The current recession is still going strong especially for Blacks, so if you thought the recession was over - sorry think again. If you listen to the pundits and spin doctors you might be under the impression the recession is over, especially with all the talk about Black Friday spending being on the uptick. On the other hand, if you ask African Americans, from coast to coast, about the state of the economy you will get more of a real world picture. In essence, there is an overwhelming unemployment disparity between Whites and Blacks. How ironic is that as we just rap up Black Friday?

On one end, Black Friday which is pitched as some obligatory function that consumers are expected to participate in to help retailers make their numbers, but at the same time Blacks across the country are making high numbers in a dubious column - the unemployment rate. The national unemployment rate is 10.2% but the unemployment rate for African Americans is a whopping 15.7%. That's just crazy! That isn't the worst of it...Blacks make up more than 25% of those unemployed for more than six months. Oh, and for those who would want to say its a lack of education that's the problem - sorry - Blacks represent more than 13% of those unemployed with a college degree compared to 6% for whites.

What should be entering everyone's mind at this point - Black, White, other it doesn't matter - is what exactly is the massive $787 Billion dollar Federal Stimulus package doing to promote job growth? Where is the money going? Where has the money gone? We know the banks lined up and got their cut, but how did the average Joe benefit? Home foreclosures haven't slowed down, either, despite banks skimming off the top of the $787 Billion stimulus package. What a bad bad bad combination. In short, the recession is definitely still going strong especially for Blacks who face an undeniable disparity with unemployment in the current job market. So can someone please explain where's the job growth? More importantly, where did the $787 Billion Federal Stimulus dollars go?

Broadcast yourself to get the edge over the next guy/gal and get the job interview. You already know jobs are scarce which means you must step up your game to get recognized. Why not broadcast yourself via a short video bio? Chances are pretty good you've either created a YouTube video in the past or know someone that has created a YouTube video. Now, you should transfer your video production skills to the employment scene and help you land a job.

Since many employers are put off by bad interviewers this is your opportunity to showcase your presentation skills, virtually of course, so your potential employer can get a glimpse of your overall presentation. What should you focus on during your video bio?

1. Presentation - it's everything - look the part.
2. Skills - short synopsis of two or three of your strongest skills -- relative to the job.
3. Personable - let your personality shine.
4. Trinkets - awards, trophies and article write ups - show them off - literally!

Now that you know what four areas to focus on from above, you're going to make a home run bio that employers simply can't resist. What employer could resist? You look good, can articulate your skills, have personality for days and to top top it off you have trinkets to validate your accomplishments. So as you can see (pun intended) broadcast yourself to get the job interview and more importantly - get the job. The next guy/gal will be whining and crying all over the web because you shined to get the job, while they're still looking. Don't you just love the whiners?

With jobs as scarce as they are, you don't want to miss your opportunity when it knocks; stay connected with SMS job text messaging. If you are one of those who stills sits on the fence, as far as embracing technology goes, than you're likely limiting your exposure to finding a job. Just as much as you know the reality of networking and staying connected with job contacts in addition to building new contacts, its high time you get on board with leveraging SMS job alerts to keep you in the loop on developments with new job openings.

The reality is that with networking being so wide open, there just aren't enough hours in a day to meet with business contacts, attend social networking functions and build new business relationships. Perhaps that's where the saying "finding a job is a job" comes from. You will undoubtedly work from sun up till sun down and still it will seem like you aren't accomplishing much. Unless you like laboring around the clock, it would be wiser to leverage technology via your mobile phone.

Nowadays, with Smartphones storming the mobile phone market your mobile phone essentially is a pocket size PC. You can get a lot done with them while you're out on the job search grind networking with job contacts. As far as productivity and SMS job alerts go, the iPhone, BlackBerry Storm and HTC Pro are undoubtedly the best Smartphones on the market. Moreover, with Apple's Safari Browser, on the iPhone, surfing the web is just as if you were at your desktop PC. Let's not forget about Windows 6.1 devices such as the HTC Pro, this is one of my favorites because the web surfing is just unbelievable. That is largely due to the Opera Mini Browser. It's hard to believe the kind of punch that the Opera Mini Browser comes equipped with, especially considering that the Opera Desktop Browser lags behind in the desktop browser line up.

So sure jobs are scarce and everyone knows it, but with Smartphone technology and SMS job text messaging you have considerably more options to connect with job opportunities than any other generation. In the past you were limited solely to WHOM you were connected. Today, with SMS job alerts and SMS job text messaging  - the game has changed. Instead, its to WHOM and to WHAT you are connected. Thus, if you're smart you'll connect with as many channels as possible. Make it happen.