12 Steps to Targeting Success in Your Career or Job Search

Is your job search sagging? Are you still looking for that ideal next job? Or are you about to begin looking for new work and are not sure of the best way to go about it? What you need is a way to evaluate your job search strategies to see whether or not they are working effectively for you. Ready to get started? Here are 12 building blocks to a successful job search and the goals that will help you get to where you really want to be in the world of work: 1.) Making networking phone calls:  Effective job searches begin and end with networking. Start by making a list of everyone you know: family members, extended family, friends, present & past co-workers, faith community colleagues, barber/hairdresser, dog groomer, neighbors. Even list the clerks who work in your favorite grocery or video store, bank tellers and gas station attendants. Everyone! Call or talk to each person on your list (most people can easily produce a list of 50-100 people). Target: Make 3-5 new networking phone calls weekly. 2.) Contacting employers before openings occur:  The process of applying for a job before an opening is known to be present is referred to as "accessing the hidden job market" - and doing so is critical for job search success. By using a great on-line tool such as Reference USA to access employer information, you can mail targeted resumes and cover letters to companies that match your size, focus and sales criteria. Target: Mail 5-10 targeted but unsolicited resumes with cover letters weekly. 3.) Responding to online postings:  There are literally hundreds of sites like Monster.com, and you can pour hours and hours into searching them for job opportunities. Remember to search on multiple titles or portions of titles and to post your resume at every opportunity. Target: respond to 3-5 postings weekly. 4.) Responding to newspaper help wanted ads:  This is the favorite job seeking strategy of searchers everywhere, but guess what? Out of every 100 resumes an employer receives, they will throw away 92-95! Target: Submit only 3-5 resumes and cover letters weekly in response to help wanted ads. 5.) Identifying new employers to contact:  Find employers the old-fashioned way: in phone books, through networking leads, through word-of-mouth, in reference sources and online databases (such as Reference USA, mentioned above), through articles in local papers and through the Yellow Pages of your local phone directory. Target: Identify and research 5 new employers weekly and use them to fill your quota for #2, above. 6.) Contacting recruiters and employment agencies:   It's not appropriate for every job seeker to contact recruiters and employment agencies, but if this strategy makes sense for you, then by all means make use of them. Target: Contact 1 new recruiter or agency weekly. 7.) Making follow-up phone calls & sending thank you letters/cards:  Sending out resumes and cover letters is only the first step in the process of developing relationships with employers. About 1 ½ to 2 weeks afterward, call them to verify they received your materials and to inquire about next steps. Always follow-up on interviews and make is a habit to send thank you letters or cards afterward as well. Target: Make 5-10 follow-up phone calls weekly and send a thank you letter or card for every job interview or informational interview you participate in each week. 8.) Managing your references:  How do you "manage" references? Supply each one with a copy of each version of your resume. Keep them up-to-date on what is happening in your job search. You don't need to call them weekly, but you should generate news every few weeks at least. Give your references a copy of all the references you're using so each one can refer an employer on to someone else on the list if asked. Prepare your references by giving them background information, adjectives and descriptive words that "sell" your best stuff. Target: Contact each reference at least once per month during your active job search and contact everyone when that perfect opportunity comes along to prepare them. 9.) Practicing interview answers:   Don't just practice the night before an interview. Target: Practice your interview answers and questions at least 1 time per week. 10.) Practicing the salary negotiations process:  Ditto with salary negotiations. Target: Practice your strategies and responses at least 1-2 times per week. 11.) Staying socially connected with employed others:  Job searching is extremely lonely, so make sure you stay socially involved with family and friends. Target: Get out of the house at least 2 times weekly to see friends or extended family. 12.) Managing your attitude and energy:  This is the most important building block of all, because without a positive attitude and high, focused energy, you won't achieve the result you want. Targets: Do at least 1 fun and creative thing outside your house weekly. Why not take Fridays off (if you're unemployed) and enjoy! Absolutely, categorically don't job search on weekends. Exercise, take care of your body, and journal. Feed your mind good books and your spirit hope. Strengthen or do more of what works. Adapt, replace or fix what does not work. Reevaluate your search progress every 30 days for as long as it takes for you to find the work you really want. And, if your job search results do not markedly improve within 45 days, see a career search professional for individualized assistance.

