We honored our country's veterans this week, on Thursday, Veterans Day. At the same time, there was far too much in the news about the difficulty that returning veterans are having in their job searches: in October, the unemployment rate for veterans who have served since September 2001 was 10.6 percent--a full percentage point above the national average.

If you are (or if someone you love is) a veteran who's hunting for a job, take a look at Military.com--a great one-stop resource for veterans and active-duty military personnel. Also check out VeteranEmployment.com, Monster.com's Military Transition Center, and G.I. Jobs' new list of the top 100 military-friendly employers.

Thank you, veterans. We are all in your debt.

And here are five of our favorite career-advice articles (for veterans and civilians alike) from the past week:

5. One of this week's big stories in the world of employment was reported by the Huffington Post (among other publications): "White House Fielding Questions from the Unemployed on Facebook." Join the conversation now on Monster.com's Facebook page.

4. Many people overlook a simple job-interview step that influences 88 percent of hiring managers surveyed. Read more in "Say Thank-You for Your Interview."

3. It's a nightmare predicament: You quit your job for a new one. Then the new one doesn't work out. And you have to go crawling back to your old boss to ask for your old position back. We hope it never happens to you, but CBSMoneywatch.com has some tips in "The 'Oh $#*!' Moment: How to Beg for Your Old Job."

2. Ageism (real and subconscious) can be a real problem for job seekers on the mature side of 40. But there are simple (and non-surgical) ways to give your resume a face-lift--read "Rejuvenate Your Resume."

1. Don't blow your job interview by using language that puts hiring managers to sleep (or, worse, ticks them off). Read "10 Overused Phrases Interviewers Can't Stand."

What kind of job-seeker-focused content would you like to see? Let me know in the comments section, or find me on Twitter and send me a message.

If you're up on job-search and career-development advice, you've likely been hearing the term "personal brand" used more and more. By all accounts, developing and maintaining a consistent, effective personal brand is as important to the modern worker (in just about industry) as having a great resume and an engaged network of peers.

But the term is sometimes used in a vague way--what is a personal brand, and how does a job seeker begin crafting one? I asked personal-branding expert Chris Perry, of CareerRocketeer, to explain some basics. 

Monster Blog: Why is having a personal brand important--and is it important for all job seekers?

Chris Perry: Everyone has a unique personal brand. You communicate your own brand in everything you do--whether you know it or not. It's important to remember that personal branding is so much more than what you put on your social networks or what you write on a blog. It's who you are inside and out, online and offline. Your personal brand is your reputation.

Effective personal branding is essential for all job seekers, as it not only makes you stand out from the crowd to employers and recruiters, but also can increase your job security during your career--by communicating your value as a leader and team player to your organization.

Monster Blog: How can a person decide what his or her personal brand is?

Chris Perry: Your personal brand is the unique and differentiating value that you can bring to an organization, a team, and/or a project, [communicated] in a professionally memorable and consistent manner in all of your actions and outputs, both online and offline, to all current and prospective stakeholders in your career.

Here are a several steps to help you create your personal brand:

    1. Write down your differentiating strengths (those you feel make you stand out from the rest).

    2. Ask your friends, family, colleagues, and managers to do the same.

    3. Identify the top three to five strengths that you feel will support the career direction you want to pursue.

    4. Create or find a word or phrase that can become your personal brand and that represents these strengths. (Note that you should ensure that your word or phrase is versatile and can change with your career direction.)

    5. Develop a short pitch [what some experts call an "elevator speech"] that builds on your brand, describing your strengths in more detail.

Monster Blog: Then how does someone use that brand in a job search?

Chris Perry: Here are a few of the ways that you can build and communicate your personal brand both online and in-person:

•     Create a LinkedIn profile and follow the suggested steps to complete your profile, making sure you include your personal brand and pitch in your subtitle and summary sections.
•     Consider creating a personal website or blog where you can house all of your information, including your brand, experience, education, skills, honors, entrepreneurial efforts, and more.
•     Include your personal brand on your resume, cover letter, business cards, email signature, and voicemail message, as well as across your other social networks, such as Twitter and Facebook.
•     Conduct informational interviews with target network contacts (whether or not you're seeking a job) and share your personal brand with them in your introductions.
•     Join associations or networking groups within your industry and try attending their events to meet new contacts and build your target network.  Be sure to share your personal brand with those new contacts you meet.

-- Check back next week for more tips from Chris Perry, on how to maintain your personal brand over time. If you have more questions on creating a personal brand, let us know in the comments section, and we will try to include answers in next week's blog post.

