You know the friend who constantly dates the wrong kind of person? The one who’s endlessly frustrated that he or she is going to die alone because all the good ones are taken?

After enough venting sessions, you realize something your friend doesn’t: He or she is the common thread tying together all of these — let’s just say it together — losers. Someone needs to speak up and say, “You’re doing this to yourself.”

You’ll find this same pattern can be true in a job hunt. Granted, we’re in tough times and plenty of reasons out of your control can keep you from getting hired. But that’s just one more reason to do everything within your power to be the best job seeker you can.

With that in mind, look over these 25 ways you might be unknowingly sabotaging your job search:

1. Assuming you’ll never need to look for another job
You love your current job and that’s great. If you’re happy there and see a promising future, I hope you never have to leave. Nevertheless, you should always be prepared for the day you have to move on. Even if the boss loves you, things can change. Buyouts, economic disasters or changes in leadership can affect your employment. Continue to update your résumé while you’re employed so that you have an accurate record of your accomplishments.

2. Burning bridges
We love the scenes in movies where the disgruntled employee finally tells off the boss and storms out of the office, only to live a happy, fulfilling life. In real life, these idols are probably unemployed because they don’t have good references, and no employer wants to hire someone with a tarnished reputation.

3. Keeping mum on your job search
Most people aren’t keen on being unemployed, and if you were laid off it’s understandable that you don’t want to spend all your time talking about it. But you need to network; it’s one of the most effective ways to find a job. A friend of a friend of a friend often gets you the interview that lands you the job — but that won’t happen if no one knows you’re looking for new career opportunities.

4. Looking for “The One”
Although you want to conduct a focused job search, you need to keep an open mind. With any luck, you’ll land the perfect gig, but sometimes you have to take a job that possesses most of the qualities you want — not all of them. If the pay is right, the requirements are in line with your experience and the opportunities for promotion are good, then you might have to overlook the fact that you have to wake up 30 minutes earlier than you’d like.

5. Not searching at all
This mistake probably seems obvious, but as anyone who’s been on a lengthy job hunt can tell you, discouragement is easy to come by. A few weeks or months without a job and enough news segments on layoffs are enough to convince you that no one is hiring. Without question the market’s competitive, but if you’re not actively looking for work, don’t expect it to fall in your lap.

6. No cover letter
Including a cover letter is an easy way to play it safe during a job hunt. Although not every employer wants one, surveys continually find employers who automatically remove job seekers from consideration if they don’t include a cover letter. Why would you give any employer a reason not to hire you?

7. A generic cover letter
The only thing worse than no cover letter is one that could be sent to any anonymous employer. Starting with “To Whom It May Concern” and filling the page with phrases like “hard working” will signal the reader that you’re blindly sending out applications to every job opening you see. Hiring managers are looking for someone who fits their needs, and their needs are different than another employer’s. Don’t treat them the same.

8. Typos
If you received a wedding invitation full of misspelled words and poor punctuation, you’d probably wonder why these two people didn’t take the time to proofread the page. After all, it’s an important event and a lot of people will be reading it. Employers will wonder the same thing about a résumé or cover letter filled with errors.

9. All “I” and not enough “you”
Your cover letter and résumé are definitely about you, but they’re not for you. Employers are interested in you only in the context of what you can do for them. Whenever you reveal information about yourself, use it as proof that you offer something to the company that no one else can.

10. Giving bad contact information
When hiring managers like what they see on your résumé and cover letter, they’re going to look for your contact information. If they see that your e-mail address is BeerFreak80@email.com or that your current work number is the best way to contact you, they’re going to think twice before reaching out. The only thing worse is forgetting to include your contact information at all.

11. Running late
Every boss wants an employee who is dependable and a good representative of the company. Someone who’s tardy to an interview is neither.

12. Dressing for the wrong job
Appearances matter in an interview, and you should dress for what’s appropriate in your field. Find out what the dress code is before you show up so you fit in with the company culture. Wearing a suit when you’re told jeans are the norm can make you seem stuffy; wearing shorts and sandals when everyone else is wearing suits makes you look oblivious. You’re better off erring on the side of too professional than too casual.

