Today is the last day of 2007 and a new year is getting ready to begin within the next 11 hours and 34 minutes from now. What will be your new years resolution and will you keep it? Will your new years resolution be to find a new job, get a raise in your current job, or go back to school to further your career? If it's not career related will it be health related such as quitting smoking or eating healthier? Maybe it's a spiritual or emotional change. Whatever your new years resolution will be you need to make a commitment to keep it. Some people say they are going to do things, but they never seem to actually accomplish the things they only "speak" of doing.

Make this new year the year of "Doing" or "Accomplishing". Work to actually achieve those goals you have written down. I used to always say I wanted to move to Florida and get a great job, etc. Year after year I remained in Ohio working dead end jobs, but when 2007 hit I made a commitment to make my dreams a reality. I saved all my money, took a trip to Florida this past June and got approved for an apartment. When October came I moved here and accomplished the first part of my goal. The next part was to find a great job that was something I could excel and grow in with opportunities to advance my career. I was determined to find a job; submitting probably 80 resumes in a 3-4 week period. I was looking for a clerical position, but was given a position that was absolutely perfect for me.

This is only a summary of what I did and it was difficult and even draining to accomplish, but I was determined and optimistic I was not going to give up despite the many setbacks, difficulty's, and even negative comments about my dreams I received. I believed I could make this happen and I did. I stayed positive and the perfect job was given to me. It wasn't what I was looking for, but it is what is perfect for me. I got something better than what I was searching for. Doing this made me a firm believer of the saying "You get what you work for".

This year use this type of will power and determination for whatever your new year resolution will be. You can meet and even exceed your goals whether it be a new job, a career advancement, career education, or something as small as losing 5 pounds. You can do it if you put your mind to it and believe that it will happen for you. Stay positive and believe me when I tell you that when you have positive energy good things will happen for you!

Happy Hunting Sarasota and have a wonderful New Year Celebration!

Samara Bowling

As we begin a new year, resolving to find a new job is right up there in popularity with losing weight, reducing debt, and spending more time with loved ones.

If you've resolved to find a better job, I can help you do that faster by using your time more effectively. Here are three ways to do just that.

#1: Find Extra Time

If you're unemployed right now, treat your search for work as a full-time job, requiring at least 40 hours a week. If you're working, devote at least 20 hours a week to your search--the equivalent of a part-time job.

Here's how to find some of those extra hours you'll need:

Get up one hour earlier each morning (that's five extra hours per week).

Give up all TV, including news, reality shows, etc. If you can't quit the boob tube completely, limit yourself to one hour per day (10-15 extra hours per week).

Take 30 minutes of lunch hour to eat and spend the rest of the time on your search (two to three extra hours per week).

Work on your search for one hour after dinner (five extra hours per week).

The total per week, not counting weekends is 24-28 extra hours! And if you put in four to eight hours on Saturday, you can boost that total to 28-36, and get even more done in your job search.

Now, before you start griping about your life getting totally out of whack with all this extra time devoted to your job search, remember two things:

This regimen is TEMPORARY, until you find a new job

The faster you find a job, the faster you can go back to watching TV every night and pigging out during lunch hour (although you may not want to)!

#2: Take Time to Reflect

The new year is a great time to look back on what you've done and plan to achieve more in the days ahead.

When you analyze your job search efforts, from networking with old college friends to answering Internet job postings and everything in between, ask yourself three questions:

What's working? What have you done that has produced job leads, interviews or callbacks from employers? Resolve to do more of that.

What's not working? What has failed to produce job leads? Example: If you've emailed 101 copies of your resume to postings from HugeJobSite.com and no employers have contacted you, it is not working. Resolve to change; revamp your resume or apply for different jobs, and visit other Web sites.

What's next? After you decide what to do and what not to do, take 10 minutes to plan today, tomorrow and the rest of this week. You'll save at least two to three hours of wasted time. Then, at the end of the week, ask yourself these same three questions again. Keep correcting course and soon you'll zero in on the job of your dreams.

#3: Take Time to Improve Your Resume

Your resume is often the first impression you make on potential employers. And the better your resume is, the shorter your job search will be.

So it pays to make sure your resume is as powerful and as targeted as possible.

