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There are some individuals that do not completely understand the main concept behind recruiting services. The sad thing is that even agencies or companies, which refer to themselves as recruiters, do not know the real nature of their profession. There are different types of recruiting companies or agencies. However, the psychology and the mechanics of recruitment are similar.

The first type of recruiter is the corporate recruiter, who is hired by a corporation or company because the latter wants to search for qualified new workers for its organization. On the other hand, a third party recruitment team is subcontracted by an employer for similar reasons. There are also many kinds of third party recruitment agencies or staff. But the major difference lies in the compensation that each recruiter receives. Third-party recruiting services providers are compensated by the employer or company hiring their services.

There are also retained recruiters, wherein the corporation constantly turns to them each time the latter is offering job openings to qualified applicants. This type of recruiter has an “exclusive” connection with the corporation or company hiring it. Retained recruiters are provided with upfront fees, which is a part of their whole charge. The rest is given after the application process, when everything goes well. Retained recruiting services are usually acquired, when a corporation is searching for applicants to fill executive level vacancies.

Another type of quality recruiting services agency or provider is a contingency recruiter. This type of recruitment does not normally incur an exclusive affiliation with the corporation or organization that has hired it. Contingency recruiters are only paid if the corporation has been able to hire the best candidate through the efforts of the recruiter. There are some types of third party recruitment teams that belong to this specific category.

When you are looking for a job through the assistance of recruiting services, you have to comprehend the fact that you are not hiring the recruiter but the company that you will be applying for. It is the organization that is paying them their fees. With this fact, it is the company that they have to satisfy, in order for them to obtain money for their efforts. Corporation members want the needs of their job openings complied with. This is why they are on the lookout for quality recruiting services. As a job seeker, you will be able to land the best job if you seek the recruiting assistance of a reliable recruiter that works with legit companies and corporations.

You will find a wide list of quality recruiting services, when you search online. One of the recruiters that operate on the Internet is Point Global Staffing. If you are an organization that wants to search for applicants to fill in different level positions, you can post vacancies online. The site also offers job search categories for individuals that are looking for work on the web. Among the employment or career services that Point Global Staffing is providing include flash jobs, medical jobs, executive recruitment, and other work fields.

Making a career choice is a tough decision. If you are able to make the right career choice earlier in your life, then you have a good chance of success in the future. The right time to start thinking about a career is when you are a teenager because the decision you make will determine your education or training after high school. But if you’re a university student and you haven’t decided on a career, or if you are a working adult who work in a job that you never really planned, then perhaps it’s time to do a career analysis by taking a closer look at your strengths and your weaknesses and deciding what should be the best career for you.

So how do you know what is the right career for you? Essentially, when you are trying to look for a career, you are finding a match between a career and your own interest, ability, motivation, personality and expectation.

Choose a career that matches your interest

I strongly believe that a person should have a career that matches his own interest because otherwise he will lose the desire to carry out his duties effectively. Unless you are a person who can find love in anything you do, then finding a career that interests you should be an important priority.

Choose a career that matches your ability

Sometimes interest alone is not a strong enough factor for a career decision. You must also look at your ability because sometimes what you like is not necessarily what you are good at. I have interest in football and I like watching football games, but I simply do not have the athletic ability to play at professional league and therefore, a career as a professional footballer is out of the question for me.

Choose a career that matches your motivation

According to Abraham Maslow, human needs have the following hierarchical order: physiological needs, safety needs, social needs, esteem needs, cognitive needs, esthetic needs and self-actualization needs. Although some scholars argued against the hierarchical structure of these needs, I believe that each person has his own unique levels of needs. So examine yourself and try to figure out, for each category of needs, what level you find acceptable and then see how the career you choose can fulfill the needs.

Choose a career that matches your personality

What kind of person are you? Do you like working with people, or do you prefer working with machine and equipment? Are you comfortable handling stress? Do you have specific lifestyle that you are not willing to compromise? Do you prefer high-risk high-reward type of job or do you prefer a more stable job? These are basically things that relate to your personality and you need to consider them seriously before deciding on a career.

