2009 starts the day after tomorrow. How will you make it your best year yet?

To get different results you have to do things differently. That’s why New Year’s resolutions probably won’t help much. They’re just weak statements with no support to help you change behavior.

Goals work better. There are hundreds of books, articles and motivational speakers telling you how to set good goals. Many of them use the acronym SMART.

A professor at DePaul University examined web sites that used that acronym for goal setting. There were enough different meanings to form several thousand versions of the SMART acronym.

Here’s my pick of the lot. If you want to change some of the letters, that’s fine. The purpose of using an acronym is to give you a quick way to test your goal against the research on what makes an effective goal.

Make your goal Specific. Be specific about what you want to achieve and how you’re going to measure it. Set a deadline.

Make your goal Meaningful. Set goals that matter to you, ones whose achievement will have an impact on your life. As one of my clients says, “Make it a dragon worth slaying.”

Make your goal Achievable. The best goals require some effort, but not too much. You’re likely to give up on goals that are too hard. Limit the number of goals you’re working on at any one time. More than four is too many. Three is better. Two is better yet. One is best.

Remind yourself of your goal frequently. Tell others about your goal and how you’re progressing. Use your social support system to help you achieve your goal.

Make your goal Trackable. Break your progress into milestones that lead to your big achievement. Reward yourself for achieving each milestone. That will help you maintain momentum.

If you want to make 2009 your best year yet, goals can help. Make them SMART. Then use them as guides to action.

Every week I check dozens of “career” blogs and other online publications, looking for things that will help you find a job, get promoted, develop your skills, and keep everything in perspective and balance. Here’s the pick of the lot for this week. I’m pointing you to items about changing your career, what to worry about, getting connected, New Year’s resolutions, and what’s important.

From Management Craft: 12 Steps to Changing Your Career
“Ok, the economy has officially tanked and you already know job security is about as real as Santa Claus, the Tooth Fairy and the Easter Bunny.  You feel it’s time to do something else with your life, but you’re not sure if this is the best time to change careers.  Well, guess what: there’s no perfect time to make that perfect move, so don’t wait for some promising sign to spur you into action.   If you want a new career, go for it.  And here are twelve steps to help make your career change a little easier.”

Wally’s Comment: This guest post from Barbara Poole has some solid guidance for you if you’re thinking about changing careers.

From What would Dad Say: I’m No Career Coach Yet, But If I Were:
“I’d tell you to not worry so much about your resume. Worry first about what you want to do, where you want to work, who you need to talk with, and how you are going to get an interview. First.”

Wally’s Comment: It’s easy to focus on things that seem important, but are really far from the center of the life satisfaction target.

From MSNBC: Out of work? It’s time to get connected
“Social networking sites can connect you with hundreds of people you probably wouldn’t be able to hook up with in traditional job-seeking ways, but they are by no means a silver bullet for the unemployed. ”

Wally’s Comment: Why and how social networking sites really can help.

From Brazen Careerist: The 10 Most Common New Year’s Resolutions – Is Yours On Here?
“I am not much of a supporter of new year resolutions, I don’t like waiting around for a specific date to make positive life changes. That said, I guess some people don’t really think about making positive life changes until the new year rolls around. Out of curiosity, I did a little digging to see what seemed to be the most common new year resolutions that people strive for. It probably isn’t much of a surprise that more than a few are financial goals…”

Wally’s Comment: It’s coming up on New Year’s resolution time. So here’s a good post to get you thinking about them.

From CEO Blog – Time Leadership: What I learned from Mark
“The snow is beautiful today. One of my blog rules is to blog only when I am optimistic and upbeat. I thought I would not blog until I got over Mark. But I also know I need to live.”

Wally’s Comment: Jim Estill, the author of this blog, lost his brother, Mark, just before Christmas. If you’re pondering your life and what to do with the rest of it, you should read this post.

Whether you’re celebrating Christmas or Hanukkah or no holiday at all, this is the time of year for get-togethers. That’s one reason why it’s also a good time of year for you to work on your job search or career development.

Consider those get-togethers first. They’re likely to put you in the same room with people you don’t normally see.

