Number of Workers Living Paycheck-to-Paycheck Decreases to Pre-Recession Levels

As the U.S. keeps a close eye on the stock market; CareerBuilder’s survey shows the financial situation for some households is improving. Forty-two percent of workers say they usually or always live paycheck to paycheck, an improvement from 43 percent in 2010 and in line with levels seen back in 2007.

The number of workers who have missed a bill payment has decreased year-over-year; one-in-five (20 percent) say they have missed payments on bills in the last year, slightly improved from 22 percent at this time last year. This is according to a new nationwide survey of more than 5,200 workers by CareerBuilder that was conducted from May 18 to June 3, 2011.

Workers making six figures are seeing improvements as well. Fourteen percent of workers making six figures say they live paycheck to paycheck, down from 17 percent in 2010. Less than one-in-ten (6 percent) reported they can’t make ends meet every month, an improvement from 8 percent last year.

Female workers continue to struggle more with their personal finances than their male counterparts. Forty-six percent of female workers and 38 percent of male workers say they live paycheck to paycheck. Nearly one quarter (24 percent) of female workers say they have missed a bill payment over the last 12 months, higher than male workers at 17 percent.

“A better employment picture in the U.S. has brought more steady incomes into households and workers are paying much closer attention to spending decisions and savings,” said Rosemary Haefner, Vice President of Human Resources at CareerBuilder. “The majority of U.S. workers (72 percent) reported they are more fiscally responsible since the recession and have made a variety of changes to their living and spending habits.”

While being fiscally responsible may mean having to do without, workers said they would absolutely not give up the following regardless of their financial concerns:

· Internet connection – 56 percent

· Driving – 46 percent

· Mobile phone – 42 percent

· Cable TV – 27 percent

· Going out to eat – 11 percent

Some workers are making ends meet by dipping into their long-term savings. More than one-in-five (21 percent) workers say they have reduced their 401(k) contributions and/or personal savings in the last year to get by. Others aren’t contributing to long-term savings at all, as one-third (34 percent) state that they do not participate in any programs such as 401(k), IRAs or retirement plans. Nearly two-in-ten workers making six figures have reduced their contributions to savings and 401(k) programs each month (17%) and 9 percent don’t participate in a 401(k) program or other personal savings plan.

Haefner offers the following tips for riding out the economic downturn and preparing for the future:

Look at your expenses under a microscope – Takeout coffee, restaurant lunches and other common everyday expenses can make a dent in your checking account. Create a spreadsheet to analyze what you spend each month, and once you can see where your money goes, you can more easily see where you can cut back.

Put an amount away, even if it is small – Regardless of the amount, set aside money each month for your short and long-term savings. If you have trouble remembering or fitting savings into your budget, try setting up an automatic deposit into a savings account.

Savings may be right under your nose – Talk to your HR department about how you can make the most of the benefits at your organization. Find out if your company offers discounts to stores or for other services, and ask about how you can make sure you’ve selected the right benefits plans for your budget.

LinkedIn Tips: 5 Reasons Why Branding Your LinkedIn Profile Is Critical To Your Executive Job Search

There aren’t too many employers that at some point don’t search LinkedIn to see if an executive job candidate has a profile.  This is because LinkedIn provides such an amazing window into a person’s professional life—more so than even a resume.

It’s a given that most employers will look for your LinkedIn page at some point, which means you not only should acquire a profile but begin branding it immediately.  If you’re not convinced, here are some reasons to acquire and brand a LinkedIn page.

1. Executive Recruiters and Employers Can Easily Find You

By developing a strong LinkedIn profile that touts your accolades and brands you as an executive, you are likely to attract recruiters and employers who are looking for your talents and wisdom to contribute to their businesses.  Just don’t forget to label yourself as an executive so seekers will be sure they’ve found the right match.

2. You Can Attract Networking Possibilities

Many industry professionals are on the hunt for people with which they can build their networks.  Of course, networking opportunities equal job opportunities.  So take this opportunity to label yourself as a knowledgeable executive in your field by linking out to your industry blog, Twitter account, and any other associations (memberships, etc.) you can mention.

3. Your Credibility Strengthens

As mentioned previously, employers and recruiters are visiting LinkedIn in hopes of finding out more about potential candidates.  If you don’t have a LinkedIn profile, your credibility could diminish in the eyes of some employers.  The same goes for having a weakly branded profile.  If you have a profile but don’t show that you are ingrained in the industry and know your stuff, you may as well not have a page at all.