Choose a career that matches your expectation

Planning for a career requires you to have a vision of yourself in 10, 20 or 30 years from now. If you have a clear vision of where you want to go, then it is easier to decide how to get there. For example, if your expectation of yourself is to be a millionaire before the age of 35, then your pathway to get there is probably through business ventures. Have a clear expectation of yourself and you will see a much clearer path to reach your destination.

Conclusion

Choosing a career requires you to examine yourself and analyze your interest, ability, motivation, personality and expectation. If you can find a career that matches all these five criteria then you are on the right track. But one thing to remember is that career analysis is not something you do once in a lifetime. As you grow older, you will develop new interest, acquire new ability, and experience a change in your expectation. When that happens, you know it’s time to do a career analysis again and decide what career is best for you.

Would you like to return to the work world but are concerned about how to find an opportunity that will allow you to fulfill your family or other non-work obligations, nervous about how to “market yourself” to potential employers, or unsure about what type of work you want to do? We know how you feel. We took time out to be home with our children, and then relaunched our careers years later. Based upon our experience, and that of the 100+ women we interviewed for our forthcoming book, as well as the career counselors, recruiters and employers whose advice we sought, we’ve developed a detailed process to

help you negotiate this major transition. Here it is in a nutshell:

1. Relaunch or Not: You Decide. If financial reasons require you to return to work, go to step

2. If not, determine whether you are ready to go back to paid work or whether deepening your volunteer involvement or engaging in a non-work passion might satisfy your restlessness. If you’re not sure whether or not you want to return to paid work, visit www.backonthecareertrack.com and take our Relaunch Readiness Quiz.

2. Learn Confidence. If a lack of confidence is one of the obstacles holding you back, don’t worry. You can regain it. Remember, whether you are a nurse, speech therapist, computer programmer, scientific researcher, or salesperson, your former colleagues’ and classmates’ image of you is frozen in time. They think of you as a consummate professional, and as you start to renew your professional persona and reconnect to the professional world, your confidence will grow. Following Steps 3 and 4 will also help increase your confidence as you update your professional knowledge and become more articulate in expressing what you want to do and why.

3. Assess Your Career Options. Don’t think that returning to the conventional full time workforce is the only way to resume your career. The moms we interviewed did everything from starting a home based afterschool enrichment program (former teacher) to running career services for a law school on a flexible schedule (former public defender) to job sharing a hospice administrator position (former social worker) to creating a marketing campaign for a new mutual fund from home (former mid level marketing executive). Break down your old job(s) or volunteer experiences into their component parts and focus on what you did best and what you liked best. Then try to think of new opportunities that build on those skills and interests.

4. Update your Professional and Job Search Skills. A sure way to increase your confidence and bolster your employability is to update yourself. Read relevant journals, take continuing education classes and attend industry events. In terms of job search skills, develop an elevator story (a two minute talk answering the “what do you want to do” question) that summarizes your expertise and the kind of opportunity you seek in a few key sentences.

5. Network and Market Yourself. Order yourself a business card with your name and contact information. That way you don’t have to scribble on a piece of scrap paper if you meet someone who wants to keep in touch with you. Then, start talking to people, beginning with those you know well. Branch out to those to whom they refer you, and discuss your professional interests and the kinds of opportunities you’d like to explore. These informal conversations essentially function as interview rehearsals, as you gradually hone your message. Prior to formal interviews, make sure you prepare extensively by studying the employer’s website and practicing answers to the most common interview questions. When asked about your resume gap, answer matter-of-factly that you took some time out to raise your children/take care of an elderly parent, etc., but that you’re now eager to get back to work.

6. Channel Family Support. Get your spouse, if you have one, on board with your plans as soon as possible. If you encounter resistance, make it clear how important this is to you and point out that with extra income you might be able to outsource some of the tasks that neither of you wants to perform, such as cleaning and shopping. The older your children are, the sooner you should tell them as well. If you need to change your childcare arrangements, try to implement the changes before you start your new job, so you can work out any problems. Streamline your household routines to maximize time to devote to either work or family. Develop a support network of family and/or neighbors to help you out in a jam.

