Four courses to help you get a job in accountancy

Four courses to help you get a job in accountancy by Michael Cheary Interested in becoming an Accountant but don’t know where to start?If you’re naturally good with numbers and have excellent attention to detail, accountancy can be an extremely rewarding career move. The problem is, knowing how to get qualified in the industry can often be confusing.To help you get behind the acronyms, here are four qualifications which could help you break into accountancy right now:AATAAT stands for the Association of Accounting Technicians.It’s the UK’s leading professional membership body for accounting staff, and has over 120,000 members in over 90 countries worldwide â€" with many more still studying.Not only is AAT sponsored by four of the UK’s leading chartered accountancy bodies, it’s also greatly respected right across the financial industry, with employers ranging from the NHS to Proctor and Gamble using it as a benchmark for their own accountancy teams.The qualification comes in four different levels, ranging from AAT Access Level one, through to the more advanced Level 4 diploma.Advantages of AAT include a globally recognised qualification, not to mention earn more money. In fact, achieving full AAT member status could see you earning up to 51% more than your unqualified colleagues. You know, if you like that kind of thing.What do I need? There are no formal pre-requisites to get started.What do I start with? AAT Access if you have no previous accounting knowledge (although you can go straight to Level 2 if you’re looking to get qualified fast).How long will it last? Each level should take somewhere between six months to a year.Perfect for: Aspiring Accountants looking to take their first step.View all AAT courses now  CIMACIMA, or the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants, is the world’s largest professional body of Management Accountants.Their professional qualification is split into three different levels, which help to validate your skills in areas ranging from risk management a nd financial strategy, right through to management accounting. Once qualified you’ll be business ready, and ready to put your skills into practice in organisations across the world.And even if you have no previous knowledge of accounting, don’t panic. Anyone can study CIMA, whether you’re new to business and accounting or already have some experience.So once you become fully-qualified, there are literally no excuses not to make your move into management accounting.What do I need? A basic understanding of management accounting.What do I start with? The CIMA Certificate in Business Accounting.How long will it last? The CIMA Certificate takes one year to complete, while the CIMA Professional Qualification can take up to four.Perfect for: Anyone interested in becoming a Management Accountant.View all CIMA courses now  ACAACA is the ICAEW Chartered Accountant qualification.It’s one of the most advanced learning and professional development programmes available, not to mention val ued around the world in business as one of the best financial qualifications out there. In short, it’s kind of a big deal.ACA aims to provide learners with an in-depth understanding across accountancy and finance, and involves practical work experience as part of your training. However, it’s not for the fainthearted, and you’ll need to complete 450 days of work to get fully certified.It’s made up of 15 modules split over three levels â€" Certificate, Professional and Advanced. Once completed, you’ll be able to officially call yourself an ICAEW Chartered Accountant.What do I need? No formal prerequisites to get started.What do I start with? The ACA Certificate.How long will it last? The whole qualification will take between three and five years to complete.Perfect for: Aspiring Chartered Accountants.  ACCAFounded in 1904, the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants is a global professional accounting body.In their almost one hundred year history, they’ve built thei r reputation on quality and assured qualifications, something that certainly shows in the amount of businesses which value ACCA.In fact, there are over 8,500 approved ACCA employers globally, 162,000 members and almost half a million students still studying, showing just how respected this qualification is around the globe when it comes to international accounting standards.There are three levels of ACCA, running from the Fundamental through to Professional, which mean you not only learn all the basic knowledge needed, but also how to put it into practice and progress your career.If this sounds like something you’re interested in, find more about becoming a ACCA certified today.What do I need? Three GCSEs and two A Levels, in five separate subjects.What do I start with? ACCA Foundation Level.How long will it last? Three to four years for all three levels, on average.Perfect for: Aspiring Chartered Accountants.View all ACCA courses now  Ready to find the perfect qualification for y ou? View all available accountancy courses now.Find a job What Where Search JobsSign up for more Career AdviceSign up for moreCareer Advice Please enter a valid email addressmessage hereBy clicking Submit you agree to the

