5 Tips that Can Help You Become a Better Speaker

Image by brainpop_uk via Flickr
Getting over the fear of speaking in public.


Speaking in public is one of the most common fears that people have. Just the thought of it can bring even the most pulled together of us to break out in a cold sweat. It doesn't even have to be on a stage or to a large group to make the anxiety kick in. In fact, for many people who are looking for a job, this fear hinders there ability to do things like write a great cover letter, interview without nervous mistakes or even just making a follow up phone call.


If you have this fear, it's nothing to be ashamed of. It happens to the majority of us. The thing is, speaking in public doesn't have to be a painful process. The key is to find ways to get others interested in what you are saying. Once you have an audience listening to what you have to say, the nerves disappear.


Here are 5 tips that can help you be a better speaker and get rid of anxiety:


Tell a story - Think about it. We all love a good story. Stories ignite our imagination and make us interested in finding out what happens next. Make your resume, cover letter and even interview responses tell a story about who you are and what you have to offer. Think about your story and arrange your presentation around that. This way, when an employer reads your cover letter and resume, they will see the story of you.


Respect your audience - One mistake that many people who are nervous about speaking in public make is trying to impress their audience. In an interview, coming in with the goal of impressing a hiring manger often backfires. It can come off as being arrogant. Instead of having the goal of impressing them; try to respect them and make a real connection.


Make eye contact - They say that the eyes are the windows to the soul, so use them to show that you mean what you are saying. I don't know about you, but I instinctively don't trust people who won't look me in the eye. Even if you are speaking to a group, take a moment to make eye contact with each person. When you look at them, they feel more involved and connected. Without good eye contact, anything you say feels like you are just reciting information rather than just talking.


Repeat the important points - When writing a speech or just outlining the things you want to say in an interview, keep in mind that the most effective speakers tell you what they are going to say, then they say it, then they tell you what they said. For example, you can start by saying that you are an excellent fit for the job because you have the skills, training and motivation to be the best. Then, tell them about it. After, mention that with all of the assets you bring to the table, you believe that you would make a great member of their team. It might seem a bit repetitive at first, but research has shown that people believe the things they hear more than once - even when the same person is telling them it.


Keep it simple - Our brains have limits and when it comes to remembering things, this is especially true. Try to keep your presentation down to less than 7 key points. Anything more than that and you audience will become confused and lose interest. Personally, I think that filtering it down to three or four key points works best. For example, if you say that you have the skills, training and proven track record of success for a job, touch on those three things, then summarize.


If you think that your anxiety about speaking in public is holding you back, or you want to become a better speaker, look for local classes at your public library, toastmasters group or community college.


Are you afraid of speaking in public? What things help you overcome it? Please share your thoughts in the comments.




By Melissa Kennedy- Melissa is a 9 year blog veteran and a freelance writer for PhillyJobsBlog and Beyond.com, 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.

Related articles

• Acing Your Phone Interview (manhattanjobsblog.com)
• 4 Resume & Interview Tips (logisticsjobsiteblog.com)
• 5 Job Search Fears - And How to Just Get Over it (manufacturingworkersblog.com)

What Your Body Language Says About You During an Interview

Using body language to make a great impressing during an interview.

Job interviews are almost always stressful. I've often said that looking for a job is a whole lot like dating, and the interview is similar to a first date. Basically, you have to sit down with someone you don't know and tell them who you are and why they should care. Then, you have to make them like you.

I think that a job interview may actually be more stressful than a first date, because on the date at least you and the other person have the same agenda. Both of you are nervous and trying to impress the other. In an interview however, the employer has the upper hand and they aren't nervous about making a good impression on you.

This type of power disparity is what makes interviews so uncomfortable. Without even realizing it, your discomfort and nervousness comes through in your body language. If you want to make the best impression and present yourself as someone who is enthusiastic, calm and likeable, it's important to manage the information your body language broadcast.

Here are the most common was your body communicates how comfortable you are:

Positive:

Leaning toward the other person.

Uncrossed arms or legs.

Long periods of eye contact.

Looking down and away.

Real smiles.

Negative:

Leaning away or moving further away.

Crossed arms.

Feet pointed toward the exit.

Rubbing or scratching eyes, nose or back of neck.

Before your next interview, practice using body language to convey a message of comfort and excitement. The most important thing you can do is start off on the right note by greeting the interviewer with a genuine smile, a nice handshake and a warm greeting. This way, you can become comfortable quickly and not have to worry about how your nerves are expressing themselves non-verbally.

If you still find yourself displaying some of the mannerisms on the negative list, don't worry too much, most interviewers expect that you will be nervous. In fact, if you were completely comfortable, the interviewer might even wonder if you were taking the interview seriously.

