Sometimes solving problems or dealing with conflicts requires that we flex different “muscles” than the ones we normally use for performing our job, maintaining relationships, or resolving conflicts. Every once in awhile we are faced with confounding situations which require us to adapt ourselves even more creatively. After years of observing others, making my own mistakes, and occasionally doing things the right way I have come to the conclusion that in any difficult situation the key to overcoming challenges is to do whatever you need to do but to be true to yourself in the process.

What I mean is that if you behave in a way that is unnatural to you, others will notice this and you may not get the results or response you desire. Once I worked for a C-level executive who was, without question, the biggest jerk I have ever met. As an every day practice he bullied and demeaned his employees (no matter how senior), took credit for the work of others, refused to reward employees for good work, obviously played favorites, and generally behaved like jerk in every way. He was a jerk to the core – when he was trying to be nice or make jokes he came across as crass, obnoxious, and unkind. Even his jokes were awkward at best and mean spirited at worst. However, for whatever reason, his behavior seemed to work for him. He had advanced through corporate America and had been hired by a venture firm to run a successful start-up so someone must have thought his behavior was acceptable. But if, for example, I had tried to emulate him, I know that I wouldn’t have reaped the rewards that he did because I couldn’t pull it off successfully. Also I wouldn’t have felt very good about myself.

On the other hand, I once worked for an executive (her name was Barbara) who was one of the most reflective thinkers and best listeners I have ever met. Barbara was a great coach and manager who was skilled at absorbing information, considering various options, and regurgitating great ideas which others could adapt and implement. I tried so hard to be like her but I couldn’t quite pull it off. I hope I absorbed some of Barbara’s good qualities when I worked for her but at the end of the day my strength is in implementation rather than reflecting upon a menu of ideas and bouncing them to others to make them come alive.

Being true to yourself doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t try to improve your skills or learn new “tricks”. You should! Self reflection and continuous education is a must for all of us. You can and should adapt your skills and behavior to situations but you shouldn’t stray from your core values or personality traits or you won’t be true to yourself.

I had an employee once (we will call her J) who was the kindest, sweetest, and least confrontational person I have ever met. I really admired her ability to see the good in others even when they were being manipulative, negative, or just plain incompetent. Sometimes I ran interference for her so that she could get her job done when the occasional goofball decided to play politics, not do a job, or made her life difficult. I was very good at cutting through red tape so that all of my employees could get their jobs done. When necessary I utilized whatever tools I had to create an environment in which my employees could be successful whether that involved using politics, calling someone’s boss, or just plain making demands.

J and I had many conversations about assertiveness and I always told her that she could be assertive but that she could do it in her own sweet way – she didn’t have to try to act like me because that might not come naturally to her. In fact, if she had attempted to do some of the things I did it would have been completely counter to her personality and she wouldn’t have gotten the results she desired. J is now a manager of people herself and she has come up with some really great management techniques that reflect her values and personality but yield the results she needs to run her department effectively.

Be true to yourself even in tough situations and you will find that things often work to your advantage.

Article by Liz Handlin and courtesy of Ultimate Resumes

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on December 31, 2007 at 10:05 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

I found a fun and short online survey on J.T. O'Donnell's website that identifies workplace "interaction styles". I get a kick out of all the tests like Meyers Briggs that put people in nice pat categories when we are really so much more complicated than that. I know, I know, personality tests are just meant to show us how others think so that we can be a little more understanding at work. But hey, I am entitled to a little cynicism after having lived through every possible management training, leadership training, diversity training, and workplace sensitivity program that corporate America has to offer.

Anyway, back to the survey I found online...it isn't an alternative to getting to know your co-workers the old fashioned way (by having lunch together)...but it's short and possibly enlightening.

Click here to go to the survey

According to the J.T. O'Donnell's website the survey will give you:

1. An understanding of how you are perceived and valued in the workplace.
2. How that perception effects your performance and ability to be successful.
3. How your style influences your interpretation of experiences and information on-the-job.
4. Your "best matches" for effective working environments, strong partnerships and ideal management relationships.

