My colleague over on the AOL Jobs and Careers Channel, Lisa Johnson Mandell,  just wrote a post about the ten toughest and easiest cities to find a job in. St. Louis, Detroit, and Miami top the list for worst cities for finding employment and Washington, D.C, San Jose, and New York are at the top of the list of best cities for finding employment. CNNMoney.com recently ranked the top ten cities to live in and cities with low unemployment rates were the ones that made it to the top including Eden Prairie, MN, Columbia/Ellicot City, MD, and Newton, MA.

In the past year I’ve noticed that many more of my clients are flexible about the geography of a particular position. They are either willing to commute longer distances or relocate for the right position. But I’ve also noticed that geography is becoming less of an issue for employers as the world of work becomes a flatter place and more work can be done remotely.

If you found your dream job in another state would you relocate or explore the possibility of working remotely? If you could consider one of these options, think of how quickly your potential company targets would expand. Maybe it’s time we stop thinking so much about location and start thinking about the value we could add to an employer regardless of geography. This may not be feasible for every position right now, but thinking differently about how we work is the first step towards change

Close to 20 years ago I created a pilot for a work at home program for operations positions for a large financial services firm. This was considered cutting-edge at the time.  Remember, this was before the Internet and before we had anywhere near the capabilities we have today for monitoring productivity and performance. The pilot was put in place to retain a group of high performers who were considering leaving the company because of work/life balance concerns. The company made the program work, despite the obstacles because they recognized that these employees were too valuable to lose. Could you prove to an employer that you are too valuable not to have?

Think of how much the world of work has evolved in the past 20 years.  Jet Blue’s entire reservations staff works from home. Who would have imagined that such a thing would be possible 20 years ago?  Is it really that unrealistic to live in St. Louis but work for a company in Newton, MA? Maybe not.

I bet many of you out there are wearing green today in honor of St. Patrick’s Day. I decided to do something different this year and blog green instead. I’ve been a big fan of Carol McClelland’s Green Career Central site for over a year and I was thrilled to hear that she recently published a book on the topic of green careers called Green Careers for Dummies. She stopped by the Career Solvers blog to give readers the insider scoop on the green economy.

You know you want to contribute to the evolving green economy. You may even know what skills, experience, and interests position you for this kind of work. The question is, do you know how to find a green position that meets your needs?

Although the process of finding a position in the green economy is similar to finding a job in the traditional economy, there are some distinct differences that make the process a bit more…interesting, shall we say.

1) The green economy is constantly evolving. Given that we are in the earliest phases of a new industrial revolution, we aren’t completely sure what the economy will look like in the future. All signs point to a great deal of potential, but the specifics aren’t laid out yet. The big picture is sketched out in broad brush strokes, but the specific details are out of focus

2) To most people there’s a fundamental question that is still unclear. What careers/companies/industries are green? Generally speaking, careers/companies/industries are green when they make a positive impact on the planet. The specific nature of the impact depends on the goal(s) they are striving to achieve, whether it’s reducing greenhouse gases, conserving energy, reducing waste, rethinking water usage, and/or restoring nature. When you look at this from a broad perspective, a wide number of industries are making concerted efforts to take greener, more sustainable actions.

If you want a visual look at the array of industries, take a look at the Green Economy Map (www.greencareercentral.com/map) I created after writing Green Careers For Dummies.

3) Occupation resources you are accustomed to using to understand a position are probably not available yet. The only way to figure out how your skills fit is to research your target industry and talk with those in the field to understand how the industry works and how your skills fit. Don’t try to nail down an exact job title; there’s no universally agreed up job functions yet. Instead look at what you are known for. Then ask yourself how your skills, knowledge, experience and training can help a green company/industry address the issues it’s facing.

You’ll need to do some groundwork online and through conversations before you’ll be able to articulate the role you are best suited to play. In the process your research on the industry and company will prepare you for your interviews with that company or its competitor.