While there isn't space here to cover the essentials of resume writing (Google "Kevin Donlin resumes" to find my past articles), you can improve your resume in just a few days by asking your friends for help.

Specifically, try emailing your resume to at least five friends whose judgment you trust. Ask for their input. What do they like? Dislike? Is anything missing or unclear in your resume? Revise and improve your resume accordingly, based on what they tell you.

Bonus: You are networking with and flattering potential references at the same time as you're getting free editorial help from them. That's a win-win.

Just be darn sure you return the favor and take the five friends on your "editorial board" out for a celebratory dinner after you get hired.

Here's hoping these tips will help you use your time wisely and find a new job in the new year!

Kevin Donlin is creator of TheSimpleJobSearch.com. Since 1996, he has provided job-search help to more than 11,000 people. Kevin has been interviewed by USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, CBS Radio and others. His free report, The Simple Job Search Manifesto, is found at www.TheSimpleJobSearch.com

As we bring in the new year we should be updating our resumes as well. During the next two weeks I will be discussing the art of resume writing to help you prepare a successful resume. We will also be learning how to write a cover letter because suprisingly as it is many people are unaware of how to write a cover letter. This may even be the first time you've heard the word cover letter and honestly if that is the case this doesn't surprise me at the lease for even when I first graduated college I had no idea what a cover letter was or how to write one.

You will also learn how to put together your professional portfolio so you may be able to present your resume and cover letter professionally. This well help you look well organized and you will stand out from the rest.

Before we begin you will need the write tools to create your portfolio, resume, and cover letter. Some people may have Microsoft Works on their computer (it usually comes with it) which is perfectly fine to use if you don't have the rather expensive Microsoft Office. If you don't have either of these programs you may download Open Office which is absolutely free to download and use.

Today you will create your own professional letter head. This letter head is to be used on every document within your professional portfolio. This includes your resume, cover letter, references, thank you letter, etc.

Your letter head should consist of the following items:

• Your first and last name
• Your professional email
• Your phone number
• Your complete address

Be creative with your letter head, but don't over do it with fancy colors and uneccesay graphics. Keep it clean and professional. Make sure you use fonts that are readable and common such as Arial, Times New Roman, or Tahoma. Avoid type writter like fonts such as Courier. Do not use borders on your letter head at all. This is not professional. If you need examples please visit Microsofts site to get ideas, but please steer clear of the fancy graphic loaded ones.

Happy Hunting Sarasota!

Our office is bursting at the seams with holiday cheer today! Holiday music is bubbling up from every nook and cranny and we're gearing up for our big company-wide bowling match today. It's like being 6 and waiting for Santa to come, maybe even more exciting! It's so easy to get lost in the shuffle of the season that it's nice to see smiling faces everywhere you look.

It's equally as easy to get lost in the shuffle of the job search. With so much on the line, one can begin to feel a little disheartened and worried. The trick is to maintain that optimistic attitude, because confidence will help you sell yourself to prospective employers. So, how do you do that?

Here are some tips to help get you through your holiday job search.

Be patient. Follow up as usual, but recognize this is a busy time of the year for everyone.

Don't put your eggs all in one basket. Giving yourself as many options as possible will help maintain your positive attitude.

"Refresh" your resume often. Maintaining your resume will keep you aware of what you've got to offer employers, and that's a lot!

Get plenty of rest. And eat well! A healthy mind and body does a lot for your outlook.

Have fun! Searching for a job doesn't have to be grueling. In fact, if your prospective employer sees that you're excited and pumped up about working for them, you're more likely to land the job.

Hopefully you've gotten a great start on your job search by polishing your resume, researching companies using the amazing internet, and preparing your interview clothes. We here at The Employment Guide®'s Job Spot Blog look forward to continuing to bring you entertainment and help landing that job well into the future, so keep on reading!

Without further ado, I'd like to welcome you officially to the holiday season and wish you and yours a very merry holiday! May the holidays bring you all that you want, and good luck on your New Year's Job Search!

Happy holidays!

My favorite part of The Cosby Show was always Cosby's sweaters. You know the Cosby Sweater - outrageous, always patterned, always hideous. Always amazing! Holidays were always - always - the best. Anytime you combine vertical stripes with the old tannenbaum and holiday lights is magic. Below is an amusing portrayal of a similar sweater, as modeled by our frienemy, the PC.



