Nowadays, it’s up to you to take control of your professional future and make sure that you are progressing wisely down the right career path. Here are 10 proven strategies to help you get started:

Talk to your boss. Sit down and have a very direct and pointed conversation with your boss about your future in the company. Stress that you want your job performance to meet the company’s goals. Share your own career goals with him or her. Your boss will respect this display of confidence and maturity.

Ask for more. Volunteering to help out other departments or teams — or simply asking for more responsibilities — increases your value within the organization. Asking for additional work shows an interest and desire to help your department and company to succeed. It also puts a spotlight on your value to the business.

Volunteer for boards. If you have your career set on something beyond what you are doing in your present position, seek out opportunities to volunteer or serve on advisory boards, where you can build a reputation as someone who is passionate and dedicated to your particular industry.

Sharpen your people skills. Strong interpersonal skills play a crucial role in gaining the respect of your boss and coworkers; they will also attract the notice of outside influencers who might open new doors of opportunity for you. Be friendly, outgoing, and personable. Listen carefully to people, and practice being a clear and effective communicator.

Be innovative. Never be afraid to think outside of the box and put your business acumen to work. Stay on the lookout for creative solutions to problems that will make you — and your boss — look good.

Find a mentor. Develop mentoring relationships, either inside or outside the company. Recent studies have shown that four out of five promotions are influenced by a mentor higher up in the company. Mentors are also great sources of information and career guidance.

Sell yourself. Learn the fine art of self-promotion. If you have had major accomplishments or created successful programs, make sure people know about it — especially those in influential positions who could help you advance professionally. Let it be known that you are seeking a promotion or the next step up in your career.

Keep learning. A proven way to advance in your career is to be continually acquiring new knowledge. Stay on top of trends or developments in your field and make sure that your current résumé reflects those needed skills.

Network. Strengthen your personal network and join professional organizations, attend industry conferences, or even volunteer. The more people who are aware of your strengths and abilities, the better your chances of hearing about any new opportunities that might arise.

Build your reputation. In business, your reputation is the most valuable thing you own. Be known for being dependable, professional, and cooperative. Act and look the part by dressing professionally. Make a name for yourself by attending conferences, delivering speeches, or writing articles.

Before you start job hunting, it is advised that you create a plan for yourself.  For instance, do you know what type of job you would like to have?  If you are unemployed and need a job to pay your bills or support your family, the type of job you want to have may not play as big of a role as it would if you were searching for a job better than the one that you currently have.  Even if you are considered desperate, when it comes to finding a job, it is still advised that you take the time to consider what type of job you would like to have. When making your determination, it is important that you be realistic. For instance, if you only have a high school diploma, a job as a doctor or a teacher isn’t doable, at least not without first furthering your education.

It is also advised that you develop a plan for yourself, when it actually comes time to find a job.  For instance, when looking for a job, you will want to be on the lookout for job listings.  Job listings are often described as small write-ups, like a paragraph or two, that outline a position that applications are currently being accepted for. When it comes to finding job listings, you will see that you have a number of different options. For instance, job listings can be found online or in the employment section of most newspapers.  Others learn about jobs through career counseling centers, word of mouth, and so forth. Developing a plan for yourself, one that outlines exactly how you can go about finding available job positions, is the best way to ensure that your job hunting time is wisely spent.

If you decide to search for job listings by using your local newspaper, most of the job listings that you come across will likely be for local companies.  If you choose to use the internet, you may be able to come across job listings that are for local opportunities, as well as long distance ones. Before you start searching for jobs, it is advised that you decide whether or not you would be willing to relocate to work.  When it comes to relocating, there are some instances, where you may only be required to relocate a few states away and others where you may be required to relocate all the way across the country.  Since relocation can actually play an important role in finding a job, it is important that you examine your ability to relocate or your desire to ahead of time.

Once you have an idea as to what type of job you would like to have or whether or not you would be interested in relocating, you should have a better idea as to what type of job listings you should be on the lookout for. Still, before you start searching, you may want to think about creating a resume for yourself, if you haven’t ready done so.  Many job listings will be seen by hundreds, if not thousands, of hopeful applicants, just like you.  Having a resume all prepared and ready to go will allow you act fast and possibly beat out some of your competition.

Finding a new job is a process that may take time, but it is one that shouldn’t cause you too much worry, time, or stress. By keeping the above mentioned points in mind, your job hunting journey will likely go off without a hitch.

