The purpose of your resume is to make the reader want to interview you. Resumes should be informative, concise, consistent, and should highlight intriguing skills and experience. They should grab attention early and provide a concentrated, convincing argument that you perfectly match the position at hand.

The basics
Those who have been in the workforce for several years would customarily list professional experience first, followed by education and other elements such as publications or skills. Most resumes use reverse chronological order, listing the most recent experience first with the rest following chronologically. This type of resume gives a prospective employer a sense of where your career is headed and how it evolved into what it is today.

For entrepreneurs, sales personnel, recent graduates, and others with less-than-standard experience, an alternative format called the functional approach might make more sense. This format puts an emphasis on your abilities and achievements, categorizing your experience by industry, type of position, skill, and what you did rather than when you did it.

There is no right or wrong way to write a resume. Whatever sets you apart from the masses while requiring a minimum of effort for the recruiter will probably be your best bet. Here are some general guidelines to follow.

* Be concise. Unless you have been working for a long time, stick to one page. Even with extensive experience, a resume should rarely exceed two pages.
* Use vivid language. Include hard facts showing your impact on the company. Employers want to know what you did and how closely that experience matches their needs. Use action verbs and eliminate pronouns. Be grammatically consistent and proofread rigorously for mistakes.
* Go easy on the eye. Graphics in a resume should make it easy to read. Use topic headings and lots of space. Forget clip art. Use one typeface. Pull the reader in from the top. Be creative, but clean with the layout.

Tell them what they need to know
Resumes should start with your name, address, e-mail, and phone numbers. Include your education, accomplishments, and related experience. List unique talents or specialized skills in hot demand, like those related to computers.

* Objective. Write one line stating your career direction and the job title you seek. It will direct your resume to the proper department and provide a key to interpreting the contents. This statement will be of greater strategic value if you have a specific focus or are in the midst of a career change rather than if you are just starting out and unsure of your career path.
* Education. List schools, years attended, graduation dates, degrees, majors or concentrations, and awards. Highlight a master's thesis topic or academic honors. Put your most recent or most impressive educational achievement first. If it is not your highest degree, leave out high school unless it's extraordinary.
* Experience. List your employers, job location, employment dates, job titles, and descriptions of your tasks, accomplishments and skills. Use statistics.
* Skills. Highlight your computer, language, or other technical skills. List software you have worked with including any unique programs or expertise. For an Internet job, list any certifications or Web programs and computer languages you are familiar with.

Title the sections of your resume as you prefer, but remain consistent grammatically.

The order of the resume should reflect the position being sought. If your computer experience is more relevant to the job than your work history, put your computer skills first. If your educational achievements outweigh your actual experience, put them up higher. List other personal information at the bottom.

Use discretion beyond the basics
Include a personal summary to provide a concise rundown of your career, particularly if you are an established executive or have an array of job experiences. Highlight volunteer work or memberships in nonprofits if you are applying for a related position. Include a brief section on your hobbies to present a more complete and interesting picture, although you run a risk that the information could prejudice your resume.

Leave out overtly personal data, salary information, or negatives like health or legal problems.

Customize as needed
When you are ready to apply for a position, tailor your resume to that job. Highlight your qualities by addressing the specific needs listed in a classified ad or employer's description. If you have no direct experience in the field, pay special attention to related skills. Even with experience, show how your talents suit the position.

Update constantly
Update your resume every time you accomplish something new to capture what's important and remain ready for new opportunities, without struggling to get something together under a tight deadline or stressful circumstance.

Check resources
The following references provide solid examples of objectives, layouts, and other aspects of resumes, as well as further commentary.

- Leslie Tebbe, Salary.com contributor

Source: CareersandColleges.com

Posted by Shawn Augustson, CollegeRecruiter.com on January 31, 2007 at 5:03 AM | Leave a Comment (2)

It’s that time of life -- you’re in the job hunt and you need a resume.

If it’s been a few years since you last wrote one, you will most likely seek resume advice from the “experts.”

If so, watch out.

There is a LOT of misinformation out there. And after writing and editing nearly 5,000 resumes, I've seen the same myths trip up job seekers time after time.

It's time to debunk one of those dangerous misconceptions. So here, "from the trenches," is my best advice to help you navigate through one of the most common myths about resumes.

Myth: Always put your education/degree first in your resume, followed by your experience. Because that's the order in which they occurred.

Fact: Relevance determines what goes where in your resume. Because you can't risk losing a reader's attention with stray information.

Know this -- the purpose of the first line in your resume is to get the second line read. The purpose of the second line is to lead readers to the third line, etc.

So, if you're applying for a sales job and your experience is in sales, but your degree is in Art History, experience must come ahead of education in your resume. It's all about relevance.

As a rule, the more relevant and valuable the information, the higher up in your resume it should appear. Never assume employers will pore over every word with a fine-tooth comb and find the gems you've buried on page two. Because there are only two people in the world who will read every word of your resume: you and your mother. Everyone else is skimming quickly, so you have to lead with your best points.

Kevin Donlin is Creator of GetHiredNow.TV and The Instant Job Search System

Posted by Guaranteed Resumes on January 25, 2007 at 1:47 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

In our contemporary, technology-savvy workplace, it is almost impossible to avoid emailing cover letters and resumes to potential employers; in fact, email is usually the initial means of communication between employers and their job candidates. A series of questions may cross a person’s mind when he or she is about to send a submission via email. Because email is still such a young method of communication, no definite standards have been set for emailing cover letters and resumes. However, as more and more employers find examples of what they do not want to see, more authoritative guidelines are being formed.