4) There’s no common wisdom of the best companies to work for. We don’t yet know which companies will become household names in this new economy. As a result, you don’t know, off the top of your head, which companies will need someone with your skills or which companies are in your area. To develop your list of target companies, read industry specific blogs, notice which companies are listed as members on key professional associations, and pay attention to investment news to discover which start up companies and large, well known companies are active and growing in your target industry.

5) Timing is everything. Different industries are developing at different rates. Some industries, such as solar and some areas of the smart grid sector, are reaching a point of maturity where companies are hiring people for all parts of the organization. Other industries are a bit earlier in their growth cycle. They may be in a research and development phase where most of their human resource budget is going toward the scientists and technical people who are creating the product the company will sell. As the company evolves, their hiring needs will change and they will look for people with a broader range of functions.

If your target industry is not quite ready to hire people with your skills, don’t despair. This turn of events gives you more time to develop your knowledge and skills to prepare you for your ultimate career. If you need a job now, be strategic in your job search to find a position that strengthens a part of your resume or allows you to build your credibility and network in a related arena.

Remember, we are in the early stages of an economic shift. Any ground work you do now will prepare you to move into the green/clean/sustainable economy as it develops. To help you in your quest for a green career, start by identifying your green focus. Which part of the green economy are you most suited to work in? What areas of the green economy interest you most? Even if your next career move isn’t going to be green, having a long term career target on the horizon can help you make strategic decisions so your next steps are in alignment with your future career.

Want to be entered into our drawing to receive a free, autographed copy of Carol’s book? Leave a comment on this post.

According to Indeed’s February Industry Employment Trends Report, ten of the 12 major industries tracked had more openings this February than in February 2009. Hospitality experienced a 44% increase in open jobs over last year. Retail improved by 35% and real estate had a 33% jump. Other sectors trending upward are accounting, education, financial services and banking, information technology, manufacturing, media/newspapers and transportation.

Not convinced that some companies are hiring? Here are some interesting stats on current advertised positions:

Advertised Openings

J.C. Penny – 7,214
AT&T – 4,168
JPMorgan Chase – 3,677
Comcast – 2,080
Hilton – 1,931

You can also catch the Fox Business News interview with Indeed CEO Paul Forster, here.

Last night I watched the story of mogul skier Alexandre Bilodeau who won the gold medal for Canada on Sunday. He credits his older brother who has cerebral palsy for inspiring him and keeping him driven and focused on his goal. Doctors told his family that his brother would no longer be able to walk past the age of ten, but at age 28 his brother can still walk. So each day when Bilodeau thinks about the training challenges in front of him, he pauses for a moment and thinks of the challenges his brother faces every day, how he has overcome them, and how he continues to beat the odds.

What if job seekers could adopt this Olympic-winner attitude and create internal “tapes” to motivate them and move past their challenges? Perhaps then the setbacks they face would seem manageable and the hope would stay alive. Here are some positive messages job seekers should be sending themselves on a regular basis.

1. I will maintain a healthy life style so I can manage my search at an optimal performance level.
2. I will challenge myself to reach out to new people who may be able to help me with my search.
3. I will accept the help of friends and family during this difficult time even if it makes me a bit uncomfortable.
4. I will seek out coaches and mentors who can help me move closer to my goal.
5. I will put in the time necessary to research potential employers and market myself directly to them.
6. I will examine my resume and other personal marketing collateral to make sure they are the best they can be.
7. I will celebrate the victory of landing an interview, even if I don’t ultimately get the job.
8. I will not blame external factors for my situation.
9. I will be a good team member and support others in their job search when I can.
10. I will regularly envision the end goal of landing my new job.

Some days it’s hard for an athlete to muster up the motivation for the grueling training session ahead of him. Likewise,  some days it’s hard for a job seeker to stay motivated in a challenging market. Positive self-talk can help. So does keeping your eye on the gold. Let the games begin!