13. Griping about past employers
Keep in mind that you’re not guaranteed to be with any company forever. When you talk trash about your last company, your interviewer’s thinking, “What are you going to say about me once you leave?”

14. Not asking questions
One quintessential interview question is, “Do you have any questions for me?” Sitting there silently suggests you’re not invested in the job. When you go to a restaurant, you probably have a few questions for the waiter. Shouldn’t you be just as curious about a new job?

15. Not doing your research
Research for a new job involves two important subjects: the position and the company. Find out as much about the position as you can so you can decide if you even want it and so you can position yourself as the best fit for the job.

Knowing all you can about the company will help you decide if you like its direction and share its ideals. Plus, when it comes to the all-important “Do you have any questions for us?” portion of the interview (see above), you have plenty of material to cover.

16. Thinking the interview starts and ends in a meeting room
The formal interview occurs when you shake hands with the interviewer and ends when you leave the room. The full process begins when you’re called or e-mailed to come in for an interview and it continues every time you converse with someone at the company. Were you rude to the recruiter or the receptionist? You never know what gets reported to the hiring manager.

17. Talking about money too soon
As eager as you are to land the job and cash your first paycheck, let the employer mention salary first. Broaching the subject first implies you’re more eager about money than about doing a good job.

18. Acting cocky
You never want to beg for a job, but you should act as if you care about it. If your confidence level spills over into arrogance, you’ll guarantee no employer will want to work with you.

19. Being so honest you’re rude
Not every job will turn into a lifelong career, and you might have no intention of staying at the company more than a year or two when you interview. Still, hiring managers don’t want to hear that you’re taking this job just to pass time until you find a real job that you care about. You don’t need to commit yourself to the company for a decade, but don’t make yourself sound like a flight risk, either.

20. Forgetting your manners
Common courtesy can get you far, and in a job hunt you’d like to get as far as possible. After an interview, send a thank-you note (via e-mail or regular mail) to show your gratitude to the interviewer for taking the time to meet with you. This will leave him or her with a good impression of you.

21. Stalking the hiring manager
If the interviewer gives you a deadline for hearing back from him or her, go ahead and call to see if a decision has been made. Do not call, e-mail and visit every day until you finally get a response — which will probably be, “You definitely did not get the job.”

22. Not keeping track of your applications
Because a job hunt can be lengthy, you should have a running list of where you’ve applied and whether or not you’ve heard back. Although you don’t think you’ll forget where you applied, after a dozen applications your memory can get fuzzy. Sending multiple applications to the same employer says, “I’m either disorganized or I’m just sending out bulk applications.”

23. Not learning from mistakes
You’re bound to make a mistake here and there during an interview. If a question trips you up, think about what went wrong and prepare for it the next time. Don’t forget mistakes from your past, either. Look back at jobs you hated and try to avoid landing one of those jobs again.

24. Assuming you got the job
Don’t ever assume you have the job until you actually hear the hiring manager say, “You got the job.” Several factors can complicate whether or not you get hired, so don’t halt your job search until you receive an offer. Keep searching for work because the deal might fall through at the last minute or you might find an even better job.

25. Forgetting the lessons you learned during a job search
When your hard work pays off and you do land a job, don’t forget all the trials and trouble you went through to get it. Just because you have a paycheck doesn’t mean you’ve looked for your last job. Remember how important it is to maintain a network, keep track of your achievements and have good references. If you do find yourself looking for work again, you’ll have a much easier time.

Over the past 10-12 years, the demand for solar power systems has gone up by 30% per year. Even long after the initial boom there is still substantial demand of products and expertise in solar power system installation and maintenance services. The US economy began struggling from mid 2008 and most of the companies suffered but solar energy companies reported largest venture capital investments, the top company being Nanosolar Incorporation with a capital investment of almost $300,000,000.

What does all this means for solar careers and job markets? That the solar education and training is now essential and it is the best time to start planning a career in solar industry; With increasing demand of solar energy the requirement of experts to install and maintain in constantly growing. There are still very few institutes that offer professional degrees in solar energy. Most of these institutes fill up very quickly due to high demand among students.

