Standing out at a Career Faire can make a difference in your career search. Career Fairs are starting to pick up, and a major job search company is running some nice ones, called Targeted Job Fairs. At a SF Bay Area Career Faire in January, 10 companies as showing up, and a major job search company has 82 job fairs scheduled for 2010 across the US.

How do you compete at a Job Fair? The competition can be significant, but you can help yourself leap out from the herd with early preparation. At AA-Careers, we have a simplified 6-step process to prepare. Planning to go? Here’s how to prepare:

First, investigate the organizations that are going and pick your objectives. Use the World Wide Web to check out the companies that are there beforehand. Go to their websites and see if they have their job openings posted. Pick a small number to go after, and get ready to spend an hour or more researching each one. It’s hard to do more than eight in a day, and four to six is a much more reasonable target. For each company, you want to know: executive names, recent news, and key product lines. Try to see if you know anyone at the target companies. You should end up with a page or two of research for each company/job.

Second, if there are job postings on the web, read them to see what the hiring department is looking for. Create a mapping of your achievements and skills to the prerequisites of the job. Make the language match. If the hiring organization calls customers "clients", your resume should do the same thing. The accomplishments should be written in the style of the hiring organization.

Third, create a ‘mini sales pitch’ for each potential organization/job combination. Write down a 90 second ‘thumbnail’ that you can repeat out loud depicting why you are a key prospect for that position. You’ll use this in your resume and when you meet the team from the company at the job stall.

Fourth, modify your resume for each job type. The objective on your resume should exactly match the position you’re going after. The executive summary should be a written form of your “mini sales pitch” for the job. Then choose the achievements and skills that most clearly match the job requirements. Especially at a Career Faire, the purpose of your resume is a sales tool for you – to get you on-site job interviews. It should be quick to see that you’re a fit based on your resume.

Fifth, practice your ‘mini-sales-pitch’. Collect your research and the resume for each spot - bring a couple of copies for each – and put each in a understandably tagged folder. Keep them in a light briefcase or folio.

Finally, dress and prepare as if you’re doing on-site interviews. Dress well and be well groomed. Avoid strong cologne or perfume…use any cologne or perfume meagerly, if at all.

Remember to smile, and good hunting!

Standing out at a Job Fair can make a difference in your job hunting. Career Fairs are starting to pick up, and a major job search company is running some nice ones, called Targeted Job Fairs. At a Bay Area Career Faire in early 2010, 10 companies as showing up, and a major job search company has 82 career fairs scheduled for 2010 across the United States.

How do you stand out at a Career Fair? The competition can be noteworthy, but you can help yourself surpass from the crowd with early homework. At AA-Careers, we have a simple 6-step process to prepare. Planning to go? Here’s how to prepare:

First, investigate the organizations that are going and pick your targets. Use the web to research the organizations that are there beforehand. Go to their web sites and see if they have their job openings listed. Pick a reasonable number to go after, and get ready to spend an hour researching each one. It’s hard to do more than 7 in a day, and four to six is a much more reasonable target. For each hiring organization, you want to know: executive names, recent news, and key product lines. Try to see if you know anyone at the target companies. You should end up with a page or two of research for each company/job.

Second, if there are job openings on the web, read them to see what the hiring department is looking for. Create a mapping of your achievements and skills to the requirements of the job. Make the terminology match. If the hiring company calls customers "clients", your resume should do the same thing. The accomplishments should be written in the style of the hiring company.

Third, create a ‘short sales pitch’ for each potential organization/position combination. Write down a 60 second ‘thumbnail’ that you can repeat verbally describing why you are a good candidate for that position. You’ll use this in your resume and when you meet the team from the company at the job booth.

Fourth, modify your resume for each opportunity. The objective on your resume should exactly match the job you’re going after. The executive summary should be a written form of your “mini sales pitch” for the job. Then choose the achievements and skills that most clearly match the job prerequisites. Especially at a Career Faire, the purpose of your resume is a sales tool for you – to get you on-site job interviews. It should be obvious to see that you’re a fit based on your resume.

