Yahoo! Finance Recommends JibberJobber To Organize Your Job Search

Yahoo! Finance Recommends JibberJobber To Organize Your Job Search 2 One of the most daunting aspects of a jobhunt is organizing it all, especially if it's a prolonged search. Who did you speak to when, what did you send to whom, perhaps even what did you wear to which interview. Yahoo! Finance recently praised JibberJobber as a tool to ease this burden. This is the JobMob review. Look and Feel The design and layout of the site is very basic and could use improvement. Being a programmer myself, I can tell that it was designed by another programmer in that the logo and site colors don't match yet there are more than enough features to satisfy even the serial jobhunter that can't hold down a stable 9-to-5 (in hitech that's called developer goldplating). The images and icons are expressive but lack a professional polish. Some pages of the site are strangely missing the header and footer navigation such as the otherwise terrific screencasts to explain site features like here. Finally, the gray-on-gray footer navigation is somewhat difficult to read; I'm not sure why it doesn't use the same dark blueâ€"light blue link coloring that works well all over the site. Score: 5/10eval Ease of Use After registering my username and entering the site, it was only a few mouse clicks to export my LinkedIn network from that site and then to reimport those contacts into JibberJobber. Unlike LinkedIn, JibberJobber didn't make a fuss about the file format to be imported, it just worked. Nice. Elsewhere, some things take simply too many clicks to do. In trying to understand the difference between premium and free users, you must watch this slideshow. Or at least that's what I thought until I discovered the comparison table camouflaged in the footer navigation bar. Like the tutorial screencasts that should be placed closer to the features they are explaining, the upgrade comparison is the kind of information that should be kept in a location where it will be most effective â€" near where you will think to look for it. In this case, simply adding a link on the orange upgrade promotion bar to the comparison table would be a big improvement.eval The navigation bars at the top and bottom of the site's pages have too many options and as a consequence it takes too long to find what you're looking for. One option that should disappear is the ‘Log Out' menu item. Along with the Welcome message, it would be better placed in the upper-righthand corner where the login box would otherwise be, in effect educating users that that corner of the layout pertains to their access information. The user interface could be simplified drastically by taking into account that certain actions repeat themselves with only minor variation. You can add a Contact, a Company and a Job (but not a Doc?) yet the interface doesn't change drastically each time so why are there separate pages for each? Score: 6/10 Feature Relevance The major achievement of JibberJobber is its wealth of features and the way they work together. Jason Alba, JibberJobber's founder and designer, clearly spent a significant amount of time trying to create a one-stop, all-you-can-need jobsearch-organizing site. He (and whoever helped him) were very successful in analyzing what jobseekers would want to manage and then piled on more features and options including mashing up with Google Maps wherever useful and offering easy links to Skype, LinkedIn and Chimby where relevant. (It would have been impressive to mashup with LinkedIn instead of building a parallel network but LinkedIn currently doesn't permit this unfortunately.) Although not very prominent, I like the way your homepage has a Simple View and a Dashboard View (Advanced View would be a better name) and I hope this concept will be extended to other parts of the site. There are enough features on the site to overwhelm many users and without a Simple View (which should be enabled by default, not the opposite), the impression is that the site is actually emphasizing how much work is required to find your next job, which is counterproductive. Since the user interface isn't much fun to use, I can see people beginning to dread it like a store-bought family budget program or any enterprise software that encourages people to take breaks in the office before the onset of computer rage (my hand hurts just watching the clip). I would prefer less features and better usability of the core ones. I like the way adding a Job proposes linking any of the Docs that you've uploaded however I will often customize my resume/CV before sending it out, which means that I would have many Docs. The current Add a Job form seems to be geared up to only having a few Docs and I'm not sure it would be able to handle a user with my habits. Similarly with the Document Manager, which is basically just a list of files you have uploaded to the site â€" barebones de barebones. I would love to see this integrated with a revision control system a la Trac but less intimidating for non-technical users. At the very least, allow me to add a comment or reminder about each upload. Score: 7/10 Hebrew Internationalisation Amazingly, there is some Hebrew support. I was able to enter a Contact's Hebrew name and then find that person using the Search. However, I wasn't able to do the same thing for a Job's Hebrew title. Considering that Hebrew is a non-Latin language, support for it is likely an indicator of support for other Latin languages besides English, and I was able to see that French was supported at least as well as Hebrew. Score: 7/10 Expectations JibberJobber bills itself as a site that ‘allows you to keep track of all of the information that you collect during a job search.' It definitely delivers on this promise in covering expected items such as contacted companies and less typical jobhunt elements like expenses. Unfortunately, the site's marketing material puts a little too much emphasis on the site's networking functionality and in doing so, confuses what should be the principal message to you about what you will find inside. JibberJobber doesn't need to be LinkedIn+, it should focus on being the best job search organizer. Score: 7/10 Bonus An innovative concept is the Library feature, which tries to encourage JibberJobbers to share information within their community. The interface is a somewhat clunky though; a wiki would have been much more appreciated, since sharing information quickly and easily is where wikis excel. Score: +3 points Overall Score: 35/50 or 70% Conclusion JibberJobber tries to encourage you to upgrade to a longer term and more profitable package but it's not clear why this is in your interest. Do they think it will take a long time to find work? Should I expect to be back on the market a year or two from now? Perhaps if I could freeze my term/account once I found a job and then unfreeze when needed, albeit within some limitations to avoid abuse. Some suggestions of what I'd like to see in the future: Improved user interface!! A community hosting option, similar to LinkedIn for Groups but ‘groupifying' a maximum of JibberJobber's features so that I could create a customized site for JobMobbers. More integration/mashups with other sites like Flickr (contact photos) or YouTube (host the screencasts). A quick links/shortcuts area giving you quick access to the features you use most. I'm going to send this review to JibberJobber and I hope that Jason will respond. Although there's clearly room for improvement, JibberJobber will significantly ease the stress of jobhunting for the vast majority of its users. If you're currently somewhere between sticky notes, a paper journal and maybe even a spreadsheet, definitely check out JibberJobber. What kinds of features would you like to see in a similar job search organizational program or website? Tell us in the comments. Enjoy this review?