Now, however beautiful the coveted Cosby sweater may be, I would have to advise against wearing them on an interview. (Or nearly anywhere other than an ugly sweater party.) But once you get past the absolute torture that the holiday season is about to bestow upon you and your family, you're going to need to have some choice outfits ready for the interview you're going to get with the help of our Holiday 5 series.

So let's take an inventory of what you'll need to dress the part.

Let's tackle the guys first. It's almost impossible for a guy to go wrong with office-wear if he's got a few essentials. Stick to dark colors - greys, blacks, dark blues - or khakis. Wear a suit whenever possible and appropriate. A few stylish ties are a great accessory to your wardrobe. (Avoid ties with cartoon characters or musical instruments all over them.) Dark brown or black dress shoes in good condition are encouraged. This is especially important if you'll be sitting for any length of time - wear socks. Not white tube socks, but dark blue or black dress socks. Things to avoid: t-shirts, jeans, sweatshirts, hoodies, bright colors or bold prints, and tennis shoes.

Ladies have it a bit more difficult, as the fashion industry loves you a lot more than it loves us guys. With so many options to choose from, what do you grab off the shelf? Generally speaking, the same cosmetic guidelines are applied to you as they are the guys - conservative, dark colors, business casual and standard items. Wear a tailored pantsuit, jacket and skirt, or dress. Dark dress shoes with a heel are good, but if you're standing for long periods of time, a stylish flat in a solid color will work. Wear hosiery that matches your outfit (natural or dark colors preferably). You should stay away from jeans, shorts, t-shirts, sweatshirts, hats, bright colors or bold prints, too tight or revealing clothing, and excessive, distracting jewelry.

As soon as you get home, you're safe to throw on the ugly Christmas sweater and revel in the nostalgic hideousness. (Bonus points if the sweater smells like mothballs and a few of the ornaments on the cross-stitched tree have been chewed off.)

Come back tomorrow for the last installment to our Holiday 5 series!

So I guess you're wondering what the Sarasota Job Spot is and where it came from. This blog is an information tool that will give job search tips and techniques, resume help, alert you of job fairs and more. Companies can purchase a posting to have one written about their company and it's job opportunities or buy ad space on the blog.

Readers can also leave questions to get more information about what ever subjects they need assistance in. You can also use the handy search engine on the right hand corner to search for jobs in the Sarasota area.

The Sarasota Job Spot also provides helpful links for job seekers to get the latest news about the ever changing job industry along with a mini chat room to talk to me instantly while you're on the blog. There are also links to the other community blogs owned by The EmploymentGuide® which you are welcome to visit and read. Each blog contains different information about jobs and job searching that you can find extremely valuable. Make sure you add the Sarasota Job Spot feed to your favorites so you can keep up with the daily updates which can help improve your job search.

Please remember that each blogs content is the opinion of the authors and not necessarily the opinions and/or views of The Employment Guide®, EmploymentGuide.com or Dominion Enterprises.


Happy Hunting Sarasota!

Samara Bowling

If you hate the hussle and bustle of shopping malls, electronics stores and toy stores during the holidays, then you probably head to the world wide web to do your shopping. In fact, the internet has steadily been becoming an invaluable resource to shopaholics! Where else can you sit around in your pajamas and buy a grill? Things like eBay have even made it possible to buy whole islands, right from the comfort of your breakfast table. Enticing, right?

Thankfully, the internet doesn't stop at just retail outlets. It really is it's own separate universe, where things like job boards, encyclopedias and e-zines are the stars. But you already knew that, right? Take your New Year's Job Search for instance.

Larger search engines like Google and Yahoo are a great start for the job seeker. Simply type in the address (Google.com or Yahoo.com) and search for the type of job you want. More specifically, job boards are a great resource for the job seeker. Web sites like Indeed.com and SimplyHired.com offer a fantastic search feature that allows the seeker to search by key words, job titles, location, and company name. A quick search for "Graphic Designer" produces over 12,300 results all over the country through Indeed's job search function. This can be narrowed down by also searching by zip code.

To hone in on hourly and skilled jobs nationwide, EmploymentGuide.com still has the other job boards beat with its localized search feature and industry-specific video center. If you're interested in transportation opportunities specifically, check out CareersinGear.com, and likewise, HealthCareerWeb.com for the health care industry.