12 Steps to Targeting Success in Your Career or Job Search   12 Steps to Targeting Success in Your Career or Job Search   

12 Steps to Targeting Success in Your Career or Job Search

Is your job search sagging? Are you still looking for that ideal next job? Or are you about to begin looking for new work and are not sure of the best way to go about it? What you need is a way to evaluate your job search strategies to see whether or not they are working effectively for you. Ready to get started? Here are 12 building blocks to a successful job search and the goals that will help you get to where you really want to be in the world of work: 1.) Making networking phone calls:  Effective job searches begin and end with networking. Start by making a list of everyone you know: family members, extended family, friends, present & past co-workers, faith community colleagues, barber/hairdresser, dog groomer, neighbors. Even list the clerks who work in your favorite grocery or video store, bank tellers and gas station attendants. Everyone! Call or talk to each person on your list (most people can easily produce a list of 50-100 people). Target: Make 3-5 new networking phone calls weekly. 2.) Contacting employers before openings occur:  The process of applying for a job before an opening is known to be present is referred to as "accessing the hidden job market" - and doing so is critical for job search success. By using a great on-line tool such as Reference USA to access employer information, you can mail targeted resumes and cover letters to companies that match your size, focus and sales criteria. Target: Mail 5-10 targeted but unsolicited resumes with cover letters weekly. 3.) Responding to online postings:  There are literally hundreds of sites like Monster.com, and you can pour hours and hours into searching them for job opportunities. Remember to search on multiple titles or portions of titles and to post your resume at every opportunity. Target: respond to 3-5 postings weekly. 4.) Responding to newspaper help wanted ads:  This is the favorite job seeking strategy of searchers everywhere, but guess what? Out of every 100 resumes an employer receives, they will throw away 92-95! Target: Submit only 3-5 resumes and cover letters weekly in response to help wanted ads. 5.) Identifying new employers to contact:  Find employers the old-fashioned way: in phone books, through networking leads, through word-of-mouth, in reference sources and online databases (such as Reference USA, mentioned above), through articles in local papers and through the Yellow Pages of your local phone directory. Target: Identify and research 5 new employers weekly and use them to fill your quota for #2, above. 6.) Contacting recruiters and employment agencies:   It's not appropriate for every job seeker to contact recruiters and employment agencies, but if this strategy makes sense for you, then by all means make use of them. Target: Contact 1 new recruiter or agency weekly. 7.) Making follow-up phone calls & sending thank you letters/cards:  Sending out resumes and cover letters is only the first step in the process of developing relationships with employers. About 1 ½ to 2 weeks afterward, call them to verify they received your materials and to inquire about next steps. Always follow-up on interviews and make is a habit to send thank you letters or cards afterward as well. Target: Make 5-10 follow-up phone calls weekly and send a thank you letter or card for every job interview or informational interview you participate in each week. 8.) Managing your references:  How do you "manage" references? Supply each one with a copy of each version of your resume. Keep them up-to-date on what is happening in your job search. You don't need to call them weekly, but you should generate news every few weeks at least. Give your references a copy of all the references you're using so each one can refer an employer on to someone else on the list if asked. Prepare your references by giving them background information, adjectives and descriptive words that "sell" your best stuff. Target: Contact each reference at least once per month during your active job search and contact everyone when that perfect opportunity comes along to prepare them. 9.) Practicing interview answers:   Don't just practice the night before an interview. Target: Practice your interview answers and questions at least 1 time per week. 10.) Practicing the salary negotiations process:  Ditto with salary negotiations. Target: Practice your strategies and responses at least 1-2 times per week. 11.) Staying socially connected with employed others:  Job searching is extremely lonely, so make sure you stay socially involved with family and friends. Target: Get out of the house at least 2 times weekly to see friends or extended family. 12.) Managing your attitude and energy:  This is the most important building block of all, because without a positive attitude and high, focused energy, you won't achieve the result you want. Targets: Do at least 1 fun and creative thing outside your house weekly. Why not take Fridays off (if you're unemployed) and enjoy! Absolutely, categorically don't job search on weekends. Exercise, take care of your body, and journal. Feed your mind good books and your spirit hope. Strengthen or do more of what works. Adapt, replace or fix what does not work. Reevaluate your search progress every 30 days for as long as it takes for you to find the work you really want. And, if your job search results do not markedly improve within 45 days, see a career search professional for individualized assistance.