Article by Liz Handlin and courtesy of Ultimate Resumes

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on December 28, 2007 at 4:16 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Patience. It’s a difficult trait to possess when you’re in the middle of a job search. This is especially true when you’re miserable in your current job. You think any job would be better than the one you’re in now. Caution: Tread carefully; you don’t want to make any decisions in haste and out of desperation. That can lead to an even less favorable job which will cause you to go through the whole job search process again…much sooner than you would have liked.

Make sure it’s a good fit for you

Have you ever read about an open position and got so excited over it that you could actually picture yourself in that job and moving up the career ladder with a fantastic company? Potential reality: You interview with the company and the culture doesn’t fit with your lifestyle, the people are not friendly and overtime is expected. Has that ever happened to you?

Save your judgment of the jobs you apply for until after your interview. Yes, you need enthusiasm but try not to get too invested in a particular job before you know much about it. It’s easy to sound great on paper but it’s much more difficult to win you over in person. Be very aware while you’re there and pick up on subtle clues as to the overall atmosphere. If it feels tense as a visitor it can be 100 times worse as an employee.

It’s All in Who You Know

It’s a well-known fact that many jobs aren’t advertised online, in the newspaper or elsewhere. How are jobs filled then? By networking. It’s all about keeping connected to people you know well, and even those you don’t know well.

An added benefit about networking is that you know more about the company beforehand. For example, Steve works at ABC Company. You tell him in passing that you’re looking for a job. He happens to know of an opening in his company that would be ‘perfect’ for you. Steve takes your resume and personally delivers it to the hiring manager.

However, before you even get that far, you need to have a very open and honest conversation with Steve. Ask him how the company operates and about corporate politics. Find out about their views on work-life balance. You can even inquire about vacation and benefits before you interview to see if it’s what you need and expect. All of this ‘inside’ information is invaluable.

Buyer’s regret

Job seeker remorse can be brutal if you jump into a new job without knowing much about the company. If you accept a job for the fact that it’s a small company and you’ve always wanted to work for a small company, then you don’t know what kind of surprises you may encounter. Be sure that you don’t overlook a lot of negatives simply for the fact that is has one huge positive.

Changing jobs can be a great experience and change your life for the better. Just make sure you know the facts before accepting the job. Once you turn in your two-week notice at your soon-to-be ex-employer, it’s too late to turn back.

Heather Eagar is a former professional resume writer and owner of http://www.resumelines.com/professional-resume-writers.html 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 December 26, 2007 at 8:35 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

WHAT ARE KEY WORDS?

"My expertise is in process mapping, SAP technology, productivity improvement, operations redesign, team leadership, and supply chain management. Who am I?" If you guessed that I’m the Vice President of Operations (or something similar), you’re right! Those few words above communicated a very specific message about "who am I." That is precisely what key words are all about. Ten years ago, no one had even heard of key words, yet they’re nothing new. Previously known as buzz words, key words are words that are specific to a particular industry or profession and have two vital purposes in your job search:

• A single key word communicates multiple skills and qualifications. When prospective employer read the key word "sales," they will assume you have experience in new business development, product/service presentation, negotiations, sales closings, customer relationship management, new product introduction, and more. Just one key word can have tremendous power and deliver a huge message.
• Key words are the backbone for resume scanning technology. If a company is seeking a Chief Financial Officer, they may do a key word search through hundreds of resumes to find candidates with experience in tax, treasury, cash management, currency hedging, and foreign exchange. If you don’t have those words in your resume, you will be passed over.

