I’m thrilled to announce the release of my new book, Happy About My Job Search: How to Conduct an Effective Job Search for a More Successful Career. This book offers a candid perspective of what a search is and isn’t and practical hints for building better resumes and cover letters, networking strategically, interviewing effectively, and negotiating a more competitive compensation package.

Most of what occupies people in their job search is really no more than busy work or wheel spinning. Job seekers often post endlessly on dead-end or random job boards, attend local career fairs whether or not they are useful, or simply hand out resumes to someone who promises to “see what they can do.” But these search methods rarely yield  fruitful outcomes. This book reveals the way to be better informed and better prepared for the journey ahead and how to even find some fun, joy, and happiness during a job search.

You can get a sneak peak of the book here or  order the paperback, ebook, iPad or Kindle versions here.

Payscale recently released a survey of the top tech companies comparing leaders including Apple, Facebook, Amazon, Google and others on salary, perks, job satisfaction and much more. Here are a few interesting findings:

1. Most vacation time: Facebook (3.6 weeks)
2. Highest median starting salary: Nvidia Corp ($99, 400)
3. Most common schools hired from: Stanford, MIT, Carnegie Mellon, Rice University, University of Washington, Santa Clara University, University of  Texas
4. Companies offering  paternity leave: Facebook and Microsoft
5. Companies with the most men: Nvidia Corp, (92%); Facebook and Microsoft (79%); most women: Monster (58%) and LinkedIn (42%)

Understanding how co-workers and bosses give and receive information is important, and knowing their preferences can help improve communications and general job satisfaction. Savvy professionals are always looking for clues to a person’s preferred style of communication.

Most social psychologists recognize that there are four basic temperaments or communications styles. One widely accepted concept for acknowledging the four basic styles is known as the DISC method. The DISC is easy to understand, learn, remember, and apply. Here’s what the DISC stands for.

• The D stands for the Driving style and is a measure of how people respond to problems and challenges.
• The I stands for the Influential style and is a measure of how people influence others to their point of view.
• The S stands for the Steady/Stable style and is a measure of the intensity levels of a person’s behavior toward the pace of the environment.
• The C stands for Compliance and is a measure how people respond to rules and procedures set by others and their need for information.

When you are looking for clues into a person’s preferred communication style, remember that the indicators will not always be verbal. You can uncover significant insights about a person’s communication style by looking at their office. I spoke to certified professional behavioral analyst Jane Roquelplot, owner of  JaneCo’s Sensible Solutions, to learn more about what office style says about a person’s communication style.

D: Driving (fast-paced and task-oriented individuals)
When entering “D” styles’ offices, look around! The overall tone suggests authority and control. Their desks may be covered with projects and papers, stacked in neat piles. Both their in and out-boxes typically bulge with busywork. They tend to surround themselves with trophies, awards, and other evidence of personal achievement. Virtually everything about the place suggests hustle, bustle, formality, and power.
This type often favors a large chair behind a massive authority structure known as a power desk. Besides non-verbally announcing, “I’m important,” the desk separates them from visitors, literally keeping them at a distance. The walls may include diplomas, commendations, and other evidence of success. One wall may have a large planning sheet or calendar on it … the better to juggle tasks with. If “D” styles have family photos, they may hang behind them or somewhere where they do not readily see them. To this type, their offices are places of business, and the fewer distractions they have, the better.

I: Influential (fast-paced and people-oriented)
When you enter the working area of an “I” style, look around his office. What does it look like? Even if you have never been to this type’s office before, you may recognize it from across the room. Remember Oscar Madison? He and other “I” styles may strew paperwork across their desks, sometimes trailing it along the floor, too. They react to visual stimuli, so they like to have everything where they can see it. Consequently, their desks often look cluttered and disorganized. If anyone comments, “How do you find anything?” they like to say that they are organized in their disorganization.
“I” style office walls may sport prestigious awards. They may be adorned with a broad range of decorations including liberal arts degrees, motivational or upbeat slogans, generalized personal comments, or stimulating posters. You may see notes posted and taped all over the place with little apparent forethought, rhyme, or reason. Overall decor in these offices usually reflects an open, airy, lively atmosphere that often reveals the personality of its occupant. Likewise, the furniture arrangement tends to indicate warmth, openness, and contact. An “I” style seldom sits behind a desk when he talks. He often opts for comfortable, accessible seating, enabling him to meet his goal of getting to know people better. He prefers to sit next to others at a table or on a couch so he can see and hear them.