When employers open your email message, the words that pop up on the screen make your first impression, which cannot be taken back in most cases. You should take an email message to a potential employer as seriously as you do your cover letter. Many people fail to realize that using email does not give them an excuse to abbreviate, misspell, and leave out proper punctuation; we are not on AOL Instant Messenger, people! In the business world, yes, some colleagues and associates who already do business with one another occasionally break the rules, but for an individual seeking employment, this should not even be an issue. Assuming that you are exempt from using proper grammar and punctuation only gives employers reason to delete your messages before they even view your resume. It is attention to detail that will set you apart from the crowd, so do not let something so elementary shut you out of the race in the first round.

Remember to stick with a standard font like Times New Roman or Arial, and always keep the font black and the background of the email plain white. Would you really want to send a prominent lawyer or one of his or her associates an email with kittens and puppies all over its background? Yes, it is nice to give your work a personal touch, but present that within the text of your cover letter or save it for the interview. Besides, what if the employer hates kittens and puppies? It sounds crazy, but it is possible. The key is to never give an employer reason to “delete” you. Portray a neutral and professional demeanor, just as you would in a regular cover letter.

Also--and this one is a killer--do not send your email from a wacky personal email address like OChottie@aol.com or Stud69@eskimobob.com. Believe it or not, this usually does not even faze a lot of applicants, but it is the tackiest mistake to make. It only takes a few minutes to create a professional email account that can be designated for work-related email. Choose an email address including either your name or a variation of it. If your name is in your email address, those with whom you correspond will not have any trouble locating your messages in their daily collections. This will not only help you and your associates to stay more organized, but it will also keep your personal life separate from your career.

Along with a professional email address, make sure that, if you list a phone number on your resume, you have a professional voicemail message. If potential employers decide to call you directly, which they typically do if they decide to meet or hire you, do not make them sit through three minutes of “Since U Been Gone” by Kelly Clarkson or a witty explanation as to why you cannot get to your phone. Instead, direct them to a number with a simple, concise voicemail message that, preferably, includes your name or number.

Probably the most frequently contemplated decision when preparing to send a submission via email is whether or not to attach. When virus protection was less advanced than it is today, employers were wary of opening attachments; however, these days the majority of employers will open them. This is a huge advantage for job seekers because they no longer have to convert their beautifully crafted documents into awkward eyesores crammed into little text boxes. Some employers still ask that cover letters and resumes be sent in the texts of emails, so, above all, respect whatever methods and formats employers ask you to use in their job postings.

Many applicants prefer to leave a brief note in the text box and attach both the cover letter and resume, while others opt to copy and paste their cover letters into the texts of their emails and only attach their resumes; either one of the two options works, although if you choose to leave a brief note, make sure that you keep it short and sweet. The message should be succinct, only a couple of sentences long. Employers do not want to read a page-long email that derails into a rant about high gas prices, forcing them to search for your message’s original train of thought. The purpose of a cover letter is to entice the reader to look at your resume. If you send a short message to be read before your cover letter, it must quickly convince the potential employer to open the attachment with your cover letter.

In the subject line of your email, be careful not to label your message “Urgent” or “RE:” because doing so may send your submission to the recipient’s junk mail folder, or he or she may overlook it, assuming it concerns something else. Your subject line should be straightforward, stating the position name or another keyword that would help someone to identify the purpose of the email. Do not get too creative or elaborate when titling an email for an employer; it will work against you if the title comes off as confusing.

Having the option to email documents to employers can be advantageous for job seekers because it makes it possible to have cover letters and resumes in employers’ inboxes almost instantaneously. Take the time to make sure that any messages sent, as well as your cover letter and resume, are impeccable and portray a professional demeanor that will clearly come through to someone who has never met you.

By Mary Waldron
www.EdFed.com

Posted by Shawn Augustson, CollegeRecruiter.com on January 21, 2007 at 2:31 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

As we look around at the 12-year-olds blabbing on their BlackBerry devices and jamming to thousands of songs on their microscopic iPod shuffles, there is no debate as to whether our society has become overwhelmingly technologically savvy, but is that necessarily something that should be reflected on our resumes? With many of today’s businesses looking for more streamlined methods of function, some job applicants are convinced that sending a dry, standard resume and cover letter is simply a thing of the past. While being a risk-taker can pay off in some cases, is it really worth it to take the chance of forfeiting a job opportunity because you are too eager to showcase your amazing creativity and ingenuity?

Last October, Uzbekistan-born Yale student Aleksey Vayner learned his lesson on submitting multimedia resumes the hard way--and that is putting it mildly. In addition to having his 7-minute video resume, originally intended for securities firm UBS, posted on YouTube and mocked by all on the Internet, Vayner did not get the job he was applying for. In his motivational-esque presentation, which he titled “Impossible is Nothing,” Vayner claims that he is a professional athlete and dancer, the CEO of two companies, an investment adviser, and even a Chinese medicine healer. While watching scenes of Vayner lifting 495-pound weights, karate chopping a stack of bricks, hitting tennis balls at an alleged 140 miles per hour, and ballroom dancing with a woman, one has to wonder if this guy is for real. In accordance with Vayner’s reputation at school for being an incorrigible storyteller, it has been proven that the 23-year-old is not a CEO or an investment adviser and that certain footage in his video was faked, making the veracity of the rest of it questionable. The lesson here is that there is a fine line between creating an interesting and original presentation and creating a ridiculous, over-the-top mess. Perhaps if Vayner had not lied and had stuck to his career objectives throughout the presentation, rather than lecturing and advising on what it takes to be a success, he might have saved himself from the wolves.

