Online Obstacles: It takes more to land a new job than the Internet

By Joshua Partlow — © 2003, The Washington Post

KEVIN ELWELL took a job three years ago hoping the Internet would be a source of riches, but his job with Emergent Information Technologies Inc. disappeared along with the tech boom.

Now, after 14 months of unemployment, the Internet is giving him only headaches.

Elwell, 46, has spent more than a year peppering roughly 500 company Web sites with his resume, with little more to show for it than an inbox of automated responses.

“My general experience with the Internet is that the larger the company, the less likely you are to get a real response,” said Elwell, who has a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering and a master’s in business. “With these gargantuan companies, it’s virtually impossible to get through their gauntlet,” he said.

For the modern-day job hunter, the Internet can be invaluable for locating job leads and submitting resumes with minimal effort. But its seductive ease has its drawbacks. Searching for work on corporate Web sites can often be intimidating and impersonal. Many times, resumes disappear into the void.

To study the experiences of people like Elwell, Mark Mehler and Gerry Crispin, who run CareerXroads, a recruiting and consulting firm based in Kendall Park, N.J., created fictional candidate Vinnie Boombotz and sent his application for an accounting job to Fortune 500 company Web sites.

Vinnie’s resume wasn’t meant to impress. It was meant to test whether applicants were being treated like individuals. Hailing from Lotsamoola, N.J., and trained as a CPA (chief protection associate), he “eliminated turnover and competition” at Bad-a-Bing Corp. If Vinnie couldn’t get noticed, who could?

When an electronic resume enters a large corporate Web site, it is generally assigned a code, scanned for content and added to the company database. Applicant-tracking software may automatically send updates about job openings to resumes that match particular keywords. The software is not designed to weed out hoax resumes like Vinnie’s, but to narrow the list of applicants for particular jobs. All resumes stay in the database, where they generally remain active and can be searched for up to two years until they are archived, according to John Dooney, consultant to the Society of Human Resource Management.

Easy application processes lead to massive response. One position recently posted on Starbucks’ Web site drew more than 1,400 applications, a spokesman said. J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. said it added 500,000 people to its resume database in the past 18 months.

Vinnie Boombotz received automated e-mail responses from more than 250 companies confirming the submission. About two dozen firms told Vinnie he didn’t get the job, which Crispin and Mehler see as a positive, because it suggests recruiters read the resume and because most companies never gave Vinnie a final answer. More than 20 companies encouraged Vinnie to apply to other jobs at a later date. For example, Starbucks sent Vinnie a link to a position as an international accounting manager.

“What’s interesting about the study is that, it seems, humans are not reading the initial resume. Machines are spitting back mechanical responses. The companies are not giving much thought to how they are treating job-seekers,” Mehler said. Crispin added that the often terse tone of the automated responses can be irritating to applicants. “‘Do not bother to call us, do not bother to e-mail back, we will never be in touch unless we hire you.’ That is the message,” he said.

Lara Wyss, a spokeswoman for Starbucks, said online recruiting is vital for handling the high volume of submissions. She said she didn’t know why Vinnie was sent further job postings, but she said the system can automatically send updates to all resumes with similar profiles, such as an accounting background. “Once a resume gets to the next level, in-person contact is made by a Starbucks recruiter,” Wyss said.

The Internet clearly facilitates recruiting. A survey by SHRM of 281 corporate recruiters found 69 percent of the respondents said the Internet broadened their recruiting market and 44 percent said it made recruiting easier.

Large companies that don’t use online recruiting are becoming increasingly rare. CareerXroads found 27 companies among the Fortune 500 that did not post jobs or accept resumes. But, for most applicants, employment remains more than a mouse click away. Ardell Fleeson, who runs networking meetings for TelecomHub Inc. and Women in Technology, both in Northern Virginia, advises members to get on the phone and find contacts.

“Face-to-face interactions get jobs, not Web sites,” Fleeson said. “The work is done by gaining appointments with people who can hire you.” Fleeson recommended making phone calls and sending e-mails to people at several levels of a company.

Dooney also recommended reading job postings carefully and tailoring resumes to include specific language that corresponds. “That’s a strategy that can improve your chances,” he said.

Meanwhile, Elwell has been to several job-hunter networking sessions and got a number of interviews. He said the Internet can be effective for researching companies and finding potential contacts.

