I think networking is a key element of every job search, especially at the middle-management and executive level. What they say about "It's not what you know, but who you know" is absolutely true, and what's equally important during your job search is the way your contacts can connect you with people in their networks. Leveraging your contacts as well as theirs helps to really magnify your job search and maximize the opportunities you'll be exposed to.

Professional and social networks can be leveraged effectively not only for finding your next job, but for also gaining intelligence on a company, an industry, and/or market trends that might influence your job search strategy.

I worked overseas for the past twenty years. Lately, I have found it very difficult to get an interview because I don't have 'local' references and a credit history report.

I have a background in e-learning, wireless networks, course accreditation and validation, business development and negotiations. Can you give me some tips on how to create a new approach or technique that will not diminish my international roles?

I believe more and more U.S.-based employers are really valuing international business experience, so it may just be a question of how best to position your experience and international expertise. Employers should really only be asking for references if they've interviewed you for a position and want some supporting testimony about your ability, character, talents, etc. And as for a credit history report, that's also something that shouldn't come into play unless you've advanced quite far into the recruitment process.

You might consider checking out SHRM, the Society for Human Resource Management. They hold a big national conference once a year, and it may be held again in a few months. You might inquire with SHRM to see whether you could attend and network with the thousands of other HR professionals in attendance. I might also suggest that you check out HR.com.

My former employer, Kennedy Information, publishes The Directory of Executive Recruiters, which is available in a lot of libraries or can be purchased online and in bookstores. It lists executive recruiters by industry and by the functional specialty of the people they recruit and could prove to be very helpful to you. Of course, there are a lot of online resources/networking sites that can help you connect with people. I would suggest you spend some time researching executive jobs on Google or another search engine.

Deborah, if you call, you should simply indicate that you had visited and dropped off your cover letter and resume, and just wanted to touch base very briefly to see whether they've started interviewing candidates for the position yet. You shouldn't launch into a full-scale sales pitch about your qualifications. I think your aim simply should be to determine where the university is in the hiring process, or whether the position has already been filled by another candidate.

I am an international student getting my MBA in the United States. Additionally, I hold a bachelor's degree in Economics from an American institution.

I will graduate in May and don't know how to approach employers about my citizenship. When do I reveal that I am not a U.S. citizen? How should I approach my job search? I am currently living in the Pacific Northwest and have been told that I should move to the East Coast because there are more opportunities. Any advice?

Stela, I think you should figure out what you want your long-term status to be. Do you want to be an American citizen, or do you wish to have dual citizenship? Perhaps just securing a visa or green card may make you more easily employable here in the United States. I think there probably are more opportunities on the East Coast, simply because New York, Washington, Atlanta and other big cities tend to have a lot of jobs. I think you should reveal your citizenship status early on with employers, so that neither your time nor theirs is wasted in conversations that may be stopped by your status issue.

Erin, I think it's a matter of your long-range plans. When do you expect you will be able to retire? Will you work part-time after your formal retirement from the full-time employment scene? And how interested are you in vocational rehab counseling? What do you want to get out of that degree, and how will you apply what you will learn? I'm a big proponent of lifelong learning, because I think it opens and stretches our minds, and otherwise keeps us at the top of our game. If you're bored with your work, maybe it's time to start that master's program.

Brenda, first off, congratulations on completing your MBA. Second, most college graduates find themselves in the same bind: they have the education, but no experience. So your case is by no means unique. I think you have to ask yourself what it is you really like to do. What kind of impact do you wish to have on an employer, on your community, your family and society? I'm sure there are a lot of employers out there who will value both your MBA as well as your life experience, even if it's outside the world of business. In fact, your way of approaching business challenges might be very fresh, and the new perspectives you could lend to an employer in the business world might be very much appreciated.

Linda, it sounds like you have to make one of two decisions. Either keep up with your current job and pay your dues until the raise and promotion come (if at all), or decide right now that there are better ways for you to make a living and jobs that may pay you more and which you might find really satisfying. I don't think there's any problem with talking with your manager about your long-range prospects, and how your heavy workload might pay off in the future. That kind of conversation may help you decide whether it's a career worth keeping, or whether it's time to start exploring other options.

I would urge caution on this one. I think most everyone can find something that's said or written in the review process that is unfair, speculative, or downright wrong. I certainly believe we all have the right to challenge patent falsehoods (statements that are false) which may injure our workplace reputation. However, I think a lot of employers also want to see whether you're mature enough to handle some constructive criticism, and there are those employers out there that might see your disagreement as insubordination and perhaps grounds for termination. I think you should try to make your case, but do it in a way that avoids your argument being labeled as sour grapes.