How to Avoid Being Ripped Off on Car Insurance

How to Avoid Being Ripped Off on Car Insurance Ladies ( Gentlemen!), this topic might sound a little off beat in comparision to the usual topics here at Ms. Career Girl.   I decided to include this post in our line up because  car insurance  is one of those  little details  that is part of this whole growing up thing.   At 26, Im  about to purchase  my first car and these are the types of questions I have had throughout the process.   Hope this post is helpful to you now or in the future.   Cheers to independent well-informed women! By, Miles Walker Buying a car is a major first step in a young adults life, but buying the insurance for the car can be nothing less than monumental. Without age and wisdom, young people are at risk of being ripped off by companies looking for an easy sale and are frequently penalized for being (presumably) a greater risk on the road. Still, its possible to navigate the pitfalls and come out the other side with reasonably priced and appropriate insurance, if youre willing to do a little legwork to start with. Do Your Homework Many young people have no idea about what type of car insurance coverage that they will be shopping for they only know that they must have it. For example, if they own a car that is ten years old, they should be probably shopping for liability only car insurance coverage instead of collision coverage. Many people get ripped off because they speak to insurance agents that try to convince them to purchase more car insurance coverage than they truly need. For a beginner with their first car, only the bare necessities are needed unless their car is exceptionally nice. Research Companies before Making a Commitment Caveat emptor is not just a saying its also a great idea. The buyer must be even more cautious when they are younger and less world-wise. It is important to look at each insurance company’s website and read reviews about how well they treat their customers. Ask friends for a referral if they are satisfied with their insurance coverage this helps to identify the companies with a good reputation and customer service. Never buy car insurance coverage from a company that sounds very similar to well known ones. These are often scams that have been set up by people looking to commit fraud! If in doubt, post a question online to a consumer review site and see if the car insurance companies you are interested in have given their customers positive experiences. Compare Prices and Coverage for Each Car Insurance Company When comparing car insurance coverage, price should never be the only deciding factor, but the unfortunate reality is that younger, first-time drivers will pay more in premiums simply because of their age. Still, you should do your best to examine the companies you have short-listed and try to get a good deal. Look at how much coverage each car insurance company offers. Some companies will offer more coverage to consumers for a few extra dollars. Compare overall premium rates to see where each car insurance company stands in terms of quality and price. It is important to weigh the pros and cons associated with each company so that you know youre getting value for money. Consult with a customer service agent from a few of the insurance companies to see what they have to say. It is important to know as much as possible about the company’s procedures and coverage terms so that a decision can be reached. Take Your Time So youre anxious to get on the road and finally start driving. Thats completely understandable and also bad, because if youre in a hurry, youll end up paying more than you need to! Never jump into the situation too quickly wait at least a week to sign up for a new car insurance policy. Many customer service agents call or email people that they have given quotes to and want to finish the sale so that they receive their commission. If they become too pushy then ask them to stop calling you. Its also a good idea to give yourself time to think about it, and about how much youll spend versus what coverage youll get. As a final note never, ever be tempted to drive without insurance. Uninsured drivers are the bane of motorists everywhere, and theyre part of the reason that insurance premiums can cost a lot of money. You might think that youre a good driver, and one short trip wont hurt, but youre not the only driver on the road and getting into an accident is not really a great way to start your motoring life.

