Welcome to 2009! I thought it would never get here. The good news is that Human Resource Managers are back from vacation and looking for great talent to fill their positions! What have you done to ensure that your resume will be seen during the hiring process? There might be a few things you could consider doing to help boost your job search. Here are few tips that might be helpful in giving your job search a boost.

TIP #1 ~ Don't give up on your job search. I know the ecomony has really effected the job market with tons of layoffs, companies closing, and industry shifts. It use to be a time when you could almost walk into a company and get hired. With more job seekers now looking for a job, the process takes a little more time.

I have lots of job seekers email me discouraged because they have been job searching for months. Human Resource Managers are now looking through hundreds of resumes and applications, pre-screening and interviewing for the right talent.

Human Resource Managers are concerned that job seekers are looking for just a job until the ecomony gets better and then they will leave. It's important to explain in the interview that you are looking to enter a career and work for a company where you can grow and learn. Some of the ways you can do that is before the interview, research the company to understand the Company's Mission. At the interview you can tie in the Company's Mission to what you bring to the table with your experience.

TIP 1 of 4

For more great tips check out this video!

Always be Honest at the interview
http://losangeles.jobing.com/video_details.asp?segment=15336&i=45897

Recently, I stumbled across a resource called Animoto. It takes images, text and music then blends it together to make fabulous video commercials. Instead of trying to explain what they look like, take a look at some that I made:

http://projectleading.blogspot.com/

After a little practice you can make your own!

 

 

Networking Event Of The Season - Orange County's Largest Mixer VI - Set For March 11, 2009 at OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa

Celebrating its 6th year, Orange County's Largest Mixer is proud to announce its line up of sponsoring Orange County area chambers of commerce and business organizations:

American Business Women's Association, American Marketing Association - Orange County, Anaheim Chamber, Anaheim/Orange County Visitor & Convention Bureau, Black Chamber of Orange County, Brea Chamber, Buena Park Area Chamber, Costa Mesa Chamber, Dana Point Chamber, Fountain Valley Chamber, Garden Grove Chamber, Hispanic Chamber - Orange County, Huntington Beach Chamber, Irvine Chamber, Laguna Niguel Chamber, National Latina Business Women Association - Orange County, Newport Beach Chamber, Newport Beach Conference & Visitors Bureau, Orange Chamber & Visitor Bureau, Santa Ana Business Connection, South Orange County Regional Chamber, Stanton Chamber, Tustin Chamber and Westminster Chamber.

"The Mixer has quickly become an anticipated annual event," said Kelly Grass, Membership Services Manager, Anaheim/Orange County Visitor and Convention Bureau. "It's a great way for our members to do business and enjoy themselves at the same time."

Scheduled for Wednesday, March 11, 2009 from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., the event will be held at the Orange County Fair & Event Center, 88 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa, CA 92626. A $20 admission fee gives attendees the opportunity to view more than 250 exhibitors and network with thousands of local "influentials" on the cutting edge of Orange County's business elite. In total, the 2008 event drew more than 3000 participants.

The goal of Orange County's Largest Mixer is to encourage membership in one or several chambers of commerce, allowing businesses to grow based on a wider network of support. The Mixer also provides a chance for businesses to network with each other for mutual support. Businesses and individuals do not have to be affiliated with a chamber to attend the Mixer.

For a complete list of exhibitors and sponsors, please visit http://www.ocmixer.com or call 949-222-6600 for further information.

The event is produced by The Dave Linden Group, Inc.

 

(Do you know anyone who needs hope, advice and information after having been laid off? Please send them to my blog, Rebound Your Career! I'll be writing about all sorts of topics: finding a new job, recovering your dreams, staying happy, inspired and hopeful, protecting your legal rights, just to name a few topics. Now is not the time to be alone and full of anxiety! This is the site that will put you back on your feet and headed in the right direction.)

 

A few years ago (well, more than a few years ago), I worked for one of the all-time coolest guys on the planet -- Jacques Cousteau. Did I work on the Calypso, surrounded by all those cute French guys in their French-style swim gear? (A couple of other expressions come to mind about those get-ups, but I want you to think I'm a classy person, so I'll restrain myself.)

Sadly no. But the alternative wasn't half bad. I sat in a windowed office on the 32nd floor of a New York skyscraper, overlooking the East River and the 59th St. Bridge. I was the membership correspondent for The Cousteau Society, and my job was to respond personally to each and every member who took the time to write to JYC -- or, as he was known in the office: "Jeek," which sounds a lot like Jeep.  Or Zheek, if you want to sound French when you say it.

I wished I could have been out there among the dolphins and penguins. But I still enjoyed my job. Tucked among the days when I was explaining for the umpteenth time why the Cousteau Society's logo featured a naked lady, there were also lovely lunches of Perrier water, cherry tomatoes and elegant cheeses and meats from the best delis in Manhattan. And I would be sitting next to the man himself, marveling at his spectacular profile.  So it was a very very cool job.

I'm tell you all this not to brag, but to drive home the point that dream jobs can be found when you least expect it.

How did I find and get this job? That's the amazing part of the story: I met my future boss in the ladies room. No, not the country club women's locker room. And actual ladies room featuring stalls with doors that don't reliably stay closed.

