“Begin with the end in mind” – Stephen Covey

If you’ve been looking for a job for any length of time I’m sure you know how time consuming it can be. Filling in endless search boxes and web forms with the same information over and over, checking all of the jobs that come up as a result of the search and them moving to the next site.  Before you know it, the day is gone with not much to show. There are a number of things you can do to fast track some of the repetitive tasks both from the “filling in the blanks” part of the process to the search process.

Automate your Job Search:

• Auto-Fill: One repetitive task you can easily automate is form fill in your web browser. Most browsers have an auto-fill function (or an add-on in Firefox). Once you enable this function, your web browser will auto-fill forms and fields that have repeated data (such as your name and address). This alone saves lots of time.

• Search Agents: Most job search sites have search agent functionality.  Search agents allow you to create a specific search and save the search so that you can run them in the future. In addition to this, the search agents can be set to send emails when they find jobs that match your criteria.

• Job Engines – How To Automate Your Job Search And Create Your Own Personal “Jobs Engine”! -  This article, from squidoo.com, provides some tips on making your job search an easier task by using RSS readers.

Job Search Sites:

• Jobsonline – If this is your first visit, you will need to create an account to do a search (the site’s creators are currently working to move some functionality outside of the login process). If you do a job search it will ask you to register or can also use this link ==>> REGISTER to go directly to the account creation page page. Once you’ve created an account (the process is similar to other sites), you are taken to the main page which will initially show jobs based on your home zip code. The page is very clean, search results are easy to read and will indicate which search site it is from and the age of the posting. You can sort by Relevancy or by Date Added. You can also create saved searches and edit your details from this page. One nice feature is that you can print your resume, see it in two styles and even email it directly from the Resume page. The site is well done, easy to use and has a clean interface.

• Experience – This site might be geared to college students and recent grads (not really sure). Similar to Jobsonline.net, you must create an account before you can do a full search. Using the “Browse Jobs & Internships” from the main page (you must select an industry) will return some results, but additional information requires an account. There are tabs at the top of the main page for Jobs, Portfolio (profile, resume, experiences and references), Networking (to chat with peers and mentors) and Guidance. Once you create an account, you can update your profile (resume, search agents, advice, etc.). Advanced job search provides a lot of flexibility. Overall, provides most of the tools that a college student or recent grad needs to organize and conduct their search (in one place). Again, not sure if this will work as well for experienced candidates.

• Jobing – Very simple main page, the tag line is “Search local jobs, find local employers, connect with local people and discover local job resources in your Jobing Community”. Not clear from the main page, but the site currently covers only certain parts of the US. Type in your zip code to find out if it covers yours. From the “coverage” page, you can click to crate an account which allows you to add your resume, add job agents, view and store jobs you’ve applied to and make your resume searchable by potential employers.

• Searchease – The main page has two choices, click “career site” on the left hand side (unless you are interested in job board software!). From the main career site page, there are several tabs at the top (Post Resume, Search Jobs, Job Search Agent, Jobs In-Box, Resource, plus much more). “Hot Opportunities” are listed on the left and a standard job search function is in the center of the page (along with advanced search – but you need a login for this). Featured employers are listed on the right hand side of the page. Clicking “Post Resume” from the top tab will take you to the registration page. While I did not register on the site, using the basic job search was difficult and I did not get many hits (and the back button did not work for me).

• Addison Search – This recruiter focuses on four industries: Finance & Accounting, Information Technology, Administrative and Healthcare. From their main page, you can click on one of the four industries. This takes you to a page that has jobs for that industry by city (middle of the page) with locations on the left. Below locations is a Job Hunting Tips area where you can get additional information on Resumes, Search Firms, Interview Tips and more. A very good point they make under “Search Firm Rules of the Road” is that you should keep track of where your resume is sent. Don’t let more than one search firm send your resume to the same place. This is not good for you and certainly won’t help with your relationships with the search firms.

• Tyler & Company – Tyler & Co is a Healthcare Executive Search Firm. Their site includes information for candidates as well as job search (Open Positions on right-hand side of the page). Clicking on “Contact Us” will take you to a page where you can either search for jobs or submit your resume.

