Alison Doyle

Using the Chamber of Commerce to Job Search

This is the second time my daughter has found a job via our local Chamber of Commerce.  My niece and her friend also found local jobs using the chamber web site, as did several of my daughter's friends - all first-time job seekers.

There's a couple of different ways to do it, but if you're interested in a local full-time, part-time job, or summer job and your town has a Chamber of Commerce with a web site, it's worth checking. First of all, many chambers have job boards for members.  Members can list jobs free and candidates can apply for jobs via the job board.    There often isn't as much competition. My niece got a phone call within an hour of sending her resume via email. She interviewed that afternoon and had a job offer later in the day.

Besides a job board, if there is in, the directory of members is another good source of job leads.  My daughter cold-emailed many of the local Bed & Breakfasts inquiring whether they had job openings for the summer.  She did the same thing last summer with local stores.  In both cases, she got more responses than she could readily manage - her email In Box was full and the phone was ringing constantly.

So, remember to think local when you want to find a job in your home town.  Your job search might just be easier than you expect.

Local Job Search

• Chamber of Commerce Directory
• Local Job Search Resources
• Part-time Jobs
• Summer Jobs

Tips for Answering Interview Questions

Getting ready to go on a job interview? If so, it's important to be prepared to answer questions about your background, skills, and experience.

These tips for answering job interview questions, along with sample answers, will help you figure out the right responses - before you get put on the spot in an interview.

Eight Belles - The End of Her Watch

I love horse racing.  I hate horse racing.  I don't think I've ever won money on a dead race horse before and I'm not going to cash the ticket.  Mostly because I knew that I probably shouldn't bet on a filly running against the boys, though I don't know if that had anything to do with Eight Belle's tragic end on the dirt during the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs. 

A US Today article (which is well worth reading) about the questions that linger about the safety of horse racing, mentions that eight bells, in nautical terms, means the end of a watch.  I am saddened that Eight Belles ended her watch like this and my heart goes out to her owner, trainers, grooms, and everyone who loved her.   

One of the most heartbreaking things is to watch is a horse break down like that. I'm always reminded of Ruffian (whose picture is on my office wall), Go For Wand, Barbaro, George Washington, and the others whose names I'm sorry I don't remember or that I never heard.

As Jerry Izenberg said, "...she tried.  It's what race horses do."  That's true and that's part of what I love about race horsing - if you've ever seen mares and babies turned out in a field or a paddock full of yearlings, they do it as soon as they can. 

They run, they try, and those with heart and talent make it to the race track.  We hope that their people (and the industry and race tracks) do right by them and don't race them until they are ready, and do their best to run safe races and prevent injuries.

As much as I hate to look at it, I'm glad that Eight Belle's photo, in the last minutes of her life, made it to the cover of the New York Times.  It's painful to watch, but it reminds us of the fragility of thoroughbreds despite their size and what can happen for sometimes no apparant reason at all, especially when the race was over and she had already finished a strong second.  I hope it serves as a reminder that we need to do what we can so race horsing is as safe as possible Acknowledging the fact that three years perhaps aren't physically ready to race is worthing considering, as is the point made by someone who posted on the New York Times Rail blog: "I train and race horses in Europe where no medication is allowed and the fatal breakdown rate is half what it is here."

That said, congratulations to Big Brown - he's an awesome horse and it was a well earned victory in the run of the roses, and rest in peace, Eight Belles.

Creating a Consistent Personal Brand

Dan Schawbel, the person everyone should be paying attention to when it comes to personal branding, has an excellent blog post on the importance of creating a consistent brand image on all social networks.

As an example of consistency, here's what I've done:

• My VisualCV
• Facebook
• LinkedIn
• Twitter

As you can see, I've used the same photo and basic information on all my profiles. When you Google "Alison Doyle" all of these profiles rank well, helping me with my personal and professional branding.

It's also important, Dan also notes, to make sure that you claim your name. The last thing you need, especially if you're job seeking is to have someone else showing up as you.

Job Search Tips for Teens

What to wear when you're job searching or working isn't the only issue if you're a teen looking for a first or second job.  It's hard when you don't have any experience and haven't worked before.  I've been working for a long time and I still remember my first day at my first summer job. 