Just remember that when it comes right down to it, there is only so much you can do to impress a potential employer – the rest is up to them. All you can do is be prepared, try to get comfortable at the beginning and keep an eye out for any negative body language you may be displaying.

What do you think about body language? Do you frequently use any of the gestures on the lists? Please share your thoughts in the comments.

By Melissa Kennedy- Melissa is a 9 year blog veteran and a freelance writer for HealthcareJobsiteBlog and Beyond.com.. 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.

Related articles

• Making Sure That Your Body Language Says "Hire Me!" (manufacturingworkersblog.com)
• 4 Crazy Interview Tips - That Actually Work (healthcarejobsiteblog.com)
• 3 Ways To Stay Excited About Your Job Search (healthcarejobsiteblog.com)

Interviewing By Skype? How To Prepare

Image via Wikipedia

How to prepare for a video conference interview.



I have to admit that the first time I heard about a job interview using a video conferencing site like Skype,I thought that it was a joke. Or, at the least, a one time fluke. I thought that it was so odd, in fact, that I decided to do a little bit of research to find out how prevalent this sort of thing is.



Much to my surprise, I discovered that many companies have begun using services like Skype, Gtalk, and even Google + to do webcam interviews. It seems that many hiring managers are looking at it as a way to conduct preliminary interviews before going to the expense and trouble of bringing someone into the office. Unlike a phone interview, a webcam interview allows the parties to actually see each other, which gives more information and a better idea of a candidate's suitability for the job.



Since this sort of interview is used primarily as a way to rule out applicants, it's really important to make sure that you make the best impression possible. Here are some tips to help make it a little bit easier:

• Do a trial run - Or several. If you don't do much video conferencing, this is the time to test it out and get comfortable. You don't want to be fumbling around with your equipment during the interview. Webcam with your friends and family using whatever program the employer prefers and find out how your equipment works in a real time setting. Ask the person you are video chatting with about your video quality, sound quality and lighting. Sometimes, if your internet is slow or you have limited bandwidth, the other party may only see halting video and static. Again, during the interview isn't the time to find this out.

• Get familiar with the options and settings - Depending on the program you use and your comfort level with it, it's a good idea to try out all of the different settings and options. For example, Skype allows you to either broadcast your webcam feed or share what is on your computer screen. You should play around with the video options to make sure that you have the best brightness and and video quality settings for your equipment. Depending on your setup, you may need to position your computer or webcam at a different angle to ensure that you are being recorded at the most flattering angle. You don't want to have the interviewer looking up your nose the whole time.

• Select a professional location - Typically when I am using my laptop, I am lounging on the couch or sitting in my bed. Neither of these are appropriate locations for a video conference interview. You'll want to set up a place, like maybe at a desk or table, where the lighting is bright but not too harsh. Make sure that the area around you is tidy and clean. I like to position myself so that my back is near a wall so that the other person doesn't have to see the rest of the room. The wall should look like something you would see in an office. For example, you can hang a few framed degrees or professional awards on the wall behind you. The goal is to make it really easy for the interviewer to imagine you in the office, working at the job. After you have your location set up, use your webcam to take some photos so that you can be sure that you will be viewed at your best.

• Practice looking at the screen - This one is sort of hard if you aren't used to using a webcam. One of the problems is that you naturally will want to look at your screen to see what the other person is doing and saying, but when you do, you aren't looking at the camera. It can make it seems as though you are looking down at something else rather than paying attention. Remember, we are social creatures and even though it's through a webcam, we want to feel like we're making eye contact. An easy way to minimize this problem is move the window of the other persons video feed as close to your webcam as possible.

• Wear professional clothes - This is still an interview and you should look the same as if you were going into the office for the interview. This probably means a shirt and tie for men or a nice business outfit for women. If you think it's acceptable for a traditional interview, it's probably good for this as well. One tip - Don't wear a jacket. It's understood that you are at home, so there is no reason to wear a jacket, doing so would only look like you are trying too hard. Also, it's good to stick with solid, dark or neutral colors because stripes, patterns or bright colors can look different on the interviewers screen. Some busy patterns and vibrant colors can get "digital noise" on the receiver's end, especially when you move and it is really distracting.

• Clean your desktop - If you plan to share a presentation with the interviewer (or just to be on the safe side) clean off your computer's desktop and make sure you have a copy of the resume and cover letter you sent somewhere that you can get to quickly. A folder on your desktop that only has those files is the best idea. Especially if you are sharing a view of your computer screen, you don't want to have to browse for it and inadvertently show the contents of your downloads or document files. You never can be sure what's in there and sometimes the file names might look questionable. It's better to avoid it altogether. Also, change your desktop wallpaper to something plain and professional. The interviewer might not be impressed with your Jessica Alba or Hello Kitty wallpaper.

