I was recently interviewed for an article. “Job Hunting Tips for Baby Boomers”, and the writer, Casey Dowd, asked some great questions. Please take a look at the article:  http://www.foxbusiness.com/personal-finance/2013/11/21/job-hunting-tips-for-baby-boomers/ and let me know what you think. We Boomers aren’t done yet!

I just got a wonderful email from a job seeker who heard me speak at Jewish Family Services in West Hartford, CT. He wrote that he did careful preparation and “listed the job requirements and coordinated them with my strengths” and also “carried of list of my accomplishment stories for some quick reading in the car (just before the interview) and kept the headings in clear sight during the interview.” The results? Two offers and another interview in the works. What I love best is his analogy:  “It was like taking an open book test.”

So good preparation is not optional. Take a look at a free chapter of my new book, “The Essential Job Interview Handbook” on my website:  JeanBaur.com. And make sure to put smart effort into getting ready for interviews. It pays off!

Take a look at my recent post on collegerecruiter.com:  http://www.collegerecruiter.com/blog/2013/10/17/how-can-college-students-sell-experience-at-a-job-interview/

Interviewing is such an important part of getting a job, and now there’s a new resource to help job seekers of all levels and functions. I’m thrilled to announce that “The Essential Job Interview Handbook” is in bookstores and available on Kindle and Nook. If you’d like to read three, free chapters, please go to my website:  JeanBaur.com.

What’s different about this book? It combines preparation and strategy with sample questions and answers, and unlike other interview books, gives “good, better and best” options for each question with a brief explanation of what makes the strongest answers. And it’s fun. Each chapter has sidebars with stories from my 20+ years of career coaching, and a “Ditch It!” section that includes things you should never say in an interview. I’m confident this work will help you whether you’re just staring out or have been working a long time. And if you’re in transition, it’s a must. Go to your local library as ask for it.

Here’s an odd thing about being in job search:  it can get boring. You’ve got a lot to do, but when not much happens, it can feel discouraging and it’s easy to lose interest. When doing laundry looks like a good time, you know you’re in trouble. My advice, as a career coach and author, is to surprise yourself. Do something that is out of the box for you. That could mean attending a networking meeting that you’ve avoided, volunteering at a soup kitchen, or signing up for a drawing class. It’s your job to make your life interesting while you look for work, and as you do it, you’ll find your search easier to maintain. And who knows, the things you do to surprise yourself might even help you get to your next opportunity.

Here we are at the point in August when we realize summer will be over before we know it, kids will be back in school, and for those in transition, it can be a rough time. Like Shakespeare’s play, “Midsummer Night’s Dream”, this could be a time to tap into  your day dreams and fantasies as you work your search. Can you find one company that you’d really like to work for? Or can you think of a role you’d love to be in for your next job? See if you can use these creative thoughts to re-energize your job search campaign and stimulate your network. Rather than telling others, “There are no jobs out there”, see what happens if you say, “I’m really interested in this local company and am trying to find out more about them. What do you know?”

And read something inspiring. I just found a really fun book, “The Road to Burgundy” about an American who ends up moving to France to produce wine. All you need is one job, so use this special time of the year to pursue it in a way that engages others. That way they’ll be glad to help you.

As a career coach with 19+ years of experience, I’m always amazed that job seekers keep doing the same things over and over even if months have gone by and no one is responding. I’m sure you don’t need me to tell you what that one thing is, but I will anyway:  answering ads online. So if this sounds like you, please think about diversifying your search strategy. Create a list of companies or organizations where you’d like to work and share that with your network. Or target a company directly–I’ve got a great format for this in the back of my first book, “Eliminated! Now What?” And lastly, learn from others. Ask your friends or your parent’s friends, “How did you get your job?” Most importantly, get yourself off the treadmill that’s unproductive, and while you can still answer online ads, try some new techniques. You might be surprised at the results!

You worked hard to earn a degree, and if you’re like many students, you may have some serious student loans to pay back. What should you do if you can’t find a job? My quick answer, is learn how to run a better job search–and tap into resources that can help you. Guess what the biggest mistake recent graduates make as they look for work? Addiction to the internet. It’s a great tool but it puts you where there’s the most competition and the least likelihood of getting a response.

To learn how to diversify your search:  take advantage of your former school’s career office, find out about groups or services where you’re living (for many recent grads this means with Mom & Dad) and team up with  a search buddy so you’re not going it alone. A really helpful website is www.quintessentialcareers.com. Also check with your local library and the Unemployment Office (Department of Labor) to see what resources there are. Pull away from the internet-driven pack and go directly after employers. The worst that can happen is nothing!

Lastly, my first book, “Eliminated! Now What?” has templates and advice that can help you. Read several search books to get diverse opinions and keep an open mind. You will find work.

Since moving to Connecticut a year ago, I’ve been teaching a class I designed:  “Boomers Back to Work!” Geared for what I like to call the “mature” worker, one of the key points I make is how important it is to include others in your search. For one thing, when we’re looking for work, it’s easy to get discouraged. For another, we lose perspective. And in addition, we need ideas from others to keep our search campaigns fresh and effective. I tell my class, if you don’t remember anything else, please keep in mind you’ll do much better if you’re reaching out to others for advice, connections, interview practice, sharing your list of target companies, and so on. Job search is not a loner’s game.

I don’t mind winter, but right about now I start thinking–enough already! When is spring coming? And if you’re looking for work, this cold and dreary time of the year can get to you. What can you do? My most important advice to not to go it alone. Join a search group, use a career counselor if your past company has given you an outplacement package, or team up with a search buddy. Secondly, do things that keep you motivated–things you can look forward to. This could be getting together for coffee with a friend, visiting a homebound neighbor, or simply exploring a new park. Another suggestion is to learn a new skill or  improve an existing one. Don’t stagnate. And lastly, look for ways to give back. There are many studies that show that people who volunteer are healthier, so even if you decide to help out for selfish reasons, that’s just fine. But do it. The worst mistake job seekers make is to spend the day glued to their computers. Take advantage of online resources, but run a proactive and well-balanced search and you’ll land a new job a lot faster. And a last trick that works for me:  buy yourself flowers. It’s amazing how they can lift your spirits.