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There are thousands of job boards on the internet these days - some say as high as 40-50 thousand. Each has it's own source for their listings. In some cases, employers pay to post a job on the website. Others pull jobs from an established job board (Hint: look for "powered by..." statements to identify these). Many of the job seekers I work with find that they must wade through a growing number of incompatible ads on the various job boards to actually get to a "real" listing which fits their basic criteria. These irrelevant listings may include:

• A position listed in your defined area, but actually must be performed in a distant location, perhaps even overseas
• Listed as an employment opportunity, yet is really something else: independent contractor, military recruitment, etc
• Positions are no longer open, even though still showing as available
• Out right scams - work-at-home, mystery shopper, Offshore Financial Manager, Virtual Assistant, the list goes on.

The more my clients have to wade through this clutter, the more they are saying - there has got to be a better way. For a long time I had no better option to suggest. Now I do!

I am now recommending LinkUp.com to all my clients as one of the most effective ways to locate online job postings and here is why:

Image via LinkUp

LinkUp.com has ONLY jobs that are both are real and available. They do this by going directly to the company's own website. When the company updates their job postings, it is automatically updated at LinkUp.com as well.

LinkUp.com is free Again, because LinkUp.com pulls the listings directly from the employer's own website, job seekers can trust there are not going to be any hidden fees to apply. I hate the ads for the US Postal Service positions, only to find out you are not actually applying, you are buying a guide that tells you how to apply. Also because you are never required to sign up or login, your privacy is completely protected.

Almost any employment counselor will tell you "looking for work is work." LinkUp.com makes that work just a bit easier. Instead of having to locate and explore the website for every employer you might be interested in, LinkUp.com pulls that altogether into one place. They explain on their website:

The Holy Grail of the industry has always been the idea of finding and sharing the jobs that are posted on company websites. Until LinkUp, it was too hard for the job seeker to find these jobs. Some company urls are not easy to find or remember. Once you find the site, it is even difficult to find the career page because some companies seem to hide their job openings on the 19th buried page. Years ago, companies posted Job Openings in the break room or near the copier so employees or their friends and family could apply first. Then, they started paying Monster et al to advertise the jobs, because they needed more applicants. Some jobs were not advertised or companies could not afford the $300 posting fee/month/job. So not all the jobs were even advertised. At LinkUp, we share all the jobs and we believe that about 60% of them are never advertised to the public.

Don't just take my word for it...I encourage you to go check this out yourself. As an example, here is a list of Social Media jobs within 10 miles of Portland, OR:

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Image by Paul L McCord Jr via Flickr

I get asked "What company will hire me?" often quickly followed by "I'm 14 and no one will hire me. I need a real job."

This is actually 2 questions -

1. What jobs can I legally do?
2. What jobs will someone hire me to do?

This is Part 1 - and will only look at the first question.

Generations ago, a lot of jobs were done by children - dirty jobs, dangerous jobs...it didn't matter. Worldwide children as young as 5 might be working long hours: factory work, mining, agriculture, prostitution, quarrying, etc. As a society we decided that our children needed to be protected. The US (and other industrial countries) created laws about what jobs children could and could not do.

Today, which jobs a child can do (and at what age) depends on which state you live in. Most state have laws about anyone under 18 & work. Also, many states will require a work permit. You should be able to get all the information you need from your local high school or state employment office.

Some states have a list of what you can't do but I prefer this list from California which lists what you can do (in that state) -

Fourteen and fifteen-year-olds may be employed in the following occupations in the food service and retail industries:

• Office and clerical work, including the operation of office machines.
• Cashiering, selling, modeling, art work, work in advertising departments, window trimming, and comparative shopping.
• Price marking and tagging by hand or by machine, assembling orders, packing and shelving.
• Bagging and carrying out customers orders.
• Errand and delivery work by foot, bicycle, or public transportation.
• Cleanup work, including the use of vacuum cleaners and floor waxers, and maintenance of grounds, but not including the use of power-driven mowers or cutters.
• Kitchen work and other work involved in preparing and serving food and beverages, including the operation of machines and devices used in the performance of this work, including but not limited to, dishwashers, toasters, dumbwaiters, popcorn poppers, milkshake blenders, and coffee grinders.
• Cleaning vegetables and fruits, and wrapping, sealing, labeling, weighing, pricing, and stocking goods when performed in areas physically separate from areas where meat is prepared for sale and outside freezers or meat coolers.

