According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the job market is finally on the rise, with nonfarm payroll employment rising by 200,000 in December of 2011. Even though this spells good things for the economy and the employment outlook for our future, it still doesn’t mean that getting a job is easy – especially if you’re in a particularly competitive field.

How to Raise your Chances of Getting a Job:

It could often be very frustrating if you do not hear from the interviewers after the interview is done. Since you are anxiously waiting for a response, it becomes even more important that you get an update immediately.

If you’ve been sending out applications and getting interviews without follow-ups, here are some things that you need to start doing after every interview to raise your chances of getting hired:

Know What Comes Next

Before you even leave the interview, make sure to get a clear idea of what happens next in the hiring process. Most of the time, a potential employer will have an idea of when they will be contacting candidates for further interviews or job offers.

Asking questions about this timing lets the interviewer know you are definitely interested in the job and also helps you decide how to time your post-interview communications properly.

Ask If You Can Get In Touch

Another way to ensure that the interviewer knows you are interested in the position is to ask if and how you can get in touch after the interview. You don’t want to be annoying, but most potential employers won’t mind if you touch base through a short phone call or email a week or two after your interview. Asking about this at the end of your interview can lead an interviewer to expect such contact, as well.

Send a Thank You Note

This is one of the simplest ways to make a good impression. Send a hand written thank you note to each person who was part of your interview shortly after the interview.

Some job coaches recommend sending an email twenty-four hours after the interview and a hand written card or letter that will arrive one to three days after that. A thank you note makes you look polite, and it also keeps your name in the front of your interviewers’ minds.

Follow Up with a Letter

Sometimes, following up with a longer letter – rather than just a short thank you note – can be a great idea, as well. If you’ve learned more about the company after your interview or have had time to process some of the company’s problems or challenges after the interview, link your accomplishments and skills to those issues in your letter.

A letter can also be a good place to address achievements, skills, or experiences that you did not get around to discussing during the interview.

Keep Your Word

If you say that you’ll send a list of references or a documentation of a certain training or experience the day after your interview, then do it. Punctuality in carrying out such tasks will show that you’re serious about the job and will ensure that you look nothing but professional.

Be Careful of Your Credit

Many potential employers will check your credit history to gauge how responsible you are in your personal life – which is often a good indicator of how responsible you will be in your job. This means that you may not want to apply for a credit card online or run up a bunch of new debt the weekend after your interview.

Remember, credit card applications and other applications for credit will put dings in your credit history, so make only wise, necessary credit choices in the few weeks before and after an important job interview.

Be Patient

While it’s a good idea to have some contact with your potential employer and interviewers after an interview, it’s also important not to come across as desperate and avoid becoming a pest. Choose one or two forms of contact, and stick with that. Wait for the employer to call you, otherwise.

If you have not heard from the potential employer for two or three weeks after the interview, it’s acceptable to call to check on the status of the hiring process.

Don’t Burn Bridges

This is perhaps the most important piece of post-interview advice. Even if you aren’t chosen for the position at that particular time, remain professional. Unprofessional behavior can burn bridges with employers and interviewers who might otherwise hire you sometime in the future, so remain calm, professional, and courteous throughout all your post-interview interactions with anyone from the company.

Don’t forget to remain professional and courteous even on your favorite social networking sites, as well! Using them for a venting outlet about a potential employer could well cost you a job opportunity in the future.

These steps will help you stay in contact with potential employers after your interview so that you’ll more likely be hired for the job. It may take you a couple of interviews to learn to use these techniques perfectly, but once you do, you’ll raise your chances of getting a job any time you get an interview.

About the author:

Ashyia Hill contributed this article.  She is a social media advocate at the credit card comparison website, http://www.creditdonkey.com/

One of my ex-subordinates had once applied for a job with a leading financial firm. This guy in question was extremely talented in analytics. He used to consult me for important things even after I had left the job. Over a period of time I realized that he had developed immensely in the field and hence I knew he could any day bag a good position anywhere.

So, when he informed me that he was appearing for an interview, I knew that he would crack it and so it was. After about 4 months into his new job, he called me. He was extremely frustrated, tired of the job he was doing, de-motivated and desperate to quit the job.

I wondered as to what the reason could be. What could have changed in 4 months?

I met him the next day and after a 3 hour long discussion, I realized that it is not only important to crack interviews, but it is also important to do it at an employer who understands your abilities.