One unique way that you can go about finding information on available jobs is by speaking to those that you know. Word of mouth is a great way to find jobs that you may be qualified for; jobs that you may want to apply for.  What is amazing about this approach is those that you know, whether they are your friends, family members, or neighbors, may not even be looking for a job themselves.  They may have just come across a now hiring sign or happen to see an advertisement in their newspaper’s employment section.  It may seem weird when you think about it, but those who aren’t actually looking for jobs are usually the best sources of information when it comes to finding a job.

Another unique way that you can go about finding a job is by working with a buddy or a partner.  If you know of anyone, like a family member or friend, who is also in need of a job, you and that person may want to think about teaming up.  For instance, you could search for job listings online and your partner could search for job listings in local newspapers.  This approach is nice because it allows you to save time, when searching for job listings.  Yes, you may end up receiving a little bit of competition from your job hunting buddy, but the amount of time that you are able to save will likely be well worth it in the end.  Also, depending on where you live, you may be able to find hundreds of available job listings; therefore, the chances of both you and your job hunting buddy finding a job are actually quite high.

Another unique way that you can go about finding jobs is by using the internet to your advantage, namely online message boards.  Online message boards, as you likely already know, are online forums where internet users can interact with each other.  Although many internet users use online message boards for recreational purposes, there are others who use them for business purposes, like with assistance with finding a job. In most cases, online message boards are great ways to learn about work-at-home opportunities or nationally operated companies that may have a local branch near you.  It is not uncommon for a current company employee to mention that their company is hiring or just outline the fact that they enjoy working for the company in question.  If you happen to comes across these types of discussions, you may want to prod for more information or at least do your own investigation of the company in question.

Another approach that you may want to take isn’t necessarily considered unique, but it isn’t as common as you would think.  Many businesses, even those that are locally owned and operated, now have online websites.  Many businesses have a webpage that is devoted to employment. That employment page may outline whether or not the company in question is currently hiring.  If they are, information on what positions are available or how you can apply may also be touched on.  If you don’t already know the online websites of your local employers or ones that you would be interested in working for, you can easily find them, if they do exist, by performing a standard internet search.

The above mentioned approaches are just a few of the many unique or less common ways that you can go about finding a job.  With the above mentioned approaches, combined with online career hunting or job hunting websites, career counseling centers, career fairs, and your newspaper’s employment sections, you are sure to find a handful of job listings; job listings that you may want to apply for.

When it comes to resumes that are professional in nature, there are many individuals who wonder why having a professional resume is so important.  In all honesty, there are a number of different reasons. Just a few of the many reasons why having a professional resume, at least a professional looking one, is important are touched on below.

Perhaps, the biggest reason as to why you need to submit a resume that is professional in nature is because the resume is often the first thing that a hiring employer will see.  With many employers using the internet and newspaper employment sections to find qualified candidates, many are not meeting their prospective employees in person.  Most just simply submit their resume as an email attachment or mail it in.  Since your face will not be seen and your personality will not be witnessed right away, your resume will essentially end up doing all of the talking for you. That is why you want to make sure that it looks and feels professional.

What you may not realize is that there are many employers who classify all of their applicants based on their resumes.  Yes, this may not necessarily be fair, especially when that classification is based solely on appearance, but it is something that does happen.  That is why you will want to make sure that your resume gives a good first impression.  You don’t want it to be tossed to the side, just for its appearance.  For the best chance of success, print your resume out on traditional white computer paper, use standard font, and make sure that it is easy to read.

A professional resume, even just a professionally looking one, is also important because it can help give you an edge above the competition.  For many, submitting a resume that is professional in nature, right to the point, and easy to read is common sense, but for others it isn’t so obvious.  You may actually be surprised with how many applicants respond to a job listing with a resume that should have never left their house.  Depending on the job listing you are responding to, you may end up being one of hundreds of applicants. That is why it is important that you get an edge.  However, the way to do this is with a professional resume, not one that will get laughed at all the way to the trash can.

As you can see, from being outlined above, there are a number of different reasons as to why the resumes that you submit to hopeful employers should be professional in nature.  The term professional in nature is used because your resume doesn’t actually have to be professionally done.  If you do have some writing experience, particularly concerning resumes, you may be able to produce your own professional resume.  If not, you are advised to look into using the services of a professional resume writer.

