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How To Get A Skype-In Number For Free

from MakeUseOf.com by Tim Watson

A lot of us here at MakeUseOf use Skype to get in touch with each other. Skype, for those who may not know, is a Voice-over-Internet Protocol (VoIP) service which allows unlimited free calls between users using the desktop, mobile or iPhone application.

If you pay for Skype credit, you can call out from Skype on your computer to normal phones (wireless or landline) at a discounted rate. Also, for an additional cost, you may get a "Skype-In" phone number, which is essentially a Skype number disguised as a local land line, so that all calls to that number will be forwarded to your Skype account, allowing you to take the call anywhere and on any computer with Skype installed. This benefits the caller — if Skype is not available, he/she can always contact you simply by dialing a local number.

It's a cool thing to have, but outside of this site's staff I don't have much use for the service (many of my friends are still using AIM for goodness' sake). That changed today when I signed up for phone numbers to forward calls to my Skype account, and unlike the Skype-In service, they didn't cost me a thing.

Find out how I did it.

ring2SkypeRegister

If you don't have a Skype account, please be sure to set one up first. You'll need to provide your Skype ID when you register at Ring2Skype.com, which is where you get your free "Skype-In" numbers. There are a lot of countries to choose from, and you may register multiple numbers. For example, I've registered numbers in Windsor, Canada and London, UK as well as a US (New York City) number. My friend in Manhattan can call me up as if I lived there. Co-workers in London and Canada can now call me without ringing up international charges.

ring2SkypeNumbers

Here in the US, we have but a few choices as to our number's calling area. I could get a number (with a three-digit extension) in California, Florida, Maine or New York. Japan's numbers are limited to Tokyo, and Israel to Tel Aviv. It's going to be a bit odd giving friends in Louisville my Manhattan number, but these days when long-distance and local calling are often the same price, it shouldn't be too big a stretch.

There really is no catch. Call quality for me was as good as a regular Skype, Gizmo or Mobile Phone call. I plan on giving these numbers out to business contacts, and once Google Voice (which I hope to review for you soon) allows forwarding my GV number to extensions, I plan on using this service with friends and family as well.

While you're here, you might like 30 free tips and tricks to improve Skype which Kaly wrote some time ago.

How do you plan on using your Ring2Skype numbers? Let us know in the comments.

LinkUp Searches Companies' Own Postings for Job Leads [Job Search]

by Kevin Purdy

LinkUp doesn't offer the most results in the job search game, but does claim to have better and more up-to-date listings because it works with companies' own posting sites.

Companies don't pay LinkUp for their postings, but simply agree to let LinkUp's scraping tools run down their corporate site and pull job listings from it. From all those Career/Opportunities/Join Us pages, LinkUp claims to have 21,185 companies polled nightly for new openings, and doesn't charge searchers anything to click through and apply.

Obviously, you don't get to post a resume for everyone to browse, and there aren't social networking tools or the like. It's just an RSS-friendly, regularly updated database, and it seems like a must-add for any online job hunts. Looking for more tools and tactics? Try our compiled guide to nabbing the job you want.LinkUp is free to use, doesn't require registration or email verification.

LinkUp Job Search Engine [via eHub]

Need a Change? Start With an Internship!

from Brazen Careerist by kirstypiper

Guest post by: Lauren Berger, The Intern Queen

The economy is down. Spirits are down. Hope is down. And most careers are down. What is left to help turn things right side up again? What can military wives do to change careers and turn over a new leaf ?

Internships can be the solution to the problem. What better way to bridge the gap between one career and another than an internship? Internships are no longer just for college students. Even as an internship expert, I tried to fight the sudden surge of internship interest from Baby Boomers and candidates that have graduated college some years ago. Termed the "Alternative Internships", professionals have started searching for internships in today's economy as a means to transition from one field to another. People are starting from the bottom all over again as interns, ready to do whatever it takes to get back on top.
Why should you consider interning and how can you find these opportunities? Read on, this blog is just for you!

Why You Should Consider Internships?

