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If I could give you a gift this Holiday Season it would be the gift of high self-esteem.  A Job Search, especially a lengthy job search can take it’s toll, on even the most confident person.

Self-esteem is a term used in psychology to reflect your appraisal or your own worth. Self-esteem encompasses beliefs and emotions.

It is normal for you to identify with your career. When you are not employed, your belief system and emotions change and can actually sabotage your ability to find a job.

Take time this Holiday Season to remember that you are not defined by your employment status. Reflect back on a time when you were confident and at the top of your "game". That is the person who needs to conduct your search. Your cover letters, phone calls and interviews will greatly improve when you KNOW you are the best person for the job!

If you are going to succeed at your job search, now is the time to identify what is most important to you in the coming year. When you have a clear picture of what you are attempting to achieve, it will keep you motivated to put additional effort into your search.

The problem with most goals is they get the same attention as New Year’s Resolutions. Most are forgotten in a matter of days or weeks. This year write down 10 goals for yourself in various areas of your life which could include: career, health, financial, personal, spiritual, philanthropic, education and any other area that is important to you.

Write down your goal, followed by 4 or 5 action items which are specific steps you will take to achieve each goal you have set. Next, date each action item. When you write goals down, identify steps and date them, you have greatly improved the probability that they will become your reality in the coming year.

The important last step is to post them where you can see and read them daily. When you get frustrated in your search, keep reading them to stay motivated. Let the people you care about know your goals so they can also help you achieve them.

The holidays can be difficult to navigate when you’re in the middle of a job search, but there are ways to connect with potential employers during this busy time of year.  Attend any and all holiday gatherings and pass out your “Free Agent in the Open Job Market” business cards or simply your contact information.  Volunteer to help others less fortunate than you.  Most extremely successful people are philanthropic and you never know what connections can be made.  It is also a wonderful thing to put yourself in situations where you are serving others, reminding you to appreciate what you have and practice gratitude. As many of you know, being out of work is a very challenging situation on many levels; being of service instantly lifts your spirits and those around you. Who knows, you may just meet your next employer as a result of your kindness!

I have watched this video several times over the past couple of years and find value in its message each and every time. I encourage you to watch and see what you take away. It's a great way to find that much needed inspiration on a Monday morning. Enjoy...and then push harder...in everything that you do!

We are excited to announce an additional job seeker Webinar with two "outstanding" guest speakers on December 1st at 2:00 PM CST (12:00 PM PST), entitled: "New Year, New Job: How to Get Hired Fast During The Holiday Season!" This Webinar is a MUST ATTEND! They will reveal the latest job search tactics that are working right NOW, to help you find a job faster in December and January.

Here's a sample of what you'll discover during this Webinar:

If you have been conducting your search for more than 120 days you need to identify where to make changes.

November 18th @ 1:00 PM CST - Why the End of the Year is the BEST Time to Job Search

Interviews make many people nervous. You have just a few seconds to make that all important first impression. This has a tendency to make our palms sweat, to make us giggle or act nervous. This is typical and most hiring managers understand a little bit of nervous behavior especially in an economic climate where applicants know there are probably many people vying for the same job. Below is a list of things that can help you be better prepared for your interview and hopefully help calm some of those pre-interview jitters.

This week our Job Seeker training webinar topic was “What References Help You Most?” If you did not participate live, watch the “Latest Content” box on our Career Portal home page for the recording and handout which will be posted. References can help or hurt your chances of getting employed. By listening to this webinar, you will learn how to prepare your references and provide them with questions that will enhance your chances of getting hired. It is also important to realize that personal references have no filter and often say things in your best interest that eliminate you from consideration. If you are actively interviewing but not obtaining job offers, it’s time to pay attention to your references.

MUST READS
There is an excellent article in the Library of our Career Portal titled “How Do You Handle Salary” in the Interview Folder. You must be consistent during telephone conversations, filling out job applications and during the interview process. You don’t want to quote an amount that will disqualify you from contention and yet you don’t want to leave money on the table. Handling salary is never comfortable, but it is an area you must master if you are going to accept the best job offer possible. Avoid writing a specific amount down on a job application by answering “Open” or “Negotiable” if a dollar amount is not mandatory. This allows flexibility once they realize the assets and talents you bring to the table which often result in a higher offer. Learn more by returning to your Career Portal and reading this article!

If you have not already registered for access to your own, personal Career Advisor, do it today! Go to www.enginuityadvantage.com and click on 'Career Advisor'.

FREE JOB SEEKER WEBINARS
You may register for the free training webinars by clicking the WEBINARS tab on the left hand side of our Career Portal Home Page. Remember to register for our upcoming free job seeker training webinars! The Webinars consist of 20 minutes of training and 40 minutes of Q&A where our Trainer addresses the questions that are MOST IMPORTANT TO YOU. No questions are off limits.

