If you answered yes to any of the questions above then chances are you’re in information overload. Personally, I’m in information overload and I write the articles and resumes not just read about them. As part of my job I’m supposed to constantly research the industry; what others are saying, thinking, writing, and doing. I find more times then not I’m just frustrated by the sheer volume of information out there. In fact, just today I was on LinkedIn viewing my group updates and almost every single group had articles about resume writing, interviewing, and job search tips/tricks/strategies. I thought to myself - job seekers must be simply overwhelmed by the amount of information. So here are some practical tips to wade through the relentless articles, tips, updates, tricks, and free offers you see.

1) Choose what applies to you. If you’re on LinkedIn join job search groups that apply to you specifically. I mean if you’re in Procurement join a procurement job search group. If you are an Executive then join an Executive job search group like Execunet. This helps segregate the type of information you receive. It won’t weed it out completely so you’ll have to pick and choose what applies to your specific industry or field.

2) Look for career professionals with two things: credentials and experience in your industry. Granted not all professional resume writers or career coaches have worked in your industry but most have written for it. Find someone who has completed a significant amount of work for your industry. They should be familiar with your industry terminology and comfortable speaking about it with you. It is OK to interview them and ask if they have expertise in your field.

3) If you are looking for professional resume writing services view samples on their website, request a free resume analysis, research the company, view testimonials or ask for references. It is perfectly OK to ask for business references. If you are looking for a career coach make sure you do the same. When I am considering working with a company I have never worked for before I will Google the company name and the word reviews. It is good to get outside information. If you find bad reviews out there you can weigh the information and decide for yourself.

4) Choose to read articles that apply to your situation - don’t just read anything and make sure you seek out the experts. I am personally a big fan of research. In fact, I often tell clients and readers to make sure they always research, research, research before doing anything. Do the same with the information you read. Research the writer, find out about their credentials, what they offer, who they work for, and what is motivating them to put together the information.

5) Everyone has an opinion and you have to realize that two people rarely ever have the same one. Yes, if you send your resume to ten different people to review you will get ten different responses on what needs to be changed. Take that information, use what you can, research what applies to you, try it out to see what works, and throw away the rest.

The truth of the matter is there’s no one size fits all when it comes to your job search, resume, cover letter or interview skills. What is most important is that you find the information that works the best for you regardless of what ten different people’s opinions may be. It’s your responsibility to wade through the information and pick and choose what works and ditch the rest. If you have sent your resume to 100 places and you have not received even one reply there is something wrong, your resume is broken and it needs to be fixed. If you’ve been on 20 interviews and have received zero offers and very few call backs again - big red flag something is wrong. Be realistic and open-minded but don’t be blind. If there is a problem fix it and try not to take every article, blog, or piece of advice you receive as an absolute. Remember when it comes to your job search there is no one size fits all.

Maybe what you need is a new game to play. Something that gets you excited again. Whether it’s a new job or a new way of doing something in your present position, a new game (or goal) gives you something to look forward to. Plus, you will no longer be “waiting” for something to happen in your career; instead, you will be making something happen.

So How You Can You Create A New Game? Follow These Steps:

1. Decide To Play A Game

The game cannot begin unless you commit to it. The ball cannot be thrown to you unless you are on the field to catch it. Maybe you want to know that you will win first before you play. Or, that every moment will be worthwhile. Guess what? You will not get this guarantee up front. The miracles in our career happen when we say “yes” and jump in. (Mistakes and all.)

There are a million reasons not to play now. (Fear, money, uncertainly, etc.) But there are a million and one reasons why you should not wait anymore.

2. Start Playing

Are you in one of these two places? You either have no idea what’s next for you in your career, or you do know and haven’t done anything about it yet. Either way it doesn’t matter. It’s time to get started. Many people fail because they never begin.

Start small. Small steps increase your confidence and lead to completing other small steps. Small steps on a regular basis are more effective than larger steps taken inconsistently. Slow and steady always wins the race.

3. Create An Official Game Plan

Once you begin, the momentum begins too. But without a plan you are just playing for fun. Your career is important and it means a lot. A plan adds organization to the game because it details specific actions and steps to help you win.

A plan can be formal and long, or uncomplicated and short. Here’s how to create one. Take your career goal and break it into smaller pieces. Get out your calendar and write down the specific small pieces you will do and when you will do them. Look at your calendar everyday. Look at your game plan everyday. Tweak and make changes as you go along. Use your game plan to motivate you. After all, your game’s underlying goal is for you to live into your greatness.