4. Differentiation is Easier

A major goal as an executive job seeker is differentiating yourself from your competition.  With a LinkedIn page, you have the opportunity to strengthen your brand by listing your logo, blogs, and more.  Also, you can showcase your notable recommendations that your competition won’t have.

5. You Can Showcase Your Industry Wisdom

A great way to brand your LinkedIn Profile is by using your status updates to discuss bits and pieces of your industry.  Whether you’re talking about what’s going on in the news or sharing a new publication you’ve been quoted in, this is your chance to update others on your field and career while strengthening your brand.

There are many other reasons to get on LinkedIn and brand your profile.  The more seriously you take the benefits of this site, the better your chances will be of getting noticed while conducting your executive job search.

 

Author: Jessica Hernandez, expert resume writer, is a nationally-recognized resume authority and former HR Manager who has achieved over a 99% success rate securing interviews with prestigious organizations through exclusive, personal branding strategies.

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.

Untethered Job Search

Networking:

• The Importance of Networking in Your Job Search -You know what they say (it’s who you know not what you know). This article, published by ContempoResume, provides a good overview of how to leverage both your network and your networking skills. From how to prepare (yes, there is preparation in networking) to building your relationships. This article is worth a read. While you are there, take a look at related articles.

• Build Your Job Search Network – Who better to help you with networking than Monster.com? This article covers many of the important aspects of networking. From how to make your pitch to keeping track, there is some interesting advice. Best of all, the article provides a list to get you started (like, have you leveraged your alumni association).

• 37 Ideas to Grow Your Job Search Network Right Now – Not much of a network if it is too small. This article, from JobMob, provides lots of great ideas to help you grow your network. From preparing an elevator speech to following industry blogs, there are some ideas for you. In addition to all of the ideas, there are embedded related links throughout the article. Not enough? Take a look at the related articles at the bottom of the page.

Promote Yourself:

• Why Self-Promotion is the Key to Success – You “need to be in it to win it” (borrowed from the Lottery guys). This article will give you some ideas on how to promote yourself. The more people who know you are available the better the chances. What first looks to be a short article is spread over several pages, so don’t forget to click Next Page. Some additional related content is available on the left hand side of the page.

• Promoting Yourself on LinkedIn – Posted on The Wall Street Journal’s site, some advise on leveraging old standby (and now public) LinkedIn. Some good advice, like my all time favorite – update your profile often to another one of my favorites – get the word out. Some interesting advice for building your network. Lots of great related resources on the site, don’t forget to take a look.

Good luck in your search.

By: CareerAlley

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.

Stay Connected Once Your Internship is Done

Has your internship been a success? If you enjoyed your experience and want to find a more permanent position with that employer, then tell him or her. Even though your internship may be over, your job search is not. That’s why it is important to stay connected to the company after your internship so that when job opportunities come up, you are fresh in mind.

Employers don’t mind hiring their interns. According to one article, in 2010 almost 45% of job offers reported to the National Association of Colleges and Employers were given to those with internships. This shows why job seekers should strongly consider these opportunities.

So, how do you stay connected after your internship? Here are some tips:

Know how the organization hires- Is hiring done based on recruiting or once there is a new vacancy? This information will help you understand when job opportunities are available.

Continue to network- Find out the best way to communicate with your employer to stay informed on the latest news.

Volunteer- If there are no job opportunities available at the moment, offer your services to the company when extra help is needed.

While your internship may have been a success, it will only take you so far in your job search. Tell your employer about your interest in remaining with the company. Even if no opportunities exist now, staying connected to it will position you as a good candidate later.

Source
http://www.thecareernews.com/newsletter.php?news=2532

 

Guest Author: William Frierson is a staff writer for CollegeRecruiter.com.
Website: http://www.collegerecruiter.com/

Who’s Hiring in Retail Vol 3

There is only one boss. The customer. And he can fire everybody in the company from the chairman on down, simply by spending his money somewhere else-Sam Walton. 
Shoppers, start your engines! Well into the Holiday shopping season, and what better time to revisit Retail than now? Most of us think of the Mall or local department store when we hear the word retail, but for those of you who are in the industry you know it is much broader than that. Sales, distribution, buyers, personal shoppers (yes, you heard me correctly), retail operations and so much more.