“Nowadays I don’t use the shotgun approach I used to use. Now it’s more of a rifle-shot approach, trying to be smarter and more efficient. I’ll customize a cover letter and try to direct it to a person,” he said. “This will break eventually, but hopefully not before I do.”

How To Differentiate Yourself

To make yourself stand out in a crowd, you need certification. In an ever more difficult job market, you need every edge you can get to find the top-tier jobs. It is a simple fact that if you are not where you want to be now, you must do something different than you have done in the past to get a different, better result. the Professional Bookkeeper program gives you that kind of competitive advantage. Its focus on small to medium sized businesses is unique among Accounting and Bookkeeping training. Universities teach Accounting for the largest 2% of companies. We teach Accounting and Bookkeeping for the other 98%, the most underserved segment of the market. So if you really want your resume to get results, the Professional Bookkeeper designation on the end of your name will get you the attention you deserve.

Learn How to Get the Professional Bookkeeper Designation So Your Resume Gets Noticed

Revving Up For a Job Search?

Here Are 5 Things You Should Do Before You Start

You dying to get that dream job? Everyone wants to find that perfect position that will give them the satisfaction both personally and on a professional level. You know what we’re talking about – it’s that job description you hope to find in the classifieds surrounded by an odd glow. And when you call to learn more you hear angels singing the hallelujah chorus in the background. But be honest with yourself. You probably won’t trade your current accounting or bookkeeping job in for something much better until you make a few changes. Wouldn’t you be willing to invest a little time and energy in yourself before starting the job search, especially if it could mean getting a better job with better salary? And it may not require as much as you think.

Search Your Soul
Cheesy, we know, but you should really ask yourself what you want to be doing with your life before you get another job that further anchors you to a profession. And if you’re not certain what your “life calling” is, take some self-assessments to determine your interests and personality traits and what occupations with which they best align. Perhaps you’re in the right profession but not the right position.  You’re doing payroll when you want to be an accounting manager.  We’re not saying that taking a test is the panacea to your career problems, but we are saying that taking the time to answer some questions about yourself may be what it takes to help you determine the direction you’d like to go.

Revise Your Resume
Of course you’ll have to update your resume. It’s always interesting to return to your resume after you’ve been employed for awhile; some may even wonder how they got hired with that resume in the first place. Research what makes a good resume and then make your resume a shining example. It’s generally in working on a resume that you recognize gaps: training and certification that you may lack or perhaps you haven’t adequately focused on the skills and experience you do have.

Remember it is the resume that will get you into the door. Find the right balance of being eye catching without being amateurish in presentation of your skills. Someone going through the interview process may only take 16 seconds or less on your resume, make sure you properly use the bulletpoints, the bolding, and the phraseology that will catch their eye and give them a reason to invest more time to digest your resume.

Research Companies and Organizations You May Want to Work for
Why let job openings dictate where you choose to apply? Be proactive and find organizations that appeal to you. You choose where you want to work and then, with diligence and persistence keep inquiring about your ideal position. What characteristics do they have? How will your employment there benefit your career? How may it work as a stepping stone to something even more spectacular?

Chart your own course; do the research that will help you find companies you would be happy to work for and then start your job campaign. The greater portion of positions in companies are filled by those who know someone, and never get into the “Help Wanted” ads in the newspaper. You may be surprised at what you find and how companies differ from one another in philosophy, benefits, salary, and other comparables. You may also be surprised at the advantage your research gives you come your job interview.

Cast Your Net
Now’s the time to look at your contacts and use networking to your advantage. If you haven’t put much time and energy into networking now’s the time to start. In fact, start yesterday! Look to associations you may be a part of, or chambers of commerce you joined, or the group you see at the gym. Networking is everywhere and you need to be looking for those opportunities to be able to make that crucial connection.

Recognize that just about every encounter is an opportunity to share what you do and possibly hand out your business card. Let close friends and family know that you’re thinking about a change and see what you might hear back. Perhaps in your networking you’ve met people who work for companies you’re interested in. See if you can find out more. Just be careful; if word gets back to your current employer that you’re unhappy and looking elsewhere, it will make a job transition difficult.

Enroll in a Training Program
You’d be surprised at how a few advanced courses, some specialized training, or a professional designation can bolster your resume and make you a very appealing applicant. Involvement in professional development shows that you’re serious about your profession and are ready and willing to run ahead of the competition. It also lets potential employers know that your skills have been proven in a rigorous educational environment.