These solar panel schools are advertising to businesses by explaining to them the benefits and advantages of shifting to solar power systems. Just consider some company which has around 300-400 electricians that want to upgrade and learn about solar energy panel installation. All seats of the term are filled up quickly by such companies. Right if you search online you will notice that there are several cool opening s are available in many good companies. The pay scale offered by these companies for solar power experts is also on par with any best industry.

Though this course is ideal of engineers and technical or electrical background people but anyone who is inclined to learn this new technology will be benefited with this quality course. The courses are intensive and cover most of the important aspects of the solar systems. Cost of these programs is also not very high and even the best course from the best schools can cost you well under $3,000.

How do you feel when you do something for someone and they do not say “thank you?” Few people will say they feel great. Naturally, being human, we like to be appreciated by others. The same goes for interviewers. They have taken the time to get to know you a little better and you should take the time to thank them for doing that.

Sending a thank you letter or a follow-up letter after an interview is an excellent and effective interview follow-up strategy. It also can be the deciding factor when your competitors have the exact qualifications as you.

Remember the biblical story of the ten lepers whom Jesus healed? Only one went back to thank him. Jesus asked for the other nine. Why did only one person express thanks and what did Jesus say to this one? Jesus told this thankful leper that his faith made him well. He got an extra blessing!

Make sure you ask each interviewer for their business card to ensure correct spelling of their names and also their correct titles. Send each of them a follow-up letter. You should plan to thank the interviewer as soon as possible after the interview. Sending a letter the day after the interview is appropriate. Do not wait too long as decisions are often made within a very short time. Keep your letter to a minimum of one page. You do not want to overwhelm the reader.

Ten Reasons to Send a Thank You Letter

1. To show courtesy,etiquette, and professionalism
2. To stand out when it is time for the interviewer to make a decision
3. To show your written communication abilities
4. To separate you from your competitors who did not write a thank you letter
5. To briefly highlight how your assets that you relayed in the interview will benefit the

company. (Caution - Do not rewrite your resume)
6. To state something you forgot to say in the interview that is relevant
7. To address unresolved points
8. To reinforce that that you understood exactly what was said during the interview.
9. To emphasize that you do want this job
10. Because even if you do not get this job, you may still be remembered in the long run.

What will help you to write a thank you letter?

During the interview, take mental notes of points that the interviewer seems very interested in. This will help you to include in the letter, a common interest or goal that was stated in the interview.

What should your letter include? A thank you letter should include the following:

1. Thank the interviewer for taking the time to meet with you on the date on which the interview occurred.

2. Reaffirm your interest in the firm by pointing out particular issues brought during the interview that appeal to you. Try to personalize the letter by referring to some topic or commonality you discussed during the interview.

3. Wrap it up! Conclude by again expressing your appreciation, an offer to provide more information, and a statement that you look forward to hearing from them.

Do not assume that just because you are a temp, that you will be working in an office answering the phone and making the boss tea. No, there are literally hundreds of different types of temping jobs available. The word ‘temp’ means temporary, i.e. you will not be awarded a permanent contract, but that doesn’t mean that the work is actually menial. You can do lots of things from working in advertising, media, TV, radio, to being a specialised temp, for example, working as a Quantity Surveyor or a manager. You could even work as a surveyor, or a bricklayer, or a carer, cleaner or you could even work in accounts.

In fact the number of temporary jobs is constantly rising, since many employers are fearful that the recession means that they cannot take people on with a permanent contract, so getting a temp in means that the job will be filled, but without the cost implications of a permanent contract.

In the ‘good old days’ temping jobs were very much seen as a second class job, but those days have gone now and many professionals like to work on a temporary basis, because they enjoy the variety, meeting new people and learning about how work is done in different ways, according to the procedures of different companies.

People often use temping jobs to meet their needs, whether they are a student, can’t decide on what to do or they are a writer or an actor who wants to make ends meet until their big break comes up.

If you don’t believe that the world of temping is as diverse and exciting as portrayed here, then just talk to any recruitment agency, who will be able to assure you and help you realize that there is a world out there waiting for you and what is available really is fantastically diverse!

