If your job search has bogged down, this is the time to put the peddle to the medal and rev up your efforts. Step away from the computer screen and reassess your job search strategy.

- Ask a professional to review your resume and compare it to the types of positions you’re applying for.

- Get out of the house and volunteer, exercise, attend industry and social events.

- Develop some positive, personal affirmations to make you feel good about yourself.

Remember, this recession isn’t your fault and the next great job is just around the corner. You can make it happen. Stay positive.

On August 12, I spent three hours at University of Phoenix stadium reviewing resumes for job seeks at the Jobing.com job fair. I was so disappointed in the resumes I saw. What with all the free help out there these days, I’d think the self-prepared resumes would be much better than they were.

I asked some of them “why?” when they presented formats that were ten years out of date with objective statements or no summary statements or meager education at the top of the page — or all three at once. It seems there is no consistency of information for these job seekers. The Workforce Connection tells them one thing, their relatives tell them another — and then, here I am giving them a very different opinion.

Lord knows those of us who are professionally trained and certified in resume writing try to educate — but does anyone listen?

You know, the unemployment rate may be nearing 10%, but that also means that there is a 90+% employment rate.  The glass is more than half FULL!

There are lots of jobs out there, you just have to present yourself so the employers will see the value in hiring you. That’s where a certified professional resume writer comes in.

Don’t try to take the easy way out. Invest in yourself. If you’ve been laid off and you can get back to work even a couple of weeks sooner, will a $300-500 investment be worth it?

I wonder how much real value there is to attending a job fair with only 100 employers and 15,000 other attendees.

I’d guess that in this economy that most of the jobs offered are the low-pay-scale, hard-to-fill jobs. And there certainly isn’t going to be any face time with decision makers.

A job seekers best bet is to take advantage of the seminars offered as well as any resume reviews and interviewing assistance.

I’ve always believed a good resume is a true representation of the individual. If the resume isn’t presented articulately in a professional format — what does that say about the candidate? Not everyone can write. Not everyone has spent 20 years in the job search industry with ongoing training and development to be sure the resume presentation will knock the socks off the reviewer.

Do you have any idea how much competition there is out there for the good jobs? It has always been competitive, but now, with the poor economy, just a piece of paper with a history of your career will not  do the trick. 

It amazes me how many people refuse to invest in their futures by hiring a good resume writer. A good resume will get you in front of the interviewer and into a job much faster. I wish I had the statistics in front of me — but it is true.

And, if you’re working with recruiters … how many times have they passed you by because your resume didn’t properly highlight just the skill set … expertise … experience that the employer was looking for, but the recruiter didn’t know?

It is your responsibility as a job seeker to sell yourself — no one will assume you’ve got what it takes. No one cares about you — but you.

Get back to work faster by hiring a certified resume writer — it’s an investment in your career. If you get back to work even two weeks sooner, won’t the investment be worth it?

I’ve found in working with my clients that one of the most difficult elements of the resume process is understanding that the resume is NOT a history of their careers. Until I get their thinking turned around, all I get for information is job descriptions. A resume is not about the job; it’s about the candidates performance within the job parameters.

The resume is a sales pitch! You must convince the prospective employer that you will bring value to the organization.

Indeed.com is an excellent tool for your job search. It is an aggregate Web site, which means it brings together listings from all the other job boards (except Craig’s list) and will make your job search a lot more time effective.

Here’s a great opportunity to hnetwork with other job seekers in an informal setting.

SOCIAL NETWORKING: Mon, September 22, 2008 – 7 PM – 9 PM

SJN will be practicing social networking in two forms: first online and then as a mixer.

Bill Austin, SJN Vice President and social networking expert, will spend the first hour demonstrating the LinkedIn platform focusing on the how-to’s. It should be noted that Bill Austin is not a certified or accredited trainer, not associated with LinkedIn, and LinkedIn is a trademark. After Bill’s presentation, we’ll have open networking, socializing and light refreshments. Should be a fun time! We’ll expect many of our working members to join us for this evening event.