Anique Gonzalez, a writer for resume services Legal Authority and Attorney Resume, advises, “If you do decide to use a nontraditional resume, you must keep in mind that although it may stand out to some employers, demonstrating one’s innovation and creativity, other more conservative employers may desire a traditional cover letter and resume and will discard it without even looking at it. You need to understand that you are taking a risk by going against the grain. While it may stand out in a good way, it can also stand out in a bad way.”

Although Vayner’s experience ended in horrific humiliation, some wacky concepts can be successful. Take, for example, the case of now 28-year-old Peter Shankman. According to The Wall Street Journal, Shankman wanted a public realtions job in the New York City area, but he did not want to send out reams of resumes and cover letters. Using his keen instinct and publicity skills, Shankman had his resume printed on two four-foot by three-foot poster boards and sandwiched himself between them; he then stood on a corner in Manhattan from 6:00 a.m. to 7:15 p.m., handing out 1,000 resumes. After receiving 200 phone calls, 45 interviews, and 20 job offers, Shankman took a position as Director of New Media for the New Jersey Devils hockey team. Shankman thinks his tactic worked well because employers were able to see and meet him before they even read his resume. “At least they could see I was a nice nutcase,” he explained. He was also dressed in a business suit and overcoat that day. His personality and demeanor, combined with his professional manner and inventiveness, are probably the reasons he received such an enthusiastic response.

Job seekers need to make sure they are in tune with what will be a hit with employers and what will turn them off. It should be a rule of thumb to only send “risky” resumes to companies at which applicants have already established personal or professional connections or when applicants are very aware of how employers will respond to outlandish antics; otherwise, why risk it? If you’re trying to land a job that you genuinely want, it is better to be safe than it is to be sorry. Above all, use your best judgment when it comes to conveying who you are as a person and the potential and skills you have to offer as a professional.

By Mary Waldron
www.EdFed.com

Posted by Shawn Augustson, CollegeRecruiter.com on January 21, 2007 at 2:28 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Your resume and cover letter are arguably the most important documents of your career, and you have direct control over exactly how good or how bad they are. When your career is at stake, it’s important to make sure your resume and cover letter are not only excellent, but that they reflect who you are and the many skills you can bring to the firm or corporation to which you are applying.

Serving as an employer’s first impression of you, your resume and cover letter can make or break a job opportunity. Because most employers judge candidates based solely on these two pieces of paper, having a standout resume and cover letter is of the utmost importance when applying for jobs.

“For legal jobs, the resume is paramount,” said Rebecca Unzicker, a professional resume writer. Unzicker works for Legal Authority, a company that helps attorneys directly market themselves to the hiring directors at law firms.

“In some job fields, networking often leads to an opportunity; but you still need a strong resume,” she said. “For legal jobs, we have found that targeted marketing of your resume leads to the best results and the most opportunities. Therefore, your resume is your foot in the door. It has to say everything about your value as an employee, and it has to say it quickly and concisely.”

If you’re stumped as to how to improve your resume and cover letter, there are plenty of simple solutions that can help.

First, when crafting your cover letter, be honest. Don’t lie or exaggerate your accomplishments and/or experience. Starting out your career with dishonesty is never a good thing. Stick to the facts, but display them in a way that complements your strengths.

Also, be brief. It’s a good idea to limit your cover letter to three or four paragraphs. This will give you plenty of room to introduce yourself without boring your reader. The last thing you want is for an employer to set your cover letter aside simply because it’s too long.

Finally, in regard to your cover letter, make it personal. Find the name of the person who will be receiving the letter, and address it to him or her. Including this personal touch may not seem like much, but it goes a long way; and this information is usually easy to find by researching the firm online.

Now, when it comes to your resume, it’s important to remember to keep it to one page. Because the average time an employer looks at a resume is 20 seconds, your resume should pack the biggest punch using the smallest amount of information. Therefore, only include the accomplishments and prior experience that you feel directly corresponds with the position you are applying for.

“As a job searcher, you want your resume to catch the employer’s attention without setting you apart too much. You do not want to convey a dramatic personality or a tendency to be a prima donna,” Unzicker said. “You need to communicate your skills and accomplishments in a way that they can easily and quickly be seen by the reader so that the reader immediately knows that you meet their criteria.”

When asked about the sections that are the most problematic for people when putting together their resumes, Unzicker listed two main areas.

“One, believe it or not, is errors in spelling and grammar,” she said. “The other is that candidates seem to either want every significant thing they have ever done listed on their resume or they generalize too much, resulting in very vague descriptions.”

In order to solve these problems, Unzicker has some helpful tips.

“For the first issue, proofread, proofread, proofread,” she said. “And have a second set of objective eyes look at the document, preferably someone schooled in writing and editing. The type of writing done in legal motions and documents is definitely not appropriate for resumes. For the second issue, a candidate needs to know what skills are important to legal employers and focus their job accomplishments to show that they have mastered those skills. Be specific about achievements. Quantify where possible. Leave out those things that are irrelevant to the practice of law; but stress transferable skills, such as leadership, researching, writing, interviewing. And give specific examples of successes in these areas.”

