in their internal database for future consideration, since that’s where employers often look first when there’s an opening to be filled.

Finally, be fearless and creative in your job search! Don’t rely on old job-search habits!  Instead modernize and diversify your approach to land that perfect new job you’ve been looking for!

Unfortunately, many job seekers jump at more money, more prestige, or merely a promotion, and forget to put in the work required to insure they’re landing the ideal position for them.  It’s not uncommon, and it’s easy to overcome if you employ some simple steps to assess what you want from your career.

Start by evaluating your dissatisfaction with your current job. If you feel unchallenged, are there opportunities for you to shine that you haven’t seized?  Have your job requirements or expectations changed? Before you leap to another job, consider the opportunities to make a positive change for yourself that would alleviate your dissatisfaction.

Next, consider what you enjoy in your present job. What do you enjoy doing?  What skills do you possess? Are there interests, values, abilities, or specific areas you prefer to work in?  Write down the answers to those types of questions and refer to them when evaluating jobs you apply for.  If the job you’re considering doesn’t match up, odds are you’ll be unhappy in the long run.

From there, communicate with your boss. Why wait for an annual performance review to evaluate your career path?  Discuss productivity, career satisfaction, and performance by initiating a conversation with your supervisor. Ask for recommendations, volunteer to take on new projects that align with your career goals, or develop suggestions to help the company then offer to drive those goals.

While you’re at it, don’t forget to network. Evaluate your professional network and maintain those contacts.  Stay abreast of changes in your industry through your contacts to enhance your understanding of those trends.  Use that information in interviews or transitions within your present company and talk to people in your field of expertise to insure those changes will be beneficial to you and your skills.

Finally, don’t be afraid to seek career advice from a peer, mentor, or executive advisor. You go to the dentist when your teeth hurt. You go to a mechanic to fix your car.  So getting career advice can be the last piece of a plan of action to find the right career path, and the perfect job, for you!

Today, most new positions are filled via networking contacts. That’s why being top-of-mind with your contacts is so very important. It’s easy to send an email or resumé, but the key to staying atop someone’s radar is to keep in touch in an appropriate manner.

The hardest part of staying in touch and staying top-of-mind is to find that fine line between too much and not enough contact. However, with all the prompt and reminder systems available, via your computer and even a cell phone app, it’s easy to set up different reminder schedules for different contacts.

To find the right frequency, try a method we call “watering the plant.”

Think of it like this: Some contacts are like cactus, in that you only water or check in with them occasionally. Others are like a potted plant in an Oklahoma August and need water and contact frequently. Just remember to reach out to every one of your contacts with an email or phone call on some form of a regular basis, because if you don’t ‘water’ them enough, they’ll dry up and wither away.

Finally, it’s better to err on the side of too often rather than not enough contact to maintain top-of-mind awareness. Forgetting a contact means they’ll likely forget you down the road. And if you’re seeking a new job at the top, making sure your contacts have top-of-mind awareness of your name and skill set is more important than ever!

Many people believe that looking for a job is merely sending out resumes without a clear idea of the position they’re seeking.  Rule number one of a job search strategy is to clearly define what you want to do and set objectives you want to achieve with your new position. If you’re unsure, consider a career assessment that will identify your skills, motivations, and preferences.

With a clear goal in mind, the next step is to network. More than 80% of all new positions are filled via networking contacts, so the best way to find the job you want is to contact everyone you know. Work your network to your advantage and remember to reciprocate. The friend you help today could be the contact you’ll need tomorrow. Don’t be afraid to rely on your support network of family, friends, co-workers, mentors, and others.

Next, make sure you have a powerful, accomplishment-oriented resumé. State the facts in a hard-hitting presentation that sells your skills, qualifications, contributions, and successes. “This is the time to blow your own horn, so make it dynamic and focus on the value you could bring to a company.

On top of that resumé, job seekers should also prepare a general cover letter for each position they seek and make sure to customize it for each position to appeal to the needs, qualifications, and expectations of each company or recruiter.  Just as no two jobs are the same, no two cover letters should be the same.  Using the same cover letter over and over shows you’re not paying attention to a company’s needs and not hitting their ‘hot buttons.’

In addition to your regular mail, prepare an email campaign to send your cover letter and resumé to recruiters and headhunters that specialize in your industry and profession. A sales recruiter likely won’t place a finance professional, so be sure to stay within your ‘community’ for best results.

The next step is to not forget the basics of every successful job search.  Remember to respond to help wanted ads in the paper and trade journals. Have a target salary you want to achieve. And practice your interview skills since, if you don’t interview well, you ultimately won’t get job offers.

