Interested in Freelancing? Check out this Updated List of Resources from GCCOACH.COM

FREELANCING RESOURCES

http://www.freelancersunion.org - a nonprofit organization that represents the
needs of America's independent workforce though advocacy, information, and
service. By representing independent workers as a group, Freelancers Union can
negotiate favorable insurance rates and provide a social safety net. They
currently offer health insurance to freelancers in 31 states, and provide
dental, life, and disability insurance nationwide. They're currently working on
retirement plans and unemployment insurance.

www.msquared.com - M2 - Broker of independent consultants - assists companies in reaching their business objectives through the use of an exclusive network of top independent consultants, each with the expertise to address specific business problems and opportunities. Consultants are proven, seasoned professionals with an average of fifteen years experience in fields ranging from
marketing, operations, and human resources to finance, IT, and top management, across virtually all industry segments.

www.guru.com - online marketplace for freelance talent. Through their free service, employers find top freelance and contract talent locally, nationally, or globally. Created in August of 2000, Guru.com's web-based marketplace directly connects businesses with more than 100,000 active freelance profiles specializing in over 160 professional categories including: web site design,
programming, graphic design, business consulting, and administrative support.

www.elance.com - Businesses use Elance to achieve more by finding great people and getting work done in a new way, and talented professionals find meaningful work that fits their lifestyle.

www.oDesk.com - marketplace for online workteams that connects companies with talent; main categories are web development, software development, networking & information systems, writing and translation, administrative support, design & multimedia, customer service, sales & marketing, and business services.

www.sologig.com - a niche website specializing in connecting contract-to-hire, contractors, freelancers, and consultants with companies looking for independent professionals. Registration is free, no project fees. There's also no bidding on Sologig - you choose which projects you are interested in and negotiate pricing directly with the employer.

http://www.gofreelance.com/ - Since 1998, GoFreelance has been connecting freelance professionals with companies that need jobs done. From graphic design and web development, to programming, copywriting, article writing and much more, thousands of projects have been completed through our system. Jobs covered include writing and editing jobs, web design and development projects, medical and legal transcription jobs, Internet research and email support work, data entry and administration jobs, programming and technical projects, graphic design and illustration jobs, wide range of telecommuting jobs.

www.net-temps.com - Job board for temporary, temp-to-perm and full time employment through the staffing industry. Membership to Net-Temps is exclusive to staffing companies. Net-Temps assists staffing companies in sourcing and hiring the most qualified candidates.

www.virtualassistants.com - Virtual Assistant jobs or other work at home jobs including medical transcription, virtual assistant, transcription, administrative, data entry, customer service, writing, computer, programming, technical or other

Warning Signs that a Job Loss is Taking a Toll on Your Well-Being

Along with some advice from "The Ladders" on how to deal with the anxiety and forge ahead.

Of course, if the anxiety of overwhelming, it is a good idea to seek professional help to permit you to come out safely on the other side and forge ahead with the business of living, enjoying life, and pursuing your personal and professional goals.

Manage Your References

Came across some excellent advice on managing your professional references in the context of a job application.

Check it out at this link.

How to Get a Job - Recent Article in Fortune

In the 13 April 2009 issue of Fortune, an article titled "How to Get a Job" talks about creative means professionals have been using to find work. The anecdotes fall in 5 broad categories:

1. Work your Rolodex. "To score an in-person meeting, don't just ask for a job; offer something in return, like competitive intelligence (sic) on the competition."
2. Target Your Search. "One of the worst mistakes job seekers make is sending out hundreds of resumes. That's not looking for a job; that's buying a lottery ticket."
3. Get the word out! "Don't be ashamed. Tell everyone you know you're looking for work. Whether it's by phone, e-mail, or online social network."
4. Get your foot in the door. "Use the interview to show what you'll deliver in the first 30, 60, and 90 days. Companies don't have time for you to grow into a job."
5. Fine-tune your resume. "The majority of large companies use software scanning services to sift through resumes. So mimic the job requirement language exactly. If they want a marketing manager, those words should appear in your resume."

To #5, I would add the caveat that even with a fine-tuned resume, the odds are against you getting an interview if yours is one of 2000 on-line applications being processed. To up the odds, look for people you know or are connected to in the company who might be willing to foward your resume directly to the hiring manager.

For the entire article in Fortune, click here.

Should you bilboard yourself in CyberSpace?

Interesting post from Jon Jacobs (no relation) on eFinancialCareers.com - click here.

From ThomasNet Industrial Market Trends: "More Hopeful Perspectives on Future Job Openings and the Skilled Workers Needed to Fill Those Positions"

Per ThomasNet Industrial Market Trends: "Despite continued widespread job losses across industries and a dim near-term outlook, we are beginning to see more hopeful perspectives on future job openings and the skilled workers needed to fill those positions." Click here for complete article.

Online resources for sorting out economic stimulus and bailouts do for you and your company

Published by the San Francisco Business Times at this link.

Overview of Executive Job Market (Base salary of at least $100K)

Great article published through Reuters examining the executive job market (base salary of $100K+), put out the TheLadders.com.

Article can be found here.

Job Searching in Touch Times Calls for Creativity

Just read an article on BNET that happens to include some good food for thought for all job seekers, and particularly for MBA's. More here.

It's primary emphasis where job search is concerned is on the importance of creativity.

Stop Overdoing your Strengths

In the "general leadership behavior improvement department":

See a great little article called "Stop Overdoing your Strengths" at this link.

The article suggests that "when coworkers give you the highest rating on a leadership behavior, this may indicate you're taking the behavior too far."

The authors recommend you ask coworkers three questions: "What should I do more? What should I do less? What should I continue unchanged?"

This dovetails very nicely with Marshall Goldsmith's concept of "feedforward." See article on that topic at this link.