• Consider that you might have to get up during the interview - You can't know ahead of time if you are going to need to get up at some point during the interview. This means that you want to make sure that your area looks professional, even if you aren't sitting behind the computer. Also, be sure to wear pants. I know this sounds silly, but there are plenty of people who can tell you horror stories about telecommuting or video conferencing while not wearing pants. They assume that because the camera is only recording them from mid-chest up, that the bottoms don't matter. It would be embarassing and unprofessional if you had to get up and the interviewer got a glimpse of your underwear or pajama bottoms. For a touch of added class, you could hang the jacket I told you not to wear on the back of your chair.

• Eliminate distractions - During the interview you don't want to have to excuse yourself to take phone calls or deal with your family members. Turn your phone off and if you have children, get someone to watch them or take them out of the house during the interview time. Make sure that the room is quiet and don't have a television or radio on. Even soft ambient noise can be distracting or cause your microphone to have trouble picking up your voice.
  
  

Hopefully these tips will help you out the next time you get asked to a Skype interview. Video conferencing feels almost exactly like talking to someone in person, but it can feel awkward if you aren't used to it. Practice with a friend and you should be well prepared.

Have you ever had an interview via video chat? Are there any other tips you can think of? I would love to hear your suggestions in the comment section.

By Melissa Kennedy- Melissa is a 9 year blog veteran and a freelance writer for PhillyJobsBlog, 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.

Related articles

• 5 Interview Question You Should Be Able To Answer in Your Sleep (manufacturingworkersblog.com)
• 4 Things Never to Talk About During Your Job Interview (healthcarejobsiteblog.com)
• 4 Crazy Interview Tips - That Actually Work (healthcarejobsiteblog.com)
• Job Interview Strategy - Acing The First Five Minutes (logisticsjobsiteblog.com)

Why Sitting Up Straight Can Boost Your Career

Your posture can have a huge effect on the way you feel and the way you present yourself.

It looks as though your mother was right, you really should sit up straight. Not only does having good posture look professional, it can also help you find the right job. It sounds silly on the surface, but according to recent research, sitting up straight can raise your self esteem and cause you to feel more confident in yourself and your abilities.

And, we all want that, right?

The study was conducted by the European Journal of Social Psychology, and it was designed to find out how self-confidence can change based on posture. What they did was divide a group of students into four groups, then each group was asked to sit in a different way. Two groups were asked to sit up straight, while the other two were asked to slouch.

Next, one slouching and one straight sitting group were asked to write down three of their positive traits. The other two groups were asked to write down three of their negative traits. The goal here was to get some groups thinking about themselves in a positive way and the remaining half to focus on the negative.

Their objective was to find out if the participant's posture had any impact on whether they actually believed the things they were writing about themselves. To do this, they asked the students if they were:

• a good interviewee for a specific job opening
• a good candidate for the job market
• an excellent employee
• satisfied with their career choices

It's interesting that study found that the people who were sitting up straight were considerably more likely to believe the positive things they had written down. In fact, they rated themselves higher, by an overwhelming majority. The students who were slouching weren't nearly as sure about the positive traits they had written down and came across as more insecure and less assertive and confident. However, for the groups that had been focused on their negative traits, their posture didn't seem to make much difference in their overall confidence.

So, what can we learn from this research? Well, it was only one study, but it does seem to make sense. Being self-confident can help you sell yourself more effectively in an interview. If you want to give yourself a boost before your next interview, spend some time writing down a few positive things about yourself and remember to sit up straight while waiting for the interviewer.

What do you think about this study? Are you are sloucher, or do you prefer to sit up straight? Let me know what you think in the comments.

By Melissa Kennedy- Melissa is a 9 year blog veteran and a freelance writer for HealthcareJobsiteBlog. 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.

Related articles

• Making Sure That Your Body Language Says "Hire Me!" (manufacturingworkersblog.com)
• Understanding Corporate Culture (manufacturingworkersblog.com)
• There's No Place Like Om - How Meditation At The Office Can Increase Focus And Productivity (administrativejobsblog.com)
• How your posture can put you in control (psychologytoday.com)

In The Hot Seat - Ropes

Don't get get tied up In The Hot Seat searching for jobs that aren't a good fit. Find your next career in Philadelphia at PhillyJobs.com.

By Heather Fairchild - Heather is a multimedia developer with experience in web, film, photography and animation as well as traditional fine arts like painting and sculpting. In addition to writing for PhillyJobsBlog.com she is co-founder of design and promotion company, BlackChip Solutions with fellow Beyond.com blogger, Staci Dennis. Heather’s spare time consists of making puppets, teaching Sunday School, building Legos and doing science experiments with her children.

Increase Your Odds Of Landing a Job Offer...In Just 5 Minutes

Increase your chances of landing the job you want by 20 percent...in just 5 minutes

So, you sent in your resume and were invited to interview for the position. Especially when you think you have found the job that it perfect for you, it's so easy to wish for a magic spell or trick you can do that will increase your odds of getting the job offer.

