1) Traffic is getting worse. Everywhere! London, Shanghai, Taipei... the list goes on. How is it in your city?

2) Hiring people is tough. Everywhere! I had a chance to sit down with Rick Yan, CEO of 51job.com – they're the Monster.com of China. And it turns out, as he told me, that employers have just as much trouble connecting with great people for their great jobs in that booming economy as we do here!

So what can you do about that, Readers? Well, you can sign up for free for TheLadders.com SeekWeek right here. And before I tell you about the great program we have set up for the next five days, let me have Maurice Gaither from the great state of Maryland -- home to my favorite crab cakes, and the mighty Terrapins (maybe every Deadhead's favorite college sports team?) -- share with you what he gained from last year's SeekWeek!

"I had been out of work for a few months and somewhat passively looking for a new opportunity. Fortunately, I had the luxury of not having to get back to work right away and was being very selective in my search. When I got the newsletter about SeekWeek 2006, I was intrigued and decided to attend, just to see what it was all about. My curiosity was well rewarded, as the SeekWeek experience cause me to look at my search in a whole new light -- I re-worked my resume and became fully engaged in my search. As a result, I found a great new position as Program Manager with Infosys!

The stand out presentation for me was "Managing Your Many Faces", about personal branding and presenting yourself in the best light. What grabbed my attention was a specific resume format highlighted in the webinar discussion. It dawned on me that there was a better way of getting my message across and an effective way of getting my resume more attention.

As a result, I reworked my whole package. I tried to show how my varied experience could fit the particular job I was applying to; for every job I applied to my resume was different. I demonstrated there were many ways I could roll forward all my experiences and skills into the new opportunity. I was more than just a one trick pony.

Before SeekWeek, I approached my job search casually and got casual results, but once I attended this particular webinar everything changed for me. The quality of my contacts increased exponentially and the conversations were more than just follow-ups.

All in all, it was SeekWeek that showed me how much opportunity was out there and I realized I could land a new job a lot easier if I changed gears; stop cruising and get into the race so to speak. I knew I had the kind of credentials to get me to wherever I wanted to go, but I was laying back with my feet up waiting for the opportunities to come to me. Once I put my feet down the job search seemed easy. That was the thing that really surprised me. Once I got engaged utilizing all the advice, coaching and tools TheLadders.com provided, everything fell into place.

So far the new job is going great. Thank you!"

Maurice Gaither
Bowie, MD

Thank you Maurice, and congratulations on utilizing SeekWeek 2006 so adeptly!

Well, as they sing in Terrapin Station, "I know we'll get there soon" if you just sign up here for our free SeekWeek 2007.

This year's program includes daily webinars, January 8th – 12th at 12 noon EST, that feature practical information about online recruiting, job search best practices and sharp recruiting insights from top recruiting experts. Each day will consist of a 20 minute live, online presentation and a 25 minute Q&A session. And just in case you can't make these scheduled times, recordings of the presentations will also be available on demand upon their completion.

Here's the line-up:

Day 1, January 8th, 12 noon EST

Making Passion-Driven Career Decisions: How to Achieve Success On Your Own Terms

When you lack passion you are at a disadvantage. Learn what passion is, how to get in touch with yours, and why it is important in your job search. Learn how to employ passion to build the career and life you want - and deserve.

Richard Chang, CEO, Richard Chang Associates; author: "The Passion Plan" and "The Passion Plan at Work"

Day 2, January 9th, 12 noon EST

The Resiliency Factor: 4 Foundations for a No-Fail Search

How to stay positive and in control during your search, even when there are hurdles to clear or possibly "skeletons" in your career closet. A 4-step process that will keep you on top of your game, no matter the circumstances!

Susan Whitcomb, Executive Director, Career Masters Institute; author: "Job Search Magic", part of "The Magic Series"

Day 3, January 10th, 12 noon EST

A Simple Click To Apply Is Never Enough

"Never, for the rest of your life, ever apply for a job again without reaching out to an employee in the company you are targeting." The critical importance of employee referrals.

Gerry Crispin and Mark Mehler, CareerXroads

Day 4, January 11th, 12 noon EST

Getting What You Want at Work: How to Incorporate Your Personal Needs in Your Professional Career

Sure we all work for money, but there's much more than that to career satisfaction. Perspectives on when it is time to re-examine our jobs and advice on how to get what we want personally at work.

Tory Johnson, CEO Women For Hire; workplace contributor, ABC's Good Morning America

Day 5, January 12th, 12 noon EST

Ask a Recruiter (Almost) Anything

Q&A Panel Discussion with top recruiters:

Wendy Dembin, National Sales Recruiter, Talent Management COE, Pitney Bowes , and Russell Murphy, PHR, Recruiter, Circuit City Stores, Inc.

Well, there you have it, folks! Make sure you sign up for SeekWeek 2007 now and get the luck of Maurice on your side!