Recruitment agency solutions spanning temping, temps, contract and permanent Office Jobs usually specialize in placement and recruitment around the world, from PA Jobs, Secretarial Jobs, Receptionist Jobs Admin Jobs, Customer Service Jobs and Data Entry Jobs.

The deepening recession may have you thinking about the possibility of attempting a move to a complimentary field - or another industry altogether - with more favorable growth potential. However, the prospect of such a transition can seem daunting.

Many people shy away from serious exploration of a career shift because they think their chances of succeeding are slim to none. How can you compete against candidates who already have experience in that field?

It’s not easy, but neither is it impossible.

Here’s what you can do to improve the odds:

Identify transferrable skills

On the surface, it may seem like your proficiencies won’t transfer to industry X. Many people mistakenly assume they don’t possess enough of the requisite skills - and that they would never be considered seriously. Dig deeper, though, and you may surprise yourself.

First, comprehensively research the job, the company and the industry you’re pursuing. Once you have a thorough understanding of what they’re all about, parallels to your applicable skills will be easier to identify.

Think “outside the job description” as you consider your competencies. Categorize proficiencies under headers like organizational management, planning and design, coaching and instructing, problem solving, information management, public contact, data analysis….and so on.

Then take categories that are broader in scope and see if you can break them down further. For example, a category like communications could have subsets like public speaking or writing.

Don’t feel you must limit yourself specifically to your salaried job only. You might find that you can augment your list of functional skills with roles you’ve played within professional and civic organizations or volunteer work you’ve done.

Targeted training

If you uncover a prerequisite for your revised “experience kit” that you lack, consider how you might pick up that competency. It doesn’t necessarily require a lengthy time commitment. For example, you might be able to acquire the expertise you need via an intensive training program.

Marketing yourself

What about your resume? What are you going to do to keep the hiring manager from fixating on company names - and perhaps even job titles - that could sidetrack him?

Focus on the two things about your submission materials that are most crucial: your cover letter, and the top half of the first page of your resume.

The cover is always important, but in this situation, it’s vital - because you can keep this page free of information that might muddy the waters. You have complete control. This is your opportunity to emphasize transferrable skills - your experience, your successes and how they apply - in the most effective context.

One other thing: as an industry outsider, you bring a fresh perspective and diverse competencies to the table. That’s a distinct advantage; keep it in mind as you’re thinking about your pitch and crafting this letter.

As for your resume, even in this situation a functional format is not your best friend. That said, there are adjustments you can make to the standard chronological resume that will give you an assist.

Pay especially close attention to the top half of the first page. Your qualifications statement, always important, is even more critical now. This is your golden opportunity to encapsulate applicable functional skills in context and on message. Make a compelling case.

(You may decide to follow it with a brief keyword summary of your expertise; executed properly, it can be a constructive recap - and influence the hiring manager’s mindset. It’s just as easy to do this poorly, so if you’re unsure, leave it out.)

Next, you can insert a succinct career highlights section rather than jumping right into your work history (remember, we’re on the top half of the first page…at least part of this section needs to appear “above the fold”). This handful of bullet points persuasively demonstrates your successes as they apply to the industry in question and can also be an effective method to establish emphasis…setting the proper context in which to view your employment experience.

Obviously, you’ll highlight applicable aspects of your employment history and downplay those that aren’t relevant given the circumstances. Choose your words carefully; there may be a way to restate the same point in such a way that it will resonate differently (and more suitably) to better match the context.

Don’t restate achievements you already noted in the career highlights section.

Network

Personal contacts are key when attempting to shift industries. You may not be very well connected in this new sector, which means you may need to strategically build your network. Identify who you need to know, and then figure out how you can meet them. These people can help you research the industry, provide valuable information, and facilitate introductions that may lead to interviews.

Success sells

The more successful - and visible - you’ve been in your current industry, the better your chances of migrating to another. Capitalize on that recognition and your reputation.

Do Your Research.

The cover letter will immediately give away how much you know about the company and its goals. If you copy a general format off the Internet, the HR manager or the employer will know.