Listen to what other Job Seekers are saying:
“I followed your follow-up advice and just landed a great job after being unemployed for over a year. I also took a folder to the interview as you had suggested, which did set me apart from the other executives competing for the same opportunity. When I received the offer they mentioned how I stood out from everyone else. I can’t thank you enough for your guidance during the weekly Webinars.” Fred T.

It is normal for you to feel uneasy during times of change.  Changing your job is listed as one of the most stressful events that will occur in a person’s life.  Many of us have heard the saying, “You cannot control the things that happen to you, but you have 100% control over how you react to it!".  If you think of anything you are currently dealing with in your life, this rule applies.  It also allows you to stop and think before you react.  Many of us tend to react on our emotions because it feels natural.  When you are dealing with change, your emotions will automatically drive your decision on how you choose to react to the change.  Take a moment to think about how you WANT to react and then think about how you think you SHOULD react.  Often both decisions may be similar, but they will still have glaring differences.  If you are able to analyze the changes in your life, then you will handle them more gracefully. Practicing this technique is an excellent way to begin to approach change in a positive manner.

If you are currently not working, you can enhance your resume, earn an income and open doors by working in temporary or contract positions. Many employers hire individuals who started out as a temporary employee or contractor because they had a chance to watch them work, experience their work ethic and review their abilities first hand. This also provides you with recent work experience and proves your ability to adapt to change and adjust to different company cultures. You will also meet new people that you can add to your professional network!

MUST READS
There is an excellent article in the Library of our Career Portal under the Networking Icon titled "Jump Start Your Career by Networking." This article outlines three easy steps you can take to increase your current Professional Network. Remember over 50% of job seekers find their next job as a result of their networking efforts. This is one of the most important elements of your search.

FREE JOB SEEKER WEBINARS
You may register for the Free Training Webinars by clicking the WEBINAR Tab on the left hand side of our Career Portal Home Page. Remember to register for our upcoming free job seeker training webinars! The webinars consist of 20 minutes of training and 40 minutes of Q&A where our Trainer addresses the questions that are most important to you. No questions are off limits.

UPCOMING FREE JOB SEEKER WEBINARS
October 11th @ 11:00 AM CST - Why Should Someone Hire You?

This topic is so simple and yet so important!

We will pay cold, hard cash for each and every candidate that you refer to Enginuity Advantage who is placed into a qualified job opening. By helping us to help someone you know, you will also be helping yourself! 

These are just some examples of questions you may be asked during your interviews. Each interviewer has their own personal interviewing style and will ask questions that they are comfortable asking. You must be prepared with positive answers to ALL questions.  Therefore, it is good to take a list like the one below and practice your answers. Another great way to ensure that your answers are good is to have someone you know and trust ask you interviewing questions out loud. You will then be able to hear your answers and make any needed adjustments. Stay positive! Think before you speak! Be honest! Be yourself!

Interview someone who has the job that you have targeted. The best way to sound like an insider is to talk to people who are employed in the type of job you want. They can provide you with information on how they found their job, they may be able to introduce you to hiring authorities and they can give you inside
information that will help your search.

Join us for this training webinar on Thursday, September 9^th from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. PDT and learn techniques for handling the following problem areas:

Your primary focus as a job seeker is to book as many interviews as possible.  If you don’t date, then you don’t get married. If you don’t book interviews, then you don’t get hired! Focus your efforts on scheduling job interviews, informational interviews and appointments with possible mentors that could turn into interviews or referrals.

The number of resumes being screened out by automated systems is on the rise.  Often your resume is being screened out by a computer and is never even reviewed by a human being. If your resume is not key word rich, you are screened out regardless of your talents and experience.

You can’t continue to do things the same way and expect better results. You need to take action and make changes in your approach if your current approach is not bringing about your desired results.

The following three steps will help you schedule more interviews:

Step One: Realize your resume is either a ticket to an interview or it is causing you to be screened out. Let us review your resume FREE so we can advise you on what changes will improve your chances of scheduling interviews. Often a few small changes can have a dramatic impact on the results you will enjoy.

Use this URL to go directly to the Free Resume Review:
URL: www.myenginuityadvantage.com/pro_resume_services.php
Username: engadvantage1
Password: (password you selected upon registration)

Step Two: Utilize new resources to identify job targets in addition to job boards, postings on websites or ads. These three resources have the highest level of competition. Get your resume in the hands of hiring authorities who are not currently reviewing stacks of resumes.

For more information on this topic, visit the Job Seeker Training Webinar titled "Contact the Right Person" and print out and review the handout. Use this URL to go directly to the handout: URL: www.myenginuityadvantage.com/library.php?content_id=194

Step Three: Review your cover letter which can either improve or reduce the chances of your resume being read. Is it too long or too short? Does it mention the skills and experience you possess that are specific to the requirements of the opportunities you are targeting? Are you stressing what you have to offer that will differentiate you from other job seekers applying for the same position?

