internet resources, networking and employment tips

Internet Resources, Networking and Employment Tips

Courtesy of:

Manpower, Inc. of Southeastern Michigan231 Little Lake DriveAnn Arbor, MI 48108T: 734.665.3757F: 734.665.7850www.manpowermi.com

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Dear Job Seeker,

Thank you for your interest in Manpower and your confidence in allowing us to assist you inyour career search!

One of the best ways to set yourself apart from your competition is to use all of the resourcesat your command (internet and personal contacts) to create and implement an organized planfor your job search. This means leaving no stone unturned when accessing websites andnetworking with friends and acquaintances.

Below are 4 sections of information that are full of excellent ideas to help you hunt for a job:“Internet Resources” (pages 3-6), “Networking” (pages 7-8), “Be A Stealthy Job Hunter” (pages9-10) and “Employment Tips for the Unemployed” (pages 11-12).

These are just some ideas to help you get prepared for your job search. Ultimately, it is youthat must take these suggestions and put them to good use. There is no substitute forpersistence and hard work. Good luck!

Sincerely,

Manpower’s Staffing Specialists

Manpower Inc. of SE Michigan231 Little Lake DriveAnn Arbor, MI 48108T: 734.665.3757F: 734.665.7850

[email protected]

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Internet Resources

In today’s competitive labor market, more and more companies are using the Internet to findemployees. By using the Internet to search for openings, and/or post your resume, you canincrease the odds that your resume will be matched to an employer.

The Internet contains a wealth of information and services for the job seeker. You can exploretopics such as salary surveys, resume and letter writing, relocation information, interviewtechniques, and networking. Plus, you can review job databases to find positions that might beof interest to you, post your resume to sites that employers can access, and chat with fellow jobseekers.

Job Databases and Posting Your ResumeSome of the career sites that are listed in this handout feature job databases. These areextensive and current listings of employment opportunities that can be accessed by jobseekers. In many cases you can respond directly to the job opening by e-mailing or “posting”an electronic version of your resume or filling out an on-line application form.

Posting your resume on the Internet is like placing an advertisement that says you are lookingfor a job. Companies and recruiters search resume databases to find the ideal candidate basedon “keywords” that identify the person’s experience in a particular industry, education, jobfunction, or skill set. When you post your resume, the number of companies that have accessto it increases as well as your odds of being matched with an employer.

We have listed a variety of well-established, career sites with solid reputations. However, if youare unfamiliar with the origin of a site, you may want to check the confidentiality of theirdatabase. Keep track of your resume postings so when you do find employment you canremove them. A good database will automatically delete your resume after three to six monthsif it is not updated.

Surfing Career SitesThe Internet is populated with hundreds of career sites designed to make the job search easier.One of the best places to start is with the major on-line career sites. Some of the best are listedbelow. These career sites were selected based on job content, ease of use, links to othercareer resources, and overall design. The following websites have been verified as accurateand valid at publication. However, due to the dynamic nature of the Internet, resources maydisappear and addresses may change.

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Major Career Sites

Manpower Jobs: www.manpowerjobs.comWhen you work with Manpower, you have an inside connection to the job you want. Start bysearching for opportunities that suit your work style – and your lifestyle. Then we can startpromoting you. Make your connections right here, right now.

CareerBuilder: www.careerbuilder.comCareerBuilder has more ways to search for jobs than any other online recruiting and jobawareness service. Job seekers are exposed to more than 300,000 continuously updated jobs,representing more than 25,000 of the top employers in virtually every industry and field.

HotJobs.com: www.hotjobs.comOne of the best job sites on the Net, offering job-seeking professionals a one-stop job searchresource. Candidates create a personalized career management page called My HotJobs,which provides all of the tools needed for an easy, simple and confidential job search.

Michigan Works: www.michworks.orgWhether you are looking for a job or looking for employees, the Michigan Talent Bank is theplace to be. If you are a job seeker, search more than 15,000 new job openings monthly andpost your resume so more than 40,000 employers can find it. Try us today!

Monster.com: www.monster.comMonster provides continuous access to the most progressive companies, as well as interactive,personalized tools to make the job search process effective and convenient. Features include:My Monster, your personal career management office; resume management, with the ability tostore up to five different resumes; a personal job search agent; a careers network; chats andmessage boards; privacy options; expert advice on job-seeking; and free career managementnewsletters.

Job Search Help – Career Sites

The Riley Guide: www.rileyguide.comThe Riley Guide is a helpful site for the job seeker. It provides guidance in preparing yourresume for the Internet, using the Internet in your job search, Internet services and information,and job search preparation guides. This site also contains a large comprehensive A to Z Indexof topics and provides links to other employment sites.

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Quintessential Careers: www.quintcareers.comQuintessential Careers, a career and job-hunting resources guide, includes information oncareer resources, resumes and cover letters, general job sites, and industry specific job sites.