This guy in question was good at data crunching, interpreting and presenting it. But his employer never understood his abilities. His initiatives were shot down saying he was knew to the organization and he needed to spend some more time. He was put into a data accumulating team, whose job was to run queries on servers and pull data and hand it over to people who would analyze it. He spent time learning it. Very often he would find that the analytics people had not interpreted the data correctly, yet his feedback was discarded.

His frustration grew and finally he quit the organization.

Finding an employer who can understand your abilities

If you are looking at a long term career, then it is very important that you find an employer who can understand your abilities and channelize your energy in the right direction.

Some tips that can help you are mentioned below -

Know what you are applying for -

Don’t just apply for a job. Know what you are applying for. You are the best judge of yourself. You know your strengths. You know your skills.

Before you apply for that job that you see in the newspaper, ask yourself if it fits your profile. Will it help you put your skills to use? Will it help you learn and enhance your skills?

If what you are applying for is not something your love to do, you are sure to get frustrated very soon.

Don’t be shy of asking questions -

I have often seen interviewees shying away from asking questions, in spite of the interviewer asking them. Ask questions about the details of the role. Ask whatever questions you have about the job profile.

One thing as a caution; Ensure that you have read whatever information is available about the profile before asking questions. Else it will appear as if you are under-prepared.

Be an Optimist -

People are hired equally for the attitude that they display as for the technical skills they possess. Exhibit optimism. Very often people are put into the wrong roles just because of their attitudes. Nobody will like keeping a pessimist in their team.

Be a continuous learner -

Career building is not about doing many jobs and possessing fancy titles. It is about building an inventory of skills and knowledge to execute the required job well. Hence it is important that you keep gathering whatever knowledge comes your way.

Take on challenging roles -

Seek roles that you always wanted to do. This will provide you the most needed visibility. Visibility is what will take you placed. It will not be easy to get these roles. You will have to toil hard to get them, but once you are into it, your career is sure to get the boost it needs.

Conclusion:

Building your career is not just about cracking that interview. It includes a lot of things and starts from the very point you see that “Wanted”ad in the newspaper. If you wish to build a long term career, it is important that you work with employers who understand you abilities. At the same time it is also important that you understand the needs of your employer and fulfill it.

This is a guest post by Danielle on evaluating potential employers. You can read the guidelines to guest posting at our write for us page.

In the current economic climate, nationwide unemployment levels have reached nearly 10%. As a result, competition for jobs is fiercer than usual, which may result in those desperate for work being taken advantage of by job scams.

Knowing how to identify red flags and bad leads is invaluable to job seekers who can’t afford to waste precious time while looking for work.

Here are some tips for doing just that. Put these to the best use to identify your potential employer.

Evaluating the presence of your potential employer

Make sure the company you’re applying with has actual office space. If a company isn’t established enough to have a real location and/or headquarters, investigate deeper to confirm their legitimacy. You can look up a business’ information via the Better Business Bureau, as well as asking peers in your industry or at the local Chamber of Commerce.

If no one has ever heard of the company or you can’t find any information about them, it’s best to keep moving. Don’t fall for the allure of a fancy website design, as nearly anyone can create this false front.

Checking the Authenticity of the Ads

If an ad sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Some scams are easier than others to decipher, such as those that suggest employees can take home hundreds of dollars each week. While these positions are likely to exist in high-profile industries, approach job ads that make such claims with care.

Many may be commission-only positions that require personnel to provide up-front capital for materials, something that no reputable company should ever do.

Credibility of the mode of advertising

Be careful about applying for ads advertised on Craigslist, especially if a company is located overseas. Some ads can be well written but still be scams. You might submit your resume and cover letter only to find your email address added to a spammer’s database.

As you likely know all too well, getting away from spam emails can be difficult and will certainly add stress when you don’t need any other obstacles to your job search. Sites like Career Builder are far more trustworthy.

Evaluating the position and role advertised for

Avoid job ads that seek individuals to work at home doing tasks like envelope stuffing, email processing, or parts assembly. These tasks are generally handled by companies using an automated process, which essentially means you would be working at a fraction of their pace – and income.

If ever in doubt about a company’s employment process, ask questions. If you can’t get clear and honest answers in a reasonable amount of time, head back to the proverbial drawing board.

Caution about information disclosure

Never submit your Social Security number or bank account information as part of the application process. Submitting your financial information is not necessary for a company to conduct a background check and will only open you up to fraud and deception.

Concluding – Evaluating your potential employer

The longer you are out of work, the easier you likely are to panic about your future and need to get back to work. Living in a state of anxiety, however, isn’t productive to your health or job search process. Keep calm and approach your search with caution and wisdom. You want to devote your precious time to securing employment with a legitimate company, not trying to escape a junk mail whirlpool.