• Street Advisor Group – This company provides both job placement and consulting services. Their home page has a listing of the latest job postings. Clicking on Job Seekers takes you to the advanced job search page. You can also submit your resume from this page. Street Advisor Group specialized in Wall Street placement.

• Stan Hamlet Associates – Stan Hamlet Associates specializes in placement for Accounting, Auditing, Tax, Finance and HR for Fortune 500 companies. Their main page has sample postings and the email addresses of their staff. Their areas of focus are also listed, clicking on these takes you to a dedicated search page/listing of jobs associated with that profession. Clicking on “Apply” on the left hand side of the page will take you to a page that allows you to apply for a specific job or submit your resume.

Good luck in your search.

“Watch, listen, and learn. You can’t know it all yourself.. anyone who thinks they do is destined for mediocrity.” – Donald Trump

“The highest unemployment rate in 26 years” – we are all tired of hearing those headlines. One in ten people are now out of work, a very high number. But, just as The Donald says above, “Watch, listen and learn”! “Learn what?” you say.  Learn to leverage the tools you’ve got to get there first. How many job searchers do you know that are working their way through the Fortune 500’s company career sites to find their job? Not many I suspect, which means if you’re following this series and working your way through the list you may be ahead of the curve (and ahead of the gang). The companies on today’s list range from food distribution to auto financing with a sprinkle of telecommunications and diversified technology. There were 1,658 job opportunities across all of the companies when I checked the sites.

• Sysco – 62 on this year’s list and based in Texas, Sysco is known for selling, marketing and distributing food products. Their careers page is crisp and simple, with links on the left hand side of the page for Corporate Culture, Benefits, and Corporate Positions. The center of the page has a brief overview of Careers, with a link to positions available as well as a contact page. There were 3 job opportunities when I checked the page.

• Honeywell International – According to their website, Honeywell is a diversified technology and manufacturing company with business in, aerospace, control technologies and automotive products. Ranked 63 on the list, their careers site has links at the top for Job Search, Career Paths, University Relations and more. The left hand side of the page has news, while center page has Honeywell Careers. The right hand side lists a number of career paths, all with links with additional information and a small search box on the top right hand side. The job search page has quick links for search in other languages. There were 1,402 job opportunities when I checked the site.

• Sprint Nextel – Ranked at 64 this year, Sprint is known for telecommunications. Their careers site has links down the left hand side of the page for Career Search, Retail Positions, Call Centers, College Students and more. There is a brief overview center page, followed by links to various functional areas (like HR and Finance). Below this are short paragraphs with the same links that are on the left hand side. Click Career search to search across all jobs or select your specialty. There were 183 job opportunities when I check the site

• GMAC – Ranked 66, most of us have heard of GMAC who suffered due to the credit crunch and received some bailout money.  In the last few weeks they’ve asked for additional funding. Their career site has a brief overview, followed by a list of countries grouped by language. Pick yours to lead to the job search screen. There were 194 job opportunities when I checked the site.

• Ingram Micro – According to their website, Ingram Micro is “the world’s largest technology distributor and a leading technology sales, marketing and logistics company” and is ranked 67 on the list. Their career site is fairly simple, with links on the left hand side for a company overview, Vision, Careers and more. Center page has an overview of “Why Ingram” followed by “select a location”.  Clicking on location brings up a list of countries – pick yours. There were 70 job opportunities in the US when I checked the site.

Good luck in your search.

“If you don’t know where you are going, you might wind up someplace else.” – Yogi Berra

You were hiking with your friends on a heavily forested trail when you somehow got separated. You weren’t really paying attention to where you were going because you weren’t in the lead, you were following. Now you are alone and your only thought is how amazingly dark the forest can be at night. You have your flashlight, but want to conserve the battery in case you really need it. So what should you do, stay in one place in the hope that someone will find you or try to figure it out for yourself? One thing you do know, if you ever find your way back to civilization you are going to be the leader, not the follower.

The quote is so true. And if you are a follower, you may not know where you are going. So where are you going on your journey from college to your first job and how will you get there? Are you lost, or just conserving your flashlight battery? Whatever your answer, it’s time to take the lead in your job search.

College Grad and Entry Level Job Search Boards: Why look at a regular job search site when you can look at one that is geared towards college grads? The following sites are geared to college grad and entry level jobs.

