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with the current state of affairs in this country’s job market, it really is hard to believe that anyone is getting a job, not so much because of the unemployment rate, but because the process has become so arduous and ridiculous.

With all of our progress in technology, we seem to have further alienated prospective employers from prospective job seekers. Job seekers are shunned from calling employers, even their HR departments, which are partly in place to assist with the hiring process. Forget trying to speak with an actual hiring manager. He or she is like some mystery figure that only comes out after candidates have been prescreened, screened, and rescreened (kind of like a ritual cleansing). Sometimes candidates are even kept in the dark about to which company they are actually applying, only to be revealed at the last possible second (and then companies wonder, “why doesn’t the candidate seem to know much about us?”). And don’t get me started about online job posting sites that are nothing but black holes in which resume after resume just keeps going in. I mean, what are companies doing with all those resumes?

So in 2009 we are left with more and more reliance on the middle man to bridge that gap. Cue the recruiters, headhunters, employment agencies, etc.

Is that a bad thing? Sometimes, yes, because here again we have just another layer between the hiring company and the candidates.

The concept of recruiting seems simple enough on the surface. Company needs a strong candidate to fill a vacancy. Strong candidate needs a job. Recruiter plays matchmaker and brings the two parties together. Everybody’s happy, especially the recruiter who only gets paid when he or she sets up successful matches.

There is no question that it can be a very helpful service when everything goes right.

But all too often, everything does not go right. First you have candidates who seem to think that recruiters know about the bulk of available jobs out there and, more importantly, assist in placing candidates in any job they want. Second, you have recruiters who are only looking for the best possible fit for the positions they have been assigned to recruit for, which often is not the candidate who is contacting them. Instead, it may be the candidate who is currently employed and not really looking. Third, you have the companies who don’t always play by the rules. Put that all together, and you can end up with a mess.

Many candidates don’t realize that recruiters and other employment agents don’t work for them. In other words, a recruiter is not out there looking for a job for you. The recruiter is out there looking for the best candidates for the positions he or she is trying to fill. And sometimes recruiters overlook good quality candidates simply because some aspect of the candidate’s background does not fit perfectly the idealized candidate of the job description.

So what is a job seeker to do? First and foremost, get informed! Know what job search tactics work the best and what don’t. Understand how recruiters and headhunters operate and do some research to find ones that specialize in your area. Second, stop spending so much time on the Internet and network more. Statistics continue to show that both employers and job seekers find networking to be the best possible way of connecting. Third, align with other job seekers, who can often be the best eyes and ears out there. Look for group job hunting opportunities, both online and in your geographic area.

negative equity in the family home has plunged many American households into an insecure financial situation. The subprime crisis has caused the real value of homes to plummet. Mortgages reflect the old value of properties – not their current, significantly lower, value. Owing more than they own, some home owners have opted for bankruptcy, which has become common; and some realtors are looking at earning only a quarter of what they made last year. Many real estate agents are getting out altogether, re-training and moving to other careers, because the real estate market is effectively paralyzed. Similarly, redundancies are scything the ranks of loan brokers; and the effect of the mortgage meltdown is being felt in those jobs associated with housing: construction, trucking, and so on. The property collapse is one of the factors creating the highest unemployment rate in America since the early seventies, according to figures recently released.

The United States has exported the property downturn to much of the world. In a December interview, group chief executive of Barclays Bank in the UK, John Varley, predicted house prices in Britain will fall a further 15 per cent in 2009, on top of the 15 per cent lost in 2008. Varley’s in a position to know what’s happening, so his remarks are to be taken seriously – and could even make things worse, because people may wait for the bottom and then another rise, rather than face losing thousands of dollars by selling up now. Worse yet, if the drop in price occurs too rapidly, it is possible home owners will have to pay back much of what they have borrowed, since the small print says they must not exceed their credit limit, often around 90 per cent of the current value of the home.

Most vulnerable are those who borrowed money at the height of the property boom, sometimes continually raising money against the value of one property to buy another. At the height of the frenzy, mortgages for 100 per cent of the value of a property were common – some people were even able to raise 125 per cent, using the extra money for renovations, new cars or holidays, and expecting property prices to continue to rise. As Varley stated: “Looking back on it, madness.”