Psychologically, if you hate your job, it only means it’s something you do against your will. Anything that resists a flow makes the flows difficult. Similarly, anything that assists a flow makes the flow move faster.

Equating this with the way you may think about your job, if you put “love” instead of “hate” to your job, work becomes easier for you. This will make you more productive. The company will profit more. As a result, they will pay you more. Then, everybody becomes happy.

If you are the employer, you can also do many positive changes that will benefit your employees. In the end, you will be the biggest beneficiary of this change.

You can start by putting up slogans around the walls of the workplace. These slogans may promote unity and harmony between management and staff where everyone will benefit out of it. These slogans may suggest positive attitudes that will form part of their work habits. There is power in words. These words, once written on slogans, will guide your staff to change in positive ways. It would be wise to turn these words into action. In time, the “I hate this job” chant becomes “I love this job”. This improvement in work attitude will be reflected in turnover of employees. As an employer, you will find less people leaving the company and more employees being satisfied.

Visitors visiting your company will be impressed with the slogans you place on the walls of your work place. So make them as meaningful as possible.

If you’re the employee, you must make a change in the way you think about your job. It cannot be denied that hating or loving a job has a lot to do with the way you treat it.

There are many instances wherein an employee does not see the good side of his job until he has left or lost it. You need not wake up one morning to this kind of scenario. To avoid this, let the good side of keeping your job pervade your thoughts.

Here’s another formula to make you love your job. Treat your job as though you are doing voluntary work. Think of your job as though you are helping the needy without expecting anything in return. You will be astonished with the result it will bring to your heart, health, and pocket. Treating your job as a volunteer work makes you work wholeheartedly, without any resistance.

It’s either you keep your job or you don’t. Hating it is not an option.

When it comes to finding a new job, one of the first places that you should look is in your local newspapers.  Many newspapers, including those that are distributed on a daily and weekly basis, have classified sections. These sections often tend to include an employment section. In that area, there should be job listings available. While many job listings vary, you should be able to get a little bit of information about the job in question, the experience required, as well as instructions on how you can go about applying for the job.

You can also find job listings by using the internet.  When using the internet, there are a number of different approaches that you can take.  One of those approaches involves using websites that are sometimes referred to as career websites or job hunting websites.  These are websites that partner with employers, to give you accurate and up-to-date information on job listings. What is nice about using online career websites or job hunting websites that they are free and easy to use.  You can also choose to have your resume posted online. This is nice because it allows employers to find you, instead of it only being the other way around.

In addition to using online career websites or job hunting websites, you can also use the internet to find information on available jobs by visiting websites where changing careers or finding jobs are being discussed.  Many times, these websites come in a message board format; a format where internet users, just like you, are able to share the information that they come across.  These types of websites may not have as much information as professional career or job hunting websites, but they may have just what you are looking for.

You can also find job listings by attending career fairs, which are also commonly referred to as job fairs. These types of functions are when a number of employers set up booths, often in a large public place, like a shopping center.  When attending a career fair, new job seekers, just like you, are able to visit each booth and learn more about the company in question. If you bring your resume with you, you may even get an interview right on the spot.  In fact, some career fair employer participants have been known to hire new employees at career fairs too!

Depending on where you live, you may also have a career center in or around the city or town that you live in. Some cities have their own career centers, but the county that you live in should have at least one. Career centers are establishments that you can visit to get help with finding a job.  Many of those on unemployment are required to visit career centers on a regular basis, but you may want to do so even if you are not on unemployment. Most careers centers are staffed with workers who can help you look for a job, determine if you are qualified for it, and so on. Also, most career centers have internet access, which can be used to search for job listings.  This means that if you don’t have internet access at home, you will definitely want to look into visiting your local career center.

The above mentioned approaches are just a few of the many ways that you can go about finding job listings.  Additional approaches that you may want to take involve contacting local businesses, word of mouth, and so on.  For the best chance of success, you are advised to try one or more of the above mentioned methods to find job listings; job listings that you may be qualified for.

I don’t like mornings.  I don’t like working set hours.  I would rather work through the night than drag myself out of bed each morning and go to work.

During the times that I was unemployed, I really didn’t do as much as I should have to find work.

This article is a retrospective reflection on my experiences with some advice on how to motivate your self to get out there and a find a job.

Set your goals
You first need to decide on what you want to do. 

