Monster’s Keep America Working Tour is visiting US cities this year from February through December. More than a career fair, it brings together the tools and expertise you need to find your calling.

The Keep America Working Tour offers attendees several valuable experiences:

Learn From Career Experts
Monster Experts provide you with the advice and techniques you need to truly stand out from the crowd in today’s tough job market.

See Monster’s New Career Tools
Experience the all-new Monster.com and learn how our powerful new Career Management Tools can help you blaze a path to success.

Make Career Connections
Make the most of our on-site career building opportunities, where motivated job seekers and market-leading employers can meet face-to-face.

To register for a career fair near you please click HERE.

The global credit crisis and flat-lining domestic economy could make this one of the most challenging times to be looking for a job in recent history. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of unemployed increased by 3.6 million between December 2007 and December 2008, and the December 2008 unemployment rate hit 7.2 percent. For January 20009, the unemployment rate rose to 7.6 percent, the highest since September 1992.

To be a successful job seeker in this climate, you have to be calm, patient and proactive — and try any (or all) of these tips.

Pick and Choose Your Targets

When Jack Hinson was laid off in mid-2008 from his job at a large Internet content company in Austin, he prioritized his search. “It’s important to put your time and energy into opportunities that you’re the most interested in and that have the best chance of coming to fruition,” he says. “Pick a few companies you’re interested in and pursue them, whether they have current openings or not.”

Concentrate on Growth Industries

Brent Berger, a Las Vegas-based scenario planning and strategy consultant, suggests focusing on growth industries and areas. “Look at energy,” he says. “With oil costs where they are, the need for cheap fuel and cheap heat is ever-mounting. And any job that alleviates pain is recession-proof. Similarly, the National Guard, Border Patrol, homeland security and the defense industry in general will continue to thrive as the next stage in the war on terror continues.”

Work Your Network

Hinson’s new gig came from an old connection. “I’d spoken to the company’s founders about a year ago and stayed in touch,” he says. “Then I ran into one of them at a networking function.” So flip through your Rolodex or business social media contacts and let them know you’re looking.

Sell Yourself

San Francisco PR account executive Samantha Rubenstein launched a job search just as the economy began to flag. After three months, she got a great offer from Atomic PR. She attributes her success to doing more than learning about the company. “Preparation [includes] learning how to talk about yourself in a meaningful and powerful way,” she says. “I created a list of potential interview questions and typed up bulleted answers to create speaking points.”

Consider Freelancing

Russ Carr, a designer and writer in St. Louis, has twice had a line on a job only to see it slip away when the employer lost a key account or decided to distribute the duties among current employees. To keep some money coming in, Carr started freelancing. “I haven’t stopped trying to shop myself for a full-time gig again, but freelancing certainly has kept food on the table,” he says. “If you’re in a field that supports it, don’t think twice — just do it.”

Take a Temporary Position

If freelancing isn’t practical, try temping. “Consider interim staffing to fill a temporary slot for work that needs to be done despite the economy,” advises Ronald Torch, president and CEO of the Torch Group, a marketing staffing firm in Cleveland. Or temp with a company that interests you. “Many of these options pay well and can carry the burden of bill-paying until a permanent position comes along,” he says.

Sweat the Small Stuff

“Don’t forget the personal touches,” counsels Felicia Miller, assistant director of career services at the Art Institute of Las Vegas. “Don’t use a template cover letter — make sure each letter addresses specific skills or qualities the company is looking for. And always send a thank-you note or email after the interview. Use this correspondence as an opportunity to revisit weak areas of your interview.”

Stay Positive

The most important thing when searching for a job in tough economic times is to retain a positive attitude, says Carol Vecchio, founder and executive director of Centerpoint Institute for Life and Career Renewal in Seattle. “Even in a job market with 10 percent unemployment, there’s 90 percent employment,” she says. “There is an average of over 3 million jobs available in the US per month — and each job seeker is looking for one. Those are pretty good odds.”

Struggling to find a great job in a bad economy can be a drag, but undertaking even a few of these tips will improve your chances of landing a gig. “Remember it doesn’t matter how many jobs are or aren’t out there,” Vecchio says. “You’re just looking for one — the right one for you.”

What Jobs Will the Stimulus Create?

By John Rossheim, Monster Senior Contributing Writer

?In his first address to Congress, President Barack Obama put his top priority for America’s beleaguered workers in simple terms: “Now is the time to jumpstart job creation.”

The work of reversing the labor economy’s slide will not be so simple. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act seeks to bring timely relief to 11.6 million unemployed Americans and 734,000 discouraged workers — so called by the Bureau of Labor Statistics because they have given up looking.

The jobs created by the Recovery Act will make a world of difference in the lives of millions, even though it can’t put everyone back to work tomorrow.