S: Steady/Stable (slow-paced and people-oriented)

When you enter an “S” style’s office, be alert for conservatively framed personal slogans, group photos, serene landscapes and posters, and other personal items. Since S-types tend to seek close relationships, also look around for telltale family pictures and mementos, usually turned so they can view them from their desk chair.

They often favor nostalgic memories of stabilizing experiences and relationships in our increasingly high-tech world. These remembrances of a pleasant, uncomplicated past allow them to transform their offices into an environment of friendly, warm ambiance. They prefer to arrange seating in a side-by-side, more congenial, cooperative manner. No big power desks for them! If they do have one, though, they will typically come out from behind it and reach out, opting for a more personal touch.

C: Compliant (slow-paced and task-oriented)
“C” styles often carry their organizational tendencies into their work environments. Environmental clues include neat, highly organized desks with cleared tops so they can work unimpeded by clutter — clean, shipshape, and professional with everything in the appropriate place. Charts, graphs, exhibits, models, credentials, and job-related pictures are often placed neatly on their office walls or shelves.
“C” styles favor a functional decor that will enable them to work more efficiently. They tend to keep most objects within reach, readily available when needed. Where appropriate, you may notice state-of-the-art technology to further enhance efficiency. “C” styles are non-contact people who prefer the formality of distance. This preference is reflected in the functional, but uninviting, arrangement of their desks and chairs, usually with the desks physically separating them with other.

As a high school junior, my son is starting to do research on college programs that are in sync with what he would like to study, computer animation. Even though computer and 3D animation are relatively new fields, there are some select colleges that offer degree programs in the field. But almost all the programs seem to assume that the person entering the program has an interest in animation but little hands on technical computer animation experience. The curriculum are heavy on theory and light on practical training. And as someone who has already been independently studying animation for close to 9 years, my son’s really not interested in spending four years on theory when he could be honing his technique and producing real work. And for good reason. For my son, the last 9 years have been a waiting game. Waiting to finish school with all its academic requirements and finally having the opportunity to spend his days working on the projects he has known for so long that he wants to do.  I’ve run out of reasons  for why he needs to take endless English, history, math, science, and language classes. I’ve never been able to justify the 4 hours of homework assigned each night. My son figured out long ago that he will never use most of this information to form the life he wants to create.

Just as all this has been weighing on my mind, The New York Times published an article about the growing trend towards questioning the value of a college education and profiled students who are forgoing the college degree and opting for work, entrepreneurship, self-directed learning, and general life experiences as a substitute. And who can blame them? The Internet has revolutionized and democratized the sharing of information. Plus, there is a whole new college drop out role model courtesy of Steve Jobs, Mark Zuckerberg, Michael Dell and others. And then there’s the whole issue of student debt. The New York Times article mentions that according to the Student Body Scholarship Association, there is now $1 trillion in outstanding student debt. And according to a College@home infographic, 53% of  18 to 24 year olds live with their parents because they can’t afford to live on their own.

I meet recent grads from well-known schools and not so well-known schools.  Some have 4.0 GPAs; some have 2.0 GPAs. Many are having a hard time finding work because they frequently have majors that either don’t translate easily to a profession or are in a field that is already saturated with applicants. Or they have little in the way of internships, summer jobs, or a strong network to support their career target. The proof of success demonstrated by the attainment of a college degree is no longer a strong enough differentiator for employers. College certainly makes sense for students wishing to pursue certain fields such as medicine, law, or engineering, but it just doesn’t seem to make sense for everyone.