Get Your Hands Dirty. This is your opportunity to really "start over". It's time to get so close to this new industry and to learn everything there is to know about it from an observational stand point. This is your time to start from the bottom and work your way to the top.
Relationship Building. Most adults are already familiar with maintaining professional relationships. This is key during an internship. The goal is that you meet someone that can help you with your future career. When you leave your internship, you should have several people to keep in touch with and contact about job opportunities in the future or at the end of your internship.
Pursuit or Elimination. An internship can be a quick way to decide if a career works for you or not. If it doesn't work than you won't waste valuable time in that space in the future.

How to Find an Internship

Choose an Industry. The world is at your fingertips, choose whatever career path you desire. If you once dreamed of becoming a lawyer, find a law internship. If you always wanted to rub shoulders with the stars, go after an entertainment internship. Most industries do have available internships. The most popular are media, publicity, finance, advertising, marketing and new media.
Create Your Dream List. Just like I teach college students, I suggest every "adult intern" come up with a list of companies where they envision themselves working. Think big on this list, these are your true dream companies. Make a second list that is similar to the first but smaller in scale. Local companies in your city/town are perfect for this second list. The second list should contain more feasible opportunities.
Start Reaching Out. Use your computer and research techniques to find websites and/or contact information for each company. If you visit the employer's website and don't see any internship information than do it the old-fashioned way, pick up the phone and call. Ask to speak with the internship coordinator, get his or her email, and send over your materials.
Proper Follow Up. Make note of the dates you send your materials and make sure to follow up two weeks afterwards.
Convince Them. Depending on the company, it's going to be tough to convince them to hire an "adult intern". Use your cover letter to really sell yourself and your skills. The best thing that these "adult interns" have going for them is their previous experience and knowledge of the workplace. Sell it.

Bonus tip

ASSESS YOURSELF. Take a career assessment test like the FREE YSN (Your Success Network) Test that just launched. This test will help you identify who you are and where you should be interning. Visit the website and use promotion code: C0A3-3A52-A895.

*To find available internship opportunities at over 400 hard-to-reach companies, visit the Intern Queen online.
*To find out more information about what career you should choose next, take the self-assessment test at Your Success Network.

Using Twitter to Find a Job

Posted on July 7, 2009 by BioJobBlogger

Amber Johnson at Job Profiles suggested that BioJobBlog readers might be interested in this post about Twitter and job searches. While I can't personally speak to the utility of using Twitter as a job search tool, it certainly can't hurt to give it a try in today's challenging economy.

100 Useful Twitter Tools and Feeds for Your Job Search

If you're searching for a job, surely you've learned about the extensive amount of tools available online to help you land your perfect position. But did you know that Twitter is the hottest job search tool out there today? It's true -- employers, recruiters, and job search sites are flocking to the service. Check out this list to find tools and feeds on Twitter that can be a great help to your job search.

Search

Use these tools to search for the jobs being posted on Twitter.

TwitterJobSearch: With TwitterJobSearch, you'll be able to find tweets about jobs posted on Twitter.
TwitterTroll: TwitterTroll is a really useful real-time Twitter search engine.
Twitter Job Finder: Find fresh jobs on Twitter from the last 7 days on Twitter Job Finder.
Tweet Scan: Perform searches and register for email alerts using Tweet Scan.
TwitterJobCast: TwitterJobCasts' local job search will help you see who is hiring on Twitter in your area.
NearByTweets: You can search Twitter by keyword and location with NearByTweets.
TwitHire: This Twitter-based job board broadcasts a variety of listings.
JobMotel: Search for Twitter web developer jobs on this site.

Connections

With these tools, you'll be able to find and manage connections with others on Twitter.

TwitterMind: With TwitterMind, you can seek out Twitter users from the companies you'd like to work for and ask them for referrals.
Twellow: Use Twellow to identify the leaders you should connect with in your industry or community.
Workhound: Find a directory of the best Twitter job feeds on Workhound.
Just Tweet It: Find other Twitter users with similar interests on Just Tweet It.
TwitDir: Find some of the top Twitter users in this Twitter directory.
Twubble: Twubble will help you find more people to follow, reflecting on who your followers are following.
Twollo: With Twollo, you'll be able to automatically follow users with similar interests to yours.
FriendOrFollow: Find people you need to ditch, or followers you've overlooked with FriendOrFollow.
Find People: With Twitter's Find People tool, you can find or invite the people in your email address books to join you on Twitter.
Tweepsearch: Search Twitter bios and find recruiters using this tool.