4. Keep Playing

There may be days when you do not feel like playing. Maybe you got hurt or are giving yourself a hard time over your last performance. Keep playing anyway. The championship goes to those who keep playing even when they do not feel like it. It’s ok to take a break. It’s not ok to take yourself out of the game completely.

5. Play To Win

You got to be in it to win it. “Someday I’ll play.” Let that someday be now.

In preparing to write this article we surveyed HR professionals to explore how business is coping with current candidate over-supply, lessons learned, and implications for the future of effective recruitment and selection.

First, the Good News …

There is some great talent available right now! The numbers vary by industry, location and job type, but obviously oversupply is the theme.

1. Volume of resumes and applications is 2 – 5 times the norm. With this kind of over-supply you can “buy more with less” which is nothing but good news for business (as long as you have good hiring systems).
2. Retention is less of a threat than we ever thought possible two years ago. Because employees are generally afraid to be unemployed they are holding on to their jobs longer and turnover is low, making for more stability, an experienced workforce, and decreased training costs.
3. Dead wood is getting cleared out. Many employers are taking advantage of the opportunity to acquire higher-caliber talent by letting less able employees go and filling jobs with more capable people.
4. Mentoring is on the up-swing as employers bring in experienced (and often older) workers who are highly qualified to mentor and coach more junior workers.
5. Better selection methods. Forced by sheer volume, many organizations have tightened up and improved their selection methods by:
a. utilizing subject-matter experts to screen resumes based on more thorough and exacting standards;
b. using assessments to weed out those with poor job suitability;
c. using telephone and virtual interviews rather than expensive and time-consuming face-to-face interviews;
d. multi-part interviews that begin with a short (10-15 minute introduction), initial interview to weed out people as a screener;
e. using professionally developed, job-specific interview guides to extract maximum information in minimal time for rating and decision-making (such as Interview Generator, found at www.BuildAnInterview.com).

And then, The Not-So-Good News …

The over-supply of candidates has a “dark side” as well.

1. Too many applicants to process efficiently. Resume overload can cause top candidates to be overlooked due to the sheer volume. Says Mariela Gognon, Technical Recruiting Expert:

“Interviewers are receiving so many resumes that sometimes the strongest candidates are getting overlooked.”

2. Candidates not selective enough (and over-apply for jobs). With unemployment reaching the 10% level, many people have become increasingly desperate and are applying for jobs that they normally would not. Further, many candidates are minimizing their relocation issues, understating salary requirements, and generally presenting themselves as experts in many areas/fields, rather than zeroing in on their core competencies. According to Stephen Williams, President of Bench International, a global executive search firm:

“Candidates in need are more likely to try to broaden their skills and experiences more (and often too much) than they were in the past when jobs were more plentiful. Selectivity in terms of what candidates will pursue has gone down while clients are becoming more selective towards the skills and experiences they seek. Candidates have to remember to stick with their core strengths and focus on what they can support as credible – stay on their “A” game because companies are using this as a time to take on “A” players. Self-dilution of candidate skill sets will ultimately be detrimental to their careers.”

3. Overly persistent applicants. Recruiters are seeing more instances of “over-the-top” behavior from applicants who will do anything to stand out and get a face-to-face interview. Phones are ringing off the hook as people try to get a live person on the phone. Said one HeathCare company staffing rep: “You can hear the desperation in their voice.”

4. Unfriendly employment practices. Because employment departments in organizations are overwhelmed, some have instituted policies and processes that make the candidate experience more unpleasant and burdensome. This short-term solution can have long-term consequences in terms of reputation and image in the marketplace once the economy rebounds. Witness new websites like www.howigotlaidoff.com that are completely devoted to capturing and chronicling the stories of the people who have recently been “let go,” including the often despicable methods in which they were dispatched.

5. Recruiter over-reaction. Some staffing specialists are so “spooked” by candidate glut that they are considering “passive” (currently employed) candidates only. The July 20, 2009 edition of Workforce Magazine stated that, “some recruiters are only going after working (passive) candidates because they think that laid off people are ‘damaged goods’.”

Finally, the Confusing News …

Some of what we are experiencing in the recruitment sector is unclear and even confusing. Here are some observations our experts reported:

Long-term impact of an expanded job search. While experts agree that job seekers are less selective in terms of the jobs they are willing to consider, Tessa Mellish, OD/Learning & Development Specialist, warns of a potential backlash later:

“Mature and highly experienced workers are expanding their job search to include lower-level jobs (but) the impact of candidates ‘devaluing their currency’ in this way will mean that when the labor market stabilizes in one to two years time, we will see a mass exodus of people seeking more senior roles and a soar in recruitment costs.”

