5 Steps to Successful Job Search Networking

Whether you are unemployed or seeking a job change, networking is a critical part of the search. This is especially true in the current job market. Beginning a job search requires serious planning. Would you decide to take a vacation without research, plans and reservations? Hopefully, you would not.

There are five steps to a successful job search by networking:

1) Develop a plan for your job search. Give some thought to your skills, interests and experience. Start a list with this information. Determine how much time you will devote to this search. If you are unemployed, you need to dedicate the same number of hours you previously worked. Job searching is now your new job.

2) Develop a current resume. If you have skills, experience or education applicable to more than one industry, you need a resume for each industry. If you need some guidance with the resume preparation, there are books and software programs available to assist you.

When you have finished the groundwork by developing a plan and preparing a resume, you are ready to begin the networking process.

3) Set up a system to organize your networking endeavor. This step is extremely important to your networking success. Without organization, this process will not succeed. You can set up a spreadsheet on the computer or use the old-fashioned spiral notebook. Who should be included in your network? Include friends, family, co-workers or previous co-workers as a starting point. Write down names, addresses, phone numbers, fax numbers, email addresses and a date column to track communications. You also need space to write comments and notes after each contact.

Now, add to your network names of church members, your hairdresser and neighbors. You may have a conversation in a doctor's waiting room that leads to a job possibility. Add former employers and former classmates because anyone may be a source of information that results in a job. Once the initial network has been set up, go online and visit job boards.

4) You now have your plan, your current resume and your initial network has been set up. Begin contacting the network by phone, email or mail. Let everyone know that you are looking for a job. You may be asked for a copy of your resume; be sure to send it right away.

5) Stay in contact with your network by following up at least once a week. Keep them informed of your progress and be sure to thank each one.

Do not underestimate the power of your network. It has been reported that at least 60% of all jobs are found by networking. Some career experts report that networking accounts for far more than 60% of jobs found. Once you have your new job, contact everyone in the network and share the good news.

Send everyone a thank you note for their time and effort on your behalf.

Searching for a Singapore job, you can always check out the latest jobs in Singapore WDA jobs bank where thousands of jobs are available.

Why Is LinkedIn So Important in Your Job Search?

If you're a job seeker who doesn't use LinkedIn in looking for job opportunities, you are not probably aware of the current tools being used by recruiters. Employers nowadays do not only review your resume. In fact, they are more interested in reading your LinkedIn profile to get more information about your qualifications. Aside from being a vital recruitment tool, you might wonder why LinkedIn plays an important role in your job search.

Read on to know the answers.

Why More Employers Choose LinkedIn Over Traditional Resumes

Recruiters and employers choose LinkedIn over traditional resumes for the following reasons:

1. Since a LinkedIn profile can be easily edited, the provided information is more updated and relevant in the context of one's industry.

2. A resume is often limited to a page or two while your LinkedIn profile could have unlimited information.

3. A LinkedIn profile is often considered more trustworthy since it's seen by the public. People are less likely to lie about their skills and experience as past and present colleagues could quickly point and call out exaggerations and fabrications.

Using LinkedIn in Your Job Search
There are 3 common ways for you to use LinkedIn to your advantage when you're looking for a job:
1. Use LinkedIn as a key to be found by hiring managers and prospective employers. Candidates who are found by recruiters via LinkedIn have more advantages than those who completely rely on the traditional resume.

The following LinkedIn strategies will increase your chances of being found by recruiting and outsourcing specialists:

-- Ensure that your profile is 100 percent complete. LinkedIn indicates how close you are to completing your profile.

-- Also, it's a good idea to include a keyword-rich and powerful headline to your profile. If you're not sure about your headline, try browsing profiles of people in the same industry as yours.

-- Include a professional and a smiling photograph in your profile.

-- Avoid being too vague with your skills and previous employment information. After listing your skills and former employers, be sure to talk about measurable results and unique accomplishments.

-- Join LinkedIn groups. Currently, the site allows each user to join 50 groups. Consider diversifying your groups --by skills sets, college alumni, geography, interests, or even previous employers.

2. Use LinkedIn to network and consequently find job opportunities. This networking site doesn't only allow you to market your qualifications to employers; it also provides an avenue for you to find a job that matches your qualifications. In the website's main menu, you can click on the "Jobs" section and filter jobs by date posted, industry, function, and organizational level through the Advanced Search feature. Further, each LinkedIn group has its own "Jobs" section that enumerates employment opportunities that are different from the ones posted on the main job board.