About the Author:

Danielle writes for SuitsAndLadders.co.uk. You can read more about her works at her blog.

This is a guest post by Angelita Williams on the traits of a good job candidate. You can read the guidelines to guest posting at our write for us page

While a strong resume, showcasing professional experience, strong academic marks, and a balanced skill set is a perfect start to landing a rewarding career, there are several other attributes not on paper that employers are desperately seeking in their employees. All too often, job hunters rely too heavily on their resume and cover letter to land them the job of their dreams, without also considering how they present their “soft” skills to a potential employer. Demonstrating your own positive character traits to a potential employer during an interview and through your correspondence is just as important as your written credentials. These three traits are the most highly sought after characteristics of a strong and desirable employee.

Positive Attitude

Your attitude communicates more about your potential as an employee than anything else. Even the best of resumes can be a seriously unfortunate employee, if their attitude is bad. Positivity says so much about a person and can have so much to offer a company. Individuals who display a level of drive and enthusiasm for their work are always more successful at their job. A positive attitude in a professional setting helps to boost the company’s morale.

With happier employees, people are able to be more successful at their jobs. A positive attitude from just one member of a professional team can help to motivate others significantly. Employees look for job candidates that are energetic and excited about their job and their work. Though it sounds like the oldest cliché in the book, a positive attitude really can get you nearly anything. So, work to demonstrate your positive attitude, energy, and enthusiasm at work or during your job search.

Communication Skills

For the most part, the professional world is all about working with others to accomplish your goals. Of course, there are several careers that are more individually motivated, but we will always have to work with someone in some way or another in the professional setting. For this reason, strong communication skills are one of the most important attributes an employee can have. It is essential for the working order of any company or organization that the employees can successfully communicate their ideas and thoughts as well as easily understand the ideas and concerns of others.

With the ability to clearly articulate what it is you are thinking and what it is you need to succeed, you can produce a working environment that is efficient and successful. Communication is an aspect of every part of our lives and is often overlooked during one’s job search. If you are seeking a position, you must display your strong ability to communicate clearly and effectively. Moreover, you must also demonstrate your ability to listen carefully and effectively. Employers desire job candidates that can easily enter a new situation and communicate their thoughts and concerns, while also taking in others thoughts and advice.

Strong Work Ethic

While your work ethic is certainly an aspect of your attitude, it cannot simply be combined with the trait of having a positive attitude about your work. Your work ethic demonstrates your dedication to your work. Employers seek job candidates who love what they do and want produce the best work that they possibly can. Tenacity and dedication go a long way in the professional world. Obviously, if you are passionate about your work and passionate about doing a good job with your work, you are going to be a valuable employee.

One of the most difficult situations employers have to deal with is when an employee is capable of completing a job successfully, but does not have the work ethic to do so properly. An employer would far prefer an employee who has a strong work ethic, but is lacking some of the technical skill sets required to do a job. In this case, the employ will have the tenacity to learn that new skill set and complete their work to the very best of their ability.

Photograph courtesy jonny2love

About the Author:

This guest post is contributed by Angelita Williams, who writes on the topics of online courses.  She welcomes your comments at her email Id: angelita.williams7 (at) gmail.com.

This is a guest post by Erik on resume tips. You can read the guidelines to guest posting at our write for us page

With unemployment on the rise, managers and employers are inundated with a mass of resume for each job opening they have. To secure the position of your choice, it is imperative to create a resume that catches the eye of your potential employer. By following a few simple resume tips, you can create an easy to read resume that boasts of your education, skills, and experience.

Resume Tips

It is often seen that people stuff a lot of unnecessary information into their resume which makes it look too boring. If your resume is not able to catch the attention of the person screening these, it is unlikely that you will be called for an interview.

These simple resume tips will help you create an attention grabbing resume.

Objective

This is one of the most important resume tips. Always start your resume with an objective – by doing so, you are telling the employer you have direction and are clear about your goals. This simple but clear objective can land you an interview; however, if your objective is ambiguous, it can hurt your chances for an interview. Carefully craft your objective to match the opening you are applying for as well as your goal for the job.

Presenting Work Experiences

As you organize your work experiences, internships, and skill sets, be sure to only include those that are pertinent to the job for which you are applying. Including additional items will only distract the employer. Keep your resume clear and concise. All resumes, with a few exceptions, should be kept to one page in length.

