I got a job!!!! And how I got it

I finally got a job! I will be the editor of a small newspaper. It’s in a small town about 40 miles from where I live now (so I’m moving out of my parents’ house) and it’s part of a 5 paper company.
So, you ask, how did I do it? I think I’ve figured it out. Only interview for jobs that you actually want. Unless you’re a really good liar. I thought that I wanted the jobs that I interviewed for before but when I was asked why I wanted the jobs in the interview, I froze. I got really nervous in all of the other interviews, not that I wasn’t nervous in this one, but I was able to answer that question honestly. They asked me why I wanted the job and I didn’t let a load of crap fall out of my mouth. I was passionate and honest. I had a real reason to be there, not just that I needed a job.
Be picky, don’t waste your time looking for a job you could do, find a job you want to do!

Do we really need a portfolio?

I’ve found that since I’ve been writing a lot at the newspaper, I’m starting to worry that I may need to put together a portfolio. Grabbing a stack of newspapers to take to an interview isn’t the most professional, aesthetically speaking.
So, I’ve decided to figure out how to put together a suitable portfolio for my published articles. I’m not sure how, exactly, to put the portfolio together yet, but I’ve been poking around the internet for more information. I don’t have a lot of clips, only about 8 or 10, and it isn’t all writing, some are photographs. I don’t know if I’m going to put myportfolio will be in a black, leather-bound book or if I will try to stand out with a color other than black. I’m getting there, though.
I have found a website that answers some writing portfolio questions fairly well:
http://bcs.bedfordstmartins.com/easywriter3e/addresources/1.asp
There are also a lot of websites that answer questions about advertising portfolios and art portfolios:
http://www.siu.edu/~aaf/portfolio.html
http://72.14.203.104/search?q=cache:3qTHfdaoDFgJ:www.cnr.edu/home/sas/artdept/portfolioprep.pdf+How+do+I+put+together+an+art+portfolio%3F&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=1&client=firefox-a
The following website has links to several different sites for every type of portfolio you could possibly want to know about:
http://www.allcreativeportfolios.com/portfoliolinks.php

Another entry-level option

Entry-level paralegal jobs are not as hard to get as you may think. If you want to be a career paralegal then you will need a paralegal certificate. However, if you’re looking for an entry-level paralegal job, you don’t need a paralegal certificate.
As a recent college graduate, you may be looking for an entry-level job for extra money or extra experience. If you think that an entry-level paralegal job is something that you may be interested in, check out these websites:
http://www.soyouwanna.com/SITE/SYWS/paralegal/paralegal.html
www.aafpe.org/directory.html

Objective statements

In my opinion, writing a resume is the hardest part of an entry-level job search. The hardest part of writing a resume is getting past that objective statement. I find that an objective statement is hardest to write for entry-level job seekers because we don’t have the experience or the direction that more seasoned job seekers possess.
One mistake that I’ve made on numerous occasions is that my objective statement is too general. Having a very specific objective statement is very important. If your objective statement is too general employers will stop reading. Use the job title that you’re applying for in your objective statement, it will help to lead into a short description of your skills. Using your objective statement to emphasize a certain position can open a platform for a discussion of the skills that you possess and intend to utilize in that particular position.

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Trick Questions

Apparently, interviewers ask trick interview questions. I didn’t know this, which may be why I still don’t have a good, solid entry-level job. These trick interview questions are questions that can easily undo everything that you have built up so far in the interview.
I’m not going to pretend to be able to help you identify and beat these questions, however, I found a book that might be able to do just that. It’s called 301 Smart Answers to Tough Interview Questions by Vicky Oliver.
I’m not an expert but she is. It’s a pretty easy read and, if your like me and crack in interviews, it’s a confidence booster. It’s nice to know that there are right and wrong answers to questions and there are also right and wrong questions.
I suggest that this book be studied for at least a week before an interview. Hopefully it helps! Good luck!

Not hiring? So what?