The Theory of BRANDarchy - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

The Theory of BRANDarchy - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Welcome to the world where we constantly discuss branding. And while the name of this site certainly refers to personal branding, in particular, the parallels between this and corporate branding should not be ignored. To illustrate this, let me introduce a concept that you may or may not have heard ofone that you can use for yourself AND your business: BRANDarchy. BRANDarchy is a concept that was introduced in a Twitter chat that you should all attend and supporting a concept like this suggests that we are taking a stand of some sort. Needless to say, this idea contains a certain point of view and the understanding behind it should give you further insight into why it exists. To begin, lets look at one of the definitions of anarchy: a doctrine urging the abolition of governmental restraint as the indispensable condition for full social and political liberty and a lack of obedience to an authority. It is a fact that BRANDarchists are not only against the status quo, we are against the philosophy of executing in a manner that is “good enough,” a philosophy that is way too prevalent in the industry today. BRANDarchists strive for the best: the best creative, the best content, the best executions, the best ways to connect. We try to be the best because those with whom we are serving, in the case of personal branding  ourselves, deserve and appreciate someone who does all that they can in order to be of service. Now we understand that, in all facets of life, time and budget constraints can, at times, lead only to the best work possible in a situation. Please note: we don’t have a problem with the work that is based upon sometimes herculean effort  because the effort serves as the best. What we do have an issue with is the system. Theres a chance that any of you reading this will be able to relate to this, at least I hope so The system (or government) we speak of is one where organizations do not have full understanding or buy-in regarding what it takes to optimize and maximize the provision of service world in which we live. This trickles up, yes up, to branding (whether personal or corporate) and this disconnect can have a major impact on people and what they want to achieve. This is not by any means a blanket statement â€" things are better than they used to be â€" however, we have yet to reach a utopia although some blue-sky thinkers will say we’re in a good place. Furthermore, a slow understanding as to what your brand is and its importance is often demonstrated by numerous content delivery and social media “fails” that we see and sometimes (or often) laugh at. In order to reach your goals, you must understand your brand, what it stands for and operate in a manner that displays those tenets or beliefs. This consistency leads to better understanding, affinity, and support. Interestingly enough, BRANDarchists are not the only ones who feel this way. Take this example from well-known corporation, Proctor Gamble. A couple of years ago, they reorganized their directorial marketing positions replacing the word “marketing” with the stronger word “brand.” Brand management is now the single-point responsibility for all strategies, plans, and results for the PG business. Brand Management at PG now encompasses four functions â€" including, of course, brand management (formerly known as marketing), consumer and marketing knowledge (a.k.a. market research), communications (known as public relations at some companies and up until a couple of years ago as external relations at PG), and design (known as design pretty much everywhere, except where it’s called visual brand identity and such). -Ad Age, It’s the End of ‘Marketing’ As We Know It at Procter Gamble, June 30, 2014 This method of thinking is how to look at your business and yourself. Feel free to apply it to your life and your business. I will guarantee that, if you fully commit to this theory of BRANDarchy, you will find your success. I know I did and I know many that have. So, until we meet again, welcome to a BRAND new world.