UAC’s Professional Bookkeeper Program Can Help You Prepare
If you’re interested in a program that can get you more attention when you apply for jobs, Universal Accounting Center’s PB Program is for you. It will teach you the day-to-day accounting and bookkeeping needs of small business, enabling you to earn the Professional Bookkeeper Designation. This program will teach you the skills that enable you to skip over entry level positions and get right to those job opportunities that might take someone with traditional accounting training years to secure. And the professional designation looks nice on a resume. Take the time to get the job you really want. Enroll today!

Employees Can Expect Higher Raises, Says CareerJournal.com

PRINCETON, N.J — Workers in the U.S. can expect a 3.7 percent pay raise in 2005 — the second straight year of increased raises for employees after a three-year decline — according to a report on CareerJournal.com, The Wall Street Journal’s executive career site.

The 2005 expected increase is slightly higher than the 3.6 percent average raise in 2004, according to data compiled by Salary.com. Average salary increases bottomed out at a five-year low of 3.4 percent in 2003, after hitting a five-year high of 4.4 percent in 2001. A 3.7 percent pay raise would mean that an average worker earning $34,000 a year can expect to see an additional $24.19 per week. Those with a salary of $100,000 can expect an increase of $71.15 per week.

“We are in the early stages of an upswing,” says Tony Lee, publisher, CareerJournal.com. “The projected salary increases for this year are a ray of sunshine following several years of salary freezes and layoffs.”

CareerJournal.com offers these tips on how you can earn more as the job market improves:

• Keep track of your successes to present to your boss.
• Document your fair-market value by researching free salary data on sites such as CareerJournal.com.
• Learn the art of salary negotiation-the better you are at negotiating, the better your chances of being successful.
• Ask what needs to happen for you to earn a raise in the future, and try to get a commitment in writing.
• “Having another job offer also is a great tool in negotiating a raise with your current employer, but be prepared to leave if your employer doesn’t meet your terms,” Mr. Lee adds.

Focused Education Is Key to Getting the Best Raises

In the accounting and bookkeeping fields, you need a way to stand out from the crowd to move up to a better job. The training that is taught in the Professional Bookkeeper (PB) program gives you that edge over other applicants. The PB designation proves to employers that you have the real-world skills needed to get right to work with minimal training.

Learn More About the Professional Bookkeeper (PB) Program

December - For Job hunters, It’s a Wonderful Month

By Combined Wire Services

Contrary to popular opinion, the period between Thanksgiving and New Year’s is one of the best times to find a job, says Tony Lee, editor in chief of CareerJournal.com, the executive career site from The Wall Street Journal.

“At this time of year, companies may actually have a financial incentive to hire you because they have money left over and want to get new hires on the books before year’s end,” explains Lee. “If you are unemployed, now is not the time to take a hiatus from the job hunt.”

Many companies look to staff new projects in December so they will be prepared in January. They also look to hire temporary staff, an ideal way for job seekers to get a foot in the door while earning some extra holiday shopping money.

Positions often open up as transitioning employees quit their jobs in order to move to new positions that start just after the New Year. And competition is lighter as many other job hunters focus on holiday-related activities.

Job-hunting in November and December also may be easier because many hiring managers have a more relaxed attitude during the holiday season and there are more opportunities to network at holiday social events.

“Networking remains the single most effective method of finding a new job, and there’s no better time to network than the holidays,” says Lee.

CareerJournal.com offers these tips for job-hunting over the holidays:

• Make the most of your job hunt by sending out holiday greeting cards that include a search update letter, which is an effective way to thank people who have been helpful and let them know the status of your search.
• Prepare a brief summary of your current situation to share with others at holiday gatherings who may know of a good opportunity.
• Accept every invitation you can, from your neighbor’s open house and your professional organization’s gathering to your child’s holiday concert. Use this time to reconnect with former colleagues, distant relatives, vendors and others who may offer leads for your search.
• Don’t stop your job search, even for a couple of weeks, because it often takes longer to get motivated to start looking again.
• Make sure your holiday networking is effective by creating a two-minute summary of your goals.
• “Don’t put off your job search until after the holidays. By waiting, you’ll become part of the ‘January glut’ of post-holiday job hunters,” says Lee.