Believe it or not, there is something you can do that will raise your chance of being offered the job, and it doesn't even take very much effort. And no, it isn't wearing your lucky socks to the interview or wearing a special amulet. To improve your odds, all you have to do is write a thank you note immediately after your interview.

Believe it or not, employers still appreciate the professional courtesy of a thank you for giving you the opportunity to interview for the opening. Not only that, but a thank you note shows that you have a firm understanding of follow through and professional etiquette. When you pay attention to that type of detail, the interviewer gets a lasting impression of you as being someone who is really serious about wanting that particular job.

The biggest question now is, should you send a hand written thank you note through the mail or is an emailed thank you note just as effective?

It really depends on the type of company you are interviewing for and the industry you work in. If you are looking for a job at a company that makes use of social media and has a reputation of using technology to simplify their workload, for example, a company that has a paperless office or other tech friendly policies; an emailed thank you note would be prefered. However, if you are interviewing at a small office that prides itself on providing a personal touch for their clients, then you are better off sending a hand written note.

If you aren't sure which way to go, you should probably opt for the emailed thank you note. Most interviewers aren't opposed to receiving it via email and there are many who actually prefer it that way. Although, if you are interviewing for an executive level position or the like, you may want to send a hand written note on nice stationery.

Even though the job market is slowly improving, there is still a great deal of competition for every job opening. The job market is definitely an employers market right now, and job seekers are having to work harder than ever to stand out.

When you are writing your thank you note, be sure to briefly restate your qualifications and your excitement about the job opening. You can also include anything that you forgot to mention during the interview. For example, if after you left, you regretted a certain answer or felt that you didn't mention something that was important to your candidacy, you can touch on that as well. Even with all of that information, you still want to keep the note very short and to the point. Remember, it's a thank you note, not a thank you short story or thank you novel.

The easiest way to keep it short and sweet is to write down all the things you want to say, and then edit it down to the basics. Once you have come up with the text of your thank you note, proofread it several times. Double check to make sure that you have spelled the interviewer's name and the company name correctly. You can prepare ahead of time by asking the interviewer for their business card at the end of the interview, or if you don't have a card, check out the company's website or their corporate directory.

If you opted to send a hand written note, try to mail it out on the same day that you interviewed. It's a good idea to keep some professional stationery, pens and a book of stamps on hand so that there won't be any delays in getting it out in the mail.

Once you send the email or drop the letter in the mail, you can breath easy knowing that you did all that you could to land the job.

Do you typically send thank you notes after interviews? Let me know in the comments.

By Melissa Kennedy- Melissa is a 9 year blog veteran and a freelance writer for PhillyJobsBlog, 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.

Interview Failure: When you know you've blown it

The way of the job-seeker requires devotion, dedication, and discipline, along with a good helping of mental and physical fortitude. It is not for the timid, the faint of heart, or the inexperienced, which is why there are so many spriritual masters out there offering counsel, advice, and testimony to those who would follow the path.

The advice many of these masters offer is strikingly similar in tone and content. Indeed, this is so because many of the errors seekers make are common, frequent, and in most cases easily avoided with proper thought and preparation.

And yet even the advanced seeker who has gone through the rituals required of those dedicated to the path many times over occasionally wanders off it. One of the places where many go astray is in the job interview or its followup.

If you are like me, fellow seeker, you have probably strayed from the path yourself, unaware you are doing so at the time. It's only in hindsight, after you replay the encounter or incident, that you come to the realization that you just talked yourself out of consideration.

One of the more common missteps people make is to bring up money too soon. I recall one interview some time back for a communications position at a local university. Given my professional background, I was an excellent match for the position. There was also a staff member in the office who knew me from an organization we both belonged to, respected my work there, and put in a good word for me.

So I walked into the interview with the planets all aligned. Then, when it came my turn to ask the questions, I knocked them out of line by asking, "So what does this job pay?"

While there is a time and place to talk salary in the interview process, the initial in-person interview is usually not it. Seekers who do this get branded as money-hungry and are dropped from further consideration. As I was, it turned out.

Of course, the realization that I had just blown my interview didn't come until a few days later, when the euphoria had worn off. But I'm much more careful now never to act as though I have a job in the bag going in, even if I have reason to believe I might.

There are second chances after an interview failure. Pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and go get another helping of job postings from PhillyJobs.com.