On the other hand, the LinkedIn Signal feature allows you to run a search amongst the status updates posted by members of your network. To look for job opportunities in your network, use the keywords "hiring" plus your "job title".

3. Utilize LinkedIn to keep yourself updated and obtain useful information in a wide variety of career topics. LinkedIn also provides news and original articles covering a wide variety of fields and industries. Company profiles are also featured.

Search for a Singapore job, you can always check out the latest jobs in Singapore WDA job bank where thousands of jobs are available.

Using Keywords in Your Engineering Job Search

Without question there is far more competition now for every job posting. The recession has been exceptional hard on certain professions, especially civil engineering. The number of new jobs has been few compared to the number of individuals seeking employment. In this environment, you need an edge to set yourself apart. One of the best strategies is to use industry specific keywords or buzz words in both your Cover Letter and Resume.

After taking care of the basics, grammar and spelling, the next write or modify the Cover Letter and Resume specifically for the job posting. This is accomplished by embellishing the content with keywords and keyword phrases. Filling the documents with buzz words is just as important as action verbs. Keywords and Keyword phrases are normally nouns that are job-specific, profession-specific and/or industry-specific.

The buzz words can be related to skills, technological terms and descriptions of technical expertise (including hardware and software in which you are proficient), job titles, certifications, names of products and services, and industry buzzwords and jargon. They may also include types of degrees and names of colleges and company names. Awards you have won and names of professional organizations to which you belong can even be used as keywords.

A list of keywords and keyword phrases can be created using several techniques. Some of the more common techniques are:

• Boomerang Technique - Bounce the keywords and phrases used in the job posting back to the employer. Too many resumes are written for the general public and not specific to the job. This does not mean that you need to rewrite your resume every time, but that you should modify it by adding specific terms and phrases. Read the job posting closely, and you will find the verbs and nouns they are looking for. Most job postings are loaded with industry- and position-specific buzzwords. Take your cues straight from the source and include those same words in your resume.


• Industry Specific Terms - The engineering profession has its own unique terms that few outside of the field would either know or understand. Even within the various fields of engineering there are specific terms. One such term is Building Information Modeling (BIM), which is a building design and documentation methodology that creates a reliable, coordinated and consistent digital representation of a building for design decision-making, construction document production, performance testing and actual construction process. Computer-Aided Design or CAD software, another industry keyword, is instrumental in maintaining the BIM model. Another term is Low Impact Development or LID also specific to engineering, but also specific to a few fields in engineering. The same is true for LEED certification, which is important in renewable and environmentally friendly or green design. To find more keywords, research industry trends and visit professional association websites to uncover current buzzwords -- especially those used by the hiring company or industry leaders.


• Your Own - Again you can list your own Keywords that may or may not show-up in the company literature or industry sources. One such phrase maybe Project Management. Project Management means that you have the knowledge, skills, and experiences to manage all aspects of a project.

There are two main areas to use these keywords; written and oral.

• Written - This includes the Cover Letter, Resume, Thank-You Letter, Career Profiles, and other job search communications. The keywords used here are specifically tailored to the job by letting the employer know that you are the "right" candidate for the job.

• Oral - This is mainly done at the job interview, but also includes any other oral communications you may have with the prospective employer. The objective is to reinforce the employer's perspective that you are the right person for the job.

The key strategy that just might win you that next job is keyword and phrases throughout your Cover Letter and Resume. Review the keywords utilized by the job posting and the industry, and then repeat those keywords back to the reviewer.

Seeking for a job in Singapore, you can always check out the latest jobs in Singapore WDA jobs bank where thousands of jobs are available.

Using Recruiters in a Job Search

For many job seekers, searching for a job can be a long and time consuming task. You are constantly studying job advertisements, writing and sending resumes, and networking. It may seem like you have too much to do and very little time to do it. One way to make your search easier is acquiring the services of a job recruiter.

It will help you manage your time, focus on suitable jobs, and improve results. The right recruiter will have a great deal of knowledge about the industry in which you want to work and the employers. They will have industry contacts and know about job openings that may not be posted publicly.

Sending your resume to a recruiter is good step to obtaining a job

What does a Job Recruiter do?
Recruiters work for employers or employment departments within a business or corporation. An employer will pay job recruiters a fee to find the best employee for their company. A recruiter does not work for you, but will match your qualifications with the type of employee an employer is seeking.