Make it a point to check in with them. Don’t turn a holiday party into a networking event, but be alert for opportunities to tell your story.

If your company has a holiday party this year, it gives you at least two opportunities. One is to simply hang around the boss and listen.

You’ll learn things because you’ll see the boss in a less structured situation. And, human nature being what it is, you’ll probably be perceived as a great conversationalist if you don’t say much except to ask questions.

If there are other people at the party you want to work for, spend time listening to them as well. This is not the time to make a pitch. It is the time to get on the radar.

At other gatherings you’ll be in the room with people at the edge of your personal network. Those people are exposed to people and situations different from your own. In other words, they may see possibilities for you that you can’t.

Let them know what’s going on in your life. If you’re hunting for a new position, tell them. If you’ve had a significant success recently, tell them that.

The holiday season is all about parties and people. Don’t’ lose sight of that, but don’t miss any natural opportunities, either.

Have a wonderful holiday!

Every week I check dozens of “career” blogs and other online publications, looking for things that will help you find a job, get promoted, develop your skills, and keep everything in perspective and balance. Here’s the pick of the lot for this week. I’m pointing you to items about what to do when you’re offered a buyout, which job-seekers have it worst, career transition over 55, fixing job search mistakes, and alternatives to a permanent fulltime job.

From the Associated Press: When offered a buyout, how do you decide?
“It’s an astounding number. Companies have cut a total of 1.9 million jobs this year, a number some economists say could climb to 3 million before the recession is over. But not every job cut is the same. There are traditional layoffs, where you get the bad news in the morning and are told to clear out your desk by noon with a non-negotiated severance package. In other cases, though, workers get a buyout offer. That often means a combination of a severance payment, and getting a lump sum payout of any pension benefits. In 2007, 55.3 million full-time workers age 21 to 64, participated in an employment-based pension or retirement plan according to the Employee Benefit Research Institute. ”

Wally’s Comment: Many companies are offering employees buyout options as a way to trim headcount. If you get an offer like that, here’s a way to figure out whether to take it.

From the New York Times: Younger Job-Seekers Have It Worse
“The recession provides a double whammy for the job prospects of those trying to establish themselves. There are fewer jobs to go around, and older Americans who can do so are either delaying retirement or seeking to return to the work force.”

Wally’s Comment: You may have thought that older job-seekers have it the worst. This article suggests otherwise.

From the RiseSmart Blog: Career Q&A: Making a career transition at 55+
“I can tell you that making the decision to change careers is never easy.”

Wally’s Comment: If you’re over 55, or maybe even 45, read this article about career change.

From US News and World Report: 5 Ways to Fix Your Job Search
“No job search is perfect. If you’re sending out résumés and making calls, you’re sure to make mistakes. It’s useful to keep in mind, however, that your peers are also making mistakes. The beauty of a job search is that you press forward on a hundred fronts, you knock on a hundred doors—and all you need is one success, one door to open. Minimize your mistakes, and you’re likely to have a door open sooner.”
seekers make and ways to fix them.

From Satisfying Career-Happier Life: Alternatives to a Permanent Full Time Job
“New work arrangements might be the call of the times for many in the US and around the world as the world braces for some tough times as a result of recession and widespread job losses. Some of the ‘non full-time jobs’ options that you could consider are:”

Wally’s Comment: Maybe the possibilities and opportunities for you are in something other than a full time job.

Personal Development

Britannica Blog presents Suicide on the Internet: What Is Our Responsibility? posted at Britannica Blog, saying, “Last Friday, November 21, Abraham Biggs, a 19-year-old community college student in Florida, committed suicide on a live webcast with a virtual audience of over 1,500 viewers.”

