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As after any workout you may feel overwhelmed (sore muscles). Don't despair. It will get easier after the groundwork is done. It is very important that you continue to work out. Practice, practice, practice, and become stronger, smoother, and more comfortable.

The goal isn't to become over-rehearsed and stiff, but to be prepared and natural. Can you imagine an actor going into a performance without a rehearsal? This is your time to prepare and rehearse.

It is important that you continue to work on your communication skills. If you feel you need one-on-one help, think about working with a professional, or work with a friend or relative who will give you positive and constructive feedback. It is also important that you practice the right way. If you keep practicing, but are repeating mistakes, you’ll not improve. Consider a tennis or golf swing - it takes a pro to show you the right way.

Maybe you won't get a job offer every time, but preparation will greatly improve your chances and your confidence. Treat each interview as a new learning experience. You might even begin to enjoy the process - some people do!

The Mock Interview

Try the mock interview you might enjoy it. You'll get valuable feedback needed to improve.

As with each skill you've ever learned, you've to learn the technique and then practice, practice, practice.

Julia's story:

Julia is an accomplished tennis player who has worked on her stroke and technique for many years. She has taken lessons from pros, and listened to their advice when they gave Her their critiques.

Julia is now seeking a job. She feels that she knows her subject, but doesn't feel good about how her last three interviews have turned out – no offers. Julia begins to think she might need some work on her interviewing style, and decides to get help. She looks for a pro to put her through practice where she has the ability to gain feedback and tips. This was the way she conquered her tennis game. Why not with her interviewing techniques?

Working with a professional and getting feedback on your performance through a mock interview is similar to working with a sports coach to learn how to improve your game. Both will enable you to learn where your strengths lie and where you may need work to improve your performance. Time spent practicing will assist you greatly in either situation. An added bonus to preparing and practicing is the self-confidence you'll gain. In today's competitive world, you must be prepared, be in top shape, and most of all, believe in yourself.

What happens in a mock interview?

An in-person session is a mock interview videotaped and critiqued. You'll view the tape with the coach and discuss your performance body language, facial expressions, eye contact, general enthusiasm, your answers. (Usually, one to two hour sessions). A phone-session will be audio-taped. You will listen to the tape played back and critiqued by the coach. You’ll received feedback about your answers, your enthusiasm, your use of language, your tone how you are being perceived. There is tremendous value in learning the proper techniques from a coach and then practicing them. When you devote the same energy to the interview process as you do to your golf or tennis game you’ll find new confidence and become a winner!

Carole Martin is a celebrated author, trainer, and mentor. Carole can give you interviewing tips like no one else can. Try her practice interview and pick up a copy of her FREE 9-part “Interview Success Tips” report by visiting Carole on the internet at http://www.interviewcoach.com

The Newbies' Guide to Social Networking

A mother reads a message from her son in Iraq, a student gets a job with Instruct for America, a German rock band receives feedback on a new single, and your niece dumps her boyfriend. What do all of these events have in common? They all took place on a social network.

Social networking communities are Websites that provide an opportunity for you to contribute your thoughts, interests, and skills to the largest creative work ever built by mankind: the Internet. Once solely the province of Web geeks and fast-typing youngsters, it is now a world where everyone — from your postman to your office manager — plays a role in the creation of new content available for the world to see.

Social networks can be your diary, your address book, a daily newspaper, and more. They combine all the connectivity of e-mail, snail mail, instant messages, phone calls, and even conversations at the local coffeehouse. They grant all the freedom of expression, thought, and voice through on the internet journals, chatting with friends, or even debating the thorniest political issues. Social networking is an infinite bulletin board and an ever-expanding sea of friends.

On the internet social networking communities have become more than teenage phenomena; they are now part of how all segments of society communicate, get information, and live. Channeling new technologies, these communities have made possible new ways of meeting people, checking in on loved ones, and spreading ideas … all from the comfort of your home or work personal.