5 Ways to Set AND Achieve Your Personal Goals

5 Ways to Set AND Achieve Your Personal Goals This article is all about goals, why they are important, how you can set them and finally how to achieve them. First off, what is a goal? Well in this context, a goal is a personal objective. Something you want to achieve within a specific period of time. All successful people are goal-oriented. They know exactly what they want they are working toward the achievement of their goals every single day. They tend to accomplish far more than the average person in all aspects of life. Goals are flexible and can be used for short term tasks such as booking a holiday or long term goals such as graduating from university. So how do we actually work with goals? There are myriads of ways to do this; I will present the 5 steps I have found working well. Remember that this is an important life skill so pay attention 1. Decide exactly what you want The more precise and clear your goals are the easier it will be to know when they are complete. Just like in business, objectives should be specific and measurable. Ensure they are achievable and within the realms of reality otherwise you will run the risk of them becoming demotivating. For instance, the chances of me winning a Nobel Prize this year are very slim but me doing my next Toastmasters speech before Christmas could actually happen. 2. Write it down If you do not write your goals down, they will merely be wishes. Something magical happens when you put pen to paper, your writing etches its way into your subconscious. I have found that writing by hand is more powerful than on a computer, just as with any learning. 3. Make it time-bound Make your goals time-bound by setting deadlines and sub deadlines in case you break it down. Give yourself a realistic but aggressive time scales so that your goals challenge you. Goals are here to get things going as we all know that life is not a dress rehearsal. 4. Get it out there By this I mean put the list of goals up very visible at home or at work, or if you prefer to put images of what you want to achieve up. When we see our goals, we are sending an important message to the brain that activates us, and we then take steps to do what must be done to attain those goals. Tell the world about your goals as well, this will make it very hard for you to pull out If you have ever run a race for charity, for instance, you know what I mean. 5. Take action immediately You have to have momentum going and you should ideally be taking an action every day to bring you one step closer to the achievement of your goal. An example could be if you want to own a brand new Rolls-Royce, take action by ordering a brochure or even book a test drive. Bottom line So that was the 5 steps, not exactly rocket science. It sounds easy enough but the trick is to keep things up and move closer to achieving your goals every day. I have found that the more clarity I have on goals the more likely I am to achieve them. Working with goals has worked really well for me, especially when writing them down and seeing them every day. Your subconscious gets to work and sometimes it feels like you attain a goal on autopilot. So take time to sort out what you want and then place your order Having said that, if you do not have that clarity already it’s best to put something down now and you see these goals developing over time. Remember that goals aren’t carved in stone and as they are yours, you can change them as often as you like. RELATED: The Power of Perspective and How to Reach Your Goals

A Single Picture That Describes How Personal Branding Went Mainstream - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