Chris Perry, MBA, is a Gen-Y brand and marketing generator, an ambitious entrepreneur, and a career-search and personal-branding expert. Perry is the founder of Career Rocketeer; its partner efforts, including Launchpad; and other online career services and communities, such as MBA Highway.

I recently had the pleasure of speaking to Chris St. Hilaire, the author of "27 Powers of Persuasion: Simple Strategies to Seduce Audiences & Win Allies," for a new article on Monster+HotJobs, "The Art of Persuasion in Your Job Search."

I'm enthusiastic about his approach to persuasion, which is very simple, and which is fundamentally about positivity: making other people feel good about themselves makes them feel good about you.

One of my favorite tips in the book embodies that notion well (and is a little "gem" of a job-interview tip, I think): You know how when you go to a job interview and the hiring manager asks you if you'd like something to drink? St. Hilaire says you should ask for a glass of water. He explains, "People want to do something nice for you, but not too much. This is a surefire way to make them feel good about themselves without inconveniencing them.'"

Other tips that didn't make it into the article (due to a shortage of space) include tips on actively liking people (when you like someone, it helps him or her like you): St. Hilaire says, "I really, really like the people that I interview with, and part of that comes from practice."

He says that in any meeting, you should find one thing to like about everyone in the room. In some situations, that will involve a mental adjustment: "Every trait can be viewed two ways ... when you flip negative to positive, stubborn becomes resolute, skeptical becomes careful," and so on.

He also advises job seekers to turn their own negatives into positives, and to address them forthrightly. In the book, he likens this to something we often see in politics: a politician turning the weakness of "inexperience" into the strength of "being outside a corrupt political system," for instance.

You can do this with your own "weaknesses"--for instance, a long gap between jobs. Before going into an interview, prepare a succinct story about how you've been spending your time between jobs (or addressing whatever your "weakness" is). He says the trick is to think about the effect your weakness has on the way you interact with the world, and identify the positives in that effect.

(For tips on filling resume gaps, see "Fun Ways to Beef Up Your Resume.")

Other good tips from my notes that didn't make it into the article include "if you need to fidget, wiggle your toes" and "let others finish a question before you start to answer." Also, don't forget to breathe. 

Get more strategies and tips on having great job interviews.

Sure, social media enthusiasts like to think of themselves as “rock stars,” but as the MTV Video Music Awards proved, there’s still a long way to go before they’re the real thing. In typical fashion, Lady Gaga was the talk of the night with her “meat dress.” While we can’t think of many other offices other than the MTV stage where this qualifies as work-appropriate attire, we’re hoping this casual Friday comes and goes without any similar fashion choices. No matter what you’re wearing to the office or to interviews, here are the top five stories from the world of work you might have missed this week:

5. Lessons Learned in the Job Search: Job searching is one of the hardest things you’ll ever do. Molly Wendell outlines some tips from her colleague Mike that helped him save time and get back to work faster.

4. 5 Ways to Tell If Your Internship Is Legal, Regardless of Pay: Just because your internship is paid, doesn’t mean it’s a good opportunity. Heather Huhman discusses the five factors you should consider and why.

3. Dressing for the Interview, by Industry: There's no getting around it: In every job interview, you're going to be judged -- at least partially -- by how you look. But how you should look varies depending on your industry and the job you're interviewing for. Peter Vogt takes a look at general interview attire expectations for eight career areas so you can dress to impress.

2. How to Ace the Interview Without Saying a Word: While you’re preparing for what to say in your next interview, have you thought about preparing for what you won’t say? Shadow Nightwing explains how to prepare your nonverbal communication for your next interview.

1. 9 Steps to Responding to a Lowball Job Offer: What can you do if you receive an offer that undervalues the skills you bring to a company? First step, remember that it’s a negotiation, and apply Donna Svei’s nine tips to negotiate your job offer to get what you deserve.

Which of these was your favorite? Did you write a great article we missed? Let us know in the comments below.

For more must-read content, check out the Monster 5: Works Edition for this week’s top articles from the world of talent management.

This week, the college and professional football season began to the delight of football fans across the country.  Adding to the football frenzy, New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady was involved in a very minor car accident in Boston’s Back Bay, which quickly escalated into a major media feast with sports reporters and fans nationwide.  Mrs. Brady, a.k.a. Gisele Bündchen, experienced a spike in traffic to her web site which nearly crashed the site, causing the super model wife and mom to issue a statement to Brady fans that her husband was quite fine.  As Brady returns to practice and you kick off your job search today, here are the top 5 stories from the world of job seeking you might have missed:

5.  Five Tips for Better Resume Writing: Forget all the writing lessons you acquired in college drafting term papers- it’s time to write a resume. Check out these simple tips from Max Messemer to update your mindset and get your resume ready for the job hunt.