7. Handle the Job or Find Another One. You found the right opportunity and you’ve relaunched. Initially, keep your employer’s expectations low. Better to underpromise and overdeliver, rather than the other way around. Ask for early and frequent reviews — ideally, every six months, because neither you nor your employer will be able to predict the rate of your career trajectory. Help your colleagues whenever possible, so they’ll reciprocate when you need them. And, remember, this is just your first foray back to the professional marketplace. If it doesn’t work out, you can always make a change.

© 2007 Carol Fishman Cohen and Vivian Steir RabinAuthors:

Still debating which career path you would like to pursue? Through ACT (Advanced Career Training), prospective students can select from any one of six versatile career-training programs including medical assisting, dental assisting, medical billing and insurance coding, business office administration, computer systems technology, or massage therapy. Campuses are conveniently located in both Georgia and Florida, and ACT boasts seven National affiliate campuses throughout California. In addition, ACT is accredited by the Accrediting Council for Continuing Education and Training (ACCET), and has been providing students with in-demand career programs since 1975.

One of its many diverse educational programs, the Medical Assistant program at ACT, includes quality training in emergency medical procedures, CPR and first aid, injections, medical healthcare duties, venipuncture, medical billing and collections, and even minor surgical techniques. The eight-month Medical Assistant Certificate Program enables graduates to earn entry-level positions as medical assistants, medical office managers, and more.

Like bodywork? The nine-month Massage Therapy Certificate Program in massage therapy at ACT provides essential hands-on training and education to candidates pursuing a career as a professional massage therapist. In addition to anatomy, physiology and medical terminology, students are taught a diverse assortment of massage therapy modalities including deep tissue massage, Shiatsu, Swedish massage, sports massage, chair massage, reflexology, therapeutic massage, face and scalp massage, as well as other non-traditional massage therapies.

Another fine academic program at Advanced Career Training is its eight-month Certificate Program in Medical Billing and Insurance Coding. As a fast-growing occupation in the medical industry, ACT promises to deliver comprehensive field skills to those pursuing professions as medical records’ clerks, medical insurance coders and billers, and medical coding specialists, among other related positions. In this course of study, students are introduced to a wide array of necessary skills like word processing, file and records management, medical terminology, code medical procedures and diagnoses, medical coding and billing, insurance claims forms, among others.

In addition to career services (including personal portfolio development, transportation resources, interviewing techniques, and more), should prospective students require financial assistance, Advanced Career Training participates in numerous financial aid programs as well. Whether you’ve recently graduated from high school, or you’re an adult learner ready to make a positive career change in your life, now is the time to explore the many career-oriented courses at ACT today.

Featured School of the Week: ACT (Advanced Career Training)

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You’ve been invited in for an interview for a job that looks to be just right for you. You are confident that your qualifications are a good fit for the requirements of the job.

Now, it’s up to you to conduct a winning face-to-face interviews with those persons who will make the final hiring decision. It’s time to sell the total package that is you and the benefits you can deliver. In other words, it’s time to close the deal. Will you make the sale? It’s not likely if you commit one or more of the most flagrant errors of omission or commission. Here are 14 such bombs that can sabotage your interview, along with advice on how to avoid them.

1. Be over confident. Assume the interviews are just a formality on your way to a job offer.

2. Fail to gather information about the potential employer before the interview such as mission of the organization; type of business; where the job you are interviewing for fits in the hierarchy and culture of the organization.

Having this information in hand enables you to demonstrate your interest and to tailor your presentation to fit the requirements of the position.

3. Fail to lay out a map for the case you want to communicate; include the points you mean to make and the questions you will ask.

Know the impression you want to leave with the interviewers. Identify at least three points you mean to communicate as well as a brief summary. Rehearse, rehearse, preferably with some one who can and will critique your presentation.

4. Be late for the interview.

There is no surer way to show a lack of respect and interest than to arrive late for an interview.

