10 Tips for a Successful Job Search
by: Cathy Severson, MS
Create a support system for yourself emotionally and for your job search. Identify allies that you can count on. Know some will have strengths in one area, but weaknesses in another. Recognize different people will play different roles in your job search.
Maintain a positive attitude. Inevitably, negative feelings can sabotage your job search. If you have anger about your former employer, work through it. Negative emotions will undermine your best efforts. Keep yourself renewed and enthusiastic throughout the process.
Network. The number one way of getting a job is through networking. Even if you are involved in the computer industry, less than 10% of jobs are obtained through the Internet. Devote energy to making real, valuable connections with people.
Develop a schedule and goals. Getting a job is of course the ultimate goal, but it is impossible to predict when you will achieve it. Develop daily and weekly schedules of job search activities you can control. For example, send out 10 resumes, research 5 companies and call 10 people in your network. This will keep you on track, and focused.
Know what you want. People need to work for money and benefits. But remember other components are necessary for you to feel satisfied in the workplace. Know what motivates and satisfies you. Know which environment you're most productive in. Know what you can compromise on and what you won't.
Always have a "Plan B". The best time to accelerate your job search is when you've just had the greatest interview of your life. You're feeling confident, enthusiastic and competent. This is the time to expand your networking, follow-up on contacts and schedule new interviews. Remember, even the most promising prospect can backfire.
Take care of yourself physically, emotionally and spiritually. Exercise and eating right can't go wrong-they are proven to enhance quality of life. Celebrate your creativity and find ways to engage your mind, body and spirit.
Research companies before the interview. Find out about the company through your local library and Internet. Request an annual financial report and promotional information from the company. Ninety percent of the other job seekers don't do their homework, be the one that stands out.
Know what you have to offer. Identify your relevant skills and accomplishments. Know the unique contributions you offered former employers. Be able to articulate your strengths on your resume and in the interview.
Think outside the box during your job search. Look for unexpected opportunities; explore untapped skills and interests. Open yourself up to
new possibilities
About the Author
Cathy Severson, MS is a career counselor and a career coach. She helps adults find both success and fulfillment in their work by incorporating a simple three-step strategy. Contact her at cathy[at]passporttopuprose[dot]com and visit her website at www.passporttopurpose.com
7 Effective Tips For Get a New Job FAST
by: Damian Papworth
In the last four articles in this series, we covered the four basic steps to finding employment. Defining,prospecting, applying and interviewing. In this final article, we giving you 7 quality tips which will help you cut valuable time off each step and therefore the
entire job hunt process.
1. Don't wait till you start looking for a job, before you start looking.
Be up to date with your industry and the conditions of your employment environment all the time. Make this part of your job description in every job you hold.It could save you weeks when it comes time to find a job.
2. Keep your resume up to date
Find a template or layout that you are comfortable with and maintain it. Update it twice a year at least. It will save you the mad scramble to put it together and possibly a lost opportunity because you were unprepared.
3. Network Network Network.
Keep in touch with all your contacts in the industry. This includes workmates, employers, contacts at employment agencies, contacts in similar companies etc. You never know what other people will be doing tomorrow, or what opportunities they may have for you.
4. Accept interviews even if you are not interested in the opportunity, or not looking for a job.
Interviewing is a very specific skill. Keep that skill honed.Keep practising the skill. You don't want to lose "perfect" opportunies because it is your first interview in 5 years and you need to get your answers back up to scratch. Remember you do not have to accept the job.
5. Keep a diary of your experiences.
Note what you did well with each job opportunity. What worked,what didn't, improvements you could make, elements you can get rid of. Then, when you next go through an employment opportunity situation, revisit your notes, duplicate the good things and improve the bad things. Recognise the process as having a learning curve, and learn.
6. If you do not have a job and need one, make job hunting your full time job.
Get out of bed at the same time you would if you were working in your given field. This will put your time clock in sync with your interviewers. Spend the same hours working on your job hunt as you would in the job. Be disciplined.
7. Keep focused
Know what you are looking for and have a clear plan for achieving your goal. Do not accept roles that are different to your goals at the start of your job hunt. This could cost you years in your career.