• Monster College – This is Monster.com’s college focused career site. Their tag line “It’s time to graduate into your career” says it all. Top of the site has links for Entry Level Jobs, Internships, Career Advice, Hired 101 and so much more. Center page has links you will be interested in, such as Top 25 Cities for Finding Entry Level Jobs. Right hand side of the page has your basic search, a place to join and more. There are forums to join as well. There were over 10,000 entry level jobs when I checked the site.

• HotJobs College Jobs – Not as focused as the Monster version, HotJobs does have a section that is focused on college grads as well. The center top of the page has a simple search engine for college grads, followed by a listing of Jobs for College Students and Recent Grads. There is a brief list of companies that are currently hiring and the bottom of the page allows you to browse jobs by cities. There were 881 entry level jobs when I checked the site.

• CareerRookie – This entire site is dedicated to internships, part-time and entry level jobs. Top of the page has links for Resume, find jobs, advice and more. Key word search box is near the top of the page with featured employers directly below. As with many of the newer job search sites, this one has an uncluttered first page. There were well over 4,000 job opportunities when I checked the site.

Advice for College Grads and Entry Level Job Seekers:

• College Student/College Graduate/Entry-Level Job-Seeker Articles – This link, by Quintcareers, provides a wealth of information in the form of articles for the recent grad or entry level job seeker. Topics ranging from “Considering Grad School” to “Beyond the Apprentice” offer advice and guidance to help you find your way.

• Entry Level Jobs – Finding Entry Level Jobs – This article provides advice and additional links to help you in your search. Alison Doyle is the author of this article posted on About.com. Topics range from Job Search Help to Career Office Services with embedded links for additional information. There are a few relevant videos on the right hand side of the page and the bottom of the page has quite a few related links. Last, but not least, you can sign up for Alison’s newsletter or visit her blog (these links are at the bottom right hand side of the page).

• Career Advice for the College Grad and Boomerang Generation – Hallie Crawford’s Authentically Speaking site provided this article which is filled with excellent advice and information (including a definition of the “Boomerang Generation”). The article is a 5 step guide for finding your way.  Visit the rest of Hallie’s site for additional information.

Good luck in your search.

“There’s a lady who’s sure all that glitters is gold And she’s buying the stairway to heaven.” – Led Zeppelin

Okay, let’s be honest, it’s all about money in the end. “No way” you say, “money is not the driving factor for me, it’s all about the experience”. So maybe that’s true, but unless you are independently wealthy, you still need money to pay the bills and put food on the table. After you find your job, the one that really motivates you, the money comes next. And, if you are like most people, you want to be paid what you’re worth. Most times, we are only worth what the market will bear. Unless we are so unique as to command an amazing salary (and if you were you would probably not be reading this article). So what are you worth? Do you know? Well you should know before you get the job offer. Some guides and salary search tools are included below. Like everything on the Internet these days, you could spend days (maybe weeks) researching salary.  After a few trys at the firms listed below you should be able to get the basic information you need without spending days looking for it.

Start first with:

• You Want to Pay me What?
• Job Offer – What’s your Bottom Line?

Salary Surveys & Guides:

• The 2009 IT Salary Guide – This survey provides the average salary by IT job category. Click on any of the 10 or so job functions to see a brief overview, the average salary range followed by how this job survey compares to compares from city to city. Best of all, the site has links to other resources which you will find useful.

• JobStar Salary Surveys – This link to surveys, from JobStar.org, provides links to over 300 salary surveys. They start with a very long list of career types, followed by a link to general salary surveys. You should be able to find your functional role from this list and get a rough idea of what your salary might be in this market.

• Salary Guides by Robert Half – Another great resource from RHI, there are links to industry / functional role specific surveys such as Legal, Technology, Finance & Accounting and Office Team (to name a few).  Click the link that interests you and you are led to a page where you can sign-up for the surveys.

Salary Calculator and Wizards:

• Salary Calculator – One of many salary calculators (way to many to list here), this one is offered by homefair.com. Type in your title, put in your zip code and you are all set to go. Fairly generic, but should give you a rough indication.

• PayScale Salary Calculator – This one is from, you guessed it – PayScale.com. Same deal here – job title, city and state and off you go.