5. Fail to pay attention to your physical presentation from the moment you enter the premises of the potential employer until you are well away from all contact.

Remember, you are selling a total package.

Strive to make a favorable impression on everyone you meet from receptionist to the final interviewer. Adhere to the code of dress. Unless you know for certain that the environment is casual dress in business attire. In any case, be well groomed.) Walk briskly, heads up, shoulders back. Don’t slouch when seated. Avoid the dead-fish handshake. Speak distinctly. Keep in mind that everyone you encounter is important to your mission. Be courteous to one and all.

6. Fail to concentrate on the interviewer and the give and take of the discussion.

Maintain eye contact; avoid gazing out the window or admiring the artwork on the wall. Unless forced by the interviewer, avoid chitchatting about the weather and the score of last night’s big game.

7. Ask about work hours, time off and other benefits before an offer is in hand.

8. Fail to treat the interview as a two-way communication process. Sit out the interview like a knot on a log. Let the interview become a monologue conducted by the interviewer.

Asking well-informed questions demonstrates you are interested in the opportunity and shows off your qualifications, as well as personality. In addition, they develop information you need to evaluate how the opportunity serves your career goals.

9. Waste valuable time bad criticizing your former employer (s) and people you have worked with.

10. Lie about your qualifications.

11. Let your guard down when it appears the interview is over.

A canny interviewer may act as if the interview has ended, then blindside you with questions in order to see how you react to the unexpected. What appears to be an off-the-cuff comment or question could be among the most vital parts of the interview.

If you are invited to a meal, keep in mind that you are still being interviewed. Mind your manners. Avoid alcohol. If the interviewer insists, limit yourself to one glass of wine. Don’t order food that can be difficult to eat without making a mess.

12. Overstay your welcome.

Once the interviewer has signaled that it is time for you to go–even though you are anxious to keeping selling–wrap up the discussion and leave in short order.

13. Fail to make it absolutely clear that you want the job.

14. Fail to express appreciation for the opportunity to interview; thank everyone with whom you had contact during the interviewing process.

Here’s the core message to this career advice: To conduct a successful interview present yourself as a product to be sold. Mind your total packaging (i.e. dress). Identify the benefits you can deliver.

Most of us remember a day in our teens when our high school guidance counselor called us in for career counseling. She scrutinized and evaluated us, gave us tests with cryptic questions, and in the end proclaimed with some certainty that our career destiny was to become a fireman–or a stonemason, or a math teacher, or something equally mysterious. As baffling as this process was, if you’re the parent to teenagers, you probably find yourself wishing you could give them such definite career advice.

With so many career options in the modern workplace, it can be difficult for parents and teens to narrow down the choices. The good news is, those career tests your guidance counselor gave you have come a long way. Today’s career assessments provide an accurate, sophisticated, and time-effective way to help your child discover their career aptitude. Tests of your child’s personality, preferences, talents, and interests provide you and your teen with essential information as you make choices for college and beyond.

Do you know whether your child is a structured traditionalist, or a sensitive artist? Do they do their best work in solitude or on teams? One of the most widely used career assessments for teens, the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI®), assesses your child’s personality type on four scales: Extraversion/Introversion, Sensing/Intuition, Thinking/Feeling, and Judging/Perceiving. Based on these measures, the test results provide information on careers, industries, and work environments that are good choices for your child’s personality type. Knowing your child’s personality type is crucial to choosing a career path that will motivate, challenge, and satisfy them.

Extensive research has been done using the MBTI to correlate personality type with career success, so that once your child knows their type, they can benefit from the career experience of thousands of similar types. The test results will help them to understand the key factors for their job satisfaction, crucial stressors to avoid when choosing a career, and some common pitfalls they may encounter as they start on their career path. Although your child’s interests may change over time, their personality type will remain constant, and preparing your child with an awareness of their personality type will benefit them for the rest of their life.

