Job Hunting rules

If you are mid-career, out of work and looking, you've probably already figured this one out: The tried-and-true job-hunting techniques that served you so well in the past no longer fill the bill.

While you were faithfully toiling away for the same employer, maybe for decades, a lot changed. Today it's a brave new world of social media and digital resumes and Google-ability. What's more, many extremely qualified people are willing to take positions clearly "beneath" them. Some will even work for free.

What's an experienced, qualified, truly valuable potential employee who needs a job that pays actual money like you to do? You really have only one choice: Get to know this brave new world, and conquer it.

Here are the 10 biggest differences between then and now:

1. You can no longer depend on a resume to get an interview. Simply mailing out resumes and then sitting back and waiting for responses was never that effective, and today it just doesn't cut it. It's a waste of time, paper, postage, and psychic energy.

2. Your experience matters less than it used to. This is unfair, even counter-intuitive, but people don't want to hear about everything you did way back when. They want to hear about everything you can do, specifically, to help them today. And tomorrow.

3. You shouldn't expect to hear back. Unfortunately, this little courtesy has gone the way of the vinyl record. Keep on networking, interviewing, and researching right up until the moment you have a firm job offer in your hot little hands. Maybe even a little after.

4. A resume is no longer a comprehensive summary of your work and education history. Don't bother to list jobs more than 15 years old. Emphasize recent accomplishments, certifications, and training.

5. More about resumes: You need a digital-friendly one that is easily uploadable, downloadable, and scannable (i.e., no bullets, boxes, boldface, unusual fonts, indenting). It should be rich in the "keywords" that employers in your field are looking for.

6. In fact, overall computer literacy is a must. Get comfortable with applying for jobs online and learn how to research on the Internet. If all this is new to you, your public library is a good place to start. Oh, and have a professional-sounding E-mail address.

7. A good idea is to go one step further and establish a lively Internet presence. Explore LinkedIn (get some stellar endorsements), Twitter, and Facebook. Become active in your field's social media sites. Consider building your own Web site (with a career-oriented blog, professional photo, and resume).

8. One of the first things a potential employer will do is Google you. That means you need to find out if there's anything negative about you online. If there is something bad, try to get it removed. Your best bet may be to "bury" it with more recent, more favorable, links (see No. 7).

9. More than ever it's about who you know, and who knows you. This is important: Finding employment nowadays is less a matter of applying for existing open positions and more about identifying needs potential employers have and demonstrating to them that you can fill these needs. Fortunately, there are more networking venues (real life and virtual) than ever before.

10. Many interviewers/hiring managers/recruiters may be younger than you. Get used to it. Treat them with respect and learn how to speak their language. Do not say "You remind me of my son/daughter," or "When I was your age... !"

written by Karen Burns

My Life is Wonderful

I am so grateful for the life that I live. Sometimes I miss people or things from the years passed, but the past is gone, and we must live in the moment. At least I experienced thos things and met those people; fond memories can be cherished. I look forward to experiencing new things and meeting new people. I look forward to every day with my wonderful husband.

I may not be doing what I thought I would with my life. I had dreams and hopes and goals and aspirations when I was younger. Things change. Nothing is what you expected it to be.

I never thought I would get married, but then I met someone who I can't live without, and my ideas changed.

I never thought I would move to another country, but that's the way things unfolded and I am very happy where I am living. I have a beautiful home in a perfect little city. There is so much to see and do. I wouldn't have gotten to see this place had we not moved here.

I never thought that I would lose my mother so early in life. And I never thought that I would miss her as much as I do. It makes me grateful to know that I loved/love her that much. I apprecite knowing her as long as I did, and learning as much as I could from her.

I never thought that I could 'grow up' and conquer my depression. All those years of hard work and research really helped me find control and accept who I am. With that knowledge, I have been able to help others with their mental issues. I'm no expert, but I do have first hand experience, and am grateful to share any advice to help others stop suffering.

I never thought that I could be as happy as I am today. I had such a cloud of sadness over my head for so many years, that I never thought it would go away. It proves to me that you can never give up. You can be happy and healthy and grateful. I try to look for the good in everything and everyone. It's there. It may not seem to be at first, but it is always there.

Life is wonderful.

I couldn't ask for anything better.