Are you looking a job that is the same as the one you had before, or do you want to move up a level?  Perhaps you may want to change industries altogether?  Or do you just want to pay the bills?

You have to decide what you want to do right at the beginning of your job search – it’s the basis for your CV and all the job applications you make.

Looking for jobs

Set aside some time each day where you can concentrate on looking for jobs.

Initially, you should be spending a lot of time creating an effective CV.  After this you can spend time on the following areas:

Registering with recruitment agencies

Searching recruitment websites

Scanning the local and national press

Finding trade journals that may have jobs advertised for your industry

Sending out speculative letters to potential employers

Applying for advertised jobs (and customising your CV and covering letters if necessary)

Chasing up old contacts to find out about vacancies

Check the local job centre / employment office

Following up any letters you have sent out

You should split your tasks up so you can use your time efficiently.

For example, you can enter local recruitment agency information (address, etc) into a database and mail merge your covering letter.  This way you can get them all out and mailed in the same day.  This is also useful for sending out speculative letters, although these should really be customised for best effect.

From a marketing point of view, it may be worthwhile calling the office and finding out the name of a contact there to send your CV to.  Instead of your letter going into a “to be actioned” pile of mail, it will go directly to the recruitment consultant.

You can use MS Access to set up a simple database to do this and print out your personalised covering letters from MS Word.

If you haven’t used these before, then don’t worry.  Although it seems difficult to begin with, you can pick it up in no time (and Microsoft products have tonnes of guides, templates, help and online tutorials to assist you).

Staying motivated

It is a difficult process looking for jobs, as it can take a while to find results.  There is a great uncertainty that we all go through – we don’t get replies to our letter, we don’t know when our next pay cheque will arrive, we are not achieving anything with our days, etc.

Don’t worry about it.  You are not alone – we all go through this.

There are some things you can do to help your job prospects and stay motivated at the same time.

Keep busy (it will take your mind off any responses you are waiting on)

Voluntary work (shows that you are doing something useful with your spare time and helps add to your CV and build your experience)

DIY (get those shelves fixed and paint the bathroom)

Sport (any kind of exercise can help you reduce the stress of job hunting)

Socialise (difficult if your mates are all at work, but you can use your free time to catch up with people)

Chat with people on our forum (the are others who are going through the same thing as you – you can exchange job hunting ideas with each other)

The main thing to remember is to not over do it!

Even when unemployed, you still have a job to do – find a job!  And it is perhaps one of the most difficult and stressful jobs to do.  You must balance your time between finding work and keeping the stress levels down.

Are you confident that you have done everything you can today to find a job (be honest)?  Good!  Then relax a bit – there’s no point in stressing about stuff you can’t control.

Good Luck!

Regards

Scott Boyd - Webmaster and Founder - Jobseekers Advice

First, you’ve got to have clarity in your own mind concerning the type of position you will pursue. That may sound very basic, but for long term job satisfaction, you need to be comfortable with your interests and passions. You also need to know what type of career will best suit your personality.

If, for example, you are a person who likes to move around a lot and be very active while working, then a desk job is not going to suit your needs. Don’t try to fool yourself otherwise. Take a career assessment test before you begin your job search. There are tons available online that can help offer you insight concerning what you may be looking for in a job.

Consider asking friends and family members about traits and skills they see in you. It may be hard to look past your own good qualities, so you may need someone who can honestly assess other characteristics that you might otherwise overlook.

You also need to look at your overall goals. If a large salary is a significant part of your incentive, then you need to take this into consideration. On the other hand, when high pay isn’t your priority and your ambition is happiness instead, then you need to make that aspect of the job search your main focus.

As you investigate a specific company, look at both your long term and short term goals. In past generations, a person would work for a company for his or her entire life, but now people move to different companies and positions within those companies more frequently, so weigh the importance of stability. You could consider working for a smaller company to gain experience or jump right into a large corporation while starting off on a lower rung of the ladder. Either way, take charge of your own future right from the beginning.

Finally, try your best to determine how you might fit into a business. If you have a particular company in mind, you should meet with some of the department heads to see which may fit best and match your passion and experience. Make sure that any company under consideration offers a balance between work and personal life and will stand behind and work with you. If at any time you are not satisfied with your career, you can change it. You need to make it happen for yourself.

Article By:  Mort Ferguson

For practical job hunting & career information, please visit http://www.job-hunting-careers.com, a popular site providing great insights on your search for just the right job or career, ranging from US Post Office to a travel nurse position and many more!