• Calculate Your Salary – This one is from our friends at Yahoo.com. In addition to the salary survey stuff, there are also articles on salary and benefits.

• Salary Comparison and Salary Calculator – The NY Times‘ version (hey, do you remember the commercials that said “I got my job through the NY Times classified”?) which has both a salary comparison  and salary calculator. The right hand side of the screen also has a cost of living calculator which can come in handy if you are thinking of moving to another city or state.

Good luck in your search.

“If you’re not the lead dog, the view never changes” – Anonymous

I’ve spent so much time providing advice and leads to people looking for a job that I’ve actually not thought about those who want to keep the job they’ve got. If you’ve worked long enough you’ve seen someone (or know someone) who has lost their job. If the company goes bankrupt, not much you can do, but there are many things you can do to keep from going to the top of “the List”. Some people implode, explode, lose their edge, lose their ambition and lose their job as a result. Downsizing is a difficult process to live through (and survive), but even in the best of times there are people who lose their jobs for the wrong reasons and for wrong actions (or lack of action) that could have possibly kept their jobs had they focused on a few basics. Yes, many times nothing you do is going to help, but it helps your state of mind if you’ve done everything you can to keep your job. And who knows, maybe these tips will help you keep the job you’ve got.

Keeping Your Job:

• Top Ten Tips: How To Keep Your Job In Today’s Economy – This article, from About.com, provides ten useful tips for keeping the job you’ve got. From Don’t Do Poorly to “I’m just happy to have a job”, these tips will give you some of what you’ll need to keep your job in tough times. There are additional links at the bottom for related articles such as “How to Make Your Current Job Work”.

• How to keep your job – This bit of advice, from CNNMoney.com, provides additional advice for keeping your job and provides some practical examples. Accepting lower pay is one of the suggestions which, while better than having no job or money, is an alternative most of us really don’t want to consider. But, less pay is better than no pay. Hopefully, these strategies will help you keep your job.

• Ten Signs You Should Keep Your Job – So suppose you were thinking about looking for a job but were not sure if you should make a move.  This article, by Monster.com, provides the tell-tale signs that let you know you should stay where you are. The article also provides some additional pointers on how to improve your work situation.

Improving Your Job:

• CAREER Model for Career Development Success – This model, from Careerdoctor.org, conveniently creating an acronym from Career to layout the steps for your career development. The CAREER steps are fairly fundamental once you’ve read them, but without them (or something like them) you are unlikely to come up with a focused action plan. Additional resources are available via additional links. The concept of Career Coach is also discussed (and this is a personal choice).

• How To Get Promoted : 9 Obvious And Often Not Practiced Tips – What about keeping your job and getting ahead as well?  This article, from Career-Success-for-newbies.com,  tells you how you can get promoted (with obvious but little used tips!). In addition to providing this advice, this site is geared towards newly minted job seekers (and those in entry level jobs). Additionally, there are a number of links at the bottom of the page that provide even more resources for improving your job and career.

• Developing a Strategic Vision for Your Career Plan – Last, but certainly not least, is an article on strategic planning for your career. The article, by Quintcareers.com, covers topics like career changes, reflecting on your career, Career Planning Exercises and long term career planning. Best of all are all of the links at the bottom of the article which provide additional resources for career planning.

Good luck in your search.

“The trouble with the rat race is that even if you win you’re still a rat.” – Lily Tomlin

So everything I read lately says that, even when the economy starts to rebound (and many think it has already started), new job creation will lag. Now who am I to dispute that bit of wisdom? But while that may be true, there are still thousands of jobs out there to be had. In fact, there are probably 10’s of thousands of jobs to be had. Now granted, there may not be thousands of jobs that you can fill and they may not all be where you live, but if you are willing to have an open mind and are flexible about where you live (or desperate in the extreme) there are thousands of jobs and I’m about to show you how to find them.

Where to Start in Your Job Search:

• How to get a job – The theme of this story is very similar to what I’ve said in my opening paragraph – yes, the current unemployment rate is still climbing and yes, last week another (very big number) people joined the unemployed, but there are tens of thousands of jobs out there. The second half of the tag line of the article is “Millions of people were hired last month!”. The article is worth a read for several reasons, not the least of which there are plenty of good tips (and they use a headline that is very similar to one I used in an earlier blog “Hey Brother, Can Your Spare a Job?“.