WetFeet.com: www.wetfeet.comTop job candidates rely on WetFeet’s websites, for the most comprehensive company researchand career-related information to help them make better career decisions, as well as for thelatest job and internship opportunities for college-educated talent.

Employer/Company Research

CorporateInformation: www.corporateinformation.comCorporateInformation is a comprehensive site providing research on public, private, foreign,and domestic companies. There are links to other sites containing company information.Information is organized by industry and country.

Hoover’s Online: www.hoovers.comHoover’s Online is “The Ultimate Source For Company Information.” The site enables a jobsearcher to find company information using the company name, ticker symbol, keywords, or aperson’s last name. Company information pages provide a company capsule, company profile,financial information, and news.

Vault.com: www.vaultreports.comVault.com, the “insider” career network, contains areas to research companies, researchindustries, and obtain career advice.

Technical Career Sites

Dice.com: www.dice.comDice.com is the premier job search website for computer professionals. The site featuresthousands of high tech permanent, contract, and consulting jobs nationwide.

ComputerWorld: www.computerworld.com/departments/careers?from=leftThis site offers job searches, real stories from real people, and career advice. The site alsoprovides career resources and a way to search jobs that match your technological field ofinterest.

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Salary Information

Salary.com: www.salary.comSalary.com offers an invaluable range of information about salaries and benefits. The siteshowcases its Salary Wizard, which allows users to see whether their salaries meet theaverage in their area, as well as what kinds of salaries they would make in other parts of thecountry. On the Homepage, users will also find collections of salary news, advice, and polls.

WageWeb: www.wageweb.comWageWeb.com provides information about the salaries in different fields. This site alsoprovides job descriptions, and commonly asked questions about salaries and salarynegotiation.

America’s Career InfoNet: www.acinet.orgFind wage and employment trends, occupational requirements, state-by-state labor marketconditions, millions of employer contacts nationwide, and the most extensive career resourcelibrary online.

Networking Sites

Twitter: www.twitter.comShare and discover what’s happening right now, anywhere in the world. Follow Manpower, Inc.of SE MI.

MyPath: www.mypath.comLooking for advice to help you manage your career? See what experts and members of theMyPath community are saying.

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.comMake the most of your internet experience with interactions. Your linked source on the net.

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Networking

The people you know can help you find a job. The list below will give you some ideas for yourinitial networking contacts. As you continue your search, your network will expand through visitsto job fairs and placement offices, classified ads in newspapers, industry publications andnewsletters, and postings on the Internet and TV.

Create a Contact List

Try to write a list of 50+ people you could consider for networking purposes. Include some or allof the following:

Neighbors – current and former• Employers – current and former• Co-workers – current and former• Relatives• Teachers – including college professors and advisors• Members/Clergy of your church or religious institution• College alumni• Family contacts• Social acquaintances• Salespeople• Classmates – from any grade level• Politicians, Town Council Members• Doctor, Dentist, Lawyer• Business club members and executives

Prioritize Each Contact

After you have made a list of the people you know, prioritize them while keeping in mind thefollowing traits of a good contact:

• Likes you and/or has a reason to want to help you• Knows many people• Aware of the current job market

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The Networking Call

Begin by calling the high priority contacts, and work your way through the list. Be prepared togive them a 30-second summary of why you are calling. This is appropriate for both calls topotential employers and to friends and acquaintances on your networking list. The key to everynetworking call or contact is to ask for help. Never directly ask for a job, only seek anotherreferral or information about open positions.

Here is an example of how you might begin a typical networking call or conversation:

Hello Bob Smith, my name is Judy Simple. I got your name from my Uncle, Sam Simple, whoworks with you at the Basic Corporation. He told me that you were the head of HumanResources. I am in the process of conducting a job search. My background includes threeyears as an advertising media planner with Green and Gold Limited. I am also a skilleddatabase programmer. Do you know of anyone who might have a need for someone with myexperience?

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Be A Stealthy Job Hunter

Eight Tips for Finding a New Job While Keeping the One You HaveBy Margaret SteenArticle posted on http://hotjobs.yahoo.com(Copyright © 2007, Yahoo! Reprinted with permission)

The best time to look for a new job is while you still have a job: You have more leverage innegotiations with potential employers, not to mention a paycheck. But that doesn’t mean it’seasy. You need to spread the word — and your resume — in a way that doesn’t tip off yourcurrent employer. And you need to make sure you don’t lose focus on your current job whileyou’re searching.

Career and job-hunting experts offer eight tips for mounting a successful job search while stillemployed.

First, assess your risk.In some cases — if you’re working on a contract that is ending, for example — it may notmatter if your boss knows you’re looking. But other times, letting it be known that you’re lookingfor another job could cost you your current job. “Based on that assessment, decide how youwant to approach going about looking for another job,” says Richard Martinez, a managementconsultant who is acting vice president of human resources at NanoAmp Solutions in Milpitas,California.