This Newbie guide will help you navigate the first steps into full Web citizenship.

Part I: Getting Started

Step 1 - Finding the online social networks best suited for you.

Latest reports show there are more than 400 major social networks and thousands of smaller communities that offer some sort of business or personal networking.

Your first step should be determining which aspects of social networking interest you. Do you want to find your long-lost college roommate or do genealogical research? Are you the lone White Sox fan in Arizona? Do you want to be able to talk folk music and track down rare recordings? Are you in a band waiting for its big break? Do you want to see what other people in similar businesses in other parts of the country are doing? There’s a social network that'll fill your needs. For some, the huge, general networks will be best; tracking down old friends is easier if there’s no specific topic limiting the audience. For others, niche sites will serve superior.

You can begin by conducting a search on your favorite search engine. Simply type in your interest and add the phrase 'social network' in the search. Additionally, try conducting a search for directories of social networking sites. Once you identify a site that interests you, do a tiny exploring before you sign up and register. Many sites have an “about” section, rules of conduct, and privacy standards. This information will tell you a lot about the purpose, security, and integrity of the site.

Step 2 - Registration. Once you choose the site you wish to join, you need to register to establish an account. For networks such as MySpace or Facebook, you'll find that basic registration is free, painless, and instant.

The first thing all networks ask you to do is pick a username and password, and provide the network with your e-mail address. Choosing a good username is important, and your first real creative input to the network. It will affect how other users see you. If you plan to network for business, a plain, yet descriptive, username is best — like the name of your company or part of your name. For interacting with friends, create something more fun. If there's something you love, let the world know.

Obviously, you'll want to select a password with the same care you would for anything else. Remember, you’re presenting some of your life details. You don't want anyone taking advantage of that.

After the initial set-up, you might be asked to select a level of membership. As described above, the basic membership should be free. Paid memberships have more features, but are not necessary to get started.

Step 3 - Creating your User Profile. All social networks will guide you to create a user profile. Often, this is the first thing other users will see about you and it's your first step toward contributing to your new community. Think about this a snapshot of yourself that other people on the network will be able to see. Through this tool, you can explain to everyone else why you're using the network, who you are, and what you are interested in. Some have second spaces to post more advanced items.

As with any new endeavor, use common sense and don't provide any private information.

Step 4 - Begin networking.

Now that you've found your network(s), signed up, and created your profile, it's time to network yourself within the community. Start by connecting with people you know. You can either search them out using one of the site's friend finding SEARCH features, or invite them to join the network. Also try searching for friends by interest. Even within the massive network sites, there are smaller communities and clubs. Think of these big social networks like a vaster version of your high school cafeteria: you can move around at will and speak with anyone, but you'll probably be most comfortable with your friends and people who share your interests.

These groups — whether informal (most network sites use terms like “friend” or “pal list”) or more packaged (communities with specific topics, moderators, and rules for joining) — function essentially as internal e-mail programs where you invite someone to your group by sending the user a message. This is usually delivered both to their network mailbox and their private, off-network e-mail.

Step 5 - Enjoy your new connections. Depending on the network you joined, you’ll be able to do many things with your friends, including sharing news and media through your profile or in private messages, and exploring other people's profiles and commenting on them.

Part II: What Can You Do on a Social Network?

Things to do in a social network. Most social network users follow a routine when they login to the network. Think of this as the way you go through a newspaper. There's no right or wrong way of doing it; some just like to read the comics first, or check the front page. Likewise, on networks, there's no order for your daily interactions. The following section of the guide details some of the options you'll have in your network.

The simplest of network tasks is viewing your own information. When you log into a network, the first thing you'll see is your own home page. From here, you can check your messages and add or edit content. At any time, you can change your presentation (in the physical external layout of your profile page) or what you want to tell people about yourself (by editing the text of your profile). All social networks have internal mechanisms for these changes. Many provide templates which allow you to change the background color scheme and layout of your content. As you become a more experienced Web citizen, you might find it useful to learn HTML, the coded language behind the scenes of the Internet.