Have you considered a career in corporate public relations or "reputation management" for companies? I think there are a lot of ways to apply what you know. I think you need to determine what kind of work really fulfills you, and then base your career activities upon that, if you can. Of course, you could also choose to run for office yourself, or perhaps you might become the next political correspondent for your local newspaper.

Sheryl, believe me when I tell you I've been there before. The lack of follow-up, follow-through, and effective closure with job candidates is a real problem area for a lot of recruiters, who fail to understand how disrespectful, inconsiderate and unprofessional that lack of follow-up really is. At this point, since it appears that the recruiting process has stalled internally or the university is indeed advancing the candidacy of other people, I would contact my friends and just ask whether I'm still an active candidate for the job, and I would ask whether I should be expecting a call or e-mail to schedule a second interview. I think there is some relation between the employment experience with a potential employer and the way that employer recruits and interacts with job candidates. It sounds like they haven't treated you very well, and maybe you're better off for it. If I were you, I wouldn't put my life on hold for that one university, no matter how good you thought the job would have been.

I think a lot of people make one of two mistakes in a group interview. They either come across as overbearing (they talk too much) or they are perceived as being too shy or introverted (they don't talk enough). I believe the way to stand out in a group interview is to choose your words very wisely, and to demonstrate that you're listening as much as you are talking. If you speak in a confident tone, enunciate your words well, and otherwise demonstrate your poise in both voice and body language, I believe you'll be well received in such situations.

Well Joe, frankly, I think your experience and expertise will be attractive to a wide variety of employers. In fact, professionals with security-clearances are in high demand across the board, and with your MBA, you're striking me as the total package for some smart employer out there. I would suggest you spend some time really thinking about how best to apply your skills, education, and experience, in a way that you will find personally fulfilling. I think you've got to look inside to understand what types of jobs/industries will really get the best out of you, and which will compensate you well for all you can do. As for general growth industries, I'm currently watching the high-tech, defense contracting, healthcare, and outsourcing fields, as I suspect these industries still have a lot of growth potential.

In another three months it will be a year since I graduated with my Master's in Public Administration and I am still struggling to find a good job. I am currently employed; however I have reached my maximum potential in this position. After leaving school, I had my resume professionally edited twice. Since then, my resumes have been posted on several career sites but absolutely nothing has happened. I can't figure out where I am going wrong but it is quite obvious that I am not doing something right. Can you offer any suggestions? I am thinking of moving to Atlanta. I am targeting my search there and so far I have not gotten any responses there either.

Sharon, my sense of your situation is that there are probably a wide variety of jobs in public administration that would utilize your education, skills and talents. I think one good strategy would be to call people in the Atlanta area who are in the kinds of jobs you would like to find yourself in sometime soon, and very briefly tell them about your master's degree, your intention to move to Atlanta and ask them how they found their jobs. Ask what conferences, associations and other groups might be helpful for you to get plugged in with. If you follow up those calls with a letter, you might have the makings of somewhat of a mini-network, so that when you do find the right job, you'll have some professional colleagues whose expertise you might leverage to help you in your new job.

What if you get fired from a job? How do you tell your employer? Or should you?

I think honesty is the best policy, and I’d like to believe there are enough enlightened employers out there who will both value your honesty and respect the fact that you may have learned from your experiences, especially if you were terminated for cause. Of course, I wouldn’t advertise the fact that you were fired, but I certainly think you should own up to your experiences and be ready to explain what you’ve learned from them that makes you a more qualified candidate or employee today.

Absolutely. In fact, many employers expect that you’ll have questions and many others may dismiss your candidacy for a job if you don’t ask any questions. Employers today want to know that you’ve done your homework on their business/organization, and that kind of employment-related research helps to demonstrate that you know how to get the information you need, whether it’s to ace a job interview or close a sale for a new employer.

From a legal perspective, employers should not be asking your age. If you’ve left your graduation and/or professional work experience dates off your resume, they won’t get a read on your age until an interview. Frankly, I think you have to keep looking for an employer who will value your experience and all that you’ve learned over the years. I believe those employers are out there, but you may have to broaden the scope (employer type, target geographic area, etc.) of your job search in order to find them.

I would suggest that there are better uses of your time than to submit your resume multiple times to the same employer. In fact, in the time you send that resume again and again, you might have mailed or e-mailed it to a handful of other prospective employers. There are a lot of reasons why a position, even one that has been filled, might still look available or vacant on a company’s Web site.

First, I would suggest that you wait until a prospective employer asks, and when they do, you should be honest with them. Sharing your current salary with a prospective employer can be seen as a gesture of goodwill, so the employer can at least judge whether its best offer will be in a range you may find attractive. If you withhold that information, the prospective employer could become distrustful and simply decide to disengage from your employment-related discussions.

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