Accomplishments

As you list your accomplishment at your previous jobs, do so using strong verbs. Strong verbs give power to your statements. Be sure to tell the employer how you saved or, made money at your last job, if applicable. Action verbs as well as your ability to manage funds efficiently will sound impressive to a prospective employer.

Preparing to send your Resume

If you are applying for multiple jobs, e-mail is an efficient way to get your resume into the hands of many prospective employers. You will want to keep a few things in mind as you prepare your resume for e-mail. Print out a hard copy of your resume. What may look great on the computer screen may not print as well. Make sure spacing and headings print appropriately. You should follow up every e-mail with a snail-mail version of your resume.

Should you include a cover letter?

Another way to grab the attention of a future employer is to include a cover letter with your resume. The purpose of a cover letter is to offer a glimpse of your writing ability, your ability to communicate and possibly a more detailed account of an accomplishment. Take your time with your cover letter, as this will be the preview to your equally important resume.

As you begin the resume writing process, take some time to look at sample resumes online. A sample resume from your field can help you narrow your skills and accomplishments into an easy to read resume that will catch the eye of a future employer. It could also help you generate new ideas to better describe yourself on your resume.

Let us know your comments on how these resume tips helped you improve the resume.

Get your job search underway today by visiting the Total-Jobs website.

This is a guest post by Austin on the power of internship. You can read the guidelines to guest posting at our write for us page.

Laying the foundation for a promising career begins with a good education and a healthy amount of motivation, but it doesn’t end there. An internship with a reputable company or, firm can give you the boost you need to earn job experience, build a professional network, and learn skills that you can’t acquire in college.

Get the most out of your Internship

But landing an internship isn’t easy: you’ll have to make yourself stand out among the competition. You’ll also have to make sure that you showcase your education and skills in ways that are easily accessible to potential employers. With a few tips, you can make your internship into a valuable and powerful experience.

It is important that you do not just do it for the heck of doing. These simple tips can help you get the most out of your internship.

Apply early for your internship

The early bird gets the worm—and the early applicant can often land the internship he wants most. Like full-time jobs, internships are often very competitive, and depending on the field you’re going into, the number of open slots may be small. Work with your school’s career center and your school program’s chair or department head to learn about internship opportunities as soon as they’re announced.

Starting a network of professional contacts can give you an edge as well: making connections at school functions and job fairs, and checking in with companies or firms you’re interested in working for can make you stand out in a crowd of resumes and online portfolios.

Keep your options open

Of course, there may be an internship that will help open doors for you and could lead to a fulfilling future. But you’re not the only person who’s coveting that job, so make sure you apply to a wide range of internships.

Applying to different types of internships can also help you diversify your interests and career plans: if you are, for instance, a graphic design student with a love for public service, you might consider applying for an internship at a non-profit organization that needs help with web or brochure design.

Harness the power of the Internet

Not every college or university has a career center, and some students might have to conduct an internship search on their own. If you’re at a school without internship help or you’re enrolled in an online degree program, the Internet can be one of your most valuable resources.

Internship websites—like job search engines—offer listings, tips and message boards for students searching for internship opportunities. InternWeb lists paid and unpaid internships for college students and new graduates. And Experience.com has listings for both internships and entry-level jobs, which can be used as a stepping stone to a better career for college students. Experience.com is also connected with LinkedIn, which can help you build relationships and create opportunities with your existing professional and educational networks.

Internship – your course of action

Securing an internship can be one of the most important things you do in your college career—so you owe it to yourself to get it right. Start early, apply to a number of different internship opportunities, and make sure you build and maintain your social and professional networks. The right internship can be your first step toward the right career path for you.

This is a guest post by Austin. You can read the guidelines to guest posting at our write for us page.

Working from home is a long lost dream of the American office worker, online university student, or stay at home parent. We have all said, at one point or another that the work we do could easily be done from the comfort of my own couch. While this may be true, doing work at home is much harder than most may think.

Consider the coffee shops around the world that are packed to the brim with “independent authors”, “social media gurus” and freelance writers. Take a moment to consider their limitations on workspace…they have none. They could easily be living our dream! Why don’t they? It makes little to no sense what-so-ever. This raises the question…how to establish a home work space that separates “home” from “work”.

It’s a must for the home worker, but can be difficult to pull off.

