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Conducting a passive job search ... Abridged: Helium, Inc.

ANDOVER, MA -- A passive job search applies to a person who is currently employed and maintains an extensive professional network, shows enthusiasm for the job and attends seminars and other training. This person builds a network by cultivating contacts, handing out business cards and stays abreast of developments in their field. A passive job seeker is not exactly searching for a new job but may be open to the right offer.

These are the people employers are often interested in hiring! They have a proven track record, and maintain a network of contacts to be more effective. When posting your resume online while you are still employed, be sure to use a job board's confidentiality feature. This will secure your personal information. If you don't you could put your current job in jeopardy.

As a passive job seeker, you should cultivate your network by collecting and handing out business cards to contacts within your own field. Attend professional meetings and talk with specialists and experts in your industry. Attend training sessions and further your education to stay up to date in your field of interest. Continue to spend a few hours each week on your job search while doing your best job for your current employer. When the right opportunity comes along, you will be ready.

How to confidentially post your resume online Staff Writer, The Career Digest

LOS ANGELES, CA -- There are several lists of career websites available on the internet or through a search engine. And while it may take some time, posting your resume on all the top sites will give you better exposure than your job competition while maximizing your job opportunities.

If you want the benefit of maximum exposure, but don't want to spend 60 hours researching and filling out website forms - and you don't want your current employer to see your resume posting, consider letting a service like Resume Rabbit do the work for you. With this service, you fill out one easy form and in about 15 minutes you'll be posted on more than 80 top career sites like Careerbuilder, Job.com, Net-Temps, Dice and more. A comprehensive list of all the sites they post to is on their home page.

If confidentially is a concern, use Resume Rabbit's new "confidentiality" feature. Your resume can be seen, however, no one will see your name, street address, phone number or even your current company name. Whether you do it by hand or use a service like Resume Rabbit, creating accounts on all the best career sites will give you access to millions of jobs and exposure to 1.5 million employers and recruiters daily. To secure your job search and confidentially post your resume today, follow this link.

Making the most of an interview Abridged: Psychology Today

LOS ANGELES, CA -- Professional interviewers ordinarily ask stock questions like the following: What interests you about Bluterville Engravers? What do you see yourself doing five years from now? What is your greatest strength when it comes to doing this job?

There is nothing wrong with pausing for a second or so to think before you respond. However, if you have a blank expression on your face, does this mean you can't do the job effectively? Here is the rub. Interviews are a poor way to select the best candidates. Nevertheless, they are common and how hiring managers and decision-makers find the right candidate. Can you imagine getting a job without interviewing with someone? Reality is reality.

The decision-maker believes you have the qualifications for the job. It's up to you to demonstrate that the interviewer is right. You can start by educating yourself about stock questions. You must prepare yourself to respond to questions about your qualifications, capabilities, and work values. This preparation influences the quality of the decisions you make during an interview. The better information you have at your fingertips, the better your decisions.

Become a subject matter expert Abridged: Robert Half International

SCOTTSDALE, AZ -- One way to gain the attention of potential employers is to make a name for yourself in your field. Learn everything you can about your field of interest and become an expert. Easier said than done, right? Not necessarily. Building a reputation as an expert in your chosen niche might take less effort than you think. The key is to start small.

Consider contributing to blogs that are targeted to individuals in your profession. If you're an administrative professional, you might comment on a post about best practices for negotiating with office supply vendors. You also could contribute articles to a local professional association's newsletter or speak at a group's upcoming chapter meeting. Look at avenues that align with your strengths and comforts. Over time, you may find that you're able to build a reputation as a trusted expert in your field of choice.

An added benefit of your efforts is that you can often direct hiring managers to materials that help illustrate your expertise. For example, in your cover letter you might include a copy of a recent article you authored on .NET programming with your resume or list links to guest posts you contributed to a well-known blog frequented by IT professionals.

Important tip on networking your way to a new job Staff Writer, The Career Digest

LEXINGTON, MA -- Are business cards really necessary in this information age? You better believe they are! There is simply no substitute for getting out there and networking during your job search. Handing out your business card is a great way to keep them remembering you.

