I have a friend who has found a job in Italy because he had learned the Italian language in college. He never expected his good command of Italian would land him a high-paying job. This only goes to show how being a bilingual can help facilitate your job search.

International languages such as English, Spanish, French and German span countries and industries. Learning how to speak them can serve you good, particularly if you plan to work in an international organization such as the United Nations.

Language courses, those that provide certificates, are usually offered locally. Thus, accessibility is not a problem. It is just a matter of personal choice whether you want this to be a part of your career plan or not.

Promotion is part of every worker’s career goals. It is a sure ticket to career advancement, to getting a higher salary, to being recognized and to proving to yourself that you can always do better.

Here are some strategies that every worker wanting a promotion should employ:

1. Develop good working relationships with your superiors. Career experts have found out that those who easily get promoted has a good working relationship with their immediate heads who in turn spread the good word about them.
2. Self-promote yourself to success. This advice should be taken seriously. Self-promotion works in two ways: by praising your fellow officemates for a job well done and updating your boss whenever you have completed a project ahead of time.
3. Upgrade your skills and learn new knowledge. What’s a better way to improve yourself that this? By being competitive and responsive to the demands of your career field which would send a strong message to the boss that you can handle bigger responsibilities.

Job hunting may be exhausting and tiring but with the help of the Internet you can apply for your desired job right from your PC.

With the birth of online classified ads, one could just e-mail his/her resume to the employer. There are also companies who are accepting applications thru their company website. In applying for a job online, one should make sure that he/she has an e-mail address where companies can contact the applicant and of course a copy of his/her resume in different formats (word, pdf, etc.). There are companies who require sending in your resumes as an e-mail attachment while some wants inline resumes.

If you are tired of job hunting the traditional way, one can easily try applying for a job online.

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Stress is normally experienced at work given the many problems and challenges a worker faces in performing his job. This is what you call job stress, a condition that puts every worker in an exhausting situation.

When you get pressured by a deadline, when you get irked by an annoying officemate, when you get trap inside the elevator, when you get reprimanded by your boss for a poorly-written report, those are the times where stress attacks.

Workers handle job stress differently. Some use stress drugs, while others cope with stress using natural methods. No matter how simple it is, job stress is unhealthy and affects a worker’s performance to the point of job burn out.

Whether you are new to job hunting, an established worker or a seasoned professional, knowing how you can contribute to the success of the organization you will be or you are a part of is of paramount importance. How can you accomplish big tasks if you do not even know the real meaning of cooperation?

Being a team player is your gate to being a leader. Before you can steer your own flock, you have to experience being steered first. Not because you can participate actively in a group project means you are a team player. There are several indicators to know that.

Here is a career quiz from QuintCareers.com to test your team player skills.

Say you have aced the interview and is now on your way to negotiating your salary with the employer, make sure that you get what you deserve. You know the last thing you want is getting paid way below you’re worth as a professional.

Here are some salary negotiation mistakes to avoid:

1. Accepting what is being offered. In the first place, the reason why it is called a negotiation is that mutual concerns can be raised and a conclusion can be achieved upon consensus.
2. Giving salary pitch too early. Patience is key in every negotiation. Asking about salary and compensation could give the wrong impression that you’re focused is just money.
3. Taking salary offer verbally. A salary offer has to be put in writing to set things straight. Any legitimate company won’t have problem doing it.

Choosing a career is one the crucial decision one should make. Having a wrong career choice might result into depression, unhealthy lifestyle and being burned out. We know that every individual has a different personality. It would be very beneficial to each one of us if our career choices would match our personality. Knowing what career suits your personality is important so that you will know what career will you excel.

If you are still undecided on what career will you choosing, I suggest that you take this career quiz that will determine the career that suits your personality. After taking the career quiz, you might want to consider its results as these may help you make this very crucial decision.

Image source: www.spsu.edu

Your online presence can make or break the image you are trying to portray on the web in search of new and better opportunities.

Here are some tips to help you manage your online presence:

1. Check yourself out on a regular basis. Try to Google yourself often to know what people can see when they search for your name on the web.
2. Show off your assets. Promote your skills, interests and accomplishments so people know where you are good at.
3. Check before you post. Before you post your work or anything about you on the web, evaluate them so you now if they can work to your advantage or not.

Online presence, which is often referred to as digital footprint, can increase your chance of employment if you know how to manage it. The way you behave online, may it be in the form of online accounts, profile pages, resume pages, portfolio websites, blogs and online photos, has a lot to do in your capacity to attract potential employers.

Especially for users of social networking sites such as LinkedIn, Facebook and My Space, taking good care of your online presence is important because what people see of you online makes a lasting impression. Remember that most employers today utilize the power of the Internet in screening potential job candidates. (to be concluded)

As you welcome 2008 with a smile, certain things have to be reinforced, like your job hunting efforts. Who knows, this year could possibly be your luckiest when it comes to landing a job.
I always say new year means new opportunities. This is also the perfect time to reaffirm your goals and set new priorities. There’s no other time to step up your job search efforts, including your networking strategies and resume writing techniques, but at the start of the year.

Here are some resume resolutions based from a job article at Yahoo! Hot Jobs:

1. I will customize my resume. Make two or more sets of resumes for different needs.
2. I will write in a straightforward manner. Communicate your message as clearly as possible. Most employers are drawn to professionals who don’t mince words, even in writing.
3. I will eliminate unnecessary information. Focus on your skills and accomplishments and never capitalize on the fact that you are single or was born on the year of the rat.