Aerial Arts Performing When You Work In The Air

Aerial Arts Performing When You Work In The Air Recently, I was privileged to experience a live performance of Diamonds at the Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center in Salt Lake City, Utah.  And when I say privileged, I really mean privileged.  Ive been to several  Cirque du Soleil shows in Las Vegas.  But IMHO Diamonds bested them all.  Up close.  Personal.  You could see and feel the emotion in the eyes of the performers.  You could connect with them, and sense their passion.  It was almost like being part of the performance. The Diamonds performance is one of many productions created by Darla Davis and the talented staff of  Aeris Aerial Arts.  Darla has been striving to create an avenue for aspiring and would-be performers  on the aesthetics, beauty, polished and refined technique of the ethereal Circus Art of Aerial Acrobatics, Ground Acrobatics, and Contortion.  I would put a huge emphasis on art aspect, for the results are nothing less than artful. Darla  utilizes the core principles of Cirque Training to supply her students with the skills they need to achieve a successful career in one of the most thrilling fields around.  Her students have gone on to perform for Cruise Ships, Music Videos, Movies, Le Reve, Cirque Du Soleil, Theme Parks, and more.  Aeris Aerial also does introductory classes, for those who want to take the plunge (literally) into aerial performance. As much as anything, I found her energy and passion refreshing.  Its easy to sense it in the mission statement of Aeris Aerial: I was able to chat with Darla briefly after the performance, and told her I wanted to know more of her story and what  Aeris Aerial was about.  We later connected again, and she shared these insights with me. 1.   I found the Diamonds show inspirational.   And amazing that these were amateurs!   What was your motivation in creating this kind of training and performing experience? It is important to me to show the world that it doesnt matter the age, gender , or privileges a person is born into. If you have a dream, you can achieve it. It is all up to you. 2.   Whats been your most memorable or most rewarding experience in working with your students? Watching my students move on to Cirque Du Soleil, or Britney Spears show, Celebrity Cruise Ships, Tuacahn, Le Reve, and other prominent shows . Watching their very dreams unfold before their eyes. There is no other feeling like it.   3  Tell me about the student who surprised you most. All of my students inspire me. Especially the children. Children trust with open hearts. They have very little fears and so much trust. They teach me so much about confidence, character, honesty, hope, dreams, and achieving goals. They are the little inspirations of the entire school. They are angels. 4. What would you tell young women about daring to take on new adventures in life? This answer can tie in with the one above.. Confidence is everything to a young woman. When a girl is covered in confidence she is protected from the evil words, persuasions, and criticisms of the world. She carries her own world with her. What happens if you dare to do something great, and then fail? What is the worst that could happen? You learn. You learn, and now youre smarter, and now youre ready to attack your next dream with so much more knowledge and confidence. If you dare enough times, I promise you, you will catch your vision. You will find your dream. If your journey is easy, and your roads are simple, your story will not be inspirational. I tell my students this a lot if you want to achieve something great, your story has to be great. Every story has a trial. And the harder the trial, the greater the ending. Start making your story. 5. What are your plans for your training and the future with your work? I want to develop the first theatrical Circus Performing Arts Group in Utah. I want to have a home for all of these amazing talented people. It does not fit in everyones lives to move to Vegas. There needs to be a creative outlet here for them, and means for which to have a professional shot at this art form within our own state. I am currently working on becoming a non-profit and a resident of our prominent theaters downtown to achieve this. That way we have our training facility for their development, but also a theater and a want and demand for shows here in Utah for these amazing people to share their talents, and for us to share our stories through art.   About Darla Davis Darla Davis has trained with  Cirque de Soleil Trainers and Affiliates,  Barnum and Bailey,  Cirque USA.,  and  Chimal.  She has also traveled with  Cirque USA,  Transocean Circus,  White Circus,  J D Entertainment.    She has performed in over 800 venues of private, corporate, and professional entertainment.