Most companies also have their own Web sites that will have available job postings with ways to apply online. For instance, companies like Target, K-Mart and WalMart all have a section on their sites allowing jobseekers to browse through available positions all over the world.

The internet literally gives you millions and millions of options when it comes to beginning and following through with your New Year's Resolutions - this couldn't be more true than with your job search! Be sure to bookmark companies and postings that catch your eye. Need a few places to start? Here's a great list of resources to get your search on it's way:

- www.JobAlot.com
- www.Indeed.com
- www.SimplyHired.com
- www.careeronestop.org
- www.restaurant.org
- www.HealthCareerWeb.com
- www.CareersinGear.com
- www.EmploymentGuide.com

Definitely be sure to check out the all new HealthCareerWeb.com! Only a few more days until the man in the big red suit comes bounding down the chimney. Are you ready?

The end of the year brings a few things of note: biting wind from the North, the holidays, and of course, holiday movies. (That's my favorite part, naturally.) Many of my family members have birthdays in December, so we usually take those chances to catch each and every holiday film as part of our birthday celebrations. For my mom's birthday this year, we went to see "Fred Claus". It's a story about Saint Nicholas himself, sibling rivalry, the spirit of giving, and most unfortunately, job efficiency.

Fred Claus (Vince Vaughn), Santa's bitter older brother, has a problem maintaining a job, and perhaps knowing what he should do with his life. Santa Claus (Paul Giamatti) is under fire by an unspecified (one of my problems with the film) secret group that employs all the world's holiday icons. Not long before the holidays enter that crucial phase for the man in the big red suit, Fred finds himself in need of $50,000 and cons little brother into letting him work for a short period at the North Pole to gather the hefty sum of money. Unfortunately for Santa, Fred arrives on the same day that the efficiency expert, Clyde Northcut (Kevin Spacey), arrives to begin his inspection of the North Pole. It's a Vince Vaughn movie so I don't need to go into much detail about the antics that ensue. Kevin Spacey delivers an appropriately icey performance as Northcut, and Paul Giamatti is an odd, but endearing, choice for Saint Nick. There's a sibling rivalry fight on a snowmobile, an impressive soundtrack (including Phil Spector's classic reimagining of "Sleigh Ride", performed by The Ronettes), Paris, Superman references, and of course, elves learning to dance.

The movie wouldn't have made much sense if Fred Claus had gotten his hands on The Employment Guide®'s 2007 Job Seeker Survival Guide (JSSG). He immediately would have been able to organize his job experience into a beautiful resume, know where to look for jobs, and what the right job for him would have been. Possibly saving Santa the painful stress he was put through! At least it would have saved him $50,000.

Yesterday we talked about how you can polish your resume by checking and double checking your information. What about the actual information you list, though? What should be included? How much is too little or not enough? Here are some tips on what you (and the Fred Claus' of the world) should include in your resume.

Always state your objective. This should be a specific statement in relation to the position you're applying for. (Or a generalized statement if you're submitting more than one resume to multiple companies in the same field.) I.e., "To secure a challenging position in a growing company where I can utilize my sales and customer service skills."

Highlight your skills. Showcase any foreign languages you speak, computer and/or software skills, and any other technical or skilled trade certifications you may have.

List your work experience. It's only necessary to go back ten years when listing your previous work experience. Lemonade stands and bake sales are great money makers, but if you were ten, it's not necessary to list them. List your experience in reverse chronological order, beginning with your most recent experience.

Catalogue your education. Again, list your educational experience in reverse chronological order, beginning with any college or university, and going back to high school. List locations, types of degrees, and GPA.

Keeping your resume clean and concise will help ensure it stands out to an employer. Especially with the competitive holiday season nearing it's cumulative end, give yourself the gift of a stellar resume! Come back tomorrow for part 3 of our Holiday 5 Series!

The holidays are upon us in full force. Here in Norfolk, we have holiday music piping through large speakers all over downtown. The mall is of course painfully busy, and I have yet to see someone not sipping from a red and green cup wherever I go. So here at The Employment Guide®, we've decided to have a countdown of sorts. We will post a blog a day this week to celebrate the holidays with all of our jobseekers!