  Typical key words for the $100,000+ executive include:
  

  
  

  * Strategic Planning	* Organizational Leadership
  * Profitability Improvement	* Performance Optimization
  * New Business Development	* Joint Ventures & Alliances
  * Consensus Building & Teaming	* Corporate Administration
  * World Class Organization	* Best Practices & Benchmarking
  * P&L Responsibility	* Multi-Site Operations
  * Budgeting & Finance	* Decision-Making

NOTE: Although one might assume that key words are individual words, key words can be multiple words as demonstrated above. HOW & WHERE DO YOU USE KEY WORDS? As a $100,000+ executive job search candidate, you must use your key words in all of your job search marketing communications - resumes, cover letters, interview follow-up letters, executive profiles, and more. Carefully integrate them into the text, when and where appropriate, to be sure you are communicating a complete message of "who you are" and what value/knowledge you bring to the organization.

Here are a few ideas of how and where to incorporate key words into your resume:

• In the Career Summary at the beginning of your resume. Summaries are the ideal section in which to highlight your most notable key words, and you can do this either in a paragraph format or a listing of bulleted items. By doing so, you’re quickly communicating your core qualifications for immediate impact.
• In your job descriptions. Use key words to write powerful action statements, project highlights, achievements, and more.
• In a separate section. Although optional, as noted above, you may choose to summarize your key words in a separate section titled Professional Qualifications or Executive Qualifications.

MOVING FORWARD Get a copy of your resume and review it carefully. Have you incorporated all of the key words that are most relevant to your profession and your industry (if your search is industry-specific)? If not, go back through and integrate the appropriate key words so that your resume clearly communicates "This is who I am." And, remember, these same key words will be the foundation for your interviews. Not only do you need to be able to write about your key words, you must be able to verbally communicate about them in strong and powerful statements that highlight your successes, contributions, and achievements. Be an educated and well-prepared $100,000+ executive search candidate and the victory will be yours!

Article by Wendy S. Enelow, Master Resume Writer & Credentialed Career Master, Author, Trainer & Career Consultant. To read more from Wendy, visit www.wendyenelow.com/bookstore.php.

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on December 21, 2007 at 9:32 AM | Leave a Comment (1)

The conventional job-search wisdom used to be that, if you weren't hired by late October, you were out of luck until after the first of the year.

But times have changed.

Today, there are plenty of jobs to be had between Thanksgiving and the middle of January, according to human resource expert Susan M. Heathfield. "During the holiday season, you enjoy reduced competition for jobs and easier access to decision makers who are actually in the office," says Heathfield.

This is due, in part, to the global talent shortage, which has made it harder for employers to attract top talent. "If good candidates show up during the holiday season, we're finding that management will take the time to see them. In the past, they might have told them to come back in January," says Michael Jalbert, President of executive search firm MRINetwork.

Jalbert gives three reasons not to slack off in your job search during the holidays:

1. Departments are often under pressure to fill openings before year's end to secure their remaining budget and headcount allocations.


2. While the number of advertised positions tends to decrease during the holidays, those that do appear are often high-priority jobs that must be filled quickly.


3. You will likely face less competition because many other job seekers have taken a break from their search.

With this in mind, here are two ways to connect with your next job during the holiday season ...

1) Party with a Plan
There are more parties and social events during the holidays than usual, which means more opportunities for you to make new contacts and renew old ones.

Since you never know which conversation will produce your next job lead, you should attend as many events as you can reasonably fit into your calendar, according to Heathfield.

"You don't want to be obnoxious about your job search and aggravate friends and relatives. But, do prepare a brief statement that tells people you are looking for a job and the kind of job you seek," suggests Heathfield.

Carry business cards, along with paper and a pen for taking notes. After every networking conversation, jot down the key points, then enter them into some kind of database at the end of the evening, for follow-up later. Whether it's a box of 3x5 cards or a $500 PDA, use whatever tools you need to manage your networking contacts.

2) Send a Card with a Difference
We all get greeting cards in December. For most of us, the charm wears off after about the first 20 or so. That means, if you hope to stand out by sending a holiday card to hiring managers and other folks who are inundated with mail, you probably won't.

So, why not send a Happy New Year's card instead? After all, when's the last time you got one of those in the mail?