I have always believed that the mind of man is so powerful and he can accomplish anything he sets his mind to achieve. There are simply NO IMPOSSIBILITIES and we must all believe this.

In 2008, give yourself a dream to live for, a vision to pursue every passing day of the year and believe that you can achieve this dream before December 31st. Do not allow anything to derail you from your heart desires this year. There will definitely be situations that will want to make you abandon your dream but it is your duty not to allow anything to derail you.

Start off the year on a positive attitude and you will discover GREAT things happening to you in the year. This is how I have been living my life for years. I have always expected the best out of any year and at the end, I have always had reasons to be grateful. Last year is no exception and that explains why I am telling you this.

I have decided to make myself available to anyone that desires to follow his/her dreams this year. When I started my life as a dreamer, I told myself I will build myself up in such a way that I will have a story and will turn around to share my story with others so that they can also live their dreams. That is all I want to do this year: encourage people to follow their dreams.

I have highlighted so many things for the year and I will be unfolding them one after the other. What I want you to be assured of is that we are moving to greater heights, together, this year. If you want to achieve so much this year, then you will need to befriend me and this website So many life-transforming resources will be issued out and events will also be planned to achieve my vision for the year. Expect 365 days of motivation from me

No matter where you are today, just believe things can be BETTER for you by December 31st 2008. Don’t mind what the statistic is, just BELIEVE and you will RECEIVE!

Once again, WELCOME TO THE YEAR OF POSSIBILITIES!

Click the link below to read a post I made on my birthday last year:

There Are No Impossibilities

Q: Is it better to pre-empt a firing by resigning instead?
A: In most cases, no. Out of pride, many people fall into this trap and wind up waiving claim to severance pay, benefits, earned bonuses and commissions, and unemployment compensation. With so many victims of downsizings and reorganizations, being “let go” doesn’t carry the stigma it once did — in fact most prospective employers won’t even bat an eye!

Q. Should I try to negotiate a better severance package?
A: By all means yes! According to the National Employee Rights Institute (NERI), employees have more bargaining power than they realize. Don’t be pressured into signing anything on the spot. Tell your employer you need to review the proposed agreement with your legal and financial advisers. Then, check the company policy manual to find out what is standard practice for employees in your situation. If you can, talk to others whom the company has terminated.

You can argue your case on merits such as length of service, specific accomplishments and amount of time required to find comparable employment in today’s labor market. Be sure to document your achievements, and if your family has special needs (due to illness or disability) you may want to let your company know the hardships this termination may cause.

Remember, money is not the only thing at stake. Consider how long you will continue to be covered under company health and life insurance and the status of any earned — or close to being earned — bonuses, commissions, vacation time and vesting in 401(k), pension and profit sharing accounts.

You also may want outplacement services or an agreed-upon letter of reference. Also think about getting your severance payment as salary continuation rather than a lump sum agreement. Salary continuation often allows for a continuation of disability benefits and also lets you answer “yes” when asked if you’re still employed.

Q: What’s the best course of action for finding a new job?
A: Take a day or so to process what has happened and vent to your spouse or best friend. Then, after shoring yourself up by reviewing your strengths and accomplishments, start calling people in your network who can be helpful to you, including former co-workers, suppliers and customers.

Letting a colleague, vendor or client know that you’ll no longer be working with them is not only a courtesy, but can prove a valuable source of leads. Then, work on your résumé and start an all-points attack that, in addition to networking, includes contacting recruiters, conducting industry research, cold-calling target companies and searching online job listings.

Q: How should I respond to those who ask why I left my last position?
A: Keep it brief. Be calm and objective; never assign blame. End your explanation on a positive note by emphasizing your main accomplishments and what the experience has taught you.

Q: How can I keep my spirits up?
A: Recognize that you will likely experience the five steps of dealing with loss: denial, anger, bargaining, depression and finally, acceptance. Don’t be too hard on yourself if you get down now and then.

On the other hand, try not to dwell on anger or bitterness; instead channel that energy into your search. Take care of your physical and emotional health by exercising, eating well and surrounding yourself with positive and supportive people. And make sure you start each day with a plan.

A sense of purpose and accomplishment will go a long way in making you feel better and landing you that new job!

Kate Lorenz is the article and advice editor for CareerBuilder.com. She researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues.