So you’re looking for a job and you think you’ve got your references all lined up. Before you start passing their contact information along to potential employees, you’d better make sure you can truly rely on them.

Even if you left a job in good standing, that doesn’t mean your former boss, co-workers, or Human Resources department are going to give you a glowing recommendation. Don’t take it personally. In some instances, that’s because company policy does not allow them to do so. HR, in particular, may only be allowed to verify that you were indeed employed at the company from date X to date Y. They cannot make any statements with regard to performance, professionalism or the like.

Other times, a would-be reference may not respond to calls from a potential new employer because they themselves are no longer with the company in question. It could also be that the company switched phone systems and extensions have changed.

Finally, your listed references may simply be following the old adage of “if you don’t have anything good to say, don’t say anything at all.” As hard as it may be to come to grips with, you may not be remembered as fondly as you would like to believe.

Many job hunters have had their dreams dashed when the people they thought of as good references either gave them a less-than-stellar recommendation or proved to be completely unresponsive. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to ensure this unfortunate fate doesn’t befall you:

1) Obtain Their Permission: Before giving out someone’s contact information, call them yourself and politely ask if they would be willing to serve as a reference for you. If they decline or seem at all hesitant, thank them for their time but by all means, do not place them on your list. Move on to the next person.

2) Double-Check Contact Info: Nothing frustrates a hiring manager more than a list of references which leads them nowhere, thanks to countless disconnected phone numbers or no-longer-valid email addresses. Take the time to reach out to your references and verify that the contact information you have for them is still correct. Also be sure to ask if they prefer to be contacted at the office, at home, or via their cell. They may not want to raise suspicions about their own future with their employer by having a hiring manager call them at work.

3) Get Creative: If none of your former bosses or co-workers are willing or available to serve as a reference, think of other people who know you well enough to vouch for you both personally and professionally. Have you done volunteer work for any non-profit organizations? If so, ask the appropriate person there if they would serve as a reference for you. This can be especially helpful if you volunteered to perform the same kind of work you do professionally on a pro bono basis. By all means, avoid listing relatives or close friends, however.

It can be incredibly frustrating – and frankly, a little scary – when your references go MIA. By keeping your cool and following these steps, however, you can overcome this challenge.

When looking for a job, you may find it reassuring to come across a company that states it is “always looking” for talented people. Such notices are usually incredibly vague, however. There’s no job description and no indication of whether they actually have any openings at the moment. They usually only include an email address and phone number for inquiries. And they typically only include an email address and phone number for inquiries.

Understandably, many job seekers wonder if such ads are for real. More specifically, they wonder if it would be worth their time and effort to answer one. If they decide to pursue such a vague opportunity, should they call the listed phone number or take the liberty of emailing a full resume and cover letter, expressing their interest in any suitable openings?

The good news is that people do actually get jobs through these kinds of ads. However, such employers are typically looking for only the “best of the best.” In other words, the average candidate will never find a job this way. In fact, their inquiry is likely to be met with stony silence. To garner the interest of an employer placing this kind of ad, a candidate needs to really stand out from the rest of the pack. That means a stellar resume and compelling cover letter.

Typically, companies place “We’re always looking for talent people” ads for one of the following reasons: 

• They suspect a key player is going to be leaving soon and they want to identify some potential replacements ahead of time.
• They want to build a database of potential future employees.
• They are truly in need of people with key skills and are eager to hire.

If you see this kind of ad and are tempted to inquire of the company, you must first ask yourself if you are truly the kind of stand-out candidate they are probably looking for. If you honestly believe you are a solid candidate who possesses key, marketable skills, then go ahead and take a shot. Don’t waste your time cold-calling, however. Chances are you will prejudice the hiring manager against you simply because you unknowingly called at an inconvenient time. What’s more, they won’t know anything about you because they have not yet had the opportunity to review your credentials. Instead, send a resume and cover letter explaining what you have to offer. Even if they are not ready to hire anyone right now, if you make a good impression, they may remember you the next time a suitable opening arises.

When searching for a job, it becomes easy to view each hiring manager as the enemy. After all, they are the gatekeeper, the one who is keeping you from attaining your dream job (or in this economy, any job). Yet, it’s important to remember that they are in very much the same position as you – just in reverse. You have certain skills, training and expertise you wish to put to work for the benefit of a particular company. And they have been charged with finding someone who possesses the requisite skills, training an expertise that will drive the business and generate greater profits. Making the two come together in a mutually pleasing conclusion is simply a meeting of the minds.

The first thing you absolutely must understand is that the hiring manager is under a great deal of pressure to deliver just the right person for the job. Unless you are interviewing with an extremely small company, chances are you won’t find yourself sitting down with the CEO. That means the person interviewing you has to answer to someone. They aren’t about to jeopardize their job by taking a chance on an under-qualified or otherwise questionable candidate. As a result, they are going to ask the tough questions, make you prove yourself, and then perform the proper due diligence to verify that you are just as great as you say you are.

In nearly every instance, you come into an interview as a complete unknown. Your job is to make the interview feel comfortable and confident about hiring you. They are not trying to be the bad guy – or gal – they are simply seeking to assure themselves that you will be able to perform in the job in question. At the same time, their hiring decision must be one that leaves them feels safe and secure in their own career. Again, that’s why they are not about to take a chance on an unproven individual.

That’s not to suggest you must be absolutely perfect and possess a flawless job record to boot. Hiring managers understand that no one is perfect. Everyone has weaknesses and shortcomings. For that reason, you will find yourself answering questions about weaknesses, shortcomings, and difficult situations you encountered. For you, the trick lies in turning a negative into a positive. Maybe you were once assigned to manage the account of a company whose industry was a complete mystery to you. That may have been a shortcoming, but you can still win the hiring manager over if you share a gripping account of how you dove in, thoroughly researched not only the company, but its industry and key competitors, and then helped them achieve great things.

Finally, remember that the hiring manager is looking for a solution to specific pain points the company is currently facing. Once you are in the interview environment, pay close attention to what they say and ask a few probing questions of your own. Seek to uncover those pain points and then convince the hiring manager that you are the remedy, the one person that can relieve all that ails them.

So you want to boost your career, climb the corporate ladder, and improve your earning power. In today’s economy, it’s all too easy to feel powerless and fall into the mindset that someone else occupies the driver’s seat when it comes to steering your career in the right direction. 

Fortunately, that’s not altogether true. While your job options may be limited at this time, you possess a great deal of power to transform your career over the long-term. The secret lies in thinking of yourself, your personal brand, like a start-up business and taking the same approach to building your career as you would to building that business.

It’s important to begin by facing the facts. You may be an extraordinarily talented individual, but the fact remains that a million different people could do your job. Attempting to be better than everyone else will get you nowhere. Instead, you must focus on carving out your own professional niche and becoming the best in that particular realm. 

In their new book “The Start-Up of YOU: Adapt to the Future, Invest in Yourself, and Transform Your Career,” authors Reid Hoffman, co-founder and chairman of LinkedIn, and Ben Casnocha lay out three dynamic pieces to help you position yourself in the market: 

• Assets – This basically refers to what you have going for yourself right now. It includes soft assets, like knowledge, skills, and connections, along with more traditional “hard” assets, like cash in the bank.
• Aspirations and Values – This piece entails where you would like to go career-wise in the future.
• Market Realities – This part focuses on what people will actually pay you for.

 The authors continue by laying out a number of tips for surviving and thriving in today’s competitive world. Adopting them will help you create the right job search mindset and marketing message. They include: 

• Developing a competitive advantage to win the best jobs and opportunities
• Adapting your career plans as you change, as the people around you change, and as industries change
• Strengthening your professional network by building powerful alliances and maintaining a diverse mix of relationships
• Identifying unique breakout opportunities that will accelerate your career growth
• Take proactive risks to become more resilient to industry tsunamis
• Tapping your network for information and intelligence that will help you make better decisions

Regardless of whether you take the initiative to read the book, the main lesson is this: If you want to build your career, you must adopt the mindset of a small business owner. Think of yourself as the business and your skills and knowledge as the product or service. Brainstorm about what steps you would take to build a business and adapt those same steps to your own personal brand. Invest in yourself, build your professional networks, take intelligent risks, and find ways to make uncertainty and volatility work to your advantage. As the recovery continues and you look to the future, you may just find yourself a couple of rungs up the ladder after all.

It’s that moment of a job interview that every applicant dreads. After chatting casually about your experience and qualifications, the hiring manager looks you in the eye and asks, “Do you have any questions for me?” 

Gulp. It’s here. What do I do? What do I say? I don’t want to appear stupid? Do I have to say anything? Is it alright to simply pass? 

A good job interview should be a two-way street. In other words, there should be a conversation, a dialogue, not an interrogation. Sure, the interviewer is seeking to determine whether you are the right person for the job, but at the same time, your goal should be determining whether the job is right for you.

To a certain extent, you can ascertain a job’s appropriateness through the types of questions the hiring manager is asking. Chances are, however, there will be a number of vital questions which remain unasked at the end of a typical interview, however. It falls to you, therefore, to ensure such questions are posed.

Here are some sample questions you may wish to ask when given the opportunity: 

• What is your definition of the ideal candidate?
• What happened to the last person who held this job?
• What are the most important skills and attributes for this position?
• How often will I be evaluated if I am hired for this job?
• How will you be defining success in this position?
• What opportunities exist for growth and advancement?
• What do you envision for the company in five years?
• Tell me about the structure and hierarchy of the company?
• What are the next steps in the hiring process?

 Conversely, here are some questions you should never ask: 

• What does the company do? (You should already know this going in.)
• How much does the job pay? (The hiring manager should be the one to broach this subject.)
• How soon do I get vacation? (Wait until the job has been offered to begin discussions of time-off.)
• Are you going to hire me? (Don’t seem too eager. If they decide to hire you, they will let you know.)

Whenever possible, keep the questions open-ended. Avoid questions which can be answered with a simple “yes” or “no.” And be sure to avoid questions which could be easily be answered by visiting the company’s website.

What questions you ultimately ask is up to you. To a certain extent, the job and company in question will help dictate what questions are appropriate to ask. The important thing is not to let this valuable opportunity pass you by. Remember, the only stupid questions are the ones you never ask.

It’s no secret companies have taken to the Net when conducting due diligence on a potential new employee. From LinkedIn to Facebook to simple Google searches encompassing every single appearance on the Web, nothing is sacred. That includes every embarrassing photo, as well as every Tweet and message board comment you’ve ever posted. Some hiring managers have even been known to review candidates’ Amazon.com wish lists. If that doesn’t concern you, either you’ve lived the life of Mother Teresa or you are completely oblivious to the potential damage you’ve done to your career.

If you’re getting a little hot around the collar, relax. I’m not trying to pass judgment on your Internet activities. The goal here is to help you overcome any online transgressions or ill-advised postings so that potential employers won’t get a negative impression of you based on what they find on the Web. The goal is to craft an online identity that reflects positively upon you as a professional.

A good starting point is to ask yourself what a potential employer would find if they were to Google your name. If you have a common name, this question may be complicated by the fact that they are likely to uncover the digital trail of many individuals in addition to you. However, they can narrow their search by filtering by location, previous jobs, etc. If you honestly don’t know how you come across on the Web, try Googling yourself. Chances are you’ve done it already, but it’s always a good idea to keep close tabs on your online presence.

If you find “digital dirt” – that is, information, comments, or images you would rather a potential employee not see – there is often nothing you can do to scrub your online reputation. In some instances, you can delete content, but for the most part, the best approach to seek to smother the dirt with positive, professional content. You should immediately start creating new and content presenting yourself as a capable professional. If you have published journal articles, add links to those sites to your LinkedIn and Facebook pages. Tweet your insights into trends and news stories that are relevant to your industry. You must be patient, however, because it can take time to achieve the desired balance.

You can further enhance your online reputation by posting a professional photo of yourself on every one of your profiles. That means a headshot taken by an actual professional photographer, not a snapshot taken by your cousin during that wild weekend in Miami. Seek to feature anything that points to involvement in community activities or that demonstrates stellar communication skills. By all means, seek to delete any previous comments that could be interpreted as critical of a former employer. Nothing turns off a potential employer faster than the possibility of hiring someone who is likely to damage their reputation.

Looking for a job? Then chances are you’ll come in contact with an Applicant Tracking System (ATS). Nearly all major corporations now use some form of ATS to help automate the recruiting process. Even small to medium companies have begun relying on ATS applications through Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) offerings.

In today’s economy, employers can easily receive thousands of applicants for a single job opening. An ATS is a software application designed to handle job applications and manage resume data. Its primary function is to provide a central location and database for the company’s recruitment efforts, allowing human resources to track applicants from their initial contact all the way through the hiring process.

For the employer, an ATS makes it easier to monitor and coordinate job openings and manage the recruitment process. Jobs are posted online and then data is either collected internally from applications or extracted from applicants on job boards. Resumes and applications are stored inside the secure database, allowing for searching, matching, and routing of applicants. This allows for faster and more reliable hiring decisions.

Job seekers benefit from an ATS because it allows them to search open positions by location and entity and upload required materials. They can even check their status electronically. Applying for positions is even easier for internal applicants because the system automatically adds information the company already has on file. Once a positions has been filled, the system automatically removes the posting, eliminating endless guessing over whether a candidate is still in the running.

Here are a few tips for increasing your chances of getting a job by optimizing your resume for an ATS search:

• Be Simple — Steer clear of a highly formatted resume. Most ATS will scramble the tables, graphs, and graphics you worked so hard to compose. Instead, stick to a simple format. If you feel you simply must exhibit your creative flair, save a highly formatted resume as a .txt (ASCII) file.

• Be Concise – Avoid the temptation to add all kinds of extra headings. Most ATS will only recognize the most common headings: Work Experience or Professional Experience, Education, and Professional Summary. Other headings won’t be stored, so include certifications, community activities, publications, and the like under the Education heading.

 • Be Uncommon – Go beyond the common keywords for your position, level, function, or industry. Many ATS will peg uncommon, unique-to-the-job-posting words or phrases as keywords.

• Be Complete – Don’t rely on acronyms or abbreviations alone. If you mean to say “unique selling points,” don’t say USP. Use the full language. Also, don’t forget to mention where you heard about the job. An ATS will track sources. Some, such as employee referrals, are ranked higher than others.

Many job-seekers mistakenly believe there is nothing to be gained by pounding the pavement between Thanksgiving and New Year’s – unless you’re looking for a seasonal job as a shopping mall Santa, that is. In reality, nothing could be further from the truth as the holidays actually represent one of the best job-seeking seasons of the year. Job-seekers who drop out of the race during the holidays are doing themselves a huge disservice.

Many organizations actively engage in December interviews for jobs that won’t start until after the ball drops inTimes Square. With fall trade shows behind them, decision-makers are more easily accessible. For many of them, December is the time to prepare for the coming year. Key personnel and payroll decisions must be made before year’s end, and hiring managers are keen to get a jumpstart on meeting the goals they have set for the new year.

Recruiters and hiring managers frequently complain that it’s next to impossible to reach candidates during this pivotal time period. Distracted by holiday shopping, parties, and the uncontrollable desire to deck the halls, otherwise desirable candidates are simply not responsive. If you can avoid falling into that trap, you will have less competition and a greater chance of enjoying your holidays, knowing a new job awaits you.

Here are a few simple tips for ensuring that your holiday job search is as merry as can be:

*  Send holiday cards to well-connected friends, as well as to hiring managers who have recently interviewed you. Include your business card. Make sure the card is not geared toward any one particular religion. If the recipient happens to be Jewish or African-American, don’t try to be culturally sensitive by sending a Hanukkah orKwanzacard. A simple “Happy Holidays” greeting will do.

* Use holiday get-togethers for networking. Attend as many events as you can and keep in mind that anyone – friend, relative, or stranger – could inadvertently lead you to your next job. Play it cool and have a good time, but be prepared to tell everyone you meet about your job search.

* Use the end-year time period to make informational interview requests. Many businesses naturally slow down during the holiday period, so it’s a good time to connect and learn more about potential future employers. They may not be in a position to offer you a job at the moment, but your interest and initiative will probably put you near the top of the list for any future openings.  

* If you can’t land your dream job, consider part-time seasonal work. Retailers and shipping companies are especially desperate for holiday help, so open yourself up to work you might not otherwise do. Don the Santa hat, wrap presents for harried shoppers, or give your muscles a work-out unloading a truck full of last minute gifts. The extra money will come in handy and prospective employers will see you have the gumption to tackle new challenges. You may even meet someone who holds the key to your new job.