My son recently showed me a link to an intensive one-year online computer animation program that offers hands on practical experience in all the nitty-gritty technical things that he is hungry to learn more of but is having difficulty finding in a traditional 4-year undergraduate program. It sounds amazing but at the same time it sounds scary and feels reckless to invest in something that is so different than what we have grown accustomed to equating with education and I struggle with the perceived repercussions of giving up the traditional 4 year degree.  But each day I have a harder time justifying the merits of a traditional 4-year degree and wonder if others have the same doubts for their children. It will be interesting to see how the 4-year degree is perceived by hiring authorities in the next 5 to 10 years and if the tide will shift. What are your thoughts?

Many people assume that their job search will come to a screeching halt the day after Thanksgiving and won’t pick up until January. But contrary to popular belief, millions of jobs are filled during the holiday season and job seekers who “stick with the program” in December may be rewarded with that spanking new job in January.

I recently partnered with Susan Joyce of Job-Hunt and dozens of career experts to create a new e-book called New Year, New Job! 101 Top Holiday Job Search Tips from the Job-Hunt Experts for Your Holiday Job Search, a quick but information-packed read. Fortune recently profiled some of our  top holiday job search tips and the book chapters include:

Holiday Awareness

Holiday Hope

Employers Are Motivated!

Your Competition Is Taking Time Off

Some Barriers Are Down

Leverage the Season

Pre-Party Prep and Planning

Have Your Own Party

Party and Travel Time!

Handle Those Awkward Questions and Conversations

Party Follow-Up

Beat the Blahs

Cultivate an Attitude of Gratitude

Sharing Lifts Spirits (and Expands Networks)

Painless In-Person and Social Networking

Network Through Volunteering

Position Yourself to Be Found Online

A Time when Gifting May Be Appropriate and Helpful

Time to Play Cards

Move Forward: Plan, Prepare, and Follow Up

Why Temping May Be a Good Option

Manage Health Limitations

Special Tips for Veterans

Special Tips for College Students

The book is free on Amazon Kindle until midnight tonight and you can download it here. Starting November 27 it will be available for only 99 cents. Happy Holidays!

Each year Career Directors International hosts the TORI (Toast of the Resume Industry) awards competition to recognize the work of resume writers across the globe. The competition is like the Olympics for the resume industry and winners even receive medals for their work. This year Career Solvers was awarded four medals for resumes in the following categories:

Best Technical Resume
Best Sales & Marketing Resume
Best International Resume
Best Creative Resume

I’ve always been a sucker for shiny objects and I was thrilled to receive my awards in the mail today. Sure, they’re pretty, but to receive one is a real honor because I was competing against hundreds of qualified entries, the same way your resume may be in a “contest” for a job opportunity along with hundreds of other resumes. I was pleased that my resumes rose to the top and I “landed the job.”  And I would be equally honored to be part of your job search journey and write a resume for you that wins the job.

This is a guest post by Jason Sanders, Vice President of Executive Search at Ivy Exec, a web-based recruiting company that combines next generation technology with human power to deliver customized hiring solutions targeting high caliber professionals to help place them in executive jobs.

A number of years ago, I had an employee who became dissatisfied. I think he became frustrated with his compensation, but he also hadn’t accomplished what he needed to earn an additional bonus. Undoubtedly, he had other issues on his mind as well.

He finally decided that he needed to leave our firm, so he decided to interview with other companies. After securing a new position, he came to me to ask for a bonus one last time. He asked. I answered, no. He said, “In that case, I quit!” I felt burned, and lied to, and inadequate all at the same time.

Informing your boss that you will be leaving your company is rarelyeasy or enjoyable. Most people face this situation several times over the course of their careers, and have the opportunity to keep or destroy relationships in the process. You may be able to ease anxiety around this process by keeping a few clear principles in mind as you resign your position.

There are four fundamental things to keep in mind when giving notice:

Be certain of your decision, and clear in your delivery of the news.
Select who should hear directly from you, and in what order.
Treat people the way you would want to be treated.
Prepare.
The first thing you need to do before giving notice is to be absolutely sure you want to leave the firm, and understand why you have made this decision. Everyone has their own tricks for making important decisions. I knew a person, who flipped a coin to decide between two options. He checked his reaction, and if he was happy with the coin flip, he followed it. If, on the other hand, he was disappointed, then his emotional reaction steered him against the flip.