4.  3 Job Search Lessons from HGTV: You’ve probably seen the shows on HGTV about flipping homes, but what tips can you apply to your career?  Jessica Holbrook Hernandez has 3 lessons to create some “curb appeal” for your resume.

3.  Why You Shouldn’t Live for Your Resume: Have you ever quit a job worrying how it would impact your resume? Ilona Vanderwoude reminds you to take action and not make career decisions based on your resume.

2. 10 Tips to Improve the Quality of Your Networking: In this age of metrics, it’s tempting for job hunters to seek solace in the sheer numbers of their effort but with networking, it’s about quality over quantity. These 10 tips from John Rossheim will help you get ahead and make the most of the time you spend networking.  If you want the condensed version, check out the Slideshare version.

1.  Careers - Climbing Up The Ladder Lightning Fast: The days of tenure with 1 company for 20+ years are over. Knowing you won’t be in one place for long, it’s important that you climb the ladder quickly. See what Fernando Tarnogo recommends and what you can start doing today to get on the promotion track. 

For more must-read content, check out the Monster 5: Works Edition for this week’s top articles from the world of talent management.

Which of these was your favorite? Did you write a great article we missed? Let us know in the comments below.

This week, we were all captivated by the gowns and glory of the Emmy’s- who won, who lost, who cried and what we need to get on DVD. As you’re setting your DVR for fall, this week’s Monster 5 are the job seeker equivalent of must-see TV.   Unlike most of the reruns and summer replacements dominating the airwaves, these 5 “can’t miss” posts are ready for primetime. Here are the top 5 stories from the world of job seeking you might have missed:

5.  Avoid 'the seven deadly sins of interviewing': In this job market, there’s competition for every job and the interview is your time to shine.  Eve Tahmincioglu talked to recruiting experts and hiring managers to figure out what you need to avoid to ace the interview.

4.  5 Things You Need to Do After the Interview: So you think you did well in the interview? Now follow up! Karen Flowers tells you 5 things you must do after the interview is over.

3.  Nine High-Paying Jobs You Can Get with an Associate’s Degree: If school isn’t your thing but you’d love a big salary, consider a job that requires a two-year degree. Dona DeZube highlights some of the high-paying jobs you can land with an associate’s degree.

2.  Does unrelated experience look bad on my resume? From the Microsoft Careers JobBlog : Wondering if you should include your summer job on your resume? Kenji on the Microsoft Careers JobBlog gives 4 questions to ask before deciding what work experiences to include on your resume.

1.  Laid off? Try these six tips for landing your next job: Who knew job hunting could be such a job? Follow these tips from Risesmart to get back to work.

For more must-read content, check out the Monster 5: Works Edition for this week’s top articles from the world of talent management.

Which of these was your favorite? What did we miss? Let us know in the comments below.

It’s down to the last three candidates, and now you have to wait for the team to vote. No, we’re not talking about your job hunt -- we’re talking politics. As the political races heat up across the country this week, get ahead on your job search campaign with the top 5 stories from the world of job seeking you might have missed:

5. Waiting For: Looking for something new? Want to try a different career? Chris Brogan tells his story and what you should do to get ahead. (Hint: Just do it!)

4. Ask the Career Expert: Spicing Up Your Resume: Want to know how to make your resume stand out? Excelle, a community for career-minded women, invited J.T. O’Donnell to answer that question for one of its readers.

3. 15 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Making a Major Career Change: Considering a career change? Ask yourself these questions from Chrissy Scivicque to get down to what really matters and make this transition work for you.

2. Secrets to Finding a Job Online: Check out this roundup of expert tips over at Forbes Woman to see how social media and other online tools can enhance your job search by letting you show off and stand out.

1. Top Reasons Resumes Are Rejected – You’re Overqualified: You’ve sent in your resume, and just heard what you were dreading -- you’re overqualified. EmploymentDigest explains what this really means and how you can overcome it.

Which of these was your favorite? What did we miss? Let us know in the comments below.

For more must-read content, check out the Monster 5: Works Edition for this week’s top articles from the world of talent management.

It’s down to the last three candidates, and now you have to wait for the team to vote. No, we’re not talking about your job hunt -- we’re talking politics. As the political races heat up across the country this week, get ahead on your job search campaign with the top 5 stories from the world of job seeking you might have missed:

5. Waiting For: Looking for something new? Want to try a different career? Chris Brogan tells his story and what you should do to get ahead. (Hint: Just do it!)