If you’ve found yourself looking for an out-of-state job, you are not alone. The tough economy has prompted many individuals to expand their job search outside of their immediate geographic area. If hiring seems to have dried up in your area, you have little choice but to go where the jobs are. Then again, you may looking for an out-of-state job for an entirely different reason. Perhaps your spouse found a new job there. Or you may simply prefer a warmer – or colder – climate. Whatever the reason, chances are you have some questions about how best to go about applying for an out-of-state position. Here are some helpful tips to keep in mind:

1)      Will They Take Me Seriously? — Job seekers are often concerned that hiring managers will dismiss an out-of-state resume out-of-hand. While employers may be inclined to consider local candidates for entry-level jobs, they typically expect to receive resumes from out-of-state candidates for management positions.

2)      Should I Try to Appear Local? – Some job search experts advise out-of-state candidates to use a local mailing address (that of a friend or family member) on their cover letter and resume. That tactic can be perceived as dishonest, however, and may prove problematic if an employer calls up, seeking to schedule an interview the next day. It’s better to be honest and use your current address. Be sure to state in your cover letter that you are planning – not hoping – to move to the area soon.

 3)      Can Networking Help Me Find An Out-of-State Job? – While it’s easy to assume that networking is only helpful in a local job market, nothing could be further from the truth in this virtual age. These days, networking can be accomplished simply by telling all your LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook contacts about your plans. You never know, one of them may be able to aid you in your quest.

4)      Who Will Pay for My Relocation? – If you are willing and able to pay for your own relocation, state so in your cover letter. Your willingness to foot the bill for your own move may give you a competitive edge. If you expect your potential employer to provide relocation assistance, however, be prepared to negotiate. Gone are the days of extensive relocation packages, so chances are you will be left to fend for yourself unless you’re being hired for an executive level position.

An out-of-state job search can be a challenge, but it certainly can be done successfully. Just stay focused, utilize your online networks, and stress the fact that you are soon to be a resident of the area.

Searching for a job has evolved into an exercise in marketing. As a candidate, your job is to sell yourself as the cure for whatever ails the employer you are courting. Much like a consumer products marketer cultivates a plan for promoting the likes of Pepsi, Sony, Charmin, or Jennie-O, you must create and promote your personal brand.

Whether you realize it or not, you already have a personal brand. It encompasses everything you are and everything you have to offer. In recent years, personal branding has become a key component of the job search. There’s been a realization that an individual possesses specific, saleable features and benefits and that touting those attributes can make the difference between getting hired or hitting the pavement in search of another opportunity.

Here are a few tips for building your brand and convincing a potential employer that buying what you have to offer will be good for their business:

1- Define Your Brand – You can’t sell what you can’t describe, so begin by answering some key questions that get at the very heart of your personal brand: What are your core strengths? What are you passionate about? How would you describe your values, your vision, your purpose? What are your goals for the next year, five years, 10 years? What differentiates you from the competition?

2- Elicit Feedback – You may feel you have a good handle on who you are, but those around you, particularly those who have worked with you, are in a position to provide invaluable insights into how you are perceived by others. Compare their feedback to your personal assessment and adjust accordingly.

3- Draft Marketing Materials – Consumer products marketers spend thousands of hours coming up with the perfect slogans and complementary materials to sell their brand. Take your time, flex your creative muscles, and focus on writing a personal brand statement that encapsulates your skills, passions, values, and goals in a clear and compelling way. Keep it concise by sticking to one or two sentences.

4- Integrate Your Branding Materials – Incorporate your personal brand statement into all your career marketing materials – resume, cover letters, LinkedIn profile, business card, and professional biography. Weave your branding through everything you say and do that could possibly be related to your career.

5- Sell Yourself – Promote yourself as a valuable commodity by participating in LinkedIn groups and other Internet forums pertaining to your specialty. Start your own blog and position yourself as an expert by sharing your expertise through regular posts. Include links to other components of your personal branding initiative, such as your resume, biography, and LinkedIn profile, as well as any journal articles you have penned.

Personal branding is an exciting means of maximizing your career potential. All you have to do is think of yourself as a commodity worth buying. Countless legends of business have developed their own personal brands – often without even realizing it. After all, Bill Gates was once just an enterprising young egghead, but who in today’s world doesn’t recognize his name and everything the brand “Bill Gates” has to offer? With a little inspiration and a solid strategy, you, too, can become a brand worth buying.