The follow up should start right after the job interview. Simply ask the hiring manager what the next step will be and when you should expect to hear something from them. A good length of time is somewhere between a few days and a week or so. In a couple of days send a hand written thank you note for them taking the time to meet with you. Wait for them to get your note and give them time to respond.

The next step is to follow up with an email. This should be enough follow up to get a response of some kind from them. Maybe they are busy or still interviewing other candidates. But let them know you are still interested and keep your name in front of them. Ask them if there is anything else they need from you to help them make their decision.

The next communication could be a phone call. By now they will know your name and that you’re still interested. But how do you know if you’re being persistent and interested or just being a pest in their eyes? That’s when your intuition should kick in. If you get the feeling from talking to them that they simply aren’t interested, then move on. If you get the feeling that you’re still in the running, send one final piece of correspondence that makes sure you have given them everything they need to hire you and only you for the job.

If all of this doesn’t work, move on. You should have many other prospects lined up anyway. Don’t ever count on any single job. Keep moving until you find the right fit.

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Out of all of those that apply, they only hire about 4,000 – 6,000 employees.You’ll have to go through multiple screenings, interviews and committees before you even get to the final executive review and job offer. And that doesn’t even count the series of crazy test questions you’ll be asked to solve.

But if you do manage to get in, life there can be sweet. The perks are enough to make a small business owner flinch. Some of these include free haircuts, free gourmet food, low cost massages, ping pong, billiards, foosball, video games, and gym, complete with swimming pools with lifeguards on duty. The healthcare plan includes a medical staff on site.

They have a 20% plan where employees can spend 20% of their work day working on their own pet projects. The idea started years ago at 3M, when employees were allowed 15% for free time to do their own thing. Google New, Gmail, Google Talk and Ad Sense were all said to have originated from the 20% plan.

And to get more moms on board, Google now has a subsidized daycare center where kids get specialized attention and creative learning.

They also have one of the most generous maternity leaves around. New mothers get 5 whole months off with full pay and benefits. They can split the time up any way they want, including taking time off before having the baby or even returning part time and taking time off after the child is older.

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The wine industry is a multi billion dollar worldwide business. When times are good, people drink wine. When times are bad, people drink wine. And there are many different areas you could work in in the business. Wine dude is a sales rep for a wine company. Not only is he knowledgable about the company he represents, but he also has a vast knowledge about wines from around the world in general.

If you like wine and you like people, this may be the perfect job for you. You’ll also need to be a good salesperson. Wine reps do work hard and put in a lot of hours. They also do a lot of traveling, whether it’s to the vineyard where the wine is made, or to the distributors or restaurants they sell to. They are responsible for putting on wine tasting events and promoting their company’s brand through sales and marketing.

A wine rep must be good at networking and relationship building. It’s not just an order taking job. You need to do your homework and constantly stay on top of your game. Learn the latest trends and keep your finger on the pulse of your customers and what they want and need.

One of the best ways to get a job as a wine rep is literally to start at the bottom and work your way up the ladder. That’s how wine dude did it. He learned everything he needed to know either on the job or through extra training and research.

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As someone who has been on the hiring end of things in start-up companies, I can tell you that it’s even more important to make sure you get the right employees from the start. Hiring and training employees is one of the biggest expenses we have. Hiring the wrong person can be a costly mistake.

Job hoppers come in all ages, but is even more common in those under 30. When you just get out of college and still don’t really know what direction you want to go in, that’s one thing. But too much beyond that and it doesn’t look good to the person hiring you that you’ve had 7 jobs in the past few years. I personally wouldn’t be willing to take a chance on that employee. As a business owner I’ve put too much time, sweat, blood, and money into the business to hire people who are just going to be fly by nights. I would prefer to hire someone who has shown more loyalty and stability.

Of course, there are all kinds of reasons why someone would have a series of jobs before the age of 30. The problem is that you probably won’t get the opportunity to tell me about them because your resume wouldn’t get that far. This is why I like the idea of the job fair, where you can tell the person face to face what happened. Be honest. But if you really want to settle down with a job and believe this company is going to be right for you, let the hiring person know that. And explain your swiss cheese resume before it gets tossed in the trash.

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With so many people unemployed in all age ranges, it made me curious how they each conduct their job searches. I was surprised to hear that Boomers use social networks more than Gen X and Gen Y, who tend to go with Google +.