One of the more common uses on social networks is “blogging.” Short for “Web-log,” a blog is essentially an on the web publication that’s open to other users of the network. Various levels of privacy can be set up if you don't want everyone to see what you're writing. Some networks offer open community blogs and others offer you private blogs. This on the web publication or journal can be subject-focused or often is a chronological record of your thoughts and the events of your life.

In most networks, you can supplement your journal with photographs and video. So after you've written about your astounding vacation to Paris, you can upload individual pictures to accompany the text or an entire album. Many networks also give you the option to include userpics (small photos that accompany your username on anything you do in the network). Some sites offer features to upload albums of pics for special events.
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5 Ways to Stand Out and Get Your Dream Job

For students finishing up their college careers or even business people looking to succeed in their current jobs, no question is more common than, “How do I stand out?”. As one of our readers, “John Con”, asks,

“What do you wish you did/didn't do in college that would help you succeed today or more precisely- what will make a person stand out?”

As I am constantly being asked this question by other friends just finishing college and even older friends who are looking to improve or change their careers, I want to put my thoughts and experiences thus far out for communal cogitation.

These are not so much the specific actions I believe are best; there is no specific combination of activities that guarantees success. However, this is a set of goals that grant you to stand out and can be reached through any number of paths.

1. Be a Whole Person This isn't just the usual tip Career Services hands out as you fill in the last few lines of your resume, it is an integral part of any interview. If you spend each spare minute working and studying rather than pursuing your other passions you'll swiftly run out of material for situational interviews. In fact, a number of the recruiters I've talked to actually frown on a straight 4.0 students to the point of being especially critical of those with above a 3.8. Don't take this as an excuse to not study but, when you're faced with a choice between taking part in a student organization or a committee and studying to make sure you get a straight 4.0, go with the depth of experience that external activities can provide.

2. Be Passionate Notice it says “be passionate” not “show passion” or “feign excitement”. Those around you can swiftly detect whether you're truly passionate about the organization you're working for or the position you are interviewing for. Once you’re in a given role you need that passion even more to spread to those around you for motivation and to demonstrate commitment to your manager (without even trying because you believe in what you're doing).

3. Be a Leader Everyone talks about “leadership”, there are even majors and innumerable development courses for it but, it doesn't have to be that complicated. Find something you’re passionate about and learn what it takes to lead by interacting with people who have similar beliefs. Gather the thoughts, views and goals of the group, combine them with your vision and help the group achieve them by planning a strategy with them, not for them. Your passion to lead change, in any group whether political, academic, athletic or otherwise, is directly translatable to leading in the constantly changing corporate environment.

4. Be Reflective and Relative Each single business out there's looking for improvement and advancement. This forward-looking progress is often the result of reflecting on the current process and interpreting it for improvement. As Revans says, “Lasting behavioral change is more likely to follow the reinterpretation of past experiences than the acquisition of fresh knowledge”. Take the time to reflect on what you've done, how you can improve it, and how it relates to other areas or people in your life.

5. Be Externally Aware Having a basic knowledge of what’s going in your industry and the business world in general can help not just in your interview but throughout your career as you encounter problems. Many innovations are merely the result of an externally cognizant manager applying a new technology or process in a way never considered before. Without external awareness, you'll be less able to make these new adaptations and cross-applications. Get out there, read news, keep a finger on the pulse of the blogosphere for different perspectives that never make it to the mainstream and finally, read books, it's the only way to get your head out of the whirlwind of up-to-the-minute daily news.

Written for Dumb Tiny Man by Brandon who blogs with 4 other young professionals about “Work, Life and the pursuit of happiness” at NewlyCorporate.com.

Why a Job Interview is Like a First Date

Have you noticed any similarities between your dating experiences and your job searches?