More detailed job requirements. Developing more detailed and exacting requirements is one way that recruiters have found to narrow the field. Says Peggy Baggott, IT Group Manager at Metier Resources Group:

“In order to minimize the volume of resumes sent in response to an ad/posting, it is important to start with a detailed and highly specific job description. The more vague the description, the more widespread the responses will be. Having specific requirements is helpful in minimizing the resume flow.”

This practice can backfire if the result is to cut off otherwise excellent candidates who may not have the extra year of background or other narrow (and often not critical) criteria. Tessa Mellish, OD/Learning & Development Specialist reports:

“The impact on interviewers … is that, having seen an initial set of candidates, the interviewers are retracting roles and rewriting the job specs to include a wider and wider check list of requirements. 18 months/2 years ago, the trend was for highly specialized, narrow roles, whereas in this time of recession, I believe organizations are trying to maximize the scope of a role and in many cases are combining them.”

Balancing turnover risk. With so much talent around, should you be worried about hiring the over-qualified? Opinions in this area seem to be mixed, with most concern centered on employee longevity after the recession. Todd Beck, Strategic Marketing Leader put it this way:

“There is a risk of future turnover when the economy rebounds and here’s another wrinkle … if, because of the ‘glut’, a company extends the time it takes to select AND/OR (worse) changes its process to make the selection experience less enjoyable and unfriendly for candidates, that company could create even more turnover when the economy rebounds.”

Other HR professionals are elated that such talent is available and are less worried about the long-term. Richard Koethe, HR Director, US Military, believes that:

“Folks who were in the past viewed as ‘over qualified’ is a great plus for an organization. New blood, new perspectives, new talents, greater levels of experiences and knowledge are all factors. It’s sheer madness from my perspective not to look at this pool of candidates. At some point there will be someone who will jump ship when things get better, but that can be influenced by better and more detailed hiring practices and, more importantly, by having organizational cultures that are supportive of folks in many different ways.”

Recruitment / Selection Strategies

Tough times often spark ingenuity and the current recruitment climate is no different. Some tactics you might consider include:

Shortlisting. Culling a thicker stack of resumes takes time. Nick Tooley, Managing Director at Ideal People says:

“Better and more thorough short-listing on receipt of CV’s and applications help to highlight star candidates and then bring forward these stars in for the face-to-face interview.”

Consider using subject-matter experts (like line people) to help with the resume review and vetting process; chances are that they can do it faster and better than you can because they know the field or business better.

Assessments. Consider inserting a good psychometric assessment to narrow the field. Particularly effective are “suitability” assessments like the Harrison Assessments system that allow you to create a custom job template for a specific job and then matches candidates’ job preferences to the template to yield fit.

Focus on cultural fit. Strong recruiters are looking harder at whether a candidate fits the company culture, team dynamics and match with his or her new boss. Says David Boughter, HR Manager at HVAC Distributors:

“When interviewing now, I am probing even deeper into the motivation of the candidate. I want to make sure that even though the person sitting in front of me may be of a higher than normal quality, that they are interested in our position and company for the right reasons and will be a fit.”

Explore the candidate’s motivation. Particularly if the candidate is highly or even over-qualified, it can pay to probe more to discover why he or she wants to work for the company to determine fit and more subtle personal motivation.

Reduce the number of face-to-face interviews. Use telephone interviews where you can to vet candidates. Consider adding a 10-15 minute introductory interview as a screener and take care to explain that this is a quick, “get-to-know-you” chat before progressing to the next stage. If presented well, this practice can cut the time in half that a face-to-face interview might add just to decline the candidate afterwards.

Try Skype (with webcam) interviews. Many candidates have Skype (or other similar technologies) and may even have a webcam installed and are happy to do a remote interview with you as a first step; it saves time for both of you and is certainly a better experience than a straight phone interview (and, at least with Skype, it’s free!).

If you’re over 50 and are running into problems being considered for positions at the executive level, you’re not alone. The good news is that you don’t have to fall victim to it. Instead, you can utilize some great tips to showcase your viability in your chosen industry.

Let Them Know You Know People

One great way to convince a hiring manager that you’re the right person for the job is let him know that you know people. While there are some pretty impressive young overachievers out there who run to networking event after event to meet everyone in their industry, it’s still difficult to build solid relationships in a short period of time.

