First thing I recommend is that you have a well written resume and cover letter that is targeted for the position that you are interested in. The next thing that will help you in this market is networking. I know you are probably hearing that word a lot lately, but it so critical to your success in your job search. You can get your resume in front of the right person without networking, but the odds of them landing on you amongst all the other candidates competing for the same job is astronomical. I know may be discouraging, however the reality is that there is a lot of competition. A lot of qualified applicants are in the market, and you want them to land on you. So you have to differentiate yourself from ALL the other competitors in the race. Networking will help you do that - differentiate yourself. Here are a few ideas to consider:

1. Determine if you know someone who knows someone you need to know - a friend that may be willing to make a personal introduction

2. Determine if you know someone in your network - online network, using LinkedIn. Yes, you need an online network of people “working” for you. Use your network to get an introduction.

3. Do something unusual. I have heard of everything from getting the name of the hiring manager and sending a Federal Express package, with your resume and cover letter in it, to bumping into them at a local event. Creativity works for some, not for all, but it doesn’t hurt.

4. Develop a blog and share your expertise. This may take a little longer, but if you can pull it off, it is a great tool to help differentiate yourself from other candidates and gives the hiring manager additional information about you that no one else may have.

Those are just a few suggestions. Sending your resume in with the masses, is relatively a lost cause if you are serious about getting a job. This is by no means a reason for not sending your resume, but you need multiple access points into the organization so that you are not relying on one method and “hoping” someone notices you. That to me is like a wall flower at the dance, hoping that some will come over and invite them to dance. Probably not going to happen and if it does, the wall flower may have been standing there all night and on the last dance, the question is asked. You want to enjoy the party. You want to get in this and give yourself a chance to compete for jobs as early in the process as you possibly can and than outshine the other competitors and get the job.

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I know there are people out in the world who will discriminate against you in this current job market. They find out that you have 30 years experience and that automatically disqualifies you from certain jobs. Here’s how I see it. If you believe that your age will get in the way of you finding employment, than that is precisely what will happen. BUT, if you know that you are good at what you do, and you know how to communicate it to a hiring manager, than age becomes on a number on the page and your experience and your skill set become valuable commodities to the hiring manager.

It’s about value! It’s about marketing! It’s about confidence! It’s about belief in yourself. I don’t know how to help you understand that any obstacle placed in front of you by hiring managers, is just that. AN obstacle. So the question beceomes, “what are you going to do about it, if people get hung up on your age?” How do you overcome that obstacle? It is not impossible, and it may be difficult, but it is scalable and you can and will get a job, I don’t care how old you are. If the way you are interviewing hinders you from getting a job, than change the way you interview. If age is a problem, learn how to communication who you are, and what you will bring to their organization, by using valuable marketing tools, to market you! One of those tools is Shameless Marketing, It is important that you know how to market yourself. How to present yourself, so that age - becomes a MOOT, or mute point.

See Article: Shameless Marketing

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Not only are they working on the house, they will also be visiting 11 other locations to do what you can call acts of kindness or what we call COMPASSION. They will be feeding homeless people, painting and restoring a few recreation centers, planting gardens, painting a bus that we will call the Compassion Bus and so much more. Realize that just like these young people will come here to Baltimore to make a difference you can make a difference in your sphere of influence. Realize that without you, someone else’s needs may not be met. That is our desire to impart to the next generation of young people. Take a peek at their video. They put the video commercial together and they have used it to help get the word out about Compassion Commision. At the end of the week, we will Commission these young people to take back the vision, the passion and their experience to their cities and use Compassion to transform their cities! REALIZE!

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Freedom to be!

Freedom to love!

Freedom to create!

Freedom to be anything you want to be!

The freedom we get the opportunity to enjoy in this country is a direct result of our servicemen and women across the world. I appreciate what they do to keep us safe and free in America. Happy Birthday to America! Enjoy your evening, your friends, family and fireworks!

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Self awareness is actually an important part of growing. Just being aware of how you impact people, and your environment is a good bit of information to know. Unfortunately, not everyone knows their impact on people and environment. My friend is aware of how she is impacting her boss, and yet she hasn’t really done anything differently to change the situation. So, in this case, she is aware of her impact, but her ability to problem solve and make what I call minor course corrections, continues to elude my friend.

If you find yourself in a similar situation at work or you know someone, here’s my point and what I have said to my friend: You get to decide the outcome. Don’t let someone else determine your future. If you want to be in the job, make the changes and move forward. Feeling sorry for yourself is not a solution, and refusing to change is not a solution either. Too many times, people stay in a job out of convenience or fear or habit. None of those things will help you survive in a job today. If things aren’t working, take some time and decide if you really want to be doing what you are doing. Be honest with yourself. Don’t look at your boss and his/her issues. Don’t blame the organization, the culture, the climate or the people. Look at the man in the mirror. YOU!

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Here’s a couple of thoughts on answering this question:

Whichever fruit you select, make sure you can connect the characteristics of the fruit to something that is true about you. For example:

“I would be an apple.” - The reason I selected an apple is because I have thick skin, but I am sweet on the inside. I also get love to invest in others, which is represented by the seeds you find in the core of the fruit.

“I would be an orange.” - The reason I selected an orange is because I have a zest for life! Some times you have to get past my natural defenses, past the skin to get to the tangy, sweet flavor you find in an orange.

“I would be a banana.” - The reason I selected a banana is because it is very easy to get to know me. Like a banana, it takes very little effort to peel back the skin to get to the good stuff on the inside.