Move over Project Runway and Top Chef…A new reality TV series called Job Hunt has hit the air waves. Hosted by Women for Hire CEO Tory Johnson, the show profiles job seekers in New York City and offers advice on everything from how to improve your resume to how to spiffy up your interview wardrobe. The half hour show airs each Tuesday at 9pm on NYC Life (Time Warner/Fios/Direct TV/ Comcast – Channel 25, Cablevision – Channel 22). But if you don’t get that channel or can’t watch it live, you can view shows on demand after they air at the Job Hunt website.

What I like about the show is that it exposes the faces behind the unemployed and reminds us that each “statistic” is actually a person. Everyone can relate to the struggles of the job seekers but at the same time draw hope and inspiration from their messages. Viewers get to see where job seekers are making mistakes in their search strategy and the show’s experts offer advice on how to optimize your job search time.

The other reason I really like this show is that it makes me proud to be a New Yorker. The first episode profiled SIBL (The Science and Business Library) which in my opinion is one of the best resources for job seekers in all of New York City. SIBL offers access to several proprietary company databases including Vault and Wet Feet, classes to teach patrons how to use the databases,  job search coaching sessions from career professionals,  job search clubs, advice from retired executives on how to start a small business, and workshops on various job search related topics…all for free. The show, launched by New York City Mayor, Michael Bloomberg,  is just one example of what the mayor is trying to do to help New Yorkers find employment. Under his leadership the city also launched CareerLinkNYC to provide job seekers with additional online resources.

No one gets a modeling contract or a feature piece in Food & Wine Magazine on this show. But some of the job seekers profiled do get jobs and in my book that’s perhaps the sweetest victory or all.

This month’s Career Collective topic revolves around advice to job seekers to make the most out of 2010. I believe that an important strategy for a successful job search in 2010 involves looking at trending industries and going where the growth is. With a little bit of research, cyber-sleuthing, networking, and luck you may be able to land a job in an industry that is trending up for 2010 and beyond. Here are my thoughts on the topic.

1. Research industries and job functions that are trending up. Check out the Occupational Outlook Handbook to learn more about industries and job functions predicted to experience growth over the next decade. Follow other online sources for trending information such as  Indeed.com who reports that last year, four major industries had more job growth than the previous year. Education grew 38%, hospitality grew 20%, retail grew 17%, and real estate grew 4%. The 10 fastest growing opportunities of 2009 were in technology positions for applications such as Twitter, Cloud Computing, iPhone, Facebook. Other positions trending upward were Corporate Social Responsibility Expert, Blogger, Pediatrician, Hospitalist, Social Media Expert, and Speech Language Pathologist. Sites such as Vault, Glassdoor, Salary.com, and Payscale are also excellent resources for tracking trending industries and job functions.
2. Recognize that the new green movement is kind of old. Greentech, Cleantech, and Smart Grid technology are also industries that are trending up, but keep in mind that many traditional industries and job functions are also embracing the green movement and this will facilitate job growth. For example, more and more hotels seek consultants to help them figure out how to make their hotels more eco-friendly and many companies are consciously measuring their carbon footprint and trying to figure out ways to waste less and recycle more. In addition, the President’s stimulus plan will result in 5M new green jobs.
3. Think about jobs that can’t be outsourced. Many health care-related jobs including dental assistant, ultrasound technician, paramedic, home care aide, and nurse cannot be outsourced. You may not be trained for one of these careers, but you can certainly try to make inroads with the organizations that employ these professionals, i.e. hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, hospice care, etc. as a way to get a foothold in an industry that appears to be at less risk for being outsourced.
4. Ponder what types of business problems need to be solved. The financial crisis might have resulted in several lost jobs, but with that comes the opportunity for something new. Expect to see organizations creating greater measures for compliance and stricter auditing procedures, and stricter government control. Does your skill set support any of these needs?
5. Channel your inner Uncle Sam. One of the fastest growing sectors is the federal sector. It is the only sector that will continue to fill jobs regardless of economic conditions. President Obama plans to expand the number of civilians in the executive branch by 140,000 to reach a total of 2M. That’s the highest this number has been since Bill Clinton took office in 1992. In addition, more than 40% of the 1.5M federal employees will retire in the next five years and the government will need some new blood!