Barry Wall, student employment advisor at The Art Institute of Portland, has additional advice for December job-hunters:

• Look for jobs with companies that have departments you would be interested in working for full-time. If you get a job as a cashier at a department store but have graphic design aspirations, then do the best job that you can as a cashier and talk to people that work in the graphics department. If you build a solid relationship with your boss and other managers, you are going to be poised to find out about a position in the graphics department before it’s posted publicly.
• If you’re looking for a job with full-time possibilities, don’t discount small businesses. Small business owners will do everything they can that’s within their budget, and they tend to be more loyal. If their business is going well, they are often the most helpful resources, networking contacts and potential employers.

Jobs in Accounting and Bookkeeping

There are fantastic, well-paying jobs waiting for you in Accounting and Bookkeeping. From entry-level clerks to controller positions, Accounting is a great career that you can count on to continually generate jobs.

Learn About Accounting and Bookkeeping Careers

Fewer Seniors Leaving Job Force for Good

By Bo Emerson

ATLANTA — Thad Quarles likes retiring so much he’s done it three times.

He first retired after 20 years of service in the Marine Corps, then from Delta, where he was a pilot for 28 years, then from a family pharmacy in rural Tennessee, where he filled prescriptions and made ice cream sodas.

Today he’s on career No. 4, as executive director of the United Way in five counties of east Mississippi and west Alabama.

“It’s a departure,” admitted Quarles, 58, who travels with his wife, Cleta, from their Duluth, Ga. home to an apartment in Meridian, Miss., every Monday, returning on Fridays. The pay is less than half his Delta salary, but the job gives him a chance to exercise his instinct for servant leadership.

“People have always told me if you’re a pilot, you can’t do anything else,” he said. “This is a challenge to myself to say there is something else you can do in your life that would be meaningful and fulfilling.”

Older Americans, like Quarles, are retiring differently than they did a generation ago. Seniors once accepted a gold watch and moved quietly to the rocking chair. Today they use retirement to switch gears, perhaps move into consulting, work part time for the corporation they leave, start their own business, enter a new career or become a full-time volunteer. Fewer and fewer Americans call it quits after retirement age.

Before Medicare and Social Security, older Americans remained in the work force in much greater numbers; almost half of all men 65 and older were working in 1950, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

But by 1985, that number dropped to 15 percent.

Today, that figure is steadily creeping back up, said Sara Rix of AARP, as more and more older Americans stay in the work force. Last year, 19 percent of men 65 and older were in the work force.

Merrill Lynch in early 2004 asked 2,348 baby boomers (the population bulge born between 1946 and 1964) about their attitudes toward retirement. Of those surveyed, 76 percent said they intend to keep working and earning in retirement.

Many will turn to new careers, said Mary Ellen Garrett, first vice president with Merrill Lynch Atlanta Buckhead.

“I see the traditional pattern — retire at 65 and sit home or play golf every day — is just not the way it is anymore,” Garrett said. “I see more people leaving companies early — before 65 — and starting brand-new careers.”

That describes the employment arc of Jocelyn Bivins-Ford. She left BellSouth after 37 years and began working in administration for Atlanta City Councilwoman Joyce Sheperd. She also leads a Girl Scout troop and serves in the drama ministry at her church.

Friends keep asking the 55-year-old, “If you’re retired, why aren’t you in the house?” Bivins-Ford’s answer: “I retired from BellSouth, not from life.”

Also, despite income from her BellSouth pension, she needed the money. “I did the math.”

While contemporary workers tend to jump from company to company, retirees often follow the same pattern, retiring from a variety of careers.

Quarles is the very model of the modern “serial retiree.” Of his 20 years as a Marine Corps pilot, 13 were in the Reserves. During his time in the Reserves, he also flew for Delta, retiring from Delta in 2003 after 28 years of service.

Said Quarles, “After I retired from Delta, I stayed in the fetal position for a week or two, until my wife said, “All right, that’s it, out of the bed, you’ve got to do something.’ ” That’s when he began working for the family pharmacy. He soon retired from that, too, and took the United Way job.

Sherman Francisco, 70, is another serial retiree who considers work a crucial diversion from the empty calendar.

In 1987, he retired from IBM after 30 years of service, first as a salesman, then in the company’s real estate division. An injury led to his early retirement, but after a few years away from work, he was itching to get back into action.

