We tweeted. You clicked. Here are some of the most popular tweets we sent out this week…

• Take the Assessment or Just Forget It? http://bit.ly/bsqi6Y

• Former Jobster CEO in Feud With Citibank Over Gay Network http://bit.ly/bNmoIb

• Are You a Good Recruiter? http://bit.ly/95wC1o

• Are These 4 Survival Tips Helpful? http://bit.ly/c0jYXZ

• Who’s Really Getting Your Paycheck? http://bit.ly/cDMJ1B

• Have You Lost Communication? http://bit.ly/ae4

• And Google Begat… The search giant’s former employees are seeding tech startups—and shaping another wave of innovation http://bit.ly/c7PAey

As a job seeker, active networking can be crucial to finding a job. Why is networking so important? It allows the job seeker to be available and to expand relationships in terms of job hunting.

Networking doesn’t require much skill or talent, just a desire to grow and expand. Everything on our list can quickly help introduce you to new opportunities, introductions and more!

Here are several easy ways to increase your network starting today:

-          Sign up for free professional networking sites, such as LinkedIn. Join industry-related groups or groups of potential employers you’d like to work for and become an active, contributing member on their pages.

-          Prepare an elevator pitch. In 30 seconds you need to be able to describe who you are and which problems you can solve. Practice every day until it comes naturally.

-          Ask your network connections to connect you to another person in their own network. When you start doing this, you may find yourself tapping into a potential network of hundreds.

-          Send an e-mail to an old contact. Taking a few moments to send over a message will you help maintain your relationship, which can be helpful later on down the line.

-          Send an e-mail to a new contact. That first initiative could lead to a series of opportunities.

-          Become a member of professional associations. Every market has a group of people who are creating the standards and organizing member professionals. Being part of these groups can give you recognition in your industry.

-          Find a mentor. You want find people who have achieved your goals and can help you achieve similar success. Take your mentor out for lunch and discuss your plans and aspirations.

-          Use thank you notes. Taking a moment to appreciate the people in your network can do wonders. If someone is happy to help, show them you don’t take their help for granted.

-          Comb through publications. Regularly read industry publications, professional blogs and websites. These publications will make you much more aware of important individuals within your profession. Don’t stop at knowing their names; make efforts to get in touch with them, whether through e-mails or meetings.

-          Be genuinely interested in others. Good networking involves showing a genuine interest in the welfare of others. Keep this in mind while you are meeting new connections and building your network.

Here’s a question for you: have you ever Googled your name?  If not, you may want to take a moment to type it into the search bar and see what comes up!

In our previous blog post, we told you to Google your name. Why? When doing research prior to your job hunt, it is always important to not only research potential employers but yourself as well! Many hiring managers and recruiters do this, so that means your online presence can make or break your job search now more than ever before. Make sure positive and professional content appears under your name before someone may find something you won’t want to be seen.

First off, how can you search yourself? Check out several search engines like Google, Yahoo, Ask, Bing, etc. Review the first three to five pages of results for content.

When you conduct your search, try the following search options:
- Type in alternate forms of your name – any nicknames, alternate spellings, etc.
- Type in your middle name
- Type in your middle initial
- Type in the names of any former employers included with your name

If you’ve searched yourself and found nothing, now is the perfect time to add to your professional online presence! There are several steps you can take:

-          Keep your current content focused on the positive, whether that relates to professional or personal information.

-          You may want to set your profile to “private” or play around with the block settings until you find something that works. Remember, others can see your friends and monitor comments posted so you may want to proceed with caution.

-          Don’t mention your job search if you’re still employed.

-          Make your content useful. A great way to establish a professional online presence starts with adding content that can be linked back to your name. Respond to forum posts, answer questions or comment on blogs related to your industry with your full, professional name and web profile or page you want people to see.

-          Be wary of people out there on the Internet with the same name as you. Find out who has any variation of your name on search engines and be prepared to discuss and explain.

So what happens if you DO find something that you don’t want a hiring manager to see? What can you do to clear your name online?