All generations value job security, which seems to be harder to come by these days. Boomers tend to gravitate towards more meaningful work, while millennials value a higher salary and more flexibility.

Job seekers in all generations spend between 5 and 20 hours a week looking for a job. As a small business owner and freelancer I spend twice that amount of time looking for work, because the minute you finish one job you have to start looking for the next one.

What surprised me the most is that 95% of all job seekers in all generations were searching online, while spending only 5% searching offline. This leads me to think that we’re losing the ability to connect to a real, live human being. People are actually surprised when I call on the phone.

I still believe the best way to get a job is by meeting someone face to face. The one thing you can never get across in a text or email is personality. If I’m hiring someone, that’s the number one thing I want to see.

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Another thing is that they tend to bring something extra to the table. Innovative employees are great problem solvers. This is the main reason I prefer to hire them. I’m good at seeing one side of my own business, but an employee with a creative mind is able to see things I can’t see because I’m too close to the company.

If you recognize that you are this type of employee you might want to look for a job at a start up company. The pay may not be as good, but what you’ll learn will be invaluable. If you work for a start up you can bet that your boss is going to be an innovator themselves. There’s a lot to learn from someone who goes out on a limb to start a new company. If you keep your eyes and ears open you’ll get some lessons you never learned in school.

Employees in a small start up company usually don’t have much of a job title. Or if they do, they’ll end up doing multiple jobs anyway. This allows you to learn while getting paid for it. Make the most of it and learn what you can.

People who are only in a job for a paycheck usually don’t fit into the culture of a start up. You would do better to find a job in a company that appreciates your work style. One where you won’t have as much say as far as creativity.

I’ve been told that creative, independent employees will just up and leave me some day to start their own businesses. If that happens I will be the first to encourage them. As long as they’re not my direct competition.

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I’m one of those Howie Mandel, germ phobic type of people that cringes at the thought of shaking hands with anybody including the Pope. So I tend to let the other person take the lead if that’s what they want. In business I know it’s appropriate, so I will if I have to.

If you do shake hands, there are a few rules of etiquette to follow:

• Introduce yourself before extending your hand – they’ll be focused on your face, so make sure you smile and look them in the eye as you say your name. And say it with confidence like you are the best person for this job and you will make them happy they hired you.
• Don’t use a power grip whether it’s with a man or woman – A bone-crushing handshake sends the wrong message. It says “I’m the alpha dog and I really don’t like being told what to do”. That doesn’t mean you should use the cold fish handshake either. Something in between that conveys confidence, yet defers to the other person without seeming weak.
• Avoid the two-handed shake – this is known as the politician’s shake and can come across as being phony and even down-right creepy if used on a stranger. Also don’t put your other hand on the person’s shoulder. That comes across as being too intimate for someone you don’t know.
• Keep the shake around 3 seconds – this is a good length of time so that it doesn’t become uncomfortable.

Follow these handshaking techniques and you’ll be ahead of the game at a job fair.

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Detroit has the 2nd highest violent crime rate in the country. It also has a 32.3% poverty rate and over 20% unemployment.

Stockton, CA also has a 20% unemployment rate and a crime rate that is among the worst in the country for a large city.

When the employment rate improves in the inner city it has been shown that the crime rate start to drop.

According to the Centre for Economic Policy Research, there are also other factors that play into a rise or drop in violent crime. But when money is tight, crimes such as robbery or theft are weighed against the consequences.

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The first job fair I put on was specifically for the show business industry. We had a decent turnout of industry employers, but many of them were only looking for entry level employers. And the number of calls I had to make to get those employers was staggering.

Job seekers spots were limited, so they were able to spend more quality time with the employers that did show up. And at least several of the job seekers did end up finding work. I hired one of them myself.

It’s an employer’s market and the ones that are actually hiring can choose to be as picky as they want. That’s why it could still be a good idea just to get in the door, even if it’s not exactly the job you want right now. Get in and prove yourself.

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But everyone needs to take a break from time to time. It doesn’t have to be a long break or even classified as a vacation, but just getting away from it all can put things in a new light. It can give you a new perspective. But most of all it takes some of the pressure off and the stress of looking for a job.

And also, once you do get a job you may not be able to take that vacation for a while. So get the rest while you can.

If you can’t afford to spend a lot of money, do something like camping or even just getting away for the day. Go to the zoo, an amusement park, go hiking. But don’t take your cell phone or computer. Unplug for the day and enjoy!

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