Organization

Stay organized in your Twitter job search with these tools.

TweetDeck: Use TweetDeck to categorize your Twitter feeds, separating contacts with job listing feeds, and more.
Twuffer: Use Twuffer to compose and schedule future tweets.

Flock O'Tweets: This Twitter tool allows you to get feeds of multiple Twitter users sent to you by RSS.
Tweepler: Organize your followers and friends with the help of this app.
Splitweet: If you're using separate Twitter accounts for different functions, Splitweet can help you out.
Twit.io: Twit.io offers a social micro database that works as a solution to list jobs and more.
twtjobs: twtjobs is a simple career manager Twitter app.

Monitoring & Research

Stay on top of job alerts with the help of these tools.

TweetBeep: Set up alerts to find out about jobs as soon as they're tweeted with the help of TweetBeep.
TweetMyJobs: Subscribe to Twitter channels for jobs types and major cities, then get instant notification of new jobs on Twitter from TweetMyJobs.
TwitterHawk: Find people talking on Twitter about your chosen topic and location using TwitterHawk.
Twilert: Use this Twitter application to get regular email updates about tweets containing your brand, name, keyword, and more.
Twitter Job Alerts: Get direct messages sent to your Twitter account that match your CareerBuilder searches by setting up alerts with Twitter Job Alerts.
ConnectTweet: Learn about what's going on inside companies using ConnectTweet.
Monitter: Monitter can be used to find information about companies and find conversations about them.
Tweet Tag: Browse popular topics on Twitter and join in the conversation with Tweet Tag.

Your Message

Make the most of your Tweets by using these tools.

VisualCV: Link your online resume created on VisualCV on your Twitter bio.
PingVine: Use PingVine's service to automatically post an RSS feed from your blog to Twitter.
HashDictionary: Become a part of a group by using their hashtag. You can find the most popular and usable ones on HashDictionary.
HelloTXT: Make the most of your tweets by simulcasting them to Facebook, LinkedIn, and more.

Advice & Professionals

Learn all about job searching on Twitter and beyond from these professionals and advice feeds.

@exectweets: @exectweets will help you find and follow business executives on Twitter.
@cbsalary: @cbsalary shares news and tools for job seekers who want to learn about salaries.
@jobsearchnews: Here you'll find tweets full of the latest job search news.
@JobAngels: The guardian angels on @jobangels can help you find a job, and assist you when you help others find a job as well.
@PinkSlipParty09: Network with Pink Slip Party to help others find jobs, and find one for yourself as well.
@theonlinebeat: Use @theonlinebeat as a meta-engine for finding a job on Twitter.
@careertips: Get tips on your career with the help of Career Opportunities Broadcast.
@workerswork: @workerswork shares career, job, and work related news.
@JobHuntOrg: Susan Joyce is the owner of an award winning employment portal, Job-Hunt.org.
@jobwisdom: Get tips and advice for job hunting on @jobwisdom.
@PRjobs: Learn about Public Relations recruiting from Lindsay Olson.
@MonsterCareers: Get career advice and discussions from Monster.com.
@SimplyHired: Simply Hired works to make your job search simple and effective.
@CAREERALISM: Get advice from top career experts and be alerted about opportunities through @CAREEREALISM.
@snagajob: Get help with your part time or hourly job search from @snagajob.
@jobhunting: Jim Stroud shares happy news from the job market.
@ResumeBear: Follow @ResumeBear to learn how you can advance your career and improve your resume.
@jobnob: Learn about real salaries and find a job with Jobnob.
@jobshouts: Jobshouts is a great tool for finding a job through social media.
@workhappynow: @workhappynow encourages people to be happier with their work.
@BrazenCareerist: Get inspired to define your career and control your life by @BrazenCareerist.
@microjobs: @microjobs works to connect people with new opportunities on Twitter.
@applicants: @applicants shares information about jobs, freelancing, and more.
@cheezhead: Joel Cheesman stays on top of Internet recruiting here.
@tferriss: Tim Ferriss can teach you about loving your work more.
@twtjobs: Use @twtjobs, a simple Twitter career management app.
@CBforJobSeekers: Follow CareerBuilder's top job search experts here.