Types of Recruiters

Retained Recruiters: The recruiter has a contract with a company to fill a specific job opening. Retained recruiters tend to work with high level positions. They will advertise the position and find the most qualified person for the job. Their advertisement will contain all the essential information and requirements for the position. The recruiter will receive a retainer in the form of a fee for their service.

Contingency Recruiter: The contingency recruiter will only receive a fee if they make a job placement. The recruiter does not maintain a relationship with an employer. There may be several contingency firms competing to fill a particular position. Contingency recruiters generally work with mid-level management and professional positions.

The Advantages of Using a Recruiter
No Cost: Most employers pay the recruiter once the employee completes a probationary period. The job seeker does not pay the job recruiter.

Employer Contacts: A quality recruiter will have relationships with a number of companies. The recruiter will have unique insight into what employers value in their employees. The recruiter will have a relationship with placed job seekers so they will learn what is like working for a particular company.

Jobs Not Advertised: Because so many resumes pour in when a job is posted publicly, many employers will go directly to a recruiter to post a job instead of posting it publicly.
Specialty Recruiters: Many recruiters specialize in a certain career area. It is important to ask a recruiter about their specialty before sending your resume.

The following outlines a number tips that may be helpful when searching for a job recruiter:
- Recruiters prefer working with people who have a specific career objective.

- A willingness to relocate will attract more recruiters.

- Talk with people who have experience working with a particular recruiter. You will learn if the recruiter is dedicated to filling job positions.

- Be wary of a recruiter that approaches job seekers. Normally job seekers approach recruiters.

- Make sure you tell themyour salary history. This will let them know the appropriate salary range for your desired job.

- Always be courteous. Always return their calls as soon as possible because it shows them you are very interested in finding a job

Whether the economy is good or bad, finding a job can be difficult. Competition for jobs is steadily increasing. Using a job recruiter will improve your chances of securing your desired job.

Seeking for a job in Singapore, you can always check out the updated jobs in Singapore WDA jobs bank where thousands of jobs are available.

Job Search Success Tip - Narrow the Scope of Your Exploration

You're working in a job that doesn't offer you the kind of personal and professional growth you've been searching for. You're left unfufilled, and even worse, you're beginning to dread going back to the office each day. You've been working with several headhunters, without success. You've been spending several hours a day reviewing job leads, submitting your resume, and trying to follow up on a timely basis. It seems like you're doing everything right - so what's going wrong?

Many job candidates who find themselves in an unfavorable situation like the one described, often begin to widen their search. They feel like perhaps if they are open to a variety of positions, they will be more likely to land something.....anything, that will get them out of their current situation. The truth of the matter is in order to gain faster results in your job search, you must narrow the scope of your target position.

What is a target job? Prior to looking at any prospective employment opportunities, it is important to set up the parameters of the search. To complete this task, the candidate must create a list of between twenty and thirty prospective employers that have an excellent reputation in their industry, and whom they would personally want to work for. After completing the list, the next step is to obtain the contact information for each of the hiring authorities responsible for staffing your area of expertise.

Why not just submit a resume through a website? In order to stand out from your competition in the market, it is imperative that you take additional steps to set yourself apart from "the pack." It is far easier to visit the HR website and perform a copy and paste of your resume. The problem with this is that every uninformed job seeker is doing exactly this. Your resume has between five and ten seconds of screening time with any recruiter or hiring authority. Considering the brief time frame you have to "wow" the employer, it's obvious the successful job seeker has to take steps above and beyond, to maximize their candidacy.

The secret is in the follow-up. By setting yourself up for a successful job search, you're placing yourself ahead of other employment seekers. Since you took the time to research the companies you are targeting, and obtained the hiring manager's name and contact information, you can easily follow up until you get either an invitation to interview, or a rejection letter. Never assume that because you have not received a call from the company, they are not interested in interviewing you. Your resume could have been on a secretary's desk, and she misplaced it.

Perhaps Human Resources' computer system crashed, and they lost all of the submission data on the date you sent your resume. Something could have happened that prevented the call, and your resume got lost in the shuffle. For this reason, it's important to remain diligent in your follow-up efforts, and they will pay off in the long run.

