10 tools to simplify your job search

Two savvy people talking about the same thing on the same day generally means it's something to pay attention to.

Resume guru Julie Walraven at DesignResumes.com told how to use Skype to collaborate on documents such as your resume. It's really simple.

1. Call your resume writer, coach, recruiter, or interviewer on Skype.
2. When you see the message field, click "share" below it and then "share full screen."
3. Open the document you want to share and discuss or edit it together.

Julie's written about the process in much more detail on her blog.

1. Skype also tops a great list of 10 collaboration tools recommended by Zeke Camusio with TheOutsourcingCompany.com. He uses them to keep in touch with his traveling team, but they also look like wonderful tools for your job search. Here is his list with parenthetical comments from this career coach. (You'll need to Google the name of a product you want to try.):

2. BaseCamp is a project management tool. (There's a 30-day free trial, which may be enough if your job search doesn't last too long. If it does, or if you want to turn the app into your project manager, the basic version is $24 per month.)

3. Twiddla is a whiteboard you can share online. (If you aren't particularly linear and would prefer to have a sandbox/playground environment, this one is free.)

4.Google Docs shares working documents with your mentor, resume writer, board of directors, anyone who needs to see your document. (The link is to a demo that also has a link to sign up for a free account. It's good for working docs like time lines and checklists but doesn't always hold resume formatting, so it may be less valuable in that arena.)

5. Mint, regardless of its name is a free money-management tool, not a money-making tool. (This looks like a perfect app for someone who has just lost a job and needs to do major work on the household budget. It will also come in handy for the homework you need to do before negotiating your salary.)

6. LogMeIn remotely controls a computer. (Your accountant could use this to do your books, or you could use it to reach your own computer when you're on an out-of-town job interview.)

7. Google Calendar keeps your events and meetings organized and makes them available to others you choose. (This has become a can't-live-without-it tools in this office. It's replaced Outlook and offers syncless access via the browser on Motorola Droid. Get everyone in the office on it, and you can share schedules.)

8. BlueTie manages emails and keeps contacts organized (a MUST during a job search). At $5 per month, BlueTie has a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) engine built in. (You can also use Gmail for these functions if you don't need much for a CRM. Try out both and see which you like. Hint: Gmail is free.)

9. PamFax sends and receives faxes very inexpensively from your computer. (eFax receives faxes and FreeFax sends, if you'd rather have a free alternative.)

10. EchoSign allows you to sign documents online quickly and easily. (This does sound simpler for the person on the other end of the contract, at $14.95 per month for you. Adobe Distiller allows the user to sign PDFs without additional cost, but unless the other person has the same program, they still have to print/fax or print/scan/email.)

Copyright 2010, Jeri Hird Dutcher, Workwrite. Permission to republish with attribution.