In order to make a good impression, not only should you know how to write a cover letter for a resume, but you should also find out all you can about the company you want to work for.

What are their goals? How about the position you’re applying for? Be certain about the job description.

Why is this important? When you write a cover letter, you’re actually showing your potential employer that your skills and interests are in line with the company’s own goals and interests. It tells them that you’re not just a generic applicant hoping to find a job that pays for food and rent.

Besides, doing pre-research has other benefits as well. Doing your research does not only help you secure an interview slot. It also helps you in preparing for a job interview.

Employers like it when applicants know about the purpose of their company. Being knowledgeable about the goals shows them that you are the right person they’re looking for.

Keep It Short And Sweet.

While it is supposed to be a reflection of who you are, don’t turn it into an autobiography.

Here’s a proven method on how to write a cover letter for a resume:

Be direct to the point and limit your number of paragraphs to three or four. Don’t list down all your skills. Simply pull out one or two impressive and relevant skills from your resume to include in your cover letter.

Be Creative.

In knowing how to write a cover letter, you should keep in mind that there are hundreds of people doing the same thing and hoping to get into your target company. That thought alone should be enough to steer you away from settling for a standard introduction.

It’s always good to start with a bang. That way, you’ll capture the employer’s interest and he or she will find time to read the rest of your letter as well as your resume.

Avoid Using The Passive Voice.

Don’t write as if things were done to you. Write as if you took the initiative to complete your tasks. Employers want people who are pro-active. They want employees who can take charge of any situation and not those who stand by and let things happen.

If you find it difficult to concentrate on using the active voice in your sentences, remember to read your letter after you’re done to check for any passive voices.

Proofread!

Even after you’ve followed all these tips, this last one remains to be the most important on how to write a cover letter for a resume.

Employers are instantly turned off when they spot errors in spelling, grammar and overall sentence construction. Even a small typo will prove to be a heavy blow on your otherwise perfect cover letter.

So after you’re done writing your cover letter, proofread it twice and then have someone else take a look at it. You never know what errors you might have missed.

It is important that you know how to write a cover letter for a resume. That single page alone separates you from the rest of the applicants and increases your chance of getting interviewed. It also gives your employers a glimpse into the kind of person you are so make sure you give them a good first impression.

If it’s not your first time anymore to apply for a job, chances are you either left on your own accord, or you got fired. The latter is the tricky one especially when the time comes that you have to job hunt again, and the job interviewer naturally has to get curious as to why you got the axe.

Don’t worry. Hiring managers won’t hold it against you if you got fired from your last job. Back then getting fired may give some stigma or a sort of a scarlet letter to a job searcher’s resume as if the accused party was guilty of something more than the actual reason. But nowadays employers are being more open-minded. They know that there’s a crucial play of factors for getting fired, and it’s never simple.

Plus, if not all employees who somehow survive the axe are the best employees in the office, conversely that means not all employees who get dismissed are bad ones. Of course, you have to grant your job interviewer the right to be curious about the circumstances of your being fired. Fortunately there are graceful ways to answer this thorny question: Be honest, while putting yourself in a good light. Of course, being honest doesn’t mean divulging every little detail.

For instance, if you and your previous boss had a particularly nasty rift, narrate to the interviewer the circumstances, explain your side on the issue, and your boss’s too, and why you think you didn’t agree. Stick to the facts and logic, not with biases. It’s wise to admit faults and shortcomings instead of being all defensive about it. Just remember to follow up your admission with a promise that you’ve learned from the experience and that you are now ready to do things differently this time around. Emphasise your positive qualities.

Don’t miss an opportunity to market your qualities, skills, and qualifications for the job. You can perhaps tell the interviewer that you were let go even before you could prove your worth, or that your previous company just didn’t appreciate and acknowledge your contribution to the company. Of course, mention these without sounding like a braggart, but someone who is willing to do their best for the company. Never badmouth previous employers.

Besides not sounding professional and plain nice, your prospective employer is still an employer and is likely to see things in your previous employer’s perspective, so any hate-remarks from you is bound to be taken by them as not a good sign. Focus on the future. Getting fired from a job is just one door closing on you; what it really means though is a world of job opportunities that it opens for you.