First, try to remove all the negative information. Check out and review all of your social networking profiles, such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Myspace, etc. for anything that can be harmful to your job search. These profiles are in your control, so you can easily go in and remove negative information, photos or comments.

If you can’t delete something you find, push it back. Although you have the opportunity to review and delete certain personal profiles, there may be negative online search results that are out of your control. Want to get rid of them? Bury negative information with positive references. Usually, search engine results are based on number of links coming in to a site with more weight given to social sites, like blogs. One of the best ways to push off a negative online reputation can be for a job seeker to set up his/her own blog and add a professional touch to other social networking profiles, such as LinkedIn. After that, begin aggressively posting positive, professional information to start crowding out anything negative. If you have negative results on the first few pages of your search results, it will be very obvious to hiring managers. If these results are pushed back to the tenth page however, hiring managers are less likely to find them.

Overall, it can be very helpful to check out your information before you start applying to jobs! If you DO find yourself with digital dirt, doing your research will at least give you the chance to avoid having this information work against you down the line.

Source: Garden State Employment and Training Association

CareerBuilder

How can you shine like an Olympian during your job search in 2010? Olympic athletes may have four years to prepare for the intense competitions they face during the Olympic Games, but you only need these four steps to go for the gold in your job search and beat out the competition!

© VANOC/COVAN

How can you prepare yourself to top the competition during your job search? In order to succeed, you need to create a strategy that works for you.

Do your research. Research encompasses all aspects of the job hunt. Know the industry you are trying to enter. Are companies in that industry hiring? Do you have experience and the skills necessary? If you don’t know much about the industry you are attempting to enter, now is the time to educate yourself as much as possible.

What jobs are you applying for? What do you know about the companies or organizations you want to join? Do you know what they’re looking for in a hire? How will you convince them you’re the best fit for the job you’ve applied for?

After you research the industry or company, don’t forget to research yourself, too! Here’s a question for you: have you ever Googled your name? If not, you may want to take a moment to type it into the search bar and see what comes up! Many hiring managers and recruiters do this, so you’ll want to make sure positive and professional content appears under your name before a hiring manager may find something you won’t want to be seen.

Expand your Job Search Resources. Job boards and networks can be extremely helpful with your job search. Many companies have their own job boards that are easy to search (for ex., we have a job board on our page). You can try contacting your alumni office or career resource center at your college/university and use industry associations and professional organizations which can all be great resources for your job search. You can also use your social networking pages like LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook to reach contacts and connections that can provide potential leads for your job search.

Use Your Cover Letter and Resume to Your Advantage. A well-written cover letter is extremely important to your job search. Use it to your advantage by writing to show the potential employer that your skills and experience match the position you desire. An effective, targeted, customized resume is equally important. Consider these documents as the tools in your “job search kit.” These will be essential to help the hiring manager assess your fit for the job and the culture of the company.

Make a good presentation during and after your interview. Once you’re on track and an interview is scheduled, make sure you are ready. Since your physical appearance is the first thing an employer sees, it really matters. Remember that your clothing, hair, makeup and jewelry make an immediate impression. For presentation tips, check out our previous blog post on how to present yourself at your interview.

Have other tips for a Gold Medal Job Hunt? Follow us on Twitter at @StormStaff and tell us what you think!

What advice do you have that can help job seekers out there? Send us your responses and we’ll post them!

As a job seeker, using popular social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn can present a great opportunity for self-promotion, both on personal and professional levels. As a result, a growing number of recruiters have taken notice and scout these networks for potential candidates. When choosing to use social networking sites as a job-hunting tool, it is important to understand how recruiters and hiring managers can review your profiles to assess you as a candidate and potential hire.

One of the greatest risks associated with the use of social networks involves sharing too much information. How much information you choose to share can become a detriment when users make the mistake of posting things that may be inappropriate for potential employers. How can you avoid this problem as you use your social networks to aid you in your job hunt?

The first consideration you may want to take is simply limiting who can see what you post. You can do this by changing your privacy settings. Each social network has its own available restrictions and privacy levels, so review each of them and decide which ones are right for you.

