Best Fit Forward

Tough Times: Will You Be a Raisin or a Grape?

Langston Hughes once asked the question, "What happens to a dream deferred? Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun?"

With news of layoffs, spiking unemployment rates, and more applications than advertised job openings, are you wondering about the possibility of your own outcomes?

If yes, check out this YouTube gem from "Britain's Got Talent."

Have you any dreams from your 12-year-old past that it's time to dust off and pursue? Will you take lessons from Susan Boyle?

Will you be a raisin or a grape? The choice is yours...

Many Career Minds: The Madness Continues

Recently, I announced a new initiative on Twitter: I created March Career Madness to provide job seekers with an international round-up of career advice from coaches, recruiters and thought leaders. As an added bonus, March Career Madness was also developed as a teaching tool--so that novices to Twitter could learn how to "tweet."

March Career Madness ran during the NCAA tournament. As the job search continues for many, and the participants enjoyed collaborating with one another, we've decided to keep going under a new name: Many Career Minds. At right, here are the "many minds" you'll find if you visit Twitter Search and do a keyword search under  "#mcm"

Note: You don't need to join Twitter to view the search results, but you can click here for a quick tutorial.

Recently, several great sites with job leads have emerged over Twitter, including this gem that allows you to search for jobs by keyword. Stay tuned to #mcm for more such tips. Regardless of whether you decide to "tweet or not to tweet," I hope you'll join me in thanking the "Many Career Minds" who've shared--and continue to share their expertise.

To your success,

Chandlee
http://twitter.com/chandlee

The Sky Isn't Falling

I live in Manhattan, where the "Wall Street" swagger seems to have been replaced with a shuffle.News of layoffs across sectors,  an increasing rate of college grads in unemployment lines, and empty storefronts, have led to more than one reference to "Chicken Little's" proclamation: "The Sky is Falling."

It's easy to shrug your shoulders, discount your chances of finding work, and give up. But that's not a productive strategy, and it won't help you land on your feet any faster--in fact, it may slow you down.

I take lessons from my former supervisor, Patricia Rose, Director of Career Services at the University of Pennsylvania. Pat is one of the most visionary, forward thinking people I know. Her response to the challenging market? "The job search is a process not a transaction." I'm inclined to agree.

Diligent research, strong positioning for opportunities, and proactive outreach can yield results in any market. The duration of the job search may take longer, offers may come with a less attractive compensation package, and you may land a contract position before you get a full-time job. But all is not lost: just look to the sky, it's still firmly in place. And, as per the message in a Parisian shopping bag "Le ciel est à tout le monde": The sky belongs to everyone.

Let me know how I can help you in your search.

All the Best,
Chandlee