Tell the job interviewer that now that you’re out of your old company, you can explore other avenues in job that might be better suited for your qualifications and which might help you to grow. There’s a difference between discussing the past and dwelling on it; so steer the conversation into the future and what you can do for the company should they hire you. As with any job interview questions, there’s always the graceful way to answer that will let your prospective employer see your potential. Just remember, think on the bright side, focus on the future, and keep your chin up.

Surviving job loss in this urban jungle is quite challenging. Your source of income disappears, your confidence shatters and you find it difficult to move on. You feel negative all the time and wallow in self-pity.

To get out of the rut, you need to start being active again. Below are 5 ways to surviving job loss.

Tip # 1 Time To Grieve

Allow the fact that you lost your job to sink in first. Others find themselves trapped in denial and are thus unable to move on. Don’t be one of those victims.

Instead, try to review the circumstances which led to your current situation. Focus on the solutions and opportunities that await you, not on the problem. Finding the answers will help you pick up the pieces and decide on a new path to follow.

Tip # 2 Save Up For A Rainy Day

It’s a sensible idea to save up for any emergency, and job loss certainly falls under that category. Start putting aside a small percentage of your earnings. In case of job loss, you will at least have enough money for food, rent, and basic needs.

Tip # 3 Find A Friend

Friends are the best therapists. They help make you feel better about yourself and help you cope with job loss, too. You can confide in them and just let all the negative feelings and insecurities out. Who knows? One of your friends might be able to help you land a better job and career!

Tip # 4 Set Worthwhile Goals

Losing your job can lead to depression and a lack of interest in general. To keep yourself upbeat and productive, make a list of short-term and long-term goals - and strive to achieve them. This way, you have a compelling reason to live life to the fullest by achieving your purpose.

Tip # 5 Be Positive

Being negative won’t help make your problem go away. Instead, be positive and believe that there are countless possibilities waiting for you. Don’t let job loss deter your from your dreams. Keep your head up high and keep doing your best.

It’s hard enough to land yourself a decent job these days, and losing it might seem like the worst thing in the world. When surviving job loss, you must see the situation as a challenge rather than as a problem. Believe that you now have a chance to excel in other areas and you’ll soon enjoy a rewarding career.

You’re out of work. You’re hardly alone. Through the first 11 months of 2008, the nation’s economy lost 1.9 million jobs.

That means that just like it’s a buyer’s market for houses, where home shoppers can be extra choosy, the recession makes it an employer’s market for new hires.

It’s no time to dwell on the negative, though. Experts say there are strategies and techniques to conquering joblessness.

Even during a severe economic downturn, organizations have positions to fill, and after the shock of the pink slip has worn off, it will be your assignment to get noticed and get hired.

You can break down the process into several steps:

• File for unemployment insurance benefits right away. Depending on your eligibility, that money is there for you for a half-year and maybe longer.

• Pause, don’t panic. Take a little time to get over the trauma and get ready for the next stage in your career.

• Start the search process, mapping out a plan with the same seriousness with which you would undertake a project while working for an employer.

It won’t necessarily be easy. Career counselors say hiring is taking longer than usual, a fact they attribute both to an employer’s aim to get the right person the first time and to the large number of applicants. Indeed, in November in Illinois, there were more than three unemployed people for every job vacancy advertised online, according to The Conference Board.

But a key step comes early: assessing your skills and figuring out how they translate into different jobs and industries. Particularly during a recession, it’s not smart to pigeonhole yourself into believing you can only work in the field you just left. You’ve got to believe your skills will benefit other industries.

“If you’re an assertive-type person in this market, is that an advantage? Yes,” said Maxine Topper, supervisor of career counselors for Jewish Vocational Service. “People have to be more aware of where they fit, where they are going [career-wise] and the needs of the employer. [Hiring managers] have a job to fill and they have a ton of people standing in line for that job.”

Joy Ashner has been out of work since September, when her employer eliminated her position as a logistics supervisor. Rather than wallowing in self-pity, she has decided to embrace her job hunt by looking forward to what opportunities it may bring her.

