Hanging With Denver's Mayor on Earth Day!

So What is Colorado Doing For The Environment?

I was doing a little Volunteer work yesterday for the Rocky Mountain Green Summit being held here in Denver. Nice way to find out what's going on around the state Environmentally and also what the future hold for this great Rocky Mountain State.


Hanging with Mayor Hickenlooper.
Nothing like your friend using a crummy cell
indoors & catching you offguard

One of the benfits of volunteering at events like this is that you not only get to Network with companies within the Industry I am focusing on, but also you get to hangout with Politicos like Mayor Hickenlooper. Since I had a minute, I got to ask him a few questions about our Renewable Resources and waterways!

Whether it was his topic of Green Successes in Transportation, Housing, and Energy Efficiency, or Denver's Greenprint plans and Clean Water. Hickenlooper, a former Geologist back in the day, has many great ideas to come but I guess it will come down to how many of them actually exist in order for him to take over the new reigns as governor after Ritter. Other Great resources for sustainability around the state.

Checkout these great Energy providers to help provide your daily needs or to help expand your business. Excel Energy, GE Johnson, Douglass Colony, Philips, Monument Constructors, Master Wall Inc, Ambient Energy and Colorado Biz.

Tricks To Use in Job Search

Hi-Tech Tricks to Use in Your Job Search
by careerinsight

It seems like just about everything and everyone has gone high tech. From refrigerators with built-in computers to high-powered handheld devices, technology is touching nearly every aspect of our lives. The job search process is no exception. While the traditional approach, with a focus on networking, strong resumes and solid person-to-person interviews, is still king, technological advances are in job hunters’ game plans across the country. If you are looking to enhance, here are a few areas to explore.

1. Tech Savvy Resumes

Many candidates opt to send their resumes to companies via e-mail, or choose to submit resumes directly through company or job search Web sites. Because of new Internet and e-mail technology, it pays to ensure your resume is technologically sound. When creating your resume, you should create the following formats:

•Traditional resumes: These are the typical, ink and paper resumes which are nicely formatted, professional, and eye-catching.
•ASCII, or “plain text” resumes: These are simplified versions of your resume, focusing solely on content. Plain text resumes have the advantage of being readable, no matter what computer system the reader is using. In a plain text resume, avoid italics, unusual fonts, and other fancy formatting. You can create a plain text resume by opening your resume in your word processing program and performing a “save as” function, selecting to save the document as “plain text.” ASCII resumes are best used when filling out online resume posting forms, which tend to convert resumes to plain text.
•Scannable resumes: Many companies prefer to receive scannable resumes, which are run through scanners with character-recognition capabilities. Companies then utilize applicant-tracking system software (ATS) to match stored resumes with open positions via keywords. For example, if a company is seeking a position with specific graphic design skills, the software will automatically select the resumes that include those skills. Therefore, you must make sure the right keywords are included in your resume.
2. Personal Resume Web Sites

For fields in which portfolios are necessary for the job search process, some candidates are finding that building a personal resume Web site is a convenient way to show off skills and accomplishments. You can develop a Web site that includes examples of your work such as articles, software you developed, artwork or photography and more. You can also include other items such as letters of recommendation.

3. Other Portfolio Options

Having a thick portfolio is important in many industries, and in the past this meant lugging around a huge binder or oversized case full of work examples. Today, a portfolio can be small enough to fit in your briefcase. You can burn all of your materials on a CD, or even create a PowerPoint presentation that shows off your best work. These tools can be put on display during an interview, or left behind for the company to examine once the interview is completed.

4. Video Portraits

If you’re not camera shy and really want to be tech savvy, you can tape an interview of yourself and post it on your resume Web site for employers to review. This can give the employer an example of your poise right off the bat. There are many options for how to do this, including creating your own video file using a digital camcorder or by utilizing a professional service.

5. Online Networking

Think you can only meet people at real, live networking events? Think again. There are a wide variety of online portals in which professionals can network, meet others in the field, and make great contacts. Most professional organizations have message boards and online forums, and there are many other sites such as LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com) and WorldWit (www.worldwit.org) that tout themselves as networking forums.

Top 10 Ways To Find A Job in Denver With A Tough Economy

Top Ten Ways to Find a Job

by Jill Czeczuga

When the economy is in bad shape, the job market is usually worse. Those with jobs are trying to stay employed and people without jobs are desperately trying to find a new job, both can be extremely stressful.

If you put in the time and effort into finding a new job you will be rewarded no matter how fierce the competition is. Stay motivated and persistent – finding a new job is your new job right now.

These are the top ten ways to find a new job:

1. Use the Internet Daily – It is so easy to get lost on the Internet wasting time on websites, job boards and social media sites with no real benefits. Make sure you are actively spending your time on the Internet looking for and applying to jobs and networking with those who may be able to help. There are a ton of useful job boards and career sites to help you focus your search. Check out Job Board Reviews to help find the most useful websites to your industry or profession. Do your best to stay focused on your job search for a few hours a day. Be sure to actively apply to jobs, don’t just upload your resume and wait for phone calls.

2. Perfect your resume – Your resume is often the first glimpse a potential employer gets of you and your skills, make sure it accurately details your skills and work history and how they can benefit your future employer. Make sure you have someone proof read it before sending it out and try to customize it for each job you are applying for.

3. Network – Let everyone you know that you are looking for a job. The more people you have out there on your team, with eyes open the more opportunities you will have. Tell everyone in your network what kind of a job you are looking for or any special skills you may have. You can forward your resume to people in your network and ask them if they know of anyone hiring or if they can check within their company for any open positions. Most people actually find and are hired through referrals from a friend or family member than any other source.

4. Go back to school – Now is the time to get the competitive edge over other job candidates. Many people are finding it hard to get to a traditional college or university and are opting for online schools and programs. Look into enrolling in an accredited online college for some online courses and upgrading your training. Increasing your education will improve your resume and get you one step closer to landing a job.

5. Target Local Companies – Get out and start knocking on some doors. If you are not having any luck online submitting your resume online, it’s time to get out and start meeting people face to face. Make a list of companies in your area that you would like to work for, call them directly to see if they have any openings that interest you. If that doesn’t work, put on some professional attire and stop by with your resume in hand.

6. Industry Mags and Social Niches – Sometimes the best positions that are the perfect fit are only being advertised in industry specific magazines and publications. Sign up for some Industry trade magazines, online groups, forums, and social networks. Reading up on the latest industry news is a great way to stay on top and find new open positions. It also will help with your industry specific networking.

7. Job Fairs – Can it get better than this. Job fairs are a giant room or convention center filled with companies who are looking to hire. Dress to impress, print out a bunch of copies on your resume and start talking to companies who are looking to hire. It’s such an easy way to meet people and get some help with your search.

8. Get some Professional Help - Recruiters, headhunters, and temp agencies are always looking for qualified candidates. Find some recruiters that specialize in your industry or position and get them your resume.

9. State and public resources – There are so many free resources offered by your state to help job seekers find a new job. Most states and counties offer everything from resume writing services, career counseling, and lots of sessions on all the skills you will need to find you new job. State and local resources are also often given lists of openings that aren’t posted or found in other locations. Pop on over and see what they can offer.

10. Consider Freelancing – If you are not finding the right full time position, consider taking a contract position or freelancing your services out. Many companies are not able to hire for full time positions but would be willing to give you a try on an as need basis.

Get on out there! Remember to Network, keep your head up and Don’t give up! There is someone out there waiting to hire you.