12 Steps to Targeting Success in Your Career or Job Search   12 Steps to Targeting Success in Your Career or Job Search   

How to Get the Best Motorcycle Insurance Policy

The best motorcycle insurance policy is one that offers full coverage for your vehicle, regardless of what the circumstances are. Though this type of policy is usually more expensive than those that have limited coverage, it is well worth it. However, if you find that the premiums of a comprehensive insurance is too much for your finances to handle, then you can opt for one that offers coverage for theft and accidents, albeit limited, so that at least you have the incidents with the highest probability of happening covered.

If you want to get the best motorcycle insurance for you motorcycle without having to pay too much on your premiums, you can avail of some of the discounts that insurance companies have to offer. Most insurance companies offer lower premiums to those who have a good driving history. So the moment you get your motorcycle, make sure to drive carefully at all times to avoid any road accidents. If you do not have any history of getting involved in road accidents, the higher your chances of getting lower premiums will be. You also have to make sure to practice safety measures at all times. The more safety measures you make, the lower your premiums are likely going to be.

If you want to avail of the best motorcycle insurance in the market, you have to take your time to look for one. If you do extensive research, chances are you are going to come across a company that offers the best deals for relatively lower prices. You have to ask for insurance quotes first and you have to be patient. Keep in mind that insurance companies are a dime a dozen; so take your time to study each insurance company you come across. Study all their insurance policies and make sure that they offer the coverage you want.

You also have to know how to give the right answers, especially when you are applying for an insurance policy. Giving the right answers, especially to safety questions, would increase your chances of getting lower premiums for your insurance policy. Be confident in answering questions so that the insurance company would find you eligible for lower insurance policies. Remember that the cost of a policy depends highly on the probability of the driver getting into a road accident. To get the best motorcycle insurance in the market, you have to know what you are looking for so it would help a lot if you have sufficient information on insurance policies.

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Using Motorcycle Insurance Reviews to Your Advantage

These days, many people are looking for faster and cheaper ways of getting around. This is one of the main reasons why motorcycles have become so popular in recent years. Motorcycles are cheaper to buy and maintain than cars, and they also use up less fuel. Motorcycles are also very appealing because of the ease of which you can weave through slow moving traffic when you are riding one. While motorcycles usually cost less than cars, they are still relatively expensive. Buying a motorcycle is a big investment for a lot of people, so it makes sense to protect your investment. The easiest way of doing this is by getting motorcycle insurance. Picking the right insurance plan for your beloved bike can be quite difficult, but the task can be a whole lot easier if you use motorcycle insurance reviews to your advantage.

There are many places where you can get motorbike insurance. You can go to the nearest brick and mortar insurance provider or you can find one online. There are literally hundreds of providers to choose from, and you will need a way of narrowing down your choice. You can get motorbike insurance reviews from a number of sources. The easiest way is to ask around. You might have relatives or friends who have experience in getting motorbike insurance for their bikes. You can also ask a local motorcycle club for motorcycle insurance reviews. They can give you tips and insights that you might not get elsewhere.

If you do not know anyone who has experience with motorcycle insurance, then you can probably get motorcycle insurance reviews online. There are hundreds of motorcycle community forums out there, and people talk about this sort of thing all the time. Pick a few relevant community forums and take the time to register. After registering, you can look for threads that discuss motorcycle insurance providers. If you can't find any, then you can start your own thread. Give it a few days and people will start answering the questions on your thread. You can also find a lot of websites that specialize in motorcycle insurance reviews. Getting a good review is very important.

A good review will enable you to make the best decision for your motorcycle. There are many other things to consider, but an insurance provider with consistently good reviews from different sources is usually a good bet for your bike.

Importance of Having Temporary Motorcycle Insurance   Motorcycle Insurance - A Small Part of a Big Picture   Can You Find Cheap Auto Insurance Online for Motorcycles?   Cheap Classic Bike Insurance Rates