• Successful Job Searching – This article, by About.com, provides a step-by-step guide to finding a job. Categories include Write a Resume, Complete a Job Application, Find Job Listings plus a long list of other resources. The right side of this article has a link to several videos – “10 thinks to do after a layoff” and “How to prepare for a job interview”.

• How to find a job during a recession – CNN weighs in with an article on how to find a job. Another step-by-step article with topics such as trying freelance work, freshen your skills, networking, polish your brand (like my “market yourself”). The middle of the article has additional links to job related articles.

• HOW TO FIND A JOB? -  Not sure why there is a question mark at the end of this page’s name, but don’t be fooled by the first page. There are a number of links on this site to resources such as job search, job applications, resumes, cover letters and more. Each link leads to a robust page with information on the topic.  At the bottom of the page are several other links to Work Menu (several resources here), Training, Where (like, where to find a job) and Who can help (many more resources).

And Now the Job Listings and Resources:

• The Highest Ranked Job Search Sites (Google) – This is a great link, as it shows the highest ranked job search sites (as per Google) based on page rank, a few of which are included below. You will note that it is a fairly long list (and you will want to start at the top). The other great thing about this link is that it also provides links to Executive Search, Entry Level and Internships, Job Fairs and more. Now, you should note that, just because a site has a high Google ranking does not necessarily mean it is the best site. So what are some of the best sites, see below for a few.

• Indeed.com – This is one of the best sites at the moment and, according to their site, more than 755,000 jobs were added in the last 7 days (and that is not a typo) – thousands of jobs, just as I promised. The first page is a very simple interface, two choices What and Where. You can also click on the Advanced Search which provides a broad range of search options. There are additional links at the bottom for Job Trends, Salaries and Forums. And , you don’t have to post your resume on this site.

• Recruiters Online – “Your key to the hidden job market” is the tag line for this job search site. A very simple first page – Search Jobs, Post or Edit  your Resume, and Find a Recruiter. Click on Search Jobs for their very interesting search engine. They provide examples of how you can leverage their job search engine by leveraging keywords. Click Find a Recruiter (at the top of the screen if you are not on the main page). The page lists a few featured recruiters with a search engine on the right hand side. Enter your criteria and the search engine will return a list of recruiters.

• Job-Hunt.org – “Help and links to 13,054 Employers & Job Search Resources” is the tag line for this resource site. Not sure how they got such an exact number, but this site is filled with valuable information. Where to start? The top of the page has a drop down box so that you can review resources by state. The left hand side of the page has Layoff Help, Getting Started (too many links to list here) and links to relevant articles. The center of the page has Job Search News and Job Search Sites and Career Resources. Click on any state from the drop down box and you are immediately transferred to a page which is full of information regarding jobs for your state. This site is definitely worth spending time on and reviewing all of the resources available.

And if That’s Not Enough:

• Executive Search List
• Entry Level Job Site List
• Job Search by Industry

Good luck in your search.

“The only place where success comes before work is in the dictionary.” – Donald Kendall

I know I’m dreaming, because I’m fresh out of school with “the world at my doorstep” and visions of grandeur about being Chief Executive Officer by the time I’m 30 years old. I have thousands of people working for me and my speaking engagements alone keep me incredibly busy. My office is the size of a large apartment and my administrative assistant has an administrative assistant! But wait, what’s that ringing sound way off in the background? It’s getting louder and . . .it’s almost like one of those dreams where you are falling and just when you are about to hit the ground you bounce in bed and on the second or third bounce I realize that the ringing sound is my alarm clock. Okay, time to get out of bed and join the real world (at least my real world). Not all of us will grow up to be Chairman of the Board. That’s okay, because not all of us want to have that type of responsibility. But no one starts at the top and for those that wind up at the top, it is usually due to hard work. Many, many years of hard work. Speaking of work and success, time to continue with job leads (over 4,000 job opportunities) from the Fortune 500 so you can continue your climb to the top (be it the 2nd floor or the 45th floor).

• Cisco Systems – Number 57 on this year’s list, Cisco is known for network communications Their career site is fairly simple. The left hand side of the page has links for Featured Jobs, Search Jobs, Graduate & Intern Career Programs and more. There is also a small video you can play. The right hand side of the page has related links and search career opportunities at Cisco, Linksys and Scientific Atlanta. There were 1,096 job opportunities when I checked the site.

