Strategies to Help Offset Diminishing Job and Income Security

With company downsizing and employee layoffs still looming at many companies, there’s no time like the present to act on strategies that can help prop up your current or future job and income security. To explore these CBS MoneyWatch.com strategies, click here.

Choosing Employment References Requires Careful Preparation

Many job seekers underestimate the power of their references and are passed over for employment as a result. Knowing this, you must carefully choose employment references that compliment your resumé.

Think about people who would be willing to vouch for you as a reference or who would be willing to write a letter of recommendation. Select three or four people who know you well and who can comment positively about your work habits, skills, and personal qualities. Typical references include former and/or current supervisors, colleagues and/or subordinates, former customers and/or clients, or contacts from work-related associations or volunteer work.

Ask your potential references if they feel they could write a strong recommendation. Choose only those who can provide this for you. To make the task easier for your references, provide a copy of your resumé or other information about your direction and background.

The people you choose as references should be available by telephone when a prospective employer calls. If a person isn’t easily available by telephone, ask the person to provide a letter of recommendation. A letter of recommendation offers a written appraisal of your work habits, skills, and personal qualities. Ask the person to address the letter “To Whom It May Concern,” so that you can use the letter over and over again.

Get Out of the Job Search Rut: Four Ideas to Put into Action

If you’re feeling a bit stuck in your job search, are tired of scouring the online job boards. and think your network has heard from you one too many times, it may be time for some new job search tactics.

CBS moneywatch.com shares pointers for using your online social network more efficiently, blogging, tapping into technology tools to identify leads, and volunteering your way to a possible next job. Great job search ideas are just a click away.

When Weighing A Job Offer Look at the Warning Signs

During these difficult economic times, it’s easy to fall prey to the anxiety of being unemployed and accept the first job that you’re offered. When confronted with certain realities, such as a dire financial situation, job seekers often need to be practical and agree to the offer. However, if you have the means to be more selective, the Wall Street Journal describes five types of trouble-filled job prospects from which to walk away. To learn more, click here.

Preparing for a Federal Government Job Interview

While similarities exist in the interviewing process between the federal government and the corporate and non-profit sectors, there are some important differences to consider when preparing for that all-important government job interview. In a career advice series on landing a federal government job, the Washington Post offers suggestions to help set you apart from other interview candidates. To learn how to effectively do so, click here.

Employment Longevity: Employee Loyalty Takes On New Meaning

The Wall Street Journal-India takes an interesting look at the topic of employee loyalty and employment longevity. It’s quite common for younger generations to switch jobs every few years, and with more and more organizations’ laying off workers, older generations are rethinking the definition of loyalty to any one company. To read this article, click here.