Job Listing Feeds

These feeds offer a direct line to job postings on Twitter.

@Elance_Jobs: Find out about the latest featured jobs on Elance.com here.
@freelance_jobs: Learn about fresh freelance jobs straight from @freelance_jobs.
@doscareers: @doscareers lists careers in Foreign Affairs.
@rocketjobs: Follow @rocketjobs to get updates about the best jobs in Ireland.
@thejobsguy: Ken Horst shares online recruiting and job search resources as well as new postings every day.
@hiremymom: @hiremymom works to connect at-home professionals with jobs and projects.
@RecruitDirect: Find direct jobs in Ireland on this Twitter account.
@HRCrossing: Check out @HRCrossing for the latest in HR jobs.
@media_pros: Find out about jobs for media professionals through @media_pros.
@joblister: Find work throughout the US and Canada from @joblister.
@myfirstpaycheck: Check out @myfirstpaycheck to find listings, resources, and more for teen job seekers.
@jobsitejobs: @jobsitejobs will send you personal job tweets to help you find work.
@travelnursejob: Follow @travelnursejob to learn about travel nursing opportunities throughout the US.
@37jobs: Get listings from the 37signals job board on @37jobs.
@elance: Learn about freelance opportunities through @elance.
@web20jobs: Check out @web20jobs for a real time tracker of Web 2.0 jobs.
@authenticjobs: Learn about savvy, authentic jobs available through @authenticjobs.
@journalism_jobs: @journalism_jobs will alert you to jobs in journalism, editorial, PR, and media sales.
@twitjobsearch: @twitjobsearch is the first semantic job search engine for Twitter.
@euractivjobsite: Follow the EurActiv JobSite to get an EU job of the day.
@execSearches: @execSearches connects talent with perfect positions.
@odesk: Follow @oDesk to be a part of the marketplace for online workteams.
@socialmediajob: Find your social media job on social media through @socialmediajob.
@newretailjobs: Get the hottest retail job opening leads every 30 minutes from major cities through @newretailjobs.
@juicyjobs: With @juicyjobs, you'll learn about green jobs in the UK.
@execjobs: ExecJobs finds six figure jobs for executives on Twitter.
@indeed: @indeed is a job search engine that aggregates all of the most important job sites.
@jobsearch: Emurse's Twitter feed offers listings, advice, and more.
@manpower: Find out what Manpower is recruiting for on this feed.
@Joblighted: @Joblighted offers a feed of Twitter tech jobs.
@publishingjobs: This feed will alert you to jobs in publishing available on Twitter.
@startuphire: @StartUpHire will alert you to jobs available at startups backed with venture capital.
@seojobs: Check out @seojobs to learn about SEO/SEM jobs available in the US.
@WorkInSports: Make your passion your career by finding a job through @WorkInSports.
@JobWire: Follow @JobWire to learn about the best jobs in Australia.
@krop_jobs: @krop_jobs updates on the latest creative and tech jobs.
@andywergedal PM jobs in Northern California

The Anti-Networker's Guide to Networking

from Brazen Careerist by Jennifer Williamson

image via faculty.msb.edu

I'm probably not the only person in the world who isn't crazy about networking. Seriously...put me in a networking event, and chances are I'll be the one camped out by the chips and dip, conspicuously not talking to people. Don't get me wrong; I love to socialize, meet new people and talk about my work. But what makes me uncomfortable is socializing with an agenda. Still, we all have to do it if we want to get to the next level. Here are a few tricks I've learned that have helped me get out there and talk to people.

Remember: you're not being smarmy. You're talking about your passion. This is the biggest thing I have to remind myself every time I'm at a networking event: I'mnot selling. Selling has a bad reputation among creative types, I believe; when I sell in writing, I'm simply telling readers why whatever I'm selling is worthwhile. But in person, I feel fake when I try to sell myself.

But I love to talk about what I do. In a no-pressure social situation, I will talk all night about my job to anyone who's interested. I love explaining how web copywriting works and how I can help clients succeed, and I've landed new clients this way. In a networking event, I have to repeat to myself that I'm not selling and there's no ulterior motive here; there's just a room full of people who are interested in what I do and want to hear all about it.