Send your new year's cards on December 31, to arrive on or about January 2. Send them to hiring managers and well-connected friends. And use real cards, like those sold at www.Hallmark.com, with real stamps. Because emailing a greeting card is about as effective as emailing a steak sandwich.

One final bit of encouragement for job seekers: some industry sectors could see an up-tick in hiring in December, according to Jalbert. "Construction companies in Southern California, for example, are just starting to staff up to rebuild the $1.5 billion in homes that were destroyed in this summer's fires," he says.

Jalbert also sees strong demand for such fields as chemical and mechanical engineering, and information technology, as the U.S. dollar continues to drop, causing jobs from Europe and Canada to filter into the United States.

So if you're looking for a new job, don't take a holiday from your search just because it's December. Get out, get busy, get connected, and get hired.

Kevin Donlin is President of Guaranteed Resumes and the 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. His latest product, The Instant Job Search System, is available at http://www.collegerecruiter.com/guaranteed-resumes.php
copyright (c) 2007 by Kevin Donlin

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on December 20, 2007 at 9:15 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

You knew about website optimisation but did you know that resumes are now being scrutinised by similar technologies?

Few people realise that their futures are now being determined not at the hands of employers and HR staff but by machines and modern advances in technology.With online posting of applications, recruitment agents and employers are now turning to technology similar to Google to cut down on application processing time through scanning your resume for keywords to see if you are a match for their criteria.

“Text strings” (or keywords) are entered into a computerised tracking system to assess the resumes in the database and used to identify suitable candidates. Just like websites, the more keywords or “hits,” that an OCR scanning program finds, the more likely it is that your resume will actually be read.

So what are the crucial things to keep in mind when developing a scannable resume?

1. Find out the essential keywords for your industry. Job advertisements, selection criteria and position descriptions all provide valuable information on buzz words and key skills needed in your industry. Ensure these are prominently displayed in your resume, both at the front in your header, objective and skills summary and then throughout your resume in the employment and qualifications sections.


2. Ensure your format can be scanned. Use font sizing no less than 10 point and select a clean font such as Arial or Century Schoolbook.


3. Avoid formatting that may throw out scanners such as text boxes, unusual fonts, underline, tables, images and columns


4. If you are having your resume developed by a professional be sure to ask for a scannable resume or ascii version.

Finally remember, just like websites, content is still the most important thing so good resume writing principles still apply. Ensure your resume highlights what you offer potential employers through an achievement-rich resume filled with energy, results and positive career highlights. Good Luck!

Article by Jill Kelly, an international award-winning resume writer and Principal Career Consultant for Career Edge, a major Australian resume writing firm. This multi-award winning business has helped executives and professionals globally to progress in their chosen fields. Click here to contact Career Edge for assistance with your career marketing or visit Jill's career blog at www.careerhelpdesk.blogspot.com/ for more career strategy articles.

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on December 19, 2007 at 1:51 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

"What do you want for the holidays?" This is one of the most frequently asked questions at this time of year. Answers include a myriad of 'wants' including a new TV, a laptop, movie passes, dinner at a great restaurant, a gift card for a shopping spree at the Fashion Mall!

But here is the most important question you can ask during this season (and any season), as you compose cover letters for a new job:

Without this question, the hiring manager has no reason to respond to your letter. Many job seekers make the mistake of listing their qualifications in their cover letter and then stopping. They don't take it far enough. They don't make it clear that they want an interview so they can introduce themselves in person and find out more about what is expected from a prospective employee.

Use polite but assertive language in your cover letter so the hiring manager knows you want to meet for an interview.

1. Refer to the job listing you saw on-line or in the newspaper.


2. State your qualifications and experience.


3. Describe the job you're applying for, using specific details.


4. Clearly and directly ASK for the opportunity to be interviewed!


5. Provide your e-mail address and phone number.


6. Thank him/her for reading your letter and resume.

Take the active approach. While others wait and watch, you'll ask and receive—not only during the holidays, but all through the New Year ahead.

