State of the Union to Focus on Jobs - it’s time to put forth real solutions that get Americans back to work!

With nearly 16 million people officially unemployed and millions more underemployed, it seems only natural that unemployment is top of mind for most Americans, and that it should be President Obama's focus for the State of the Union speech this coming Wednesday. Despite the political sensitivities of the moment, employement (or unemployment) is not merely a political platform. It's an American concern and something all leaders should be concerned with working together on rather than using to distinguish themselves from their philosophical opponents.

While each side will have their say and the political pundits will no doubt weigh in too, unemployment should be a concern that brings us together.

If you are among the millions of families affected by the economy -- and who isn't? -- it doesn't matter which sides exist or which political party is more concerned with which "voters." It shouldn't be about unions or non-union workers. There is only one issue that matters and that is how government and business will work together to incent job growth.

Even healthcare reform, while of critical importance, has become a divisive diversion and should be shelved temporarily while we work together to get Americans back to work. Just as the country came together after 9-11, it's time to come together to create real solutions that get Americans working and America back on track.

If you are looking for a job or a career in a specific industry, the 2010 edition of the Creating Job Security Resource Guide includes specific job portals that post jobs that are available now in the following industries: accounting, advanced manufacturing, avaiation, bilingual job opportunities, biotech / pharmaceuticals, broadcasting / news, chefs / food preparation, computer jobs / IT, construction, creative professionals... and 30 more industries you or someone you know may be interested in today.

Creating Job Security Resource Guide 2010 edition has arrived!

For so many, 2009 was a year we're only far too happy to say goodbye to as we welcome 2010. For those still unemployed -- 75% of those who lost jobs in 2009 were men -- the promise of a better job market ahead cannot come soon enough.

As the job market recovers in 2010, and it will, the secret to finding the job you want, need, and are qualified for will be finding the resources that connect you to hiring managers in your field. While large job portals have their place, hiring managers can afford to cherry-pick the best and brightest job candidates right now. And to find job seekers with industry experience, they're turning to industry specific job portals rather than to the big boards.

Creating Job Security Resource Guide, 2010 edition, includes nearly 130 critical job resources you need to find the job you want this week or this month.

To get you started, here a a few of my favorites. More are included in Chapter 6:
Advanced Manufacturing - CareerMe.com
Biotech/Pharmaceuticals - Biospace.com
Educational tutoring - Tutor.com
Freelance jobs and temp work - FlexJobs.com (this is an awesome site!)
Hospitality - hCareers.com
Human Resources - Ajilon.com
Marketing / PR - CareerJet.com

If you know someone who is looking for a job or a career, there is no better guide than the Creating Job Security Resource Guide, 2010 edition. At just $8.95, it will cost you less than a bistro sandwich for lunch.

Thanks to the Mike Siegel Show in Seattle, Wash. for inviting me to guest on the Dec. 23, 2009 show dedicated to the economy and jobs market. To listen to this broadcast, download or save the MP3 at http://www.sendspace.com/file/er8lsh

It's All About You...

Share your story. Most people have been forced to come up with creative ways to reduce their expenses or bring in additional income. Many families have experienced either a reduction of hours (income) or a layoff by one or both breadwinners in the house.

How has the economy affected your family? What have you done that others could learn from? Please share your messages to support and uplift others who may be facing a similar circumstance.

GREAT NEWS!! The Creating Job Security Resource Guide -- 2010 edition is almost out. Last year's edition had more than 75 online resource.

This year's edition include 130 online hot job resources!!! Wow! Most of the new resources fall under industry specific job portals. If you see an industry we missed, and you know of a great job portal to recommend, post it here. We'll credit you with finding it and make it available to job seekers around the world.

Preparing For a Resurgence of Jobs

For as long as economic data has been tracked, there has always been a percentage of unemployed, even within a healthy economy. But today, the percentage of people who are unemployed or underemployed has surpassed a dire threshold, creating a catastrophic situation for government bodies ranging from local municipalities to the national level worldwide. Even worse for individual workers, this perfect storm peaked at a time when many families were already balancing dangerous debt to asset ratios.

At some point, despite how staggering the unemployment numbers, and despite the constant deluge of related data and economic predictions, the most basic reality comes down to one question: “How is this affecting my family?” And that this point, indeed the recession is affecting every family, if not directly, then indirectly in a multitude of ways.

Job hunting in this economy is different than in previous recessions. Not only have millions of people found themselves looking for work or additional income for the first time in a decade or more, the number of underemployed workers has grown exponentially.

Reliable job resources for both primary employment and supplemental income are in demand more than ever before. For those looking to work from home, several really great job portals exist. One of my favorites that I talk about regularly in my seminars at Kaplan University and to many of you on Twitter is FlexJobs.com. Others that I also like include: AllFreelanceWork.com and Guru.com.

Economists talk about a jobless recovery, but for families struggling to pay the mortgage or cover health insurance, the only recovery that matters is a recovery that includes a resurgence of good-paying jobs.

Will you be prepared when that resurgence arrives?

COMING SOON: Creating Job Security Resource Guide - 2010 edition and Creating Job Security, The 2010 All-In-One Workbook available through The Graduate Group (http://www.graduategroup.com/)