Finding an entry-level job is hard. Obviously we are all aware of that or else we wouldn’t be here. But finding an entry-level job in the classifieds or online isn’t the only way. The more I write, the more I learn, so I hope that everyone is learning with me and I’m not the bottom of the learning curve. Anyway, I’ve finally realized that it is ok to contact your dream employer for an entry-level job even if there isn’t an ad in the Sunday paper.
Letters of inquiry seem a little intrusive and annoying, but I’m finding more and more that to get that entry-level job and get your foot in the door, you have to be a little bit annoying and intrusive. You can, however, do this in a very polite, professional manner.
Entry-level letters of inquiry are written with a polite and formal style. Hopefully you’ve researched the company well and you know how you would benefit the company as an entry-level employee because that’s what this letter will entail. Even though there isn’t a position open at this time, it’s possible that there will be in the future and you’ve already gotten in ahead of the competition. Also, maybe you’ll have hit that particular employer on a good day and, their department might not have any entry-level positions to fill but their buddy who is the director of the department down the hall may have been expressing his need for an entry-level employee over coffee this morning and your resume and letter will be passed on to another department. Either way, the worst that can happen is this: they will have your resume and when you see that perfect entry-level position open up you can send them your resume again and remind them that they already have your resume, proving that you are committed to landing an entry-level job with their company and not just an entry-level job anywhere. Flattery will get you places when searching for an entry-level job.

Numbers speak volumes in an entry-level resume

Until last week I had a really entry-level entry-level resume. I put it together, with the help of an old professor, and I was ok with the way it turned out, though still somewhat nervous and timid about the content. Last week I met with an acquaintance who had the perfect position for me at his company but I had to get my resume in that day. We met and put our minds and our laptops together to get my entry-level resume sounding not so entry-level.
First, he laughed at me. It was nothing personal, he just pointed out that my resume was obviously written by an English professor and not somebody with a lot of experience in business. He then explained to me what was wrong and how to fix it.

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Resume Troubles?

If you’re like me you are probably having a hard time getting that perfect entry-level resume together. I’ve looked all over for good examples of entry-level resumes on the web. I’ve found examples but not everybody was an award-winning, 4.0 student who held office on the student government in college and an internship every summer. So I’ve found some articles that might be able to help you write that entry-level resume. Good luck!
http://www.resume-resource.com/article26.html
http://www.freshersworld.com/resume/resume.htm
http://jobsearch.about.com/cs/resumewriting/a/firstresume.htm
http://www.aftercollege.com/career/resumetips.asp
And don’t forget to use the entry-level resume resources right here at CollegeRecruiter.com.

Companies Hiring Entry-Level Part X: Entry-Level Positions For Anyone With A Heart and A Bachelor’s Degree

If you’re willing to put two years and a lot of heart into an entry-level teaching position then Teach America might be for you.
Last year Teach America filled 2100 entry-level teaching positions with recent graduates from every discipline. Regardless of your academic background, as long as you have a Bachelor’s degree, you can join Teach America as an entry-level teacher and teach in low-income schools around the country.
The application process is easy. You can apply for these entry-level teaching positions on the Teach America website. After the process is complete and you’ve been asked to accept an entry-level teaching position with Teach America, you are asked to provide your preferences for what region, subject, and grade-level you want to teach.
To learn more about entry-level teaching positions and begin the application process, visit their website: http://www.teachforamerica.org

Companies Hiring Entry-Level Part IX: Entry-Level Positions On The Go

Hertz car rental hired 2350 new, entry-level employees in 2005. These entry-level positions include positions in accounting, finance, management information systems, sales, mechanics, human resources, administrative, and fleet operations to name a few.
Hertz also has opportunities to obtain an entry-level position worldwide. You can search their website for entry-level positions and submit an online application.
To search for entry-level positions with Hertz visit their website: https://www.hertz.com/rentacar/abouthertz/index.jsp?targetPage=initialJobSearchView.jsp&leftNavUserSelection=globNav_7_2