You have probably began thinking about what your New Year's Resolutions are going to be. You, like many all over the world, will probably list things such as going to the gym, losing weight, spending less money, eating healthier, getting rid of your paper bills to save trees... Well, that would be on my list anyhow. Something else that tops the list of resolutions is finding a better job. We can help you keep that resolution!

The holidays are a busy time for most companies, and it's not just the holiday shoppers and holiday bustling! Companies are gearing up for the start of a new year, so they're looking for new hires to start as early as January 2nd. What do you need to do to prepare yourself for this competitive job market?

A good start would be to polish your resume. Hopefully you learned some great tips from our Preparing for the Job Search Series, and have a great resume all lined up. Now is the perfect time to go back and check over it a few more times to make sure it's absolutely perfect. Here are some tips to help you make your resume shine:

Make sure your resume is printed on resume-quality paper. Don't print your resume on notebook paper, and you should be ok. Just make sure it's printer paper. If you're not sure what the best weight to use is, ask a sales associate at your local print shop or office store.

Use a spell check. Check and double check.

Use a grammar check. Nobody expects you to be perfect, but a candidate who is able to express themself well will most definitely have the upper hand.

Have you listed too much information? Keep your resume to one page, especially if you're a recent college graduate or applying for an entry level position.

Have you listed enough information? If you're applying straight out of school, make sure you highlight your academic achievements, volunteer work, hobbies and extracurricular activities. It is standard to include where you've previously worked, dates of employment, job titles, job responsibilities, and any accomplishments from those previous positions.

Polishing your resume is a sure-fire way to get a kick start to your New Year's Job Hunt. Come back tomorrow for Part 2 of our Holiday 5 series!

What is the Follow-Up?

What a silly question right? Sadly, in this day and age it seems to be the question many people are silently asking themselves when they are looking for a job. They might not be literally asking that question out loud, but they are asking with the actions they do during their job search. How many of you have experienced this? A good friend is complaining about not being able to get a job. You ask them to tell you the things they have been doing to get a job. They say they have applied online to a few places, they have turned in a few resumes, and they have called a few spots. You ask them about the Follow-Up. They look at you blankly. That seems to be the problem that many people are facing these days when going out and getting a job especially the younger generation.

Many people forget one of the most important steps to do when you are looking for a new job: Following Up.

Since many of you already learned the benefits of making a great first impression thanks to the first part in our Practical Interviewing Series, and that having an upbeat shining personality can help you stand out amongst the many applicants a company usually sees thanks to the second part, we are going to go into a step that is very essential in showing that you above everyone else want the position. Any time that you are applying for a job, if you never take into account that you are competing for the opening with many other job seekers, you set yourself at a major disadvantage. Whenever I am applying for a new position, I always keep in mind that somebody wants this job more than I do. That's how I always think about the situation beforehand because it gives me the drive to mentally challenge myself with, "NOBODY wants this job more than me!" This is what should be going through your head for any potential job. The Follow-Up is a very important part of the job seekers journey in not only getting a new job, but actually getting the job that you really wanted to get in the first place.

After initially applying to any position you should always allow what I like to think of as a grace period before you follow up with any contact with that company. It really depends on what type of job you are applying for, of course. If it is a job at say, a fast food restaurant (simply because they tend to hire more entry level candidates), the best thing to do is get the number of whomever you talked with about the job. Follow-up with them in about two to three days following the interview by calling them, of for the majority of fast food and retail jobs, showing up can be the extra step that puts you firmly in the mind of whoever is doing the hiring. For most other positions, the grace period is usually around the same amount of time, unless they give you a specific call back date. Personally, I think showing up always proves that you are willing to take the extra step to get the job. Now I don't suggest camping outside the office until you get hired, but waiting three to five days before following up for a higher level job is perfectly acceptable.

The most important things you need to remember to ask when you do your follow-up are: "What is my status?" This is to check and see if they have made a decision on hiring yet, and, "When will a decision be made?" This is to give yourself a ball park figure of when to either expect a callback or when it would be good for you to do another follow-up. Another important thing you can remember to ask is if there are other positions available. This is especially good if you are looking to get your foot in the door of a particular company and are willing to start anywhere. Above all, remember that you need to set yourself out from your competition for that particular job. The best way to do that is following the helpful steps that we have provided for you in our continuing Practical Interviewing Series.