So you’ve listened to some sound advice, got some work experience and recognized that you do have something to give from your college activities. Now here the things to stay away from:

· Don’t lie on your resume. Apart from being unethical, you will get found out. Either you’ll lose the job right up front and get blackballed through the industry (these people all know one another) or, if you do slip it by and get hired, a untimely disclosure can be devastating to your budding career, resulting in disciplinary action or even dismissal.

· Don’t let your resume let you down. Looking for the perfect graduation gift? Ask a relative to pay for a professional to write your resume as a graduation present. A good resume writer will help you make the most of the experience you have and will at least ensure that the document will be free from spelling and grammatical mistakes.

· Don’t forget to network after graduation. At college, networking events come to your doorstep but once you’re out in the real world it takes some effort. Keep in touch with your former classmates. Even better, keep in touch with people who graduated the year before to find out the secrets of their success. One of the best ways to keep in touch is via social networking sites, such as LinkedIn and Facebook; however, remember to keep your profile professional-looking and non-controversial. Don’t put anything on the sites that you don’t want a potential employer to see.

These are tried and true techniques. Send me the techniques that have worked for you.

Every summer, hordes of new graduates appear on the recruitment scene. Many will have gone to excellent schools and achieved impressive grades (maybe better than yours), so it’s time to stand out from the crowd and grab that dream job before someone else beats you to it.

It can be a daunting task to build a career from scratch. How can you show a potential employer what you are made of when you’ve never had a high level job?

Relax. You do have skills and experience that employers will value. Here are some “dos”  to get you on your way—enjoy the excitement of being at the threshold of your career!

• Do listen to as much free (good quality) advice as you can. Most universities have dedicated careers departments, with advisors and comprehensive databases of companies who recruit at graduate level. Apart from the information about actual companies, careers advisors can help you with the bigger picture, with programs that assess your strengths and weakness to suggest careers that might appeal and suit you.

• Do get some work experience to set you apart from the rest. Many of the large, multinational corporations run formal summer internship programs which are extremely competitive to get onto. Also consider interning with a smaller company, where your skills and talents have a better chance to get noticed. Interns get a good idea about real working life, and recruiters get to know the students. If you don’t manage to secure a place on a formal scheme like this, try to arrange an informal placement with a local business. Even an unpaid week spent shadowing someone in your preferred profession shows enthusiasm and initiative.

• Do mine your college experience for suitable activities for your resume. For example, if you were treasurer of a college society or held another position of responsibility, this shows that you are a reliable person who has the respect of her peers. Add in any volunteer work you did – maybe tutoring children in math or science. Sporting achievements can show commitment and teamwork; both important qualities in the business world.

So you’ve listened to some sound advice, got some work experience and recognized that you do have something to give from your college activities.

Now, stay tuned for what NOT to do….....

As I stated in my earlier post, it is not impossible to find a job if you are over 50. There are no hard and fast rules, but here are some areas where you need to watch your step..

• Don’t come across as an old dog who can’t be taught new tricks. This is probably the key concern that employers have about hiring older people. Stressing that you are always committed to your own continuous professional development is a positive sign that you actively embrace change. Show concrete evidence of this on your resume with details of courses you have attended recently.

• Don’t restrict your search too narrowly. In a tough economic climate you have to cast a wide net, and consider what other companies might be interested in you. Check out companies such as Borders, Staples, Target, H&R Block, and AT&T who are very friendly and open to older workers. Look for job postings that use words like ‘maturity’, ‘good judgment’, and ‘work experience.’ AARP has some great resources for job seekers – you might as well make use of your membership. http://www.aarp.org.

• Don’t give up! If you can’t find employment at the level you want, consider volunteering. Find a cause you believe in and volunteer your skills and expertise to local (or national) non-profit organizations. Not only will it keep you busy, but you’ll make valuable contact through direct social interaction and have a positive spin to put on your unemployment if an employer brings it up during an interview.

If you have any ideas that you would like to suggest, please comment. Your suggestions maybe helpful to those that are in the job market.

It’s a long standing myth that it is nearly impossible for someone 50+ to get another job if they become unemployed.  I’m here to tell you, it isn’t necessarily so.

First of all, we’re talking about the Baby Boomers here.  These are the people who fought for civil rights and gender equality.  Today’s over 50s wear similar clothes to their children, listen to the same music and are fitter and healthier as an age group than any other middle aged generation before them.

It’s true that a certain amount of age discrimination still exists in the workplace.  By following these suggestions, the mature job hunter can go head-to-head with younger job seekers and find a new position in a satisfying career.

• Do focus on what skills and experience you bring to an organization. Highlight your experience in a positive manner; mention times that you have mentored and coached colleagues and, during interviews, give specific examples of where your experience has allowed you to excel.  If you’ve worked successfully with younger managers in the past, be sure to emphasize that as well.