4. Ask the Career Expert: Spicing Up Your Resume: Want to know how to make your resume stand out? Excelle, a community for career-minded women, invited J.T. O’Donnell to answer that question for one of its readers.

3. 15 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Making a Major Career Change: Considering a career change? Ask yourself these questions from Chrissy Scivicque to get down to what really matters and make this transition work for you.

2. Secrets to Finding a Job Online: Check out this roundup of expert tips over at Forbes Woman to see how social media and other online tools can enhance your job search by letting you show off and stand out.

1. Top Reasons Resumes Are Rejected – You’re Overqualified: You’ve sent in your resume, and just heard what you were dreading -- you’re overqualified. EmploymentDigest explains what this really means and how you can overcome it.

Which of these was your favorite? What did we miss? Let us know in the comments below.

For more must-read content, check out the Monster 5: Works Edition for this week’s top articles from the world of talent management.

Today's post is by Ashley Melo, Monster's public relations intern:

Doug Hardy, co-author of three books in the Monster Careers series and former Monster.com editor-in-chief, recently released Six Fundamentals to Building a Lifelong Career. Hardy’s objective is to move people from urgent job searches to lifelong career management. He offers six fundamentals to inspire people to take command of their careers. In fact, alongside Monster.com, he hopes to inspire people to improve their lives. Here's what Hardy has to say about how the six fundamentals can help everyone inspire, prosper and succeed.

What made you want to write this book? What was your inspiration?

In 12 years of talking to job seekers, I’ve observed that much of the frustration in the job search comes from the incorrect assumption that there is some trick to it. Everybody wants a miracle -- a new job to magically appear. It doesn’t work that way, but if you develop short daily habits you can have a quicker, more effective transition to a new job. I wanted to put this inspiration in the form of a short book because like any real practice, it’s not something you learn in one day. It is something you gain in short, easy practices.

Is there one most important fundamental out of the six fundamentals? If so, which is it?

The most important is probably the first. The first says from now on managing your career is your job. The trouble is, people start a job search, get a job and then they stop. To take career management as a lifelong series of habits rather than a periodic response to losing a job leads to a more successful career in the long run.

How does one truly integrate these six daily habits that every working person needs to take command of in his or her career? Would you say it’s appropriate to call it a lifestyle change?

Yes, good choice of words. In the introduction I say most bad job searches are like yo-yo dieting. You diet for a little while, it’s painful, you lose weight, but six months later you’ve gained back the weight. The best way to stay healthy for life is to eat right and exercise every day. The same principle applies to career management. If you take on the six habits just a little bit every day, you will find that new opportunities and growth in your current job just seem to start happening.

How is the dynamic different between those people frustrated with their current employment and those who are jobless and desperately looking for employment?

Surveys show that people who are currently employed and frustrated, waiting and looking for the next opportunity, comprise a big part of the workforce right now. Their job now is to integrate specific advice in Six Fundamentals to Building a Lifelong Career into their daily routine. One way to get started is to keep a detailed log of work accomplishments at work. Doing that and updating your resume will take one hour versus three days. Keeping email job alerts active on Monster tells you who is hiring.

Monster has always published traditional books. Why an ebook?

We wanted to get this into the hands of job seekers as soon as possible. Typical publishing takes about 18 months from start to finish. Amazon published this book a month after the manuscript was finished.  You can read it anywhere -- on the Kindle, your computer and many mobile devices. We wanted advice that was short, easy, quickly available and extremely flexible for the job seeker or reader. I think we succeeded.

The book is available exclusively in digital format in the Amazon Kindle Store. Read an excerpt here.

This week, disgruntled employees dominated the headlines, most notably a JetBlue flight attendant who took his job and shoved it in dramatic fashion and another who quit by emailing a series of photos on a dry erase board (which later turned out to be a hoax). These infamously unemployed media stars will clearly be looking for new jobs, so they (and you) should check out the top 5 stories from the world of job seeking you might have missed:

5. How to Job Search at Work (Without Getting Caught): It’s hard enough to keep up with a demanding boss and your never-ending to-do list, but finding a new job at the same time can make even the most organized person feel a little crazed. Nicole Williams offers five tips to help you manage a job search while you work.

4. How Old is Too Old? Experience is an advantage when you’re job hunting, right? Maybe not. Alison Doyle explains what employee discrimination is and how you can combat it in your job search.

