Time for a mid-year thanks to readers of QuintZine and visitors to Quintessential Careers.
In the first half of 2002, Quintessential Careers
welcomed almost 1.5 million unique visitors, a 58 percent increase
over the first half of 2001. Those visitors accounted for 5.6 million+
page impressions, a 21 percent increase over the first half of 2001.
For more details see: Quintessential Careers Visitor Stats
Even after helping nearly 1.5 million visitors in
the first half of 2002, we're not nearly satisfied.
We want to be accessible to every job-seeker who is
searching for answers; we want to help every job-seeker,
every student, every career changer ... and you can help us
achieve our goal by continuing to spread the good word about
our site, continuing to have your organizations link to us,
and continuing to contribute to the life and growth of this site.
Thanks again, readers! Please enjoy our annual Networking
issue. You are all members of our network!
For Networking and Support, Join or Start a Job Club
by Katharine Hansen
It's a well-known fact that the best way to find a
job is through networking. An abundance of ready-made
networking opportunities exists out there, but maybe
none of them are right for you or accessible to you.
One type of networking venue -- a job club -- could
be a solution because it not only enables you to
expand your network of contacts but also serves as
a support group. The empathy and encouragement
provided by supportive peers can be particularly
uplifting in times of economic recession.
What ties people in a job club together is the need
for mutual support and encouragement. People who are
energized by social situations and tend to procrastinate
the lonely tasks of job-hunting will likely benefit
from a job club. Those who are shy, insecure, or ashamed
of having lost a job can get help from other job club
members in overcoming these mental roadblocks. Job-club
membership can stave off the depression that sometimes
sets in during a protracted job search.
Not only will you feel supported in a job club, but you
will probably be more successful than if you went it alone.
Those who've been involved with job clubs report that their
efforts that are strengthened by belonging to the group
and their job searches are shorter. Richard Nelson Bolles,
author of the classic What Color is Your Parachute?
and a strong proponent of job-seeking support groups,
notes an 84 percent success rate when job-search techniques
are conducted in groups, compared with a 15 percent lower
rate when the same techniques are followed individually.
The exchange of job leads, business cards, resumes, ideas,
and information that occurs in a job or networking club can
energize members and teach everyone valuable career strategies
and techniques.
If your school, organization, business or other
entity has a Web site, we welcome you to link to Quintessential Careers.
If you already have a link from your site, we want you to know we
appreciate it. If you don't have a link to us, please
send a request to your site's Webmaster to establish a
link to Quintessential Careers. Thanks so much!
For more details (including sample HTML copy), see our
Link to Us page.
Special Feature: Using Networking Business Cards
Networking Business Cards: An Essential Job-Search Tool for Career Changers and
College Students When A Resume Just Won’t Do
by Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D.
Here's what every job-seeker should know:
the value of a strong and flawless resume and
the power of networking in finding a new job.
When you're job-hunting, take your resume with
you wherever you go -- and you should use every
opportunity to grow and strengthen your network
of contacts. But what do you do in situations
where passing out a handful of resumes is not
feasible? Use networking business cards.
Networking business cards, which have the look and
feel of a traditional business card, give you the
opportunity to provide critical career and contact
information to people you meet in social and
professional situations.
Quintessential Careers is now affiliated with Liz Sumner, Life Coach.
A coach is someone with the skills, methods, and experience to help you clarify and achieve your
life goals, including career goals. Your career is an enormously important part of your life but does not
stand alone. The issues you face in your job search are most likely reflected in other areas of your life.
As part of this whole-life approach, a Life Coach can guide you in such issues as whether you are in the right job.
Whether you are paid what you're worth. Whether your work fits your purpose and your values. Whether it uses your skills
and talents appropriately, and whether it will lead you to the next right job.
PowerMingle, a partially fee-based site, acts as a
catalyst for people who want to extend their professional
network by matching people with each other. PowerMingle asks
prospective members to create an accurate profile and says it
will then deliver them all the relevant, professional
contacts they need.
With the PowerMingle Network, you can use PowerMingle to
locate peers with similar work or professional interests
as you. The network is global as well as local and has members
from all over the world. It's free to register, to be matched,
and to be contacted. To contact your matches, you have to subscribe
to Premium Networking for a fee.
PowerMingle also provides the MingleZone -- a fully hosted
virtual meeting place -- for organizers of conferences, exhibitions
and trade shows. In the MingleZone attendees are matched with other
relevant attendees and exhibitors and can start to build business
relationships before their event starts.
Instantly email your resume to 1000s of recruiters,
headhunters, and direct hiring companies! With the most
comprehensive and targeted network of recruiters on the
net, you can rest assured you have taken the steps
necessary to jump start your search. We are so sure
you will be happy that we guarantee our service!
BioMedScientistJobs --
an international job site for life sciences (biology, ecology, genetics, immunology, and more)
and medical/healthcare researchers. Job-seekers can browse job postings by discipline, location,
employer, and sector -- or search for job openings based on those same criteria. Registering allows
job-seekers to post multiple CVs/resumes and receive email job updates. Free to job-seekers.
DentalAssistantJobs.com
-- where dental assistant professionals can search for job openings (by date of posting, work category,
location, and keywords), post your resume, review company profiles, and register for a job-search agent.
Free to job-seekers.
English Job Maze
-- where job-seekers looking for international ESL/EFL employment can search for jobs by country and job type,
as well as post your CV and register for a job-search agent. Beyond job listings, this site also contains a
wealth of free TESL information and resources. Free to job-seekers.
ezboard
-- consists of a network of more than 300,000 online communities inhabited by businesses and individuals
that covers a wide range of topics and interests. Join an ongoing community or start your own.
A great networking tool. Free to job-seekers.
Find even more career and job site additions to Quintessential Careers by visiting our
Latest
Additions section.
Carol writes: "From 1985 to now I have essentially
been doing very little part-time freelance consulting.
The problem is I recently moved to a new town, and I
have NO network even where I used to work. Should I try
(at the age of 50) to get work as an entry-level consultant,
full time, or as a part-time person at a middle level?
I haven't even stayed in contact with any of my old 'professional'
bosses from the 70s and 80s, so I hardly have references.
There are not a lot of consulting firms in this neck of
the woods. Should I try to change fields?"
Ann writes: "After many years of working at jobs
I didn't like and/or had no growth potential,
I went back to college and completed my B.A.
in sociology at Stetson University in 1997.
In September of 1999, I became employed as a
Child Protective Investigator. In May of 2000,
I was terminated from my job. I was told I had
failed the mandatory performance assessment test
and would no longer be able to perform the job.
Since May of 2000, I have applied for many jobs
in the same field. I loved my job and want to work
with children in some helpful capacity. However,
as soon as any potential employer hears that I
was fired from the Department of Children and
Families, the interview is terminated."
Anonymous writes: "I am an Afro-America woman
and have always permed my 'nappy' hair straight,
ponytail, or curled and worn that look to the office.
It is too hot and takes too long to style and does
not last long.
What is your view on black women wearing braids,
twists, Jamaican locks, or other ethnic hair fashions
to an interview and/or on the job in a corporate
environment (suit and tie). Honesty, how will she
be perceived and if interviewing, will she get the
job if she's the best candidate?
I realize that this is a highly controversial and
sensitive topic, and your reply may shock your readers,
but this issue needs to be addressed for the new decade
and for the financial stability of our black race."
Kristy writes: "What is your advice/opinion on
taking a 'survival' job? -- one that will help
pay bills, but doesn't further your career or
personal goals."
Q TIPS: Quick and Quintessential Career & Job Tips
We bandy the word "networking" about, but what does it really
mean, and what does networking involve. Writing in a recent Career
Masters Connection, the newsletter of Career Masters Institute,
resume writer Beverly Harvey notes that networking involves:
meeting with a person for the sake of gathering
information, asking for advice, asking for the names
of publications, organizations, books, or pertinent
events (conferences, seminars, workshops) and asking
for the name of two to three others (professionals,
vendors, suppliers, recruiters, competitors, sales
people);
following up on the referrals and leads and repeating
the same process with each referral to perpetuate development
of an increasingly larger network;
following up with each contact to keep them abreast of
the outcomes;
announcing acceptance of a position and thanking each
person involved in the process;
continuing the networking relationship on a regular
basis (once every three to four months).
Harvey notes that job-seekers also should "be sure to
ask if there is anything they can do in return -- or
offer their assistance in some way. Networking is a
two-way street and the most successful networkers are
those who take the initiative to contribute to someone
else's success."