Some commentators see parallels between today’s mess and the Great Depression of the 1930s. But rapid government intervention during the current crisis makes it hard to draw a valid comparison. One lesson to be learned from the Great Depression is that “Cash is King.” In the 1930s, those with money in the bank bided their time and were able to buy property at lower prices once the bottom was reached.

That time, however, is not yet. Sellers are still holding on to properties, or refusing to drop prices. The higher cost of credit or an inability to obtain any constrains buyers from paying what is asked, even if prices are reduced. The housing market continues to stagnate. As well, uneasy questions are being asked about tax policy, bailouts, and the regulation of stocks, making it hard for the market to come to a conclusion about the real value of property.

The advent of a new Administration may alleviate present uncertainties to some extent. As the financial markets settle and if a credible roadmap to the future is drawn up in the United States, it seems likely that the world’s property markets will start to breathe again.

on any given day, thousands of people around the world are involved in an extramarital affair. In fact, may find that right now your own relationship is in the midst of an affair. Or, maybe one of you is considering having an affair.

To the person who is having an affair or considering one, the idea of an affair can at first sound like an exciting alternative to business as usual in what has become an uneventful marriage. After all, the opportunity to be with someone totally new and exciting can be hard to pass up, especially if you are not happy with your current relationship.

To answer some common questions about affairs, here is an extramarital affair FAQ:

Q1: Is it illegal to have an affair if you are married?

A: In most parts of the Western world, you cannot actually go to jail or be fined for cheating on your spouse. Still, having an affair can have serious legal and personal consequences for you. For example, in many places, having had an affair that leads to a divorce can lead to a greatly-reduced set of rights for the one who did the cheating. In other words: if you cheat, you do not have much of a leg to stand on when it comes to the lawyers fighting it out to see who gets which possessions. Bottom line is, by being caught cheating you give up many of your legal rights in the event of a divorce.

Q2: Is it safe to have an affair?

A: Having an affair can generally be a safe thing – if you do not get caught and if you practice safe sex, that is. However, if you do not practice safe sex or if you get caught cheating, your affair can be anything but safe. By having an affair you are definitely opening yourself up to some serious risks. These risks include: the spreading of sexual diseases to yourself or your spouse, facing the rage of a jealous lover (think “Fatal Attraction”) or dealing with the wrath of a jilted spouse. Of course, being caught cheating can also lead to divorce, which can result in loss of the companionship of your spouse, the loss of many of your material possessions, and even loss of the right to live with your children. Ouch – not sounding so safe now, is it?

Q3: How do I stop my affair?

A: If you are currently having an affair, you need to start by deciding what it is you really want out of life. Do you want your spouse, your lover, or neither? After all, your affair may be thrilling at times. Or, maybe for you, just thinking about what you are doing to your spouse is tearing you apart inside. Either way, you know that you cannot sustain your affair forever. The sooner you face facts and decide what your next move should be, the better off everyone involved will be.

Q4: What do I do if my spouse is having an affair?

A: Sooner or later, you will need to confront your spouse about the affair. But, before you do that, think hard about how you want things to end up. Do you want to stay with your spouse or call it quits? Decide which way you want things to go before you bring up the affair. Another tip: when you confront your spouse, bring with you some irrefutable evidence you have found that proves the affair. Otherwise, if you merely accuse them of having an affair without proof, they will likely try to deny it, which of course will be adding insult to injury for both of you.

Q5: How can I keep myself or my spouse from having an affair?

A: If your spouse has a wandering eye or if you think they have their sights set on having an affair with someone else, the best remedy is to make yourself the center of their world again. You need to basically insert yourself in there so there is no space for anyone else. Do this in an assertive but loving way. Also, be tactful: if your spouse pulls back at the sign of your wanting to spend more time with them, it could be a sign that they are not happy in the relationship.

If either you or your spouse is currently involved in an affair or is considering one, it obviously means that your relationship is in trouble. While an affair might appear to be a convenient short-term solution to your problems, the smartest bet is to find ways to mend your marriage and get back into a loving relationship again.