“The approximately 3.5 million jobs created or saved will reflect the current distribution of jobs across the economy,” touching all industries, says Heidi Shierholz, an economist at the Economic Policy Institute. Due to the severity of the recession, “that’s not going to fill in the employment gap entirely,” she says. About 3.6 million jobs have already been lost in the recession that began December 2007, according to a February 2009 BLS report, and no one expects the losses to stop anytime soon.

Four strategic sectors will receive money targeted for job creation, either directly or indirectly: energy (459,000 jobs), infrastructure (377,000), education (250,000) and healthcare (244,000), according to a report by Obama administration officials.

And the broader stimulus created by government work, recession relief and tax relief is projected to create even greater numbers of jobs across the economy.

Alternative Energy Jobs Get a Jolt

The stimulus package calls for unprecedented spending on clean energy, including $60 billion in loan guarantees for alternative energy projects such as wind turbines and coal gasification.

The money is sorely needed, because the green sector has been especially hard-hit in the downturn. “Since November, hiring has been in a lockdown,” says Doug Scott, regional managing director for recruitment firm the Mergis Group. “It’s starting to improve, because companies who have the money to make a play are now doing so.”

Engineers and tradespeople should see demand for their services rise when federal funding reaches their prospective employers. “Electrical, electronic and mechanical engineers will transfer their skills the quickest to alternative energy, to work on solar panels and wind turbines, for example,” says Scott. “Technical salespeople will be needed, as will skilled tradespeople to work in installation, infrastructure and field service.”

Learn more about energy-related opportunities and search for jobs.

Construction and Infrastructure Win Major Support

“Job growth from the stimulus will be heavier in industries that have been hit harder,” says Shierholz. “Those industries have the most opportunity for bounce-back.”

Construction, with its free-falling housing sector, desperately needs that bounce. So hardhats and their coworkers should be somewhat reassured to see that Recovery Act infrastructure spending will be measured in the hundreds of billions of dollars, and so-called shovel-ready projects will receive funding as soon as this spring. For example, the infrastructure stimulus will include billions of dollars for public transit, encompassing projects ranging from railway repairs to the purchase of hybrid buses.

Learn more about construction-related opportunities and search for jobs.

Education Gets into the Rebuilding Act

Recovery Act funding for education is projected to create or save hundreds of thousands of jobs, from teaching positions to bricklayers. This may give school officials across the country a breather as they struggle to balance budgets while state and local funding dwindles.

Education spending will include a variety of initiatives, from billons of dollars in school repairs to additional millions for programs for students with learning disabilities.

Learn more about education-related opportunities and search for jobs.

Healthcare Gets a Shot in the Arm

The stimulus package includes many billions of dollars for healthcare, including $21 billion for healthcare information systems and technology.

“The new administration will emphasize capturing information to better deliver pharmaceuticals and healthcare services,” says Jason Hersh, managing partner of Kline Hersh International. “Professionals in medical informatics will be in demand over the coming years. Job seekers who are looking to transition skill sets into this environment should look into healthcare IT,” he says.

Learn more about healthcare-related opportunities and search for jobs.

Millions More Jobs to Be Added Across the Economy

Beyond the four strategic sectors, some 2.3 million jobs are projected via other components of the stimulus package, such as extensions of unemployment benefits, aid to states and tax cuts. These jobs will be born in diverse industries, including retail, leisure and hospitality, manufacturing, professional and business services, government, financial, wholesale trade, transportation and warehousing, information technology and services, mining and utilities.

Employment in these areas will likely come online sooner than jobs created in the strategic sectors. “Because it takes time to carry out new spending programs authorized by legislation, we expect the jobs created by spending on infrastructure, education, health and energy to be concentrated in 2010 and 2011” rather than this year, the administration report notes.

Even given this jobs-building program of historic proportions, the rising tide of unemployment is unlikely to reverse itself in the near term. “If we can start adding net jobs in early 2010, we can say the stimulus did its job,” says Shierholz.

Get Ready to Land a Stimulus Job

Whether you are hoping to find a job in one of the four strategic sectors — energy, education, infrastructure, healthcare — or one that is indirectly created by the stimulus package, you can take action right now to be ready to stand out as the jobs are posted.

• Research: Narrowing in on the types of jobs you want and are most qualified for will help you keep your job search on task. Check out Monster’s Career Snapshots to learn about different jobs and get insiders’ perspectives on what it is like to work in these fields. This can also help you identify any skills gaps you may have so you can seek the appropriate training.
• Update Your Resume: Now that you have some potential career goals in mind, you need to make sure your resume will get you there. Be sure your resume is ready to go with your most up-to-date skills and accomplishments, and consider customizing your resume to the different jobs you plan to apply for.
• Keep an Eye on Jobs: As the stimulus begins to have its impact on the economy, the job postings will trickle in. Set up saved job searches now for your different target jobs so that Monster can notify you as they are posted. And look for when Monster’s Keep America Working Tour will come to a city near you, so you can take advantage of the on-site career-building opportunities.