Mary Elizabeth Bradford, nationally recognized tactical job search coach and certified resume writer is offering an unprecedented opportunity to job seekers. Now you can receive coaching to learn to tap into the hidden or unadvertised job market for $35 for a 6-week program. Learn more here:

http://www.maryelizabethbradford.com/mastermind.php

Dave Perry, Co Author of Guerrilla Marketing For Job Hunters 2.0 says in recessionary times – 95% of jobs are stealth or hidden jobs. If you are in a job search you MUST learn how to find hidden and unadvertised opportunities.

There is NOTHING in the market for job seekers that comes close to giving this much value at this price point. It doesn’t matter where you are at in your career, executive level or just starting out… this is critical information that will help you land the job you want and even exceed your salary expectations.

Myth: Executive level jobs are best found through recruiters and fee-based, high level job boards.

Truth: Both recruiters and fee based executive level job boards can severely limit your job search and the responses you receive.

Executive recruiters can only help you if you have the exact qualifications to help them…fill their key search assignments that is.

And fee based job boards usually yield about 1% to maybe 7% response rates. You are going to have to send out a lot of resumes to get any response at all, and of course don’t forget about the intense amount of executive competition you will face for the very same job.

Most executives are all about working smarter, not harder. Though connecting with recruiters and answering 6-figure job ads might seem like the easiest way from point A to point B, it’s actually more work on your part to market yourself thoroughly enough using only these two outlets to get you the kind of results you are hoping for. It’s counterintuitive to your objective.

Want an easier solution? Of course it depends on the industry and position but I find that executive level jobs are best found using the following system:

1. Identification of the industry(s) of interest
2. Identification of the position(s) sought
3. Launching a campaign to penetrate those industries

To be successful (and when I say successful I mean conducting a job search that results in a number of high quality interviews for opportunities you are genuinely interested in, and obtaining one or more viable job offers) you must have a clear plan, followed by a significant level of market exposure.

Here are several highly effective techniques and resources to get going in the right direction:

1. Identify your market
What industry are you interested in and why? You must have a crystal clear direction before you can formulate any sort of plan. Is the market growing, or… are you purposely targeting growing markets? Smart move on your part. I recommend you read my ezine
( my monthly articles you can sign up for on my site at www.maryeizabethbradford.com) to gain access to portals of free US market reports that include recession proof industries and all kinds of useful information for the high level job seeker.

2. Identify your position
In order to target and brand your resume you have to be clear on the type of position you are pursuing. Again, have you thought it through? Are their other emerging positions (e.g.: Chief Ethics Officer) or parallel positions that might offer more challenge, more security or more experience where you need it – that help to achieve your long term career goals? Its worth spending some time here, doing a bit of research and thinking this through.

3. Launching a campaign to penetrate your industry/position of choice
You can do this several ways including:

•  Hiring a firm to research contacts and companies that fit your career parameters.
•  Using a site like zoominfo.com to research your preferences yourself.
• Hire a company like mine to analyze, make recommendations and gather the initial information for you.
• Hire an administrative assistant on a project basis to take care of some of your more mundane job search tasks such as mail merging documents, sending out resumes etc… (you should make phone contacts yourself though).
• Find (and follow up on) growth opportunities (companies moving/growing/expanding) through setting up a simple tracking system on Google news or through regular checking of business and trade journals.
• Hire a company to conduct an elite direct mail program for you.
• Find executive recruiters through a high-end contact that can distribute your resume exclusively to retained search firms.
• Obtain a list of VC firms or PE firms who specialize in your industry of choice.

These are just a few ways that go way beyond fee based, 6 figure job boards. These methods, once they are set up by you – are just as turnkey as responding to a job ad

Bottom line, a combination of the right executive job search techniques can improve your results by 20%, 30% and even 40%. Questions about resources for these techniques? Just call – I am happy to answer your questions.

Source: CareerProNews

The medical devices industry has seen much growth in recent years. It offers many job opportunities to those hoping to venture into this field.