This is the final part of a 5 part special report on reducing the time it takes to get a job. Its not fun running around trying to win that job, this report is full of tips and tricks which will help you reduce your job hunt time to a minimum.
The rest of this report is delivered in incremental articles which you can get by subscribing for the FREE newsletter at
http://www.employedforever.com The entire series of articles will be sent automatically to you email address. Other topics covered include: Prospecting for Job Leads; The Job Application and The Interview Process. So to get your copy of this,entire report, by signing up for this free newsletter at
http://www.employedforever.com or by sending a blank email to mailto:employedforever[at]pushbuttonresponder[dot]com
Till then, good luck with your hunt
Damian
Finally, a dedicated and systematic approach to ensuring you're earning an income forever. Find out how, in four logical steps, you will never have money problems again.
http://www.EmployedForever.com
About the Author
Damian Papworth has been a Senior Manager in one of the Fortune 500 to close on a decade. In that time he has employed countless new people to work for him. He knows what employers look for
Job Tips For The Frustrated Job Seeker
by: Tom Smith
There is nothing more frustrating and depressing when you are out of work and trying to find a job and your job search is going no where. Don't feel bad, you are not alone and there is a good reason why searching for a new job can be so difficult. There is no doubt the job market has changed. 30 years ago when I applied for my first job I remember answering an ad in the paper, calling and speaking to a real person, going in for the interview, filling out a application, had the interview and was offered the $3.75 and hour shipping job. Things are not that simple today. Back then there was no voice mail, no email, you mailed in a typed resume, who had a fax at home? You called and talked to a real person. You may of filled out a application but not the dozen forms you need to today. And you never had to prove you were legally allowed to work in the United States.
Today if you are looking for a job how to you stand out in the impersonal hiring environment that exists in most companies. If you apply online you are competing against dozens if not hundreds of others. Competition is stiff for a most jobs and a human may never even see your resume. Are there steps you can follow that will improve your chances? After being unemployed for several months after 3 years of self employment and becoming more depressed and frustrated in not finding a job, I took my job search to a new level which finally paid off in a new job.
I had been self employed for 3 years but after a divorce and starting life over, my self employment was no longer working. I had to bite the bullet and start looking for a job. The first mistake I realized was my resume was not working. I had updated it to reflect my self employment which was not related to my previous career. I was trying to find a position similar to my previous career in the graphics and computer support industry. By starting my work history with my self employment it made it look like I had been out of the industry even longer and my skills even more outdated. I was just shooting myself in the foot. I changed my self employment to reflect my computer skills so while I had been out of the industry for awhile I wasn't out of touch. Some employers have doubts about people who have been self employed. They think they are going to go back to their own business or worse they only want a job so they can use company resources for their own gain. In my case I was able to explain that I had an opportunity to work at home and spend time with my preschool son, it had been for family reasons. Most employers respect that.
To begin with you really need to take a hard look at your resume. If you have always worked in one area and are applying for a position similar to those you have had in the past then your resume may just need some updating and polish. There are a number of good books and websites on resume writing. If you really need help then a resume service may be money well spent.
How many resumes do you have? There is no reason you can't have several. I was applying for a variety of unrelated positions. I would of looked "over qualified" or my experience would of been too unrelated for the position if I stuck with just one standard resume. I created a "general" resume that listed a variety of skills that could fit any number of non specific jobs. You can have one that is very specific for the industry you are applying for and there is no reason you can't change it to a specific company especially if it will be scanned in and checked for "keywords" Some companies scan for keywords or buzzwords related to the position, their company or industry. Even if you are the most qualified person for that position, if your resume doesn't have those keywords, it will never get seen.
In addition to having a few different resumes you should have it in several different formats also. If you need to mail it in then a nice easy to read printed resume is in order. Same if you will be faxing it in. If you email your resume then your cover letter will be the body of your email and your resume will be attached. Most employers request it be in a word .doc format or text but you can also use a pdf format. If you have your own website why not post it online with a link in your email. That way if your attachment can't be read they can print it off the internet. For example the link could be http://www.yourwebsite.com/yourresume.html. You should also have a unformatted text only resume for uploading to online job sites.