Fifth, dress and prepare as if you’re doing on-site interviews. Dress nicely and be fittingly groomed. Don’t overdress (this isn’t a date!) and don’t underdress (no jeans or t-shirts, no matter how much you paid for them). Avoid strong cologne or perfume.

Finally, practice your ‘mini-sales-pitch’. Collect your research and the resume for each spot - bring a couple of copies for each – and put each in a distinctly labeled folder. Keep them in a lightweight briefcase or folio.

Remember to smile, and good hunting!

If you buy a car, a tailored vehicle, instead you’re presented a pick of fully-tested and engineered vehicles that have required years of design and development. Yet, when it comes to websites it seems to be different. Most individuals expect that their website will be planned to their rigorous specifications. This is absolutely reasonable, and in a lot of cases it’s absolutely essential.

And yet - is this really the best way to go about things for all cases? Take content managed websites for example : feature-rich websites, with rigorous security prerequisites, a control panel so the site proprietor can update the content on the site. All of this, while requiring the front-end to be effortless to use and buy items for shoppers. Serving all those requirements is no petty chore, and if anything goes wrong, you’re going back to the web designer to request fixes. Custom websites in this context are burdened with so much to consider.

Even so, there’s another option to this method which is much more cost-effective, can give you a lot more features, and gives more reliability, stability and security - website templates.

Individuals understand today that custom website design often isn’t essential and that in a lot of situations, it’s best to amend your plans even ever-so slightly so they meet a strong, proven web template than it is to take chances with a custom website design to match your business plan. Why? Because of the demands a modern website asks for. You want a solid, tried and tested template that powers your site, not freshly written code that hasn’t been tested. Not just that, but templates commonly come with free updates, so your website is following all the contemporary advancements on the internet such as being able to show your latest “tweets” on your site.

But possibly most compellingly, website templates are a lot more cheaper than custom websites. Why would you spend £8000 on a site if you can acquire a website with more features for just £100, for example?

The above issues ought to make you consider carefully your business plan and whether to select a tailor-made site or a templated site.

We buy many products ready-made and don’t expect them to be tailor-made to match our requirements. Nonetheless, websites seem to be a different affair entirely. Most enterprises assume that their website will be planned to their strict specifications. This is perfectly reasonable of course, and in a good deal of cases it’s unavoidable.

But wait a minute - is this actually the best way to go about things for all cases? Take content managed websites for instance : these will sport many modules, with demanding security necessities, a control panel so the site owner can update the content on the site. All these requirements, while requiring the front-end to be effortless to use and purchase products for website visitors. Resolving all those requirements is no frivolous job, and if a bug or other issue happens, you’re going back to the web designer to ask for fixes. Custom-made websites in this context have a large weight to carry.

However, there’s another alternative to this method which is a lot more money saving, can give you a lot more features, and offers more security, reliability, and stability - web templates.

People recognize now that custom-made websites frequently aren’t required and that in a lot of situations, it’s better to alter your goals even ever-so slightly so they match a solid, popular and proven website template than it is to take chances with a custom-built web design to fit your plans. But why is this? Due to the demands a modern website asks for. You want a solid, tried and tested codebase that runs your site, not freshly written code that hasn’t had the benefit of months and years of real-life testing. Not just that, but templates usually are updated often and these updates patched to your site, so your site is tracking all the latest advancements on the internet the ability to copy and paste fashionable widgets onto your pages.

But possibly the greatest selling point is this however: website templates are a lot more cheaper than tailor-made sites. Why would you drop £9000 on a website if you can get a ste with more features for only £550, for instance?

The above issues should cause you to consider carefully your plans and whether to pick a website template or go for a custom-made website.

It is estimated that 80% of home exercise equipment is not used after the first year.

So, you’re planning to buy a piece of home exercise equipment… and you have promised yourself that this time you are really going to use it!