The Essentials of an Excellent Employer Brand

The Essentials of an Excellent Employer Brand Whats in the secret sauce to developing a great employer brand? To find out what  the ingredients are,  we  sat down with Adam Glassman, the Recruitment Strategies Manager at Alorica;  a global customer service BPO with over 100,000 employees in 16 countries around the world. For a full summary keep reading below and  remember to subscribe to the  Employer Branding Podcast. Do you have a  secret sauce recipe to building a brilliant employer brand? I do have a secret sauce. I dont know if its so secret or just my impression of it, but for me at its core, a strong employer brand, again, tells the stories of those people behind the company. And generally throughout history, good stories have some kind of a hook. They have something to keep us interested. And today even more so, our attention span is so limited, its so small that anything we can do to attract some attention and keep somebody interested in watching a video or reading some content is all the more important. For me, the secret sauce really comes down to three things. And the first one is finding and collecting the stories of your people. So who are they? What do they do? What makes that story interesting to somebody whos never met that person, and again, probably has a very short attention span. So it cant just be, you know, this is John Smith, and hes from London, and hes 33. Well, thats not really interesting. You need to dig a little bit deeper behind the story. In doing so, the second piece is what I like to call sharing the why. And when youre telling those stories, the why is really one of the most critical elements of that story. So why do the employees do their job? What motivates them to do it for this company? What compels them to get up every day, early in the morning and maybe fight through traffic and trudge to work? Theres a reason, right? And it cant just be a paycheck. You could get a paycheck anywhere. Certainly, your pay scale could go up or down, so maybe benefits is p art of that story. But generally, theres a reason. Theres a why behind why your employees do what they do, and that should really be one of your hooks. The third aspect  is that the best stories have some kind of an emotional pull to it. It tugs on your heartstrings a little bit. It has something you can connect with, you can emphasize with, and it really makes you feel a certain way. And so each company has to kinda decide what is that feeling that they want their audience to have, and its really important to tie your stories to that feeling. How can you ruin your employee brand? I think there are a lot of things that companies can certainly do to hurt themselves here. I actually wrote a piece on this for the Undercover Recruiter not too long ago. But a couple of things, when I think about some of the things that I see, probably the most common mistake is that companies still think that they can control their brand. Some of them, even in this day and age, dont want to get on social media for fear of negative criticism like somehow that stops a bad review from happening, right, simply because they dont have a Facebook page. They dont let their employees have the freedom, like responsible adults, to talk about the company or share information about the company, and they live in this reactive mode like theyre living in a turtle shell petrified of coming out. So I think thats probably first and foremost. Theyre afraid of getting out into the marketplace and sharing positive stories for fear that it could turn negative. I think the second thing is probably not und erstanding how to properly leverage your brand and share some of the EVP that youve probably put a lot of work into. There are a multitude of different ways to do that, but for me, if you have developed a solid EVP that truly reflects your company and your employees, you want to infuse that into everything that you do. So all of your external communications, your website, your ads, your social media, any interactions that your recruiters have with candidates, it should really reinforce that message over and over again. Another point that I see where companies struggle is they try to be something that theyre not. Being authentic and being real to me trumps almost everything else. I see that a lot especially lately where theres this increased push on trying to attract millennials and how do we hire millennials and how do we employ millennials, and companies are trying to jump on that bandwagon. And you know what, its okay if your brand isnt for everyone. We obviously have to adjust to a changing demographic or changing generations, but if you are a very conservative bank, dont go out into the marketplace and talk about how your employees played ping-pong every day, you know, and we provide MMs; for lunch or whatever it is that you think youre doing, if thats not true to who you are. Because at the end of the day your EVP should be matching who you want to hire because it doesnt do anybody any good to attract people who are not the right fit for the job. Lastly, I always think its a good idea if you can somehow connect your employer brand to your consumer brand. So again, kind of telling those stories of why most people, particularly for retail organizations, know the consumer brand much more so than the employer brand. So they know what products you sell or maybe they have an affinity towards your brand because they like that product or theyve walked into your store. Being able to tell the story of the people who make those products or who sell those services, and really sharing some of that story and connecting to what people already know from a consumer perspective is always a good idea. I see that mistake a lot and thats a missed opportunity for a number of organizations. Who are some of the companies doing it right? You know, I think, and maybe Im just cynical, but I think we tend to have moments of doing it right. But like I mentioned, we dont control the brand anymore. Right? So one slip-up or one argument your employee gets in or one bad experience, and all of a sudden were a bad company, and its posted on YouTube for millions of people to see. I think of some of the experience that Uber and United Airlines has gone through recently. You know, did anybody think they had such terrible brands a year or a year and a half ago? Probably not. But your question was whos doing a good job today? So Im maybe a little bit US-centric, but I have a couple of brands that I see out there who are telling some good stories. The Home Depot tends to tell some good stories about their associates and their employees as does Thermo Fischer, who has been written a lot about lately particularly in the U.S. Theres a lot of good stories that theyre pulling out, and thats an example of a company thats really pulling ou t the why. Right? Their employees are working there for a reason. You know, these are very smart people who are innovating research and working on diseases and cures for diseases, and things like that, so theres a lot of real stories and real emotional pull there. Who else? I see Taco Bell is actually pretty innovative in their career space usually on social media. Theyre usually some of the first people to or one of the first brands to hop on like Snapchat and try some different things like that. I like Target too which is interesting because I think for me Its in the U.S. in particular. A lot of brands have started to become more vocal publicly about where they stand with some of their core values particularly when political issues arise or social issues are coming up publicly. A lot of brands interestingly enough in the last couple of years have started to really take a stand where in years past, you couldnt get a brand to comment on it for fear of losing business or getting criticized. Now, brands are saying, Hey, look this is where we stand. This is who we are. We will fight for those values, and we will fight for what we believe in, and I think Targets one of those brands. So I do value that. Whats  the next big thing in employer branding? The next big thing? Well, I think theres a ton of room for us to improve what were doing today. So you know, like I said, telling better stories and understanding who our employees and our candidates are is probably a great place to start. But if were looking ahead, I actually see a world where our EVPs may start to become a little bit more personalized, and so when we think about our values, our brands values in certain cultural components those may be standards. But as we get a better understanding of who our candidates are and personalizing some of that experience, we may be able to personalize the EVP a little bit too. Right? So why cant we provide relevant components of that EVP if for instance, we know that a candidate likes, I dont know, Habitat for Humanity  and building for the communities. Why cant we personalize some of that EVP and talk about our community work a little bit heavier in our content messaging and our content marketing to that candidate because we understand who they are and what they value? So I think probably in the coming years as we get more data and we start working artificial intelligence into more of what were doing in talent acquisition, I see a little bit more of a drilled-down EVP that could be more relevant to each of our candidates. Follow Adam on Twitter  @aglass99.