By Sandy Smith

Sandy Smith has been blogging for PhillyJobs.com since 2010. In addition to launching award-winning newspapers and newsletters at the University of Pennsylvania and Widener University, Sandy is a veteran writer whose articles and essays have appeared in several local and regional media outlets, including The Philadelphia Inquirer, the Philadelphia CityPaper, and PGN, and on several Web sites. He is also an active participant on several discussion boards, including PhiladelphiaSpeaks.com, where he posts as “MarketStEl.” He has been supporting himself through a combination of freelance and part-time work and unemployment compensation since early 2009 and is himself an active job-seeker. Read more of his posts on PhillyJobsBlog.com and follow him to Beyond.com for more job opportunities.

In The Hot seat - Punches

Breaking into the Philadelphia job market can be tough, but don’t make this mistake when you’re In The Hot Seat.
Are you looking for a job in the Philadelphia area? Be sure to visit PhillyJobs.

By Heather Fairchild - Heather is a multimedia developer with experience in web, film, photography and animation as well as traditional fine arts like painting and sculpting. In addition to writing for PhillyJobs she is co-founder of design and promotion company, Creative Kazoo with fellow Beyond.com blogger, Staci Dennis. Heather’s spare time consists of making puppets, teaching Sunday School, building Legos and doing science experiments with her children.

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.

Acing the Application

Sometimes potential job seekers don’t take the filling out of applications seriously. It’s true that some businesses have you fill applications online but there are still enough businesses that don’t. Believe it or not, the old adage “You can only make one first impression” is still true. Here are some pointers that can get you over that hurdle.

1. Dress appropriately
Showing up in ripped jeans or in a shirt four sizes too big and a three day stubble on your face isn’t the way to go. Wearing jeans that are too tight with a top that just skims your belly ring is also a no go. Appropriate clothing means a decent pair of pants, a shirt that fits and shoes that aren’t scuffed. A colorful but tasteful blouse, subdued makeup and low key jewelry are also a plus.

2. Be prepared
This means having all your work history, personal references and important numbers readily accessible. The last thing you want is not having what you need. It makes you look unprofessional and unprepared.

3. Turn OFF the cell phone
I don’t mean put it on vibrate, I mean turn it OFF. Filling out a job application is important. Texting your friend about where you are isn’t. It shows disrespect and lack of courtesy.

4. Remove facial piercings
Yes I know, it expresses your individuality. However, unless you know for sure that the business you’re applying to allows facial piercing, take them out. If the place where you’re applying has a “no piercing” policy, your application may be trashed before it’s even read. Believe it or not, there still are places that frown on lip, eyebrow, cheek and nose piercings.

5. Tattoos
The same goes for tattoos, cover them up. I know for a fact, for example, a lot of nursing homes do not allow their personnel to have tattoos showing. They have to be covered by clothing or by wrist bands. A better paying job could have these policies and you’ll have to abide by them.

6. Be polite always
Be polite and use your manners. The person handing you the application may also be the one that decides if you get the interview. Or the person who received your application back, they could be asked their opinion of you.

If you follow these few simple pointers then you can ace your application!







by Linda Lee Ruzicka

Linda Lee Ruzicka lives in the mountains of Western PA , happily married and with her 9 cats and three dogs. She has been published in Twilight Times, Dark Krypt, Fables, Writing Village, June Cotner anthology, The Grit, Reminisce and the book, Haunted Encounters: Friends and Family.

If you are interested in a better career in Health Care visit http://www.blogger.com/www.healthcarejobsite.com

Don't be a Damsel in Roadside Distress

I will not miss an interview for car problems. With regular maintenance, I try to avoid any major mechanical issues. The secret isn’t what’s under my hood, it’s what’s in my trunk. The obstacles that come up along the way are no match for the junk in my trunk.

It may be safe to stick with a standard emergency road side kit but after a life time of clunky old cars I’ve had my fair share of motor vehicular malfunctions. I’m not the type to be a damsel in distress waiting on the side of the road for AAA to come and save me especially if an important interview is on the line. I prefer to save the time and save myself.

Here’s a look at some of the thing I make sure to tote on top of the jumper cables and flares.

• Jack – The instructions are usually in the trunk. If you have never changed a tire go ahead and practice. Make sure you know how your jack works before you are in an emergency situation. Loosen the lug nuts before you hoist your vehicle.



• Full sized spare – You don’t have to show up with a doughnut on your car. A full sized spare lets you drop off the damaged tire at the repair shop on the way in and pick it up on the way out.



• Patch kit/Fix a flat – If it’s a nail you can fix the tire yourself without having to remove it. Just follow the instructions in the kit. You’ll still want to take it to the shop as soon as possible after your interview.



• Portable air compressor- It plugs into your car and fills up the tire, I’ve had one of these for years and use it to keep my tires topped off all the time. It’s saved me on the side of the road and helped other stranded motorists too. Well worth the investment and sacrifice of a little space for the peace of mind



• Duct tape – It fixes everything.



• Wiper Fluid – If you can’t see out the windshield you can’t get where you’re going.