If you’re not sure what changes to make review the Job Seeker Training Webinar titled "Cover Letters that result in Interviews" and print out and review the handout. Use this URL to go directly to the handout: URL: www.myenginuityadvantage.com/library.php?content_id=159   

If you follow these three steps and you will begin to schedule more interviews which will greatly improve your chances of landing a new job!

Remember to register for the upcoming Free Job Seeker Training Webinars:

September 1st @ 2:00 PM CST - How to Identify and Stress Accomplishments

When you apply for a job, don't you deserve to be at least considered? Of course you do!

You can't land a new job without interviewing. Your resume is the most important factor in successfully scheduling interviews. It is either your ticket to an interview or your resume can cause you to be ignored.

Bill Gates once gave a speech where he spoke about the eleven (11) rules of life. Rule number one was "Life isn't fair - embrace it!" That is actually great news. It means you can come from poverty and become rich. It means that your past does not define your future. The job opportunity you accept can change not only your life, but the lives of the people you love!

The harsh reality about resumes is that an overwhelming majority are ignored because of the way they are constructed, written or presented. Unless you differentiate your resume, odds are your resume will fall into the ignored category as well. If your resume is not rich in keywords, you could be screened out by a computer before a hiring authority had an opportunity to review your credentials!

If you are not successfully booking interviews, chances are your resume is lacking the leverage you need to separate yourself from your competition. It's time to stop selling yourself short by learning how you can create a resume that will generate a level of curiosity and interest that you never thought possible.

At www.myenginuityadvantage.com we provide you with the ability to have your resume reviewed for free, upgraded by a professional resume writer (at a very reasonable price) and finally distributed to thousands of targeted hiring authorities.

You owe it to yourself and to the success of your search to check it out!

There are many out there who have been in search of job opportunities for months, and for some, years. The stress of finances and the uncertainty of the future can weigh on even the strongest. This being said, it is important to remember how you are being viewed in the eyes of a potential employer. Walking into an interview with a visible “chip on your shoulder” can truly diminish your chances of being hired.

Enginuity Advantage encourages you to sign up for our free webinar through our Career Portal. The topic, “Communicate More Effectively” focuses on learning to write emails that provide results, communicating to win and on learning whether you’re a negative or positive communicator. Not only will this content rich webinar help you in your efforts to land a job, but in every facet of your professional and personal life. Time well spent in my opinion!

There are many factors that contribute to our daily successes or failures. And worse than success or failure, mediocrity, simply existing and going through the motions. Many people get up each morning and live in a state of routine monotony.

Enginuity Advantage encourages you to sign up for our free webinar through our Career Portal. The topic, “Ten Common Job Seeker Mistakes” focuses on learning solutions to the most common job seeker mistakes, taking your search to an entirely new level and differentiating yourself from other candidates in the marketplace.

One of the benefits of working with Enginuity Advantage is the special offers, free tools and resources we’re able to provide for you. We have special agreements in place that allow us to bring to you these great offers so please make sure to take advantage of all that are appropriate to your specific needs.

Enginuity Advantage is a proud sponsor of this year’s Annual Everett Area Chamber of Commerce Golf Tournament. There are still spots available to join the festivities! If you golf (even if you don’t golf well), this is a great opportunity to mingle with local business leaders and enjoy a great day of friendly competition. If you are interested in joining us for this event, call April or Kelly for more details.

Have you ever been hired into what you thought would be your dream job only to find that it’s is not a dream at all, it’s a nightmare? If the answer is yes, chances are you did not ask the right questions during the interview.

Networking is as a valuable strategy for getting a lead on a job, gathering information about a company, getting your name out there and/or catching the special attention of a recruiter.

We have integrated a high-octane, search boosting, advice offering, resume enhancing, one-stop resource GUARANTEED to support your efforts in finding AND keeping that perfect career. Whether you are looking for the latest employment news or resume writing help, this site has it all!

As Enginuity Advantage has evolved, it has become clear that a new, comprehensive, and resource-rich website is a necessary tool to best help those we serve. We believe that our new website accomplishes this. With an emphasis on offering more, with a simplistic feel, the site includes interactive candidate resources as well as great information for our existing clients and those businesses looking for a fresh and new approach to recruiting.

As I am sure so many are all too familiar with, we are faced with a tough and fiercely competitive job market. Not only is it hard to land a new job, keeping the one that you have has become increasingly difficult. Your body language, although non-verbal, can speak volumes. Regardless of your credentials, knowledge, or expertise, your body language may make the difference between receiving a job offer or not. This informative, relevant and content rich webinar will give you the information needed to ensure that you always present your BEST self.