Have a pitch ready. It really helps to know how to describe yourself. I just attended a 15 Second Pitch workshop with Laura Allen, who discussed how a concise pitch can land you huge opportunities in seconds. To break it down to its component parts, a good pitch contains:

1. An introduction: who you are and the name of your company;

2. What you do;

3. Why you're the best at it (your USP);

4. A call to action.

Simple, right? We write this kind of thing every day in various promotional materials. Why not create one for yourself?

Be prepared. I always forget business cards. I've got a huge new box of them sitting on my desk and they've been there for months. I never remember to bring them anywhere with me, and I'm always running into people who ask for my card. It's gotten so bad I think I'm doing it on purpose. Maybe it's because subconsciously I think the design isn't that great or the tagline I wrote on the cards is a bit cheesy. But they're not doing a good job selling me in the box.

Networking can be intimidating--especially for writers, who often prefer to work alone. But if you're willing to do it, you could land some new business--so it's worth getting good at it.

Implement Advanced "Siestas" for Improved Sleep

from Lifehacker by Azadeh Ensha

A poor night's sleep is almost guaranteed to negatively impact your day, but you don't have to get all your winks in one shot. Consider the "siesta" sleep method and other schedules to get in more quality shut-eye.

Designer Dustin Curtis chronicled his own battles for better sleep, concluding that "all you really need to survive and feel rested is the REM phase." He writes at his blog that the way to force your brain into this state is to trick it into thinking you're only going to have a tiny window of time to get your sleep on.

Specifically, he advocates going the polyphasic sleep route, a method that essentially trains the brain to enter REM for short periods of time via 20-minute naps, rather than through one long night of sleep. The post breaks down five polyphasic sleep options, the simplest of which is the "Siesta" method. This involves "just one nap in the day and then a huge chunk of sleep at night," which should shave one hour and 40 minutes off your total sleep requirements. Each method increases the number of total naps—"The Uberman" requires six 20-minute naps, for example—but each requires fairly strict adherence to the routine.

You can't miss a nap by more than a couple hours in the 2 and 3 "Everyman" methods, and you must have your naps within 30 minutes of their scheduled times for the Uberman method. If you miss a nap, the whole schedule is thrown off and you'll feel tired for days.

If you don't have the flexibile schedule needed to try out the Siesta and other listed methods, check out these less time-intensive ways to sleep smarter and better, and don't forget to select the right sleep posture once you have your plan in place.

How to Hack Your Brain, Part 1: Sleep [Dustin Curtis]

Remote Rapport-Building 101

from WebWorkerDaily by Georgina Laidlaw

Written by Georgina Laidlaw.

Today, I received a CD of images from another remote contractor, who included a blank compliments slip in the envelope, but nothing else. As someone who works remotely, I can't believe people are still doing this stuff! Are you? If so, stop it!

Think about it: You have limited contact with the people you work with. That's fine, but because you're not hanging around the office with everyone else, people don't get to see you in your "peripheral moments" — the times when you're joking with someone else, making a cup of tea, or heading out to lunch. Although these moments probably aren't central to the way we're perceived by our colleagues, I think they really do help to build rapport.

But as a remote worker, your contact is limited, and probably contains a much larger proportion of direct communication, and much less "peripheral" stuff.

So what? So you need to see that each point of contact is an opportunity to build rapport. I promise: This is what makes the difference between remote workers who are fun to work with and really part of the team, and remote workers you'd happily never work with again.

If you're in a salaried position, don't leave rapport-building to the week before your performance review. And if you're a freelancer, don't think you'll make up for it by sending a friendly card in the holiday season. You won't: The damage will have been done by then.

If you're sending a physical package to your colleague, include a personalized note. It doesn't have to be a "War and Peace"-length letter — just a quick, friendly note saying, "Here's the information you wanted. Speak soon," is far, far better than a blank compliments slip (or nothing at all). If you're sending an email, don't rely on the subject line to say what you need to explain, or trot out the old "See attached" followed by your email signature. Take a moment to type a sentence or two — you have the entire keyboard at your disposal, after all.

Include something personal — to connect with your colleagues — in every communication, and your co-workers will be able to fill in some of the gaps that form when you're not all working in the same office.

What techniques do you use to build rapport with the people you work with?

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