• Water – Whether it is the car overheating or just you, a bottle of water can save the day. Keep an eye on your temperature gauge and pull over if it gets too hot. You can reference your owner’s manual to check the reservoir under the hood.



• Flashlight – What’s the go to gadget in every scary situation? A flashlight. If you can see the problem you’ll be more likely to succeed in fixing it.



• Paper towels/napkins – Check your oil, wash the wind shield, wipe the tire schmaltz from your hands, you’re going to need paper towels.



• Blanket –Save your pants or your pantyhose while you’re managing your own roadside repair. Have a blanket to lie down so you’re not kneeling on asphalt.

In winter you can add antifreeze, kitty litter, and a shovel to the list. The best thing to bring with you is knowledge and confidence. Find out more about your car’s make and model and how other people have handled had to fix it situations.

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

By Heather Fairchild - Heather is a writer and blogger for Beyond.com. She researches and writes about job search tactics, training, and topics.

In the Hot Seat - Nick

In the Hot Seat is an illustrated depiction of the good and bad ideas of job seekers in interviews.

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

By Heather Fairchild - Heather is a writer and blogger for Beyond.com. She researches and writes about job search tactics, training, and topics.

New Year Greeting!

Happy New Year from Philly Jobs, Beyond, and In the Hot Seat!

Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any one thing.

~Abraham Lincoln

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

By Heather Fairchild - Heather is a writer and blogger for Beyond.com. She researches and writes about job search tactics, training, and topics.

New Year Greeting!

Happy New Year from Health Care Jobsite, Beyond, and In the Hot Seat!

Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any one thing.

~Abraham Lincoln

Are you looking for a job in Healthcare? Be sure to visit HealthcareJobsite.

By Heather Fairchild - Heather is a writer and blogger for Beyond.com. She researches and writes about job search tactics, training, and topics.

In the Hot Seat: Mustard

In the Hot Seat is an illustrated depiction of the good and bad ideas of job seekers in interviews.

Are you looking for a job in the Philadelphia area? Check out PhillyJobs.

By Heather Fairchild - Heather is a writer and blogger for Beyond.com. She researches and writes about job search tactics, training, and topics.

In the Hot Seat - Race

In the Hot Seat is an illustrated depiction of the good and bad ideas of job seekers in interviews.

Are you looking for a job in the Philadelphia area? Check out PhillyJobs.

By Heather Fairchild - Heather is a writer, illustrator and blogger for Beyond.com. She researches, writes and illustrates job search tactics, training, and topics.

Tips For Getting Back Into The Job Market

Many people who are finding themselves back in the job hunt, are people who have been working for the same company for a decade or longer. Re-entering the job market can be really, really hard. And the tried and true ways of finding a job no longer apply. So much has changed in the last 5-10 years, that it can feel like finding your way in a whole new world.

So, here is a helpful guide to the ways the job search process has changed over the past 5-10 years.

• Don't count on a resume to get a job- It used to be customary for a job seeker to print out many copies of their resume along with a cover letter to any company they thought would be a good fit. Then, the hiring manager for that company would look over the resume and give the applicant a call to schedule an interview. This doesn't work anymore. Blindly mailing out copies of your resume hardly ever gets you a job. It is a waste of time and energy.
  
  
• A resume is no longer a summary of your work experience and education history- Employers are not interested in reading through a detailed list of every job you have ever held. They want to know who you are, what you know and what you can do for their company today. Where you worked 10 years ago really isn't very important. Resumes now should be an advertisement including your relevant work experience and education. Emphasis your recent accomplishments and training.
  
  
• Don't expect to hear back from the company- Unless they are planning to ask you to come in for an interview. Occasionally, you may receive a form email saying that the position is filled, but don't count on it. Expect to apply for jobs and never hear anything back.
  
  
• Resumes have to be digital- 99% of jobs applications are going to be online. Because of this, your resume needs to be in a digital format. Having a typewritten, paper copy is not going to do the job. The best bet is to just start over using a computer word processing program. Make sure that you add keywords to your resume to make it stand out to employers. A digital, scanner friendly resume is invaluable to your job search.
  
  
• Computer literacy is a must- If you aren't comfortable with using a computer, find a friend or relative to give you a crash course. Almost any employer is looking for employees that are familiar with using a computer to at least access the internet and email.
  
  
• Your experience matters less than you think- It used to be that employers were looking for the most experienced, most highly trained employees they can afford. Not any longer. Employers are looking for dynamic people who can make a difference for their company today. They aren't very interested in what you did back in the day. To impress them, show them what you bring to the table and how you can help their company rather than trying to impress them with your years of experience.

• Develop a social network- If you don't have one already, sign up for an account on Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter. Play around with them and figure out how to use them. Ask your friends or family member to help you out. Developing a strong online presence is very important. You can use your social network to find out about job openings and get recommendations from friends.
  