First Francisco launched a custom furniture business, and was soon shipping bureaus and cabinetry all over the world. Then, last year, he joined the Home Depot, where he puts in 40 hours a week in the millwork department .

Rising medical costs are part of the reason for remaining in the work force. “Things have changed too much now. Everything is going up,” he said.

But Francisco also appreciates the opportunity to stay active. “It keeps me out of trouble,” he said. “My wife told me I’d be dead if I didn’t work here.”

Cheryll Schramm is, if anything, even more driven in retirement than she was working full time. Formerly chief of the Aging Services Division at the Atlanta Regional Commission, she now works part time on special projects for the organization, while juggling a dozen other interests. Those include travel, baby-sitting grandchildren, attending elder hostels, archaeological digs, teaching special education students and volunteering with a Clayton County resource center for grandparents raising grandchildren.

“Some people say work is just critical,” said Schramm, 60. “I like a combination. I like working part time, and I like volunteering.”

The debate over privatizing parts of Social Security may have little impact on the retirement decisions of the current crop of seniors, said Garrett of Merrill Lynch, adding that many older Americans have other sources of income.

But it may take a lot of income to keep baby boomers happy. Rix of AARP said boomers are accustomed to greater wealth than their parents’ generation, and won’t settle for modest retirements.

They are going to be better off than their parents in retirement, but they want to maintain their standard of living from pre-retirement days, she said.

This could keep many boomers working well into the golden years, because Social Security won’t pay for that mountain retreat or beach house.

The new retirees expect to pay for these things out of their own pockets, said Garrett, which is why more and more of them will keep working — even in second or third careers.

“Boomers are betting on themselves,” she said. “And why not? They were taught to bet on themselves.”

Semi-Retire in 10 Months . . . At Any Age

As mentioned above, most of today’s workforce plan to work at least part time in their retirement years. Because of the tremendous income potential of taking a few bookkeeping clients, we will show you how your retirement age can be one year from now, regardless of how young you are. It’s achievable, profitable, and easy. You owe it to yourself to at least check it out. It could very well change your life as it has for so many others.

Learn How to Make $30 to $60 Per Hour and Semi-Retire 10 Months from Now

Firm Provides Extensive and Focused Training in Accounting

As seen in The Salt Lake Tribune

How would you like to wear whatever you want to work, set your own hours that fit your personal schedule and, better still, just stay home all day?

That’s the lifestyle many have adopted by owning a bookkeeping or accounting home-based business. In fact, this type of service is rated as the best of the best home-based business opportunities available today. And, Universal Accounting Center can help you get started.

Here’s a few reasons why this type of service is so popular: the up-front investment is low; it offers a flexible schedule; and it can provide you an income of $30 to $60 per hour. A home-based business is well-suited for anyone who wants to supplement his or her income, work at home, or change careers.

According to the state Job Service, the accounting field is expected to expand by over 20 percent during the next few years. Accounting is also considered among the top 10 percent of all professions for future job growth.

Couple this with an expanding small business sector, which now accounts for over 98 percent of businesses in the United States, and you discover a great opportunity to share in the growth of small business while providing a needed service as a bookkeeper/accountant.

Cashing in on this opportunity doesn’t take long, nor need it require extensive schooling.

Universal Accounting Center, a Utah-based firm founded in 1979, can assist a person in entering the field. Within just four weeks, and individual with no prior experience can begin providing bookkeeping and accounting services to a small business either on a contract or employment basis.

“There is a notion that a person must be a CPA to perform bookkeeping and accounting services. This is simply not true,” said Allen Bostrom, a CPA and president of Universal Accounting Center.

“CPA credentials are only necessary when performing an audit or when a CPA endorsement is required for a review,” explained Bostrom.

“In fact, due to mandatory peer reviews and continuing education required of a CPA, it may be to a person’s advantage to not be certified as a public accountant when providing bookkeeping services,” he added.

To be successful, a person should be detail-oriented, comfortable working with numbers and at ease when talking with others.

Individuals that know how to account for inventory financed businesses, small manufacturing companies and construction companies are at a particular advantage.

Each of these types of businesses require specialized accounting methods beyond that taught inmost accounting curriculums.

How does Universal Accounting Institute provide so much in so little time? The Universal Accounting training system focuses exclusively on accounting for small businesses.

According to Bostrom, “When an individual wants egg salad, they go to a supermarket and buy the ingredients. Education at the local universities and colleges is similar to buying the whole store.”