Hopefully this gives you some ideas of the many options that are out there. Watch for the second part of this - "What jobs will someone hire me to do?" in a future post.

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DIG YOUR JOB: Keep it or Find a New One by GL Hoffman

There are thousands of job search books on the market. Most of them are simply repeating what has already been said, with a few slight differences. Dig Your Job is different.

Most books of this type are specifically looking only at finding a job - but ignore how to keep your job. You can be an expert at finding jobs, but that does little good if you do not know how to keep it. GL Hoffman not only starts the book with how to keep your current job but takes it a step further by including a whole section on starting your own business.

Another key difference in this and most other job search books is the way the author presents the information. The ideas presented are done so as tips or suggestions - not Commandments. If you are dealing with children, perhaps saying "you must do XYZ, or else" works. When you are dealing with adults...that doesn't work any more. GL Hoffman knows this. He is offering up his best advice - things learned over many years. It is left up to you to decide what to do with it.

Each section is short which makes this a great book to read in quick little bites. Keep it handy and you will find waiting for that appointment or the ride on the bus a little more enjoyable. It also allows the author to pack a lot of information into a tiny space. It is easy to quickly skim the pages for a certain section that want to revisit.

What makes this book such an easy read is the combination of real world experience and humor. What other job search book includes as an example a story that starts out with "A panda walks in a bar..."? Humor serves the author well...I will never forget the point of the panda story.

Most job search books are written for college grads headed to Fortune 500 companies. Dig Your Job certainly can speak to them, but it is just as great for the rest of us. Anyone who knows me, knows I am all about how things work in the real world (not how they should work) - This is where Dig Your Job shines! All of the suggestions and tips are straight forward, to the point and works in the real world. YOU can use this information today: regardless of your job (or lack of one), the economy, etc.

The last section in the book is a collection of quotes from other Dads. I think I understand where the author was coming from, but I have to say - Moms have just as much good advice on the subject, as do people without children.

But wait, there's more! On the bottom of most of the pages are links to websites. I would have preferred to see the websites be actually relevant to the section on the page, but most of them are good sites to visit anyway.

Amazon says:
The Not-So-Serious Career Handbook. Where Else Can You Get Over Two Hundred, Real World Tested Ideas for Finding a Better Job, or Protecting the One You Have? With DIG YOUR JOB, every single page can help spell the difference between finding a great job....and settling for one you hate. The ideas come at you fast and concisely. The author, himself a successful entrepreneur, has little time to waste. He writes directly, almost bluntly, but gives you the ideas with a healthy dose of humor...the book is as easy to read as comic book... a rarity today. This is NOT a boring book. Even though it is broken up in over 200 segments so that each one stands alone... we dare you to read just one.


Paperback: 160 pages
Publisher: JobDig, Inc. (February 6, 2009)
ISBN-10: 0578004585
ISBN-13: 978-0578004587

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Image by Olivier Charavel via Flickr

One of your first decisions in writing a resume is to decide how you want to start. This decision will greatly affect the final product so your choice should be well thought out.

Many people think they should be able to just sit down and write a resume. I often hear - "Anyone can do it - it's not hard...just write what jobs you've held, your education, and you're done, right?" While anyone can write a resume, few can write a good resume. For that you need specialized training.

Think for a minute about a television script. I could learn the basics of how to write a script after reading a few books or searching online for the information. However, to write a good script there is a lot more I would have to learn. I would expect to not be successful the first few attempts, and would seek out an experienced professional to teach me the finer points. The same is true about writing a resume. It is not about being smart or educated, it is about whether you have had the specialized training needed to produce an effective resume.

Keep this in mind when you are considering your resume writing options -Do It Yourself Options -

• Blank Page
You could start with a blank page and write your resume. I'm not sure why someone would choose this option in today's world...with computers at our fingertips you can find other options with minimal effort. Of course, if the closest you have to a computer is an old Royal this may be the best option for you. However, you will have to learn how to write a resume all on your own.


• Generic Template
Many people write their first resume using a generic template that is included in the word processing software. While this is a step above the Blank Page method, I don't recommend it. Resumes created this way look like..well, like a template....and employers can tell.


• Professional Template
These templates are written by experts in the field and are much better than the generic templates. There are many places on the internet you can get these, my personal favorite is The Damn Good Resume site. There aer samples listed in a number of categories: Customer Service, Office Work, Hospitality, Warehouse, Construction. Simply change the sample resume information for yours, and you're all set.