• Do network as widely as possible. Senior level positions do not tend to be advertised as widely as junior ones, so word of mouth is often the way to hear about them.  Surely an advantage of being in your 50s is that you have a full contacts book!  Follow up any face to face meetings or networking lunches with emails or messages on social networking sites.  This gives you another chance to sell yourself, with the advantage of not having a canapé in your hand while you are struggling to remember your contact’s name!  You will also be able to collect yourself and think about the impression you really want to leave.

• Do practice answering awkward questions, such as, “How long do you plan to work?” And “Do you believe you’re overqualified for this job?”

• Do get up to speed on current technology. Get yourself a PDA or smart phone.  Get involved in social networking sites such as LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.  Show that you’re as tech-savvy as the youngsters.

What’s the best way to prepare for an interview? How do you handle the question, “Tell me about yourself?” In such a crowded field, how do you make yourself stand out so you get the job?

Get the answers to these – and other hot interview questions—so you can shine at your next interview.

Join me and my guest Mark Warren and learn how you can Ace the Interview! Mark has coached senior executives, middle management and staff level clients by the thousands. During his thirty years in Executive Search and staffing he has personally seen just about every positive and negative event that can occur during the job search and hiring process in virtually every specialty. Mark coined the term “Functional Fit” to describe what he accomplishes for clients and candidates. First, he finds the candidates who have the skills and abilities required by the client – and that’s where most recruiters stop. Mark uses a “Functional Fit”, which means that the candidate’s values and goals match those of the client, and the candidate’s personality, people and communication skills also match those of the team he/she will be joining.

Join us live on Career Momentum Radio Wed, 17 June, from 6:30 – 7 PM (ET), 3:30 PM (PT), or listen to the replay any time. For more information, go to Career Momentum Radio.

While there are a number of things to take into account during a job search, following these 11 tips will put you ahead of the competition and speed you on your way to that new job.

1. Check your attitude. I know being out of work can be sometimes be demoralizing and depressing, but as long as you view yourself in those terms, that’s the image you’ll project. Having a strong, positive, energetic attitude is 98% of the battle.

2. Network, network, network. Nothing beats networking to help a job search. And you need to be everywhere, both online and in person. Remember – successful networking is figuring out what you can do for other people, not what they can do for you.

3. Put a professional face out to the world. If your email address is prettyhotandtastyinDC@hotmail.com, or Yankeessuck@hotmail.com (both real emails I’ve seen, by the way), you’re probably already lost the job. If your voicemail features a drunken impression of a celebrity, or your dog barking hello, you’ve probably already lost the job. Change your email to JohnSmith@gmail.com. Change your voicemail message to: “You’ve reached Susan Smith. Please leave a message and I’ll call you back. Thank you.” Is adding another email address a pain in the rear? Yep. Do you want a job, or do you want the freedom to express yourself totally uncensored? And, really…how long does it take to check a gmail account—two minutes, three times a day? You’re so busy being unemployed, you don’t have six extra minutes?

4. Create a specific resume for each job. Don’t rely on a generic resume. Research the position you’re applying for and build your resume around the job requirements, using the same keywords that are used in the job description. If you’re not getting any nibbles on your current resume, spend the money and have a professional resume writer look it over.

5. Use social networking. At a minimum, you need to be on LinkedIn. Ideally, add Facebook and Twitter. Consider creating a resume on VisualCV. Don’t just throw up a profile on these sites and then sit back and wait. You need to engage people, see what you can do to help them, and get known for your expertise.

6. Set up a professional profile. Make sure your profile on social networking sites presents you at your best. Add a good, clear headshot. Ditch the photos of you doing Jell-o shots in Cancun. No vampires or super-pokes. Regularly update your status with positive, relevant info.

7. Join professional associations. Check in your local area for associations in your field, then get out there and start participating. If there isn’t a local group, join Toastmasters or start your own group on MeetUp.

8. Volunteer your time. Find a cause you believe in and volunteer your time and expertise. First, it’ll get you out of the house. Second, you’ll feel good about what you’re doing. Third, it’s something new to add to your resume. Finally, it’s a good way to meet people and add to your contact list.

9. Use all available resources. Check with your local employment office, or community college to see what they have available for job seekers. Contact your college alumni office. Join groups on LinkedIn and on Facebook. Tell everyone you know that you’re looking for a job – you never know who knows someone who’s hiring.

10. Say thank you. Everyone likes to be appreciated, so be sure to hand-write personal thank-you notes to everyone who helps you. This includes receptionists and admin assistants, as well as the interviewer, whenever you score an interview. A hand-written note will make a huge impression and will make you stand out as an exceptional candidate.

And finally, the most important…

11. Be good to yourself. Your job search is important, but don’t let it consume your life. Take time every day to be good to yourself. Go fishing. Take the dog for an extra-long walk. Visit a museum. Go to a matinee of a movie you’re wanted to see. You’ll come back from these breaks reinvigorated and ready to take on the world again.

Following these tips will greatly improve your chances of landing that perfect job. What tips would you offer to job seekers? I’d love to hear your ideas, or what’s worked for you?