A job description can tell you a lot about an organization. A detailed one allows you to get an inside peek at the organization, gives you information about the position, and allows you to figure out if your skills and accomplishments are a match. A bogus job description? That’s another story entirely.

It’s sad to say, but many job descriptions do not match the position. In fact, 43 percent of workers found out during the interview that the job description did not match what was written in the job ad. Not only is this a huge waste of time, it can take you away from other, more legitimate job opportunities.

How can you tell if a job description is bogus? Here are some tips:

Unhappy with your career? Do yourself a favor and start managing it!

According to an employee satisfaction survey, the majority of workers are dissatisfied in their careers. An employee may feel stuck, lack job growth, or isn’t able to consider a move. When you’re faced with a situation in which you don’t know what your next move should be, it can be difficult to stay engaged. Whether this involves improving your current situation, looking for a new job, or making lateral moves, you’ll be clear minded and happier when you have a firm grasp on what you’re doing.

So, you talked to your contacts, found the perfect job, and applied to the position. You included everything you needed to, cleaned up your online presence, and even had a referral to the position. Now what?

In an age where the job search is all about being proactive, you need to do one last thing in order to stand out from the pack: Follow up. Following up means reminding an employer that you applied, communicating your skills once again, and asking if they need additional information. However, there’s both a right way to conduct proper follow up and an absolutely terrible way to use this strategy.

You’ve sent in your resume. You already know that a follow-up message is a critical step in your job search. What is the appropriate amount of time to wait to follow up on a job application? What type of follow up is preferred? How often? Email or snail?

You want to get your name across to the decision maker again, so they’ll be looking specifically at, or for, your resume/application

You want gather information for yourself about the status of your application.

One of the hardest challenges of the job hunt is being able to create and communicate an effective elevator pitch when the time arises. The elevator pitch often feels awkward and unnatural, yet it is such an important part of the job search. We must have one, whether we are in the job search, are selling a product or selling an idea to our colleagues.

Your elevator pitch has one purpose: to get your prospect to request a more detailed conversation. The goal of an elevator pitch for networking is to ensure that the other person leaves with your key message so that when that person finds himself in another conversation with a potential lead who could benefit from your solution, he remembers to refer them to you.

Planning and goal-setting are the keys to success in every aspect of your life, including your career. A Harvard study revealed that 83 percent of those surveyed had no goals; 14 percent had goals, but no written plan; and 3 percent had written goals. The 14 percent with goals but no written plans earned three times more than those with no goals. The 3 percent with written goals earned ten times more than those with no goals!

Although many employers are seeing light at the end of the recession tunnel, it is still a tough market. Here are a few pointers:

“You may never know what results come from your action. But if you do nothing, there will be no result.” – Mahatma Gandhi

As the new academic year unfolds, we all hope our returning students come armed to be prepared and organized to embark on the activities of the Fall recruiting season. At CareerShift , our mission is to help your college students conduct a pro-active job search in the easiest, most organized format, as possible.

I recently came across some interesting information regarding a well known tool, the Elevator Speech, that I want to share with you. The Elevator Speech is recognized as an exceptionally important element to the success of student communications in a variety of settings. Wide variation exists among experts as to the ideal length of this, however, it is usually a good idea that you create both short and long versions. Different situations, after all, may well call for diverse approaches.

“Brick walls are there for a purpose…the brick walls are there to stop people who don’t want it badly enough.”

Prof Randy Pausch, Carnegie Mellon University.

What are your student’s brick walls when it comes to the job search? Perhaps it is not having an easy to use web service that combines many resources in one place, such as CareerShift . This enables them to be organized and prepared to be the pro-active job seeker in time for their job search.

Want proof that it pays to get a jump on a job search? According to a report from the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), students who began their job search early were rewarded for their proactive efforts. At this time last year, NACE’s 2007 Graduating Student Survey—conducted March 1 through April 30, 2007—71 percent of responding students either planned to or already had begun to look for a full-time job after graduation. Among those reporting that they had actively begun searching for a job, 79 percent already had submitted an application. And, of those students who submitted a job application, 51.2 percent had already accepted an offer for the job they would begin after graduation.