Examples of things that may be clogging up your resume include information about your high school, honors that are not of particular importance, salary information, jobs that are unrelated to the position you are applying for, and references. In today’s marketplace, employers will ask for references if they want them. You should not include them on your resume.

Also, honesty is just as important in your resume as it is in your cover letter. Everything that you put down in your resume should be true. Don’t lie. However, it is perfectly fine to put a positive spin on your prior experiences so that each one represents you most favorably.

For example, if you have gaps in your employment history, it is better to give an explanation that displays your strengths than to leave the employer wondering and guessing at what you might have been up to during that time. When it comes to listing your past experience, it’s always better to be honest. Entering false information on your resume may get you a job, but it can also tarnish your reputation for years to come.

In summary, when preparing your cover letter and resume, always keep in mind that this is your first and only chance to make a good impression. If an employer doesn’t like your cover letter or resume, you will not get an interview. Don’t disregard or underestimate the power of a great cover letter and resume. Take the time to prepare them properly. You won’t regret it.

On the Net
The Do’s and Don’ts of Cover Letter Writing
www.lawcrossing.com/article/index.php?id=1143

Attorney Resume
www.attorneyresume.com

Attorney Resume’s Writing Tips
www.attorneyresume.com/arwritingtips.php

By Charisse Dengler
www.lawcrossing.com

Posted by Shawn Augustson, CollegeRecruiter.com on January 21, 2007 at 2:25 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

It’s an unfortunate fact that a glass ceiling exists at all for women. Throw being a mom on top of that, and you might have lowered that ceiling even more. As is true in most things in life, it’s not accurate to say this is always the case. There are exceptions, and hopefully those exceptions will soon be the norm. Until then, here are some tips for moms moving upward at work.

Dress the Part

It’s a good idea to always have one last look at yourself in the mirror before you make your entrance into the office. Maybe it’s even your car window that substitutes as a mirror for you. Moms are resourceful so figure out a way to make sure you look ready to work. Going in there with baby slobber and some breakfast crumbs on your clothes doesn’t scream, “Promote me!”

With young babies it’s very difficult, if not impossible, to keep looking fresh and professional. So make getting dressed the last thing you do before leaving the house. If that won’t work for you, slip on a button down shirt that you can wear over your clothes until you don’t have to worry about it getting dirtied up. No matter how rushed you are, though, just be sure to take the shirt off before heading into the office!

Talk Business

Yes, when you’re at work, you’re still a mom. You’re always a mom. However, you don’t want to remind people of that all day every day. You have your close friends at work that you can speak to about personal things, but keep talk like that to a minimum with other co-workers. You don’t want to be portrayed as someone who’s focus and attention is always anywhere but at the job at hand.

Take the Tough Assignments

Just because you have to pick the kids up from daycare at a certain time, doesn’t mean that you can’t tackle the big projects. See how you can manage some of the tasks at home after the kids go to bed. Try to squeeze in a little work time on the weekends. Don’t sacrifice all your family time; certainly not. However, if you can manage and/or work on projects even while you’re not at the office, your superiors will take note.

Arrange some time with your IT department to get you mobile and able to login into your work computer from home. Of course, check with your boss prior to this to ensure there is no company policy against that.

Getting ahead at work is not an easy thing to do no matter who you are. You have to work hard and prove your worth. Moms have challenges but they can be conquered. Know your constraints and how to work around them. Make the decision to promote you an easy one for the powers-to-be.

Heather Eagar is a former professional resume writer and owner of http://www.MomsBacktoWork.com who is now dedicated to providing job seekers with resources and products that promote job search success from beginning to end.

Posted by Heather Eagar on January 19, 2007 at 12:01 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

When most law students graduate, they face an oh-so-daunting Catch-22: many entry-level jobs require previous experience, which many law graduates obviously do not have. They may also be encouraged to lie about which schools they attended, since consideration of the school a candidate graduated from is often a make-or-break factor in getting hired by a top firm. This leads many misguided law graduates to include “little white lies” on their resumes, even though the first rule in resume writing is “Do not lie.” So why do people continue to fib about job experience and schooling? They must be doing so under the misconception that they can cover all of their tracks flawlessly, failing to anticipate that people might check up on them. Well, I will let you in on a little secret: if you lie, people will find out about it.

Many job seekers have been doing it for years, convincing themselves that claiming to have worked for an amazing firm for years, rather than a few months, is not “really” lying. Yes, even stretching the truth and exaggerating a bit are ways of lying. The fact that you are not flat-out lying by naming a firm that you have never set foot in does not mean you are innocent of outrageous resume lies. Besides, if you lie about your time spent at a job or something else that may seem minor, it will usually lead to more lies, as your “longer” experience at a job will have to be reflected when you discuss your accomplishments and duties related to the company. One white lie leads to another. If you decide that you want to limit your lying by not carrying it all the way through, you will then have a new problem. Not being consistent by fabricating additional details about what you did at the firm will make it look as though you hardly learned anything or failed to contribute meaningfully to the company during your “extended time” there.