• Johnson Controls - According to their website, they are “a diversified, industrial growth company” and are ranked 58 on the list. Their career page has an overview of the company along with a short video that you can play. The left hand side of the page has links to jobs (split by location) followed by links for students and benefits. Center page are additional links for US Jobs, Students, Benefits and Diversity. There were 635 job opportunities in the U.S. when I checked the site.

• FedEx – We’ve all heard of this company, ranked 59 on this year’s list. FedEx has locations all over the US and internationally. Their Career Site is hard to find, but once you find it (just click the link at the beginning of this paragraph) there is plenty of good content. FedEx has over 233,000 employees in the US and another 40,000 outside of the US. They actually had a net decrease in jobs last year. Their career site has tabs in the middle of the page for Job Search, Job Agent, Job Cart, Areas of Talent and more. You must select a country before you can search for jobs (mid right hand side of the page). There were 1,692 job opportunities in the US when I checked the site.

• Walt Disney – Ranked at # 60 on the list, Disney and all of it’s entertainment content is very well know and is also the most admired entertainment company on Fortune’s Most Admired list. Their career page gives a brief overview but the links are on the left hand side – company overview, Openings and Student Programs. Click Openings to link to their search page which has a number of tool links at the top for managing your registration and resume posting. This is followed by a search engine where you can search by Disney company (ABC, ESPN, etc.) or by any other search type you can think of. There were 250 job opportunities when I checked the site.

• Intel – More than anything else, Intel is know for computer chips and is ranked 61 on the list. Their careers page is well put together. The left hand side of the page is filled with relevant links (like Job Search, Intern/Grad Opportunities, a Jobs Blog and so much more). The center of the page starts with a brief overview, followed by a quick Jobs Search box (below which are links for advanced search and recent grad/student searches). Bottom center page has a few targeted searches. The right hand side of the page has an enhanced applicant tool with an additional job search link. There were 843 job opportunities when I checked the site.

Good luck in your search.

“‘Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?’ ‘That depends a good deal on where you want to get to,’ said the Cat.” – Lewis Carroll, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland

I’ve never really been a big believer of networking as the main job search strategy. In fact, for whatever reason, I’ve always felt that “who you know” plays a very small part in landing a job (despite the statistics). But just last week I helped someone I know get a job by referring them. I actually referred three people over the last few weeks (only one got the job so far), so it got me to thinking. Maybe there is something to this “it’s who you know”. For me, out of the way too many jobs I’ve had over the way too many years I’ve worked, only two jobs were as a result of someone I knew.  But in my current job, of the six people I’ve hired over the last 10 months, three have been referred in one form or other. 50%! Lower than the statistics would lead you to believe, but still an impressive number. So you know what? I’ve changed my mind. There is something to this “it’s who you know”. So, what better place to start than my Job Search Marketing Toolkit and the Networking post?

Business Social Networks – The Usual Suspects:

• LinkedIn – According to Wikipedia, LinkedIn is “a business- social networking site founded in December 2002 and launched in May 2003 mainly used for professional networking”.  This site has become very popular over the last year.  At the end of September 2009, the site had 9 million unique visits for the month and by September of this year there were more than 50 million registered users across well over 100 industries.  The site allows users to link to colleagues from current and past employers, schools and any other group that may be defined.   One of the features I like best is the “degrees of separation”. The site will show you how you may know a third party through an existing connection.  Linked has job search functions as well formats which allow you to showcase your background. Clearly the “best in class” from what I’ve seen.

• Meettheboss – This is a brand new site from what I can tell and seems to be focused on Financial Services (a way to differentiate from other sites).  One item I do not like is that it forces you to add your company website url as part of the registration. Two issues with this.  First, you may not want to advertise the company you work for and second, what happens if your company is small and does not have a website (yes, there are still companies without websites!)?  Unlike LinkedIn, there does not seem to be a way to search for people you may know.  The interface is nice, but the site looks thin on functionality. I will keep an eye on this site to see how it fairs, but I’m not sure I get it yet.

