Job-hunting tips for the New Year

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It's time to welcome in 2008, and time for my annual New Year's Wish List, which, unfortunately, changes very little each year._ Seek solutions to problems, not faults to blame.Objectivity is imperative in order to find workplace happiness and avoid repeating past mistakes in future opportunities. Face personal facts honestly, avoid transferring blame for past failures and focus on present strengths and future successes._ Employers, when you use the word "screen," think "in" rather than "out," and focus on applicants' strengths and accomplishments that may contribute to your company's growth rather than focusing on negatives in an applicant's past._ Step out of the electronic box that the Internet has created and come to realize that when posting resumes online and responding to online job openings, you are willingly competing with job seekers globally, many of whom are not even closely qualified for the job openings. The electronic "pipes" get clogged and you wonder why you get no response.Step out of that box and match your credentials to employers' needs whether they are advertising open jobs or not. Then, identify managers within likely companies who may be able to influence hiring decisions, and make direct contact asking for the opportunity to meet in person. Sell yourself in terms of what your research tells you that company needs, and let your contact refer you to HR. There is nothing as powerful as a third-party recommendation! _ Network daily to get third-party recommendations from everyone you know and everyone new that you meet, regardless of their line of work. Get visible and let people see you, get to know you, and learn something about your ethics, honesty, reliability, worth, and workplace objectives. Your networking ripples from contact to contact until you are face-to-face with an employer who is anticipating liking you and wanting you on his or her team._ For 2008, use the Internet for how it can help you best: obtaining information about employers and about job searching. Use it creatively, then get dressed and get out and get visible. Your next job offer will come with a handshake and a smile, not a left click and a delete! Happy New Year! (Marvin Walberg is a job-search consultant based in Birmingham, Ala. He can be contacted at P.O. Box 43056, Birmingham, AL 35243. E-mail him at mwalberg(at)bellsouth.net.)(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, http://www.scrippsnews.com)