“You really just need to pick up and get going,” she said. “You need to put the past behind you.”

She’s calling people she hasn’t talked to in a decade, telling them about her jobless status and her abilities. She’s taking classes to advance her computer skills and using professional networking Web site LinkedIn to find people to speak with.

She also attends networking groups offered by career counseling centers. And while she has discovered that searching for a job is a full-time job in itself, she has taken some solace in meeting others in the same spot.

“I have met so many really smart, really nice people,” Ashner said. “It’s all different levels, it could be a CFO and it could be somebody working in a factory. It doesn’t matter and everybody’s in the same boat.”

Career counselors say the steps to finding a job in a recession aren’t that much different from during good times; you just have to work harder at it. The must-do list includes:

• Check your pride at the door. Tell everyone you know that you’re out of work. A job lead may come from a neighbor, a fellow church member or the parent of a child’s friend. “There is no throwaway contact,” said Wilmette management consultant Marilyn Moats Kennedy. “The shame is not there anymore.”

• Don’t try to find a job by spending day and night in front of the computer. “This is not a time to be stuck in your home office or your basement,” said Craig Randall, managing director of the Chicago office of executive search firm DHR International. “If you’re trying to sell something, you’ve got to go out and press the flesh. Make a list of everybody you know and really attack your personal Rolodex.”

• Research an opening by using the Internet to learn about the company and the industry so you can sell what benefit your addition to the company would bring.

“If you have a contact [at a company], don’t make that call until you do your research, know how to talk about yourself and what you can offer,” said Monica Keane, executive director of Barrington Career Center.

When it comes time for a phone interview, Kennedy tells clients to do them standing up because you project more energy standing than sitting.

• Ask your direct managers if they’ll help you with a reference because they have the best knowledge of your work and your accomplishments. While some organizations limit their communication related to former employees, given the non-personal reason for a lot of layoffs today, they may be willing to help.

• Seek assistance and support from career centers and networking groups. One site to check out is www.chicagojobs.org, which has links to area organizations that offer support groups, resume assistance and skill-building workshops. Several religious organizations offer assistance on a non denominational basis.

However, make sure the group advances your job search. Camaraderie is fine at the beginning, but the best groups help advance a member’s search.

• Decide whether you can afford to be underemployed and whether you can deal with being overqualified for a position.

“Don’t take a job just because it’s a job,” said Paul Schneider, managing partner of SSP, a human resources consulting firm. “If it doesn’t work out, six months later you’ll be back on the job market and now what’s your excuse of why you left?”

• Look past the biggest, well-known companies. Smaller companies, counselors say, are eager to scoop up talent that they perhaps couldn’t attract a few years ago.

• Stay positive. “No one is going to hire someone who comes to them with a sad sack story,” Keane said.

A shortage of crucial medical staff has seen an increase in the recruitment of radiography staff from abroad.

The health sector seems to have consistent and sustained issues with staffing levels with increasing movement towards the private sector, the recruitment of specialist staff to both public and private sector appears to be increasingly difficult. There is an acknowledged shortage of radiographers within the UK and the NHS has gone on a drive to encourage more radiography professionals within the health service.

This shortage has seen the importation of radiography professionals from abroad, notably from Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Ireland in an attempt to plug the skills gap in both the private sector and the NHS. This shortage has been exploited by the commercial sector in an attempt to aid the governments drive to recruit skilled staff to these sectors. The rise of specialist recruitment agencies such as RIG Radiography Recruit specifically targets this apparent gap in the employment sector to fill the radiography job vacancies in both the public and private sectors. Interestingly, this site and others like it, look both within the UK and abroad in its attempts to encourage qualified radiography professionals to enter the UK health sector.

The shortage of radiography jobs is felt not only in the UK, but worldwide. A US study reveals similar shortages in crucial healthcare specialists demonstrating a wider problem with radiography recruitment. Whilst the contribution of specialist radiography recruitment sites contributes to alleviating the shortfall of radiographers, there appears to be a systemic issue in Western nations in filling the empty radiography jobs.