Career Advice

• Provide a solid, thorough explanation. Like with many potentially damaging pieces of information on a resume being honest and clear about what happened can be your best defense. Don't let them assume the worst about you.
• Be positive, not bitter or defeatist. It's hard to lose a job, let alone two or three of them, but if you want a new employer to hire you you're going to have to get over it. They'll pick up on your negativity and hopelessness and why would they want that on their payroll?
• Consider getting a career coach who specializes in your field. They can help give you an edge to counteract your multiple-job-loss disadvantage.
• Utilize LinkedIn and Twitter. The online world is becoming a popular tool for recruiting, networking, and sharing expertise. Consider putting your LinkedIn and Twitter links below the email address on your resume (consider carefully, though, it might not be appropriate in all situations).
• Remember that all luck changes. Things will get better, perserverance is key!

You've read the blogs, you've commented, you check back weekly, but there still seems to be a burning question that you haven't seen addressed yet. I am sure our readers all have unique situations that have effected their job search, career, and/or unemployment and now is your chance to get your questions answered.

What is happening in your job search that has prevented you from attaining suitable employment? What kind of crazy stories do you have? Feel free to submit your questions to the comments section of this blog post or to email Emurse directly for help. We will take the best questions that are universally accepted across most job searches and answer them for you here.

Examples of some good questions would be the following:

• Should I include references on my resume?
• When promotion times rolls around what is the best way to ask for a promotion? How much should I expect for a raise?
• When is is appropriate to bring up the salary negotiation in the interview process?
• How can I mange a long distance job search if I plan on re-locating?
• I have background "A" and want to do job "B", how do I transition?

Feel free to post your responses here and we will answer the best ones on a future blog.

As children we were always asked, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" Generally our responses were geared around something we loved.... a creative child would choose an artistic career, an animal lover wants to be a veterinarian, an adventurist wants to be a pilot (and I am sure some of you know kids who should be lawyers based on talking back and arguing). Nevertheless, things change over time including priorities, interests, education, and the ability to find a job doing what you love. One aspect that has gained popularity during the recession we have been faced with has been finding a job with stability.

A recent article from the US News and World Report list the following as the most secure seven jobs in today's economy:

Severance, as defined by the American Heritage Dictionary is: "The state or condition of being severed or separated, as in the ending of a relationship." Nevertheless, as most of us know the definition, it is a company benefit, a parting gift, something to walk away with, and better than a watch at retirement (generally). However, unlike retirement, no matter what your pockets are loaded with when you leave that job you are still going to be left looking for a new job in a tough market.

• Prepare in advance (before you even go to a first interview) to answer uncomfortable questions about your background -- know what you're going to say and how you're going to explain important points.
• Avoid becoming anxious or defensive if/when the subject comes up in the interview (especially if it comes up unexpectedly).
• Be upfront and honest (but don't necessarily bring it up until the interview gets to the background check stage) and don't try to cover it up, pretend it didn't happen, or hope the employer doesn't notice it. You'll only end up looking worse.
• Tailor your list of personal and professional references to show character and to counterbalance any concerns created by your less than perfect history.

• Make a list of pros and cons associated with each option, i.e. home office = no commute and a flexible schedule while employment at a company makes for easier networking and separating of 'business' from 'family,' so you can minimize unpleasant surprises and know what you're in for.
  
• Talk it over with your spouse, family, and anyone else who will be affected and see what concerns, opinions, and thoughts they have -- try to troubleshoot potentially difficult adjustments ahead of time to reduce stress on everyone.
  
• Be sure to allow enough time for a smooth transition so not only can you make sure to take care of all the details from a business perspective (don't want to rush and leave clients frustrated) but also on a personal one -- changing your work environment is changing a big part of your life so give yourself as much time as is reasonable to transition slowly and smoothly.
  

• Stay connected to the industry by not only holding onto any group or club memberships in your field (or joining new ones) but by being as active as possible in them.
• Attend conferences -- you've got all kinds of free time so why not use some of it to brush up your old skills, learn some new ones, and compile some trend-setting ideas for when you get hired again?
• Pursue additional degrees, certifications, and other educational opportunities that apply in your field.
• Connect with others in your industry online by starting a blog, joining social networking sites, and staying up to date on the latest news and trends.