Job fairs are still one of the easiest ways to get in front of a potential employer. The entire point of the event is to being together employers with open positions and job seekers to fill them. If you prepare adequately and come with an open mind about job possibilities, you may very likely leave the event with an interview, a job offer or some great leads. The Employment Guide was fortunate enough to help over 15,000 people find employment through job fairs alone in 2009.

We have a complete resource center on Orlando Job Fairs here.

For more information about transforming from the soldier's life to civilian employment, please be sure to pick up a copy of the Veteran's Transition Guide at your local Workforce Central Florida location or at a military base near you.

Whether you just got out of the service or are staring to think about your next steps after military life, online job hunting is the most efficient way to find your new career. There are many new search tools and online job resources available, waiting for the classifieds in the Sunday paper is old news. Perhaps you have already dabbled in online job searches and social networking. However there are still some tips and tricks to getting the most of your online job seeking efforts.

Here are some tips and resources to get you started:

Start With The Basics
Set up a professional email with GMail or your own hosted domain. Try and grab yourname@gmail.com if its available.

Look in All Available Places
In today's landscape there are job boards, social networks and communities for every industry, every niche and every brand. Find these specialized job boards and communities and look for people to connect with, companies that you relate to and opportuities to explore. The Employment Guide has set up niche sites in Transportation, Healthcare and Older workers to make this process easier for job seekers.

Use Automation Tools
Set up things like job alerts and Google alerts to create feeds that bring the jobs to you. This will make the most effective use of your time.

Promote Yourself
Use these social media tools to promote yourself in a positive light. Do you have videos of presentations or pictures of things you have built, awards you have won? If so, showcase this on your profiles, start a blog or bring them onto the networks. This will give recruiters a great sense of who you are and what you can do for their company.

Get Offline
We can get caught up in the ease of tools like Google and Job Baords, however physical meetings and networking events can still play a major role in returning to a civilian job. Try sites like Meetup, Eventful and Upcoming to find events in your area that relate to your likes and interests.

For more information about transforming from the soldier's life to civilian employment, please be sure to pick up a copy of the Veteran's Transition Guide at your local Workforce Central Florida location or at a military base near you.

I was up late the other night and this clip really caught my eye. It was an interview on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart featuring Vice President Joe Biden. In this first part of the interview Joe and Jon talk about the administration's role in job creation and the new jobs coming to Americans in the form of Health Care, Energy and Education.

Watch the clip here.

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Joe Biden Pt. 1
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Health Care Crisis

I'd love to know your feedback. Over the past half a year we have heard from Florida's Gov. Charie Crist and now Joe Biden talk about jobs in these sectors. They say the growth with come in the first quarter of new year. What do you think is happening and where do you fit in. We love learning from the people who are living the job seeking lifestyle as it helps us deliver news and information and help you out everywhere that we can.

Happy hunting Orlando!

-Greg

As we continue our tour of the new Health Career Web, I wanted to showcase one of the most beneficial things you can do other than create a powerful profile, and that's making use of the blogging feature. The video below walks you through how to create a new blog post and where it goes and who has the potential to see it.



I hope you are enjoying these videos and taking action if they pertain to you. We have some great information coming in the next few days including a Thanksgiving action plan for job seekers that may just turn your holiday season around!

Happy hunting Orlando!

-Greg

As we continue our series on Health Career Web, today we are going to take a look at how to create your profile to optimize its visibility to other healthcare professionals and employers that may be looking for someone with your credentials.


How To Set Up a Professional Healthcare Profile on Health Career Web


After watching the video, go ahead and signup and get started with your profile. Use keywords to describe your career and your career path, upload a strong photo that portrays you in a confident light and be sure to pass along your profile URL t your other social networks like Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

And then be sure to search for me and say hello!

-Greg

Last year we shared an overview of the all new HealthCareerWeb.com and all the new features of this health care professional network. Today, we have a quick video that shows you all the different ways that you can look for a job on the site, after all, the goal of your networking is to expand and develop your career, right?




All you nurses, physical therapists and health care professionals now have a very powerful tool to find jobs in your area and in your niche.

Some tips to finding great health care jobs in Orlando on Health Career Web:

Keywords: Use the best possible keywords for the position you desire. If you type in nursing, you will see positions for all types of nurses, in all situations, skill levels and experience. If you type in LPN or Registered Nurse, you will find more specific results that fit your skill level and job of choice.

Broaden your search: If you know your areas, you can begin picking cities, zip codes and locations that match your preferences. Knowing that Sanford is just around the corner from Lake Mary will open up jobs in both locations. Don't be scared to open a map and see the place you want to work, especially if you are looking to relocate.

Know your skill level: If you are currently in school, are there things you can be doing to help you get the certifications or experience you need? If you are out of school, can you be doing things to brush up on your skills? Look for similarities in job descriptions and see the things you are going to need in order to land that healthcare job.

Happy hunting Orlando and please let me know what you think about the new Health Career Web in the comments.

-Greg

The VA is a great resource that is ready to provide health care and other important services to the Veteran community that is returning from the armed services. Below are some of their programs and resources that you need to know about upon returning back to civilian life.


The Returning Service Blog
This site is a great resource for veteran's to check out on a consistent basis with news, tips and stories on the impact of the VA on the lives of veterans.

