What to do when the answer is "No".

Great interviewing advice from Hotjobs. Please consider the following article, especially this information:

According to recent U.S. Labor Department data, 5.5 unemployed Americans, on average, are vying for each job opening--so most interviews will end in rejection.

After the Recruiter Says No
How to handle job-search rejections.
by Charles Purdy, Yahoo! HotJobs

You had high hopes for this job: The job requirements matched your skill set perfectly. You aced your interviews. And you imagined hearing those sweet words so many of us long to hear:
"You're hired."

Instead, you got another rejection letter. According to recent U.S. Labor Department data, 5.5 unemployed Americans, on average, are vying for each job opening--so most interviews will end in rejection.

And that can be a crushing blow--but it can also be a career-making moment. When you don't get the job, what should your next steps be?

Don't beat yourself up about it.
John Kador, the author of "301 Best Questions to Ask on Your Interview," second edition (McGraw-Hill), recommends that you try to learn from each rejection--while understanding that it may not be your fault. "Sometimes you didn't do anything wrong," he says. "Someone else was more qualified or more connected. Companies sometimes go through the motions of interviewing applicants when they've already selected a candidate."

While the experience is still fresh in your mind, writing down what you've learned may help you put a positive spin on the experience--and give you something to refer to later, according to Lewis Lin, of SeattleInterviewCoach.com.

Be gracious in defeat.
How you conduct yourself after a rejection letter can determine whether that recruiter will consider you again--or perhaps refer you to another recruiter. Liz Lynch, the author of "Smart Networking" (McGraw-Hill), says, "Send a handwritten card thanking them again for their time, reiterating your interest in the company, and expressing your hope that they'll keep you in mind for future positions. And whatever you do, do not diss them on your blog!"

Ask for feedback.
Kador advises saying that you accept the recruiter's decision before you ask for feedback: "No one will talk to you if they think you're going to argue or appeal."

If you don't trust yourself to keep your cool, you may want to skip asking for feedback. If you do ask, email is the best medium. "Telephoning is probably too intrusive," says Lynch. "And whatever feedback you hear, don't be defensive."

Lin cautions that "you'll get canned responses most of the time" due to fears about legal issues, but he recommends phrasing your request for feedback like this: "If you don't mind me asking, do you have any feedback on how I can improve for future interviews?"

He adds, "You want to keep the conversation as professional as possible. Who knows? You could be their backup candidate."

Keep trying.
In most cases, you should actively pursue new openings at the company. The phrase "we'll keep your resume on file" is usually an attempt to soften the rejection, according to Kador, who says you should keep applying for relevant jobs and staying in touch with the recruiters you've met. "If a posting says no calls,' I wouldn't call," he says. "But that doesn't mean you can't write."

Bring the recruiter into your professional network.
If, down the road, you can help the interviewer or recruiter by recommending a candidate, for instance, or forwarding a relevant article, Kador says you should "go for it--make yourself known as a resource."

Lynch, too, recommends keeping in touch with the hiring manager in a "low-key way" and says that, when you do land a position, you should write him or her a note and include your new business card. Then you can send the manager an invitation to connect on LinkedIn so you can easily stay in touch.

Consider Your Sources

A good personal network is very important no matter your current employment situation. Friends and family provide a lot of much needed moral support in our every day lives. MSN Careers shares this article on just which advice to take about job searching.

Are You Getting Bad Job Advice?
By Anthony Balderrama, CareerBuilder.com writer

Your support network probably consists of your closest friends and maybe some trusted family members. You know these people will help you out in any way possible -- when you're at your happiest or feeling defeated. That's what friends are for, just like Dionne Warwick sang.

Unfortunately, these people aren't perfect. You know they want the best for you, and that's why you turn to them for help. But a new survey from The Creative Group finds that those closest to you might not always be the best advice givers, especially when you need professional advice.

Who's giving the worst advice?
Of surveyed advertising and marketing executives, 58 percent say co-workers gave them bad career advice. Bosses didn't fare much better, as 54 percent blame them for bad career advice. Parents and relatives are better career counselors, but 35 percent of surveyed executives received unsatisfactory guidance from them. Thirty percent of spouses and significant others are blamed for bad advice (and probably had to sleep on the couch at some point). Mentors have the best record for dispensing advice, as only 21 percent have the finger pointed at them.

As to why so many of our nearest and dearest make such unreliable advisers, you could just chalk it up to human nature. "Nobody's perfect" might be a cliché, but it's true, and your support network isn't likely to sabotage you on purpose.