The Career Digest highly recommends creating your own business cards for networking--at not cost to you. VistaPrint has many templates from which you can choose - these range from wild and colorful to simple and sophisticated. Pick the template you prefer, type in your information, preview your new card and order it. It's so simple to use.

Make sure your business cards include all of your current contact information, phone numbers and email. Most importantly, make sure you carry them with you at ALL times! You never know who you might meet and where you might meet them. To get your complimentary business cards today, go to VistaPrint.

What to do while you're unemployed Abridged: Factoidz

ATLANTA, GA -- According to a Yahoo! News article on unemployment, nearly 14.9 million Americans are unemployed, which is nearly twice the total when the recession began. They say that it means 1 in 10 people are unemployed, but it feels like even more than that to most people.

Many people have been unemployed for an extended amount of time and some people have even given up finding a job right now until the economy gets better. It's not good for anyone to just sit at home and do nothing while being out of work so here are some tips on what to do to help keep yourself busy:

• Search online and send your application online.
• Look for jobs on career sites and social networks.
• Call friends and family who might know of a job opening.
• Get a part-time job, if you can find one, doing anything.
• Consider freelance work that could help you bring in a little income.
• Don't let yourself get sucked into too much wasted TV or internet time.
• Read books, magazines and trade publications to stay up to date in your industry.
• Give yourself a schedule of things to do and accomplish each day.
• Volunteer somewhere or consider an internship opportunity.
• Go back to school. Take a class and/or get a certification in something.

Reading trade publications helps you land a job faster Staff Writer, The Career Digest

LOS ANGELES, CA -- Whether you're looking to move up or move on - reading business and trade publications lets you move right in to the job of your dreams. They keep you sharp, well informed, articulate and in-demand. It's no secret that keeping up with the news and trends of your industry or profession will give you the competitive edge you need. And now, you can get your trade magazines without having to pay for them.

Through a special offer from The Career Digest, you can instantly get a subscription to practically every leading industry and business publication. It takes only a minute to search the website to quickly find the magazines matching your skills and interests.

First search by publication title, industry, or geography. Then, pick the magazines you want, fill out a brief online subscription form and press submit. It's really that easy. For more information or to sign up now for your complimentary trade magazines, go to TradePub.

Job opportunities rise for computer-savvy seekers Abridged: JIST Publishing

INDIANAPOLIS, IN -- As the popularity of computers grew, people began to fear their jobs would be eliminated due to the potential of a computer doing it faster and more efficiently. Fortunately, businesses' dependence on computers has actually created several of the fastest-growing job opportunities in today's work force, rather than eliminate them. In fact, the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects five out of the 12 fastest-growing occupations between 2004 and 2014 will be computer related.

"Many computer-related jobs have a work force with more than 100,000 people and account for a lot of job openings. The large work force guarantees many job opportunities because of retirements and turnover, so such jobs are worth your consideration for that reason alone," says Michael Farr, author of the Top 100 Computer and Technical Careers.

In addition to creating an array of opportunities in the labor market, computers have also influenced one of the top trends in the work force. It has become essential that employees have at least some computer and technology knowledge for many jobs in the work force. Even jobs that do not appear to be technical often call for computer literacy or technical skills.

Find the right school & increase your marketability! Staff Writer, The Career Digest

NEW YORK, NY -- According to the U.S. Census Bureau the difference in lifetime earnings between a high school diploma and bachelor's degree is a million dollars. Add on a master's degree and you can expect to earn an additional half a million dollars in earnings. Those with professional degrees earn much more - about 4.4 million dollars during their working life.

Jennifer Day, Chief of the Education and Social Stratification Branch at the U.S. Census Bureau says, "In 1999, average annual earnings ranged from $19,000 for high school dropouts, to $26,000 for high school graduates, $45,000 for college graduates and $99,000 for the holders of professional degrees. That includes medical doctors, dentists, veterinarians and lawyers.

If you think that the only way to earn a degree is to spend gobs of money and traverse across a complicated college campus, taking anywhere from two to eight years to get your Associate's, Bachelor's or Master's or even doctorate degree...think again. With advances in technology, you can now get your degree online, from an accredited university in your spare time and from the comfort of your own home. To learn more about available schools & programs, and instantly request complimentary course catalogs of the ones you like, go to this website.