What these two puzzle parts have in common is a quest for superior relationships. Granted, for some of us, both of these personal quests are fraught with frustration.

But in Shawn Graham's new book Courting Your Career, he spins the metaphor in entertaining and insightful ways. Networking is matchmaking. Career fairs are akin to clubbing. Cover letters are like pick-up lines. And job boards are linked to on the internet dating (and about equally successful).

Graham, a fellow Fast Company Experts blogger, has served as a career counselor at UNC-Chapel Hill where he field-tested this metaphor and found that it resonated well with students. When you're looking for a job you want to work with amiable people, right?

Yet, how do you know if a job is “your type”? Why naturally you date around! Even though dating in this context might be informational or job interviews and internships. A sturdy metaphor, Graham even compares group interviews to group dates. “Sometimes, what started out as a romantic, one-on-one date can unexpectedly turn into a group outing without warning,” he writes. “The same holds true with job interviews.” He advocates having extra copies of your resume on hand in case this happens because you'll appear well prepared.

The key to a successful interview is a good two-way conversation, he explains. He doesn't explore the non-verbal side of interview chemistry except to recommend that you present yourself well including carefully selecting what to wear.

Graham clues into the often confusing part of a first date: the goodnight kiss. “The close of an interview is a lot like the end of a date,” he writes. “Although you'll never, and I repeat never, actually go for a goodnight kiss at the end of an interview, there are some things you can do to seal the deal.” Well, I won't kiss and tell, but Graham offers some good advice here.

He explores a wide range of job search issues, including the trendy question about video resumes. Like me, Graham's not sold on the value of putting your skills and accomplishments on video instead of on paper. He cites three main problems including inconsistent content; the employer's inability to search or organize video; and possibly subjecting yourself to a recruiter's biases that might work against you.

The book includes lots of useful resources including sample resumes, cover letters and a job evaluation worksheet. There's also a helpful list of action verbs for resumes even though I'm not quite sure how I would use the word “liquidated” effectively.

I unhesitatingly recommend Graham's book, particularly to graduates just starting their careers. I don't know about Graham, but I recall having better dates - and interviews - once I had a decent job.

Rusty Weston, My Global Career • San Francisco, Ca • http://www.myglobalcareer.com/ •

Surviving the First Week in a New Job

Starting a new job can be daunting for anyone, regardless of experience or rank. The first week, when it is most important to make a good impression and set a precedent for how you’ll manage your team, can be especially difficult.

You can easily view your first week as a hardship—something to be endured before you become a full-fledged team member. Or you can approach it with a positive perspective, taking the chance to establish your presence on the team and give your colleagues an idea of how you intend to operate. This way you won't just survive your first week; you might also find it enjoyable and rewarding.

There are several things that you can do to prepare for your first week in a new job and several techniques you can employ once on board to build a strong foundation for your future with the company. What You Need to Know What if I'm given something to do that I don't feel ready for?

Even managers can find new positions daunting. Different companies will have different role descriptions and expectations of their managers, which means that it is likely that elements of your new position will be new to you. In the long run, it pays to accept that you'll not necessarily know how to do everything or know the company inside out, when embarking on new employment. Don't be afraid to admit your limitations; managers who propose to be superhuman only succeed in alienating employees and raising expectations that may not be realized in the long run. Don’t be afraid to ask for clarification and help from those around you; even asking questions of the people you will be managing does not have to be out-of-bounds. In fact, by doing so you might find that you easily build good relationships with your staff as you demonstrate that you value their experience and knowledge of the job. It can also allow you to gauge which of your team members are enthusiastic and willing to help and which might harbor resentment. How do I develop an employee/manager relationship when the people I'm managing have been there so much longer than me?

Remember that you’re there to manage and to lead your team and not necessarily to do their job. Ensure that you take on the role of manager as soon as you enter the company, but respect the experience of your staff and let them know that you value that experience. How do I deal with difficult or resistant staff?