Today’s post covers the entire spectrum.

 iHireRetail - Focused on retail jobs, the main page has featured jobs center page with job seeker sign-in on the left hand side of the page.

 AllRetailJobs - Another good retail jobs search site. Center page are featured companies (and lots of them). Click any one of them and to bring up their related page. Top of the site (when I checked) indicated that there were over 63,000 retail job opportunities. There are links on the left hand side of the page for registering and several different search boxes are at the top of the page. 

Retailgigs.com  - “Your one stop career shop” is the tag line for this site. There are over 74,000 job opportunities according to their website. Left hand side of the page has a search box (keywords and location). There is an advanced job search button below this along with job directory and jobs by category. You can join, logon, post your resume and take a look at their career resources. 

WorkInRetail - Top of the page has tabs for Search Jobs, Saved Searches, and recommended jobs. Search box is on the left hand side with a few featured companies directly below followed by browse categories. Right hand side of the page has detail on recommended jobs and there are more featured companies that are based on where you live (neat!). 

AOL – Jobs Retail -  AOL job search filtered for Retail jobs. Top of the page has Find a Job, Resume Center, Interview and Salaries and more with a simple search box at the top. Below this, center page, is the listing of retail jobs. Left hand side of the page are searches by all different categories. Don’t forget to look at the right hand side of the page where you will find a number of job search related tools. 

Good luck in your search. 

 

By CareerAlley

 Article courtesy of the RecruitingBlogswap.com , a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities. 

4 Ways to Create an Interview-Winning Cover Letter

When in the center of a job search, writing an excellent resume is just the beginning. It’s just as important to create a cover letter that will invite hiring managers to contact you for an interview. In this competitive job market, your cover letter needs to be more impressive than ever. So if you’re in the process of writing yours, here are four tips to help you win that interview:

Always Address a Specific Person

Your cover letter should always be as personal as possible, and this is made easier by addressing the person who is in the position to hire you. If that person’s name wasn’t listed in the job posting, take time to contact human resources to find out who it is. You’ll be happy you did!

Start With an Interesting Fact or Solve a Problem

Your introduction is undoubtedly the most important portion of the cover letter. It dictates whether the manager will be interested in reading the rest of your document. A great way to introduce yourself in your letter is to market yourself with a statement that addresses a problem that you are ready to solve. You could also share an interesting fact about yourself to entice the manager to read on.

Demonstrate That You and Your Industry Are a Perfect Match

As you move through your cover letter, it’s important to show that you know your industry. For instance, if you are in the biotechnology field, consider adding specific keywords like laboratory data, protocols, or even cGMP studies if they fit.

Doing this, along with giving examples of how you can help further the industry as a whole with your wealth of experience and knowledge, is crucial. But ultimately, your job is to show that you understand what the company is looking for in a candidate—and that you are the person it needs to get the job done.

Reference Exclusive Strengths or Unique Value Added Contributions

Before you close out your cover letter, it’s important to reiterate your strengths and emphasize that you’re the absolute perfect person for the job. You could add information about any specialties you have in your industry or mention recognition you’ve received.

The idea of the cover letter is to stress just how strong a candidate you are for the position you desire. If you can get this job done, you’re likely to score the interview that leads to the job of your dreams.

For more great tips on resume and cover letter writing follow us on Twitter @GreatResume.

Author Byline: An exceptional resume authority, Jessica Hernandez and her team of credentialed writers partner with professional- and executive-level candidates to open doors to jobs at prestigious corporations, achieving over a 99% interview-winning success rate.
Author Website: http://www.greatresumesfast.com

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.

5 Ways to Avoid the Red-Flag Resume

Every job-application pool usually has at least a couple of candidates swimming in it who raise red flags for hiring managers. The resumes may show signs of unprofessionalism or are flat out irritating to read.

You can bet your bottom dollar that even if your red-flag resume makes it through the computer screening process and into the hands of a hiring manager, it won’t take you much further. For this reason, you want to do everything you can — right from the start — to avoid producing this type of resume by doing the following:

1. Don’t Overlook the Job Posting

Hiring managers create job postings for a reason — to let candidates know what it takes to qualify for a job. So say, for instance, you are a part of the hospitality industry and are applying for a job as a hotel manager. The qualifications include preparing budgets and forecasts, managing financial activities, recruiting qualified applicants, and overseeing the grounds.