• Resume Writing Software
There are over 100 titles listed on Amazon for resume writing software. While each of these will write a resume, each product will present some challenges. Like all software, you need to make sure it will work on your computer and your operating system. I am not a fan of these packages, as many of them do not create a resume than can easily be edited outside the program. This may also limit your ability to use your resume online or via email.

Professional Options-

• College Career Center
Career centers on your college campus are a great place to start. The specific services offered vary from center to center. Most of them will offer at least resume writing, job leads and some form of career planning assistance. The quality of resume writing will vary depending on the staff at each center. In many cases you can get a great resume. However, in other locations, you would be better served writing it yourself.


• WIA Jobs Center
The Workforce Investment Act (WIA) provides Federal funding to job centers in many communities. These maybe called many different names: Work Source, 1-Stop, Work Force are probably the most common. These are sometimes included in the services provided by State Employment offices. In other places they are separate non-profit organizations. These centers provide a wide variety of services to job seekers - classes, resume writing, on-site recruiting, etc.


• Professional Resume Writer
Professional resume writers are everywhere. Choosing a good one can be tricky - made even more so because every one of them you talk to will have different list of "must have" criteria for you to consider. There are 43 different types of certifications for resume writers, career facilitator and/or life coach - any one of which will be likely to provide you with a resume. Prices for a resume writer can range anywhere from $50 to several thousand dollars. So how are you to choose? You have to make some decisions before you even start looking:


• Certifications: Certifications do not by themselves mean you are getting quality. Some certifications only require the individual pay a small fee, with no glance towards their experience or skills. By the same token, some excellent resume writers have no certifications.


• Advertising: How and where resume writers advertise can give you clues as to if they are the right fit for you. Advertisements on major job board are expensive - and that will be reflected in the price. By the same token, a card at the local grocery store bulletin board is free - so you can expect the costs to be much less as well.


• Location: Writing is something that can be done anywhere. Resume writing is no exception. A talented resume writer can write a excellent resume without having ever met you in person. Some people do not feel comfortable with that and want a more personal connection so they choose a local writer. The choice is yours - neither is more likely to produce a better product.


• Writing vs Crafting: This is the one variable that can make a huge difference in the final product. Be sure you know which you are gettingAsk to see samples of previous resumes. They should each be individual and reflect the client, not the writer. Ask for references - call and ask former customers (at least 3-6 months past) for their opinion. Be sure to ask about the overall experience, as well as the end result. The bottom line is: Was the resume effective?

As you can see, there are many different options. There is no one single answer that is the best choice for everyone or every situation.

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I love to read. I read books for a variety of reasons: about topics that interest me, books that are related to my work, or just for the fun of a good story. While I am able to minimize the expense of this by purchasing many of the books used, it still can add up after awhile.

A secondary issue arises in what to do with the books after I have read them. I donate a number of them, but I always feel like a good book is a friend and I would prefer to see them go into the hands of someone who wants to read them. I just discovered a site called PaperBackSwap.com.



It began in 2004 as a way for book readers to share their already-read books with each other via the Internet. It only requires an email address, a valid US address, and internet access. Currently there are over 3 million books listed on the site and over 65,000 members. It has been consistently praised in the media - here are a just a few of the many many mentions:

• Television shows: Good Morning America, The Today Show, and CNN
• Magazines: People, Oprah, Real Simple, and Reader's Digest.
• Newspapers: New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and LA Times
• Internet: eHow, Lifehacker.com, and Forbes.com

Click here for a full list and links

The website is free to use - there are no member fees, although it does say that there may be some in the future. It costs you nothing to receive books...the cost is on the sender of the books.

It is simple in it's workings - you list books that you want to pass on to their next home. The system will match your books to people who are waiting for them. The sender then prints two pieces of paper from their printer, wraps the item with those papers, attaches postage and drops it in the mail. The requesting member gets the book for free! Senders do have to pay for postage when they mail an item. Since these mail via media rate, it is only $2-3 per book. There is a "Box-O-Books" feature which allows you and another user to swap an equal number of books at one time, which saves on postage...maybe as low as $0.38 per/book.

There are a couple of companion sites too:


Swapacd.com — Fans can access more than 130,000 available titles. Load in your own CD titles and join the community to starting earning credits. It does cost 49 cents plus one credit and shipping to score a CD from another member.



Swapadvd.com — Movie collectors can trade both new and classic DVD titles. Not as big as the other two...but wait until word gets out.

Then there is this link at the bottom of the other sites - perhaps another sister site coming soon? SwapAGoat.com

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