Be sure to include several ways to contact you. Home phone, cell phone, email. I had the unfortunate luck of having my cell phone and my home phone cut off for non payment within a few days of each other. As luck would have it someone I sent a resume to tried to contact me and couldn't get through. They did send me a email saying they couldn't reach me. I was able to call them and get a interview. Don't leave anything to chance. And if they leave you a message get back to them ASAP while your resume is still on their desk. When you get a interview, be on time, be prepared, do your research about the company you are interviewing with. You can usually find most everything you need off their company website. Come prepared with extra resumes, helpful if you have to fill out a application. Also have copies of your updated references. It is best to have more than 3. Some companies want professional references including past employers, others want personal references of persons not related to you. Be prepared for both.
Where to find a job? Dig! And keep digging! You may never know where one will show up. In some ways the internet has made job searches easier with a variety of job sites to search. You should probably set up accounts at the large sites like hotjobs and monster which will allow you to post your resume and apply directly to postings Also take a look at sites like indeed.com. They are a search engine of sorts for jobs. They search several jobs sites at once. Saves time from going to each site. Post your resume so employers can find you. ASK! Don't be afraid to let everyone you know that you are looking for a job. Drop a email to anyone who might know someone who might have a job opening. You might be surprised how many people really do want to help you. Network your pants off! If you don't ask no one can help you. Search everyday. Try and send out at least one resume a day if not more. Pick up the early edition of the Sunday paper. Send out 5-10 at a time. And keep sending them even after you have interviews set up. You can easily fall behind two or three weeks if you stop sending resumes in hopes of that job offer coming through. Nothing better than telling someone, "I'm sorry I accepted another position" Apply for every job you are remotely interested in even if you don't think you are qualified. Every job listed always has a laundry list of qualifications and requirements. In a perfect world they would find the perfect person that would match every requirement. But employers know that person doesn't exist and they are looking for someone who closely matches and they feel will be a good fit. At the worst you will never hear from them. At the best they will offer you a job or maybe something different within their company. You can always turn it down. Even if it turns out to be something you really don't want to do, it might help you get by for awhile until a better position comes along. Never be afraid to apply to any job!
Most of all don't give up hope, the right job will happen at the right time. Remember to take care of yourself. Go for a walk, get plenty of rest, do something you enjoy just for yourself. As long as you keep moving in a forward direction, if someone asks you what you have been doing to find a job you can proudly say "this is what I have been doing" Persistence will pay off. Good luck.
About the author:
Tom Smith runs http://www.workingnews.coma job, career, employment and resume site. Free career articles along with links to employment sites. Permission to reprint with credits attached. He can be reached at tjsmith[at]workingnews[dot]com copyright 2005
Cover Letters
by: Amit Pujar
Cover Letters :: Are you telling them what they want to know?
Let's face it. Recruiters (or employers) are smarter than we think. Bigger organizations pay a hefty salary to their HR department to filter out and sieve through hundreds and thousands of resumes. The idea is to build an organization with people of the right mental aptitude. Most of the top organizations believe strongly in a motto - "People are their greatest assets". Your cover letter goes a long way in capturing and retaining the attention of these people whose main job is to recruit people and coordinate with the workforce.
A well-written cover letter engages the recruiter and pushes him to spend more time reading your detailed resume. Before you start off writing your cover letter, write down what you want to convey on a paper. Read it once, twice, thrice and then set off for a good start. Pack in as much power as you can, because it is these 400 or 500 words that can make the difference.
Have these things on your mind before you start off writing:
Keep your sentences short and avoid using really long sentences because you don't want the recruiter to read it twice to understand what you're trying to convey. Got the point.? Keep your sentences s-h-o-r-t.
Keep your language simple. "I take immense pleasure in applying for this esteemed position in this esteemed organization." Hell.! Your employer knows more about his organization than you do. So you can as well cut the "false" praise. Maybe a subtle mention can do wonders. "I look forward to work with JK Industries".
Organize the content of your cover letter into small paragraphs or bulleted points, not exceeding three paragraphs. Typically each paragraph can contain 3 or 4 sentences.
Do NOT use slang or spoken words like "Lookin' fo a kewl break into yo IT world".