To discover the best career for your child, it is also important to understand how their interests, hobbies, and favorite activities can inform their career choice. The Strong Interest Inventory®, a well-researched and widely used career test, assesses your teen’s interest level in six major career categories: Conventional, Investigative, Realistic, Artistic, Enterprising, and Social. Then, it matches your teen’s test scores with the interest profiles of successful professionals to rate the careers that are the best match for them. The Strong Interest Inventory results can help your child to understand the day-to-day tasks that certain jobs require, and how their interests match up with possible careers.

Both the Strong Interest Inventory and the Myers Briggs Type Indicator can be taken with the assistance of a qualified career counselor. You may choose to visit a counselor in your area, or you can have your teen take these tests online. If you feel your teen may need ongoing coaching, it may be best to visit a counselor in person. However, many families find that it is most convenient to access these career tests for kids online.

However you decide to take the tests, you can ensure you get the most out of the assessment by reviewing and verifying the results with a qualified counselor or coach. Both the MBTI and the Strong are designed to be interpreted and explained by a professional with training in the use of the assessments. Your counselor or coach will help you to make sense of the results and apply them to your teen’s individual situation, and will assist you in planning the next steps for your child’s career exploration.

The sheer variety of career options today is astounding. Your teen has a dazzling, and sometimes overwhelming, array of choices. With so many options, teens and parents will benefit from using the excellent personality and career tests that have been developed to help students choose a rewarding career. Not only can these assessments provide much-needed direction, but they can help steer your child towards a career that will challenge and satisfy them for many years to come.

©2007 by Molly Owens

If you’ve ever thought about career transition, or have recently graduated from high school and would like to pursue fast-growing occupational fields, then ACI Career College can provide you with the skills and knowledge necessary to compete in the competitive job market today! Located in Modesto, California, ACI Career College promises to offer diverse career-training options in a number of disciplines including health information specialist, medical clinical assistant, therapeutic massage, or pharmacy technician, among others.

The 36-week diploma course in massage therapy at ACI Career College offers extensive training and education in massage history and theory, anatomy and physiology, massage law and ethics, client communications, medical terminology, Swedish massage, chair massage, complementary bodywork, myofascial release, spa techniques, CPR and first aid, in addition to other associated studies. The field of massage therapy is in high demand, and successful graduates have the potential to earn upwards of $30 hourly.* (Income potential varies depending on education, experience, and location.)

Another educational opportunity in which students can participate is ACI Career College’s three-quarter course (36 weeks) in becoming a health information specialist. Students enrolled in this academic program gain in-depth training and education in medical law and ethics, medical terminology, computer technology in relation to health care, medical insurance and medical billing/coding, clinical practice, and more. According to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, job prospects for this particular occupation should be very positive. Successful candidates, who have completed all career training requirements have the potential to earn above $29,000 annually.

Like the idea of working in the medical industry but would like a faster educational route to getting your foot in the door? Becoming a medical or clinical assistant through ACI Career College’s medical clinical assistant program can land you in the job of your dreams. In addition to core classes in medical law, ethics, anatomy and physiology –students learn about subjects including medical insurance, pharmacology and medication administration, clinical setting procedures, medical assistant laboratory applications, and also take part in an externship. An experienced medical assistant can earn more than $36,000 yearly.

In addition to other comprehensive academic programs, ACI Career College provides career services to its students to help develop personal and professional skills, which include workshops in job lead strategies, resume writing, interviewing techniques, and more.

Don’t let another day pass you by when you could be on the road to career success and financial freedom — apply to ACI Career College and pursue your academic goals today.

*Occupational Resource: BLS (Bureau of Labor Statistics)

* Payment plans and financial aid available to those who qualify.

Featured School of the Week: ACI Career College

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The average worker changes their career many times during their lives, so it is never too late to start planning.

Career planning is not a difficult task; you don’t have to avoid it or put it off, rather you should seek to understand it. Planning your career should always be a positive experience.

Here are some successful career planning tips:

-Career planning as a regular event- In a year, many of us have regular appointments such as a visit to an eye doctor or a dentist. Similarly, you should do career planning regularly. Take some time off from your regular routine and plan out your career. Sit in a silent place and block out all distractions so that you can concentrate. By making career planning a routine event, you will feel secure about your career choice and growth. You will be prepared to tackle any adverse situation that may surface.

