It been two short months since my last column, and while I missed communicating with the local job seekers, I spent that time researching for my book and seeking out ways to better serve you, the job seeker.

If you have been reading the classified ads, you have seen a marked increase in the amount of companies advertising for candidates and the new and unique ways in which they are trying to attract them.  I am excited to see so much activity in the job market and I’m happy to say that it is still a job seeker’s market.

Just as you would squeeze the melons at the grocery store, in a job seeker’s market, you can really take a moment’s halt to find out all that a company offers before you make a commitment.  Do you desire a better work/life balance?  Is it the opportunity to travel that motivates you?  These types of questions are what today’s employers are looking to tap in to and answer!  What really drives their ideal candidate is a question often asked, so this is the chance to really focus on what you hope to gain as a result joining a particular company.  As the market becomes more and more competitive, the opportunities to learn about the culture of a potential employer, understand their mission, and how you fit in, are now readily available. Be sure to take advantage of those opportunities!

I recently began working with a company that has a renewed focus on their referral market.  This is an untapped source for many organizations and one that holds the best candidates.  This particular organization has developed a unique way to bring those potential “referred” candidates into the company to talk to department heads and other employees that have been referred in and are happily employed.  This allows for an exchange of information that the job seeker would not normally be exposed to. 

This is an opportunity to meet with those whom you would potentially work with and work for.  By providing tours of the different areas of the facility, the potential employee can get a real sense for the job and the surroundings.  If you have been invited to attend an event like this, I encourage you to attend. 

While this may seem “out of the box”, more and more recruiters are feeling the heat to fill those open positions and are readily willing to host this type of events.

One of the more recent networking events I attended is called TEN. This is hosted by Worknet Pinellas and has a unique twist in that the focus is on the CEO level or C-Suite as it’s commonly referred.  What I found to be interesting is each week the attendees are to present either a business case to the group that either highlights what they can bring to the position or a business plan to address the specific need of the organization. 

The attendees are very focused on their job of finding a job, and are held accountable by the group to bring leads and be able to readily share their upcoming activities around their job search and report back on their progress.  If you are interested in attending this meeting, or other meetings that Worknet Pinellas offers, you can contact Carolann Mannix at cmannix@worknetpinellas.org or go online to http://www.worknetpinellas.org for more information.

If are finding that the summer heat is wearing you down, I encourage you to take a well-deserved break and enjoy time with your families.  Get refreshed and ready to jump back in! 

Be sure to keep your ears focused on the radio, eyes in the paper and listen to your friends and family when they refer you to a contact or a potential opportunity.  Forward thinking organizations are always looking for that great referral and would be thrilled to speak to you! Don’t worry if the job doesn’t seem like the best fit; at the very least you have made another contact for your network and increased your visibility. 

I have just come from attending the National SHRM Conference in Washington DC and I have to tell you, the HR community is buzzing about talent management and how to find the top talent for their organizations.  With over 12,000 attendees (predominately human resource professionals), the focus of this year’s conference was really about you, the job seeker.  Take advantage of this opportunity to find either that dream job, or one that allows you to bring your true talents to the forefront. 

If you aspire to work for a particular company, than I encourage you to not be shy and reach out to them.  You could very well be the top talent they are searching for! 

Please be sure to post your comments, ideas and suggestions for all of those job seekers who may need an extra push! 

Monthly Networking Events in the Tampa Bay Area:

Transitioning Professionals of Tampa Bay July 27th, (Every Thursday) RSVP:  http://www.TBTampaBay.Net

Pinellas Professional Network, August 9th & 16th, RSVP:  cmannix@worknetpinellas.org

Suncoast Human Resources, August 9th, RSVP:  http://www.suncoasthr.org

HR Tampa, August 16th, RSVP:  http://www.hrtampa.org

Sales and Marketing Executives of Tampa Bay, August 17th, RSVP:  http://www.smei.org

Bay Area Manufacturers Association, April 20th, RSVP: http://www.bama-fl.org

Tampa Bay Workforce Alliance Networking Meetings, RSVP:  http://www.workforcetampa.org