Job Search 101 - Create an Attack Plan

Looking for a job can be overwhelming. Sometimes, it seems like it is just too hard, there is too much to do and when you aren't getting responses as quickly as you like, it is easy to lose hope and start to become frustrated.

They say that to make a task easier, you have to break it down into small steps. So, let's keep breaking down the job search steps, to make sure that you have all of your bases covered:

• Create an attack plan – You wouldn't just pick stocks or investments at random, so don't trust your job search to random luck and good timing. Do some research about your industry and find out where the growth is. Take a hard look at the number of jobs available in your field and see where your next step is. Maybe you need to get a certificate or some additional training to open up new avenues?
  
  
  Sit down and ask yourself some of these hard questions: What jobs are available that fit your skills and training? What companies are the leaders in this field in your area? How would you find out about any of their job openings? Are you willing to re-locate for a job? Would you be willing to take a position that was a step down from your previous one? Can you accept a lower salary? Is there any additional training that can be had that would increase your job opportunities? Answering these questions will help give you a more defined idea of what position you should be looking for.
  
  
  Next, you need to take a look at your financial situation. How much available credit do you have? What would you have to do to get more? What are your assets? What is your monthly budget, and how much can you cut out of it? How much money do you need to cover your basic expenses for a month? How long can you afford to be out of work? These question will let you know how much you are going to have to compromise in order to find the right job. It may mean that you will need to look for a part time job in order to continue your job search. Or maybe, you might have to think more seriously about taking a lesser paying job. But, by asking the question and finding the answers ahead of time, you can get a clear picture and not let fear push you into making bad decisions.
  
  
  Once you have a clear idea of where you want to go next in your career and how long you have to get there, you should start thinking about your networking strategy. Are there any professional organizations you could join to meet people in the industry? Who do you know that works for a company you want to work for? Could you ask them for a warm introduction? Do you know others in your area or field who are also out of work? Would they be interested in sharing job leads with you? Think about where and how you can get out and network with other professionals. Networking is one of the best ways to find out about new jobs and just to stay current on what is going on with your industry.

Keep an eye out for the next installment of Job Search 101.

Are you looking for a job in the Philadelphia area? Be sure to visit PhillyJobs.com

By Melissa Kennedy- Melissa is a 9 year blog veteran and a freelance writer, along with helping others find the job of their dreams, she enjoys computer geekery, raising a teenager, supporting her local library, writing about herself in the third person and working on her next novel.

Should You Relocate for a Job?

Are you thinking about relocating for job-related reasons? Maybe you think that your chances of obtaining a more satisfying job are better in a completely different area of the country? Or perhaps it is your current employer that is transferring you to another location altogether?

Of course, relocating to an entirely new place is definitely not something that you should undertake lightly. For starters, some of the factors that you should consider include:

- The New Location’s Quality of Life

- Career Opportunities for Your Partner - if Applicable

- The Cost of Living in the New Location

- Whether Your Salary will Maintain or Change your Quality of Living

- How Well Your Children May Adapt to a New Environment - if Applicable

- The Quality of the Educational System

- Whether you will have Social Supports in the New Area

- The Costs, Efforts, and Time Involved with a Move

Fortunately, thanks to the Internet, you can easily research this information with ease. For instance, you can find important information that includes information on local real estate, rentals, educational facilities, amenities, cost of living, cultural attractions and so on.

Further, if you are thinking of moving to a new location, you should ensure that there is a demand for someone with your skill-set in the new desired location. You should also discover what people with your skills usually make with respect to salary in your new area.

Additionally, if you are being transferred to this new location by your current employer, you should consider whether this career move will advance your career on a personal level or permit you to engage in more satisfying work. Further, you want to ensure that this new position is a relatively stable one – after all, you do not want to make a major move and then get laid off just a few months down the road.

You should also determine whether or not your new work environment will be a more or less stressful one. Other important factors to consider include your commute to your place of work and whether your new work environment will be more formal or a less formal one.

In conclusion, while relocation for a career-related reason can be an exciting prospect, you should properly research this opportunity before making the actual move.

Ready to supercharge your job search? Visit PhillyJobs.com.


Larisa Redins is a full time writer and editor with degrees in both Arts and Biological Science. She writes about career issues and other topics for a variety of international websites, magazines, and businesses.

Surviving a Job Transfer

by Alex A. Kecskes

The good news is, you didn't lose your healthcare job. The bad news: you're being transferred out of state. Not an uncommon scenario these days. But are you ready for the change? A few tips to help you survive:

Tap into Employee Relocation Benefits. Many employers, especially large ones, offer varying relocation benefits—like reimbursing you for moving expenses and closing costs (if you buy a home). Some will even buy your existing home if you can't sell it before you move.

Check Out Your New Hometown. Get an idea of the housing market, the schools, libraries, churches, shopping and medical services. Look into the parks and other recreational areas. Check out the transportation system. Your new position's higher salary may be offset by higher home prices. You may opt for a longer commute from a more reasonably priced area, in which case, public transportation may be an option if the roads are always jammed.

Preview the New Job Site. Do a meet-and-greet of the people you'll be working with, not just your supervisor. Stay for lunch in the employee lunchroom. Get a feel for the pace and temper of the various employees. Talk to a few if you can. Soak in the "politics and culture" of the new location. What do employees think about the company, their bosses?

Preview Your New Office/Cubicle. When crossing state lines, there are always subtle changes in people and attitudes. Check out your new office environment. Observe how offices are decorated. How employees dress and act. Some company divisions are very strict about what goes in an office or cubicle, others are far more liberal. If skirts and ties are de rigueur, follow suit. If it's pants and open collar shirts, dress likewise.

On a personal note, before taking a job at one company, I spent a few hours in their after work "watering hole" and told some of them I'd be working for the company. I learned quite a bit that night. Far more than anyone I'd met in the office that day. After a few drinks, it's surprising how people open up to strangers—in vino veritas.

For more information on health careers, visit http://www.healthcarejobsite.com/

Alex A. Kecskes has written hundreds of published articles on health/fitness, "green" issues, TV/film entertainment, restaurant reviews and many other topics. As a former Andy/Belding/One Show ad agency copywriter, he also writes web content, ads, brochures, sales letters, mailers and scripts for national B2B and B2C clients.