Make sure your cover letter (and resume) is free from spelling or grammatical errors.
And most important: Deliver what the employer is looking for.
So, what should you put in your cover letter?
Ask yourself two questions. One, why should the employer choose you over others? And two, what can you give to the company that others cant? Skills, yes. Proven experience, better.
A good way to start writing is with the correct greeting phrase. If you know the name of the person you are addressing then you can start with 'Dear Ms. Stevenson' or 'Dear Mr. Washington'. Do not use their first names. A bad greeting would be 'Hi Jane' or 'Hello George'.
The first paragraph is to contain a reference. If this is a response to an advertisement or a vacancy listing, this is where you refer to get their attention. Alternatively you can put in a separate line mentioning your reference. (Ref: Your advertisement on Jobsite.com - Ref # 12345).
If you're mentioning your reference in the first paragraph, you can continue on to include why you applied for that position. A good way of connecting the reference to your application is "my skills and your requirement are a good match." Put that in your own words.
In the next paragraph, you justify your statement about why you think that your skills and the skills required for the position are a good match. Make a single line reference to a particular achievement in your current (or previous) job that is along similar lines so that the employer will know exactly what he's looking for. A good example would be "Set up a fully operational network of franchisees in Southern France for retailing ABC Coffee".
Avoid mentioning skills you don't have or projects you have never worked on. Because sooner or later, you're going to face it; when the interviewer looks into your cover letter (or resume) and says "OK, Mr. Stephens, can you give me an instance of how you can use XML to port data from a backend system into a Middleware application"? And that's when you mind starts racing, "XML?? Middleware?? Port..?? Is that my resume he's got..???". God bless you if it's not your resume.
If there are more achievements you want to include, write them down in bulleted points. It's easier for the employer to read, comprehend and get a good picture of your capabilities. Do not reproduce your entire resume here. 2 or 3 such points will do perfectly fine. Of course, do not include irrelevant achievements like "Won a Silver Medal in 200 x 4 Men's Relay Race conducted by Louisville Young Adults Club in 1991". Not unless you're applying for the post of a Physical Trainer or Coach.
You have made your point here. You know why you're applying. And recruiters like that. You know your responsibilities, the risks involved and the tasks you'll be handling. You're just the person they're looking for. At least, you're one of the persons they'd like to talk to before handing over the employment contract.
An ending note can make quite an impression. Tell them your resume is attached and that you're "looking forward to explore this opportunity further". Include an address and telephone number for them to contact you.
Sign off with a "Yours Truly" or "Best Regards" and put your complete name under it.
Get into form and write out your winning cover letter.
About The Author
Amit Pujar is a copywriter/technical writer currently heading the content department of an online publication. Amit writes on a variety of subjects and is currently working on his first non-fiction. He can be reached at pujar[at]yahoo[dot]com
7 Secrets of a Highly-Effective Resume Cover Letter
by: Jimmy Sweeney
Just like the late, great Rodney Dangerfield, the "humble" cover letter gets no respect.
Job-seekers spend so much time and energy on their resumes they've got nothing left to offer their poor, neglected cover letters.
Big, BIG mistake!
It is the well-written cover letter not the resume that can single-handedly land you more job interviews. The cover letter is your one chance to really "market" yourself to an employer using proven marketing strategies rarely found in the typical cover letter.
Conversely, there's only so much you can do with the traditional CV or resume. I believe the carefully crafted cover letter is more important to your job search success than any other written document, including the resume.
As a direct marketing professional for over 20 years, I bring to you my 7 secrets of a highly-effective resume cover letter:
ADDRESS your cover letter to a specific person. Do your best to find out "To Whom" you should address your cover letter. "Dear Manager" is lifeless.
OPEN with an attention-grabbing first sentence to really grip the reader. This will almost guarantee your cover letter and resume get a closer look.
REMEMBER less is more. The best cover letters have plenty of white space. Cover letters that are clear, focused, short and sweet land more job interviews period.
FOCUS on what you can do for the employer. How can you benefit the company specifically? Do a little research and relate this simply and clearly in your letter.