This is where being you becomes a bonus. If you’ve been a heavy-hitter in your industry for 25-plus years, it’s hard to match the number of solid business connections you have. You most likely have the “right” people on speed dial and can ask for a favor quicker than anyone else in your city. There’s no doubt that connections like these are vital to your existence as an executive. So if you have them, flaunt them – you can bet your younger counterparts can’t do the same.

No One Can Match Your Wisdom

Some employers like the idea of having a young face representing their company at the executive level, but could this young face have 25-plus years of wisdom under his belt? Likely not. In fact, it’s possible that when you were first getting started in your industry, your younger counterparts were just starting kindergarten.

So yes, you have a lot of wisdom and leadership that simply can’t be matched. You’ve encountered tough situations and have utilized superb problem-solving skills to get through them. In other words, you’re not a spring chicken. You’ve been around the block a few times. If you make it to the interviewing stage – where you may suddenly be judged for your older appearance – this is the time to tell some stories of achievement no one’s able to match.

Remember, You Can Make the Company Look Good

Another benefit of you being over 50 and having many years of experience is the credibility you offer the company. While the employer may be superficially looking for a young face, clients and potential partners will likely feel a great deal of comfort in knowing that the senior executive they’re working with is not wet behind the ears. It doesn’t hurt to humbly express this in your cover letter, as well as your interviews.

When you’re approaching executive-level positions as an over-50 candidate, it’s important to remember that confidence is key. If you walk into a situation feeling that you’re over-the-hill, or simply aren’t a viable candidate anymore, it will be hard for a prospective employer to disagree with you. So as you conduct your job search, never forget who you are: a top-level executive with enough connections, expertise and wisdom to blow those young whipper-snappers out of the water.

Heather Eagar is a former professional resume writer and is passionate about providing working professionals with current, reliable and effective job search tools and information. Compare the top executive resume writing services in the industry at http://resumelines.com.

Never heard of that? Well, you’re not alone. You, like most people, probably feel that there’s no right season to find a job. However, some experts beg to differ, believing that the down time many companies experience in the summer time offers a perfect opportunity to slide on in. While this myth has yet to be proven, if you happen to be searching in these summer months, there are some tips you can take advantage of to make your search easier.

Use Summer Family Events to Your Advantage

Summer is the time that people love to get out and enjoy each other’s company, so it’s a good idea to use this to your advantage by getting out and spending time with them. For instance, if your cousin is having a beautiful summer wedding, you can attend for support, and also get in a little networking. Or if there is a family barbeque that you don’t want to miss, don’t just eat the hamburgers and hot dogs, also get out there and meet some friends of the family. You never know, you might just find your next big opportunity this way.

Spend More Time at Networking Events

As mentioned previously, summer is the time that people like to get out. Take advantage of this by getting out to various events in your community. There are likely to be several networking organizations that will offer events for the public to enjoy. For instance, there may be outdoor wine tastings, free concerts, and more. These events offer the perfect opportunity to meet with individuals who work for prominent companies in the area. Of course, if you attend these fun, summertime events, be careful to watch your alcohol intake. You don’t want a wonderful networking opportunity to turn into the most embarrassing and devastating moment in your job search.

Don’t Give Up

During the summer, instead of feeling encouraged during your job search, you may actually feel a bit discouraged due to the difficulties you may run into trying to reach the right people. You have to remember that many employees – especially those in higher positions – may be taking their vacations during the summer while their children are out of school. This means the person you’re looking to connect with may be out of the office more than in. Don’t let this discourage you, though. Instead, be persistent (not annoying) until you can reach the person you’re looking for. This persistence may help you slide past the competition that’s waiting around for people to get back from vacation.

Since it has not been proven that summer is a better time to conduct a job search, it’s good to treat this season like the others. By working hard and persisting as you normally would, you are sure to find that job you want.

With unemployment now exceeding 10 percent in many states, the thought of working abroad is appealing to a greater number of jobseekers. Expanding a job search beyond the United States is certainly not for everyone. However, for those who love learning about other cultures, can communicate in multiple languages, or have specific in-demand skills, working in a foreign country can be a tremendous career opportunity.

Excluding military personnel, there are nearly 7 million Americans currently living in over 160 countries – many of whom relocated because of career opportunities. While lots of overseas employment assignments are government positions, there are also a growing number of jobs within companies that require a global workforce.