Seasons' greetings!

© Written By Jimmy Sweeney, president of CareerJimmy and author of the new, Amazing Cover Letter Creator. Jimmy is also the author of several career-related books and writes a monthly article titled, “Job-Search Secrets.” Visit Jimmy on the web at Amazing Cover Letters for your ‘instant’ cover letter today. In just three minutes you will have an amazing cover letter guaranteed to cut through YOUR competition like a hot knife through butter!

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on December 19, 2007 at 10:48 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

By Surranna Sandy, CPRW, CEIP

In today’s job market, the résumé - a document that provides an overview of your experience, education and skill set - is the number one request of potential employers.

Research has shown that job seekers without a top-quality résumé face long and difficult job searches, while those with polished, professionally written résumés multiply their chances of obtaining their desired positions. In the highly competitive job market, human resources managers and recruiting professionals are inundated with hundreds of résumés for a single position. Résumé Solutions research has determined that on average, an employer spends 10-30 seconds reviewing a résumé before determining whether it warrants further consideration. In such a competitive landscape it is critical that job seekers make a good first impression as a viable candidate by submitting a high impact résumé that cuts through the noise and shows your value to each employer.

As a job seeker, your résumé and cover letter must convince a recruiter that you are the perfect candidate for the vacancy without overloading the document with irrelevant data. In order to attract attention in the job marketplace and distinguish yourself from the competition, your résumé needs to creatively highlight your work history, achievements, education and capabilities. Many new job applicants capture their career history in the Curriculum Vitae (CV) format.. Unfortunately, the CV is only accepted for academic or research related positions and is too cumbersome for private sector jobs. Further, various components of the CV such as marital status, a photograph and other personal data is not relevant in the labour market and in fact may eliminate you as a potential candidate.

You résumé should answer the following questions:
 What expertise do you offer a potential employer?
 What added value you brought to your prior employers through measurable achievements?
 What education qualifications and certifications do you bring?
 What are you like to work with?

How do you write a high impact résumé?

Be relevant. Be concise. Be results specific. Be honest.

A résumé that generates results should be relevant to an employer’s needs, and emphasize the qualifications that are job, field or industry specific. To illustrate, if you are seeking a role as an Accountant but also possess experience in sales, it is advisable to focus primarily on your accounting knowledge rather than highlighting your sales talents. Another important consideration is to conduct comprehensive industry research prior to applying to jobs so that you are aware of the key job-specific requirements that employers are seeking.

To be effective, a résumé should be concise and to the point. It is critical that you do not prepare a résumé that consists of a laundry list of responsibilities for each job you have ever held or one which includes company jargon. In a document that is no longer than three pages (two is preferable), you need to convey to a prospective employer the contributions you made in each of your past roles. Do not use long-winded sentences or dated terminology. An example of what not to do: “Dear sirs, with your permission, herein is included my résumé and cover letter, in accordance with your request for someone of my esteemed talents which are in line with your organization’s long-term goals” Employers do not want to read long, cumbersome or jargon-laden sentences. Be specific and to the point.

To generate interest from a potential employer, you need demonstrate strategically your defining career moments and business and leadership successes, while outlining measurable results. Depending on your previous positions, this can be shown through examples of ways in which you have reduced costs, improved efficiency, solved problems or any other illustrations of how the organization benefited from your past performance. It is recommended that you include goals you overachieved such as delivering a project ahead of schedule and below budget, improving your staff performance or helping to retain key client accounts.

A high impact, effective résumé will:

 Demonstrate how you will meet an employer’s needs
 Convey the qualifications and abilities you offer for the job you want
 Show results and your qualifications in action
 Identify your career path
 Be attractive to the reader through a professional format
 Is concise and easy to read
 Let the reader see your skills, knowledge and abilities
 Be grammatically correct and spelling error free

As a Certified Professional Résumé Writer working with clients from diverse backgrounds and ability levels, my primary objective is to increase my client’s marketability by presenting their unique core competencies, personal talents, strengths and accomplishments in a way that engages the reader and compels them to invite my clients for an interview. However, it is critical that we are honest in the way we present our clients’ skills and as such, we never exaggerate their capabilitities and successes. You should ensure you do the same when writing your new résumé. At all times be honest and relevant with no exaggerations of any details. This may include job titles, education levels, accomplishments and abilities.
What is included in a professional résumé?