In order to solve this, most serious of problems, we must first completely understand the problem at hand. Let’s analyze the common reasons behind the lack of sanctity on working at home:

• Distractions
• Too comfortable
• Alone
• Lack of other working people

In order to successfully separate your work and home, we have to do just that. SEPARATE. First thing’s first – find your space, your work space, the space that will become your working sanctuary. Now, the obvious comes to mind in that you can make an entire room your workspace, but if that’s the case – you’re probably not worried about reading this article in the first place! So let’s consider some separation techniques such as; a sheet, a corner, a desk, a small nook or corner. Whatever you decide to use, just make sure it’s your designated place. When you’re there, you’re working – nothing else!

A popular option when workers are considering a workspace is creating one in the garage. This is an excellent option and often utilizes space that would otherwise go un-used to become riddled with clutter. This also brings up obvious concerns, such as climate – aka heating/cooling problems. We want our home workspace to be a year round sanctuary, not a seasonal spot.

The space you create is by far the most important and influential aspect of the office to home separation, but to go along with that you will need a few “office-esque” items. Search online for some fun organizational tools such as a whiteboard, or a chalkboard. Look for filling cabinets that will help fill in your space accordingly. Research shows that when a worker feels comfortable, or “tucked in” at their workspace, they are more efficient. So eliminate useless space, fill in the rest with organizational tool and items.

When considering, creating, and finalizing your workspace, remember one key aspect: the off switch. Your workspace needs an off switch. You have to be able to get up from your desk and be done working once you leave. A common problem with at home workers is their need and desire to never stop working, or the opposite. In either case, creating the proper workspace will be the biggest tool in solving this problem.

This is a guest post by Austin. You can read the guidelines to guest posting at our write for us page.

A wave of professionals hit the shores of grad school every time a news outlet breathes the word “recession.” Suddenly, their own education isn’t good enough, and their job isn’t secure enough. Though there’s absolutely nothing wrong with getting a masters or a doctorate degree, there’s something to be said for taking a minute to plan and figure out what would help you reach your goals before signing off on financial aid papers.

Have a goal:

If your goal is simply to keep the position you have, don’t run off to grad school just yet. Talk to your supervisors and mentors and ask them what types of courses could help you further your career in the company. You’re going to be looking for something that will add value to your work. Just getting a master’s degree may not be enough to get you a raise or make you stand out amongst your peers—you want something that will help you do something you can’t or don’t do now.

If you’re a teacher, think about if adding a second language to your repertoire could make you a more attractive candidate next time someone is up for a raise. Adding Spanish will allow you to start a language club or help other teachers communicate with native Spanish-speaking parents.

However, if your goal is to become principal, you may consider continuing your education with more advanced child psychology, learning and development classes.

Find ways to achieve it:

The worst thing you can do in a recession is to let go of a job in the field that you want to be in. Unless you’re laid off or fired, it’s not a good idea to go to grad school full time just on scholarships. Do everything you can to continue gaining experience in your field. Some options to consider are distance learning and pursuing an online degree.

Nearby colleges will usually offer courses later in the day or at night, so consider picking up a few of the heavier courses that meet once or twice a week.

Network:

Networking has always been the key to successful careers. Don’t forget to work what you already have. If you’re looking for more responsibility, try climbing the ladder of the company that already knows you instead of assuming you’ll have to find a new company to get a new position. Let your supervisors know what you’re passionate about doing, and that you’re furthering your education to get there. That shows a dedication that they’ll likely respond to.

If you do decide to move to a new company, let your superiors know that, too, in certain cases. Obviously if they demand absolute loyalty despite the fact they can’t or won’t promote you, don’t tell them you’re searching for another position.

However, if you have the kind of boss that sees him or herself as a mentor, feel free to ask them to help you find a position that you’ll be more suited to, regardless if it’s inside or outside the company.

Don’t forget to update all of your social profiles, like LinkedIn and Google+, to reflect the fact that you’re intent on moving into a new field or simply growing in the one you’re in. Many times networks are the best place to begin a search, since a fellow college alum is more likely to recommend you than someone they found on Monster.com.

This is a guest post by Holly Miller on Job Hunting. You can check out the guidelines for guest posting on our “guest posting guidelines” page.

Finding a job during solid economic times can seem frustrating. Finding a job during a recession can be exponentially more so. Depending on your expertise, education and experience, months can pass before you might get contacted for an interview. You submit hundreds of applications and send hundreds of resumes, but you still wait and wait and wait. Before you give up entirely, ask yourself not if you can increase your efforts but if you are focusing them in the right venues in the right proportions.