Another emerging problem related to resume lies is plagiarism. There are actually people out there (thieves, I tell you!) who are copying job positions, accomplishments, and projects straight from other professionals’ resumes and pasting them onto theirs. Besides possibly causing you to come across as too good to be true, especially if your listed experience does not match your well-rested baby face, plagiarism can be detrimental if you copy details about jobs and experiences that you actually do not know too much about. Employers, especially the really sadistic ones, love to grill applicants about their past experiences and jobs. In fact, these are usually two of the first items that employers like to discuss in job interviews. Even if you actually do manage to do your homework on the bogus material you have included, your deer-in-the-headlights expression and sudden shift in body language will indicate that you have lied somewhere--even if you have rehearsed your big moment. If you got your undergraduate degree in acting, you may get away with lying once, but do not worry; the time will come when you are found out--probably after you are hired and nice and cozy, having drinks with one of the partners.

Now, what exactly is being done to catch resume thieves red-handed? Something very simple, actually. According to Search Consultants International, Inc., more than 50% of all employers hire companies like IMI Data Search to conduct background checks that verify details about previous employers, educational information, criminal convictions and civil cases, and even credit histories. As resume lying has become a larger problem over the years, employing this tactic has become increasingly common. Just a few years ago, less than 5% of employers performed these types of background checks. The government is even getting involved in this controversy--Washington is set to approve a $1,000 fine for claiming false degrees on a resume, according to ABC News.

So, okay. Let’s say you do get caught in an “itty bitty” resume lie. “So what?” you might think. There are many firms in the world, and none of them will find out, right? Well, perhaps, but it is amazing how small the law world can be, especially if you lie about a firm located in the same state as the firm to which you are applying. Lawyers know other lawyers. Many law professionals have had opportunities to network with others in their field--during law school, while holding internships, or at other companies they have worked for. When employers see the names of companies or firms where they have connections, they will read no further and simply call their contacts for information. Save yourself from acquiring a bad reputation by sticking to the truth.

It is time for job seekers to wake up. With 25% of all job candidates admitting to lying on their resumes, according to ABC News, employers are quickly wising up. Accept the challenge to develop a riveting resume, using your finesse with words and real experience to create a clever, yet honest, document. In the end, if you have truly done all that you can to perfect your resume, an employer will respond to it. Even if putting in the work takes more time, it will be worth it.

By Mary Waldron
http://www.edfed.com

Posted by Shawn Augustson, CollegeRecruiter.com on January 19, 2007 at 9:32 AM | Leave a Comment (1)

If you're in the middle of a long job search, it may be difficult to get out of bed some mornings and pound the pavement one more day.

Heck, even if you're just starting to look for a job, motivation can be hard to come by. You might need an occasional pat on the back -- or kick in the rear -- to get going.

If so, here are three ways to motivate yourself and get back to work faster...

1) Find the Right Why
If I offered you $5 to chop off your big toe with a steak knife, would you do it? Probably not. Five bucks is hardly reason enough to maim yourself.

But ... what if your big toe were stuck in a bear trap and a blizzard was coming, and you had to chop it off so you could escape to safety? Would you do it? Yes, probably.

Your different actions in both cases stem from having different reasons why.

If your job search is floundering, take a moment to ask yourself, "Why am I doing this? Why do I need a job, anyway? Why?"

Example: Do you need a job to feed your family? If so, consider taping a picture of your spouse and children to your cell phone or PDA, so you can see your "reason why" throughout the day.

Or, do you want a more fulfilling job, one where you can use your God-given talents to make a difference in the world? Then find a picture of someone you admire or who does that sort of work and tape it to your bathroom mirror where you can see it each day.

Follow the advice of Friedrich Nietzsche, who said, "He who has a why can endure any how." If you give yourself the right "why" today, you can stay motivated, endure all the "hows" along the way, and find that job you seek.

2) Give Yourself a Deadline
Here's another nifty quote. According to journalist Aki Soga: "If man could live forever, he'd still be a fish. Why would he evolve? He could always do it later."

If your search for work hasn't yet "evolved" into a rewarding job, it may be because your subconscious mind thinks you can always make that networking call tomorrow or set up that informational interview later.

Why not motivate yourself to take action by giving yourself a deadline?
This is how all great projects are accomplished, if you think about it.

Example: Steve Jobs didn't tell his engineers to invent an iPhone "pretty soon" or "in a few months." He told them to finish it before he walked onstage to introduce it at MacWorld on January 9, 2007. He set a deadline. And look what he got done!

So, why not treat your job search like the incredibly important project it truly is? Give yourself a deadline to find work. You may be surprised at how quickly you get hired.

Worst case scenario: You miss your deadline. Big deal. Do a quick post-mortem to figure out what to do differently. Learn from it. Set a new deadline. And continue.

3) Write Your Job Search Goals Daily
In his book, "Influence," psychologist Robert Cialdini describes how the power of written goals can change your attitude and actions.

Example: The Amway Corporation has, for years, encouraged its members to set individual sales goals in writing. As one member said, "There is something magical about writing things down." There might be something to this -- Amway sales have totaled as much as $7 billion per year.

Another example: Ever wonder why companies like Procter & Gamble run those "100 words or less" testimonial contests, in which entrants mail in personal statements about why they like a certain product? Apparently, one reason is to get you to go on record - in writing - as liking their
product, because it makes you more likely to buy it later.

According to Cialdini, one reason written commitments are so powerful is that, "they require more work than verbal ones. And the evidence is clear that the more effort that goes into a commitment, the greater is its ability to influence the attitudes of the person who made it."

Why not adapt this to your job search?

If you write down your employment goal first thing every morning - including your job title, desired salary and deadline for getting hired - you are guaranteed of starting your day off right. And that can make all the difference.

Try it, and the rest of these job search motivators, for the next 30 days and prove them for yourself.