Of course, landing that perfect overseas job does entail somewhat more effort than simply dropping into a local employer and filling out an application. Instead, a multi-pronged strategy is needed to ready yourself for the global job market, seek out employers, and prepare for the transition to another country. While there are certainly more hurdles to overcome when deciding to work overseas, the rewards can be significant. If you’re ready to start an international job search, here are five strategies that will help you on your journey to success.

Create a Plan of Action
Start by creating a plan that highlights the industries or types of businesses that match your skill set and the methods you’ll utilize to find jobs. Consider whether you want to exclusively look for positions within the government, public companies, or private firms. You will also want to determine what corporate culture you are looking for and what geographic regions that you will focus on.

Overseas job hunting does require more effort and research. Take the time to investigate citizenship and work eligibility requirements and to assess your own cultural adaptability, foreign language skills, work experience and education. Don’t hesitate to fine tune skills or obtain additional education or training if necessary. For those who are still in school, investigate distance education, foreign exchange programs, as well as internship abroad opportunities.

Prepare for the Global Job Market
Regardless if you’re job search is domestic or international, you will need clear, concise job-search correspondence that markets your skills and background effectively. Most employers outside of the United States will require a curriculum vitas (CV), as opposed to a resume. In general, a CV is a longer, more detailed, chronological overview of your entire academic and professional history; usually longer than two pages.

A well-written cover letter is another must for any jobseeker. Take the time to write an attention-getting introductory paragraph explaining why you’re interested in the position. Make sure to weave into your text your most relevant skills and accomplishments. Don’t forget to close the letter with a request for an interview and always address the letter to a real person (hiring manager, human resources director, or other decision-maker).

Start Your Search
Thanks to the Internet, searching for international jobs has become substantially more efficient than before computers became a ubiquitous career development tool. There are many, useful job search sites that list open positions and provide helpful information such as employment trends, salary comparisons, CV writing assistance, and career advice. The Internet is also an extremely useful tool for researching companies, their competitors, and specific industry information.

Networking should be an equivalently important component to your job search. Consider all of your networking sources, including college connections, professional or trade organizations, and personal contacts. Utilize online networking sites such as Linkedin and ZoomInfo to alert others of your job search and to receive potential leads.

Don’t hesitate to reach out to companies, recruiters, and hiring agencies in the countries that you’re targeting by calling them directly. Fortunately, with the use of an internet phone service such as MediaRing Talk, you can make free and low-cost PC to phone calls directly from your computer.

Get Ready to Interview
Most likely, you will have preliminary interviews via phone or video conferencing. Make sure that you’re prepared to communicate effectively given a variety of interview methods. If the interview will be conducted in another language, be confident about your speaking skills. Take the time to understand cultural differences that may be apparent during an interview and have the ability to show enthusiasm while discussing your skills, accomplishments, training, and education. Preparation is truly the key to having a successful interview. Be ready to talk articulately about the company and their industry and have questions ready to ask.

Follow up is another necessity. Write thank you notes post-interview and don’t hesitate to inquire about the status of the position or other positions within the company if they haven’t followed up with you.

Plan Your Move
While you can certainly find a job overseas from the comfort of your own home, you will dramatically increase your chances by meeting your employers in person. If you do have the financial capabilities, you may want to consider moving to the country where you want to work to ramp up your search efforts. Once you’re in your desired location, you can take advantage of face-to-face interviews, networking opportunities, internships, volunteering, and other activities that will help you on your career path.

Although overseas jobs are not an option for all jobseekers, they are a smart choice for individuals who want to enrich their lives with the unique experiences that go hand-in-hand with living abroad. There are career opportunities for those who are prepared to meet this unique career challenge and a wealth of new opportunities available to them.

Here are ten simple things to do that will dramatically increase your chances: from wearing the right expression, to knowing what not to say, to never ever breaking a sweat.

1. Don?t be a Smiley Face

Excessive smiling in a job interview is seen for what it is ?nervousness and a lack of confidence. A Smiley Face exudes phoniness, which will quickly be picked up by the interviewer. Instead be thoughtful and pleasant. Smile when there?s something to smile about. Do a practice run in front of a mirror or friend.

2. Don?t be a Know-It-None

Your job is to be knowledgeable about the company for which you?re interviewing. Random facts about last night?s episode of Dancing With The Stars episode or your favorite blog will not get you the job. Never feel you have to fill an interview with small talk. Find ways to talk about serious subjects related to the industry or company. Pockets of silence are better than padding an interview with random babble.