Demonstrating that you respect the knowledge and experience of the staff you will be managing will go a long way toward ensuring that they feel comfortable working with you, and in turn they'll respect you as a manager. Ask them questions and involve them in your orientation during your first week. Try to relate to each member of the team individually during the week and observe how they react to you in your new position. Building up individual relationships with each team member can help you to negate any resistance they might have to the introduction of a new and unknown manager. Relate to your staff on a personal level and let them get to know you as a person in order to dispel any predetermined negative expectations that they might have built up in anticipation of your arrival. Any longer term resistance will need to be dealt with appropriately if and when it occurs. How do I deal with the legacy left behind by my predecessor?
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How to Let the Headhunter Do the Job

Once you're close to getting an offer, having faith in the professional's ability to close the deal will work to your advantage

State you've been informed of your status as the leading candidate or you've received an official offer of employment. Your courtship as a potential candidate for the headhunter's client has indeed been a journey.

Finishing this journey depends on trust and faith. You’ve to trust the headhunter can communicate with the client and reinforce why you’re the best candidate for this job. You’ve to trust the headhunter's capability to fulfill your expectations about compensation and other benefits—and to negotiate in earnest. And yes, you’ve to have faith you are up to a new assignment.

If you haven't already, you’ll probably be asked to provide references who can confirm your fitness for the job. Make sure the references you provide know you well and will state good things about your work experience, professionalism, and capacity to tackle a new senior-management role. Pitfalls of the Counteroffer

If you're in line to become a C-level officer, don't be surprised if the hiring company wants to run a background check and perhaps even asks you to get a medical exam. Given the investment the company is contemplating, these are reasonable requests. You should also brace yourself for what could appear to be a too-good-to-turn-down counteroffer from your current employer, with a fatter salary and a loftier title. But it rarely makes sense to forsake a promising new position under such circumstances.

Accepting a counteroffer, after all, will only buy you and your employer a tiny extra time to attempt to find common ground about how you can live up to your true potential. Your current employer might also wrongly perceive that you're motivated purely by financial gain, which could change the way it treats you in the future. And should you accept a counteroffer, you can kiss goodbye the relationship you've developed with the headhunter who has taken you this far in the process. Beware of Family Ties

Much in the same way the headhunter must orchestrate mutual commitment between you and the client hiring organization, you must inform and manage communications with those closest to you about your potential transition. If you've told the headhunter and the client you're willing to relocate, you should really mean it. If you've a trailing spouse, partner, and kids, you owe it to those currently pursuing your candidacy for this new leadership role to make sure those family members are on board with the change and are willing to disrupt life as they know it.

More than a few executive headhunters have seen their otherwise flawlessly orchestrated search assignments go by the boards because the candidate never fully won the support of loved ones for relocation during the recruitment process.

It's this potential search-busting dynamic that leads many consultants to simply steer clear of any high-performing executives with a child who is a junior in high school. To the list of relocation nonstarters one might increasingly consider adding an executive's inability to sell the family's home for something near what they paid for it (in which case the executive's net worth could take a real beating if the new employer doesn't cover the loss) or a family's commitment to serve as caretakers for aging (perhaps also ailing) parents or other relatives. Creating a Win-Win Scenario

As the executive search approaches a successful conclusion, you should plan to be in close and nearly constant communication as the headhunter negotiates and otherwise advises the client about the true market value of someone with your credentials.

Often, these discussions lead to the hiring organization concurring to pay you more than it had anticipated when it first launched the search. That might be because someone of your caliber was deemed unattainable at the outset or because the hiring organization has received advice from a compensation consultant.