He explained, “Only a small portion of the university accounting degree program is actually accounting-related, and most of the course work is emphasizing the large corporate environment and issues that apply to big business. Universal’s training, on the other hand, is uniquely devoted just to small business accounting.”

Universal is a fully registered school with the Utah State Board of Education. The course is taught by practicing professionals and completed during three-hour daily instructional sessions over a four-week period.

The courses begins with and in-depth understanding of the fundamentals of accounting, followed by hands-on experience in the complete accounting cycle for nine different businesses.

In addition, the students receive direction in how to develop, calculate fees, and work with clients or employers.

Students of the Universal Accounting course attend for a broad range of reasons and from equally diverse backgrounds. In a typical class, one-third of the students lack experience in accounting, while more than 30 percent of the students have degrees in accounting. In fact, CPAs are often enrolled in the class.

A recent graduate of Universal wrote: “In four weeks, your course taught me everything - and I mean everything - I would need to know about starting my home bookkeeping business.

“I currently have seven clients I am making more money than I did when I was employed full time and I arrange my schedule to fit my needs, not arrange my life to fit my jobs.”

Get Started Today

5 Questions to Ask Yourself at the Start of a New Year

The start of a new year is a good time to sit back and evaluate your career and see what, if any, improvements need to be made. The last thing you want to do is be passive about your position and expect things to magically get better. Sometimes just asking yourself a few questions is all it takes to evaluate your career and push it back on track. Here are 5 things to consider:

1. Are you happy?
Sometimes it can be that simple. Are you happy? While every job has its ups and downs, you should find yourself generally happy with your job: happy to wake up in the morning, happy to see the people you work with, happy to tackle your projects.

If the answer is no…
If you’re not happy, pinpoint the source of your unhappiness. Perhaps you’re experiencing personnel problems. If so, consider whether or not that can be resolved by talking with the coworkers in question. Is it bad enough for you to request a change in team or a transfer? If you’re outright miserable, it’s time to look for another job!

2. Do you feel challenged?
You can love your work environment, your coworkers, and even your job description and still not feel satisfied. A challenging position enables you to learn and grow. It can also inspire and excited you.

If the answer is no…
If you’re not challenged, that means you’re not advancing in your career; you’re stagnate. You need to change that, and quickly. And that doesn’t mean you need to start looking for a new job. Schedule an appointment with your supervisor or boss and ask if you can take on new and different projects. Better yet, ask if you can work towards a promotion. This doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll earn more money, but it does mean you’ll learn new skills and take on more responsibility, and that’s always good for your career in the long run.

3. Are you getting paid what you’re worth?
When your salary measures up to your experience and skills you feel respected and valued as an employee. When it doesn’t, resentment often builds and you begin to feel like a drone.

If the answer is no…
You need to research what standard salary is for your skill-set to ensure that you’re not inflating your worth. Once you have a number to compare your current salary with, and can articulate how you benefit your employer, it’s time to talk with your boss. But do not be aggressive. Nothing turns an employer off more than a smarty-pants employee who demands a higher wage. Be calm, assertive, and willing to contribute more in order to get that raise. And don’t threaten to quit if you don’t mean it. There’s nothing wrong with a statement of truth: “If I can’t make more money with this company, I’ll have to look for a company that can pay me what I’m worth.” That is, there’s nothing wrong with a statement of truth if you’re truly ready to back it with action.

4. Does your current position have potential for upward mobility?
A job is rewarding when it offers you the opportunity to learn new skills and advance, earning more responsibility and a higher wage. You don’t want to work for years at a job that promises to remain the same, day after day, month after month, year after year. A career implies growth, and if you’re not moving upward, you’re not moving anywhere.

If the answer is no…
It’s time for you to look for a job that allows you to advance. Many employees will endure a lower wage and cubicle walls for the potential to work their way up in a company. If there’s no where else to go but out, maybe it’s time you packed your desk and found something more promising. But don’t jump ship before you’ve found yourself another boat, or at least a life raft. Since you currently have a steady job, use your spare time to find something truly fulfilling.

5. Are you on the right career track?
If you’ve always wanted to be an accountant, but took a job as a bank teller to pay the bills, you might find yourself frustrated in your day-to-day work activities.