We got to chatting by the sinks. And the rest is history.

Here's what happened:  I was working in the office suite next door to The Cousteau Society and that particular organization was really mean to me. I was fresh out of college, and I think I had the "kick me" sign pinned to the back of my Casual Corner working girl outfit every day. And every night I would go home crying. 

So one day I was in the ladies room that the entire floor shared, for once, just using the ladies room for its intended purpose -- not for weeping in a stall. And the chit-chat angels nudged me to smile and say hi to the nice lady standing at the sink next to me. So I did.

"Wow! You work at The Cousteau Society???  How cool!"

"Well, we do have a job coming open in a week or so, would you like like to come interview for it?"

"Would I??  Uh, yeah!"

And I was in.  Doing work I cared about, with coworkers I found endlessly fascinating. And I got to sit next to Jeek to boot!

Throughout the entire year of 2009, I will bring you more amazing stories of people landing the jobs of their dreams. Hopefully each one of these stories will reveal another piece of the dream-job-landing mystery.

In this story, the lesson is obvious:  Talk to strangers, no matter where you are. (Well, if you're a guy, you might not want to chat up the guy standing next to you in the men's room. I don't know for a fact but I wouldn't be surprised if there are cultural do's and don'ts about these things.)

I've got another "talk to strangers" Amazing Story posted on Rebound Your Career.  It's another story about me, I'm sorry to say. Before too long, I'll have more stories about others! Why? Because this isn't about me. It's about you!

Happy reading.

 

 

On this first day of the year, I reflected a bit on 2008. Like many of the jobseekers I work with, my career went in a direction I could not have planned. I was uncertain at first, but I decided to go with it, take my own career planning advice and am now in a great place. Everything has worked out well. I’m working with interesting clients and colleagues. I’m especially thankful to have some stability in otherwise unstable economic times. I’ve learned to balance objectivity with intuition because you can’t always wait for 100% clarity before you take action. Clarity often emerges AS you take action. It’s just like children learning to walk.  They can’t walk until they start putting one foot in front of the other. 

My overall approach in 2008 was different. I decided I wasn’t going to make any firm goals.  I simply would let happiness be my guide. If something was going to make me happy (however I defined that in the moment) I was going to do it. Sharing my career insights with job seekers makes me happy and was where I did focus some energy. I tried some new things and was able to connect with 100s of thousands of job seekers, including many former classmates. I got emails from all over the world thanking me for my advice and resources. That made me happy and encouraged me to step farther out of my comfort zone. There are more new ideas I want to try, and I’m excited for what 2009 has in store for me.

I didn’t throw all caution to the wind, but being a driven, goal-oriented person, I was surprised at how easily I could go with the flow. I tried new marketing techniques without knowing for myself if they would work. Some worked, some didn’t, but at least I tried. As a result, I’m more open to new ideas and ways of doing things. I’m less afraid of failing. I’ve become more accepting of people and our respective differences of perspective. I’ve learned and gained valuable insight. It’s been extremely satisfying, personally and professionally. 

My hope for you in the New Year is that you find happiness in that “sweet spot” where your career aspirations, positive attitude and efforts intersect. I encourage you to be open and available to receive. I encourage you to reach out to people and gain support from your friends and family. Help others where you can, too. 

I’d be happy to hear your insights from 2008 or perspective for 2009. Feel free to send me an email or give me a call.

Also, request your free copy of my SPECIAL REPORT: 6 Tips For Discovering The Work You Love By Working With A Career Counselor to learn how you can get focused in your job search.

To Your Success!

Markell

Markell R. Steele, M.Ed., NCC, Career Counselor is the owner of Futures in Motion, Inc. and author of Fast Track Your Career: Three Steps for Finding Work You Love. For the past 13 years, she has helped frustrated job seekers connect with their dream jobs in less time with less stress by sharing her secrets for career happiness and success. Her company provides career assessments and career transition assistance. More articles can be found here- http://futures-in-motion.com/article_archive.php.  She can be reached at Markell@futures-in-motion.com.

Happy New Year everyone!!!!  I love these First Days...so much a feeling of fresh starts and beginnings.

The other day I was catching up with a dear friend of mine -- who I don't see nearly as much as I'd like to, not even a smidgeon as much. (And you know who you are.) 

It looks like I won't be seeing her much in the near future. She's been offered a job with an amazing organization and will probably be sent somewhere in the world that's reachable only by satellite phone.  I'll go into details later. Right now she's still in orientation phase and I don't want to jinx it for her.

What I wanted to know from her is: Say, how'd you get the gig? That's one of my two favorite questions. The other one is, of course, "How'd you find the love of your life?"

Again, I'll go into details later, when she tells me all's clear. But what I can tell you is this: She says she was just "practicing." She was just playing around with the online application process one night, and started applying for jobs that appealed to her global sense of adventure and need for meaning and purpose. 

She had no sense of straining in the "Oh please God" mode. She was just goofing around. Bada bing. And then, by the way, bada boom. She's got herself one of the coolest global adventure jobs around.

I just love stories like that, don't you? 