CHOOSE WORDS that show enthusiasm and passion for the position you seek... (big, big secret!) Then, carry this passion into the interview with you.
REQUEST ONE ACTION you want the employer to take: "I would really like the opportunity for a personal interview this week." (You never know until you ASK.)
END your cover letter with something enthusiastic and telling like, "I look forward to being interviewed at your earliest convenience. Thank you so much for this opportunity." Sincerely, Jane Jobseeker. (Notice how Jane assumes she'll land the interview? This is clever, smart, and it works like a charm).
Think of your cover letter as a sales letter. The only purpose of your resume cover letter is to land you more job interviews. That's the bottom line. By using the proven marketing strategies I've outlined above you will land more quality job interviews than your competition.
You must find a way to get your "foot in the company door" to have any chance of landing the job. With the right cover letter you can blow the doors of opportunity wide open. And remember, more job interviews translate to (drum roll please)... more job offers.
Finally, the most important advice I can offer you is this: FOLLOW-UP every job lead, contact, and communication. Following up is the "golden key" to getting hired for the job of your dreams. Use follow-up cover letters, thank you letters, even follow-up phone calls. Following-up can literally double your chance for success. It is also the one secret ingredient missing from 99% of every job-seeker's playbook.
Good news for you!
About The Author
Jimmy Sweeney is the president of CareerJimmy and author of the new, "Amazing Cover Letter Creator." Jimmy has written several career-related books and his unique, "think-outside-the-job-search-box" approach, make his articles a job-seeker favorite. Jimmy is regularly published on some of the Internet’s largest career web sites. Who else wants their phone ringing off the hook with more quality job interviews? Visit Jimmy on the web right now at http://www.Amazing-Cover-Letters.com for your 'instant' cover letter today.
20 Ways to Advance Your Career
by: Cecile Peterkin
To survive and thrive in today's competitive environment, it is not just what you know. You also need to be competent. You must stand out from the crowd - be memorable, impressive, credible, trusted and liked.
"Success is never a destination - it is a journey."
- Maya Sullivan
1. Exceed expectations; deliver results on a or head of time.
2. Manage your time effectively.
3. Create a career plan with goals and training requirements.
4. Move away from day-to-day operations.
5. Develop strong rapport with colleagues, senior managers/executives.
6. Get a mentor, accept guidance in your career.
7. Know your organization's goals vision, values, business strategies.
8. Create opportunites to further own/business goals.
9. Solicit feedback and assess the decision for purposes of continuous improvement.
10. Communicate effectively to people at all levels of your organization.
11. Build and maintain relationships with individuals who might impact your work.
12. Plan, prioritize and organize your work.
13. Manage own emotions and reactions.
14. Balance the demands of your personal and professional life.
15. Give yourself quarterly reviews, identify your accomplishments.
16. Become your own sales team, market your abilities.
17. Dedicate yourself to lifelong learning.
18. Be decisive and action oriented.
19. Commit to excellence and professionalism.
20. Be self-disciplined.
Cecile Peterkin is a trained Career/Life Coach and speaker whose work centers primarily on middle managers and their various challenges. She also works with individuals who are ready to move forward, take action, achieve goals and experience overall life improvement, both in personal and in career.
Cosmic Coaching Centre
www.cosmiccoachingcentre.com
416-486-5000
cecile[at]cosmiccoachingcentre[dot]com
A Cover Letter Tip Guaranteed To Land You More Job Interview
by: Jimmy Sweeney
Searching for a new job?
I am about to reveal one of the most powerful cover letter tips you'll ever discover. This little-known secret can dramatically increase your job interview requests all by itself.
Here's a 'not-so-subtle' hint for you:
P.S. -- This tip works like a charm and commands the attention of every reader!
Did you catch that hint? It's true, by adding a simple P.S. -- or Post Script -- after your signature, at the bottom of your cover letter you can literally grab the undivided attention of any person reading it. And, if your P.S. is a brief, direct and clearly-worded request for the opportunity to be interviewed, you will land more job interviews than the vast majority of your competition.
Why does the P.S. work so perfectly with a cover letter?