While privacy settings can help prevent easy access to your personal information, there’s always a level of discretion you should keep on your profiles with those contacts that can see everything. Just because someone is your “friend,” “follower,” or “connection” doesn’t mean they won’t share the information you put up. Never underestimate the scope or reach of what you post. If you share things that could portray you in a negative light, just know that information could certainly still make its way to other places on the web. Even if you post something and later remove it, it’s already been in the public eye and there is always a chance that someone has already seen it and that they may have even already saved a copy. Therefore, avoid things like any mention of alcohol and drug use, inappropriate photos or information, poor communication or writing skills and criticism of co-workers or former employers on your profiles.

Instead, remain selective with the information you post. Think about the direction you want to take with your pages. If you truly choose to dedicate your social networking efforts to finding a job, make sure you create profiles that exude professionalism. Post information related to your professional growth, skills and capabilities. You can still inject your personality into your profiles by listing hobbies like sports, traveling, community organizations and volunteering efforts.

Why not consider making the information on your profile work for you by actively networking? To actively network, make an effort to frequently post information that would interest your networks, answer questions and add new connections. You may even consider sending out a message letting your connections know you are seeking a job and possibly ask for potential leads in your job search.

Overall, less can be more when posting your personal information online. As you continue to use social networking pages in your job hunt, simply remember that you should always keep a level of good judgment on what you choose to share with people.

Having poor communication skills can have a negative effect on the relationships you share with coworkers, a boss or other employees. Productivity may even decrease due to a lack of effective communication in your workplace. Therefore, effective communication is extremely important and can play a key factor in the success of individuals in the workplace.

If you improve your interpersonal communication skills, you will in turn achieve more successful work relationships. Why? People who can communicate well know how to effectively send and receive messages. They not only get their point across but also listen while using both verbal and nonverbal cues. Are you an effective communicator? How can you improve your communication skills?

We have included several tips to immediately help improve your communication skills:

-          Listen for understanding: make it a priority to understand what other people are thinking and feeling as they are talking to you.

-          Try to reflect back your understanding of their thoughts and feelings with your responses.

-          Ask for more information to avoid any misunderstandings. Tell the speaker to elaborate if you need clarifications.

-          Ask follow up questions and encourage input from others. Communication is a two-way street, so make sure you’re allowing others to have a say. Focus on creating some give and take in your communication.

-          Be clear and stay on topic. Limit distractions. Cut down on external distractions when you’re holding a conversation, including other calls or emails popping up.

-          Stay alert – avoid closing your eyes, looking away or yawning. Maintain a steady stream of eye contact.

-          Use body language to support your verbal communication – hand gestures, facial expressions, etc.

-          Take notes. Taking notes is easy to do and will help you retain important information.

Incorporating these tips into your everyday workplace interactions will significantly increase your effectiveness and productivity. If you have other tips to include on this list, please feel free to reply to this post or add a comment to our LinkedIn discussion.

A layoff can be difficult to handle, but how you react to it is extremely important to the future of your career. In a recent turn of events, television host Conan O’Brien became part of one of the most infamous layoffs when he was let go by NBC. During his monologue on Monday night, Conan pretty much summed it up to audience members by saying:

“Hi, I’m Conan O’Brien and I need all of you to write me a letter of recommendation.”

If you haven’t kept up with the story, here’s a basic recap according to what’s been reported: Conan O’Brien signed a contract with NBC five years ago, promising him the Tonight Show. At the time, Jay Leno hosted the show. When O’ Brien’s turn came up to take over the program, Leno was moved to a different show with a different time slot. Things didn’t pan out well, and Leno’s new ratings were down and never came up. At the same time, Conan’s ratings were not reaching the expected numbers. NBC felt that the best way to bring them up would be moving Leno back to a later time slot and pushing Conan’s show to midnight (the show has always aired at 11:30p.m.). As a result, Conan was forced to accept the new deal or move on.  In a very public address, Conan stood his ground and said he would not accept the new terms. Executives refused to budge and in the end, his fan base and clout were not enough to sustain his stand.