3. Taking Control of Your Privacy Settings: You’ve heard the stories about Facebook photos leading to people getting canned or never even hired. Susan Kennedy breaks down Facebook’s new privacy settings so you can protect yourself in your job search.

2. Improve at Saving Money Post-College: You finally landed a job. Great! But how are you going to live on an entry-level salary? Jim Armstrong on the Brand-Yourself blog gives the how and why of making your cash last.

1. How a Professional Trainer's 5 Principles of Strength Can Boost Your Job Search: How can you apply the principles of an effective workout to your job search? Melissa C. Martin gives five ways to strengthen your job search strategy with this advice from a trainer.

Which of these was your favorite? What did we miss? Let us know in the comments below

Have you ever had one of those days when you’ve reached the breaking point, wanting to quit your job on the spot, and make a fast exit?

Perhaps, deep down, you've already decided to leave and one incident was just the last straw. Your gut reaction, of course, is to walk away and never look back. This exact situation played out in the life of one career flight attendant, who made national news Monday after an altercation with a passenger aboard a JetBlue flight.

But before you cross the point of no return, is it best to give yourself a time out to rethink? How do you approach this with your manager? What’s next in your career? Should you wait until you’re hired for another job?

So if you’re fed up and thinking about quitting your job, take a moment to read these articles from the Monster.com Career Advice center:

1. Before blurting out “I quit,” think through your job situation and how quitting might affect your future.

2. Not happy at your current job? Does that mean it’s definitely time to quit? Maybe, but it's also important to know why you aren't happy and why it might be time to go.

Have you ever abruptly up and quit a job? What did you do? How did it impact your career? Tell us in the comments field below.

In sports news, Brett Favre of the Minnesota Vikings announced his retirement (for the third time), just six weeks before the beginning of football season. While the Vikings scramble to find a new quarterback, check out the top 5 stories from the world of job seeking you might have missed:

5.  Cover Letters: To Send or Not to Send, This is the Question: Wondering if you should send a cover letter with your job applications? Perry Newman, CPC CSMS, weighs the pros and cons of this hotly debated job search issue.

4. 6 Things to Do Before Your Internship Ends: Your summer internship is coming to an end, so making a good impression is crucial. Alison Green has six steps to follow now (and in the long term) to make the most of your internship experience.

3. Jump into the Shorter Line of Job Applicants: What should you do when you know what job you want but can’t find a career that lets you pursue that? Put this advice by J.T. & Dale on the CAREEREALISM blog to work in your job search.

2. Five Steps to Beat Job Search Procrastination: Using time you'd ordinarily spend procrastinating to find job opportunities can give you a winning edge. Here are five quick tips from Dr. Bill Knaus, EdD, to cut through procrastination barriers, find a great job and get hired.

Which of these was your favorite? What did we miss? Let us know in the comments below.

For more must-read content, check out the Monster 5: Works Edition for this week’s top articles from the world of talent management.

Today's post is by Ashley Melo, Monster's public relations intern:

With all the hype surrounding Ellen DeGeneres leaving American Idol, it might be time for Randy and Kara to prepare to job hunt.  These top 5 articles from the world of job seeking might help!

Here’s a look at this week's top 5 stories from the world of job seeking:

5. Interview Questions Guaranteed to Make You Hurl: Have you ever been stumped with a ridiculous interview question? Mark Jaffe recounts the tale of an advertising executive who was asked, “If you were a breakfast cereal, what kind would you be?" How would you answer?

4. Introvert or Extrovert? Tips for Job Search No Matter Which ‘Vert’ You Are: Whether you're reserved or outgoing, Erin Kennedy gives us an inside look on how to utilize your strengths as an introvert or extrovert in your job search.

3. Ace the Job Interview with "Why?" -- Not "How?" Executive career coach Meg Montford offers advice on what kinds of questions job seekers should ask during an interview.  

2. Take Advantage of Downtime at Work: Do you have some unexpected free time at work? Roberta Chinsky Matuson says to use it on one -- or all -- of these six career-boosting activities.  

1. Three Ways for Job Seekers to Gain Inside Company Information: While most candidates know how important it is to research a company before an interview, publicly available information isn’t enough to keep a job seeker above the competition. Phil Rosenberg offers three ways to get inside information about a company and get an edge.

For more must-read content, check out the Monster 5: Works Edition for this week’s top articles from the world of talent management.

Which of these was your favorite? What did we miss? Let us know in the comments below.

If you’re having trouble creating a compelling case about why you’re making the move, you might be better off exploring another path or focusing on advancing your current career. While technology can help with exploring new careers, it can’t decide which path is right for you. That’s your job.