You can trust the headhunter to go to bat for you and, in the interest of closing the search to the client's satisfaction, try to create a win-win scenario. After all, he wants to work for the company again, and if your new role requires you to recruit new external talent, the headhunter might also view you as a future client. Onboarding Feedback

As you prepare to sign an offer of employment, you should press the headhunter and your new employer to include a provision for performance feedback, or what is often referred to as “onboarding” feedback. You’ll want the employer to commit to gathering feedback from key stakeholders about your performance 90 to 120 days after you start the new job. Such feedback is intended to reveal how your entry into your new employer organization has been perceived, how peers, boss, and subordinates would rate your performance to date, and whether you truly mesh with the organization's culture and internal politics.

That kind of environmental intelligence is critical. It can help you course-correct if need be. Otherwise, it should make you confident others believe you're firing on all cylinders.

After you start work, you can expect tan occasional call from the headhunter to make sure things are going well and to see how you feel about the new job. Take these calls and maintain your relationship with the headhunter. Staying on the headhunters' radar—and continuing to build your own professional network, for that matter—is one of the ideal ways to position yourself for the career and lifestyle you want.

Joseph Daniel McCool is a writer, speaker, and advisor on executive recruiting and management succession ideal practices.

How to Use Social Networks to Find Gigs by Mathias Meyer

I have the capability to see through you. You read the headline and think “MySpace”. Far from it. It's true that social networks are all the rage these days. Each day a number of new communities pop up on the scene. Some are for fun, but some can be quite useful, especially for the job-seeking freelancer.

MySpace for some is only a place to hang out, chat, be friends with hundreds of bands, or just have cool-looking personal pages. For others MySpace is a place to get new gigs. I know many people who've gotten new jobs through it, and I'm pretty sure that some of you could tell similar stories.

Without passing judgment on any of them, the platforms I'd keep my eye on are LinkedIn, FaceBook, and especially for European freelancers, Xing (formerly known as OpenBC). The latter is my main platform for business networking. Since my focus is on the German market this works out pretty well for me.

FaceBook became an attractive new source when it expanded outside the student world. I can't say for myself that I've gotten a gig through it as I mainly use it to stay in touch with my international friends, but you just never know. Proposal Kit

The most widespread of them is probably LinkedIn, especially when it comes to business networking.

All of them are based on a simple idea: you know people, and they know other people who might need your services. You've probably already gotten a gig through a friend who knows a friend (and so on) in your career. I know I've. Social networks make this even easier and offers much more than just an introduction.

Let Clients Find You

The good thing about social networks is that clients can actually find you. They’ve the capability to search for skills they need, can limit the search to a specific area, and so on. They can find you through the people you know or through the people they know. They have the capability to find you in specialized groups, discussions or while browsing through a random person's contact. The important thing is: they can find you without any effort on your part.

What can you do to increase the chances of a potential client stumbling across your profile? The first thing is to represent yourself accurately. List your skills, include them in your profile. List your current projects and what your tasks were. Don't push it though. Endless list of tools, programming languages or general buzzwords make you look like someone who is desperate to make contact. And frankly, those lists are almost always far from the truth.

Select the right keywords for your skills. When someone looks for a Ruby on Rails developer you don't want to be missed because you assumed it would be obvious you wrote Rails. If you try to put yourself in a laypersons shoes it should help you come up with some good keywords. If in doubt, ask your mum or anyone tech-illiterate what they'd type in if they were looking for your services, and work your way up from there.

Most social networks offer groups for almost each topic and industry. Everything from programming (and all the glorious topics related to it) to making cupcakes will be available. They're a great place to meet people, though in my personal experience there are some that are nothing more than infighting and resumes disguised as discussion. If there’s a genuine discussion in which you can learn or share your expertise than certainly participate, otherwise don't waste your time.

Find Clients

A social network isn’t only a place to show off, it's also a place to publish your needs. While you need gigs, your next client needs certain skills. In the same way clients can look for you, you can search for them. You don't have to do it all the time, but keeping an open eye for people looking for your skills can't hurt, right?