If the answer is no…
If there’s no chance that you could advance to a position that aligns more with your career of choice, then it might be time to look for a new job. And if you haven’t taken the time to make any career goals, 2007 is your year. Without a target, it’s difficult to hit the mark and progress. Write down some career goals and imagine where you’d like to be in 2, 5, even 10 years. That will make it easier for you to take the necessary actions to achieve those goals. And if there is the possibility that you could advance to a position that puts you on your career track, you need to find out what it will take to do that. Talk with your supervisor or boss and share your aspirations. Generally speaking, they will be pleased to know they have an employee who wants to advance within the company. They’ll also be able to share with you what is required in order for you to attain that position you would like.

The worse thing you could do this New Year is assume that you have no power to change your current status as an employee. You are the one in control of your career, but first you must evaluate your current job and what it offers you. Once you take inventory, you decide where you’d like to go from there and take action to get where you’d truly like to be.

Take the first steps in the process of getting yourself ready for that next pay increase, promotion or position that you see yourself at! Click here to find out more about the training that will make the difference in your career.

5 Tips on Ensuring You Enjoy Your Career

Enjoying your job shouldn’t be a perk but a requirement. If you’re not having fun doing your job, then something is wrong. In an article published by the Chicago Tribune, Julie Jansen, a career coach from Stamford, Conn. was quoted as saying, “It shouldn’t be a luxury to enjoy your work, it should be a given - regardless of the economic times.” But is that easier said than done?

Jansen, in her travels speaking to countless professionals, estimates that approximately 70 percent of employees are unhappy in their jobs. Jansen went on to explain, “It’s important to be in a job that makes you happy, because you spend so much time at work and it affects you emotionally, physically and professionally,” said Jansen, author of I Don’t Know What I Want, But I Know It’s Not This: A step by step guide to finding gratifying work.

But how do you infuse more passion and enjoyment into your career? Here are five tips that will help you get on the right track:

1. Determine what’s making you unhappy
There are lots of reasons employees don’t enjoy their jobs. Some don’t like the people they work with. Others find themselves in a monotonous position that isn’t challenging or fulfilling. While others still may feel they’ve picked the wrong career track. Before you start making any changes it’s important that you determine exactly what’s making your unhappy. You may not need to quit your job as much as your need to make some changes in the approach you’ve taken with your current employer. Would a promotion or department-change rectify the problem? Evaluate your current situation and determine exactly where you’re dissatisfied.

2. Determine what you enjoy
It’s important that you be passionate about your work. It’s also important that you feel challenged. When you’re not, you’ll find yourself unhappy and bored. What impassions and challenges you? When you can pinpoint those elements that enable you to feel satisfied in your career, then you better understand what steps are necessary to achieve that satisfaction.

3. Consider all your options
Don’t limit yourself by only considering the possibilities as they exist in your current position. Perhaps you should change occupations, change employers, or start your own business.

4. Trust your intuition
It’s important that you listen to that inner voice that informs you when you’re headed in the right direction. Often that requires you to ignore naysayers and follow your heart. Your intuition will often be the best guide and provide you with the necessary confidence to move forward and take those actions that will enable you to achieve career satisfaction.

5. Make it happen
If you decide that changes must be made you can’t wait around for the Universe to drop them into your lap. You must take action to advance your career goals, whether that be getting the training you need, expanding your expertise and skills, or learning how you might finance your own small business, you must be proactive in advancing your career.

You don’t have to settle for dissatisfaction and unhappiness in your current position. While it may take some effort, you can make changes that will find you more fulfilled and your family better off financially. Take the time to evaluate your career and determine what you must do to achieve true personal and professional success.

References
Kleiman, Carol. “The Fun Factor.” The Chicago Tribune.

8 Tips in Using the Internet to Find Your Next Job

The Internet is a great technology that can enhance your job search. Unfortunately, most individuals who use the Internet in the job search don’t use it effectively. So if you’re going to join the eHunt, it’s important that you use this resource wisely; otherwise, you’re wasting your time. The following are four of eight tips on making the most of your electronic search for the perfect job:

1. Don’t put all your eggs in one Internet.
While the Internet is a great resource, you should vary your approach, mixing it up with traditional approaches as well. In an article written by Joshua Partlow entitled “Online Obstacles: It takes more to land a new job than the Internet,” Partlow explains that “for the modern-day job hunter, the Internet can be invaluable for locating job leads and submitting resumes with minimal effort. But its seductive ease has its drawbacks. Searching for work on corporate Web sites can often be intimidating and impersonal. Many times, resumes disappear into the void.” The article suggests using multiple avenues in your job search in order to balance your efforts.