I couldn't believe I had to be there for so long (8:30 am - 6:30 pm, with two 15 minute breaks and an hour for lunch) and I was exhausted by the time I got home.  Once I got used to it though, it wasn't so bad. I worked with a bunch of other kids and we had fun while we worked.

I got that job because my mom was a frequent customer of the store and two of my brothers ended up working there as well.   They didn't call it networking back then, but that's it was and it's still a good way to find a job.  So, if you're just starting out on a job search tell everyone you know you're looking for a job, because you never know who might be able to help.

Here are more ways to get started on a teen job search:

• Teen Job Search Guide
• Finding Your First Job
• Getting Working Papers
• Applying for Jobs

Job Searching Facebook Group

Interested in job searching and career building advice, tips, and techniques,  job searching technology, online networking, and professional branding?  Join us on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=17420995086

The Job Searching Group is open to everyone who's interested in jobs and careers.

What Teens Wear

As the mom of a teenager, one of my constant battles is about what - and what not - to wear.  I think that when you're 16 you have different ideas about what's appropriate to wear in public - and what's not.  As my mom would say - you don't have to show everything you've got to the world.  It's funny, because my daughter think that her unfashionable mother needs to go on one of those makeover TV shows and now I'm thinking the same thing, but for different reasons.

On a related note, I had an interesting discussion with a counselor about girls, self-esteem, image, and the connections between how you look and how you feel about yourself.  It all comes together when you start looking for a job, because your ideas about what looks good might not even come close to what the interviewer thinks is appropriate.  If you're not wearing something the interviewer considers respectable, you're probably not going to get the job, because the company doesn't want to be bugging you about what you're wearing to work.

I've just updated my teen interview attire information, along with my teen job search guide, which includes advice how to find a job, where to get working papers, where teens can work, what to wear for an interview, and how to obtain references. If you're a teen looking for a job take a look, or if you're a parent or counselor, you'll find helpful information to help with a teen job search.

One of the Best Job Search Book in a Long Time

I was thrilled to read the review of my book Internet Your Way to a New Job - How to Really Find a Job Online on The Daily Machete. Here's a brief excerpt:

"When a great job seeking book comes out, The Daily Machete likes to review it for our readership.  That's why it's such a pleasure to showcase one of the best job search books in a long time - Internet Your Way to a New Job, by Alison Doyle…  Doyle also covers some extremely important aspects of modern job hunting, such as writing a blog, optimizing yourself and incorporating SEO (Search Engine Optimization)... Be sure to get your hands on a copy of Internet Your Way to a New Job.  It's one of those books that all job seekers should read and absorb so they can compete in the job market."
Read the entire review: The Daily Machete

More Reviews and Endorsements:

Read what top career experts and leading job search sites have to say about Internet Your Way to a New Job.

Order Your Paperback or eBook copy:

• Internet Your Way to a New Job from the publisher (save 15%)
• Internet Your Way to a New Job from Amazon

Riding in a Wheelchair

I only rode in a wheelchair for a few minutes yesterday, but I got just a little inkling of what people with disabilities must feel like when they are stared at.

Despite the fact that I was at a medical facility, some of the other patients were giving me sideways glances, trying to figure out what was the matter with me, I guess.  It was a little disconcerting and it made me wonder what the people who spend a good part of their life in a wheelchair (plus have to deal with the logistics of getting around) feel like when that happens to them.

From an employment perspective, I am glad that there are resources available for people with disabilities, and I'm going to spend more time working on my list.  If anyone can recommend web sites I should add to the list, please let me know.

Twitter and My Toe

In the midst of my research on using Twitter for job searching and recruiting (and I've got some good information I'll share soon) I dislocated my toe. 

I didn't get much work done this morning because I was spending time getting x-rays and my dislocated toe reduced (I think that's what they call it when they fix it), but, on a career note, I was really happy with the attention I got at the urgent care facility and with how kind all the staff were.  I felt bad going because it was only a toe, even though it wouldn't have fixed itself, but they didn't mind in the least bit and wheeled me back and forth for x-rays and even had me hold the nurse's hand while the physician's assistant fixed it. 

I remember in the old days when going to the doctor wasn't always very pleasant and it's nice to see how far medicine has come from a caring perspective, as well as a medical one. 

If you're interested in a health career, Andrea Santiago, About.com's Guide to Health Careers has lots of useful career information on her site, as well as information on the top medical job boards.