However, don't fall into the habit of just collecting people. Having several hundreds (or even more) people in your network doesn't mean you're in for an endless supply of new projects. Your network isn't stale, it's constantly changing, refocusing and rearranging. People get new jobs, they meet new people, they've changing needs or work on new projects. Social networks can be a great way to stay in the loop with what's happening, but a massive network requires a great deal of care and attention. The more people you've on your list the more massive the chances of you missing the important information in between all the noise. So you might want to keep it to a level that you can handle.

Networking

And now for the main advantage of social networks: the networking itself. Traditional networkers spend a lot of time caring for the people in their networks. They send emails or call each now and then just to see what's up. They play golf with the people in their network.

It took me a while to comprehend why networking is important for freelancers. Your network consists of people. People who have their own networks – who know other people, and who know you. When these people know you, your skills and the way you deal with others and their problems, they know that when they have a problem of their own, be it a job or just a favour, they have the capability to count on you.

The same is true the other way around. When you've a job you can't deal with yourself, when you need a specific skill, you spread this information in your network. You spread the word and contact people who fit the profile. There's no guarantee that one of your contacts will be available, but here's the kicker: they know other people who might fit.

That's the beauty of networking, and that's also why you as a freelancer need to have both clients and people you'd normally think about as competition in your network. Doing someone a favour might result in a favour in return.

A social network is a valuable tool when used appropriately. Try to focus your networking on one or two and keep it up to date. Care for your network, expand it, keep in touch with the people in it and it might turn up new opportunities for you. I know it did for me, even through something unlikely like Flickr.

Career and job change after age 50: some tips to take into account.

Changing a career at any age has its own challenges. Making a career change after age 50 presents a series of tests, which if done right, could bring significant rewards.

Throughout your working career, and by age 50, you may have changed careers several times so this time you want to do it right. There are a number of questions you've to ask yourself in order to get on the right track.

Are you looking to change careers because of physical problems? Maybe the stress of the current career and job are getting you down. Looking for something that's closer to your area of interest or in a more relaxed atmosphere?

First, list your interests and skills. What situations or challenges were you faced with? What actions did you take? What sort of results did you achieve? Be as specific as possible in writing out your achievements. Now what skills were required to achieve these results? Working with a team, managing and supervising others, setting and managing a budget, completing a project are all activities that could be on your list.

In any career change after age 50 you'll be bringing a variety of skills to your new career. After researching the new career you will find overlap in a number of areas when you compare both careers. Be sure to highlight this overlap in drafting your resume.

If at first look you don’t think you've the required skills for the new career, it would be productive to find someone currently working in the new career field and call them for a short interview. Either on the phone or in person you can inquire about the necessary skills to do the new job, challenges presented or how your work experience fits the new career.

You may find that some training is required to qualify for the new career. Training can take many forms. Starting with self-study, to formal classroom to the web all are valuable sources of training to help you jump-start your entry into this new career area.

Many employers view maturity in an applicant as a positive factor in hiring. An applicant over 50 can provide them with a dependable worker with a lifetime of practical experience. Work experience that can be a valuable asset to a likely employer.

Even in a new career field, bringing many transferable skills, a high degree of motivation and enthusiasm all translate into a successful career change after age 50. The key is to demonstrate that even after age 50 that you've the skills and abilities to be productive for many years to come.

John Groth is a former HR executive and career coach. Find Career Change Ideas, valuable articles and a free seven day career planning guide. Discover up to date career and recruitment strategies at our career change tips all to aid you in advancing and managing your career.

Be careful-don't quit that job just yet-first determine the best date for you.

You've been planning on going into business for yourself or maybe you've got another job offer on the table, so what's your next step? Before you write up your letter of resignation do some research and prudent planning before you hand in the resignation letter.