A Single Picture That Describes How Personal Branding Went Mainstream - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career No, this isnt an Apple commercial.   I just wanted to use something you were familiar with; two of the most notable and respected corporate brands on the planet. As the web has evolved from web 1.0 to web 2.0, our personal brands have moved at the same capacity, from me 1.0 to me 2.0. I want you to analyze the following picture for 2-4 minutes and then read my commentary below. Web 1.0 / Me 1.0 Web 1.0 was an web filled with static pages. Each website built back then (over 5 years ago) had little to no interactivity. There were discussion forums, where people could talk about special interest topics or role play, depending on the forums purpose. Web 1.0 was a web where you had no say and these sites shouted at you. You were helpless! I mean you probably didnt notice or care at the time, but you used the web differently. The web to us was a shopping experience or a research database. You wanted to find the cheapest plane tickets or research the latest market trends for your school paper. Of course you still do that today, but theres more. Me 1.0 was when your brand had to sit in the passenger seat (see the Apple example above). This was a time when the corporate brand would not let you speak. Forget about visibility and voice; you were just another number. Me 1.0 was when, if you werent a corporate spokesman (executive/PR person), then you couldnt say a word! Me 1.0 was when you had to hide behind your corporation and for some of you, you might still do this for better or worse. Web 2.0 / Me 2.0 Web 2.0 is the greatest thing since sliced bread. Think of web 2.0 as a 2-way conversation. The openness of web 2.0 allows anyone to get engaged in a conversation online. The trend Ive been seeing is people crafting more blogs and less static (web 1.0) pages. The reason you might ask? Simply put, you can publish on-demand, get feedback quickly and you dont need to be a technical person to get started today. Web 2.0 is a world filled with blogs, social networks and bookmarking, which enable you to be on the same level as your peers and even your company. Google has allowed this to happen. Google values links from credible sources, which has skyrocketed the importance of blogs, leaving them at the top of the search results. Web 2.0 is the great equalizer in a world filled with nasty politics. Me 2.0 is when you are able to stand in front of your corporate brand (see the Microsoft example above). Anyone in your company can be a spokesperson, from the secretary to the CEO. This is fundamentally different from years ago because social media has given everyone the privilege and support to become a powerful brand, at a minimal cost. Me 2.0 is empowered to make a big difference in the world. Me 2.0 has enough free tools on the web now to accomplish years of work in a few months. The web has put some of the most intelligent and reputable figures at your fingertips; corporate brand sold separately. You can now command just as much attention as a company or you can choose to use your brand in support of your company! What have you done for me 2.0 lately?

Resume Writing Services - How to Find the Best Resume Writing Service

Resume Writing Services - How to Find the Best Resume Writing ServiceResume writing services are ideal for individuals who want to get a job interview or employment without spending a lot of money. In order to find the best service that can provide you with quality results, you should be able to know what to look for.One of the things you need to consider when choosing a resume writing service is their experience. Since the services will be writing your resume, it is important that they have a great deal of experience. A person who has no experience in the field is useless.Experience will ensure that the writer is not making the mistakes that other businesses make. This means the writer has a good grasp on how things work. It also gives you confidence that the resume will be written correctly.Quality should be a priority when you write a person's resume. You want to avoid wasting money on a service that provides poor quality service. When you look at resume writing services, look for a service that produces high quality output.Each writer is unique and each company is different. There are many resume writing services that provide a standard resume template. This does not mean that they are all bad service.Before you choose a service, ask for samples of work that was done by writers they had previously written. Look for a service that will provide you with a free sample. Some will charge you, but this can be an important factor when looking for a great resume writing service.Resume writing services are available in a variety of formats. You can also have them write a custom one for you. The quality of their work will vary based on the amount of work that has to be done.Finding a resume writing service that provides excellent results is very important. You should have a lot of confidence in the service that you choose because you hired them to create your resume. Look for a resume writing service that you can trust.

Use Your Resume to Tell a Story

Use Your Resume to Tell a Story If someone who did not know you read your resume, what information would she take away? Would she be able to articulate any of the following? Austin professionals succeed with these job career tips What skills you have What you have accomplished in your career What your experiences demonstrate What kind of job you would be ideal for Whats the Story Your Resume is Telling? A good resume tells your story. It demonstrates where you have been, what you have accomplished, the skills you have developed and the achievements you have made. Would a person reading your resume hear your story? Better yet, would that person be able to articulate it back to you or to someone else, like a hiring manager? Many of us feel our resumes are extremely clear and accurately demonstrate our skills. Often times, we are too close to the information to objectively look at our resume and see the story (or lack of a story) it portrays. Solicit an Objective Opinion Having an objective viewpoint is essential in knowing how someone will interpret your resume.  Follow these steps for soliciting that viewpoint: Give your resume to a friend or relative who hasnt seen it before. Ask your friend to read it over thoroughly. Once she is done, ask her to tell you what skills, achievements, and experiences are highlighted. Additionally, you could ask your friend/relative to look at the job description you are applying for and if you are a good fit for the job.  Warning:  the answers might surprise you!  If so, ask for some feedback, make some changes to your resume and repeat the process with someone else. Want to share your tips for resume reviews? Leave it in our comments section below!