Personally, I like to talk with my wife, an advisor, or even talk with myself about important choices. Vocalization is very important to me because I will hear whether the reasons for my decision are substantial or just rationalizations. Some people prefer the plus/minus column method. Whatever you choose, make sure you understand your reasoning, so that you will convey an unambiguous conclusion.

Clarity and decisiveness help people understand your state of mind, and help them begin to process their own reaction to your decision. Recognize the importance of the initial presentation, and handle its delivery care. I find it helpful to talk for a while after delivering bad news. This gives people a chance to process the news before offering a response. Start out in a clear, definitive way, “Unfortunately, I need to tell you that I have decided to leave the company…” Afterwards, you should plan to spend at least a couple of minutes talking without looking for any input from your boss. This will give him the time to absorb your news, and adjust his mind set to the conversation you are about to have. Once you see that the news has clicked in, you can begin to have a dialog.

You should try to make the conversation as short as possible, while remaining professional and respectful. Ask for a 30-minute window, but plan for a 10 to 15 minute dialog. This time frame allows time for the news to sink in, without forcing a hasty discussion about next steps. The additional 15 minutes gives your boss time to adjust to the news before his next piece of business for the day.

During the conversation with your boss, the topic of transition may arise. You should try to delay this discussion because you will both need time to process your emotional reactions. Take your time and let the situation unfold. Don’t try to force your way through it just to get past the bad feelings.

Bring a signed resignation letter with you to your meeting. You should keep this safely hidden away until the end of your conversation. Beginning the conversation by placing a letter on someone’s desk shows insecurity, and perhaps a lack of respect. Placing it there at the end signifies finality. A brief resignation letter brings the conversation to a close for you and for your boss. Also, you will feel much better typing it before your discussion, rather than afterwards.

Travel schedules may interfere with giving notice face to face. If this is the case, plan for a phone call. Avoid giving notice by email, and avoid sending your letter of resignation in electronic form. A written letter conveys substance, thought and finality, where emails may be taken more lightly, and may be shared more easily. You want to keep that document in as few hands as possible.

During discussions with you boss, one possible reaction is to try to keep you in the company. If you do not present your decision clearly, you leave room for the possibility of a counteroffer. You should consider the possibility of a counteroffer and what its impact could be upon you before giving notice. If you have any hesitation, then you are really in a salary negotiation, not a departure.

Once you have told your boss, try to relax and get away from the office. You need to let things settle and get ready for transition discussions and notifying your colleagues. If possible, the best time to give notice is on Friday. This will give you and your boss time to absorb the impact before re-engaging.

If possible, revisit the discussion with your boss before notifying colleagues and clients. This demonstrates respect for your supervisor and the business interests of the company. Once you feel comfortable with his reaction, you need to inform your co-workers.

Think about the order of whom you will tell, and whether you need to talk with them face-to-face or over the phone. You should try to move quickly through these conversations to exercise some measure of control over the flow of information. You may also want to ask for a short period of confidentiality with the first people you notify. This will give you time to begin to set up important relationships for the future. You may use email or voicemail to ask colleagues to speak with you, but never leave notice that way. If they are not important enough to tell personally, then let them find out through someone else.

Situations with co-workers vary so much that that it is difficult to offer specific advice about individual conversations. In general, you should take your time to consider who to talk with, try to have these conversations all on one day, and give the news in the way that you would want to receive it.

Giving notice comes down to preserving relationships. If you didn’t need any connections, you could just walk out of the building and never come back. Your actions in this situation reveal your character and your ability to create sustainable connections. The best guide is a very old piece of advice, treat others the way you would want to be treated. With a little preparation and sensitivity, you will find your own path.

The East Coast is still recovering from last week’s Hurricane Sandy. As a native New Yorker who has lived in Manhattan, Queens, and Brooklyn, I’m still trying to comprehend the concept of New York and major hurricane in the same sentence. And I’m not alone. No one expected anything like this to ever happen in the New York area, but then again, no one expected last year’s Hurricane Irene, a major snowstorm in October, or an earthquake either.