3. Don?t Sweat

You can lose a job by wearing an undershirt or simply a little too much clothing. Sweaty palms or beads on your forehead will not impress. You are not applying to be a personal trainer. Sweat will be seen as a sign of weakness and nervousness. Do a practice run with your job interview outfit in front of friends. The job interview is one place you definitely don?t want to be hot.

4. Put down that Stop Sign

Interviewers are seeking candidates eager to take on challenging projects and jobs. Hesitance and a nay saying mentality will be as visible as a red tie ? and seen as a negative. Practice saying ?yes ? to questions about your interest in tasks and work that might normally give you pause.

5. Don?t be a Sheeple

Asking the location of the lunchroom or meeting room will clue the interviewer into your lack of preparation and initiative. Prepare. Don?t ask questions about routine elements or functions of a company: where stuff is, the size of your cube and company policy on coffee breaks.

6. Don?t be a Liar Liar

Studies show that employees lie frequently in the workplace. Lying won?t get you one. In a job interview even a slight exaggeration is lying. Don?t. Never stretch your resume or embellish accomplishments. There?s a difference between speaking with a measured confidence and engaging in BS. One lie can ruin your entire interview, and the skilled interviewer will spot the lie and show you the door.

7. Don?t Be a Bad Comedian

Humor tends to be very subjective and while it may be tempting to lead your interview with a joke you?ve got to be careful about your material. You probably will know nothing about the sensibilities of your interviewer, let alone what makes them laugh. On the other hand, nothing disarms the tension of a job interview like a little laughter, so you can probably score at least a courtesy chuckle mentioning that it?s ?perfect weather for a job interview!?

8. Don?t Be High Maintenance

If you start talking about the ideal office temperature, the perfect chair for your tricky back, and how the water cooler needs to be filled with imported mineral water, chances are you?ll be shown a polite smile and the door, regardless of your qualifications. Nobody hiring today is going to be looking for someone who?s going to be finicky about their workspace.

9. Don?t Be A Minute Man

At every job interview, the prospective hire is given the chance to ask questions. Make yours intelligent, to the point and watch the person across the desk for visual cues whether you?ve asked enough. Ask too many questions about off-target matters and you?ll be thought of as a Minute Man, destined to waste the company?s resources with insignificant and time-wasting matters.

10. Don?t Be A Switchblade

Normally the Switchblade is thought of a backstabber, often taking credit for someone else?s work. In an interview setting, the Switchblade can?t help but ?trash talk? his former employer. If you make it seem like your former workplace was hell on Earth, the person interviewing you might be tempted to call them to find out who was the real devil.

?2009 Jonathan Littman and Marc Hershon, authors of I Hate People!: Kick Loose from the Overbearing and Underhanded Jerks at Work and Get What You Want Out of Your Job

Author Bios
Jonathan Littman, is the author of I Hate People! and numerous acclaimed works of nonfiction, including The Fugitive Game, The Watchman, and The Beautiful Game. He is also the coauthor of IDEO’s The Art of Innovation and The Ten Faces of Innovation. He is a contributing editor for Playboy and a columnist for Yahoo! Sports.

Marc Hershon is the coauthor of I Hate People! and a branding expert who helped to create the names for the BlackBerry, Swiffer, n?vi, and many other influential products. He is also a comedy veteran who has worked closely, with Dana Carvey, Bill Maher, and Robin Williams.

For more information please visit www.IHatePeople.biz

The short-term outlook is not as bright, though. Although a small number of corporate chief information officers expect to be hiring this quarter, according to one study, many are wrestling with flat or falling IT budgets and trying to cut costs.

Driven by the Obama administration’s interest in healthcare, cybersecurity, and better interagency communication, the Federal government is expected to boost spending on information technology to $90.3 billion, up 3.5 percent by 2014.

State and local governments, meanwhile, are expected to boost spending by 3.9 percent to $60.1 billion by 2014.

Chief areas of interest for the federal government are healthcare, cybersecurity, energy and government transparency, according to Input, a consultant in Arlington, Virginia, that issued the reports.

Cloud computing initiatives in particular stand to grow as U.S. government agencies are forging ahead with plans to adopt cloud services or build their own.

States too are interested in healthcare, but are also looking at technology for education, public safety, social services and transportation, Input said.

Most corporate chief information officers — 85 percent — don’t plan to hire this quarter and 6 percent said they will cut back, according to a survey developed by Robert Half Technology, a recruiter in Menlo Park, California, for 1,400 CIOs at companies of at least 100 employees.