Recent articles include:
A Journey We Must Take Together
What Should We Call Our Newest Vets

Health Care Eligibility
You can enroll for health care at any VA Medical Center or clinic for 5 years following your military separation date. When you enroll, you may start receiving your health care at the VA right away or defer till a later time, the choice is yours. You need to enroll within 5 years from your separation.

Dental Benefits
Unlike the health care, which you have 5 years with which to enroll, the dental program requires a dental exam within the first 180 days of your separation. Check out this link for more information on the dental program.

Federal Recovery Coordination Program
This program assists severely wounded, ill or injured returning service members, veterans and their families in accessing the care, services and benefits provided through the various programs in the Department of Defense and Veterans Affairs and other private sector agencies. Check out this link for more info.

VA Mobile Site
Get your information on the go with the VA's new mobile site. Check out news, videos and find the closest VA facility from your mobile phone by going to m.va.gov today!
Important Numbers
Benefits...................................1-800-827-1000
Education and Training...........1-888-442-4551
Life Insurance.........................1-800-669-8477
Special Issues..........................1-800-749-8387
Health Care..............................1-877-222-8387
Headstones / Markers.............1-800-697-6947
VA Insp. General.....................1-800-488-8244

Are you a Vet looking for a Job in Orlando? Check out all the jobs in Orlando here.

I found an interesting resource this morning that I wanted to share with you guys. It's a site called Van-Pools and features ways to, you guessed it, van pool to work. From their site:

Van-Pools.com is a blog and online resource portal for commuters who want to learn more about the financial and environmental benefits of sharing rides. Van-Pools.com provides a forum for vanpoolers and other ride-sharers to access commute-related information, national trends and expert insights, share stories and gain access to unique and useful commute-related tools.

With time and money being your two strongest assets, you can save both by teaming up and riding with friends and co-workers. We have some people in our office doing this and it saves miles on the car, money in gas and allows them to switch off from driving - which gets them refreshed for the day.

Do any of you car pool to work? Let's share some stories in the comments.

-Greg

Health Career Web is a great resource for nurses, allied health professionals, doctors and really anyone looking to expand their career in the health care industry. Over the past 2 years the team at HCW have been talking to aspiring health care professionals, hospitals, small practices and nursing homes to get a better idea of what these skilled professionals are looking for when they network with each other.

Last week we saw the relaunch of Health Career Web as a professional networking site for these health care professionals, as well as recruiters and facilities to meet, talk and grow together. Here at the JobSpot, we wanted to give you a bird's eye view of all the cool things you can now do on the site to boost your visibility and your credibility.

Below is the first in this series of videos and is an overview of the new Health Career Web. Check it out...



If you are a nurse, doctor, physical therapist or aspiring to tackle another career opportunity in the Health Care niche, sign up for a profile today and be sure to check back with us over the next few days as we release new videos on how to search for jobs, how to create and optimize your profile, write compelling blog posts and other great tips to get the most of this medical resource.

Happy hunting Orlando.

-Greg

As we near Veteran's Day, the Orlando Employment Guide is gearing to release its fall version of the Veteran's Transition Guide. We distribute this resource twice a year to bases, veteran outlets and other places throughout the state of Florida to help transitioning soldiers get back on their feet and working in our communities. Over the next few days we will be providing some further resources and information to accompany the Vet's Guide here on the JobSpot.

If you are a veteran and have a transitioning story you wish to tell, please email us at greg.rollett@employmentguide.com to be featured in the JobSpot.

Did you know there are services and places for your to learn and grow into a new life after service?

It's our hope that with the articles in our archives, our job fairs and jobs in the Orlando area that we can help make the transition as smooth as possible. Below is a list of resources to use as a starting point n your search for life after military service.

Community of Veterans


This is a place to swap stories and learn from people like you. The Community of Veterans is designed for people who have served, want to talk about their experience and meet new people.

National Veteran's Foundation

A resource tool built to serve veterans in crisis management, information and referral needs. It's their hope that public awareness programs shine a consistent spotlight on the needs of American Veterans.

Camp Patriot Program


Camp Patriot Program takes disabled U.S. Veterans on outdoor adventures. The can provide a range of outdoor activities, and will be equipped to accommodate veterans with an array of disabilities. There's no cost to the veteran.

Military.com/Careers


Use this resource to find companies that are looking for veterans

The American Veteran Online Video Magazine


This is a monthly video magazine featuring important veteran issues and tells the stories of service and sacrifice made by America's men and women in uniform and discusses some of the benefits they have earned.

Benefits Fact Sheets
This program, which allows service members to apply for disability compensation benefits from VA before retiring or separating, has a goal of providing benefits within 60 days after release or discharge from active duty.

Military.com/Education-Home


After you have finished serving your country, find your new place in life with a degree.

Enable America


Enable America’s objective is to increase employment among people with disabilities in the United States. To accomplish this goal, we are taking a two-pronged approach that reaches out to all members of the disability community and the business community.

Vet Friends


This site helps you reunite with friends and family who are veterans of or are currently serving in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines or Coast Guard.

Relief for Military Homeowners in the Stimulus Package


The stimulus — signed into law by President Obama on Feb. 17 — features a provision titled the Military Homeowners Assistance Program (HAP). HAP benefits (normally payable only at BRAC locations) will be extended to certain military homeowners who bought homes before July 1, 2006 and who sell the homes before Sept. 30, 2012, according to MOAA.com.

Vocational Educational Counseling
Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Service provides vocational-educational counseling to veterans and certain dependents.