Networking – Where to Start:

• Riley Guide on Networking – This article from the Riley Guide provides an excellent review of networking.  What it is, how to do it and what it isn’t.  The article provides a number of additional links on associated topics.

• Successful Job Search Networking – This About.com article provides another view on networking (formal versus informal) as well as a long list of additional resources.  The article mentions that 60% of all jobs are filled via networking (I’ve heard as high as 80% as well).

• The Art of Career and Job-Search Networking – Quintcareers also has a page dedicated to networking and they also stress that this is probably the most important part of your search methods.  They provide detail on networking on the web, networking groups (like Diversity, Women, Military, etc.) as well as some publications on the topic.

• The Social Network as a Career Safety Net – This NY Times article provides a real-life example of how social networking helped someone find other opportunities.  While the current job market environment is likely to make it more difficult than the success of the individual in the article, it does stress the importance of networking.

Other Networking Resources:

• ExecuNet – This is an organization for senior executives which helps them leverage their networks and manage their careers.  This is a “member only” organization, so there is a fee based on length of membership.  Membership allows users to connect with c-level executives, attend regional networking meetings and meet with recruiters and companies.

• WEDDLE’s Association Directory – Not sure where to start?  Weddle provides an online comprehensive list by functional job of professional associations.  The site also supplies a wealth of career support such as Tips for Success and a Training Center.

• The Financial Executives Networking Group – FENG, which is free to join but accepts donations to support their work, provides a very robust networking group for Accounting and Finance professionals. They have local chapters in many locations and offer regular meetings based on function (like Asset Management) or Tax.  Their regular newsletter provides job leads and information to help in your job search.  The group also provides access to Insurance and a wide range of other benefits.

• Hispanic Alliance for Career Enhancement – (HACE) – This organization provides an outlet for building Latino careers.  The organization provides a guidance and support from High School through to the experienced Professional.  There is a “Job Seeker” section which allows for resume posting as well as a listing of regional career conferences.

Good luck in your search.

“Running on – running on empty, Running on – running blind, Running on – running into the sun, But I’m running behind” – Jackson Browne

Running on empty? The list of possibilities for job search leads is endless, and if yours is running on empty it’s time to fill up. Your biggest problem should be that you have so many job leads and so little time. But don’t take my word for it, take a look at the list of resources and leads in this post and get to work. Not to say that you should apply to every job, sign up with every job search board and call every recruiter, that’s not the point. The point is that you should have a list of leads that will ensure you land a job (the job) as soon as possible (and long before you are “running on empty”).

Resources:

• Alumni Job Site -  Another resource by Beyond.com with an amazing number of resources for recent grads. Top of the page is the usual links – Search Jobs, Post Resume, Job Seeker Login and Career Resources. Below this starts the long list of links. First section is “Choose Your Career Channel” which is your field of study or interest (almost 30 are listed here). This is followed by Job Seeker Tools (center left hand side) and Featured Companies (center right hand side). Last, but not least, Career Center Resources. But wait, where to begin? Not to worry, on the right hand side of the page are “3 Quick Steps to Job Seeker Success”! Need I say more?

• CampusCareerCenter.com -  Jobs, Guidance and Networking is this sites tag line.  There are links at the top of the page for Post Resume and Students. On the left hand side of the screen is the Student resource center with a number of links, including Job Search, Resources and Tools. Center page is a listing of featured employers while on the right hand side of the page is a rotating “Who’s Hiring” logo. Click on Search Jobs (under Job Search) to search for jobs (you need to register first in order to do this).

• Internweb.com – Yes, I know that it feels early to be thinking of this (or maybe too late if you’ve already graduated). It’s a very good idea to have as many internships during your college education as possible, but if you are graduating this year and don’t have a job, you could certainly still do an internship over the summer until you find full time employment. This site has tabs near the top for Intern Listing, Intern Jobs, College Intern and Intern Board. Below this there is an Intern Search bar to the left and below that is a section for students with plenty of resources. Center section is your main search area where you can subscribe or look at some internships now.

Who’s Hiring College Grads and Entry Level:

• Top Entry Level Employers – This amazing list is from Collegegrad.com and it provides links to hundreds of companies that are hiring entry level candidates. There is also a list for interns and masters graduates. Clicking on any one company brings up a page of statistics, with the Careers Page, Home Page and College page links on the left hand side.

