Wish Upon a Job – Building Your Job Search Part I

“The minute you’re satisfied with where you are, you aren’t there anymore.” – Tony Gwynn

Not likely to help. Wishing for a job, that is. Wishing is nice from a “positive thinking” point of view but it won’t get you a job without putting in the time. Kind of like wishing to win the lottery when you haven’t bought a ticket. If you are first starting your job search, you have a lot of homework to do before you can effectively start the job search process. The good news is that once you are all set-up, the bulk of your job search time can be spent on looking for opportunities. Building your Job Search Toolkit should be your first priority. Depending on the circumstances leading up to your job search (such as job loss), you may want to hit the ground running as quickly as possible. So what can you do to begin your search immediately while continuing to build out your Job Search Tool Kit? Read on. Continue Reading

5 Reasons Why You Need More Than a Good Resume to Stand Out from the Crowd

“It is better to be prepared for an opportunity and not have one than to have an opportunity and not be prepared.” – Whitney M. Young

You’ve probably heard hundreds of times that your resume is the most important document in your job search, and, that is  so. But if you want to stand out from the competition, I say you need more than a great resume. In the end, only technically qualified candidates will get to interview for any open job. And, while your resume may (or may not) help you get in the door, you will need more than your resume to get the job. So, you may ask, what else do you need? Lots of research, interview preparation and (unfortunately), additional “documentation”. Continue Reading

7 Reasons Why I.T. Recruiters May Reject Your Resume

A new report from Kovasys IT Recruitment answers a question that many information technology candidates are asking: “Why are the technology recruiters ignoring my resume?” According to Alex Kovalenko, a technical recruiting manager at Kovasys Inc., “If a tech recruiter can not tell within ten seconds that you are worth a call then your resume will go straight into a recycle bin. Keep in mind that at our firm recruiters can review up to 50 resumes every day and can not spend hours reviewing resumes.”

Mr. Kovalenko says that there are seven reasons why IT recruiters could potentially reject your resume and are as follows: Continue Reading

Does Your LinkedIn Profile Serve As A Good Resume Supplement?

A job search can easily move at a fast pace; so fast, in fact, that we don’t consider the importance of the steps we take in the process.  This can be true of searching for jobs, writing resumes and cover letters, and even choosing the companies to which we submit.

LinkedIn has quickly become an amazing tool, aiding job seekers in finding employment thanks to its networking facilities.  But it can serve as a great way to supplement your resume.  Do you use your profile to meet this goal? Continue Reading

Making the Most of Your References

When searching for employment, you will find that most employers will at some point ask you to provide a list of your references. This may seem like a simple request to fulfill, but in actuality, choosing references is something that should be done with care. So before you throw your own list out there to employers, let’s take a look at some ideas to keep in mind.
Why Provide References
Employers usually ask for references during the course of an application process for two reasons: 1) they want to verify previous employment, and 2) they want to know what they’re getting themselves into. Most likely, they have determined that you’re a great candidate based on your resume, cover letter and interview, but it always helps to have some additional sources step in to confirm your qualifications.
So when should you disclose your references? This can vary depending on who you’re applying for. Some may request a list of references in the job posting while others may have you list three or four while filling out their application. A good rule of thumb, however, is to hold on to your list until you’re asked for it. Just be sure to choose wisely the references you disclose, because while some employers may simply want to verify your employment, others may go further to ask specifics about the type of employee you were.

Choosing Your References
One of the most important ideas to remember when choosing your references is making sure they will say good things about you. If you’re not sure what they might say, then you can have a friend call on your behalf and get a reference, asking simple, professional questions just to gauge the responses he or she might give.
Typically, the best people from which to request references include past or present supervisors, co-workers, professors, customers, vendors, and even coaches and friends. However, when the references are more of a personal nature and they were not specifically requested, you may want to list them after the most highly-regarded professional references. This is because, for the most part, the employee is more interested in your work ethic than your personal behaviors. And with additional resources available like social networking sites, many can do more “realistic” research without needing to gauge your characteristics from a personal friend.
Asking for Permission
One of the biggest rules of thumb when selecting references is to make sure that you ask their permission before submitting their names to employers. Failing to complete this task can offer unfavorable results all the way around. Think about it, if you don’t tell your references you’ve offered their names, when the employer calls they may be thrown completely off-guard, having to come up with specific details on the spur of the moment. This could result in you not receiving the thorough recommendation you’d hoped for. So to ensure that it goes your way, make sure ask your references if you can use them in this way.
Choosing the right references to offer to prospective employers can mean the difference in you being hired for a position. So choose carefully, making sure each reference is someone you have a good relationship with and who truly has your best interest at heart.
About the Author:
Heather Eagar is a former professional resume writer and is passionate about providing working professionals with current, reliable and effective job search tools and information. If you’re in need of a resume service, compare the top ones in the industry at http://www.resumelines.com.