The aging of our society appears to have an impact on this field. As people get older, they generally need more medical care.

In the U.S., there are 76 million baby boomers (those born between 1946 and 1964). And the number of Americans age 65 and older will double over the next 30 years. That’s according to figures released by the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP).

“The aging baby boomer population should be a big bonanza for the health device and supply industry,” says a report by U.S. Business Reporter. “Medical devices have a tendency to be used more by the elderly in disproportionate amounts.”

The report also points out that longer life expectancies are having an impact. “Women have an average life expectancy of 78 years, while men have a life expectancy of approximately 69 years. This bodes well for medical device [and] equipment companies because they can generate more usage for their products with the longer life expectancy.”

Frost and Sullivan is an international market consulting and training company. One of its reports links the recent growth of the industry with an aging society.

“Demand in the medical device industry continues to increase due to the aging baby boom population and the ailments associated with getting older,” says the report.

“In addition to the population getting older, people are becoming more aware of the importance of remaining physically fit. As an increasing number of people are participating in sports and fitness programs, the number of injuries resulting from this has risen as well. This will sustain the growth of the market for medical devices.”

Kevin Murray is the vice-president of regulatory affairs for a medical devices trade association. He agrees. “As people age, they obviously become more susceptible to disease, injury and that type of thing,” he says.

“So there is a demand for medical treatments. And with that comes the demand for more use of medical equipment and devices. So it certainly has provided an opportunity for the industry. And it has also provided an opportunity in the development of new types of devices to treat disease and other types of medical problems that we are seeing an increase in because of our aging society.”

Roy Wallen is the marketing director for a medical device manufacturer. He says the aging boomers will impact the medical device industry in several ways.

“The bulk of experience in the field is with people that are starting to work their way out of the workplace, so having qualified workers is a challenge,” he says. “In addition, as people are aging, it provides more opportunity, a bigger market, for health care related systems.”

Wallen stresses that the number of older people in our society is increasing and there are more medical device systems available. But there are fewer workers. That means a greater reliance on technology. “There are more patients with fewer people to take care of them,” he says.

“In the medical device area, technology is evolving pretty rapidly now,” Murray says.

“We are seeing tremendous developments in products that we hadn’t seen before. And we are seeing some really interesting treatments being developed. I think it potentially could be a pretty exciting area to be involved in. And certainly on a global level, there is a growth opportunity.”

He says growth is limited by cost constraints in Canada, the United States and Europe. “[But] there are also emerging countries that are expanding the market, like China, a lot of the Asian Pacific countries, South America and Latin America,” Murray says.

“Those countries will probably outpace Canada, the United States and Europe in terms of growth and market opportunities. The future is going to be in a lot of these emerging countries, like China, whose population is over one billion.”

There are a number of job opportunities within the medical device industry field. Bob Stiefel is a director of clinical engineering services. He oversees the technicians and engineers who work with the medical devices in that facility.

“The technicians inspect, calibrate and repair medical equipment in the hospital and help users in the safe and proper use of some of the more sophisticated equipment,” he says.

“Engineers evaluate equipment, design changes or new equipment and help in planning for new types of technology to be introduced in the hospital.”

Stiefel says these two fields of work exist within the whole medical device industry. “The same types of folks [technicians and engineers] find jobs in teaching, in manufacturing and in regulatory agencies, all dealing with medical equipment. So there are many aspects to how technical people are employed in the medical device field.”

Those looking to enter this field should major in some form of engineering. “Electrical engineering is very popular, although biomedical is probably the most appropriate…. Mechanical engineering is also very important,” Stiefel says. He adds that pre-med is also an option.

There are also opportunities in marketing. In that case, business classes would be needed, along with a scientific background, according to Murray. “Also, more devices will depend on computer technology. So there may be more positions in software design or writing original code,” he says.

For high school students, strong mathematics skills, the ability to work with computer systems and strength in the life sciences areas are all important, Wallen says.