You might enjoy this recent clip from Saturday Night Live poking fun at the whole ordeal:

We can use this as a lesson that layoffs really can happen to anybody. I read a great Harvard Business Review article that serves as a reminder to all: at the end of the day, layoffs aren’t personal – “it’s just business.” According to the author, Conan, just like any employee, is part a revenue stream which can eventually trump the needs of any one employee.

In today’s economic climate, thousands of Americans face layoffs for several reasons.  Maybe your position or department isn’t viewed as a revenue generator. Maybe your organization is going through a merger or acquisition. Even with advanced notice, few are ever really prepared for layoffs. In the case of Conan O’Brien, he was certainly not ready to be let go.

As I mentioned before, how you react to being laid off can be extremely important to your career. While it may not be easy, here are some tips to help you handle a lay off with poise and professionalism:

- It is best remain professional during your exit and leave on good terms. Remember, you never want to burn bridges that may come in useful later on in your professional career.
- Keep your resume, application materials and potential references and their contact information up-to-date.
- Get recommendation letters. If the layoff was a result of something out of your hands, a recommendation can certainly come in handy for your next interview.
- Join and participate in career-related social media sites such as LinkedIn.
- Make sure your professional association memberships are up-to-date.
- Network in your community, at civic events, in philanthropic organizations and in groups that share your leisure interests.
- Don’t waste time being upset and angry. Instead, use the time away as a chance for reflection. Were you doing what you really wanted to be doing? If not, you may want to consider a new direction for the next step in your career.

Above all else, remember to remain realistic and positive! There may not be many jobs out there, but there are still some! This could be your chance to focus on your strengths and really market yourself to future employers and clients. If you have recently faced a lay off or know someone who has, check out our Careers Page for a listing of job openings that may be a good fit for you.

Sources:

http://humanresources.about.com/od/whenemploymentends/a/employ_term.htm

http://www.ehow.com/how_4892354_handle-layoff-survival-tips.html

http://workplaceculture.suite101.com/article.cfm/how_to_handle_the_last_day_at_work#

http://www.hrmguide.net/usa/layoff_tips.htm#

In today’s economic climate, those of us who are employed face intensified pressures while working for understaffed companies. At a time when a shortage of staff means longer hours, more tasks, less vacation time and working from home, it’s hard to separate our personal lives from work. The work life balance can be one of the most difficult aspects of managing a career but in order to succeed, you need to have a balanced lifestyle.

Career can mean a combination of work and other life roles. Today’s blog is dedicated to the work-life balance. It is extremely important to understand the importance of maintaining a good, healthy balance if you’d like to ultimately achieve professional success. Finding a balance that is right for you and your situation will lead to greater life satisfaction and eventually, greater career success.

Here are some tips for seeking a balance between your work and life:

-          Make time for relationships and connecting with the people you value.

-          Consider joining networking groups or professional organizations in your area.

-          Make time for reflection. Take a moment to recognize the patterns your work and leisure take. How do they interact? What are the effects on your well-being?

-          Build breaks into your work schedule.

-          Use vacation time to relax. Although the idea of vacations may vary between individuals, use your vacation days and find a restful way to spend them.

-           Make sure you are effectively using your time. While you are working, avoid the temptation to procrastinate and distractions.

Remember, maintaining a work-life balance is ultimately part of the career-planning process. Making balance a priority will be one step further in your ultimate goal of achieving career satisfaction and success. If you still feel unbalanced, you may want to consider finding a new career. At StormStaff, we constantly upload new job openings on our careers page. No matter what your level of experience is, we are here to help you grow and find the opportunity you’ve been looking for! We take the relationships we build seriously; we expect our candidates to trust us and will do everything in our power to build upon that trust. To check out the options that can be available to you, click here.

The New Year marks new beginnings and time for a fresh start. As you consider your resolutions and changes for 2010, have you mapped out your career goals? To help make career planning easier in 2010, consider using a career ladder! As you further your career into the New Year and beyond, think about the steps you will take on your own personal career ladder. Read over this blog post and create your own ladder, filling in the steps you have taken and where you would like to go.