Your last day on the job should be based on solid research. If your employer has a retirement plan, are you fully vested and when does the employer place funds into your retirement account? What about your 401k, is there a nearby anniversary date, or are matching funds put in your account after January 1st? How about your vesting of the company match in your 401k? Leaving at the wrong time could cost you thousands, perhaps more as you roll the funds into an IRA and it compounds and earns additional funds until you retire. For example, if you're 35, and you leave $5000 on the table, these funds at 8% could be worth nearly $36,000 at age 65.

Instead of quitting December 15th, for example, by working into the next year, could mean extra funds in your 401k. If possible choose your last day of employment based on generating maximum financial benefit to you.

Let's say you're a few weeks short of five years service and at the five year mark you earn three weeks vacation. If you leave now you lose the three weeks vacation pay. Vacation eligibility is just another financial benefit for you to factor into the date of your resignation. Perhaps your employer will then grant you to take your three weeks vacation, push your last date out three weeks and you might qualify for other benefits.

Look carefully at the company's medical plan. Are you covered for the entire month regardless of your last day of work? If so, if may be to your benefit to leave early in the month rather that closer to the end.

Does the company offer discounts on products or services? At some employers they've computer purchase programs and other discounts. Look them over and take advantage of any benefits in this area.

Do you owe the company money or do you’ve money coming from the company? If you’ve a company expense account bring it up to date. If you’ve a bonus coming that might conflict with your departure date, factor that into you decision.

If the new opportunity gives you some flexibility in setting your last day of employment, select the date that'll allow maximizing the benefits from your employer. Once you've made the decision to exit, here is what you need to do to develop all your options.

1. Review the latest copy of the company's benefit manual. Any area that you’ve questions, or you need confirmation go to HR so you can get a clear understanding of the applicable company policy and specific provisions of the retirement and 401k plans.

2. If you've an employment contract make sure you comprehend the terms. Are there any restrictions on who you might work for? Any waiting periods? Any restrictions on starting a business that competes with your employer?

3. Are there any former employees of the company that you can talk to? Did they encounter any problems? Anything they would do differently?

Carefully researching of the best exit date might mean considerable benefits to you, not only this day but in the future.

John Groth is a former HR executive and career coach. Find Career Development Ideas, valuable articles and a free seven day career planning guide.

The First Impression is usually the Last Impression. In today's highly competitive world, creating a good first impression is extremely important. This is where the resume plays a very important role in contributing towards success in landing a job. A resume is the most effective tool that can help you win a coveted interview opportunity.

How To Create A Good First Impression

Writing an impressive resume is an important part of your job search preparation. Keep in mind that your resume is indeed a catalog of your abilities. Here are a few steps on how to write one that'll leave a lasting impression:

• It is very important to create your resume in a professional and appropriate format. There are two basic formats that are used - Functional and Chronological.

• When creating your resume, you can use the free forms that are posted on the Internet. However, be careful that your resume doesn't end up looking like a cookie-cutter template.

• The two most important factors to keep in mind are correct grammar and proper punctuation. Using proper punctuation marks is vital for conveying clear and precise business messages. A resume that contains plenty of grammatical errors creates a bad impression. If you're unable to proofread your own resume, get another professional or a friend to do it for you.

• Make use of industry-oriented words that help you to encounter as a highly knowledgeable and professional person.

• Most people think that a comprehensive resume that describes all their past and present accomplishments is the ideal way to showcase their skills and expertise. However, this isn't true. As a rule, you only need to go back about 5-6 years. Unless you are a recent grad, that job you had in high school is probably irrelevant.

Whether or not you've a professional degree from a coveted institute and are on the lookout for an entry-level position, it is important to market yourself efficiently. Your main aim should be to display your capabilities, skill, work experience, educational qualifications, projects, accomplishments and anything that might work to your advantage.

Tony Jacowski is a quality analyst for The MBA Journal. Aveta Solutions - Six Sigma On the internet ( http://www.sixsigmaonline.org ) offers on the web six sigma training and certification classes for lean six sigma, black belts, green belts, and yellow belts.