Social Networking

Try multiple social networks, but focus only on few of them.
Facebook allows you to build a page for news about you and LinkedIn is the hub for professionals, especially those looking to network for business purposes. Use LinkedIn to build a network of your past colleagues, friends, and industry experts.
Twitter is fast growing into a powerful tool.....

A sample from 100’s of Networking Sites
LinkedIn: LinkedIn is a popular networking site where alumni, business associates, recent graduates and other professionals connect online.
Ecademy: Ecademy prides itself on "connecting business people" through its online network, blog and message-board chats, as well as its premier BlackStar membership program, which awards exclusive benefits.
Xing: An account with networking site Xing can "open doors to thousands of companies." Use the professional contact manager to organize your new friends and colleagues, and take advantage of the Business Accelerator application to "find experts at the click of a button, market yourself in a professional context [and] open up new sales channels."
Facebook: Facebook is no longer just for college kids who want to post their party pics. Businesses vie for advertising opportunities, event promotion and more on this social-networking site.
Care2: Care2 isn't just a networking community for professionals: It's touted as "the global network for organizations and people who Care2 make a difference." If your business is making efforts to go green, let others know by becoming a presence on this site.
Gather: This networking community is made up of members who think. Browse categories concerning books, health, money, news and more to ignite discussions on politics, business and entertainment. This will help your company tap into its target audience and find out what they want.
MEETin.org: Once you've acquired a group of contacts in your city by networking on MEETin.org, organize an event so that you can meet face-to-face.
Tribe: Cities like Philadelphia, Boston, San Francisco, New York and Chicago have unique online communities on tribe. Users can search for favorite restaurants, events, clubs and more.
Ziggs: Ziggs is "organizing and connecting people in a professional way." Join groups and make contacts through your Ziggs account to increase your company's presence online and further your own personal career.
Plaxo: Join Plaxo to organize your contacts and stay updated with feeds from Digg, Amazon.com, del.icio.us and more.
NetParty: If you want to attract young professionals in cities like Boston, Dallas, Phoenix, Las Vegas and Orlando Fla., create an account with the networking site NetParty. You'll be able to connect with qualified, up-and-coming professionals online, then meet them at a real-life happy-hour event where you can pass out business cards, pitch new job openings and more.
Networking For Professionals: Networking For Professionals is another online community that combines the Internet with special events in the real world. Post photos, videos, résumés and clips on your online profile while you meet new business contacts.
Twitter: Is a social networking and microblogging service that allows you answer the question, "What are you doing?" by sending short text messages 140 characters in length, called "tweets", to your friends, or "followers."

change

It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change. Charles Darwin

Resume

Your resume has two purposes; to represent "brand you" and to land you an interview; period, end of story. It does not get you the job only you will.

1. Use examples of effective resumes and incorporate what you learn into yours. Simple but true.
2. Your resume should be easy to read. Use bullet points to tell the reader where to focus.
3. Describe the value you brought to your organization. Focus on accomplishments that you can quantify.
4. Don't use acronyms, spell them out, unless broadly known.
5. Consider which resume format may work best for you. Sometimes a one page functional resume may work better than a two page chronological. Honestly you need both.
6. Never assume that the same resume' will be as equally effective for every opportunity. Modify your resume' based on the job specifics. Include the non-negotiable skills only (not a total re-write “brand you” consistent messaging)
7. Write your resume, set it aside for a day then go back and edit. Send it to a couple of people who are willing to give you honest and unfiltered dialog, and try/take it!
8. Spell check. Spell check. Proof read. Check fonts, period consistencies etc.
9. Never assume that the same resume will be effective for every job opportunity you're pursuing. Be willing to modify your resume' based on the specifics of the opportunity or the organization. If your brand is clear it should be a few sentences or word changes, such as a core competency, programs or functional area.

Brand You

To make yourself stand out from the crowd, you need a "Personal Brand".
Tom Peters coined the phrase "A brand called you" he states
"Regardless of age, regardless of position, regardless of the business we happen to be in, all of us need to understand the importance of branding. We are CEOs of our own companies: Me Inc. to be in business today, our most important job is to be head marketer for the brand called You."
Personal Brand Elements:
Personal appearance, what does your photo say about you? clothing, hygiene and attractiveness are a key factor, its human nature.
Personality what are your values, goals, identity and behaviors?
Competency capability and capacity, your cognitive, business, communication and technical skills that enable you to perform your job responsibilities
The differentiators are those attributes that offers your unique value propositions or benefits
Put these together in your own words and your brand will start to come together.

Comply with federal employment laws

Clear and easy-to-access information on how to comply with federal employment laws

http://www.dol.gov/compliance/

Thought of the day for job seekers

In "The Future of Management" Gary quotes E.M. Forster as saying
"One person with passion is better than forty people merely interested."

Labor vs Employee relations

"Labor relations is a broad field encompassing all the myriad interchanges between employers and employees. While labor relations is most often pertains to unionized employees, it may also refer to non-union employees as well. Labor relations are dictated in a large part by the government of a nation and the various regulations it provides to industry regarding the treatment of employees."