I think the same can be said for the demise of several companies over the last few years that were considered unstoppable such as Merrill Lynch and Lehman Brothers. Like Hurricane Sandy, many people were unprepared and left in a daze after those companies folded and the impact of their demise had ramifications for everyone from Wall Street to Main Street. How can you be prepared if a hurricane hits your career in the form of a downsizing or company closing? Here are some suggestions.

Be willing to accept support. In the aftermath of the hurricane, even the proudest of people are now willing to accept help. They appreciate the generosity of their neighbors and embrace the sense of community.

Community is equally important in a job search. People often tell me that they want to manage their job search on their own. They feel that asking for help equates to asking for a favor. But a job search really does take a village. I’m not suggesting that you ask your contacts for a job, but I am recommending asking contacts for information and the names of other contacts in their network who may be able to offer support.

Prepare your job evacuation kit in advance. In preparation for the hurricane, people bought extra flashlights, batteries, and canned goods. Some were even prepared with back-up generators in the event their electricity went out. Others had no back up supplies and really had to scramble after the storm hit.

I often meet people who haven’t updated their resume in years and then scramble to put one together as quickly as possible if they lose their jobs. They are in a state of panic; they are managing their careers in a reactive rather than proactive manner. It’s best to have your resume updated and “ready to go” so you can offer it to someone on a minute’s notice.

Recognize and prepare for change. There have been signs of global warning and changing weather patterns before, and now that these “storms of the century” seem to be occurring every year, it’s difficult to ignore their growing impact on the way we live our lives. We need to come to terms with the fact that our current infrastructures may no longer be enough to support our changing environment.

Often there are signs of layoffs well before the pink slip is handed out. Yet many choose to ignore those signs.  Staying current on the issues that impact your industry, company, and job function can help you predict a future career hurricane and take precautions in terms of making a career change or upgrading your skills before your career is damaged by the changes in the economic landscape.

We may not be able to change mother nature or layoff decisions that can impact our careers but we can certainly manage how we prepare for these occurrences in the future.

Last week I led a presentation at the World of Working Women Employment Conference & Job Fair in New York City and discussed methods for leveraging technology to improve the quality of your job search.

Job Board Tips

1. Use aggregate boards to save time and build efficiencies into your search. Rather than spending time searching multiple job boards, use an aggregate board such as Indeed or Simply Hired. These aggregate boards pull information from multiple boards and allow you to search from one location in real time based on your specific search parameters.
2. Use niche boards to source jobs specific to your skills and expertise. Rather than spending time on a big board like Monster or CareerBuilder, source some niche boards that specifically recruit for your industry or job function. There may be less competition on a specialized board. Examples of specialized boards are eFinancialCareers and Med Reps (for medical sales jobs).
3. Set up job board alerts to automate job search and reduce time spent on certain tasks. You can customize the information on the types of postings you are interested in receiving by job function, industry, location, and skills.

1. Add keywords to resumes to make it easier to be found by employers. Many employers use applicant tracking software to source candidates. By adding keywords to your resume that indicate your functional and technical skills, you can increase the chances of being found.
2. Format your resume so an ATS system can read it. Be sure to place your dates of employment to the right of the company name and create clear category headings on the resume such as professional experience and education to ensure that if a software is scanning your resume it can find the information it needs.
3. Create a text version of your resume to upload to job boards. Save the resume as a text only document and clean up the formatting to create a presentable text version. Learn how to create a text document here.

1. Reach out to connections via LinkedIn and Facebook. Most people get their jobs through people they know. Tools like LinkedIn and Facebook help facilitate relationship building.
2. Improve your online presence via Google+, BrandYourself and ZoomInfo. Most hiring managers and recruiters will do an online search of candidates before calling them in for an interview. By creating a professional profile on these sites you increase the likelihood of being found online, elevate your professional positioning, and potentially improve your chances of being called in for an interview.
3. Use tools such as Jigsaw, Glassdoor, and Vault to research companies and people in companies. These tools offer great competitive intelligence about industries, companies, decision makers, corporate culture, and potential job opportunities.
4. Take advantage of free company databases at your local library. Many libraries have subscriptions to proprietary databases that patrons can use to create targeted lists of employers and key decision makers. This can be a great way to source contacts, turn cold leads into warm ones, or improve your networking efforts.