Advertisers and marketers have been using the P.S. to sell various widgets successfully for decades. In fact, it is one of the most powerful sales strategies of all time. The general public has literally been 'trained' by these highly-skilled marketers to read any P.S. they see at the end of a letter. Many times consumers shoot straight to the end of the letter to read the P.S. first! I'll bet you've done this yourself on more than one occasion.
Use the P.S. to clearly and directly ASK for the job interview providing your contact number as well.
This is a fresh way to appeal to employers and can tip the balance in your favor towards landing the all-important job interview. The P.S. lets a busy Hiring Manager cut right to the chase by reading this one special sentence. A job-seeker who uses a P.S. in his or her cover letter is utilizing one of the strongest marketing strategies known to man.
This cover letter tip can be the difference-maker in your job search. Remember, it all starts with getting your foot in the company door and a well crafted P.S. will get noticed and read above all other sentences. So make sure yours packs an interview-landing punch!
P.S. -- Your job search is all about results. Try this one cool, cover letter strategy for yourself and see how many job interviews you land!
About The Author
Jimmy Sweeney is the president of CareerJimmy and author of the new, "Amazing Cover Letter Creator." Jimmy has written several career-related books and his unique articles are always a job-seeker favorite. Who else wants their phone ringing off the hook with more quality job interviews? Visit Jimmy on the web right now at http://www.Amazing-Cover-Letters.com for your 'instant' cover letter today.
Is Your Resume On Target?
by: Linda Matias
When writing a resume, create a mental picture of a desk piled high with dozens or even hundreds of resumes next to each other. These resumes were submitted by people who want the job you are applying for and are just as qualified as you. Keeping this image forefront is critical to your success in creating compelling “ad copy.” It will force you to focus on creating a strong title and a targeted opening which tells the employer to consider your qualifications with care.
Each reader who picks up your resume will make a quick decision as to whether to read it carefully — therefore, the top one-third of your resume should include a powerful statement that sums who you are and encapsulates your professional experience.
These are the questions a hiring manager wants answered:
• The field you are in -- even more specifically, what department you want to work in and the title you would like to have.
• How much experience you have in a similar position or in the field?
• What special skills and/or certifications you have?
• The difficult problems you have solved and what you have accomplished.
• The advances you have made throughout your career.
• The type of person you are and your work characteristics.
A profile statement is an overview, a brief summary of your accomplishments. It should be 1-2 paragraphs long with of 3-4 sentences, or perhaps a series of bulleted points.
Here’s an example of a tightly written, short summary statement
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER
Accomplished marketing and business development executive with perennial record of success driving marketing strategies and capitalizing on opportunities that have led to multimillion-dollar growth.
Able to deliver results that position organizations for immediate and long-term growth. Expert presenter, astute marketer, and confident team leader with documented strength in forging strong, sustainable executive-level relationships. Skillful change agent with advanced problem solving and communication skills. Understands both macro picture of market issues and minute details necessary for successful business solutions. Goal-driven.
Below is an example of series bulleted statements
? Accomplished manager with 20+ years of experience as Environmental, Health & Safety specialist for industry-leading organizations. Maintain highest quality standards to avoid time and cost expenditures.
? Quality and safety specialist with the ability to analyze operations, pinpoint areas for improvement and redesign, and implement plans that generate profitable results.
? Excellent relationship builder with success in forming strong, sustainable relationships and securing consensus among cross-functional team members for key initiatives.
To wrap up
The most qualified candidate is not always the one to get an interview – the one with the strongest resume is. Your profile sets the tone for the rest of the resume, and serves as a tease that invites the reader to take notice. A resume is more than just a piece of paper, and as a job seeker it is your responsibility to make it easy for the reader to conclude that you are the best candidate for an interview. A targeted opening will capture the interest of the reader.
Certified in all three areas of the job search – Certified Interview Coach ™ (CIC) Job & Career Transition Coach (JCTC) and Nationally Certified Resume Writer (NCRW) – Linda is qualified to assist you in your career transition. Whether it be a complete career makeover, interview preparation or resume assistance. Linda is the president of CareerStrides and can be reached via email (linda[at]careerstrides[dot]com) or by visiting her website (www.careerstrides.com).
Copyright Linda Matias - http://www.careerstrides.com