Bill Urell presents Codependency And Addiction Recovery: Detaching With Love – Video posted at Addiction Recovery Basics, saying, “My mother said “I am so glad you’re alive, and you are not welcome in my home or in my life until you are living a life of recovery. If I never see you will live again, I want to you know how much will be missed. And she closed the door on me”. Read more…”

Applying the Law of Attraction presents Can You Use The Law of Attraction to Achieve Your Desires posted at Applying the Law of Attraction Membership Library, saying, “When you have desires in life you want to make happen you will want to use the Law of Attraction to make it work. You want to think about the things in life that you…”

Tisha Tolar presents Overwhelming Workload – YES! You Can Do it! posted at Empowering Mom.

omguy presents The Butterfly Effect posted at Ordinary Miracles, saying, “A man found a cocoon of a butterfly. One day a small opening appeared. He sat and watched the butterfly for several hours. . .”

Simon Stapleton presents How To Improve Your Performance With 8 Weekly Events | SimonStapleton.com posted at Career & Personal Development for CIOs, Technical Professionals and Self-Professed Geeks, saying, “Here are 8 things you can do on a weekly basis to improve your performance and achieve more success in life.”

Brain Blogger presents Psychiatric Conditions and Alcohol Abuse in the College-Aged posted at Brain Blogger, saying, “I always find epidemiological studies very interesting because they can give you a snapshot of the prevalence of certain conditions. Have you ever wondered about the prevalence of psychiatric conditions and alcohol use disorders among college students? This is a topic that has been studied extensively by many different research groups.”

Roberto Montanez presents 5 errors you make in a conversation posted at Psychbits, saying, “Have you ever felt that you are not connecting with the person you are talking to? There is nothing more cumbersome than the feeling of not connecting with another person”

David B Bohl presents 6 Signs Your Perfectionism Might be Veering into Control Freak Territory posted at Slow Down Fast Today!, saying, “Are you constantly redoing things to make sure they’re absolutely perfect? Do you find yourself noticing pictures on walls that are slightly crooked and straightening them, even if it’s not in your own home? Are you consistently late and always have a pat excuse? Do you criticize and find faults with others, but in your mind, you’re always right?”

Vincent presents How To Change Disasters In Your Life Into Meaningful Events posted at Hit Your Goals, saying, “Changing disasters in your life to meaningful events.”

Jessie presents Blog Action Day 2008 – Poverty posted at My Investing Blog, saying, “Blog Action Day 2008″

Akemi Gaines presents Living Your Life Purpose posted at Yes to Me, saying, “What is your life purpose? Are you living your life purpose?”

Kerry presents Making affirmations that work for you posted at Ancient Wisdom Modern Mind.

Jay Frawley presents Making a Living Should Not Be Painful! | InnerNoodle.com posted at InnerNoodle.com, saying, “An article to help people realize they have a choice to find work that suits their values.”

Marelisa Fabrega presents Creative Thinking Techniques: The “Playful” Edition posted at Abundance Blog at Marelisa Online.

Wally Bock presents Be on the lookout posted at Momentor.

Scott Lee presents Why Neil Strauss is the Best PUA (Pick Up Artist) posted at ScottLee.Name.

Nadege presents How to be fully committed to life long change posted at Clearly Envision.

Hayden Tompkins presents How Life Coaching Can Revolutionize Your Friendships posted at Through The Illusion.

Louis Burns presents Crafting Mental Movies For Others posted at NLP Marketing Blog, saying, “This article is about not only visualizing your own goals but the experience you want other people to have as well.”

pearl mattenson presents Guided Visualization and Zillience: Opening Doors for our Most Precious Relationship – Ricki Rush – Sandy Davis – relationships – meditation – prayer – creative practice | Carrie and Danielle posted at Carrie and Danielle.

bob presents Fail School: Life lessons you wish you could learn posted at Failschool, saying, “Improving your social and dating skills”

Mina Togonon presents As Big as the Rafter posted at 24 Hour Paradigm, saying, “Are you in the right track of improving your personal success? It’s very difficult to face the reality that many people who are trying to succeed have stepped on to other peoples’ shoes. What’s alarming though is these people fail to check the big hindrance within them.”

Barry Wright III presents Developing Reading Systems posted at 3stylelife.

Nhys Glover presents More on Ariadne posted at The Journey Woman, saying, “My first contribution to a carnival!”

HighGrace presents Why we all could use a good time out posted at Face to the Sun.