• 25 Employers Hiring the Class of 2009 – Careerbuilder.com provides its list of companies that are hiring college grads (and there are thousands of opportunities). The list is in alphabetical order and provides an overview for each company. In addition to this list of 25 companies, there are a number of resources on the left hand side of the page that will help as well. At the top of the page you will find the usual Careerbuilder links.

Job Search Sites for Entry Level & College Grads:

• CareerRookie – This search site provides internships, part-time jobs and entry level jobs. You can use a keyword search to find your job. Listing several thousand jobs, this site has additional tabs at the top for resumes and advise &resources. Finally, at the bottom of the page is another long list of links

• MBA Careers – The name is self-explanatory. This site has links at the top for Job Seeker, Post Resume (register first) and Search Jobs. Job Seeker provides some tools and links, but you should also click on Search Jobs. This link provides a simple search engine on the left with a list of featured employers on the right hand side.

• College Central – ”The nation’s largest network of college job seekers” is the tag line for this site. There are two main sections – “Connect To” and “Content Links”. Connect To includes Alumni Center and Student Center. Click on these for specialized job search resources and search tools. As an example, the Alumni Center has over 62,000 jobs and over 100 career videos. Content Links includes links to a number of resources including Career Corner with a number of relevant articles.

Good luck in your search.

“Technology makes it possible for people to gain control over everything, except over technology” – John Tudor

Time for another list of companies where you may want to work. This list, provided by Computer World is an interesting list. The important thing to point out here is that the companies on this list are not necessarily technology companies but leverage technology in their companies and industries. So, if you are expecting to see a long list of “who’s who” in the tech world you wont (although there are some tech companies on the list). But this list is about great places to work (rather than the largest, most profitable companies). So this is about enjoying where you work (which I think is a goal we all have). And that is what makes this list so interesting, because it includes a broad range of companies (and institutions) many of which I never would have considered had I not seen them on this list. So if you are looking for diversity of industries, this is the list for you. Their are over 770 job opportunities across the companies (and one institution) listed below.

• General Mills Inc. – Ranked at number 1 on the list, General Mills is known for products that you’ve probably heard of: Chex, Bisquick, Green Giant and many more. Their career page is not clutter and is easy to navigate. It has links on the left for Job Search, Campus, Experienced, Careers and more. The middle of the page has additional links for Job Search, and Campus Events and Career Fairs and Why Work at General Mills (this is part of your research). The Experienced link provides an overview of the types of jobs at General Mills. Click on Job Search to register on the site or select search openings at the bottom which will return a search engine. There were 77 job opportunities when I checked the site.

• Genentech Inc. – Genentech is a Biotech company and is ranked at #2 on the list. Their career site also has a lot of information on the company. In addition to search jobs, they have links to their national career conferences as well as their campus recruiting. From their job posting page, you can create an account, add a resume, search for jobs and manage your job search at Genentech. There were 100 job opportunities when I checked the site

• San Diego Gas & Electric Co. – Not a company that I would have thought about, San Diego Gas & Electric is ranked at # 3 and with over 12,000 employees. Their careers page has three large sections – Working for SDG&E, Help Applying and Recruitment Calendar. There is a large box on the right hand side of the page for search for jobs. Click this box to link to the Career Opportunities page. The page provides a brief overview of the company with a list of career opportunity links on the right hand side of the page. Click the search for jobs link. There were 13 job opportunities when I checked the site.

• University of Pennsylvania – Not a company at all, but definitely well known and at the top of their list. Ranked at # 4. Their career site leads with mentioning this award (# 4 on this list), with links on the left hand side for search for open positions, how to apply, benefits and more. The center of the page has similar links with Job Opportunities and then background on the University.  Their are two choices – faculty (which I’m assuming you do not want) and staff positions. There were 298 staff job opportunities when I checked the site.

• Monsanto Co. – Ranked at #5, Monsanto is known for seed and biotechnology.  Their careers site covers background on the company, including corporate culture and diversity. The left hand side of the page has links for getting started, job opportunities, benefits and more. The right hand side of the screen has similar links, with extra links for recent grads and experienced professionals. There were 286 job opportunities when I checked the site.

Good luck in your search.