There are other things high school students can do now to begin to prepare for a job in this field. “The thing that immediately comes to mind is to volunteer for a few weeks or a couple of months in a hospital and, in particular, in an area of the hospital where medical technology is being used or serviced,” says Stiefel.

For those who do decide to pursue this field of study, Stiefel says, there will be jobs waiting for them. “The field is wide open. There is a demand for all types of people in technical fields,” he says.

“These days, we are almost constantly looking for more people for the department. The same is true in other departments, literally around the world.”

The higher-level jobs in this field require extensive education. “But there are a lot of opportunities in laboratory medicine or in entry-level positions that don’t require a high level of education,” Wallen says. “So there really is a range of opportunity for people, depending on what their skills or desires are.”

The rewards of working in the field are an added bonus. “I think that applying one’s interest in technology to medical technology provides a double reward,” Stiefel says.

“For me, it satisfies my interest in technology and it satisfies my desire to contribute to society. It is hard to find an area where you can contribute to society better than in health care.”

Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation
A resource for those in the industry
http://www.aami.org/

Medical Device Manufacturers Association
Encourages the development of new medical technology
http://www.medicaldevices.org

Medical Equipment & Technology Association
A wealth of useful resources and information
http://www.activemedia-guide.com/medical_equipment.htm

This is a very common question I receive from new clients. There is no one right answer, but there are some quick and easy steps you can take to make sure you are assessing your situation correctly.

Usually when a professional isn’t getting responses or quality interviews from their resume, the reason falls within one of these categories:

• The resume is poorly written

• The resume hasn’t been distributed widely enough to generate interest

• The methods with which the resume is being distributed are generally poor methods

Let’s take a look at each category:

The resume is poorly written
The problems I see with resumes are too extensive to go into too much depth here, however basic reoccurring problems include resumes that are too wordy, resumes that are not laser focused on the preferred industry and resumes that aren’t loaded with quantifiable achievements.

Unfortunately it’s not uncommon for me to see resumes that were “written professionally” by a resume writer or outplacement agency that just don’t cut it.

In short, if you can’t afford a resume writer, look for up-to-date resume samples via print or online media and do your best to use them as a template. Read several how-to articles on resume writing basics so you know what to emphasize.

Finally, if you hire someone to write your resume for you, make certain they are certified through a reputable association (CMI or CDI for example) and that they have ample experience. Prices can range from as little as $300 to $3,000. Hire the best you can afford. You are worth it.

The resume hasn’t been distributed widely enough to generate interest
It’s a common error to feel that a submission of 10 to 20 resumes via a job board is a good call to action. Unfortunately most people will find that this produces little, if any results. Yielding slight higher results (optimistically 5 %+) include niche job boards, paid job boards, association job boards and direct-to-company websites.

The methods with which the resume is being distributed are generally poor methods
Do you want to see better than a 5% response rate? Then you are going to want to learn basic techniques to tap into the unadvertised job market.

Many people mistakenly believe this means “networking”. It does not, though learning basic networking techniques (that don’t involve calling everyone you know to ask them if they know who is hiring) will both boost your confidence, lower any contact-anxiety you may have and increase your overall results.

A final word about professional help
A certified resume writer and/or job search coach isn’t just for the 6-or-7 figure professional with money to burn.

In fact, a good resume writer and job search coach can save you a substantial amount of money, and that’s not hype. A few of the results a professional can help you achieve include:

• More interviews
• Bigger offers
• Shorter job search

If you are in between jobs, then the sooner you land your next position, the sooner you can regain your monthly income. Just saving one month of wasted effort in a job search can easily translate to savings of thousands of dollars.

A good job search coach knows how to help you identify and reach your goals. They have a goody bag of resources you probably would be hard pressed to find on your own and don’t forget that this help is often tax deductible (check with your CPA for details).

You can take what you learn and apply to your long term career strategy and future career transitions. Bottom line, an effective and meaningful investment in yourself and your career.

Before you decide what your next best step is in your career search, take a few minutes to apply the points in this article to your current situation. This will help you determine the solutions right for you so you can move forward with confidence.

