StartWire, America’s #1 job search organizer, today announced the results of a national, presidential election survey of active job seekers. The major findings from the survey revealed that presidential candidate Governor Mitt Romney is the favorite with 52 percent of likely voters as opposed to President Barack Obama with 48 percent of the vote.

Romney’s edge lay with those who identified themselves as unemployed or underemployed. Romney was also chosen as the candidate who would create more jobs, while President Obama had an edge on the question of which candidate will look out more for the unemployed.

The specific findings among likely voters included:

•     53 percent of unemployed and underemployed respondents are planning to vote for Mitt Romney versus 46 percent planning to vote for Barack Obama;
•     Barack Obama leads with job seekers who currently hold a full-time job with 58 percent of likely voters vs. 42 percent for Mitt Romney;
•     47 percent of respondents believe that Mitt Romney will create more jobs as President vs. 33 percent for Barack Obama;
•     46 percent believe Barack Obama will look out more for the unemployed as President vs. 39 percent for Mitt Romney; and
•     Of the 859 survey respondents – all of whom are actively looking for work – 37 percent identified as Republicans, 37 percent as Democrats and 25 percent as Independent.

“Jobs and the economy are front and center in this campaign and we wanted to make sure the voice of the active job seeker was added to the debate,” said Chris Forman, CEO and founder, StartWire. “While the StartWire survey shows a tight race, there is a clear correlation between employment and candidate preference. Our research indicates unemployed and underemployed Americans clearly want a change in the White House.”

Seeking to radically improve the job search process, StartWire closes the “résumé black hole” by providing more than 500,000 job seekers with automatic application status updates from thousands of employers. With a network of 7,000+ employers and growing, StartWire improves application visibility and hiring knowledge for job seekers and recruiters.

Editors Note: The StartWire survey was conducted October 16 – October 21, 2012 to the most recent active StartWire user base. 57 percent of respondents indicated that they have been looking for a job for six months or more. For more information regarding the survey, please contact jennifermq(at)yapr(dot)com.

About StartWire™
StartWire™ is a game-changing Internet job search organizer that launched in early 2011. StartWire closes the “résumé black hole” by providing job seekers with automatic application status updates from thousands of employers. Since its inception, StartWire has received rave reviews and write-ups in US News & World Report, The Wall Street Journal, About.com, AOL Jobs, CNN, ERE, and Human Resource Executive.

The other night, as I watched the Presidential Debate, I heard a lot of talk about jobs and job creation from both candidates. They each have their own take on how America can best get back on its feet and get people back to work. As I watched, I wanted to know…what do real job seekers think of these plans? Who do you, as an American searching for work, trust with your future?

So, if you’d like to take a minute to share your thoughts, I ask you to take this anonymous survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/9JCHXH9

It’s just a few questions, asking you to share your viewpoint as the American job seeker. It’s completely anonymous (I won’t see anyone’s identity or email address when they reply) and completely optional. Share if you’d like your view points out here. If not, thanks for taking the time to read this post!

Here at StartWire, we work hard to make your job search faster and easier. Today we’re proud to announce a big update to our site that’s going to help you enjoy StartWire a little more…

StartWire Mobile is now live!

A lot of you are on the go and relying on your mobile phones to keep you updated – on everything from family and friends, to the news. Wouldn’t it be better if you could search for, apply to and check status updates on your jobs on the go too? We thought so. StartWire Mobile, our new mobile optimized site, streamlines everything that’s great about StartWire on your computer, and puts it in the palm of your hand.

And hey, did we mention, you can now apply to jobs from your mobile device?

Just upload your resume to your StartWire account to activate this feature. Then using our ExpressApply feature (already available on your desktop or laptop), you’ll be able to view and apply to jobs that you qualify for with a few clicks of your thumb. It’s that easy.

Get moving with StartWire Mobile at m.startwire.com!

We can’t wait to hear what you think of our mobile addition! Try it out and let us know what you think.

The StartWire team spends all day answering questions from our users via Twitter, Facebook, our blog and the many emails we receive. We’ve decided to share our advice with everyone, by posting some of our replies here on the blog! Here’s a question from Frederick, sent to us via Facebook message:

I just moved to Denver with my family. I’m finding it hard to find just the right job for me.

Moving to a new city can make job search difficult. Your career network is likely in your old city, and if that city is far away, you may find yourself feeling a bit lost.

The best way to find job openings and get hired (because that’s the important part!) is through a network. So one of the most important things to do in a new city is to meet new people, and work on developing a new network. This isn’t just good for your job search; it’s a great way to get settled into a new place!

How can you do this? 

Reach out to anyone you already know who may have connections in the area and let them know about your arrival. Send a short, professional email to people that you know well enough to recommend you. Let them know you’re moving (or have moved) to their city and are looking to get settled and find work.

Don’t know anyone in the area? Consider joining a job club. These are a great resource for finding out about job openings, and other career training opportunities. There are even niche ones for people working in specific industries. Search for what’s available in your area and get out there! You can find a list of job clubs across the U.S. here: http://www.job-hunt.org/job-search-networking/job-search-networking.shtml.

While you’re building your network, focus on applying to recently posted jobs, which you meet about 70% of the criteria for. Persistence is an important trait in a difficult job search. Don’t give up, just keep finding openings, applying and building your network. Hard work pays off!

A lot of the posts we write here at the StartWire blog are inspired by conversations we have with real job seekers and StartWire users. I wrote this post after speaking with a job seeker who was having trouble getting back on their feet after getting out of jail.

Turning your life around after being convicted of a felony can be difficult. There are some types of jobs that will simply not accept convicted felons. If you have been working in a field that does not accept felons for employment, it is likely that you will have to undergo a career change. For example, many health care positions have strict policies against accepting convicted felons.

However, it IS possible to find work as a convicted felon. So do not give up hope! Finding work is an important part of your future, so keep at it, keep your head up and eventually you will be on your feet.

1. Look for work at small companies.

Large, nationwide corporations often have a web of hiring rules and restrictions. Even if an individual at the company likes you, they may not be able to hire you because of your background. Small companies have more flexibility to make decisions on a case-by-case basis and you are more likely to get a chance to explain yourself and overcome the conviction.

 2. Keep your conviction off of your resume.

You absolutely should be honest about convictions. Employers will find out about your past soon enough. However, your resume is a place to sell your best qualities, not reveal past mistakes. Most applications will require you to state whether or not you’ve been convicted of a felony. If you aren’t asked, it’s best to be upfront early on before a background check is done.

 3. Start at the bottom and work your way up.

When you are fresh out of jail or off of probation, it is important to rebuild your credibility. This may mean taking any work you can find, and proving yourself to be an honest and hard worker. The work is often minimum wage in manufacturing or fast food. By proving yourself here, you will have opportunities to rebuild work experience and gain the trust of potential employers.

 4. Use all the resources available to you.

There’s no way around it. Getting back into the workforce as a convicted felon is challenging. There are resources in place throughout many communities that are designed to help. Contact your parole officer; seek out human services organizations near you that offer support for convicted felons. These people may be able to point you toward employers willing to hire convicted felons, career training resources or other opportunities.

Most of all, do not give up. Persistence is the key to finding work in a difficult job search. Once you find that first job, no matter what it is, you will be able to start rebuilding your skills and employers trust in you.