The Dangerous Minefield of Modifying Previous Job Titles - Pathfinder Careers

The Dangerous Minefield of Modifying Previous Job Titles - Pathfinder Careers The Dangerous Minefield of Modifying Previous Job Titles True confession time: Did you ever ‘tweak’ a job title on your résumé because the title you worked under didn’t quite fit the work that you were doing? The truth is (and I’ve seen this a lot with clients as a résumé writer), many people have done at least some ‘creative job title engineering’ at some point… the fear of being caught diminishes simply as time has worn on, and as that particular job record slides further back into history, and the inhibitions to keep to the facts sometimes wear off as job seekers try to provide a more accurate snapshot of the work that they did. But did you know that when you change your actual job title of record to something different on your résumé, it is seen as lying by human resource personnel? Let’s put it this way: If a prospective employer is ready to make an offer and calls one of your former workplace human resource offices, the job title that you have on the résumé absolutely better match what is on your personnel record Don’t fall into the lazy assumption that “Well, everyone at that company knew I did so much more than that job title â€" I was the glue that held it all together. They’ll roll with it and understand.” Wrong! The person at the end of the line is not going to be as understanding about any job title modifications. And, depending on how long ago your employment was at that company, consider this: Staff may have turned over to the point that anyone currently in that position or department might not have ever met you before to even know what you did at a personal level. Changing official job titles a dangerous road to go down and is littered with potential landmines. Resist the urge to take any creative license on your work history. Why? Anything different than what is officially on record is a huge red flag and could lose you a job offer as a result. Your earnestness to convey the actual level of your work can also be misunderstood by a prospective employer as a deliberate attempt to deceive. All is not lost, however. There is a way to get across the FUNCTION of what you did when the job title doesn’t do it justice… and without misrepresenting yourself. A simple solution to this common problem is to provide the information as follows: Actual Job Title of Record (Title equivalent), Month/Year â€" Month/Year Example: Business Development Director (Vice President equivalent), 6/2003â€"7/2009 This way, you are stating the official title that you held while conveying the scope and level as an equivalency, but not claiming it. However, there are some exceptions. Sometimes, business owners decide that they want to go work for someone else, and decide to throw their hat into the ring.   While keeping to the facts and being honest, it would be a fair thing to say that the business owner of a small company has worn many hats in a definitive role- theyve been the chief cook, bottlewasher, and server. These business  owners run  all operations, finance, marketing, human resources, sales, executive, and customer service roles.   By conveying their specific job title towards their target job, they can position their experience towards that themed area. A good way to position experience in this situation is as follows: ABC Company Marketing Director / Owner, 6/2003â€"7/2009 By positioning the most desireable and relevant attribute of their business ownership towards the position for which they are applying, but also indicating ownership, they have covered the bases and satisfied role clarifications sought by human resource managers. Another problem that I see is that some clients will enjoy a steady progression of internal promotions in a company, but when it comes to listing the duration of their career at that particular employer, some people will take their most recent position and include all of the years encompassing their previous positions… under that one job. The fact remains that they were not doing that higher level job for the entirety of their career at that company, and stating all those years at that company under a single job is considered lying as well. I cannot tell you how many times I’ve started to delve into client work histories during consultations, only to be interrupted with the client stating that they had several positions at that employer (which were not stated/listed on the résumé). When I press for more details, it turns out that there are multiple positions that break down their work history into separate jobs. Claiming one long stint under one job title is an equally dangerous landmine in the road to a successful job search â€" some human resource managers see it as an attempt to extend the longevity and put more weight / attention onto that higher level position. However, the ironic part is that most human resource personnel agree that demonstrating career progression by listing those successive promotions is actually more helpful to them by demonstrating your value to the previous employer. Remember, being honest in developing your résumé means you have nothing to explain or defend in an interview. And with the amount of effort that it takes to actually land the attention of an employer these days, why would you want to jeopardize a potential job offer with a mistake (either intentional or unintentional due to laziness or assumptions) way back at the beginning of the job application cycle? Pay attention now, be honest, and never assume anything that people will ‘understand.’