Eight percent of the CIOs told Robert Half they are hiring, however, and nearly three quarters are looking for people who know network administration. Other skills in demand are Windows server administration and desktop support. Jobs are most likely to be found in transportation, communications and utilities, followed by professional services and finance, insurance, and real estate.

A second survey of 202 North American IT managers by Computer Economics found that nearly half plan to cut jobs this year and around a quarter are hiring.

The IT job market does appear to be doing better than the job market as a whole. According to the Labor Department’s most recent monthly employment report, for May, jobs were still being cut faster than they were being created.

This leads me to my third point, which some may debate. 3.) In order to truly maximize the effectiveness and potential of ourselves and our organizations we must develop some solid diversity leadership competencies. This is true for all of us, regardless of our cultural background; because you cannot maximize your effectiveness as a leader in an extremely diverse society without understanding diversity. In short, you cannot lead what you do not understand.

Some may debate this by saying ” . . . America has always had diversity within its ranks and we’ve consistently been the leaders of the free world.” That is true, however what’s different now is that global competition is far fiercer; and our society is far more diverse than ever before. Additionally, the teachings and philosophies of every great leadership expert from Sun Tzu to Stephen Covey will confirm that the lion’s share of leadership is motivation; and every major study on culture has proven that different cultural groups are motivated by different things.

Management -v- Leadership

If you were to compile a list of the traits and skills that you most admire about great leaders like — Martin Luther King, Jr., Tony Blair, Mary McCloud-Bethune, Nelson Mandela, Bill Clinton, Ronald Reagan, Margret Thatcher, and others; odds are you would list things like moral courage, their ability to inspire; their mastery of language; how they helped ordinary people tap into their greatness, etc . . . Your list would not include the statement, “They were great managers”. Chances are they all are/were great managers; but in the end nobody cares. We don’t follow other people because of their management skills. We follow them because of how they make us feel.

The masses remember great people not because of their ability to manage; but because of their ability to LEAD! The reality is that people don’t want to be managed; they want to be led. They want to be inspired. They want to follow people that they connect with. The 21st century leader MUST have the adequate competencies to connect and build trust in an authentic way with people across a huge myriad of cultures and ideologies.

Diversity Management -v- Diversity Leadership

Management by nature deals with rules and policies. And let’s face it, that’s the easy part. Anyone can create a rule or write a policy statement. Leadership, on the other hand, deals with changing hearts and minds, and holding people accountable. This is a far more daunting and challenging task.

The unfortunate and regrettable truth is that we as a society have treated diversity like it is an inanimate “thing”; an object to be managed. But it’s not. It is a collection of people; living, breathing folks with minds and emotions. For the past 20 years or so, organizations have focused a lot of energy on diversity management, and understandably so. To their credit, these efforts have helped many organizations move past just counting heads, dealing only with representation. Some of these organizations are now re-directing a portion of their energy towards creating an inclusive environment that supports diversity. The point that I am attempting to make is that the diversity management approach is not incorrect; but it is incomplete. Managers tend to look toward the most expedient (and often temporary) fix; while leaders are more apt to look down the horizon for the actual long range resolution to the problem. This type of leadership is woefully missing as it relates to building fully inclusive environments that not only allow all types of people to flourish and maximize their abilities; but encourages, grooms and develops them to do so.

Many feel that leaders have failed to aggressively take the lead on diversity out of a lack of desire. However, I, on the contrary think this failure to lead on diversity has less to do with deficient desire, and more to do with fear. Fear of making a mistake and being “labeled”. The good news is that this fear can be eroded when leaders are equipped with some diversity leadership competencies that will build both their knowledge and confidence.

Trends That Make Diversity Leadership Competencies an Imperative

Developing these competencies is no longer a forward thinking innovation. We are actually running out of time. There are a large number of demographic and economic trends making the need to act an imperative. Among them:

* Labor Shortage — As Baby-Boomers retire, America faces decades of talent shortages. A report by Development Dimensions International, as reported in a recent article, The New War for Talent by Michael Gregoire, “one-fifth of this country’s large, established companies will be losing 40 percent or more of their top talent in the next five years.” Additionally, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statics further predicts a 10 million personnel shortfall starting around 2008-2010.

* Global Migration Patterns — As a result of the aforementioned talent shortage, the U.S. will need to increase its immigration numbers which will further increase our diversity, in the areas of race, culture and religion.