This week, you saw baseball’s A-list players in the MLB All-Star game and Home Run Derby. Become an all star in your job search with our Monster 5 for Friday — five articles we consider must-reads for job seekers this week. 

Here are the top 5 stories from the world of job seeking you might have missed:

5. On Life: 5 Things Returning Home Has Done for Me: Moving back home with your parents? Don’t be ashamed. Kristen Jeffers tells you what you can learn from the experience.

4. How to Get the Salary You Want by Joe Light on WallStreetJournal .com: To get the top compensation possible in your job search — without putting a sour taste in your potential employer’s mouth — take these steps.

3. The Science of Google Web Presence: We’ve heard the message loud and clear. Employers are using social media and Google to screen candidates. But what if you don’t like what they find when they Google you? Emily Bennington tells you how to manage your online reputation. 

2. Should I Get a Raise for Taking on More Work? Your coworker has given notice and your company is under a hiring freeze. That means you need to take on more work. Shouldn’t more work mean more money? Alison Green shows you how to make the most of the situation. 

1. Top 10 Tips for Getting Your Dream Job: Take this 10-question quiz by Bill Knaus, EdD, to see if you have the skills to pursue your dream job.

For more must-read content, check out the Monster 5: Works Edition for this week’s top articles from the world of talent management.

Which of these was your favorite? What did we miss? Let us know in the comments below.

Congratulations! You’ve recently graduated from college. And in the fine words of Dr. Seuss, “Oh the places you’ll go!” Except you're not there yet, because it's July and you still don’t have a job. You’re not alone -- the reality is that 8 percent of college grads under age 25 are still job searching. 

With all of the competition for entry-level jobs, we reached out to our Twitter community to ask what advice they would give college grads still on the job hunt. In 140 characters or so, career experts and new grads from across the country gave us some new and interesting tips:

@MeghanMBiro: Make the absolute most of internships. Find a mentor(s) - listen closely, ask ?'s. The career search is a full-time role.

@HRmajesty: #1 advice...Get rid of the cutesy e-mail (sexygirl69@hotmail.com) and use something more professional (your.name@gmail.com)

@phyllismufson: I'd like to see every parent give their graduating sr. a graduation gift of career coaching. It's criminal what these kids don't know.

@cargillcreative: My tip for college grads would be to join Toastmasters and develop a great set of public speaking skills.

@Red_Inc: Everyone LOVES to help fresh-eyed college grads. Network with anyone and everyone! Spread the word!

@EmilyBennington: Volunteer! Will help grow your network, allow others to see you in action, and develop your leadership skills @ same time.

@JackieLennartz: If recent grads can't find permanent work, they could consider doing internships. Great way to gain experience and network.

@Deferocoach: Reconnect w/ past professors. They often have inside info on new positions in a particular industry, you just need to ask!

For more valuable tips and job search advice, follow Monster Career Advice on Twitter and check out MonsterCollege, the top job network for college students and recent grads.

We're back again this Friday to spotlight the five best career advice articles we've read this week. 

Here are the top 5 stories from the world of job seeking you might have missed:

5. 4 Questions to Ask When You Want to Quit Your Job: We’ve all had those days -- you’re frustrated with your manager, your meetings seem to last forever and you want nothing more than to just quit your job. Curt Rosengren shows you how to put things in perspective when you want to walk.

4. Unemployed? Try Brushing Up on Your Math Skills by Suzanne Lucas: Want help finding a job?  Try using your math skills to get hired and get ahead. 

3. I'm Graduating with the Wrong Degree -- Now What? You now realize that you got the wrong degree to get the job you want. Peter Vogt explains how you can apply your wrong degree to the right career.

2. 4 Tips to Answering Tough Interview Questions Correctly: The interview is crucial to getting hired. Impress your interviewer by following Rob Taub’s guidelines on the CareeRealism blog.

1. 75 Reasons You Didn’t Get the Job: Interviewing is subjective. In this guest post for the Matrix Wall blog, Stephanie Lloyd explains how to self-assess and prepare for your next interview.

Which of these was your favorite? What did we miss? Let us know in the comments below.

Here are the top 5 stories from the world of job seeking you might have missed:

5.  4 Questions to Ask When You Want to Quit Your Job - We’ve all had “those” days- you’re frustrated with your manager, your meetings seem to last forever and you want nothing more than to just quit your job. Curt Rosengren shows you how to put things in perspective when you want to quit your job.

4. Unemployed? Try Brushing Up On Your Math Skills by Suzanne Lucas: Want help finding a job?  Try using your math skills to get hired and get ahead. 