-Career planning from your last career plan- While planning your career, don’t forget to start from your last career plan and spend some time jotting down your career reviews. If your career growth has lots of ups and downs, sit and analyze and plan ahead. Past mistakes can guide you towards a better future. If you are content with your career growth, then continue along the path or find a significant way to grow further.

-Don’t neglect your likes and dislikes- While planning your career, don’t forget about your likes and dislikes, since your likes two years ago may have changed. Take time to reflect on the new developments in your personal life, not just on the job front.

Make two separate rows of likes and dislikes, and then use this list to analyze your current job path. If you feel your current job falls under the like column, then you can consider yourself lucky as you are on the right path. If it falls into the dislike category, then you need to examine your career and your available options. Career planning also gives you time to think about your hobbies and pastimes. It may sound bizarre, but sometimes these passions and hobbies give you insight into what you like doing on the job.

-Jot down your past activities- Generally, people don’t keep track of their accomplishments. Some past achievements can be included in your resume and can be useful while planning your career. Sometimes reviewing your past achievements can reveal successes that can help you plan your career.

-Look for transferable skills- Search beyond the regular options for new career openings. If you focus, you may find good career growth opportunities in that area. You might have some skills that can be applied to various jobs.

If you keep these tips in mind, career planning will be less of a chore and more rewarding.

The most important step in finding a right job is to look for one that is most suitable to your requirements and most compatible with your personality. This may sound easy, but often we don’t have a clue about what each job provider has to offer and what would work best for us. Resources for career counseling can be a great help in this process of identifying the next career move.

Web Resources

The Internet is an exhaustive information source that allows us to select from a large list of options. Most organized online resources help job seekers find a viable job based on their personal preference and skill. An interested candidate needs to key in some specifications to narrow down the search that is applied to a massive job database. It is very important to know what to key in when checking online resources for career counseling as selecting the right keyword will get you the desired information.

Identifying What Is “Really” Important To You

There are many factors that may affect the kind of resource you can find on the web. Geographic preference can narrow down the response. Personal preferences such as amount of travel involved can further focus the results. Its important to note that if a user puts in too many preferences the result may be zero help, so its important to keep key factors in mind. This kind of “what if” analysis is possible when using automated resources and is generally not available when using counselors.

Too Much Information Can Confuse You

Web can be a boon or a curse to a person seeking career counseling. The curse of the information explosion can confuse rather than help. Therefore, for some, the old fashioned personal approach is more suitable.

Benefits

A beneficial aspect of career counseling resources is that they help job seekers understand their shortcomings and prepare accordingly. Most jobs that are posted online usually mention what an applicant’s ideal profile should be. This enables job seekers to see for themselves if they fit in or not. It can also spur self-development efforts such as enrolling for additional training, education, and certification or licensing.

Aside from this, resources for career counseling offer useful advice on career related issues. There are forums and message boards on most sites where one can post a query. A counselor answers these questions to help you choose accordingly. Some of the specialized career counseling companies evaluate your current earnings and analyze your potential to help you land a better job.

What Information To Look For

You could make a job choice based upon recommendations, reviews, write-ups, word of mouth or rankings, but the most important is personal need. The American School Counselor Association plays an important role in ranking or recommending job sites. Many graduate schools refer to these online career-counseling sites to build their own database.

Tools That Can Help You

Self-assessment and interests, values inventories, self-assessment tools, personality and IQ tests, and aptitude quizzes help analyze your true potential.
The Keirsey Temperament Sorter test helps gauge your personality profile. The Career Planning Process, Career Change, and Hoover’s Online are a few popular career- counseling resources. The Riley Guide, Resume Writing, Career Services and America’s Job Bank are helpful as well. A job seeker may also refer to Yahoo! Classifieds-Employment, Contract Employment Weekly, Jobs Online, UST Career Development Center, Monster.com, Job Web, and Career Mosaic.