Louise Fletcher presents Gary Vaynerchuck on Authenticity posted at Blue Sky Resumes Blog, saying, “Thanks for considering my post!”

Chris Edgar presents How Our Judgments Of Others Can Teach Us About Ourselves posted at Purpose Power Coaching, saying, “When we criticize someone, we’re actually revealing something we don’t want others to see about ourselves. Because we judge some part of our personality as wrong or unacceptable, we try to convince ourselves and the world that someone else has it, not us. This article discusses how we can learn about ourselves from the ways we find ourselves judging others.”

ananga presents How to Control Anxiety with Grounding Techniques posted at Ananga’s Living by Design Blog.

Mike King presents Open Ended Questions Make Better Conversations posted at Learn This.

Alex Fayle presents Dedicate Yourself to Life, Not Work posted at Someday Syndrome, saying, “Do you define yourself by your job? This article looks at the cultural differences between Spanish and North American attitudes about work.”

Mike Sowden presents ecosalon :: the green gathering :: 24 of Groceries Get Trashed and 8 Other Insanities posted at Ecosalon, saying, “There’s only one way to tackle the biggest obstacles – a tiny bit at a time. Every small contribution adds up. Here are eight challenges that face us today, and the seemingly small changes to our lifestyles (and so to ourselves) that could make a real difference.”

Rahul Bhambhani presents How to Deal with Criticism posted at Personal Development Advice, Tools to Improve the Quality of your Life, saying, “Whenever you decide to go against the grain and strive to reach some of your loftier goals, you can bet you’re going to come up against a considerable amount of criticism. For you to succeed in reaching these goals, you must learn to deal with this criticism in a healthy and positive way.”

HIB presents Real Happiness or Perceived Happiness? posted at Happiness is Better.

Marcus Smith presents What is the Most Important Skill in a Recession? posted at MarcusASmith.com.

Burak Bilgin presents Life Purpose: How to Discover it? posted at Distiller’s Corner.

axel presents Zen-Like Living posted at axel g.

Ryan Suenaga presents The Power of Paper and Pen posted at Uncommon Cents.

Dianne M. Buxton presents Let Your Manifesting Miracles Simmer in Delicious Anticipation posted at manifestingsuccess, saying, “This article is about amplifying your most positives thoughts.”

Jodi presents Self Development #2: Do It Now posted at Domain Named You, saying, “If you truly want to develop yourself, do it now!”

Chase Stowers presents The 28-Hour Day posted at Super Duper Blog-O-Rama!, saying, “A sleep schedule I found interesting.”

Relax presents 4 Strategies to improve your memory power posted at The Wise Curve, saying, “The good news is that memory can be improved. By following the four strategies below, your memory can become like a super sponge that soaks up information for a long time.”

Personal Finance

Debbie Dragon presents Tips for Growing Money posted at The Money Blog.

Great Management presents The Greatest Success Secret of All Time posted at Great Management, saying, “Sir Richard Branson swears by it and credits it as one of the secrets to his success. Check out an excerpt from A Touch of Greatness.”

Debt Free Destiny presents 5 Money Changes to Keep More of Your Money posted at Debt Free Destiny.

Destroy Debt presents 3 Basic Principles for Good Personal Finance Habits posted at Destroy Debt.

Erin Pavlina presents Are You Afraid to Be Rich? posted at Erin Pavlina’s Blog, saying, “Many years ago I had this odd mentality about money and wealth. I thought that rich people were all greedy, and that most of them had probably sold their soul to the devil in order to attain their wealth.”

Investing Angel presents I?m Betting On Oil posted at Stock Tips, saying, “What to do in a time of recession.”

Michael Cohen presents Traits Of A Good Investor | The Stock Investor – Stock Advice And Tips posted at The Stock Investor, saying, “These are the three most importnat traits of a successful stock investor.”

Lance Cooper presents How Trickle Down Affects You posted at Recession Money Matters, saying, “Think you are insulated from the stock market? Think again.”

Madeleine Begun Kane presents Loan Poem posted at Mad Kane’s Humor Blog.

