Good Afternoon, how is the journey for you going? Has anyone tried to contact you yet?

Booker, it's not what you know but who you know. Networking is probably the best way to find a job. Talk to friends, family and co-workers to see if they can help you. Select five ( 5 ) companies that you want to work for and do everything possible to get their attention. Go in person, call on the phone, email them and write a good cover letter that accompanies your resume. If you focus all your efforts on those (only) five companies, I think you'll have a better chance getting the job. Be honest with them and let them know why you are relocating to South Florida. They will respect you if you're honest. You need to have a very good resume so you get their attention. A good resume will get you an interview and if you interview really well, you will most likely get hired. Do not (only) use the Internet as your only means. The Internet is very impersonal. Nobody will hire you "site unseen" They want to see what you look like and how you handle yourself, so face to face is the best way.

I think the best way to get a good job is to go thru a Head Hunter, i.e., Randstad, Kelly Services, etc. The Internet is very deceiving and you can apply and apply yet never get anywhere. These job web-sites on Monster.com, Career Builder, Indeed get hundreds of people applying so I think you can get lost in the email/ Internet connections. I think the best way to get a good job is to go in person to the company you want to work for. I too am having a tough time finding good jobs. We (you) need to back to the old way of getting a job and don't use the Internet but go in person, fill-out an application and find out who the hiring manager (HR) is? Once you find out who does the hiring, send a thank you/ follow-up letter to them after you fill-out the job application. This way you stand out from the hundreds of other people applying for the same job. Nobody does this anymore. Remember, the resume gets you the interview, and the interview gets you the job. You need to do something unique and different than everyone else. I got a really good job before
because (after the interview) I sent a thank you letter 2 days after my interview and I also called the hiring manager to see if the job was still open or not. She told me the reason I got hired was that nobody else wrote a thank you/ follow-up letter and nobody called her to find out the status. I got hired on the phone! You can't just apply to a million jobs and magically get hired. You need to think outside the box and go in person, write a letter, call to follow-up, etc. You need to do what everyone else "does not" do. Also, make sure you research the company so you know a lot about the company so when they ask you "so why do you want to work here?" or "what do you know about this company?" You better have a good answer or you'll be eliminated. The more you know, the better your odds are of landing the job. Go the extra mile....it will pay off. Persistence wears down resistance, so keep calling/ e-mailing/ go in person to show them that you really want the job. Employers hire people who show a strong interest in the job/ company. Make contact with hiring manager, sales manager, human resources, etc. The more people you talk to, the better your chances of getting the job. DO NOT RELY ONLY on the Internet. I think the Internet has ruined the job market; too many people applying so you become a number, not a person. Remember, you will never get a job from a resume. A good interview gets you the job. Don't talk too much, listen carefully and ask good questions. Practice your interview skills so you are prepared to answer any question they ask you. Keep your answers short....30-60 seconds. Less is more. Don't babble. Good luck. Adam

Booker, I just read the other postings, and I want to make sure you understand just 'how specific' you have to be in your requests of God. Your responses, "my loved one needs my help", is very ambiguous. I am pretty sure your love and encouragement is what HE wants you to deliver. Also we have history of requests being made where Job was plagued by every catastrophe, Noah had to build an Ark, and Moses wandered blindly in the desert for 40 years. I was a single parent to my two children during the 80's, so nurturing is pervasive throughout all peoples.

You've stated that the illness in your FL kin requires you to make the move. Therefore, once your schedule is organized, register with every temp agency you can physically get to. I say a picture is worth a thousand words, so meet these agencies and their 'talent acquisition' teams, so you represent a real person to them. You're right, where are all these applications being stacked up? Everybody must have hundreds of them by now, and my response from them is less than 10%. I did have three interviews to start the month, but nothing back from them since. Discouragement , doubt, and fear seem to be the prevailing winds right now, but I feel that will soon change. Spring is upon us, and a new administration is settling in. Finally Booker, I believe in self-fulfilling prophecies. If you believe the President is serious about a million jobs this year (400,000 have already been filled), and that one of them is for you, then it has a much greater chance of transpiring, than with a defeatist attitude. Lucky people aren't just optimistic, they remain aware so as to avail themselves of the many opportunities that befall us daily. So good luck. Respectfully, Philip M Brockman

My friend, there are many out there that have this similar situations, here is the thing, there are hi demands for many types of jobs but because there are so many people just looking for a job for the money or what ever other reason they have the employer has to be very cautious as to whom they hire, for both money and reputation reason. I suggest that you do an inner search seek in your heart what you desire to do as a career and put in those applications. To find a job is easy as you can go to a burger joint and get one but to find a job that fits your personality and desires, there lies the challenge. God will help you with your inner search if you ask him and he will then lead you in the narrow path as He is your divine intervention.

Being a single dad had strenght your inner man. That a great focus on her attention. One thing we got to alway remember bro. "GOD" in control. The LORD is my shepherd and we share not want. "JESUS " just want you to ask Him.

Booker,

Nobody can really answer the question of what employers are or aren't doing, but we can tell you that this is a common problem when applying for positions. We are all dealing with the problem with lack of employer follow-up and/or communication upon application/resume submissions. Some states may be more difficult than others to acquire employment.

If you are relocating to a new state, cover letters are very important because you need to explain why you're applying, and you also need to ensure that you have acquired an address associated with that new state which will tell employers that you're serious about relocation. If possible, obtain a PO Box or UPS box or a friend/family members FL address that you can use when applying for positions. If you've been applying to jobs using your soon-to-be former address, employers will not waste their time giving your resume/application a review because they cannot see your official efforts to relocate.

You can expect this process to be frustrating, upsetting and disappointing because it will happen repeatedly, and all you can is stay persistent. Browse numerous job boards such as www.indeed.com, www.careerbuilder.com, network yourself, complete walk-ins for some employers (when in FL), and put in efforts to give yourself any and every chance to gain employment. It's a process, but we all have to do it. I hope this helps. Hang in there, and good luck.

Booker, I'd say you've had some divine intervention, by the looks of your photo selection. Congratulations on that. What work are you doing now? How is that industry established in southern FL? What other industries will you consider? What does your present employer think and feel about your relocation? Can and will they help? The OMNI in Miami is one of my favorite places to hang out when I'm in town. The food is probably my favorite, but they offer many other entertaining possibilities too. I've never given it much thought, but they must have to employ hundreds to keep everything running so smoothly there. Maybe a thousand people. Also remember that almost 10% of everybody moves every year. You've got new youths becoming 18 and entering the workforce daily, others becoming 75 and leaving it. Those are the best and easiest jobs to get immediately. Fast foods, super market and department store stockers. The school I attended is in the northwest corner, Melbourne, next to Tampa. Tampa is industrial and affords many labor positions. There are harbors and docks. Do not do the alligator hunting thing, very dangerous. Disney is one of the largest employers in the state, and a fantastic organization to become attached to. The Bonefish Grill is the most successful franchise, and there are a lot of retired peoples throughout the state that need some sort of care on a regular basis (Care.com). Do not feel overwhelmed yet Booker, there are endless possibilities there for you. Including the hospitals are all enlarging their facilities to be able to access all the baby boomers who will be our largest population next decade. Best to you during your search. Respectfully, Philip M Brockman