Kevin Donlin is President of Guaranteed Resumes and creator of
GetHiredNow.TV. Since 1996, he has provided job search assistance to nearly
10,000 people. Author of "51 Ways to Find a Job Fast -- Guaranteed," Kevin
has been interviewed by USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, CBS Radio and
others.

Posted by Shawn Augustson, CollegeRecruiter.com on January 18, 2007 at 12:05 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

You’ve been in a dead-end job for months, or even years now, yet you can’t seem to gather up the courage to look for a new job. Or your company announced there will be a series of layoffs coming this year and you don’t know if you’re going to be affected. Is that enough to make you start job hunting? If not, then you could be considered a job search procrastinator.

Prepare for Layoffs

“I’m comfortable where I’m at.” This is one of the more common scenarios when someone doesn’t want to look for a new job even when critical situations arise. I’m talking about those who go down with a sinking ship. The ship being the company for which they’re employed, of course.

If your company announces upcoming layoffs, that means the company is in trouble. Possibly not in fear of bankruptcy but it’s not doing as well as planned or expected. You know heads are going to roll but you don’t know if yours is going to be one of them.

I’ve known people who have stuck it out till the very end. And where does that leave them? Without a job. and scrambling. Even if you are offered a severance package, it might not be enough to support you and your family.

Something that employees have to realize is that when this situation occurs, you can’t be too confident about your place in a company. You have to weigh the risks involved with sticking it out. Yes, you want to be loyal to your company…when possible. But don’t let that loyalty blind you to the fact that you could very well be out of a job soon.

Going Nowhere Fast

You’re educated, a hard worker with high work ethics and you do your job well. So why are you in the same position you’ve been in since you were hired?

For many people, this is not a problem. They crave that ‘sameness’. It provides comfort knowing what to expect each and every day. They don’t want something new and ‘better’. They’re happy where they are.

However, there are others who don’t look for jobs out of fear. Fear of change. They want something more, new and different but they’re not getting the opportunity with the company they’re at.

But at the same time, they realize they have a good stable job. Why mess up a good thing?

Taking the Initiative

If you find yourself in either of these situations, you have to look at the pros and cons of looking for another job. What’s the worst thing that can happen if you stay? Conversely, what’s the worst thing that can happen if you find another job? Are there greater benefits of starting to look around to see what other companies have to offer you?

No one can answer these questions for you. Each job seeker’s situation is different and everyone has different responsibilities and goals. Take time to explore the reasons behind your job search procrastination. Maybe it’s to save you from yourself and from reacting too quickly. Or maybe it’s holding you back from reaching your full career potential.

Heather Eagar is a former professional resume writer and owner of http://www.ResumeLines.com who is now dedicated to providing job seekers with resources and products that promote job search success from beginning to end.

Posted by Heather Eagar on January 11, 2007 at 9:34 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

For the past week I have given a lot of thought to networking because of Jason Alba's visit to Austin and the flurry of networking that he kicked up when he was in town. One thing that I think is really important to a successful networker is manners. That is right: simple manners. You know what I mean by manners. Say please and thank you. Follow up when you agree to research some information for someone. Return correspondence and phone calls in a timely fashion. Those manners.

For example, if someone sets up a meeting for you to meet one of his/her contacts you should send a thank-you note to both the person who set up the meeting and the new contact you made. I recently had occasion to set up a meeting between two business contacts. One of the two contacts was gracious and thankful that I arranged for them to meet. The other contact was dismissive and didn't bother with any thanks at all. Guess who I will go out of my way to help in the future? And guess who I won't put myself out for a second time?

I am a believer that you really can't say thank you too much. Sometimes you may wonder if a small favor really warrants a thank you note, email, or call. The answer is yes. Yes, say thank you for favors and kindnesses both small and large. It's good manners and it will also differentiate you from others. You would be surprised at how few people remember their manners on any kind of consistent basis. No one ever complained that someone else was "too polite" or "too gracious". When in doubt you should err on the side of too much gratitude rather than too little. Believe me it makes a difference.

-- Liz Handlin
www.ultimate-resumes.com
http://ultimate-resumes.blogspot.com/

This CollegeRecruiter.com Blogswap article is courtesy of Recruiting.com and CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students and recent graduates who are searching for internships and entry level jobs.

Posted by Steven Rothberg, CollegeRecruiter.com on January 9, 2007 at 9:08 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

If you feel alone and isolated in your job search, there is hope. No one has to, or should, feel isolated during their job search.
If you feel isolated, perhaps it means you confine yourself to your home and spend all day searching for jobs on the Internet. If you have a strong feeling of isolation and disconnection from the world, perhaps today is the day for new strategies!
Being isolated from the world is not healthy for your job search. In some cases this isolation can trigger the “blues” or varying levels of depression. Moreover, a job seeker functioning in this state of mind is not very productive and not attractive to employers.
Here are five strategies I recommend to overcome isolation:
1. First, leave your home for many hours each day because jobs are not in your computer. It will be a miracle if you do land an interview due to the Internet. If you want great things to happen in your job search, then go where business people are... they are in their offices, at professional meetings, at conferences, at lunch, etc. Mingle with them, integrate yourself into the business world, be seen, and be visible. This is the best way to find a job and your feeling of isolation will diminish.
2. Second, consider volunteer work. Select organizations you believe in and invest a couple of hours each week volunteering. It will make you feel great about yourself, you will have an opportunity to help other people, and your isolation will diminish. It’s a great tool to build new business relationships and network.
3. Attend professional meetings. A group of professionals with similar backgrounds and interests will be useful. They know what is going on at other companies and in their industries. They have connections you need. Become an active member in the organization, volunteer for projects, get involved in committees, talk with other people, follow up with other people you were interested in, etc. Be seen, be visible, and be active.
4. Form a career team of 2-3 people who can help you with research and administrative tasks, and allow you to focus on marketing and networking. Meet with these people regularly to discuss your job search, strategies, and ideas.
5. Use the telephone to connect with friends, family members, and others who can support you during your job search. These people may be able to provide you with leads and critical information for your job search. They can boost your spirit as well.
Your primary strategy should be focused externally. Job opportunities will not be delivered via your e-mail account. These are just a few strategies to overcome job search isolation. There are many people willing to help you during your job search… connecting with people on a daily basis will be a tremendous boost to your spirit and job search results!