Wenchypoo presents The Truth About the Economy and Job Creation posted at Wisdom From Wenchypoo’s Mental Wastebasket.

Joe Hayes presents Forex Tips updated Sat Nov 15 2008 12:13 pm CST posted at Restoring Your Finances and Your Faith, saying, “Beginner tips for those thinking about trying to get into the foreign exchange (Forex) currency market.”

Lauren Rose presents Credit Card Skimmers – Keep Your Eye on Your ATM card posted at No Debt Anymore .org, saying, “With the holiday season in full swing, Credit card and ATM theft is increasing at an alarming rate. Here are 3 common ways thieves may try to gain access to your personal information using a skimmer device, and 10 tips to protect yourself.”

Buck Weber presents Selling Through A Consignment Shop posted at THE BUCK LIST, saying, “How to sell through a consignment shop.”

Joanne presents Beginner Investing: When Research Pays Off posted at Beginner Investing.

Relax presents Let’s talk about money posted at The Wise Curve, saying, “The good news is that being rich is not really difficult because it is just a state of mind.”

Maria Gajewski presents How to Bootstrap Your Life posted at Never the Same River Twice, saying, “Do you ever worry about coming up with money to get what you need or want in life? Do you see money as an obstacle to your happiness? If you do, you can learn some powerful lessons from the business world by learning how to be a bootstrapper.”

Livingalmostlarge presents My $170 Car Investment posted at LivingAlmostLarge.

The Investor presents Seven surprising things you may not know about Warren Buffett posted at Monevator.com, saying, “There’s no better role model when you’re starting out in investing than Warren Buffett, the self-made billionaire. Here are seven things you may not know about how he made it.”

Raymond presents Credit Card Offers For People With Bad Credit Or Poor Credit History posted at Money Blue Book.

FIRE Getters presents Retirement – All Is Well If Our HEART Is Well! posted at FIRE Finance.

The Dough Roller presents How to Survive (and Thrive) in a Recession posted at The Dough Roller, saying, “Some tips on how to survive a recession.”

Robert Brus presents Blog | posted at The Site Rush Preview, saying, “You will learn the ability to Make Totally Insane Amounts of Cash Even in a Armageddon-Like Economy Where Over 90% of People and Businesses are Closing and Going Broke!”

Personal Health

Andy presents How To Stop Binge Eating posted at test, saying, “Are you sick of your out of control eating? Do you eat in private? Do you hide food and eat it until your stomach is about to burst? Have you tried every diet out there without any lasting success? Have you lose weight only to gain it back? Are you finally wondering How to Stop Binge Eating once and for all?”

Aparna presents Beauty and Personal Grooming: Body odor posted at Beauty and Personality Grooming, saying, “Does your body odor repel others? The ultimate social disaster, a bad body odor may take your confidence to its lowest level. “Do I smell bad?” could be the most embarrassing question you may have to ask. But is preventing unpleasant body odor difficult? Sometimes yes, a shower or a body spray may not do the trick.”

Jeremy Day presents 11 Little Steps to Better Health posted at Insight Writer, saying, “For anyone interested in improving their health this is a great way to start!!!”

OrnaRoss presents Good Things I?ve Gained from Having Cancer #2 posted at Orna Ross, saying, “cancer can have positives”

Tony Huynh presents Why and How I Broke My Addiction to Caffeine at LimitlessUnits.com posted at LimitlessUnits.com, saying, “When I took account of what I was doing, I realized that I had a physical and mental dependence on a drug. Any substance that could affect me like this was making me weak. I resolved to quit caffeine immediately.”

Alvaro Fernandez presents Games for Brain Health – Novelty, Variety and Challenge posted at SharpBrains, saying, “How gaming can be good for your brain.”

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of carnival of personal development using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

Technorati tags: carnival of personal development, blog carnival.

Social networks are made up of connections between people. No matter what you read, social networks do not have names like Facebook or LinkedIn.

They just provide technology. Technology can map a social network. Technology can make it easier for you to track and use your social network.

That’s important to remember because it’s the people in those networks who will help you get ahead, find a job, or connect with an expert. And you use the network the same way if you pick up the phone or put out a request on LinkedIn.