There are five main methods for job hunting. Each has its benefits, but not all are of equal ROI or, return on investment—your time, your effort and sometimes your expense. Below are those five methods in order of the least to most effective ROI.

Method 5: Job Fairs.

Job fairs are better job search tools in healthy economic times than in recessions. The representatives manning the employer booths are not decision-makers; they are there to take applications and answer general questions. Conduct yourself professionally at all times if you attend a job fair, but there are so many extraneous applications taken during recession job fairs that most applications and resumes are barely perused by anyone at the employer. Only the applicant whose qualifications jump off the page and dance in the air is considered more closely.

Method 4: Internet Searches

Yes, this is next-to-last. Whether in good times or bad, at most, only about 4 percent of all jobs posted on Internet job listing sites, et al, are ever filled via electronic submissions. It’s a valid way to search for a job, but don’t put a lot of effort into it with direct application. Instead, consider it a “standards review” used to determine those qualifications and qualities that employers in your industry need or want at this time.

Too many people believe that if an employer places an ad on a job listings site that the employer prefers this submission method. Some might, but don’t count on getting much of a response: There are more grossly unqualified applications submitted through these electronic means than received through the mail. The more chaff to sift through, the more easily the qualified applicant will get overlooked.

Method 3: Blanket Submissions

Barely above the ROI of Internet searches, sending resumes and applications to everyone in the phone book may hook an interview fish just by lucky cast, but don’t count on those odds very often. Instead, keep your efforts focused: Know the industry, the size and focus of the employer, the position responsibilities and the location that interest you most.

Don’t approach a job search with the attitude that you’ll accept any job you are offered. That attitude is sensed, and it doesn’t create a confident, knowledgeable and reliable impression for a prospective employer.

Method 2: Newspaper Ads

This tried-and-true job search method has long held positive results, perhaps more so since Internet submissions: Fewer people answer print ads because of the time, effort and expense required. Many people read a print ad then search for the position on the Internet. If found, they send the electronic submission instead of the hard copy.

Method 1: Networking

This method is a perennial front-runner. Networking in a job search doesn’t mean hounding your friends, family or neighbors for a job day after day, but asking for advice on submissions, search parameters, techniques improvement and even interview rehearsals.

True, occasionally someone you know might have direct knowledge of an open position for which you might qualify, but he will rarely refer you right away. If he does, ask if you can use his name as the referral source. It might be just enough to get you an interview. You’d be on your own from that point, but if you hadn’t approached that person and created not the desperate, “Please hire me. I really need a job—any job—any job at all” impression but the calm, professional, considered impression you did, you probably wouldn’t be submitting the resume.

The topic title will have surely got your attention. If it has, then I am sure you are a little too desperate to change.

But does desperate times calls for desperate measures?

There was this friend of mine who was desperate for a change. The world was reeling under recession. Pay-hikes were stopped. There were no promotions, no incentives and no bonuses. Even jobs were few. Options were limited.

But he wanted to change. He did not receive a pay-hike for the 2nd consecutive year and his promotion was delayed because the organization decided to put a hold on promotions.

His job search went on for months -  5 months to be precise. But finally he got a break. The organization was very small. The hike was not too much. Facilities were minimal. But he got a better designation. His desperation finally ended.

Fast forward to 7 months.

His old organization declared a handsome bonus. The appraisals across the organization was extremely good. Promotion eligibility changed and a lot of people who were less tenured than my old friend got promoted.

Today he wants to come back to the organization because he is fed up on the lack of work culture and ethics. He regrets his decision to join a not-so-known brand name.

This is not just a one-off example. This is something that we see across organizations with a lot of youngsters for whom career is just about jumping organizations or, getting a pay hike in about 6 months.

It is never advisable to be desperate. You should be desperate for a good career but the desperation should not be to change jobs frequently or, for a short term salary hike.

Without being desperate for a job you can still manage to find an employer who can manage your skills.

Some important points that you should bear in mind in a desperate situation are -

• Spend time in job search and also spend time in networking. It is highly likely that between two equally qualified employee, the one who has a referral will get selected.
• Don’t show y0ur desperation, stay calm and display patience.
• Prepare well for the interview – learn about the company as much as possible. It shows that you studied the company and it will differentiate you.
• Don’t hide that you are in the market and looking for a job. The more you are open the higher the chances that someone will be able to help you.

The key to building a long term career is “PATIENCE”. You should not be looking at your achievements in a short term time-frame. Instead look at how your career is shaping up across about 5 -6 years.

Remember – You are worth more than what a “Desperate Career Move” will give you.