OUT OF A JOB OR TIRED OF YOUR JOB?
Then this special employment issue of Tastebud Tango is for you. Because unfortunately many people get the axe right before Christmas, so their employer can make a fresh start in the new year. And how that timing hurts! If you've lost your job, or if you have a job but dread another year of it, here are Internet helps -- for hundreds of occupations, and whether you're at the entry level or an executive. You'll also find help on changing your career.
Whether or not this special issue is of interest to you, PLEASE DO FORWARD IT TO ANYONE ELSE WHO MIGHT FIND IT HELPFUL. The next issue will go back to the standard format -- you can check out past newsletter issues at http://delightfulfood.com/Archives/index.html
----Contents of Special Employment Issue----
1. Your First Ploy
2. Directories of Job Directories
3. Dicey Interviews or a New Career Direction?
4. Watch Out for Scams!
5. Training for a Better Job
The Internet has amazing resources for job seekers! So before you start sending out resumes, do
a. Check out the section below called "Dicey Interviews or a New Career Direction." Free information is the great strength of the Internet, and these sites have it just sitting on a silver platter waiting for you.
b. Before you get into sites that promise easy $$$$, do read through the section, "Watch Out for Scams!" Because the Internet is largely unregulated, scams abound. Remember, "If it sounds too good to be true, it is."
c. If you'd like a new career but aren't sure which kind, try the directories under "Training for a Better Job." Amazing job possibilities are out there!
1. YOUR FIRST PLOY
I'm assuming that you've already checked with your state employment office, if that's appropriate. (For its address, go to www.Google.com and put, in quotes, "Google state government directory.")
Now, for a leap into water that may be lukewarm or sizzling, go to the main Google directory, www.google.com. In the subject box put "jobs [name your field, such as accountant or electrician]." You'll be amazed at what comes up. If your type of work is at all common, you'll get many websites with job listings and training.
If you're looking in a field with lots of jobs, you can narrow your focus, putting in, say, "paralegal jobs Phoenix Arizona," or "construction jobs Birmingham UK," still getting good results. On the other hand, "florist jobs Bangor Maine" isn't going to do much for you. You can play around with different wordings, putting some requests in quotes " " which makes Google report exactly those words, and some without quotes, which gives Google more scope.
And this is just the beginning of what the Internet can do for you.
2. DIRECTORIES OF JOB DIRECTORIES
They're out there and they're wonderful. Try the excellent JOB HUNT website, for both executive and nonexecutive positions. And be sure to read its great articles, including, "The Dirty Dozen Online Job Search Mistakes," and, above all, "Dangerous Online Job Search Assumptions."
Job Hunt has jobs broken down by state, in many categories that might not occur to you. You can also scroll down to their special sections, such as federal government jobs or jobs for older workers. "The Best of the Best Super Sites" is especially valuable. Several super sites pride themselves on job listings other sites do not have -- if you're a hard-to-place person, do check them out.
http://www.job-hunt.org/jobs/states.shtml
Next try the GOOGLE Directory of Employment Directories. It's excellent -- and NOT AT ALL the same as a Google search. Google directories have many topics and are a "hidden" Internet resource few know about. This great directory has helps for minorities, older workers, veterans, retiring military, and many more at all job levels. Scroll down it to find listings that meet your special needs:
http://www.google.com/Top/Business/Employment/Job_Search/
YAHOO also has a great directory of job directories, including links to corporate jobs, research jobs, and jobs for Hispanics and African-Americans. Yahoo and Google have some overlap, but each has unique items.
http://dir.yahoo.com/Business_and_Economy/Employment_and_Work/Careers_and_Jobs/Jobs/Directories/
CRAIGS LIST. If you live in or near one of the U.S. cities served by www.craigslist.com, try this site which lists, for free, ads selling all kinds of things, plus LOCAL job listings. Since they list anything, some of the listings are not ones you would want your child to see. And since I say all my sites are family-safe, I'm not recommending the site for children. I simply say that adult job seekers may find legitimate local jobs through Craigs List.
For INTERNATIONAL JOBS, try the Google search, including the name of your country, plus
http://www.businessseek.biz/business-directory/World-1.html
3. DICEY INTERVIEWS OR A NEW CAREER DIRECTION?
You'll find valuable -- and inspirational -- articles on job hunting and career change at the sites below. Most offer free newsletters.