For more advice on career strategies for 2010, check out the posts of my esteemed colleagues here.

@KCCareerCoach, Career Chaos, “The Art of Being Gracious: Much Needed in Today’s Job Search,”

@MartinBuckland, Elite Resumes,  Career Trends and Transition 2010

@heathermundell, life@work, Kaizen and the Art of Your Job Search

@barbarasafani, Career Solvers, Looking Into the 2010 Careers Crystal Ball

@resumeservice, Resume Writing Blog, The Resume and Your Social Media Job Search Campaign

@kat_hansen,  Quintessential Resumes and Cover Letters Tips Blog, New Year: Time to Assess Yourself and Your Career

@keppie_careers, Keppie Careers, Help for job seekers in a rut

@heatherhuhman, HeatherHuhman.com, Job seekers: 5 tips for making the most of 20

@DawnBugni, The Write Solution, Ya, but

@ErinKennedyCPRW, Professional Resume Services, Advice to Job Seekers in 2010–learn Yoga?

@Chandlee, The Emerging Professional Blog,
Starfish, JobAngels, and Making a Difference

@ValueIntoWords, Career Trend, Is Your Job Search Strategy a Snore?

@debrawheatman, Resumes Done Write, Making the most of a new year

@walterakana, Threshold Consulting, Starting anew – tips for truly managing your career

@careersherpa, Hannah Morgan: Career Sherpa, The Year of the Tiger

@WorkWithIllness, WorkingWithIllness.com, Dogs Can Do It, Can You?

@JobHuntOrg, Job-Hunt.org, Lifelong Learning for Career Security

@AndyInNaples, Career Success, What Are You Getting Better At? Make This the Year You Become the Best You Can Be!

@GLHoffman, What Would Dad Say, A Flash of the Blindly Obvious

CareerBuilder internal data suggests that 34% of candidates that try to apply for a job don’t because the application process is too much of a hassle. 24% report the “apply now” link is broken and 21% report that the long application process isn’t worth their time.

My clients tell me unbelievable stories about how difficult some companies make the online posting process. It seems like a lot of great candidates are getting away because they can’t be bothered with most company’s poorly worded job postings and frustrating posting processes.

Job seekers are not just job seekers. They are also past, current, or potential customers and even evangelists for a company brand they believe in. Doesn’t it make sense to do a better job of engaging job seekers? Check out the CareerXRoads Mystery Job Seeker Report to see what really happens when job seekers try to apply to some of America’s top companies.

In honor of Job Action Day, The Career Collective is offering advice and strategies on how job seekers can secure their future in a changed economy. Here are my thought on the topic…

Frequently when I work with job seekers, many think about their skill sets as they relate to a particular function or industry. For example, a finance professional searches for roles in a bank, a creative director scopes out positions with advertising agencies, an editor reviews opportunities at publishing houses, and a lawyer searches for a position in a law firm or large corporation. But the reality is that the competencies that these professionals possess can add great value to emerging and high growth industries. And in order to stay relevant and employable in 2009 and beyond, job seekers will need to find the intersection between their competencies and emerging industries to land successfully in these turbulent times. Here are some facts related to stimulus money and industries trending upward to get you thinking about where the jobs will be in 2009 and beyond.

High Tech, Green Tech, and Sustainability

Close to $30 billion is being allocated for smart-grid related activities, energy efficiency and conservation grants, renewable energy research, grant funding for the manufacturing of advanced battery systems and vehicle batteries, wind, solar, and electricity transmission projects, and alternative fuel.