2. Look at specialty sites to find jobs specific to your industry.
There are many job banks like monster.com, America’s Job Bank, and careerbuilder.com that allow you to post your resume and search their listings for jobs anywhere in the country. Usually membership is free and after joining a job bank service, some will notify you when a job description matching your interests is posted. Often these more popular job banks are saturated with applicants and unsuitable jobs. Consider job banks that are specifically designed for accounting and bookkeeping professionals (see http://www.jobsinthemoney.com/).

3. Protect your privacy.
Posting your contact information online along with your education and job history makes you an easy target for identity theft. It also makes it a snap for your current employer to discover that you’re searching for another job. While suppressing this information may make you more difficult to reach, it could save you lots of trouble later. If you’re interested in protecting your privacy consider using an anonymous email address for your Internet searches. This will protect your identity while making your accessible.

4. Customize your resume and cover letters.
Some job seekers believe the more they blanket the market with their resume, the more likely they’ll get a job. That couldn’t be further from the truth. When you send a generic resume and cover letter to a batch of potential employers what you’re really sending is the wrong message. You appear sloppy, eager, and inattentive to details. Most employers can recognize a mass email when they see it. In order to really get their attention you must customize your resume and cover letter so it speaks to their qualifications and needs. While it may require more time and effort, it will pay off in the end, making you a more appealing applicant.

It’s important to use all the resources available in your job hunt, and the Internet is definitely a valuable resource. But as you move forward, it’s important that you do so wisely, using your time well as you attempt to secure interviews. Come back next week when we will discuss the final four tips:

5. Avoid applying for jobs if you don’t have the minimum qualifications.
6. Provide more than one means of contact.
7. Ensure any website you reference is professional.
8. Remember, the Internet is not magic.

8 Tips in Using the Internet to Find Your Next Job

The Internet has made it extremely easy to look for a wide-range of positions in a variety of locations. Unfortunately, too many people don’t use this tool properly, and finding the right job ends up taking much longer than they had hoped. To make your electronic job hunt more effective we’ve designed this two-part series sharing 8 tips that will help you use the Internet to find the right job for you. Last week we discussed the following 4 tips:

1. Don’t put all your eggs in one Internet.
2. Look at specialty sites to find jobs specific to your industry.
3. Protect your privacy.
4. Customize your resume and cover letters.

This week we’ll examine 4 more:

5. Avoid applying for jobs if you don’t have the minimum qualifications.
It can be tempting to apply for jobs you’re not really qualified for. The pay may be better, the job description more tantalizing, the work environment more ideal. And you may convince yourself there’s a chance the employer would decide you’re the perfect person for the job. But the truth is, when you don’t have the minimum requirements for a position, you’re wasting your time and the employer’s time. This is bad networking karma. You never know when you’ll be suitable for a position with that employer and your attempt to market yourself for the wrong position could work against you in the end.

6. Provide more than one means of contact.
Nothing is more frustrating than being unable to reach someone through the one means of contact he/she has provided. We would suggest giving potential employers an email address and a phone number when possible. If you’re concerned about protecting your privacy, both could be connected with untraceable accounts that do not display your full name. But if you choose to go this route, check those accounts daily. Protecting your privacy is one thing; avoiding potential employment is another.

7. Ensure that any website you reference is professional.
Many individuals have a personal website they reference in their resume. If you do this you must ensure everything on that website is professional and tasteful. Potential employers do not want to read your family blog or look at pictures from your last vacation. Your website can contain links to other organizations you have worked for, electronics copies of your resume, and examples of your work.

8. Remember, the Internet is not magic.
Some mistakenly believe that because they can access countless opportunities over the Internet they will magically get the job of their dreams and in no time at all. While it can be more convenient to search for openings online, just like any job search it requires a significant amount of time and energy. You must research organizations, tailor your resume and cover letters, and all else possible to share your enthusiasm for those positions that peak your interest.

The Internet is definitely an amazing tool to use in your job search. However, you must use it wisely. Otherwise you will spend valuable time on efforts that will get you nowhere. When you use this 8 tips you’ll not only work hard but smart in your job search and ultimately you will find a job that’s a good match for your expertise and skills.