| It's a tough time for job seekers. Here are seven | | | | If you made the dreadful mistake of getting so busy |
| things you can do to give yourself an edge: | | | | that you've lost touch with old friends and |
| | | | coworkers, get busy rebuilding those bridges. Don't |
| 1. Volunteer. | | | | feel self-conscious about getting back in touch when |
| 2. Participate in the management of your professional | | | | you need them. Don't ask for a job. Let them know |
| organization. | | | | what you're doing and find out what they're doing. |
| 3. Buy a new outfit for interviews. | | | | The young person you mentored on a job a while |
| 4. Get in touch with your network. | | | | back could be the VP of Engineering for a software |
| 5. Get up to speed on social networking. | | | | developer now. A network is a two way street. You |
| 6. Get that certification you haven't had time to get. | | | | could be the one your contacts need the next time |
| 7. Publish, publish, publish. | | | | around. Keep it healthy and energetic. Don't put it on |
| Volunteer | | | | a back burner again. |
| Those skills you kept thinking you might be able to | | | | Get up to speed on social networking |
| learn on past jobs are out there waiting for you in | | | | Communities like LinkedIn, Twitter, FaceBook and |
| the world of volunteering. One person volunteered to | | | | others offer an assortment of opportunities for |
| build a data base for a group and learned to use a | | | | getting involved and meeting new people. While |
| tool that they couldn't get training for on their jobs. | | | | you're getting up to speed on them, don't shoot |
| That tool was the deal maker in their resume for a | | | | yourself in the foot by contributing anything you |
| step up in their career. Another person volunteered | | | | would not want n employer to see. HR departments |
| as an actor in a community fundraiser. Where | | | | include social networks in their research. That wet |
| interviews had been disappointing and matched his | | | | t-shirt contest might not fit the preferences of a |
| fading level of energy before the fundraiser, | | | | conservative employer with just the job you've |
| interviews after were energetic. Shake yourself up a | | | | always wanted. Do check out discussion groups in |
| little. | | | | your field. Don't connect with people who have |
| Participate in the management of your professional | | | | brown paper bags for heads or weird bios. Make |
| organization | | | | your connections with people in your field who can |
| APICS is the Organization for Operations | | | | carry on a lively conversation about your area of |
| Management. Board members in one chapter reaped | | | | expertise. Let people know you're looking in your |
| rewards over several years. A student in an | | | | status blurbs. |
| Operations Management program landed a job paying | | | | Get that certification you haven't had time to get |
| more than $20,000 over their target pay for their | | | | How many times have you wished that you had time |
| first job after graduation with the help of the | | | | to go for certification in your specialty? Professional |
| network they built in their APICS chapter. Instructors | | | | associations and colleges have an assortment of |
| for workshops and certification classes added bullet | | | | certifications to offer. When his last assignment for |
| points to their resumes that expanded their skills. | | | | the Navy was a base closure, a Naval Officer |
| Many members who became known for their good | | | | received the equivalent of the Malcolm Baldrige |
| work on projects for the chapter met and were | | | | National Quality Award for an extremely successful |
| hired by their next boss. Your professional | | | | base closure using the techniques he learned in APICS |
| organization offers the same opportunities. Get | | | | certification classes that he took the time to take. |
| involved. | | | | That training and the award led directly to his first |
| Buy a new outfit for interviews | | | | civilian job after retirement. Get ready to take a step |
| Maybe clothes don't really make the man or woman | | | | forward in your career while you do have the time. |
| but the impression you make can make a huge | | | | Publish, publish, publish |
| difference. During a previous downturn, a fellow in his | | | | The obvious place for you to publish is right here on |
| fifties was getting the old "over-qualified" line in the | | | | Ezine. You have knowledge to share. Do it here and |
| interviews he could get. His wife said, over breakfast | | | | let people know about your value. Blog! One woman |
| one morning, "We're going out to buy you a new | | | | is building a huge following in her industry with a Blog |
| suit." He protested about spending for any item that | | | | that she updates often and Twitter "tweets" that |
| was not absolutely necessary. She stood her ground | | | | lead people to her Blog. If you check out Help a |
| and said it was absolutely necessary. They picked | | | | Reporter Out (HARO), you can find writers and |
| out the most expensive suit he had ever owned the | | | | reporters who are looking for experts to quote in |
| night before the interview that got him the best job | | | | their articles. You won't find your next job by hiding |
| he'd ever had. His attitude was different. Perk | | | | and the world, now, is swimming in opportunities to |
| yourself up. | | | | become known and recognized for your expertise. If |
| Get in touch with your network | | | | you've got it, flaunt it. |