Last time you changed jobs, what was the primary factor that instigated your change?

Are you doing what you set out to do in your job/career?  Did you major in medicine and become a doctor? Or did you major in music and become a statistician?  Tell us about your initial goal, and where you ended up, and about your journey if you please.  Are you happy now?

At one time, resumes were sorted by hand…a human being actually read part of it, and saw it. Today, that is a rare occurrence…most resumes are scanned for keywords. As a Job Seeker or a Human Resources Professional - how do you feel about the change? Are new methods better?

Often, the plight of the survivors in a layoff is forgotten because the severe impact of losing a job suddenly creates a personal tragedy.  In the any layoff you experienced, were you a survivor or were you unemployed?  How did you feel about your friends on the other side of the fence?  What was the biggest surprise in your experience?

A response to last week’s question indicated that at least one person feels the job market today is not brutal at all. What is your experience? Are you finding the job market has plenty of jobs for the job-seeker? Do you find the job market brutal?

Frustrated job searchers often suffer from low self-esteem and financial hardship. In the current job market, it’s not uncommon for quality candidates to interview with more than 60 companies. As time passes, the job-seeker begins to believe he or she is the only one experiencing this frustration. However, you aren’t alone. Are you in this situation? Approximately how many interviews have you been on? Are you currently unemployed?

Have you ever felt overwhelmed at work, with too many accounts to manage or tasks to juggle? Did you approach your boss and tell him or her how you felt?
Jobs expert Robert Elsenpeter suggests telling your boss when you’re in over your head, and gives tips on how to approach the topic. For more info read: Tell Your Boss You’re Overwhelmed .

As more generations and culturally diverse individuals work together, it’s important for managers to recognize cultural and generational differences. Do you work in a diverse environment? How does your employer accommodate cultural differences in the workplace?

For more information on this topic read: How To Manage A Diverse Workforce.

Job search expert Kevin Donlin discusses to how to measure success in his article, How To Measure Job Search Success. He encourages job seekers to ask these three questions at the end of the day:

Question 1: How many networking phone calls did I make today?

Question 2: How many in-person meetings did I set up today?

Question 3: How many job interviews did I set up today?

It is important to ask yourself where you are going with your job search. How do you measure the day-to-day successes of your job search?

Pamela Muldoon, business and executive coach with Minneapolis-based ActionCOACH Business Coaching, has some helpful tips for those looking to expand their network. Some of them include: knowing your target, having a plan, and following through. What types of successful activities have you done in the past to expand your professional network?

To read more about this topic, read Network Marketing.