Take the time to reflect on your career first. What steps have you climbed on your professional development ladder? Reflection is an extremely important tool for evaluating your potential growth. Consider the following:

-          What industries did you enjoy in the past?

-          What tasks/projects did you excel with?

-          Where were your greatest successes and worst failures?

-          What is your academic history?

-          What personal qualities do you possess that could help build up your career?

In order to meet your professional development goals, you need to create a short term and long term strategy. Start off with a vision of what you want to achieve. Where do you want to go in the following months and upcoming years of your career? Now, break down this vision into attainable short term and long term goals. Plan your moves to push yourself up your ladder. Consider what kinds of opportunities and risks you will have to take. Each level will require new skills, responsibilities, tasks and authority. How can you prepare yourself now to handle these changes down the line?

Now that you’ve reflected on the past and built a strategy based on your current career, you can fill in your career ladder! Take the time to sit down and write up your own game plan to jump start your career growth in 2010. Although we’ve only listed some of the considerations that must be taken when planning your career, remember that taking these steps now will help you reach your ultimate career goals down the line.

Click here for a sample Career Ladder for a professional in the finance/accounting field.

Click here for a blank Career Ladder.

Sources: PTDA.org

The effects of social media over the last year are undeniable and will definitely continue to effect job seeking in 2010. What could that mean for your professional career? As you reflect over 2009, consider your social networking pages and how they point towards your future growth.

Let’s break down the year in numbers and see how the growth of social media can give you insight into job seeking for 2010!

A lesson in opportunity: 1,382%

Twitter grew 1,382% year-over-year in February and hasn’t shown signs of slowing since. Twitter can play a significant role in expanding your job seeking efforts and benefits of having a Twitter account are almost innumerable. How can you use your Twitter account to expand your job seeking opportunities in 2010?

-          Connect and build relationships with other professionals in your industry by retweeting and engaging in conversations.

-          Use your own knowledge to give yourself exposure and credibility. Twitter gives you an opportunity to demonstrate your expertise and share information quick.

-          Remember to edit any spam or remove “bad” followers!

-          Look for job postings on company and individual recruiter’s Twitter pages. At StormStaff, we post our job openings on our Twitter page every hour on the hour. Our followers can get a direct feed of the very latest job openings simply by clicking on our page.

A lesson in privacy: 350 million

Facebook now has more than 350 million active users and 50% of these users log on to Facebook on any given day. As the largest social networking platform, Facebook can definitely help in your job seeking efforts in the upcoming year! With so many active users, it has never been so important to maintain your privacy on the social networking site. How can you maintain your privacy on Facebook?

-          According to Facebook statistics, more than 3.5 billion pieces of content (web links, news stories, blog posts, notes, photo albums, etc.) are shared each week. As a job seeker, you should review your privacy settings and make sure content being placed is not harmful to you.

-          If you choose to keep your Facebook profile public, remember to turn on the privacy options that disable the ability for people to tag you in pictures and videos you may not want on your page.

-          Remember, just because you don’t post anything incriminating doesn’t mean it won’t show up on your page.

A lesson in networking: 50 million

LinkedIn reached 50 million professionals worldwide in October, which translated to roughly one new member per second. LinkedIn is a professional network where individuals can connect and network.  A LinkedIn profile is the ultimate professional networking tool. People use the site to create and manage their online professional identities, reconnect with former colleagues and develop new relationships. How can you use LinkedIn for your job search in 2010?

-          Your LinkedIn account can act as a combination of a resume, cover letter, list of references and a database of your network. Include employment history, education and industry. Review your resume and copy/paste relevant information into your profile.

-          Connect with other members and build your network by using the search features. Browse through alumni groups and former employer groups for possible connections.

-          Use your account to find job openings. Several companies and recruiters post open jobs directly on group pages so consider joining groups for companies and industries of interest and check them regularly.

-          The Answers section of LinkedIn is a good way to showcase your expertise. Respond to questions and ask questions to get valuable feedback from other professionals.