Maybe you already have a collection of different exercise devices… but you are convinced that with this new contraption you will definitely reach your fitness goals.

Or you keep saying to yourself… “If I only had that fitness machine I would be motivated to work out”.

Around 80% of home exercise equipment buyers said the same thing… and the equipment they bought is gathering dust in the corner somewhere along with their dreams of muscle tone, more energy, weight control and feeling great.

Don’t part with your hard earned money before you make sure you will be one of the 20% that buys home exercise equipment and actually uses it, because as we all know… you are only going to get the physical benefits from the home exercise equipment you buy if you actually do the exercise.

Who Buys Home Exercise Equipment And Then Doesn’t Use It?

According to Consumer’s Union, it is the beginner, or inexperienced, exercisers that are most likely to purchase home exercise equipment and then not use it.

As a matter of fact… beginner exercisers don’t use 2/3 of the home exercise equipment they buy.

Although buying home exercise equipment seems like the logical first step to improved fitness… it is the beginners that give up using the equipment more than people who already enjoy an active lifestyle.

Let’s see why this happens…

Using Home Exercise Equipment Is An Exercise In Self Control

Most people over estimate their self control.

Even though they exhibit determination and enthusiasm when researching the home exercise equipment to buy, seeking out the best price, purchasing and installing the equipment in their home… most people just don’t have enough self control to use the equipment in the necessary manner to reap the rewards.

Thinking about exercise, talking about exercise, researching exercise and purchasing home exercise equipment is not exercise.

There is no home exercise equipment that will completely transform you and help you reach all your fitness goals without an investment of time and energy.

As a matter of fact… the costs of seeking fitness are immediate, while the benefits are delayed.

Most beginners get frustrated putting in the time and energy necessary to reap the long term physical rewards using the home exercise equipment .

As a result, 2/3 of the home exercise equipment finds its way into garages, closets and basements with the closing comments… “That thing didn’t work.”

Prove Yourself Worthy Before Buying Home Exercise Equipment

Most beginners buy home exercise equipment because they took a good hard look in the mirror and didn’t like what they saw… or they assessed their physical abilities and found them lacking.

Next step… buy a piece of home exercise equipment!

Well, hold on there… not so fast.

As I’m fond of saying… Fitness is a journey, not a destination.

The bodily changes and improvement of physical abilities you seek can only be obtained for the long term by incorporating consistent physical activity into your lifestyle.

Prove yourself worthy of the purchase of home exercise equipment by first adding physical activity to your lifestyle by using the effective, versatile and efficient piece of home exercise equipment that you already have… your own body!

If you are really serious about improving muscle tone and energy levels while controlling weight and feeling great… start by performing a workout program of bodyweight calisthenics exercises.

Bodyweight calisthenics exercise is the perfect method to use for the beginner, as well as experienced, fitness enthusiast when starting a physical fitness training program… and should remain part of a well balanced fitness training regime.

As a matter of fact… you should not start using home exercise equipment of any kind until you first have developed the ability to control the movement of your own body.

Once you have effectively added physical activity into your lifestyle… you can buy that piece of home exercise equipment to augment, vary and diversify your physical training with the confidence that you will actually use it.

In conclusion…

Bodyweight calisthenics exercise is the perfect place to start your physical fitness training program.

Properly done… bodyweight calisthenics exercise will develop a strong, lean and athletic body that actually performs as good as it looks.

Once physical training has become a habit… buy home exercise equipment to improve your already effective training.

The body and physical abilities you seek are not determined by the equipment you have at your disposal… but rather by your desire to improve and incorporate physical activity into your lifestyle!

Save yourself a lot of time and money by proving to yourself that you are not overestimating your self control… because if you fail to successfully add bodyweight calisthenics exercise into your lifestyle, you will most likely fail to use the home exercise equipment you buy.

So what are you waiting for?

Use your own body as your gym… and get started on your own personal fitness journey today!

Coach Lomax invites you to explore physical training on Optimum Physical Training. We recommend Unchained Bodyweight Workout.