Don’t feel bad if you’re applying for a lot of jobs and not getting the callbacks. It doesn’t mean that you’re unqualified or that your resume needs work. It means that you’re one of the multitudes of resumes that companies receive when the amount of jobs is low and unemployment is at 9% and underemployment being 14%. It’s probably not your fault.

If you have received some initial calls or e-mails, and they haven’t gone the way you were hoping, looking at what you did or didn’t do in those first steps may say a lot about why you were passed over after the initial call. Here are a few ideas to keep in mind for your next call.

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If you are looking for ways to make a little extra money, you might consider looking for a holiday job. Many companies hire extra help for the holidays, and you could be one of those they can turn to in order to help them meet the demands of the holiday season.

Last year saw an increase in holiday spending, and there are hopes that the economy — or at least personal financial situations — have improved enough to encourage a solid holiday shopping season. That means that you could find yourself a temporary job. If you are looking, here are some things to keep in mind:
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They’re 76 million strong and still make up one third of the workforce. They’re nearing retirement and their jobs will be up for grabs, or at least should be. Here’s how the math works out, generally speaking, of course.

There are 76 million in the baby boomer generation but only 46 million in the generation after them. You know them as the Generation X population. If the Gen. Xers move in to the positions held by the hard working baby boomers, that still leave a surplus of 30 million jobs for the taking.

Could the nation’s unemployment woes be solved largely be baby boomers retiring? According to CNN “only” 7.9 million jobs were lost due to the recession so surely, this extra 30 million will have a significant effect, won’t it?
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U.S. workers have never been good at taking vacations, one of the best “perks” of working, if you can call a few days off during a year a perk rather than a right (the article discusses how little vacation days we get compared to Europeans but how it’s self-inflicted). When the economy tanked, many workers took even less time off for fear of losing their jobs. It’s a normal reaction, if there need to be cuts, it’s better to fire someone who is less productive and folks on vacation aren’t very productive (since they’re not at work); though I suspect few employers think that way.

That being said, while we may not be taking as many vacations days, there are still many employee perks that can be safely taken advantage of without fear of losing your job. These different perks may not be available to everyone but they’re available to most, depending on the size of your employer, and should be given serious consideration if you aren’t taking advantage of them.

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Regardless of your occupation, there is probably an incentive that comes with working longer or harder. Higher commission, quarterly bonuses, or the promise of a promotion are some of the ways that companies motivate their employees to be a better value to the business.

Those who are self –employed know that working hard isn’t an option but instead a requirement. Every minute is important and maximizing time becomes an art that has a direct effect on the amount of money that flows in to a business that often can’t afford to see lower revenues.

Go ahead and admit it. You’re not as efficient during your work day as you could be and if you think you are, test yourself against these time wasters and see how you size up. It’s not realistic to think that you can operate at 100% peak efficiency all day long but small improvements in the way you manage you day and your workload could lead to more money in your pocket.

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Whenever you get paid, a portion of it is “withheld” by your employer for tax purposes. It’s sent to the Treasury Department each month and it goes towards your annual tax bill. We’re a pay as you go system, so you’re required to pay taxes on your income as you earn it. This is accomplished by this withholding and quarterly estimated payments, if they apply to you.

The amount that is withheld is based on your W-4, a short form in which you briefly explain your family situation. Based on your tax filing status, number of dependents, and a few other criteria, your employer withholds a set amount. If you get a large refund check each year, you’re withholding too much. If you pay a large amount, including a penalty, then you’re withholding too little. Both are bad.

Overwithholding

Overwithholding is where your employer is withholding too much and so you get a large refund check in April (or May). Overwithholding is bad because that’s your money that can be used to pay for your needs, pay down your debts, or be saved into an interest bearing account. Isn’t it better to have your own money than pay taxes you don’t really owe?

Underwithholding

This is a rarer case but sometimes you could be underpaying your tax liabilities and that’s bad because the IRS will assess penalties. There are safe harbor payment amounts that can protect you against penalties, but you still owe the extra taxes (something you may not have accounted for). Underwithholding is clearly the worse of the two.

How to Fix

Many places will tell you to work with calculators to find out what you need to put on your form. I suggest you use those calculators but also talk to your HR department. They do this every single day and explain your situation, they should be able to help you out. If you are stuck with an uninformed HR department, then rely on the calculators more and submit a new W-4.

It’s tough out there, if you’re a job seeker. With dozens — or even hundreds — of people vying for the same position, it becomes important to stand out. Indeed, with some predicting a double-dip recession, and with companies slow to hire, the job market is a tricky place to be right now.

If you are hoping to stand out, and find a job, it might help to get professional help. A headhunter might be able to assist you in your job search, setting you up with a good company.

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If you are looking for a good job, you might be wise to consider getting a good education in math and engineering. While the value of a college degree being widely debated these days, you might find yourself wondering if it is worth the trouble. The truth, though, is that some college degrees are worth more than others, and if you are looking for a stable job with good pay, an engineering degree of some sort might be just what you need.

Web sites like PayScale offer rankings of how much you can make at different jobs, with a fairly low amount of experience, and a four-year degree. If you are looking for some options, here are some of the jobs on the list:
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Most of us have grown up being told that hard work pays off in the end, and that if we want to get anywhere, merit is the way to go. Indeed, many of us have starry-eyed ideas that our careers will be based on merit. Many of us, though, get hit with the unfortunate reality that merit isn’t always enough — especially when going up against someone who knows someone.

Whether you are looking for a promotion, or applying for a new job, it may not matter how hard you have worked, or how qualified you are: You could be passed over. Here are some of the ways your hard work may not pay off in the end:

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I have been working in stereotypical big business for more than 6 years.  I even have my own little cubicle and receive the sort of memos you see in “Office Space”.  I have welcomed new employees and said farewell to the same ones a couple of years later.  I have watched employees that started around the same time as me advance in the company or move on to something else.  Although there may not be any hard and fast rules that would guarantee career success, there do seem to be a few key attributes that truly help.

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