Job Hunt on Shine

Holiday help: landing a seasonal job

nospam@example.com ()

Staffing experts say the outlook for seasonal hiring during the holidays this year is slightly better than last year, but it still means that job seekers will face stiff competition.

Unlike past years, the pool of candidates for these jobs this year will include workers who have been…

Avoiding the resume 'black hole'

nospam@example.com ()

I've heard some recruiters say they usually scan a resume in seconds. That boast could challenge job seekers to stand out as much as possible, but it also feeds the impression among candidates that their resumes end up in a black hole.

But that dominant view -- "you have to capture a recruiter's attention within seconds or else" -- ignores others who might assess your resume.

Job Search: Taking matters into my own hands

nospam@example.com ()

by Regan McMahon (Observations from the On- and Off-Ramps at Mommy Tracked)

I knew I’d been out of work too long when friends at social gatherings stopped saying, “How’s the job hunting going?” and started asking. “What’s your backup plan?”

I didn’t intend to need a backup plan. When I took a buyout from the struggling newspaper where I’d been an editor, feature writer and book critic for many years, my plan was to get a job as an editor or writer. There wasn’t really a backup plan.

Job search: The trouble with networking

nospam@example.com ()

by Regan McMahon (Observations from the On- and Off-Ramps at Mommy Tracked)

Those in the know tell me that all the electronic applications I’m filing are useless.

A highly successful financier told me he could have a stack of 100 applications on his desk, placed there by the HR department in response to an ad, and if one of his staffers popped his head in the guy’s office and said, “You should interview my buddy Jim; he’d be great in that job,” Jim will not only get an interview, he’ll have the edge on being hired. “What’s going to carry more weight with me,” my friend asked rhetorically. “The 100 strangers in the stack, or the proven quantity recommended to me by a person I trust?”

Makes sense. My problem is I don’t seem to have a network to nudge.

Job Search: It's a Jungle Out There.

nospam@example.com ()

by Regan McMahon (Observations from the On- and Off-Ramps at Mommy Track'd)

Back when I had a full-time job, I remember watching people on the TV news taking about how long they’d been out of work. Top Silicon Valley executives, experienced engineers, municipal water district employees, teachers and bricklayers would preface their remarks with “I’ve been out of work six months” or “It’s been 18 months” or “I haven’t been able to find anything in almost a year.” I’d hear that and think they mustn’t be trying very hard.

Homeless blogger reminds us what internships are

nospam@example.com ()

A hullabaloo arose this week over news that Elle magazine has hired a homeless blogger as an intern, paying her less than minimum wage.

Brianna Karp was hired this week by Elle to blog about being homeless and her future, reportedly making $150 a month for 24 hours of work. The amount is less than California 's minimum wage, which made some people accuse Elle of getting good publicity on the cheap. (Karp lives in Orange County.)

But, in email comments to columnist Tommy Christopher, Karp said she doesn't feel exploited.

'Stalk' your way to a new job!

nospam@example.com ()

The Internet has made stalkers out of all of us. You know what we're talking about! But have you ever thought of using those detective skills to help get a job? We'll show you how to abuse that investigative tool wisely!

8 smart job-hunting tips

nospam@example.com ()

By Angela Ebron

Even though the recession is making it harder to land a job, you can up your chances of snagging a new position by following these tips from Good Morning America’s career expert Tory Johnson, author of Fired to Hired: Bouncing Back from Job Loss to Get to Work Right Now.

1. Get it out of your system.
It’s OK to have a bit of a pity party if you get laid off, but just for a week or two. “Losing a job is hard on your self-esteem, and you’re going to be emotional,” says Johnson. Give yourself a little time to work through those feelings, then move on.