Manage your job search like you will perform on the job for the employer. When you're serious about obtaining your next position with one of your target organizations, you will naturally articulate this through your words, preparation, and actions. Likewise, when you take a half-hearted approach toward a career search, you will not obtain the intended results, and consequently, end up spinning your wheels. Make every effort to effectively manage the employment exploration process through strategic planning and action steps, and you will ultimately land your next job in the most expedient manner.

Searching for a Singapore job, you can always check out the latest jobs in Singapore WDA job bank where thousands of jobs are available.

Top Ten Job Search Strategies

If you are laid off, worried you will be, underemployed or just keeping your resume up to date this article is for you.

Over the last ten years the rules have changed in marketing every product. This change has affected how you will find work. We all know, the absolute best way to find a job is through networking. The unadvertised job is usually your dream job or career. Being able to network with the top officials of organizations is how to tap into this underground market.

Here are ten tips to help you make the most of your job search today:

1. Set solid career expectations and goals. Make a business plan just for your career. Break your career into ten year increments which will allow for a measurable result. Every solid business plan includes a marketing plan. Develop a strong marketing plan. It is not who is the best candidate that gets the job in many cases it is the person with the best marketing campaign.

2. Follow the career business plan to the letter. This point cannot be emphasized enough. Having a written plan gives you a 99% better chance of accomplishing any goal; strictly following the plan gives you that extra 1%. Your job is to find a job, spend the productive day hours applying and interviewing for positions that fit your goals.

3. Perfect your resume. Resume writing has changed. Consult with a professional recruiter to review your resume.

4. Know your skills, abilities and motivations. All to often candidates are not marketing to their skills and abilities. Knowing what your strengths and weaknesses are will ensure you are thoughtful and growth oriented. Do not be blind sided by the "tell me your top three weaknesses".

5. Explore all industry options. What would the ideal environment look like for you? What industries have this type of environment. For example, if you want to wear jeans everyday apply to those type of organizations.

6. Marketing is a numbers game. To play this game successfully becoming a sales professional is a must. Searching out all opportunities and applying to each of those that fit your desired environment is critical.

7. Do not take rejection personally. There are five applicants for every job posted, 14.9 million remain unemployed. To be noticed today you must be aggressive, consistent, and persistent. Due to the number of those looking for work you must stay on top of your game to secure your next great job.

8. Contact the employers you most want to work for.

9. Be seen and get noticed. Go to every possible networking event in your area if you are not relocating. Be seen everywhere, be known as someone who will be seen everywhere. Make sure you have business cards for yourself and place the top three to five strengths you bring to the table on this card. Let everyone know you are looking for a new opportunity. This is how to connect with the underground employment market. This unpublished market is where the highly compensated positions will be found. Make certain you follow up with anyone you meet at this networking event by sending them a quick email reminding them you are available.

10. Refine and practice your interviewing skills. Successful people do what unsuccessful people do not want to do. Successful people do what has to be done. Give up the television every night and practice your sixty second commercial, practice phone skills, prepare and practice common interview questions. Being prepared is critical for a successful job search.

Following these steps will ensure your job search is shortened from the average seven months. Do not be swayed into thinking you have plenty of time if you are laid off. If you are underemployed staying in the job search with an up to date resume can ensure you locate the right position for your talents. Most employers and recruiters believe good talent does not stay on the market for a long time, just like opportunities. The trick is to attractively position yourself for this new high speed job search marketplace.

Searching for a Singapore job, you can always check out the updated jobs in Singapore WDA job bank where thousands of jobs are available.

Online Job Search - Myths About Seeking Jobs Online

Lots of people look for jobs at the same time. Each one of them wants to have the best job available and this is the reason why there is a great amount of competition in the job market. You might be aware of online job search which has become quite popular these days.

There are certain websites which offer you with the list of jobs. You just need to check out the job description match it with your profile and apply for the job. When you read the description you will find the skill, knowledge as well as the experience required for the job is given.

You need to make sure that the qualification required for the job matches with your profile. There are people who are new to the job market while there are others who look for the online job postings because they want a career change.

Whichever job you choose you must make sure that it helps to build your career in the right ways. Always start with the entry level jobs because they help you to learn the work as well as gain some quality experience.

But there are few people who believe in certain myths about seeking jobs online. First of all they have a misconception that the resumes should be long and include lots of information. They think that a big resume is one of the sure shot ways to attract the attention of the employers.

This is not true. It is always important to make sure that your resume is not more than 3 pages. The other popular myth about online job search is that the more popular websites are the best choices.
But this too is not always true. There are lots of fresher who do not have an idea and believe in this myth. They make this mistake and join the popular sites which might be of no use.

So it is very important to make sure that you perform a good amount of research before creating an account with the online job search websites. It is also very much essential to learn about the company in advance before you apply for the job in that company.

There are people who just apply for as many jobs as they can because they feel that applying for more jobs would mean more interview calls. But it is always important to maintain a quality of the applied jobs.

There are so many online job search engines these days that it can be quite confusing to select the best. Therefore you do not have any other way out than performing a good research. If you are going for a career change then you must be looking for something more prospective and flourishing.
Online job search can be made easy if you select the websites which provide a list of jobs related to your field. This will help you save your time as well as toil. First get rid of all the myths about job seeking.

Seeking for a Singapore Jobs, you can always check out the updated jobs in Singapore WDA jobs bank where thousands of jobs are available.

Job Search Tips - Managing Your Online Presence For Increased JobSearch Success

In these days of web 2.0, social media there are so many opportunities to promote yourself that it's easy to become lackadaisical and careless in what you are: tweeting, posting on Facebook, LinkedIn, MySpace, Bebo and any other number of social networking and other sites. Are you a prolific in making comments on blogs and forums that might be inconsistent with your preferred professional branding?

When you are in the business of getting a job it's a good idea to know EXACTLY what others can find out about you online. So go ahead and do a Google search on your name, and do put it in quotation marks i.e: "First name Last name" and take a close and objective look at anything that obviously and specifically relates to you.

Think about it in terms of a potential employer, does your online presence match that of a well respected professional in your field? If so terrific, if not how much control do you have over the less than stellar or even incriminating entries? Can you remove, alter them or at least limit access to them? Do what damage control you need to; what you can't fix don't lose sleep over. Now comes the fun part - pro-actively managing and creating a professional, powerful, positive and consistent online presence for yourself.

Start with the social and other networking sites you all ready belong to and make the adjustments you need. You want to present a consistent message inline with your career goals and expectations. It's said that finding a new job is the hardest job you will ever have. The openness of the internet today is a double edged sword, your ability to appreciate and understand that and use it honestly so that both you and your potential new employers have the best opportunity to identify a strong match is both your right and your responsibility.

Don't miss out on a job opportunity because you couldn't be bothered to take the time to manage your entire online profile.

Looking for a job in Singapore, you can always check out the updated jobs in Singapore WDA jobs bank where thousands of jobs are available.

What is Job Search Target Market Identification?

Target market identification is a significant step for job search marketing and advertising purposes. It entails identifying potential companies who typically hire individuals with your skill set. These will be the potential companies you focus most of your job search efforts on. Likewise, this activity should distinguish you from the majority of your competitors who are applying to any company with a job opening.

Target market identification, if done in an efficient manner, will assist you in defining your job search plan. Appropriate target market identification will help you plan your activities related to successfully concluding your job search. After you identify a list of targeted companies, you should identify former and current employees who have a common connection with you. A common connection could exist if you attended the same college or are a member of the same professional association.

These will be the individuals you reach out to and request informational interviews. During the informational interview process, you would acquire information about the company, department of interest, ideal employee characteristics, your connections' experience, and so on. Afterward you should have enough information to determine if these companies are indeed good matches for you.

Typically job seekers develop a list of large companies for their target markets. It is also important to develop a targeted list of small to mid-sized companies as well. These companies may lack the resources to advertise jobs online and are having a tougher time finding and attracting top talent. Since this job market is crowded, job seekers who focus on these companies may have a leg up on the competition.

Once you have narrowed your list of targeted companies from the research you conducted, it is time to identify the appropriate hiring managers. From your informational interviews you should have located a professional function and corresponding division of interest. Next, you need to identify the appropriate hiring manager for each company based on your experience level. A hiring manager typically is a person more senior to your potential boss and has hiring authority. These will be the individuals you contact for informational interviews or via direct mail and phone calls to inquire about any hidden opportunities.

In conclusion, identification of your target market is important for successfully tapping into both the hidden and advertised job markets. It allows you to link your previous quantifiable accomplishments to the skills and competencies desired by potential employers. As a result, you increase your chances of landing jobs during the toughest job market in some time.

Searching for a Singapore job, you can always check out the latest jobs in Singapore WDA job bank where thousands of jobs are available.