Be careful where you send or post you resume.“You’d be amazed at how many times companies find resumes of their employees on theInternet,” Martinez says. When you send out your resume, make sure you know who willreceive it and what they plan to do with it. And if you have a blog, consider carefully whetheryou want the world to know about your unhappiness with your current job and how your searchfor a new one is going.

Choose your confidants carefully.Networking is one of the best ways to find a new job, but it involves talking to lots of people. Ifyou’re going to be frank about your desire for a new position, make sure the person you’retelling can be discreet. You might even ask the person up front not to tell others without yourpermission.

Tone down your networking.It’s a good idea to talk to as many people as possible about your search, but since you may notknow all of them well enough to trust them with your secret, try to be subtle.

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Ron Visconti, managing partner of the Peninsula Employment Group LLC in the San FranciscoBay Area, suggests using neutral phrasing that doesn’t stress that you’re looking for a job rightnow: “I’m always open to learning about new career opportunities.”

Search from home.Give recruiters and potential employers your cell phone or home phone number and a personalemail address. Never use your work computer or company-owned cell phone for your search.

Ask potential employers to keep your secret. Employers generally know to be careful whencalling to check references at your current employer. But it doesn’t hurt to emphasize this point.Elkins suggests including a line in your cover letter that says, “My employer is not aware of myinterest in this position, so please keep my inquiry confidential.”

Stay focused on your current job. Starting a job search means deciding you want to leaveyour current job. Once you’ve crossed that emotional line, it can be tough to keep putting inyour best effort. But you should. “You always want to be held in the highest respect by yoursuperiors, subordinates, and peers,” Martinez says. “The worst thing that can happen to you isyou go up to your boss and say ‘I quit,’ and he smiles.”

Next time, start networking before you want to leave.A strong network is “your insurance against unemployment,” Visconti says. If you stay in touchwith former colleagues and others who are active in your field, they’ll be more likely to approachyou next time a job is open.

(For more job-search tips and advice, visit the Yahoo! HotJobs Career Tools archive at http://hotjobs.yahoo.com/career-articles.)

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Employment Tips for the Unemployed

Finding a new job or taking training to develop new job skills are top concerns when you areunemployed. Returning to work can provide the financial and emotional support you need toget your life back to normal.

Today’s Job Market

Today’s job market is constantly changing. In this time of economic uncertainty, manycompanies are forced to reduce their workforce. The good news is that the demand for skilledand motivated workers will remain. If you have the desire to work, you are on the right track toemployment. If you want to learn new skills, there are many training options that are available.Now is the time to take action.

Job Search Advice

There are several steps you can take to secure employment. Manpower offers the followingadvice on finding a new job.

1. Review your skills, strengths, and experience.Your skills inventory should include creating a list of job-related skills, e.g. type 60 words perminute, forklift certified, and personal skills, e.g. honest, meets deadlines. Knowing what youcan do and what you would like to do in your next job will help define your job search.

2. Get organized.Plan your day to accommodate looking for a job. Include time to make phone calls, visitemployers or employment agencies, fill out applications, write letters, and follow-up on jobleads.

3. Create a resume.A good resume will help show your strengths and skills to a prospective employer. Basicresume sections include contact information, a job objective, education information, and workhistory.

4. Network.One of the best ways to find a job is to ask friends, business contacts, and family members forjob leads. Call people you know or people you have previously worked with to see if they knowof any potential job opportunities.

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5. Use the Internet.The Internet is a good resource for finding jobs and letting employers find you. Searchreputable job boards and company sites for current job openings, post your resume to job sites,or network with other job seekers via newsgroups and bulletin boards. If you don’t have accessto the Internet at home, try your local library.

6. Go to job fairs.Attending job fairs can be an effective and efficient way to meet employers and learn aboutcurrent openings. To get the most out of attending a job fair, be sure to bring several copies ofyour resume, dress appropriately, and follow-up with everyone you meet.

7. Prepare for interviews.Interviews are a critical part of your job search. In an interview, you want to obtain informationabout a company/job, while persuading the employer you have the skills they need. To helpyour interview go smoothly, research the company, practice answering interview question, andprepare a few questions to ask the interviewer.

Opportunities through Manpower

Manpower is a leader in the staffing services industry. Each week, Manpower places over200,000 people in jobs in a wide variety of companies and positions. Direct hire, temporary topermanent, short-term, and long-term positions are available. Working for a staffing service,like Manpower, is an ongoing opportunity to expand your talents, skills, and work experience.Plus, Manpower offers free training on a variety of skills and computer programs for jobs inoffice, industrial, and customer service environments.

internet resources, networking and employment tips

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