Flexibility May Be The Best Option for Your Career Pivot With Brie Reynolds [Podcast] - Career Pivot

Flexibility May Be The Best Option for Your Career Pivot With Brie Reynolds [Podcast] - Career Pivot Episode 31 â€" Flexibility comes in several styles in today’s employment world. Description: Brie Reynolds is Marc’s expert guest in this episode. Brie is the Senior Career Specialist at FlexJobs, the award-winning site for remote work, flexible schedule and freelance job listings. She helps people empower themselves to find jobs that fit their lives by providing practical information, resources, and insights into flexible jobs and the future of work. With a background in human resources and career advising, Brie has 12 years’ experience working with jobseekers and employers, and she offers career hiring and work/life balance advice through the FlexJobs blog, media outlets like Fast Company, Forbes, and NBC News. Marc and Brie start the discussion with an overview of the origins of FlexJobs, the growth flexible opportunities, how Brie got involved, and the types of work FlexJobs features on its site. They talk about the four measures of flexibility of a job, the types of companies offering flexibility, the types of jobs offered, and the reasons a person might seek flexibility in employment. Brie offers tips for preparing to apply for a job with flexibility, and how to make yourself stand out as a solid contributor. Listen in to learn about the trend of flexibility in employment, and how you may obtain a flexible position. Key Takeaways: [3:08] Brie describes herself, and her passion for ‘job stuff.’ [3:42] FlexJobs is a job search service, with a few key differences, specializing in telecommuting and flexible jobs for professionals. All of them have some flexibility, and many of them are for remote work. This is FlexJobs’ 10th year! [4:24] In 2006, Sara, the CEO and Founder, was laid off late in her pregnancy. She had founded a job search company in college, and also had held high-level positions. Looking for work, she wanted the flexibility to work from home. Flexible jobs were rare. She knew there must be others in her position. After giving birth, she founded FlexJobs. Download Link |iTunes|Stitcher Radio|Google Podcast|Podbean|TuneIn|Overcast [6:03] Brie is the Senior Career Specialist, and helps people learn about the flexible jobs market. She writes articles, hosts webinars, and has press and media interviews to spread the word, so job seekers can prepare themselves to find a job with flexibility. [7:37] The world of flexible or remote work has changed dramatically, and a lot of that is due to technology. Marc is in Austin, and Brie is in Boston, and they are recording this podcast over free software. Marc is recording it on software that cost him $19.00. [8:03] Brie started looking for flexible work about eight years ago, when her husband got on a rotational career track. Brie had worked as a college career advisor. Her first flexible job was as a customer service job working from home. She loved working from home, but not customer service. Someone from the company put her in touch with Sara. [10:04] This recommendation from her co-worker to apply to work for Sara at FlexJobs was the best networking experience she had ever had. This person had worked at Sara’s earlier job search firm, before she had sold it. Brie interviewed, and found herself writing part-time at home for FlexJobs, as one of nine employees at the time. [10:36] Brie loved it. It allowed her to offer career advice, and learn about this new way of working, to learn which companies were doing great at it, and what sorts of jobs were compatible with flexible work. The company moved around, and is now in Boston. In seven years she has gone from flexible, to full-time, and back to flexible part-time. [11:40] Marc used to run a help desk for IBM, supporting 500 engineers while he took away their drafting boards and put them on CAD/CAM screens. He also used to train world-wide technical support people. He knows talking to unhappy people all day can cause morale problems. Certain people can do it, and others can’t. [13:04] FlexJobs considers jobs that have flexibility in any of four areas: hours (part-time to full-time); schedule; telecommuting; and freelancing. They list jobs in 55 career fields; the type of work determines the type of flexibility. There are so many companies that offer flexible work, but not always to the same degree. [15:40] FlexJobs offers a mix of employee and freelance jobs on the site. The freelance assignments may last six weeks to six months or longer, rather than being quick tasks. [16:43] Marc now wants more control over when and where he does things, than over what he does. He wants to work less time doing what he likes to do. Brie sees that type of applicant, along with people who are looking to advance their careers and grow their responsibilities; also, people who want to take a step back for a while. [18:02] FlexJobs has C-level jobs, telecommuting VP positions, and Executive Directors, and jobs with no advancement, just flexibility, such as customer service and data entry. [18:32] Brie cites an example of a retiree who needed the flexibility to travel around the country in an RV. She found a behavioral coaching position for an insurance company, using her background in medicine. Others just want to transition to a different position or career, and take a flexible role as part of their pivot. [21:13] Some people just start a new career and start as freelance, or part time, and work their way up to a full-time position in their new field. [23:41] In applying for flexible work, consider if you have previous flexible experience. What skills did you use to focus? What software did you use to communicate with coworkers? Put these on your LinkedIn profile. Companies want you to be able to troubleshoot basic errors at home. Tout communications skills, and conferencing tools. [28:09] Former entrepreneurs looking to transition back to the corporate world, bring great skills with them. Flexible work and freelance work are similar environments. [31:08] Marc’s final words: To join the FlexJobs community, please click on the FlexJobs ad at the bottom of any of Marc’s CareerPivot blogposts. He is a proud affiliate of FlexJobs. Mentioned in This Episode: Repurpose Your Career: A Practical Guide for the Second Half of Life, by Marc Miller and Susan Lahey (Now available online) Contact Marc, and ask questions at: Careerpivot.com/contact-me Call Marc at 512-693-9132 and leave a message and email address. FlexJobs.com Twitter: @BrieWReynolds LinkedIn: Brie Reynolds LinkedIn: Sara Sutton Fell UpWork.com Please take a moment â€" go to iTunes, Stitcher, or Google Play. Give this podcast a review and subscribe! If you’re not sure how to leave a review, please go to CareerPivot.com/review, and read the detailed instructions there. Marc Miller Like what you just read? Share it with your friends using the buttons above. Like What You Read? Get Career Pivot Insights! Check out the Repurpose Your Career Podcast Do You Need Help With ...