Changing Course is one of the best career change newsletters, dealing with "the difference between making a living and having a life."
http://www.changingcourse.com/ezine.htm
CV Track is an absolutely outstanding source of information, especially on networking and especially for management positions.
http://www.cvtrack.com/NWCVQ.html
Business Knowhow has in-depth articles on career building. Be sure to try the article on "Only Connect: (E)Network into Your Next Job."
http://www.businessknowhow.com/bkhcareer.htm
The Career Intelligence site and newsletter are for "women who want to take control of their career." Good career change information is in the lefthand margin under "Transition."
http://www.career-intelligence.com/
QuintZine is especially valuable for teens and recent college graduates, though they also have material for other types of job searchers. They list outstanding sites for job seekers and a "Career Doctor" to whom you may submit questions. And do click on their "Career Articles."
http://www.quintcareers.com/QuintZine/
4. WATCH OUT FOR SCAMS!
I define a scam as a wonderful sounding come-on, such as "Earn $300/hr., no experience necessary," which, it turns out, costs YOU money to utilize. And then doesn't produce the promised wealth. They never do, unfortunately.
The areas with the most scams are "freelancing" and "work from home." They seem to think being cooped up at home all day has lowered your intelligence. A job as mystery shopper that lets you keep for free all the expensive items you buy? Dream on. $500 or even $1000 worth of free groceries, or maybe a laptop computer, all for taking a survey? A total scam. For the "survey," you wade through dozens of special offers. At the end you find your "free" item comes only after you've purchased a number of very expensive items you don't need. (How did I learn this? How do you think I learned this? And now my e-mail is full of trash from all those stupid special offers.)
If you're a FREELANCER, try the following section of that wonderful Job Hunt website. They warn you of the pitfalls of looking for freelance and temp work and list many job sources.
http://www.job-hunt.org/free.shtml
If you want to WORK AT HOME, I suggest you start with one of the few honest work-at-home sites:
http://www.moneymakingmommy.com/
They say their jobs are legit, and they have weeded out the worst stuff, which is more than you can say of some "mommy" sites. However, one of their listings took me to a site which said, "Make $1000 a Day, Start Earning Within 15 Minutes From Now." Which to me screams SCAM!
So poke around cautiously, see the types of from-home jobs out there, and look in those same categories on the sites listed in the Google and Yahoo directories and with Job Hunt. That same site,
http://www.job-hunt.org/jobsearchusing.shtml
has an article on "Using Web Job Sites" found through its lefthand margin. The article will give you some great anti-scam advice. Because, "If it sounds too good to be true, it is."
(And if you're a stay-at-home mother, do consider getting online professional training right in your home. See training section below.)
One more scam: a lot of people would like a CRUISE SHIP job. Here's the lowdown on the cruise ship scams, from a maritime job search site that, so far as I can tell, is on the up and up:
http://www.maritimeenvironment.com/avoidthescams.html
5. TRAINING FOR A BETTER JOB
So far as I know, Harvard doen't offer online courses, but a number of highly reputable schools do. Some even offer online degree programs. But how do you tell the reputable schools from the ripoffs? The key, I believe, is ACCREDITATION, and good old Google can help you discover whether a program is accredited and, if so, by whom.
First of all, here's a directory of accredited programs "designed for college and university students seeking online degree programs via distance learning schools." It says further that "Directory of Schools partners with accredited institutions to help you meet all your degree and continuing education needs online."
http://www.directoryofschools.com/
And next is a listing of online vocational training programs:
http://www.worldwidelearn.com/career-training/vocational-training.htm
If you want a career that requires hands-on training, such as that of pilot, diver, or chef, here's a listing of trade schools:
To decide on the best school, I'd suggest you go to www.google.com and put into the search box something like "accreditation carpenter training." Or "accreditation dental assistant training." After prowling around the listings that come up, you should have a better idea about which programs offer high quality, accredited education.
And, if you want a new career but are not sure what kind, do poke around in the directories listed in this section. You'll learn about dozens of possible careers, one of which might be just right for you.
© Copyright 2005 Janette G. Blackwell. All rights reserved. You may copy and use portions of this newsletter for noncommercial, personal use only. You may forward a copy to someone else as long as the copyright notice is included. Any other use of the materials in this newsletter without prior written permission is prohibited.
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