In addition, many traditional industries are “greening” their products and services. Examples of greening industries include construction, IT, printing, real estate, hospitality, and event planning. And as the green movement continues to gain momentum, new  opportunities for traditional professionals will evolve. For example, as more people begin to support and embrace green industries, the demand for green investor advisory services may also be on the rise and there will be a need for green lawyers to facilitate the legal, regulatory, and government hurdles that businesses will face when implementing a more sustainable workplace.

Science and Energy Funding and Initiatives

Approximately $20B in funding will be used for federal building energy efficiency, fossil energy research and development, and weatherization assistance programs.

Transportation

Nearly $20B will be designated for transportation and infrastructure funding including investments in public transportation and Amtrak high speed and intercity rail.

Government

Hiring of new employees in upper level government positions has steadily increased from 25% in 1990 to more than 40% in 2008. Reasons for selecting candidates from outside the government sector include the need to fill a skills gap, improve workforce quality, get a fresh perspective, improve workforce diversity, and meet succession planning goals.

Healthcare

People are living longer and more agencies and services are needed to take care of the aging population. Many of the boomers have disposable income for elective surgery, fitness, nutritional counseling, and any products and services that make them feel better and younger.

So regardless of what you do…sales, marketing, technology, administration, operations…there is a way for you to retool your “wares”  to land a job in this new economy.

I encourage you to visit other Career Collective responses by visiting the links below.

Meg Montford:  Job Action Day: Finding Your “MOJO” After Layoff http://coachmeg.typepad.com/career_chaos/2009/10/job-action-day-finding-your-mojo-after-layoff.html

Debra Wheatman: Plan B from outer space; or what do you have in case your first plan doesn’t work out? http://resumesdonewrite.blogspot.com/2009/10/plan-b-from-outer-space-or-what-do-you.html

Heather Mundell: Green Jobs – What They Are and How to Find Them, http://dbcs.typepad.com/lifeatwork/2009/10/green-jobs-what-they-are-and-how-to-find-them.html

Erin Kennedy: Cutting Edge Job Search Blueprint http://exclusive-executive-resumes.com/resumes/job-search-blueprint/

Grace Kutney: Securing Your Career While Navigating the Winds of Change http://sweetcareers.blogspot.com/2009/10/securing-your-career-while-navigating.html

Hannah Morgan: Career Sherpa– Why Our Job Search Advice is the Same but Different http://hannahmorgan.typepad.com/hannah_morgan/2009/10/why-our-job-search-advice-is-the-same-but-different.html

Gayle Howard: The Enlightened Jobseeker http://www.theexecutivebrand.com/?p=500

Laurie Berenson: Making lemonade out of lemons: Turn unemployment into entrepreneurship http://blog.sterlingcareerconcepts.com/2009/10/30/making-lemonade-out-of-lemons-turn-unemployment-into-entrepreneurship.aspx

Jacqui Barrett-Poindexter: You Can Thrive In, Not Just Survive, an Economic Slogging http://careertrend.wordpress.com/2009/10/30/you-can-thrive-not-just-survive-an-economic-slogging/

Rosalind Joffe: Preparedness: It’s Not Just for Boyscouts http://workingwithchronicillness.com/2009/10/preparedness-its-not-just-for-boy-scouts/

Rosa E. Vargas: Are You Evolving Into The In-Demand Professional of Tomorrow? http://resume-writing.typepad.com/resume_writing_and_job_se/2009/10/furture-careers.html

Dawn Bugni: Your network IS your net worth http://thewritesolution.wordpress.com/2009/10/30/your-network-is-your-net-worth/

Miriam Salpeter: Optimize your job hunt for today’s economy http://www.keppiecareers.com/2009/10/30/optimize-your-job-hunt-for-todays-ecomony/

GL Hoffman: The Life of An Entrepreneur: Is It for You? http://blogs.jobdig.com/wwds/2009/10/30/the-life-of-an-entrepreneur-is-it-for-you/