Looking for Work Dont Write Off Temporary or Contract Positions! - Pathfinder Careers

Looking for Work Don’t Write Off Temporary or Contract Positions! - Pathfinder Careers Looking for Work? Don’t Write Off Temporary or Contract Positions! With the economy as nervous as it is, employers are equally on edge. Many are unwilling to take on the liability and risk associated with another full-time employee’s salary, healthcare and benefits. As a result, some companies have resorted to hiring people on a temporary or contract basis, simply because projects still need to be completed and there aren’t enough existing staff members to get it done. I’ve talked to several clients who were rather disdainful of taking on a temporary or contract position, citing that this could be a barrier to them finding a better-paying full-time position with full benefits. Or, they just felt as though it was below them. “I don’t ‘do’ temporary work,” one client said. “It’s a dead-end.” But it isn’t a dead-end. It can actually be a new connector to a future full-time job. The way that things are these days economically, having flexibility in your employment approach can have a big payoff later on. Think of it is this way: Some employment is better than no employment. And when the economy does start to recover, who do you think that the employer would be more likely to hire when they have that opportunity? An unknown quantity, or someone who has been already working with the company in a contract or temporary capacity? The answer seems pretty clear, doesn’t it? You never know where opportunity might pop up, and right now, it is all about creating as many openings as possible. If you create the opportunity for possibility, instead of shutting yourself off from it, there is a higher likelihood that something will come along that you couldn’t have anticipated! So don’t write off something just because of some preconceptions… you need to be as flexible and receptive to opportunity as possible. You never know where it might take you!

Job Seekers Cannot Live By Job Boards Alone

Job Seekers Cannot Live By Job Boards Alone Frequently I see job seekers spending too much time searching for leads online. They may spend a whole day searching online and pat themselves on the back at the end of the day and feel a strong sense of accomplishment for working so hard. They may be working hard, but they certainly arent working efficiently. Job seekers need to look at the return on investment achieved by spending so much time on the boards. The boards are very seductive because so many jobs are listed. It is a passive method of search that requires little work and little risk for the job seeker. Its comfortable. Unfortunately, not many people are actually hired through the boards. Most people are hired through people they know.My advice is to look on the boards during the hours when you may not be able to meet with people in person. Maybe for an hour in the early morning or an hour in the evening. Reserve time during normal business hours to work your contacts, make new connections, and arrange for business meetin gs and informational interviews.Here are five more tips from US News and World Report that stress the importance of networking over the job boards.