The outplacement firm Challenger, Gray, & Christmas
reported that, despite the sluggish economy, out-of-work
executives found jobs surprisingly quickly last year.
The firm attributes the fast turnaround, in part, to a
new awareness of the importance of networking to find a job.
Networking is inextricably tied to the hidden job
market. That means that you will never know about
the 75 to 95 percent of jobs that are never advertised
unless you network. Case in point: Sophia Chen, manager
at Marston Mills, Inc., notes that "most opportunities
are known within a company anywhere between two and
10 weeks before they are reported to human resources, and
approximately 85 percent of those openings are filled internally."
Why are they mostly filled internally? Because the people inside the
company are the only ones who know about the openings. Let's
say you're looking for a job. Your friend, Sally, works at a company
you'd like to work for, XYZ Widgets. Let's say Sally has learned about
an opening at XYZ during that two-to-10-week window before the
position is reported to human resources and subsequently advertised.
Let's say you happen to take Sally out to lunch and mention that
you're looking for a job. There's a decent chance Sally will say,
"Oh! I just heard about an opening at my company that you'd be
perfect for! If you give me your resume, I'll pass it on to
the hiring manager." Bingo. Behold the power of networking.
Some workers in the Central Florida area recently weighed in
with some thoughts on networking, as reported in the Orlando
Sentinel:
The best way to develop long-term contacts is face-to-face.
Your next job could come from a colleague of someone you're
currently working with, so it pays to cultivate effective relationships on the job.
The more you network, the easier it gets.
Always be ready to network someone by performing a random act of kindness.
Even if you're shy, plenty of networking opportunities exist, such as getting involved in volunteer work.
Networking sins include focusing only on what's in it for you, making a sales pitch too soon, and talking too much instead of
listening and asking questions.
Take Our Survey! Please Help Us Help You...
If you haven't already done so, we have a big favor to ask: please
take a few minutes to complete a totally anonymous survey.
As we vow in our privacy statement, we absolutely will not
use the information gained in any other way than to make
our Quintessential Careers site even BETTER for our readers.
WATCH FOR feature articles on these topics in upcoming
issues of QuintZine:
* Cover letters to recruiters
* Home-based careers
* The ultimate guide to interview preparation
* How to create and publish a Web-ready resume
* Crafting a successful e-mail resume
* The interview as sales call
* Getting the raise you deserve
* Your senior year in college: Pivotal to job-search success
* 10 things I wish I'd known before starting college
* 10 things I wish I'd known before starting my first job
* Letters of recommendation
* 10 ways to develop job leads
* Why, how, when to use a career coach -- and whom to choose
* Employer research: step by step
* Learn about careers through job-shadowing
* Balancing career and family
* 10 job-search reality checks
* Is job flexibility right for you?
* First days on the job: Strategies to get ahead
* Dealing with a bad boss
* Making your case for telecommuting
* A day in the life of a recruiter
* Don't wait by the phone: Following up on all job leads
* Dining etiquette
* Career journaling
* The relationship between personality and career choice
* What employers are really looking for
* How to create and use a networking card
* How to resign from your job gracefully
* Step-by-step guide to career planning
* New series: 10 mistakes to avoid in: resumes, cover letters, interviews, salary
negotiation, career change, networking, job-search
* Quintessential Career Profiles of YOU, our readers
* Q&As with well-known career experts
* Book reviews
. . . and much, much more!
Don't ever want to miss another issue of QuintZine? Get a free subscription to
the email version of QuintZine by completing our
subscription form.
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RESUMES * JOB SEARCH CORRESPONDENCE FROM TRUSTED EXPERTS * COVER LETTERS
We create resumes,
cover letters, curriculum vitae, thank-you and
follow-up letters, and list-formatted documents,
such as salary histories and reference lists.
We also can provide critiques and makeovers of
your resume or cover letter. Credit cards accepted.
Quintessential Careers also offers writing services
for those who have been asked to give a speech and
need assistance in researching and writing their
remarks.
Need a speaker for your career-oriented conference or
event at your college or organization? The Quintessential
Careers Speakers Bureau can help! Our quintessential experts
can provide presentations/workshops on a variety of
career-related topics.