3. I'm Graduating with the Wrong Degree -- Now What? : It’s the middle of the summer and realized that you got the wrong degree to get the job you want.  Peter Vogt explains how you can apply your wrong degree to the right career.

2.  4 Tips to Answering Tough Interview Questions Correctly: The interview is crucial to getting hired. Impress your interviewer by following Rob Taub’s guidelines on the CareeRealism blog.

1. 75 reasons you didn’t get the job: Interviewing is subjective.  Stephanie Lloyd explains how to self assess and prepare for your next interview in a guest post for the Matrix Wall blog.

Which of these was your favorite? What did we miss? Let us know in the comments below.

It’s Friday, and we’re spotlighting five more articles we consider to be must-reads for job seekers this week. 

Here are the top 5 stories from the world of job seeking you might have missed:

5. How to Get a New Job When You've Been Fired: Does getting fired mean you’ll never find a new job? Suzanne Lucas dispels the myths about getting a job after you’ve been terminated.

4. The Downfall of a Blogger and What It Means for You: Think what you say online is private? Think again. Louise Fletcher explains how a false sense of privacy led to the firing of a blogger and what you can do to avoid a similar situation.

3. Too Many Chiefs: “Chief know it all”, “scrum master” and “guru” are becoming common job titles but how does your label affect job security and, long term, your career? The Economist dives into this controversial topic.

2. How Much Will a Career Change Cost You? A new job in a different industry may reenergize your career, but it can also empty your wallet. Dona DeZube tells you what financial implications to consider.

1. How to Stand Out As an Intern…Sort Of: Are you an intern? Want to stand out? Trevor Wilson highlights a Cisco intern who’s rhyming his way to a new job.

Which of these was your favorite? What did we miss? Let us know in the comments below. And for more must-read content, check out the Monster 5: Works Edition for this week’s top articles from the world of talent management.

It’s Friday, and we’re spotlighting five more articles we consider to be must-reads for job seekers this week. 

Here are the top 5 stories from the world of job seeking you might have missed:

5. A Hiring Manager Perspective: Do's and Don’ts of Applying to an Internship: Wondering what the hiring manager is really thinking? Get inside the head of hiring manager Chris Brablc as he explains what really stands out when reviewing the resumes and cover letters of internship candidates.

4. 10 Interview Styles That Make My Blood Run Cold by Tim Tyrell-Smith: Review these interview styles so you know what NOT to do in your next interview.

3. The Weirdest Job Interview Questions and How to Handle Them: You’ve prepared everything for the interview from company background research to news results. You’re ready for any question they could ask -- or are you? Susan Adams from Forbes magazine explains how to prepare for the weirdest questions you could be asked.

2. Top 10 Annoying Habits at Work: Don’t be "that guy" at work. Beverly West outlines the annoying habits you should avoid.

1. Some Assembly Required: Wondering why you aren’t getting a call back after applying to a job online? Dawn Bugni asks whether you're following the directions.

Which of these was your favorite? What did we miss? Let us know in the comments below.

We’re back this Friday spotlighting five new articles we consider to be must-reads for job seekers this week. 

Here are the top 5 stories from the world of job seeking you might have missed:

5. Resume Tips for Job Fair Success: Check out this piece by Kim Isaacs to learn tips and tricks for networking, finding job leads and making the best impression at a job fair.

4. Addressing Salary Requirements in a Cover Letter: Ever felt uncomfortable addressing salary requirements in a cover letter? Overcome this challenge with these tips from Jessica Hernandez.

3. Great Questions to Ask in the Interview: You know you’re supposed to ask questions in the interview but what should you ask and why? Susan Kennedy gives examples of questions to ask to get the real picture of the company and its culture.

2. Reverse Googling: Interview Prep Strategy: Never thought to try this? Dan Klamm explains why having basic knowledge about your interviewer will help you make a positive impression and build stronger rapport during your interview or meeting.

1. 7 Steps to Succeeding in Corporate America: Don Sabatini on the CareerRocketeer blog highlights some key areas you can focus on to ensure you can excel in corporate America.

For more must-read content, check out the Monster 5: Works Edition for this week’s top articles from the world of talent management.

Which of these was your favorite? What did we miss? Let us know in the comments below.

Every Friday, we’re spotlighting five articles we consider to be must-reads for job seekers.

Here are the top 5 stories from the world of job seeking you might have missed:

5. Is Any Job Better Than No Job? Career bloggers and other experts sound off on the NYTimes Blog, discussing the question weighing on the mind of every unemployed job seeker in this economy: Is any job better than no job?