Finally, remember to be flexible and be able to tweak your strategy as you go. The ability to roll with the changes can turn your job search strategy into a successful new career!

With video-chat software and a webcam, many firms have found they can save the expense of flying in a potential hire and instead conduct an interview online.  That means job seekers should prepare more than just their resume and interview technique.

Since you will basically be on camera, it’s up to you to set a stage that will make a professional, positive impression.  Start with the lighting in the room where you’ll be broadcasting.  Backlighting may look dramatic in a photograph, but a bright light behind you during a webcam interview will darken your face. Then, look at your background.  Even if you’re in your kitchen or den, make sure it’s tidy and professional looking.

Next consider your appearance.  Set up your camera so the interviewer sees you centered in the frame, from mid-chest up.  Set your chair so you’re turned to look at the camera to avoid a straight, mug-shot appearance, and don’t lean forward into the camera.  Remember to dress just like you would for any other interview, but avoid white and patterns that will stand out on video.  And know your webcam features and be ready to handle technical glitches, since online video streaming isn’t foolproof.

You should also stage your environment for a webcam interview.  Keep the pets, kids, and roommates out of the room where you’ll be broadcasting the interview.  Turn off the phones and close the window.  If an appliance or heat and air unit makes too much background noise, turn it off or find a quieter space.

Next, make eye contact.  While it will be tempting to watch yourself or watch the interviewer’s image, eye contact via a webcam means looking into the camera.  And don’t forget to practice for your online interview, just as you would a face-to-face meeting.  Just as actors rehearse for a scene, rehearse your online interview technique with a friend.

Finally, remember that properly setting the stage can make for a show-stopping performance in a video interview.  And that can get you the starring role in the new job you’ve been looking for!

Today, three years is considered long term employment.  That’s why, regardless of the reason for staff changes, whether it’s a talent upgrade or to please stock holders, a long term job is really a short term opportunity.  If you’re looking to move up the ladder, you should start preparing almost as soon as you begin your current job.

Being ready for your next opportunity means building a paper and electronic trail of connections and maintaining records of employment, copies of work reviews, a roster of people you’ve met inside and outside the company, and any additional information that could help you in the future.  You can’t be too meticulous and remember that, once you leave a company, there are some items you won’t be able to retrieve, so get them while you can.

If you’re just beginning at a new job, you’re at an advantage and, in theory, have plenty of time to plan, and prepare for, your next move.  If you’ve been at your current position awhile, catch up now and start taking notes of the documents relating to your present job and those that former employees have left with.

The final preparation to make is mental.  If you find a job you want to spend the rest of your life doing, great!  But, since five years with the same company is considered a lifetime these days, always be prepared to deal with the fact that a short term at one employer may merely be the opportunity you need to land a better, long term position elsewhere.

Also realize that just as you Can’t Buy Me Love, you can’t Buy me a Job.  But you can make connections that will prove invaluable with today’s job search.  And, if you stay in touch – - they can prove even more valuable 5 to 10 years from now.

There’s an interesting article in the ForbesMagazine’s Sept. 7^th edition: http://www.forbes.com/forbes/2009/0907/power-women-09-facebook-sheryl-sandberg.html.  The dilemma today is that everyone wants to be connected, to network and to reach out to family and friends.  The challenge is how does that help from my friends translate to $$$ for the people behind the scenes who’ve written the connections that make Facebook so much fun.

Before they become profitable, Facebook’s theme song could be A Hard Day’s Night as they grapple with connectivity and profitability.  For each of us, it will be how well to be want to be connected and with whom???  We want help from our friends – - but not all our friends. It is going to be an interesting journey for everyone.

Now more than ever, it’s important to develop professional and personal networks because, in this day and age, who you know is as important as what you know.  Building strong networks professionally and personally can give you an edge over the competition in a job search.

Start building your network via friends and acquaintances and then current or former co-workers.  From there, connect with suppliers, clients, and even competitors.  There’s strength in numbers, but it only takes one of your connections to think about you first for the job you’d be perfect for!

Even if you currently have a job you love, it’s good advice to keep feelers out anyway.  Job requirements or personnel can change, so you never know when you may decide to seek a new job.  That’s why keeping in touch with friends and colleagues can put you at the top of their mind if and when they hear of a position opening.  And that’s the inside info that can get you in the door for a new job first.

Finally, even if you don’t land the first hidden job you encounter, it can still work to your advantage.  The person or persons you interview with, even if you don’t get hired for the position, are contacts that can expand your professional network even further in the future. And that can give you access to even more hidden jobs.