Well, sometimes they might. Survey respondents admit that some of the bad advice they received did more for the giver than the receiver.

"My former boss discouraged me from going to work for a competitor, saying that I wouldn't last, but I did," says one surveyed executive. "I later found out that he had made a wager that I wouldn't join that firm, and that was why he discouraged me to work there."

Another respondent recalls, "A co-worker wanted me to take her job so she could take a new position. It wasn't a good idea. I wasn't ready to fill that job."

Considering that your career decisions affect your colleagues and boss directly, perhaps their tendency to give harmful advice isn't surprising after all. For that reason, Donna Farrugia, executive director of The Creative Group, cautions you to evaluate the motives of the advice giver.

The do's and don'ts of asking for advice
According to Farrugia, workers seeking help can take some steps to get the best advice. She recommends keeping these five tips in mind:

Do seek out experience
The best advice comes from someone who has been in your position. Even if the specifics are a little different, a similar experience will give the best insight.

"For example, if you're looking to transition into a particular niche, talk to someone who made a comparable change," Farrugia says. "If you're having trouble finding suitable contacts, use social networks like LinkedIn to expand your reach."

Do follow your own goals
Although friends and family may have your best interests in mind, they don't have your same professional and personal goals. Remember to listen to their advice without forgetting what you want for yourself.

Do explain yourself
No one can help you make the right decision if they don't know what you're looking to get out of your career.

Farrugia explains, "By describing your professional objectives and values to your acquaintances, you'll help them give better guidance."

Don't have a one-track mind
Your network is composed of people with different backgrounds and experiences, and even if they haven't been in your shoes, they've probably observed someone who was. Don't rely on a single person to get advice. Instead, talk to as many people as you can to hear their opinions and then decide what best aligns with your needs.

Don't forget your manners
"Thank everyone who takes the time to provide career guidance, and keep in touch with all helpful sources, returning the favor when you can," Farrugia says.

Anthony Balderrama is a writer and blogger for CareerBuilder.com and its job blog, The Work Buzz. He researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/abalderrama.

Using LinkedIn for your Job Search

The hottest website in the professional sphere these days is, without a doubt, LinkedIn. This website began as a way for professionals to network but quickly recruiters and hiring managers learned how to use the site to find candidates for available positions. Job seekers are also using the website more and more. The LinkedIn Blog published this posting to give tips to job seekers on how to use the site most effectively. Please click on the link to view the blog directly as well as the discussion that followed the original posting also provides excellent advice.

Ten tips to enhance your job search on LinkedIn
by Guest Author Alison Doyle posted April 2, 2009

Editor’s Note: This belongs to a series of contributing guest author posts from LinkedIn users. Alison Doyle is a job search expert with many years of experience in human resources, career development, and job searching, with a focus on online job searching and job search technology. She has covered job searching for About.com since 1998.]

When you’re job searching, and even if you’re not currently seeking employment, LinkedIn is the one site you should be using to enhance your job search and boost your career prospects. The best way to do that is to make sure you are using the full power of LinkedIn to maximize your employment potential. Here are ten tips on optimizing your job hunting experience on LinkedIn:

1. Edit your Profile. The first step is to make sure your LinkedIn Profile is complete. The more detailed your LinkedIn profile, the more chances you will have to be found and to be contacted. This is important because your profile is what you use to connect with people how you get found on LinkedIn. Complete your LinkedIn profile as carefully as you write your resume and provide prospective employers with detailed information on your skills and experience. If you’re currently unemployed, list your current position as “Open to opportunities”. If you don’t have a LinkedIn profile, sign-up.

2. Include a Photo. You can add a photo (a head shot is recommended) to your LinkedIn profile. Note that the photo can be no larger than 80×80 pixels. Do make sure your photo represents the professional you, not the personal you, because LinkedIn is all about professional networking.

3. Professional Summary. The Professional Summary section of your profile is a good way to highlight your experience. Select an Industry, because recruiters often use that field to search. Don’t forget the Headline, because that’s right at the top of the page when someone views your profile. It’s your first chance to make a good impression.

4. Include Keywords and Skills. Include the keywords and skills from your resume in your profile. This will make it easier for your profile to be found in search results.

5. Contact Settings. Your contact settings let your connections (and hiring managers and recruiters) know your availability. Options include: career opportunities, consulting offers, new ventures, job inquiries, and reference requests. Even if you’re not actively seeking a new job, it’s important to be flexible, because you never know when an opportunity to good to pass up might come along.

6. Profile Website Links. The Links section of your profile is a good way to provide even more information to potential employers and to your contacts. If you have blog or a personal web site that is business related, include those links in the Links section of your profile.