Posted by NewLeafCareer.com on January 8, 2007 at 2:18 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Your resume is critical to your job search success. It must be a highly effective resumé to capture the employer's attention in today’s market. Here’s what employers recommend, based on a national survey conducted with 600 Hiring Managers.

1. EMPHASIZE RESULTS!

This was the top survey response. State the action you performed and the achieved results. Include details about what you increased or decreased. Use numbers to reflect, how much, how many, and percentage of gain or reduction. Stress money earned or time savings. Example: Managed the project for implementing a new tracking system that resulted in a 17% decrease in cost overruns.

2. BE TARGETED.

Offer only the specific qualifications you have to best perform the job advertised since employer screening will eliminate any broad scope or generalized resumes submitted. State the desired job title, i.e. trainer, and make all content relevant to performing that job. Best practice tip: use a customized resume for different job titles even if you are qualified for several (i.e., one resumé for Trainer, another for Administrator) stressing only the information pertinent to doing that specific job.

3. USE KEYWORDS!

Employers who sort resumés electronically look for keywords. Be sure to include potential keywords for job duties in your resume. Example: state purchased, bought or procured inventory (instead of bought inventory). If the employer searches using the keyword “procured” your resume will come up.

4. SHOW BUSINESS SAVVY.

Only submit resumes created in the Microsoft WORD software, which is the business world’s standard. Many home computers use a mini-word processor version called WORKS, which is not compatible and can’t be read by many employer computers. Whenever possible always mail a hard copy of your resume after you have submitted one electronically since you would never be informed if the electronic version wasn’t readable.

5. ADD A SUMMARY OF QUALIFICATIONS SECTION.

Employers find this highly desirable in the survey. Encapsulate your most marketable skills and experience into four to six sentences so this section is a mini-verbal business card that details what you are bringing to the new employer.

6. ONE PAGE IS BEST.

Employers stated resumes get less than a 15-second glance, so concise and to the point worked best no matter what level position the candidate applied for. Cover in detail the major job duties performed noting results achieved. Be a skillful editor, deleting old portions or anything not relevant or helpful to your securing a particular position and at the level you seek. No vague generalities. Say exactly what you mean, using the smallest number of words to make the point.

7. VISUALLY APPEALING.

The formatting of your resumé must be kept readable, sharp and professional. Make sure sentences are concise and that there is adequate white space between points. Many online resumé-posting programs eliminate italic and bold formatting, bullets, and fancy fonts so use Arial font, 12-14 point size. Lines can trigger page breaks so avoid any graphic design. Printed resume should include bullets, bold, italicizing to improve speed-reading and comprehension.

8. DO NOT LIE!

Employers stated that over 50% try to exaggerate their skills, which is almost always uncovered during interviews and reference checks. State your skills, qualifications, and experience as positively as possible without misstating the truth.

9. USE A CLEAR JOB TITLE.

If your job responsibilities are not adequately described by your job company title, indicate your responsibilities as the title with appropriate terms (i.e. IT Systems Analyst, instead of Tech lll).

10. USE ACTION VERBS.

Start each sentence with a descriptive action verb — such as directed, organized, established, created, planned, etc. They add power to your sentences. And, never use “I” on the resumé, only short impact sentences. Example: Designed the company’s new marketing flyer.

11. BE COMPLETE

No abbreviations or acronyms Spell out names of schools, cities, business terms, abbreviations, and titles completely, as employers may not recognize the exactly what the letters stand for.

12. MAKE POINTS FAST.

Complete sentences are not necessary in resumé writing; it is better to use simple descriptive statements to make a point.

13. JUSTIFY EXPERIENCE.

In all your sentences, use past tense words since they imply that you “have done it” before. This reassures employers you can do it for them.

14. BE PERFECT.

This was employers’ number one stated mistake job hunters make in the survey. The resumé must be flawless. No spelling errors, mistakes or typos, especially in emails. Many HR managers insisted they would not hire offenders. PROOFREAD CAREFULLY. Don't trust computer spell checkers since a correctly spelled word like sea, would go unnoticed by your computer but would be incorrectly used if you meant to say “see.”

15. MAKE IT READABLE.

A crammed, cramped resumé often goes unread. Make deletions wherever necessary to achieve a readable product. Use white space; use bullets to highlight key points; and eliminate redundancies.

16. AVOID GRAPHICS OR GIMMICKS.

No FedEx arrivals -- no employer cared and it’s very costly to do. Artistic designs, color inks, clipart, are distracting to the reader and should be avoided.

