Social networking is one of the fastest growing forms of communication and advertisement. It helps to connect people, including co-workers with each other and employers with their employees. It is also a great way for employers to examine potential employees. In order to have the best odds at getting a job you need to take advantage of social networking as well as creating an impressive resume and acing the interview.
The best way to use social networking for a job is to have a LinkedIn profile. This site is meant for professional and business connections, and is used by businesses, employers, and those searching for a job. If you have a LinkedIn profile, you need to let your potential employers know. List your profile URL on your resume so it will be easy for employers to find you. If they have a difficult time locating your profile, then they may become frustrated and may already have a bad impression of you when you come to an interview.
Since your LinkedIn profile will be for strictly professional and business purposes, it is imperative that you keep the profile looking professional. Reserve your LinkedIn profile for business connections only-save your personal activities for other networking sites, like Facebook or Twitter.  Be warned: employers will not only look at your LinkedIn profile, they will look for you on other social networking sites. Do not say vulgar or offensive things that could jeopardize your chance at getting the job. If you’re going to discuss aspects of your job search on social networking site, be sure you are only making positive posts/comments.  Make your personal information interesting and make it look professional. This will allow your potential employers to see your “human” side and help them decide if you are the right candidate for an interview and the job.
Using social networking sites in your job search is a great way for you to advertise yourself to potential employers. Take advantage of them and give yourself a step up on the competition.

Government Career Resources

Career & Workplace

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The United States government provides a plethora of career information from the Department of Labor and the Bureau of Labor statistics. The Department of Labor can inform you about Workers’ Compensation, veteran’s assistance programs, disability, retirement, youth employment programs, unemployment, work safety and overtime. Among the Department of Labor’s top 20 requests are information on COBRA health insurance continuation coverage, the Family Medical Leave Act benefits, United States employment statistics, health plans, minimum wage and unemployment insurance. It is a good resource to use when you are not sure about work-related information or your employer has not given you enough information on any of these topics. If you want to make sure that information you have about jobs and working is accurate, the Department of Labor resources can verify it for you.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Outlook Handbook provides profiles for many careers that give you job descriptions, educational requirements, median pay, job outlook for particular careers and the number of jobs within that career for a given year. The Occupational Outlook Handbook is one resource to use to find keywords to write a more effective professional resume. The Bureau of Labor Statistics is also an important resource for examining career trends and deciding which career you will choose and what type of education you will need. Statistics on United States productivity, employment and unemployment, pay and benefits, and on the job injuries are also provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Together, the Department of Labor and the Bureau of Labor statistics provide valuable government work information to help keep you working or to get you back to work if you have been laid off.

Not Quite Enough Experience?

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Your standard dream job description may require an average of three to five years of experience when you only have two years of experience. Do you just walk away and do not apply? No, apply anyways. You may be surprised and get at least a phone interview. Pay close attention to the keywords of the job description and ensure that you put them in your resume also.
Do not inflate your experience in this field or call attention to your lack of three to five years of experience in a cover letter. There are other things a recruiter looks for aside from number of years of experience. Maybe the job calls for someone who can work tirelessly towards a specific goal for long-term rather than short-term gratification. Or perhaps your background in customer service will be a great add-on to the skill sets required in the position. Personal characteristics, related skill sets and ability to work hours that are different from just the 9 to 5 grind may also make you an attractive candidate. If the recruiter describes the type of person that would fit best into this position, listen carefully, then provide information on why you are that person.
Training also counts towards making you the ideal job candidate when you do not have the requisite number of years of work experience. While some managers like to train their new employees from the ground up, realistically, it can be cost prohibitive and time consuming to do so. Arriving with some relevant training can also make starting a new job easier.
A flexible, can-do attitude also counts in your favor. If you can be flexible with start dates, hours, where you work, what equipment you do your work on, all of these things can add up to make you the best candidate for the job, even when you do not have the preferred amount of experience.

Starting A Career, Not Just A Job

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After being in the work force doing things that nobody really wants to do, you decide that you want something more. You want a career not just a job. Now, how do you go about it? Here are some tips to help you with the transition.
1. You need to take your education into consideration. If you want a better job you need a college education. You are not going to become a doctor without going to medical school. So you need to get a degree with a future career in mind. You also want a job doing something you have studied enough that you are very skilled in that area. If you are skilled and you work hard, then you will be able to advance and have a career.
2. Take your interests into consideration. Trying to find a job that you love is hard, but when you are trying to start a career it is a necessity. You will be in that field until you retire and you need to enjoy it in order to make it worthwhile.
3. Take your family into consideration. If you want to have a family you will want to start a career that allows you to take care of them financially. Now you also want to weigh in how much time you want to spend with your family. If you want to spend a lot of time with your family you do not want to start a career in a field that makes it nearly impossible to ever see your family.
4. Now one thing you need to consider about the company itself is if there is room for advancement in the company. In order to have a fulfilling career you want to be rewarded for your hard work and dedication. That includes getting promotions and pay raises. This is something you want to consider when choosing your career company.
Moving from a job to a career is scary and exciting, but more than anything it will make your experience in the work force fulfilling and more enjoyable.