The people most likely to want to help you are the people who already know you well. But most of the time they won’t be able to help directly. Instead, they’ll point you to a person or information source that will help.

You’re dependent on the people close to you to point you in the direction of your desire. Why should they help you?

The better they know you, the more likely they are to help. Not only that, the better they know you, the more likely they are to give you a helpful response.

They’re more likely to help if you haven’t constantly been bombarding them with requests for help. Save your requests for things you really need. Otherwise you risk having your emails sent to the trash and your voicemail messages deleted without a return call.

And here’s a biggie. They’re more likely to help you if you’ve helped them. As the proverb says, “Dig the well before you’re thirsty.”

Master the technology of networking in the Digital Age. It’s important. But develop these three habits as well.

Develop the habit of staying in touch.

Develop the habit of using the network judiciously.

Develop the habit of helping others.

Every week I check dozens of “career” blogs and other online publications, looking for things that will help you find a job, get promoted, develop your skills, and keep everything in perspective and balance. Here’s the pick of the lot for this week. I’m pointing you to items about what you need to get hired or promoted, following your opportunities, looking for joy, being thankful, and, last but not least, some good cartoons.

From the Kansas City Star: 12 things you need to get hired or promoted
“How do you stand out among co-workers or other applicants for a job? ACT, a nonprofit research and information service, pinpoints 12 skills that employers say they want. Fair warning: these are personality traits, or “soft skills,” that are a very big deal in today’s workplace.”

Wally’s Comment:  We’ll start on a practical note with this post about research on important things that hiring types may be looking for.

From Forbes: It’s a Dirty Job, and I Love It!
“Whether it’s milking venomous spiders or picking up roadkill, the secret to career fulfillment is not to follow your passions, but to chase your opportunities.”

Wally’s Comment: This post is a wonderful contrast to the simplistic and inaccurate “do what you love and the money will follow” advice. It’s also very action oriented. A good thing.

From US News & World Report: Looking for Joy on the Job (Even in a Recession)
“Is asking for joy at your job asking for too much? You might think it is. You might say, “What kind of Pollyanna BS is this?” But you’re forgetting for the moment how important joy is. Yes, you can live without it for a while. But imagine yourself in 30, 40, or 50 years. Do you want to look back on a lifetime of arid, cheerless work? That’s why today’s meditation is about finding joy on the job. Yes, even in a recession.”

Wally’s Comment: Working Girl would never be Pollyanna. That’s why this is a great post.

From Bob Sutton: Be Thankful for the Good Things: It Makes You Happier and Healthier
“My Thanksgiving message was about the silver lining that I see in the recent financial troubles, that this is a time when being greedy and selfish is definitely not cool, whether you are a college student or CEO.  That message reminded me that there is an interesting stream of research on gratitude in recent years.  I know, it may sound flaky and new age, but this stuff is based on careful studies by skilled researchers, many of which are controlled experiments with random assignment to conditions. Two of the most active researchers here are Robert Emmons and Michael McCullough, who edited a collection called The Psychology of Gratitude.  Emmons also published Thanks more recently, a practical guide, which was just published in paperback. ”

Wally’s Comment: Once you’ve read Working Girl’s post on looking for joy, read Bob Sutton’s post on the research that supports the idea that you’ll be happier if you’re thankful for the good things you have.

From JobMob:  15 Funniest Cartoons and Web Comics about Layoffs
“Forget about the news for a few minutes and get some laughs at the expense of the layoffs being announced daily around the world during the economic crisis”

Wally’s Comment: We’ll finish up with JobMob’s collection of funny cartoons about layoffs. Beware, you may see your company skewered here.

Times are tough. And that means that there are loads of things that can get you down.

Maybe you just opened your 401(k) statement. Or maybe you or a friend or family member got laid off. Or maybe you’re worried about what would happen if it was you.

Despite all the things that can get you down, you need to stay positive. That’s better for you and the people around you. It’s better for your job prospects, too.

Here are some things you can do to stay positive in tough times. Try them and use the ones that work for you.