And that has prompted me to start the New Year by beginning an ongoing series on my blog Rebound Your Career (Career Hope and Advice for Everyone Starting Over) called, Amazing Stories: How to Get Your Foot in the Door. Click on this Rebound Your Career link, and read Part 1.  (Hoping you'll subscribe by clicking the little orange RSS feel button. That way you won't miss any of the new posts on Rebound Your Career.)

As much as I love amazing stories, I have a feeling that this will be my favorite series going forward.

This is going to be an amazing year, with lots of amazing stories (good ones) to tell!

 

 

If you are reading this blog, there was something in the title that made you curious, so hopefully what I write to you today can make a small impact in your life. First of all, keep in mind that what I am writing below, I write from true life experience. After leaving my 18+ year career in the world of marketing this year, I completely changed careers and own T3 Fitness Energy. Quite a leap, but it has been worth it.

So, in the Beautiful Day lyrics, Bono sings: It's a beautiful day. Don’t let it get away. It’s a beautiful day. Before I continue writing, did you know that at one point in the U2 career, they actually had less than ten paying customers for a show!

Each day when the alarm goes off, when we roll out of bed, we have the opportunity to make it a beautiful day or an ugly day, to not let it get away. Yes, I completely understand that there way too many things that work against us that can lend itself to an ugly day. We did not get called back for the 3rd interview. We did not get the job we hoped for. We did not get to work with that prospective client we were hoping to get. Someone angers us. We do not want to even talk about our financial situation. Our child or a family member is sick. And on top of everything else, we just do not feel good about ourselves, inside or out. Blah. Yuck. Meh.   

So where is this blog going? Beautiful Day lyrics, in their entirety, remind us of something that I love to mentally hold onto in the face of all that ugliness. Potential. The power of our potential. This mentality keeps us moving forward in a positive direction as we make that frightening career change we have always dreamed of, or as we continue on in the search for the job that is waiting and right for us.

Let me bring all of this into context for you. My business is fitness and health related, so as I mentioned earlier, maybe you are not feeling good about yourself, inside or out. What can you do today, tomorrow, next week, this month, to tap into your fitness potential and not let your fitness and health goals get away from you anymore? Maybe you have been promising yourself for months, maybe years that you are going to make a change. Unleash the power of your fitness potential and start small so it is not so overwhelming.   

Go for a walk or a run. Go for a walk with a friend. Eat oatmeal. Yes, eat oatmeal. Eat breakfast. Do not skip it! Buy a really good pair of workout shoes (and socks, and who says they have to be white, make a statement!). Take deep breaths (when we are stressed we tend to take shallow breaths). Make someone laugh. Make yourself laugh. Find a gym. Join a gym. Actually make appointments in our calendar to go to the gym. Get one or two friends together, or just yourself, and join a fitness boot camp (I happen to know of a really good one J . ) Stand up straight. Exude the confidence you have within. Throw some "air punches." Get up from behind your cramped desk and move around. Maybe hire a personal trainer.

Bottom line for you: Get your body in motion and do not let the day get away. You will be better for it, inside and out. When you are powerfully and completely in charge of your physical fitness, taking that time for you, just you, and you are on the road to achieving your goals, mentally, things oftentimes become a little more clear. You see and feel the power of your potential and you finally go for what you want: successfully finding the job you’ve been looking for or safely landing in a new career. It really can be a beautiful day. Go for it. Don’t let it get away!

Wishing you a fit, inspiring, enlightening and successful New Year! 

Mynisha: In death, she brought change to a beleaguered city that resonates still

Stacia Glenn, Andrew Edwards and Mike Cruz, Staff Writers Posted: 12/27/2008 07:09:28 AM PST
SAN BERNARDINO - She could have just been another dead child, slain far too young in a city overrun by gangs and their guns.

There have been so many. Too many, like Anthony Michael Ramirez and Traveil Williams and Jarred Mitchell.

But Mynisha Crenshaw's name has lived on since vengeful gangbangers opened fire on a run-down apartment as a family sat down to dinner.

At the time, when Mynisha drew her final breaths of life on the kitchen floor of an apartment complex where parents were afraid to let their children outside to play, few knew the name of the 11-year-old girl.

That would change.

Before long, Mynisha and the circumstances of her death became a focal point for the mayoral election. Outraged

Tonesha Williams, 32, right, sits on a stairwell at the Cedarwood Apartments in San Bernardino on Wednesday. The San Bernardino Police Department has closed the Mynisha Crenshaw case. The 11-year-old girl was shot and killed at the apartments by gang members on Nov. 13, 2005. (Gabriel Luis Acosta/Staff Photographer) marchers took to the street to rally against violence. The Sun pulled together a collection of the best and the brightest minds in the forging of Mynisha's Circle. Police rounded up a dozen gangbangers, any and all they could find who played even the tiniest role in the girl's death. And within five months, a U.S. senator uttered her name before Congress as part of an anti-crime bill.

Each time, the message was the same: Enough.

Of course, there have been more murders since Mynisha. There have been stumbles and missteps and political errors. The streets of San Bernardino remain tough and hard, and children continue to pledge allegiance to gangs and fall vic