  
• Many interviewer and hiring managers may be younger than you- Often, recruiters and hiring managers are people who are fresh out of college, or have only been working in a professional capacity for a few years. You are going to have to get used to it. If you don't want to be judged by your age, don't do it to them. It is easy to talk down to people younger than you without even realizing it, so be careful.

Getting back into the job market is hard, but it can be very rewarding to. Don't get discouraged. Changing is just a part of growing, it is uncomfortable and can hurt a little, but it's worth it.

Are you looking for a job in the Philadelphia area? Take a look at PhillyJobs.

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.

The Laid-Off Life: Old Logos Never Die, They Just Get Rebranded

A lady once asked renowned industrial graphic designer Raymond Loewy, "Why did you put two 'X's in 'Exxon'?"
"Why ask?" he replied in return.
"Because," she said, "I couldn't help noticing."
"Well," he responded, "that's the answer."
- Alan Fletcher, The Art Of Looking Sideways

We speak a lot about personal branding when we’re positioning ourselves for job hunting. Whatever we present ourselves as – our résumé, our portfolio, our cover letter, what we wear to an interview – becomes our 'brand', the impression people remember about us in a concise thought.

Social Media expert Lon Safko once said, "We don't control our brand; our customers do." And that’s the truth. We can present ourselves any way we choose, but it’s not the impression we give, it’s the impression those we’re trying to affect receive, and those could be very different messages. Because, believe me, once your brand is out of your hands, it's like trying to take pee out of the pool - you can't undo it.

Companies spend millions and millions of dollars trying to affect our impressions of them, to solidify their brand in our eyes, minds, and, almost more importantly, in our hearts. Sometimes we control our message, sometimes our competitors control it. It’s all about perception. Macs are for hip, trendy people; PC’s are for stodgy business people. Dunkin’ Donuts is for the working man; Starbucks is for tree-huggers. Red Roof Inns are for thrifty travelers; Super 8 Motels are for the transient. University of Phoenix is a progressive new form of education; ITT Tech is for dropouts. Do your best, but what people feel a company’s brand is – or what your personal brand is – is the impression you leave.

You may not have a personal logo (unless you’re a creative like a graphic designer or typeset artist, you may), but a corporate logo is often the lasting impression a consumer gets from a company. A logo can express so much in one design, be it the Golden Arches of McDonald’s, the dot-matrix simplicity of IBM, or the colorful text of Google. And that’s why companies change logos with the times to reflect new environments, new design sensitivities, or new directions (or occasionally to distance themselves from old public impressions – see: Altria née Phillip-Morris, or eliminating, well, stupid names – see: Yahoo née Jerry and David's Guide to the World Wide Web).

All of the well-established companies in the grid below have extraordinarily world-wide recognized logos, but they have taken a winding path to where they are now. How many of the companies below can you recognize from their original logos?

(Note: Some logos altered to remove the company name. Click on the graphic to see a larger version. The answers are at the bottom of this page.)

Quiz: What Companies Original Logos Are These?

In completing this quiz, what impression did you get from the logos above? How different are the impressions you get from the old logos than the ones you get from the current, established, recognizable logos? It’s no wonder that companies spend a fortune on logo design and implementation – and protection.

So think about how this relates to you: what impression does your personal brand give potential employers? How much of the impression you wish to impart is in your control and how much of it do others control? You may not have a logo, but everything you do and everything you present constitutes your personal brand. Read over your resume, your cover letters, your attachments and additional materials you’d use to apply for a job and ask yourself what is your brand and how does your brand stick out above your competitors?

Because - trust me - you don't want your brand in someone else's hands:


(Logo quiz answers at bottom).

Michael Hochman
LaidOffLife@yahoo.com ◙ Laid-Off Life on Twitter ◙ Laid-Off Life on Facebook

Michael is a Copywriter, Creative Marketer, and Broadcasting Professional still in search of full-time employment after 15 months of full-time job hunting, thanks to an "involuntary career sabbatical". A Philly native and Syracuse graduate, Michael will gladly accept any job offer you may have for him. Any. Really. Please give me a job??

