job search

More than a few worker bees figure top executives simply sail from one six-figure job to the next, whisked along by suave executive recruiters who coach them on secret job interview tricks and help them negotiate lush compensation packages. Right.

In a world of polished résumés and carefully rehearsed interviews, sometimes a new job can pop up in the most unexpected place.

IT professionals who prize order and predictability, and possess a high need for closure are likely making erroneous assumptions about their networks--assumptions that could seriously hamper their job searches, according to research from MIT.

The days when a decent résumé could get you into the right position are gone.

Employers are still focused on making sure candidates have the right experience, of course, but that's only the beginning. Now employers are looking hard at a candidate's character to break ties among equally qualified candidates.

One way job seekers can stand out from the job search competition is to tell stories that illustrate their professional experience, says Katharine Hansen, the creative director and associate publisher of the website Quintessential Careers and author of eight career management books.

Not everyone agrees that those binge-drinking photos on Facebook really matter.

Thanks to the recession, these young workers are competing not only with each other, but also with older, more experienced candidates. Here's how Gen Yers can fill the gaps in their resumes to put them on more equal footing

As the economy continues to suffer, many people are cutting their budgets, looking for work, or preparing a plan of action in case a layoff comes. Fortunately, the Web offers some powerful new tools to help with those tasks.

Career coaches and the clients who use them say coaches can give job seekers a competitive edge in a number of ways: They can help job seekers develop unique personal brands that will differentiate them in a crowded market. They can help job seekers mine the "hidden job market" for unadvertised positions. They can also help job seekers articulate their strengths and passions in professional communications (e.g., résumés, cover letters, "elevator pitches" and mock job interviews) that will grab hiring managers' attention.

Before Jason Alba started JibberJobber, a web-based career management tool for job seekers, his dream was to be a big-company CIO. And by early January 2006, at age 32, he was on his way to achieving his goal. But on January 8, Alba was laid off.