“Employee Relations involves maintaining employer-employee relationships that contribute to satisfactory productivity, motivation, and morale. Essentially, Employee Relations is concerned with preventing and resolving problems involving individuals which arise out of or affect work situations.”

Online degrees

The stigma of obtaining an online degree may dissuade those who might have otherwise benefited from furthering their education. Unfortunately, the inception of online degree programs was muddled by unscrupulous diploma mills that would confer a degree to anyone who was willing to pay the money. There are however, several qualities of online universities that forecast a legit, quality program. These are accreditation, whether or not the same program is offered in the traditional sense, and the availability of financial aid. According to a survey conducted by Vault.com, out of 239 human resource professionals, "37 percent of those surveyed believe that an online graduate school degree is as credible as a traditional degree, while 54 percent said that it was not as credible but acceptable. If the idea of an online degree is not as credible then why are so many traditional institutions increasingly offering online classes both to traditional students as well as distance students? Online courses are valuable

COBRA

On Feb. 17, President Barack Obama signed the economic stimulus package into law, which includes a provision that would subsidize employees' COBRA payments to continue their health insurance coverage. Under it, the government would pay 65% of workers' COBRA premiums for up to 9 months. Eligible employees include anyone who has lost or loses a job between September 1, 2008 and Dec. 31, 2009. To qualify for the subsidy, people must certify that their income is no more than $125,000 for individuals and $250,000 for families. Employees who have already been laid off but chose not to sign up for COBRA coverage have 60 days to do so.

Blogging

“Blogs (web log) have changed from people writing about their lives to focusing on specific topics that can turn personal when desired, but are intended to be more informative or gossipy than introspective or cathartic. The fact that nearly every major news outlet devotes a section of its website to the blogs of people inside and outside the organization is evidence of their functionality and significance. Many companies have remained blog-friendly to personal blogs despite the potential for disaster they wield. Blogs can foster interoffice communication and can be a highly effective, inexpensive means of mass marketing. On the other hand, any employee with a computer can be easily distracted from work by posting personal opinions or reading blogs during company time. As a result, productivity and performance can suffer. The potential for trouble significantly increases when your office blogger, on or off the clock, starts posting content on the Web.
If your company implements a workplace blogging policy, you should consider the following:
Limit blogging that interferes with work commitments, or prohibit blogging during work time.
Prohibit employees from disclosing any information that's confidential or proprietary to the company or any third party that has disclosed information to the company, including concepts or developments that the employees produce related to the company's business. Refer employees to your company’s policy for guidance on what constitutes confidential information.
Inform employees that the company may request that they temporarily confine their website or blog commentary to topics unrelated to the company if you believe that it's advisable or necessary to comply with securities regulations or other laws.
Caution employees that a breach of the blogging policy could result in discipline up to and including termination. “

HR Partner

I was responsible for driving strategic and tactical Human Resources functions and partnering with the senior management and clients. I managed all facets of HR including employee relations, performance management, staff development, recruiting and training, compensation and incentive programs and compliance with all governmental regulations. I maintained relationships with other Human Resources professionals to ensure best practices & implementation of corporate objectives, policies and procedures I interacted with our clients Human Resources VP's/counterparts to maintain relationships and to ensure effectiveness of deliverables and business objectives.

Interviewers

Do they
Start by creating a relaxed and friendly atmosphere so the applicant is comfortable.
Have a list of questions ready to make the interview process fair to all job candidates.
Allow time for the applicant to fully answer the questions.
Begin your interview with open questions that will encourage you to talk, these questions begin with who, what, when, where, why, how.
Ask behavior-based questions, like how you handled a problem in the past.
Take notes and explain this process before you start .

And avoid
Asking questions to which they already know the answers.
Monopolizing the conversation.
Painting an unrealistic picture of the company.
Interruptions - put phone calls on hold, close the door, etc.
Cutting your interviewing time short

Be prepared, research the company

Know;
The company's recent activities and/or accomplishments
The products and services they provide
Their competitors
What the company culture is like, read their vision and mission statements

The 6 answers interviewers need to offer you the position

Do you have the skills to do the job?
Do you fit?
Do you understand the company and its purpose?
How do you stack up against the competition?
Do you have the right mind-set for the job and company?
Do you want the job?

Swine Flu estimated 30% to be affected

The scenarios and predictions about the 2009-2010 flu season sound pretty scary, but Mom’s rules still provide the best defense: wash hands frequently — for at least 30 seconds — using hot water and soap; cough into your sleeve, not into your hands, cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze, keep your hands away from your mouth, nose and eyes; and if you have a fever or sore throat, stay home.
When the vaccine becomes available, get the shots (the “regular” flu vaccine is one shot, the vaccine for the new flu will require two shots, about three weeks apart)

Dance

"Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass; It's about learning to dance in the rain."

Who gets the job?

The person who is most talented, has the most relevant skills, and has proven to be a value to his or her former employer. Thats who gets the job.