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Recent robust job growth is offset by concerns over rising inflation and higher interest rates, according to University of Michigan’s Survey of Consumers. As a result, consumer confidence has remained the same despite job growth. High gas prices play a major role in consumers’ confidence and perception of the economy.

The Alumni Association’s powerful new networking tool, InCircle, will launch this month! InCircle lets Michigan alumni connect online with friends and friends-of-friends based on shared interests, common acquaintances, professions, location, etc. You’ll be able to network with not just personal connections but with all the Michigan alumni your friends know, too. Your network will increase exponentially. InCircle will be available only to Alumni Association members later this month. Visit us on the Web or read the Wall Street Journal article about this exciting new tool.

If you’re sending out resumes to potential employers via email, make sure they are not being filtered by companies’ spam blockers. A recent Wall Street Journal article indicates that more and more companies have instituted spam email blockers that sometimes unintentionally block out legitimate email. Emails containing resumes from job seekers are frequently among the blocked mail. Here are some ways you can bypass the filters:

• Send your documents as plain text files instead of attachments, unless the employer specifically requests an attachment.
• Don’t attach compressed files.
• Email only one company at a time instead of sending a mass email.
• Make sure your subject line doesn’t use a lot of punctuation, all caps, or spam buzzwords such as “free,” “expand,” “trial,” “mortgage,” “singles,” or “cash.”
• Minimize the use of such buzzwords in the body of your message, as well.
• Don’t send mail from an email address that contains a lot of numbers.

When you are on the hiring end of the job market, your job isn’t over once your new employee is settled at her new desk. Make sure you know how to efficiently and successfully train a new employee. Here are some tips from the Alumni CareerPort’s partner Monster:

• Create a lesson plan or curriculum to follow so both you and the employee know what to expect.
• Make sure you talk to your employee to find out what she already knows, so you can tailor your training to her experiences.
• Focus on the details, like providing important shipping numbers, etc., that will be relevant to the job.
• Leave your employee a list of phone numbers, email addresses and pointers to remember.
• Schedule a time to meet with the employee some time after the training has ended to gauge the employee’s progress and answer any questions.

Networking is crucial to your career, even if you’re not currently looking for a job. InCircle will help you make more contacts for your professional network, but what then? Alumni CareerPort partner Monster offers some advice on “Nurturing and Keeping Contacts” so that you can use those resources when you’re in need of a job:

• Make sure you know what you want from each professional/networking encounter you experience.
• Avoid common networking errors such as only contacting people to pass on your resume. Networking is about maintaining relationships.
• Offer information, insight and assistance in return—networking should be a mutually beneficial experience for all involved.

The Alumni CareerPort has almost 160 jobs listed right now. Below are some recently posted positions. If these aren’t right for you, search the job board and you may just find your next job.

Senior analyst at Digitas
This and other positions can be found in the Advertising/Marketing/Public Relations category.

Communication Consultant at Hewitt Associates
This and other positions can be found in the Consulting Services category.

Product Design Engineer at Griswold Engineering, Inc.
This and other positions can be found in the Accounting/Auditing category.


Has networking helped you find a job? Tell us your thoughts in
our new poll on the Alumni CareerPort.