17. DON'T STATE SALARY.

Employers were annoyed by job hunters who put previous salary in resumes or stated desired salary in resumes. Better to state solid accomplishments and leave salary negotiations until you are offered a position since your expectations may well be lower than what employers are willing to pay.

18. NO TAG LINES.

Employers know you'll provide references if they request them, therefore it is not necessary to put "References upon request" at the end of your resumé.

19. DON'T ADVERTISE NEGATIVE INFORMATION.

The resumé is the wrong place to advertise that you were laid off, fired, or had an extended illness. Never state why you left a position; simply list the dates of employment. Don’t mention what salary you want to receive.

20. UPDATE OFTEN.

Keep a current resumé updated semi-annually so you can apply for promotions or new positions at a moment's notice, not missing any potential opportunity since your resume wasn't up-to-date.

21. FINAL TEST -- ARE EMPLOYERS CALLING?

Is your resume getting results? Are employers calling on appropriate jobs you are qualified (not over or under) to perform? If not, rework, or get professional help to improve yours. Eliminate anything in it that does not support the job you are targeting.

Your resume must clearly and quickly communicate to employers that you can do the job, and make your key strengths easily apparent.

© Copyright 2005 Robin Ryan. All rights reserved.

Robin Ryan is considered America's top career coach with over 1000 TV and radio appearances including Dr. Phil Show, Oprah, Fox News, CNN. She is the best-selling author of: What to Do with the Rest of Your Life; 60 Seconds & You're Hired!; Winning Resumes; and Winning Cover Letters; and also the creator of the DreamMaker, Interview Advantage and Salary Negotiation Strategies Audio Programs. Robin has a busy career counseling practice providing individual career coaching, resume writing services, interview preparation and salary negotiations consulting to clients nationwide. A dynamic national speaker, Robin frequently teaches audiences how to improve their lives and obtain greater success. To purchase her books and audio training programs or learn more about her coaching services call 425.226.0414, email RobinRyan@aol.com or click here: www.robinryan.com.

Posted by Shawn Augustson, CollegeRecruiter.com on January 4, 2007 at 8:47 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

We’re now about one week into January. How are those resolutions coming along?

While I can't help you lose 10 pounds or finally learn French, if you've resolved to find a new job in 2007, here are two shortcuts to try …

1) Find Someone to Model
The most successful people in history have one thing in common: They all modeled themselves on someone else.

Before conquering the known world by age 33, Alexander the Great learned the Iliad by heart and took Achilles as his military model. Julius Caesar envied and emulated Alexander. Napoleon studied and imitated Caesar.

In music, Chuck Berry emulated his teacher, Ira Harris. The Beatles learned from Chuck Berry. And everyone learned from the Beatles.

Luckily, you don't have to invade Gaul or learn the guitar. All you need do is find a new job. And you can do it faster if you emulate one or more highly successful people at work.

Look around. Who has the job you really, really want? It may be your sibling, best friend, neighbor or someone in the news. Pick one or more people and model yourself on them.

Then ask yourself questions to identify the critical success traits to emulate:

* Where did they start in their industry?
* How did they reach the top?
* What books and magazines do they read?
* How were they hired for the job they now have?

Have FUN with this and really try to adopt the mindset of your model, right down to the smallest detail.

The final question is this: What one thing should I be doing right now if I want to emulate the success of my “workplace hero?”

Then, get busy doing it. In a year’s time you may not believe how far you've come!

2) Let Others Sing Your Praises
Here’s a job-search trick that’s more than 100 years old, updated for the 21st century.

Back around 1900, advertising man Claude Hopkins interviewed for a job at Swift & Company in Chicago. Although he was one of the preeminent men in his field, Hopkins was told he had little chance of getting the job -- 105 men had applied for it ahead of him!

So Hopkins resolved to do something different. Something brilliant.

He approached all the leading men he knew in business -- bankers, advertisers, furniture makers and others. He asked each to write a letter to the hiring manager at Swift telling what they thought of Claude Hopkins.

A flood of letters praising Hopkins soon rained down on Swift & Company. And Hopkins was hired. (He later went on to more or less invent modern advertising.)

More recently, author and speaker James Malinchak wrote that, despite going on several job interviews and following up after, he wasn't getting job offers. Then, like Hopkins, he had an idea. He asked his references -- former supervisors and college professors -- to write recommendation letters to employers on his behalf.

Soon, laudatory letters began arriving at employers where Malinchak had interviewed. As he writes in his book, “From College to the Real World,” one manager said: “I have never received so many letters in support of one individual. You must be well respected among your peers.”

Malinchak was hired soon after, in large part due to this creative persistence.

In your case, think of all the successful people you know who would write you a letter of recommendation on their letterhead. Three or four paragraphs are all you need in each letter, so long as it describes you in glowing, specific terms. Then ask your references to mail those letters to employers you really want to work for.

It goes without saying that you owe each of your letter writers a steak dinner or a bottle of something bubbly. But when you get that new job, you'll feel like celebrating anyway, so invite them all to dinner.

Now, go out and make your own luck!

Kevin Donlin is President of Guaranteed Resumes and creator of
GetHiredNow.TV. Since 1996, he has provided job search assistance to nearly
10,000 people. Author of "51 Ways to Find a Job Fast -- Guaranteed," Kevin
has been interviewed by USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, CBS Radio and
others.

Posted by Shawn Augustson, CollegeRecruiter.com on January 3, 2007 at 5:04 PM | Leave a Comment (0)