If all this confuses you don’t hesitate to go to your local community college or university. They have career counseling centers that can provide a large amount of information and staff that is eager to help.

When was the last time you received a job promotion?  You are doing a great job at work but everyone else seems to get the promotion you want.  You may even start making excuses as to why you are not getting the career promotions you deserve.  Well, I ask you the following question:

Did you ever tell your story?

The following career advice story will show you how to put your career on the fast track:

Recently, I was facilitating an oceanfront retreat for over two hundred employees of a university.  During this session, I had the participants think of something or somebody they appreciate.  I then asked for volunteers to share with the group whom or what they appreciate and why this is important to them.

Lonnie volunteered and stood up in front of the group to share his thoughts of appreciation.  Lonnie explained that in his job he helps children improve their lives.  He mentioned that whatever the lowest pay and title scale was, he was at that level.  However, he said that was all right because of the joy he received from helping the children.  You could hear and sense the passion in his words as he shared his experiences with the audience.

About a month later, Lonnie was in another workshop I was facilitating, and he asked to speak with me before the start of the session.  I could see the excitement in his eyes as he explained what had happened to him since the oceanfront retreat.  One week after sharing his story at the retreat, he received a call from the Office of Academic Affairs.  Someone of influence, who was impressed with Lonnie’s speech and the way he told his story that day, wanted Lonnie to come in for a job interview.  Lonnie went to the interview and received the job of Assistant to the Dean of Academic Affairs, with a substantial increase in pay and title.  That was a career quantum leap from just a couple of weeks earlier.

So what happened?

Lonnie told his story for career success.  Like so many of you, you are toiling away in your careers everyday and making a difference for your organization.  But if no one knows about your successes, your passions, and your ideas, you will not achieve job and career success.

The following are three secrets to putting you on the fast track to career and job advancement:

1. It’s Not What You Know… – I’m sure you have heard the old saying, “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know,” when talking about getting ahead in life.  Well, in this new age of information and self responsibility, I am declaring that this saying is dead.  Instead, I always say the following:

“It’s not what you know.  It’s not who you know.  It’s who knows what you know that creates success for you.”

There are people doing a great job everyday.  There are people everyday that know people of influence.  Yet, unless these people of influence know what you know (your skills, your knowledge, your ideas), you won’t be put in a position for success.  Lonnie, during his two-minute presentation, let people of influence know that he was passionate about helping children at his job and he was willing to do it for little compensation.  That’s a powerful message.  It moved people to help him and make him a part of their team.

2. Prepare Yourself for Powerful Story Telling – When the opportunity comes to tell your story, will you be prepared?  Lonnie was prepared and made the most of his opportunity.  However, I have seen many opportunities vanish for a person to tell his/her story because of the fear of speaking in front of a group or in a meeting.  Whether it’s in a job interview, monthly meeting, or at a conference, have the confidence to tell your story.  You may never get another opportunity to do so.  Have the courage to work on your presentation skills.  There are various resources for improving your presentation skills.  You can take a class, join Toastmasters, or hire a presentation skills coach.

Also, outline what you will tell in your story.  Think of your successes and how you achieved those successes.  Thinks of the challenges you faced and how you overcame them.  Express the joy you felt while achieving your goals.   Relate how your activities helped you develop your skills, your creativity, and your determination.  Let your passion show in your story.

3. Create Opportunities to Tell Your Story – When Lonnie volunteered, he created an opportunity to tell his story.  How can you create opportunities to tell your story?  You can volunteer for job-related assignments and give reports during management briefings.  You can be active in workshops or seminars and tell your story among a variety of people that normally might not be exposed to your story.  Join various associations and groups and tell your story.  This is a great way to network among people who are active in their industries.  Contribute your story to your in-house publication, local newspaper, or magazine.  Create a blog or website and tell your story.  The more you tell your story to a wide variety of people, the greater the opportunity to increase your success.

Apply these powerful career advice secrets and put your career advancement on the fast track.  Tell your story and others will sit up and take notice.