If you make no mention in your resume of having these qualifications, the hiring manager will see the red flags and have no choice but to reconsider you as an option.

2. Don’t Forget to Account for Gaps in History

Suppose you haven’t worked a professional job in five years — with good reason, of course; you were at home raising your family. If you make no mention of this gap in time, the red flags are likely to go up, and managers will wonder what you were doing for five years. And if other candidates have no gaps, you may be discarded before you even have a chance to explain.

3. Don’t Tell Them What They Don’t Want to Know

Sometimes it’s fun to be lighthearted during your job search. But under some circumstances, giving too much information about your life may simply be unprofessional.

4. Don’t Leave Off the Obvious

Another major red flag for hiring managers who are looking through resumes is receiving some from candidates who leave off the obvious details — such as contact information. Even if you’ve already entered it on your application, you still want to include it in your resume.

5. Don’t Forget to Edit

If you submit a resume with typos or misspelled words, you’re asking for the red flags to go up. So before submitting your make-or-break document, be sure to edit, edit, and edit some more.

Red-flag resumes are only good for ensuring that you don’t get the job you want. If you are taking your job search seriously, be sure to work hard on your resume so that it doesn’t raise any red flags.

For additional tips and advice on resumes and cover letters, follow @GreatResume or visit our blog.

A Guest Post by Jessica Hernandez, expert resume writer, is a nationally-recognized resume authority and former HR Manager who has achieved over a 99 percent success rate securing interviews with prestigious organizations through exclusive, personal branding strategies.

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.

If the Job Fits, Wear it – College Grad Job Search

‘To succeed in life in today’€™s world, you must have the will and tenacity to finish the job.‘€ ‘€“ Chin-Ning Chu

It’€™s Graduation time again. You know, Pomp and Circumstance or ‘Pomp and no jobs perchance’€ for many. Whether Parent or lucky Grad, there is lots of anticipation for when and where that first job will materialize. For one neighbor of mine, it took their son 9 months to land a job. He was actually very lucky as he landed a job with a major insurance company doing what he was actually trained for. For others, like another friend of mine, the job may not be what they actually had in mind (he landed a job working in a liqueur store). Yes, it’€™s tough out there, but there are jobs to be had. So how hidden is the job market? Let’€™s find out.

• What is the Hidden Job Market? ‘€“ We’€™ve all heard the phrase (and for those with protracted job searches, ‘hidden’€ seems to be an understatement). This article, posted by the University of Wisconsin, provides some color to this topic. Starting with the ’80/20′€³ rule (only 20% of jobs are advertised), the article describes the hidden job market and the provides some great steps for discovering where the jobs are hidden. What to do and where to find the jobs is the main theme.

• Step-by-Step Plan for Using the Internet to Go ‘Beyond the Want Ads’€ ‘€“ More on that topic, from Jobstar.org, this article provides 6 steps for your job search with lots of embedded links to related topics. From basics like ‘focus on your selling points’€ to ‘develop a list of targeted employers’€, this article provides a great plan to get you started. While you are on the site, take a look at the links on the left hand side of the page.

• How the Hidden Job Market Works ‘€“ Okay, last article on this topic before we head off to some actual job leads. This one was posted on Jobfully.com and it focuses on (arguably) the best source of any job search ‘€“ Networking. The article provides a brief overview, followed by some sound advise (including targeted job search). Not too many embedded links, but definitely take a look at ‘break your addition to job search boards’€. That being said, there are tons of links on the right hand side of the page (including Networking).

• College Graduate Jobs ‘€“ From Simplyhired.com, this specialized search indicated that there were over 66,000 job opportunities for College Grads on this site. You can narrow your search by typing in your location at the top of the page and by using the filters on the left hand side of the page. But that is not all. There are additional links on the bottom left hand side of the screen for Job Search Tools. As with many of the job search boards, you can create your own profile.

• No Experience Necessary ‘€“ College Grad Job Search Revisited Vol 2 ‘€“ What better place to look than CareerAlley.com? This was an earlier post of mine which has lots of great information on preparing for your job search and making sure you are ready for prime time (need to talk a look for yourself on this one). And, there are additional related links at the bottom of the page.

Good luck in your search.