* Generational Issues — We will continue to have four distinctly different generations working side by side in our workforce. The tensions that exist may intensify. Due to our increasingly challenged economy, some older workers who had intended to retire will be forced to stay in the workplace for financial reasons. Simultaneously, many talented, impatient, “up and coming” Generation X’ers may start to feel some resentment toward these more matured workers who are now impeding their progress be refusing to leave these jobs that the Generation X’ers want; thus creating what is known as “generational conflict”.

A Few Required Competencies

In her book, Managing Diversity: Toward a Globally Inclusive Workplace, Michalle E. Mor Barak talks about how ancient Chinese tradition divides people into categories based on four qualities: Shi (scholars), Nong (farmers), Gong (artisans) and Shang (merchants). The belief is that to be a fully effective leader, one must acquire the ” . . . vision and ethics of the scholar, the appreciation and respect for basic human needs of the farmer, the creativity and drive for excellence of the artisan, and the ambition of the merchant (in order) to make a profit.” The concept to grasp here is that cultural competency is not about learning every little nuance about every cultural group. It’s more about learning the perspectives and big picture concepts that relate to various cultures. In short, diversity leadership competency is not focused on learning a long list of cultural “do’s and don’ts”. It is about establishing common ground with people from cultures other than your own by developing some simple tools. Some examples of these competencies are:

* Being aware of your own biases
* Developing cultural dexterity
* Challenging false assumptions
* Exercising moral courage
* Embodying trust and fairness
* Being consistent

Most of these competencies are not complicated or difficult to learn; and they tend to line up with our already accepted moral codes, and organizational values. All we have to do is put forth an effort until they become second nature.

In the words of leadership guru Warren Bennis, “Managers are people who do things right. Leaders are people who do the right thing.” Take the lead, step up and do the right thing. Everyone will benefit; yourself included.

©2008 Al Vivian

Author Bio
Al Vivian is the President and CEO of Basic Diversity, Inc. (BASIC). BASIC is a full service cultural diversity training and consulting firm that has been operating nationally for 34 years. Al has provided diversity counsel to civic and religious leaders, political officials, and television news personnel. He has provided diversity commentary to CNN, FOX, NBC, PBS, Atlanta Journal & Constitution, Chicago Sun Times, and WSB News Radio.

Linkage’s 10th Annual Summit on Leading Diversity in Atlanta, GA, March 16-18, 2009, is the nation’s premier event on best practices in diversity and inclusion. At The Summit on Leading Diversity you will gain the practical solutions you need to build inclusive work environments and move your organization’s diversity initiatives forward to achieve bottom-line results. Learn best practices while networking with 1,000 diversity practitioners and line leaders. This year’s Summit will feature life-changing keynote speakers including Ruby Dee, Phoebe Eng, Juan Williams, and more. For more information or to register call 781.402.5555 or visit www.linkageinc.com/div.

But another great way to get a job is through networking. Whether you have a family member who can make recommendations for you, or you join an organization where you get inside tips on companies, meeting the right people help you get you the job you want. Let’s look at some ways you can make networking work for you.

Talk to Your Friends and Family

If you’re really looking to find work and the want ads haven’t been very good to you then you may want to start networking with people that you trust the most: your friends and family. Not only can they surprise you with the information they know, they have your best interest at heart, which is always a plus.

Since your relationship with them is more likely to be casual, you can simply ask if they know of any job leads or people that you can link with for opportunities, without having to worry about being professional. You may just find that by networking close to home, you can find your next job lead in no time.

Join Clubs, Organizations or Advisory Boards

Making strides in a local or national club is another route that you can take to network your way to a great job. For instance, if you’re in the IT field, you might want to join The Association of Information Technology Professionals (AITP) to make connections and learn the ins and outs of your field. And if you career choice is accounting, you might want to join the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA).

If you’re already a professional in your field and are looking for new opportunities, you can always join the advisory board of one of your local organizations. For instance, if you’re working in the field of communication and want to raise your stakes as a professional, you can vie for a spot on the advisory board of Girl Scouts of America where you will be able to show your community service efforts and meet important people at the same time.

Try Online Networking

A newer form of networking that has proven to be successful in acquiring employment is online social networking. Whether you’re participating in fun sites like Myspace and Facebook, or professional sites like LinkedIn, you will find that many recruiters are locating candidates through this online vehicle. It’s good to research sites that recruiters visit most, check out blogs, and learn the culture before diving in. That way, if you set up a website profile or participate on message boards, you will be able to make the best first impression possible every time.

Networking is a great way to create new opportunities in your field. So conduct your research, make your connections, and get those opportunities started. In no time at all, you’ll see that your efforts will begin to pay off.