"Oh, you hate your job? Why didn't you say so? There's a support group for that. It's called everybody, and they meet at the bar." - Drew Carey

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(Click on company name for current logo)

a: IBM (International Business Machines)
b: Shell Oil
c: Kodak (initials of Eastman-Kodak Corporation)
d: Pepsi-Cola
e: Starbucks
f: Canon cameras and copiers (in the original Japanese: 'Kwanon')
g: Xerox
h: Nokia
i: Apple Computers (Isaac Newton sitting under a tree)
j: Ford Motor Company
k: LG (in it’s original 'Lucky Cream' Lak-Hui logo before merger with Goldstar)
l: Microsoft
m: FedEx (the full name 'Federal Express' was dropped in 2000)
n: Walmart (the one-word-no-hyphen name was official as of 2008)
o: Volkswagen
p: Mercedes
q: General Electric (note the original stylized G-E)
r: Boeing
s: Mazda
t: Firefox from Mozilla

The Laid-Off Life: Browser Envy

"The Internet browser is the piece of software that puts a message on your computer screen informing you that the Internet is currently busy and you should try again later." – Dave Barry, humorist/columnist

Is your Internet slow? Is your Internet busy? Have you reached the end of the Internet and need to start over? Well, just go to giveusallyourpersonalinfo.com and we'll fix your computer right up over our personal Internettes.

The problem with most computer users is that their computer is not slow and confusing, it is that they are slow and confused. Despite calls for a return to sending 'classic' mail and filling out applications in person, 99% of your job hunting will be online. And if you're gonna spend that amount of time online (and of course not on Facebook or YouTube or ICanHasCheezburger), you need to browse smarter and better.

Have you been using the power of your browser to help you search for jobs more efficiently and with greater organization? No? Well, you have no excuses. Let's talk browsers, job hunter.

First, quick: what browser are you using?

If you don't know, I'm sorry but a) how did you find this website and b) why are you wearing leg-warmers and Jams?

If you answered Microsoft Internet Explorer, please go to the back of the line. Unless you have a specific reason for using IE (like you work at Microsoft or you’re online at the public library), you should not be using the grandma of browsers. Ever. No, not then. Never. Just stop now before your IE crashes both our computers.

If you answered Safari, you’re a Mac person (or a crazy person, or likely both). I’m sorry, but you’re in a minority since only 4.3% of you out there use Macs. On the good side, most viruses aren’t created for Macs since there’s so few of you. The bad news, developers don’t care about you.

If you answered Opera, you’re either an anarchist or you’re web browsing on your Wii and I can’t help you.

But if you are one of the 63% of web users using Mozilla’s Firefox or Google’s Chrome browsers, then you know about the power of add-ons. Third-party add-ons are probably among the top reasons that the market-share for Internet Explorer has dwindled from nearly 85% in 2004 (when Firefox was introduced) to merely 30% as of August 2010. I don’t care what industry you’re in, that’s a huge loss of share.

Like applications in the Apple Store, for most anything you need, there’s a Firefox add-on for that, whether it be to make your browsing faster and easier, or to make your layout look prettier. And there are several great add-ons or extensions made just for job hunting. If you go to the Firefox Add-On homepage, you can search add-ons for 'job search' or 'employment' or 'jobs' and find a bevy of helpful extensions and toolbars like JobSpeaker (a search organizer), Indeed Job Search (a job aggregator), DoNanza (for freelancers), Search4Jobs (an extension for Monster.com), oDeskJobs, and JobsBridge. And these add-ons work great to help you aggregate from your favorite job-search sites like PhillyJobs.com.

There’s also a myriad of tools to help your social media job search with add-ons for LinkedIn (Companion for Firefox), Craigslist (CraigZilla), and of course Twitter (TwitJobSearch, JobTweet, and more). There are also a plethora of extensions for Google Chrome as well. Not as many, but as Chrome’s popularity increases, more and more third-party developers will create versions of their add-ons for Chrome.

Do yourself a favor… first, if you’re not using Firefox or Chrome, start doing so now. Secondly, take a browse through the Mozilla add-on site and give a few of these job search helpers a try. And don’t stop there. There are so many tools in add-ons that make life on the web so much easier and smoother, like Hyperwords, CoolPreviews, Paste Email, Undo Closed Tabs, Stop AutoPlay, Ad Block Plus, and my favorite, Lazarus (which I’d be lost without). Making your browsing experience simpler, faster, and less frustrating will only lead you to more job opportunities for you because you'll be browsing just that much smarter.

(PS: I also highly highly suggest installing a utility program to clean unwanted files and registry errors to speed up your computer and your browser. My recommendation is the wonderfully-useful 'CCleaner' program from Piriform, as well as their defragmenter called 'Defraggler'. Do it now.)

And in the end, that's the goal, for things to be simple so you don…


Michael Hochman
LaidOffLife@yahoo.com ◙ Laid-Off Life on Twitter ◙ Laid-Off Life on Facebook

Michael is a Copywriter, Creative Marketer, and Broadcasting Professional still in search of full-time employment after 15 months of full-time job hunting, thanks to an "involuntary career sabbatical". A Philly native and Syracuse graduate, Michael will gladly accept any job offer you may have for him. Any. Really. Please give me a job??

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"Oh, you hate your job? Why didn't you say so? There's a support group for that. It's called everybody, and they meet at the bar." - Drew Carey