Katharine Hansen: Job Action Day 09: His Resume Savvy Helped New Career Rise from Layoff Ashes http://resumesandcoverletters.com/tips_blog/2009/11/job-action-day-09-his-resume-s.html

Martin Buckland: Job Search–The Key to Securing Your Future Career. http://aneliteresume.com/job-search/the-key-to-securing-your-future-career/

Chandlee Bryan: Where the Green Jobs Are: http://emergingprofessional.typepad.com/the_emerging_professional/2009/11/where-the-green-jobs-are.html

Heather R. Huhman, Take Action: 10 Steps for Landing an Entry-Level Job, http://www.heatherhuhman.com/2009/10/take-action/

Recently I talked to G.L. Hoffman, Chairman of  LinkUp.com, a site that aggregates and publishes only jobs listed on corporate web sites from thousands of companies around the U.S.

LinkUp came about because of a team of developers and marketers who  understood what the market, i.e. the job seeker wanted.  Basically, instead of the typical job board, LinkUp only presents those jobs which companies post on their own career sections of their site. This means that the jobs are always real, always timely, and are never duplicated. Since most of the jobs are never advertised anywhere except the company’s own website, the job seeker who makes LinkUp one of the places he visits may find less competition for those jobs.

LinkUp is currently indexing over 22,000 company websites around the country, and their search engine contains anywhere between 400,000-500,000 jobs on any given day covering the entire U.S. economy in terms of vertical industries, salary levels, and locations.

Unlike other job boards such as Monster, Careerbuilder, and Craigslist, there are no scam ads, no risk of identity theft (they do not collect resumes and they do not allow anyone to directly post jobs onto the site), no 3rd party recruiters and staffing company ads, etc. And unlike other aggregators such as Indeed and SimplyHired that aggregate jobs from other job boards, LinkUp only aggregates from a single source – the hiring company or employer organization itself. As a result, there are no duplicate listings on the site. According to G.L., “Simply put, it is the best quality jobs database on the web today and reviews from around the web are overwhelmingly positive.”  They have also recently received terrific reviews on their Facebook application for employers and iPhone app for job seekers.

In addition to overseeing LinkUp, G.L. is also currently Chairman of JobDig, an employment-focused media company that delivers multi-channel recruitment advertising solutions to employers of all sizes in all industries. JobDig publishes a free weekly jobs newspaper in markets throughout the U.S., operates the popular website jobDig.com, and partners with network and cable TV stations and radio stations in each of its markets to allow companies to leverage broadcast media in their recruitment advertising. He writes a daily blog, What Would Dad Say? and is a weekly guest writer at US News and World Report. You can also follow him on Twitter here.

Best Companies to Work for in New York is a competition that recognizes New York State employers who have created a culture where employees love to come to work. Identifying and recognizing these employers is a joint effort of the New York State Society for Human Resource Management (NYS-SHRM) and Best Companies Group.

For the 2009 competition, participating companies were evaluated based on two assessments…one consisted of a confidential employee survey used to evaluate the employees’ workplace experience and the second assessment surveyed information about each company’s benefits, policies, and practices. Each company received an employee feedback “report card” that was rich with information about how employees are feeling and how each company stacked up to their fellow competitors. Twenty large and 20 small/medium companies were selected for the honor. Recognized companies include Nokia, Digitas, American Cancer Society, Visiting Nurse Service of New York, Beacon Federal, Cricket Communications, and Shawmut Design & Construction.

Often the best way to determine if a company is a great place to work is to go beyond the glitzy corporate brochure and company website and talk to the people in the trenches. But if you can’t talk to somebody who works for a particular company, the next best thing is to do some research. And surveys such as this one can help you uncover which companies are truly living their values and “walking the walk”.

Check out the Best Companies to Work for in New York site to view the entire list.