Archive for March, 2011

5 Worst Reasons to Use Twitter for Your Job Search

March 20th, 2011 by Susan P. Joyce

As we’ve all said countless times in our lives, “it’s all in how you look at it.”  If you see Twitter users as a bunch of self-absorbed people with too much time on their hands Tweeting about what they ate for breakfast, then that’s what you’ll see when you go to Twitter.  Not necessarily true…

5 Worst Reasons to Use Twitter for Job Search:

1.  Because your job search coach or career counselor told you that you should do it.

2.  Because you read somewhere that you should do it.

3.  Because “everyone else” is doing it.

4.  Because your spouse/significant other/teenager/tweener/neighbor set it up for you.

5.  Because you don’t have anything better to do.

Much MUCH better reasons to use Twitter for your job search exist!  Below are the first 5 I could think of.  Many more exist – feel free to add them in the comments. (more…)

For a Successful Job Search: Know the Enemy!

March 13th, 2011 by Susan P. Joyce

Or… Know the EMPLOYER!

Right after college, I joined the United States Marine Corps.  Many people considered it an odd thing for a college-educated woman to do (particularly my college advisor!), but, coming from a family comprised of WW II veterans (including both of my parents), it seemed like a good option to me.  And it was.

I learned many things my 3 years in the USMC that have helped me in civilian life, and one of the most useful was -

“Know the enemy!”

I’ve applied that advice to many aspects of my civilian career, translating it to “know the adversary” or “know the other side” in business, and I’ve always been glad that I did.

Know the Enemy => Know the Employer

In a job search, ”Know the Enemy” morphs into ”Know the Employer,” and it means collecting information on potential employers so that you can focus your job search efforts on organizations where you will have the best opportunities. And making an informed decision when you accept a job offer – NOT a fingers-crossed, please-let-this-work-out decision! (more…)