Author Byline: CareerAlley
Author Website: http://CareerAlley.com

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.

Tips for Branding Yourself in an Interview

Your personal brand is an essential component in helping you stand out in any aspect of your job search. Defining yourself as a professional is just as crucial in your resume and cover letter as it is in your interview.

But how can you go about branding yourself in your interview? Here are some tips that, with a little practice and a lot of confidence, could help you share your personal brand in a way that will make you unforgettable to your interviewers.

Summarize Yourself in Three Words

It’s likely that you will be asked the statement, “Tell me about yourself.” during an interview. A great way to use this opportunity to brand yourself is to say you can summarize yourself in three words—then choose words that not just describe your talents and skills but actually brand you as a professional.

Share Your Personal Philosophy

Another way to brand yourself in an interview is to share your motto or personal theme for living life. It’s always great if growth and self-motivation are incorporated, but ultimately, you want this statement to be something that truly represents who you are and want to be personally and professionally.

Expand on a Testimonial or Recommendation

If someone has given an amazing testimonial that is listed on your resume or your LinkedIn page, consider sharing and then expanding upon it by explaining that your mission is to continue the same work ethic with your passion for the field you love as your guide.

Many job seekers make statements like “I am a hard worker,” or “I really want to grow in this field,” during their interview, which are fine. But to truly stand out, consider incorporating your personal brand. This could help make you the most memorable candidate in the bunch.

For additional tips and advice on resumes and cover letters, follow us on Twitter @GreatResume or visit our blog.

Guest Author: Global resume authority Jessica Hernandez of http://www.greatresumesfast.com is a former HR Manager who partners with professional- and executive-level candidates to create authentic, branded resumes and cover letters.
Website: http://www.greatresumesfast.com

Job Search Tips: Soapbox Job Search

“It usually takes more than three weeks to prepare a good impromptu speech.” – Mark Twain

In my last job, there was this one woman who worked for me who always had the 30 minute answer to a 30 second question. Even worse, god forbid you sent an email to her asking a question, her answer would be War and Peace. Not only that, but she would attach spreadsheets as support that were so long and complicated that sometimes they looked like the plans for the Space Shuttle.

Anyway, everybody has something to say, some useful and some not.

The same is true for job search (both on the receiving end and the giving end). Some of the information is useful and lots is not. There must be thousands of job related websites (mine included), many have really useful information and lots do not. The trick is to know when to keep it short and when to pour it on.

That leads me to one of today’s topics – the Elevator Speech. I’ve also listed a few interesting career sites for your review.

Interesting Job Search Resources:

• CareerDigital – This site’s tag line says it all – “Career Insights and Advice”. It has an easy to read design, with the main content center page. The site aggregates a number of career related sites in one place, with four featured articles at the top of the page. This is followed by a list of additional articles continuing down center page. Do you prefer to read by topic? No problem, the left hand side of the page topics by concepts, tools (like LinkedIn), type (company, blog, etc.), Organizations, Industries and more. The right hand side of the page has featured sites where you can click directly to the content of that site (embedded in the Career Digital format).

• NY Creative Interns – This site is a great resource for anyone looking for an internship or articles about internships. The left hand side of the page has featured articles (and you can click for older posts at the bottom of the page).

• eBossWatch – This is a really neat site, the tag line alone is enough to make you visit the site (Nobody should have to work for a jerk). Who hasn’t had that problem? There are three main sections at the top of the page (America’s Worst Boss, Rate Your Boss and Sex Harassment Registry). You can even search for your boss OR if you are looking for a new job, check out the people you are interviewing with.

Elevator Speech:

• The Elevator Speech is the Swiss Army Knife of Job-Search Tools This article, by Quintessential Careers, offers a comprehensive review of the topic with background/history, several suggested formats, the different situations where an Elevator Speech is useful as well as several examples. There are lots of embedded links to related topics. While you are there, also take a look at some of the related tools on the top left hand side of the page.

• How to Design an Elevator Speech – This article is posted on lifecareerplan.com and a good overview and three examples followed by how to start your speech. There are related job search resources at the top of the page as well as a number of links on the left hand side of the page.

• Job Search Marketing Toolkit Your Elevator Speech – From yours truly, I start with a “what if” story to set the stage. There are three links to related elevator speech sites as well as a few other links.

Good luck in your search.

Author: CareerAlley

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.