When you think of the word job search what words come to mind? Are they words like exciting, fulfilling, more money and more work-life balance? Or are they words like agonizing, frustrating, depressing and overwhelming? And if your thoughts turn to the second set of words and phrases, how might that be affecting you and subtly impressing upon those you talk with in your job interviews?

You see, how you feel about your job search is intrinsically connected to its outcome. So, it’s in your best interest to set up simple strategies that make your job transition easier, faster and more effective. Here are a few common mistakes job seekers make and how to avoid them.

Mistake #1 – Hope the perfect job will “come to you”

This is an easy though fatal mistake to make. It will leave you helpless to do anything but sift through your emails and surf dozens of job boards hoping and waiting to see that dream job you are really excited about. When you finally find it (add insult to injury if you don’t really know what you dream job looks like but you will “know it when you see it”.), you will invest a big wave of energy focusing on creating and sending off the perfect resume… What you might not know is that by competing on job boards for positions – your unseen competition could be in the hundreds or thousands of applicants, many of which might be more qualified than you.

“Hoping” to find the perfect job is not a strategy. Successful people don’t reach their goals by waiting for things to fall into their lap. So, brainstorm on what you are looking for and what motivates you – and write it all down! Get crystal clear and check to make sure it harmonizes with others in your life that your choices will affect. Then learn some job search strategies other than surfing job boards. Your success rate using job boards will be somewhere between 1 and 3 percent. Just those odds alone are sufficient to depress any job seeker…tempting them to believe they are as lackluster as their results would lead them to believe.

Mistake #2 – Wish for someone to “place” you in a job

This is almost the same idea as number one but with slightly different elements. I hear this more from executives that they are hoping to find someone who will “place them” in a job. But let’s give this just a little thought. Do you really want to be just “placed” in a job?

The bottom line is, you will never find a person to bring you enough possible job openings (and then place you in one of them) for you to be happy and satisfied with their service to you. Why? Because no one knows what you are looking for like you! Add to this that even if such a person existed – the majority of us wouldn’t be able to afford to hire them!

 It’s good to have a contact in a few companies – that can introduce you around. After all, we hear that most jobs are found through networking right? Well here is an inside tip: the best “networking” is not done through one or two people that might be able to send your resume to an HR department with their endorsement – in fact that is what I would call a very poor networking experience with very little benefit to you!

No, good networking is when YOU take the initiative to go after what you want vs. being what I call a “passive receiver” in your job search. When we think in terms of someone placing us we are giving away our power.  And if that is your mindset in your job search you will indubitably set yourself up for disappointment.

The solution is to simply commit to taking action and initiative in your job search. Map out a plan to find and connect with your market(s) of choice. Give yourself a timeline if you can that doesn’t put undue pressure on you. Learn proven marketing methods for getting potential employers attention and talk with recruiters, resume writers and career coaches as needed. Know though your ultimate success (and satisfaction with the outcome) will come from your commitment to taking positive action.

Mistake #3 – Don’t ask for help

The opposite of expecting someone else to manage your career transition for you is to try to do everything yourself. In my business there are lots of things to do. And as a business owner I naturally want to control each and every component. But I know in order for my business to thrive I must delegate tasks to others. I have to plan. If I do not I will quickly become overworked, stressed out and that absolutely does not honor or benefit my clients. A job search is no different. If you are struggling or feeling stuck – consult an expert to help you so you can free yourself up to focus on your success. The alternative is to give up or avoid those strategies you don’t know how to do (which might otherwise work brilliantly for your situation!). Neither are good options.

Most people will fall back on what they know when doing it right or better just seems too hard. Fortunately, the career choices we are talking about here are easy to learn and your choice of resources are abundant! What you will gain from investing in yourself (and your career change) will not only help you with your next career move (more interviews, better positions, more money etc.) but will support your entire career! Don’t risk feeling depressed and anxious when you are worth so much more than that. By following these simple steps you will be on the right track to success.