Blogging!

I've been very busy this past week filling out forms before I start working but I wanted to get this link out there. I started this blog as a way to keep sharp and use my knowledge and experience to help people with their job search. This article explains how a blog can be an important aspect of your job search and how you can market it to your potential employers. Use your own personal experiences and interests to create something that allows you to demonstrate a variety of skills (research and communication).

http://www.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/worklife/08/03/cb.blogging.good.for.career/index.html

As always, send your resume to Mitch.brummer@gmail.com for a personalized review. Stay tuned for a big article coming this Monday.

Location, Location, Location!

Just an extremely quick update today from New Jersey. As I've mentioned previously, deciding where to live is a very important step in your job search. If you say you will live ANYWHERE, that's great but makes the job search much more difficult. If you focus on one or two places (and I advocate for actually picking up and going there), you will have much better results. Flying or driving around the country for random interviews and networking opportunities doesn't make much sense. Since I've been in DC, I've met with close to 20 people and had about 10 interviews...more than enough to justify focusing solely on one location.

If you are having trouble deciding on a place to focus, try using Sperling's Best Places to research and compare.

http://www.bestplaces.net/

Again, packing up and going not only helps you focus your job search, it shows potential employers and networking contacts how committed you are to finding work. It's easy to sit at home and send your resume out online...it's a whole other animal if you go set up shop in a new city. It's working for me, it will work for you.

Don't forget to send your resume to Mitch.Brummer@gmail.com for a critique!

Resume Critique

It's been a very busy week interviewing, networking and researching, and so today I'm only going to introduce my newest idea. As a student advisor at the Colgate University Center for Career Services for three years, I have edited and assisted with hundreds of resumes. I will be offering free, personalized resume critiques. My only 'fee' is that you comment or provide positive feedback if you feel that my critique was valuable to you.

Please e-mail all resumes to Mitch.Brummer@gmail.com and write a very brief description of what kind of opportunities that you are applying to at this point. Please make sure that your resumes are one page (unless you need help cutting it down - if this is the case, 2 pages max. please).

Also, remember to check in next Monday for my article on personal branding and using social networking in the job search!

Job Article of the Day: http://www.careerealism.com/because-unemployed-people-dont-buy-books/

Song of the Day:

Old Man - Neil Young