“I would be a pomegranate” - The reason I selected a pomegranate is like the sweet seeded fruit with I have lots of ideas. I love to share my ideas and many times, once you start brainstorming with me, I can come up with endless creative ideas that work.

I just came up with these responses off the top of my head. If one of them works for you, retool it and use it in your interview if it ever comes up as a question. It may seem like a silly question, but, if you can come with an answer that connects you to the fruit, and they like it, you may move yourself one step closer to a yes. Keep in mind, just like a good answer can be helpful, a bad answer can be detrimental to you in an interview. Don’t blow off this question. If it comes up, for whatever reason, unknown to you, it is an important question to the person asking the question in the interview. How you answer can make you appear like a fruit cake or a stellar performer in an interview!

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Here are some things to consider:

1. Get the offer in writing

2. Make sure you are clear on salary and benefits

3. Take 24 hours or more to consider the offer

4. If you are uneasy about any portion of the offer, take more time to consider your options

5. Don’t let salary be the only consideration you use to determine your response

• Consider the culture
• Consider the work
• Consider viability of the organization
• Consider the “boss”
• Consider your needs, what can you live with?
• Consider climate - how did the organization feel when you visited?

6. Accept or decline the offer

If you accept, than it’s time to celebrate. There are lots of ways to celebrate without spending money. So if money is an issue, you might want to try my two favorite celebratory expressions. Shout! Let it out! It is a great release. Smile! Affirm your self to yourself. You did something right if you got a job offer. Enjoy the moment!

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I’m in the middle of that painful waiting time. For me it has lasted more than 30 days. The interview seemed to go well and I heard from others after the interview that everyone I interviewed with really liked me. When I heard nothing after a week, I politely emailed and asked for an up-date. I was informed that the law firm was to interview a few more candidates prior to making their decision. Additionally, I was given a time-frame for those interviews, approximately 2 weeks. I have kept in polite email contact with the HR rep and have learned that the hiring partner has not made a decision as of Tuesday. I know that he is incredibly busy (which is why he is attempting to hire someone) but should the fact that it is THIS hard for him to decide if he wants to hire me be a concern for me, i.e. does it basically mean a NO. I have tried my hardest to keep myself busy, but I feel as though I am losing my sanity. The HR rep has been fabulous throughout the entire process, but I feel as though even she is getting frustrated. So my questions are: Am I even in the running? Should I ask the HR rep if I am?

I have another interview in a few days for another law firm. However, the one I am waiting for is my first choice. Trying to stay sane!

Here is my recommendation for you:
1. Go to the next interview and give it your best. Until you have the #1 choice in the form of an offer letter, you have to remain focused and continue to pursue other job opportunities.

2. Continue to look for other potential opportunities that interest you. The best way to leverage an offer from a company you really want to work for is to have another offer in hand.

3. Evaluate why you want the job you want. What is it about the organization that you really like that is drawing you to them? Is it about the culture, the job itself, the potential salary, etc.? What is it that makes you want the job? Look for those qualities in other potential opportunities.

4. Invest time looking for other jobs for the next two weeks. If at the end of the two weeks they have not contacted you, I would contact them one more time. If you can get to the hiring manager, that would be ideal. If you can get to the hiring manager, express your interest in their organization. Ask, “when do you anticipate making a decision on this position?” If you can share something with the hiring manager that will help them make a decision about your candidacy.

5. Choose SANITY!! None of these companies are worth you going insane!!! You CHOOSE!!

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But how did he do it? Back in the 70’s he was the youngest member of the Jackson 5 and in the early 80’s he broke out with Off the Wall and than Thriller. From the outside looking in, I believe that the key to Michael Jackson’s successful career was due to:

1. His love and passion for his craft

2. His creativity

3. His talent

4. His willingness to invest his entire being into his vocation

Michael Jackson built a career that will transcend his life. His music will live on, his creativity will live on through the videos and passion for his craft will live on. Michael Jackson didn’t allow the times he lived in, to hinder his creativity. Thriller was produced and performed like nothing before or since its debut.

I am sure like any of us, Michael Jackson faced obstacles to his creativity and in his craft, but it was transparent to the rest of us. He made videos, he danced, and he performed like no other musician. He was eccentric and strange in my opinion. He didn’t manage his life with excellence. And that was unfortunate. I was definitely a fan early in his career, however I was not interested in him the more eccentric he became. That being said, it is a sad ending to his life.

In May, Michael Jackson foreshadowed his impending death. Go back and listen to the press conference when he declared his upcoming tour as his final curtain call. Those are powerful words. Though Micheal Jackson will not have the opportunity to take that final bow, his final curtain call, despite his super stardom, in the end he is gone. He lived an incredibly sad life in my opinion, but he left a legacy that will transcend this generation of people. Like Elvis, Michael Jackson will live on in the hearts of his family, friends and fans.

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Here are some reasons you may want to consider when transitioning from a chronological resume to a functional resume:

• Because you have done a lot of jobs and do not have a clear career path with your work experience
• Because you are a student with little to no work experience
• Because you have gaps in your employment history
• Because you want to change your career path and you have no experience in your new career choic
• Because you are an older job seeker and you want to minimize your long job history
• Because you are reentering the job market after a long period of time

If you are a job seeker and the phone is not ringing, consider developing a strong resume and cover letter. If the resume is not working, try reconstructing the resume into a functional resume. Make sure the skills you highlight on this resume connect to the type of job you are interested. Highlight transferable skills, include education, and employment history on the functional resume. Don’t assume that a chronological resume is the only way to go. You are much more likely to get the phone to ring when you connect the jobs you are applying for with your skills.

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