Once again, networking is key to success!

According to one recent study, in 2009 more than half of all job openings were filled by workers already employed in the business. Of outside hires, most came through personal referrals.

“What the findings indicate, says Mark Mehler, co-founder of CareerXroads, is that networking is the most effective strategy for landing employment. “Job seekers should use job board and corporate sites to find information about openings, but they should use their network to apply,” says Mark Mehler, co-founder of CareerXroads.”

What this means is first, develop and use a network! The Career Guy points TMC students and grads to the Online Alumni Community, LinkedIn, and your local circle of friends and associates. Almost 1100 TMC students and graduates are now in LinkedIn, many of them in key positions or with contacts in key positions.

Also, consider taking a lower-paying job or one with fewer responsibilities than you might desire, as this survey shows that you have a good chance of moving up once you get in. Read the brief article:

Internal Hires, Referrals Were Most Hired in 2009

Career Guy is available for all manner of career direction and helps for TMC students, graduates, families and friends of TMC.

IMMEDIATE Job Opening

The Career Guy encourages anyone looking for employment to check the Job Board every day. Even though very few really good jobs get posted these days, every once in awhile one does, and if you’re not looking, you’ll miss it.

Today is one of those days. TMC graduate Mandy Young has been working for a local company–Pyramid Enterprises–and she’s leaving.  She’d like to find a replacement for herself from among TMC graduates.  This is a full time job available immediately, so only those able to work full time now should apply.

Check the Job Board for this posting! Interviews are being held this week (Feb 15), and this may not be available later.

Grad & Undergrad Test Study

A helpful supporter of TMC passed along this link to the Study Guide Zone which contains a remarkable number of descriptions and free online study notes to the most common–and many less common–graduate and undergraduate examinations, including the SAT, GRE, LSAT, GMAT, MCAT, and more.

25 Oddball Interview Questions

The CareerGuy is often asked about interview questions.  He has about 150 typical examples in the office (available for review!).  He came across this unique report from Glassdoor.com entitled Top Oddball Questions of 2009 based on applicant reports.

They include:

1. What was your best McGuyver moment?
4. How would you move Mount Fuji?
6. Are your parents disappointed with your career aspirations?
9. If I put you in a sealed room with a phone that had no dial tone, how would you fix it?

The article contains a description of the interview process and how/when the question came up. One comment was that the formal interview started late in the evening, after a dinner/cocktail period where applicants were allowed to drink as much as they wanted. Think about that one…

The article makes for interesting reading, and might get your thought processes flowing, for the occasion you really want to make an impression on a top-quality employer.

Job Seeker Advice

A recent article published in the Wall Street Journal by Sarah E. Needleman says,

“There’s been no shortage of warnings about the career dangers of posting racy content on sites like Facebook and Twitter. Yet many job hunters still don’t heed that advice, and others don’t realize they’re doing just as much damage by doing things like bending the truth or spamming their résumés. Recruiters say such faux-pas can result in immediate and lasting career damage.”

In this highly competitive job market, you should do all you can to make yourself presentable to prospective employers. Help yourself by avoiding common internet errors made by job seekers.

Read the full article here.