4. Best Cities for Jobs by Dona DeZube: Planning to move to find your next job? Consider these growing cities.

3. Four Secrets of Grabbing the Recruiter’s Attention in Your Cover Letter: This post from the CareerBright blog gives you four easy-to-follow tips to get noticed with your cover letter.

2. Standing Out in a Job Search: Having trouble figuring our what hiring managers want to hear? Joshua Waldman showcases why it’s important to tell an interviewer (and everyone you network with) not only who you are, but who you aren’t.

1. What Kind of Writing Sample Do Employers Want To See? The hiring manager just asked for a writing sample -- what should you do? Alison Green tells you the dos and don’ts of this crucial element in the job application.

Which of these was your favorite? What did we miss? Let us know in the comments below.

Volunteering can be a great way to network and gain career skills while helping give back to the community. Monster recently teamed up with Points of Light Institute's HandsOn Network as part of our 2010 Keep America Working Tour to deliver volunteer opportunities to job seekers.

We spoke with Veronica Parages, director of skills-based volunteering at HandsOn Network to get more information about how volunteering can benefit your job search. A native of France and cooking enthusiast, Parages is going to take a crack at using cooking as a reference point to answer some questions about her other passion: volunteerism.

Are volunteer organizations looking for a specific age range? Is it better to be older, younger, or can anyone with a passion to help others volunteer?

Any age is perfect. Volunteering on a project is like helping in the kitchen. Even if you don’t know how to cook, everyone has unique skills and talents that can be put to use. The same is true for volunteering. You have skills that can help others -- professional or personal -- and as long as you’re willing to give it a try, volunteer organizations will help you find a project that meets your competencies. 

How can volunteering help a job search?  Does it help with networking? 

Let’s use another cooking reference. Suppose you know a good chef, an expert who was recently laid off during these tough economic times. Without a full-time job, a chef could choose to stay in bed all day. But, because they’re helping the food bank to find new resources, they’re meeting vendors to get some fresh ingredients for free. They feel helpful and productive, and stay engaged in the community. In the process, they meet new people, expanding their network of contacts. A growing network is one way to increase your chances of finding employment, and it all started with volunteering.

How do you see volunteerism playing into a larger career-development strategy?

Chefs aren’t born cooking -- they must learn. Volunteering your expertise, sometimes working completely outside your normal realm, could help you develop leadership skills. Suddenly you’ve got a whole new set of skills to offer an employer and, again, more opportunities to find a new job. Plus, volunteering is a great way to try something new in a low-risk environment. Who knows -- you may find your true passion in the process.

What tips do you have for people who might be volunteering for the first time?

·   Be Open-Minded: Skills-based volunteering is a new world that can give you a lot, but is quite different from a business environment.

·   Nonprofit Organizations Need Help to Provide Help: Here is an example: I was talking to a young volunteer when I discovered he specialized in logistics. He was currently volunteering every Saturday for a food bank delivering meals. He liked what he was doing but was disappointed that the distribution system wasn’t efficient and that he was not delivering to the same families every week. I suggested he offer up his logistics knowledge to the food bank to help reorganize the food distribution. His skills and help would be appreciated and he, and the other volunteers, would be able to have more impact as they continued their food deliveries. Be proactive in proposing your talents, skills and knowledge.

·   Be Creative: This is your opportunity. Constraints and lack of resources in the nonprofit sector shouldn’t stop you. Think outside the box, put your "noodles" to work to find solutions.…It is worth it.

What’s the most unique or offbeat volunteer organization you know of? 

HandsOn Network, of course. We are always trying to find new recipes, and skills-based volunteering is just one. We want to connect the right volunteer with the right skills to the right project for a major impact -- how great is that? Contact HandsOn Network at one of its 242 Action Centers across the United States to discover skills-based volunteering initiatives. Or to find the right project for you, check out the HandsOn Network Web site. If you are interested in the subject, the National Conference on Volunteering and Service is offering plenty of opportunities to learn more about skills-based volunteering.

Now, get out there and start cooking -- I mean, volunteering your skills.

Want to learn more about volunteering to develop your professional skills while you’re unemployed? In this video, a HandsOn Network volunteer at the Los Angeles stop of the Keep America Working Tour answers a frequently asked question about volunteering:

How have you leveraged volunteer work in your career or job search? Leave a comment below, and check out these articles:

·   Volunteering Can Boost Skills, Advance Careers

·   Online Volunteering: A Win-Win for Techies, Nonprofits

·   Leverage Volunteer Work on Your Resume