The mechanics of the negotiation are the same for men and women, but the strategies often vary between the two sexes. Personality, style, and gender are all contributing factors that influence the outcome of the conversation. Here are four differences I have observed between male and female negotiation styles (and what you can do to level the playing field):

1.) Relationships vs. Outcomes
Women tend to value relationships over outcomes and are willing to compromise in an effort to keep the relationship intact. They can be people pleasers who generally do not like conflict and confrontation, and many women associate salary negotiation with conflict. In a study by Babcock, Gelfund, Small, and Stayn, “Propensity to Initiate Negotiations,” men and women participated in an internet survey to identify if they believed it was appropriate to negotiate in various work-related fictitious situations. As a group, women were less likely than men to choose negotiation as an option, even though they recognized that negotiation was appropriate.

Men tend to leverage relationships to achieve their goals. They ask for a particular salary with less compromise and are concerned with outcomes. They worry less about how their negotiations affect the relationship. Their straight-forward approach can work well, especially for short-term financial gain.

Recommendation: Both men and women can be successful negotiators by positioning their needs as part of a collaborative process. By listening to a potential employer’s needs and recommending outcomes that
benefit both parties, women and men can get what they want for themselves and preserve the relationship at the same time.

2.) Needs vs. Wants
Many women may make decisions about salary based on what they feel they need rather than what the market will bear. They use past salary as their benchmark and may rationalize that a similar or slightly higher salary is what they should ask for. Since employers tend to reward people no more than they require, women are at risk for receiving less competitive packages than their male counterparts.

Men are more likely to ask for what they want. Cultural norms may be at play here, since historically it has been acceptable for men to be assertive in the business world, while women who are tend to be viewed as aggressive or difficult to work with. In a study by Small, Babcock, and Gelfund, “Why Don’t Women Ask,” participants were asked to play a game and offered $3 as compensation. If participants asked for more, they would receive $10. Almost nine times as many males asked for more money, suggesting that men ask for what they want more frequently than women.

Recommendation: Both men and women can improve their negotiation skills by knowing their market value. Sites such as www.salary.com, www.payscale.com, and www.glassdoor.com help job seekers define a potential range of salaries for a particular job. By doing your research and presenting the business case for your requested salary, you improve your bargaining power and diffuse potential cultural biases.

3.) External vs. Internal Centers of Influence
Women may be more likely to assume that hard work alone will be recognized and rewarded with a promotion and/or increased monetary compensation. They often wait for external factors and group consensus to determine their opportunities for advancement.

Men more frequently take matters into their own hands and believe they influence their opportunities and promotions. They are less inclined to stay in dead-end jobs and more likely to ask for a raise when they feel the situation warrants one. In the “Propensity to Initiate Negotiations” survey, researchers found that women were 45 percent less likely to see the importance of asking for what they want.

Recommendation: Men and women can increase their opportunities for promotion by taking a proactive approach to their career development that includes reporting accomplishments regularly, taking on high-profile assignments, and developing influential networking relationships within the organization.

4.) Low vs. High Goal Setting
Women may set more modest goals than men and they generally make concessions earlier in the negotiation process. As a result, women typically have lower salaries than men in similar positions.

A study by Riley, Babcock, and McGinn, “Gender as a Situational Phenomenon in Negotiation,” revealed that men typically set goals for negotiation conversations that are 15 percent higher than women. By going into the negotiation process with higher goals, men can often receive better initial offers and additional leverage in the negotiation process. In subsequent negotiations, employers often assume that applicants with better compensation records are more capable than those who have been paid less.

Recommendation: Men and women should adopt a negotiation style that meets their individual needs, but both should incorporate ambitious targets into their negotiation strategy. When you negotiate your compensation package you are not just negotiating your starting salary, but you are directly impacting every salary increase you receive from that point forward.

While most job-seekers are intensely interested in how to negotiate the best package, few realize the importance of creating their own style and developing a set of best practices for their negotiations.