7. LinkedIn Applications. LinkedIn Applications are a terrific way to share even more information in your profile. The blog applications enable users to feed their blog directly to their profile, so other LinkedIn users can see the most current posts automatically.

8. Your Public Profile. Don’t forget to make your profile public - that’s how the world can find it. Also, customizing your URL will give you a link that’s easy to share.

9. Grow Your Network. Connect with other members and build your network. You can find connections you’ve worked with, done business with, went to school with, or are otherwise affiliated with. The more connections you have, the more opportunities you have, but don’t randomly connect with people you don’t know. The point is to connect with people you do know, so they can help you and vice versa.

10. Get Recommendations. To a potential employer, a LinkedIn recommendation is an opportunity to read a reference in advance. Having strong references can only help you when it comes to getting selected for an interview or for a job. The best way to get recommendations is to give them, so take some time to write recommendations for your contacts and they will most likely reciprocate.

Social Networking and Your Job Search

With websites like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn available to connect and reconnect, many job seekers wonder if these can be tools in their job search. The answer is both "yes" and "no". This informative article from Yahoo! Hotjobs provides some details on what does and doesn't work.

Will Social Networking Get You a Job?
By Peter D. Weddle

Networking is one of the best strategies for finding a new or better job. Right? Right. And, social networking clearly involves networking. Right? Right. So, social networking is the new and improved way to land the job of your dreams. Right? Wrong.

It's hard to miss the buzz about social networking. The media has been all agog over the rapid rise of such sites as MySpace. They attract millions of visitors every month, providing lots of opportunity for individual interaction and relationship building. While this activity is indeed networking, the most important aspect of its description is the adjective that defines it -- social. That may be a ton of fun, but it's unlikely to get you hired.

In the past, I've used the term "e-networking" to describe electronic or online networking. But with the rise of the social networking, I've redefined it as "employment networking." E-networking -- employment networking -- is unlike its very social cousin in three important ways:
It has a different purpose.
It is done in a different way.
It takes place on different web sites.
Let's explore each of those distinctions.

Employment networking has a different purpose
Boiled down to its basic purpose, social networking has a social goal: to find a date, to connect with someone who shares your hobby or other interest, or to expand your circle of friends with friends of your friends.

The purpose of e-networking, on the other hand, is to connect you with contacts who can help you land a new or better job. These contacts include current and former colleagues, former bosses and coworkers, and even recruiters. Of course, the interaction has a social component, and you should treat these individuals with the same courtesy and respect you would like to receive -- but its goal is employment, pure and simple.

Employment networking is done in a different way
Social networking involves informal introductions and casual conversations in cyberspace. Think of it as a virtual "Truman Show" where people eagerly and pleasantly meet and greet one another online. There's no obligation to participate, no downside to not doing so, and no performance standard to meet if you do participate.

E-networking, in contrast, requires active participation, and the quality of your effort determines the return you get from your investment of time. Why? Because the key to success in employment networking (whether it's done online or off) is giving as good as you get. You have to share your knowledge, information, and job contacts if you want others to share theirs.

No less important, that sharing must be done regularly so that it builds familiarity and trust among those with whom you network. Their confidence (in you) reassures them that they can safely refer you to a business associate or colleague. That reassurance is critical -- sharing friends on a social networking site isn't particularly risky; but putting someone in touch with a business contact is. It can damage reputations or even jeopardize employment, especially if the person you refer turns out to be less than business-like.

Employment networking takes place on different sites Since the purpose of e-networking is to find a new or better job, you must do it where you're most likely to connect with people who know of or have access to employment opportunities. That means your professional peers and the recruiters who focus on your career field and industry. The best e-networking venues are the discussion forums and bulletin boards at web sites operated by:
National and state-level professional associations and trade groups
Technical school, college, and graduate school alumni organizations

Some affinity sites that may be important to employers (such as women in technology, African American certified public accountants, and veterans)

To find the best associations and other networking groups for you, try:
Association Directory at my site. It's organized by career field and industry and is free to use.

My WEDDLE's 2005/6 Guide to Association Web Sites. This book describes the networking resources at over 1,800 professional, technical, and trade associations in the U.S. and around the world. You can read more about it at my site.

Finally, please don't misinterpret my comments as critical of social networking; they're not meant to be. Social networking takes time, but it won't do much, if anything, to advance your job search. So, here's my suggestion: First, devote some serious energy to e-networking, and then, after that's done, go ahead and relax with a little social networking -- or better yet, get out and meet the neighbors.