Connect with family and friends. They’re your best defense against feeling bad. Besides, the people who love you will let you vent in a safe place.

Keep moving forward. Do at least one positive thing every day to make your situation better. It doesn’t have to be a big thing, but it does have to be positive.

Do things that make you feel good. Don’t give up on your little pleasures just because times are tough.

Listen to music that makes you smile. That usually means something upbeat and fun. My favorite “get out of the dumps free” piece is “San Francisco Bay Blues” from Eric Clapton’s acoustic album.

Smile. It sounds hokey, but it’s true. It’s really hard to be down in the dumps when you’re smiling. Don’t smile with just your mouth, though. Smile with your eyes and your mouth will follow.

Take control. That’s the most important thing. Exercising is one of the great ways to take control of part of your life. It gives a dual benefit. You get the benefits of taking control and the benefits of exercise.

There will be hard times in the world and in your life. But you don’t have to be slave to them.

Every week I check dozens of “career” blogs and other online publications, looking for things that will help you find a job, get promoted, develop your skills, and keep everything in perspective and balance. Here’s the pick of the lot for this week. I’m pointing you to items about a powerful job search tool that might be in your pocket, a look inside the mind of a hard core recruiter, what you need to know and do if you get a pink slip, and a reminder of some important stuff. 

From JobMob:  The Most Powerful Job Search Tool You Didn’t Know You Had
“Carrying your cell phone all the time makes it the single best place to centralize your job search information. Here’s how you should be using it for job search success.”

Wally’s Comment: Here are forty (count ‘em forty) tips for using your cell phone to aid your job search.

From the MBTI Blog: Inside the Mind of a Hard Core Recruiter
“I’ll preface all of these stories by saying I was a pretty harsh recruiter. I worked for a top-notch, highly competitive IT consulting firm and only hired people I was willing to put my name behind.”

Wally’s Comment: Breanne is, indeed, a hard core recruiter. Some of what she has to say may shock you or anger you. But this post will stimulate your thinking and give you some perspective you wouldn’t get elsewhere. And read the comments. Not everyone agrees with everything Breanne says.

From MSNBC Careers: Expecting a pink slip? What you need to know
“With jobless claims at a 14-year high and expected to rise, this is a good time to figure out what you’re entitled to if you’re laid off — or if you sense a pink slip may be in your future.”

Wally’s Comment: This is a good primer on your “rights” and a good guide to reasonable expectations if you get laid off.

From Monster Blog: Top 5 Things to Do After a Layoff
“In recent weeks major layoffs have gone down at blue-chip companies like AT&T, Citibank and State Street Bank, as well as smaller firms. So I’ve compiled this list of the top five things to do after you lose your job. Hopefully you won’t have to use it, but it’s best to be prepared:”

Wally’s Comment: This is a follow up to the last post. It shares insight on what to do if the axe falls.

From All Things Workplace: Where Is Your Focus?
“The important factor in your personal or business productivity is how you allocate your energy, time, and talent. How much is being spent on internal concerns such as layoffs, office configuration, and status issues vs. customer relationships, products and services?”

Wally’s Comment: Enough of this talk of layoffs and joblessness. Steve Roesler’s post is about being successful day by day.

Hello! to all our readers out there. Momentor has joined the Carnival of Personal Development. The first edition of the Carnival of the Personal Development was held last December 1st. As the host of the carnival blog’s second edition scheduled on the 16th of December, we would like to invite all you bloggers to submit your blogs that fit under any of the three categories, Personal Development, Personal Finance, or Personal Health. Here are a few guidelines for submitting your articles:

1. You will be notified if your article has been accepted and when your edition is posted.
2. Once posted, all bloggers are asked to link back to the carnival. This helps everyone get the most traffic for their article.
3. Articles that do not fit any of the three categories above will be excluded from the carnival
4. Hosts accept only one article per person per edition
5. Questions can be submitted through a comment section of this page as hosts generally do not answer questions about the carnival. You can check back 48 hours later or subscribe to comments to see a response

Interested? Great! You may submit all your articles here and we’ll see (or read ?) you on the 16th!