To be effective, it is critical that your résumé effectively links your qualifications to a specific job target. It should outline your career progression, education & training, technical and personal skills, languages spoken, professional affiliations, awards & recognition, and any community involvement.

A basic résumé layout should open with a profile or qualification summary. For examples of high impact professional summaries, you can review sample résumés at http://www.resumesolutions.ca. This profile while summarize who you are and what you have to offer to a potential employer. It should be tailored to the specific industry and job category you are seeking.

Many large and medium-size companies employ technology to gather, store and filter résumés, using keyword searches to identify qualified applicants. You can include industry keywords within the text of the summary, as a stand alone section, or incorporated throughout your résumé.

Typically, your next section should list your employment history in reverse chronological order – listing the most recent job first, followed by second most recent and so on. For each job, you should summarize your varying responsibilities and provide details on measurable results.

Your education follows the details of your employment history. When listing your education, ensure that the institution is clearly stated, the degree qualification is detailed and the year of graduation is included. Only degrees and diplomas from accredited institutes should be included. Your education section can also include any additional courses, certificates and professional development you have obtained.

Additional sections for your resume could include technical skills, affiliations and other job relevant data. Please note, you should not include religious or political affiliations and personal details such as date of birth, marital status, SIN numbers or a personal photograph.

Your success in securing high quality interviews and job offers is critically dependent on your effectiveness in conveying your qualifications and core expertise to potential employers. Before you begin to craft your résumé, I suggest that you take the time to develop an in-depth inventory of your hard and soft skills. Many job seekers find this process challenging, and for those of you having difficulty communicating your skills on paper, turning to a professional résumé writer may be the answer. Companies such as Résumé Solutions, whose Certified Professional Résumé Writers are members of Professional Association of Résumé Writers and Career Coaches and the Career Management Alliance, are pledged to uphold the highest standards of professionalism, writing quality and ethical behaviour when providing guidance to job seekers. As such, they can be an important partner in your job search strategy.

Surranna Sandy, a Certified Professional Résumé Writer and Certified Employment Interview Coach and former Human Resources Management Professional, is the Founder and President of Résumé Solutions. The company offers advanced résumé writing, career and interview coaching services for entry level, mid-career through to executive clientele in the global marketplace, and her team of client focused résumé writers and career coaches have helped thousands of job seekers meet their career goals.

Posted by Surranna Sandy on December 18, 2007 at 3:57 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Reprinted courtesy of TheCareerNews.com

SPRINGFIELD, OH -- Job seekers basically just talk about themselves and give a very one-dimensional, very flat description of what they do best, instead of selling themselves to prospective employers by emphasizing the value they bring to the company," said Teena Rose, president of Resume to Referral, a career consulting firm in Springfield, Ohio.

Rose, a certified professional resume writer, also advises on cover letter writing and does career coaching. "When your resume is read next to those of other candidates with basically the same skills, you need something to make yours stand out. Simply phrasing your skills and accomplishments in a different way will make an immeasurable impact on prospective employers."

Selling yourself, or marketing your skills, is very different from just talking about how good you are. Your choice of words during your job search will make you and your accomplishments more marketable.

Article by Teena Rose, Careerist, Book Author, and Writer, and reprinted from TheCareerNews.com. Get the latest breaking News, Tips and Tools for your job search, Free!

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on December 17, 2007 at 4:41 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

For true job search success, you must focus yourself and your campaign on the 3 M’s - Mindset, Merchandising, and Multichannel.

MINDSET - Executive job search is sales, pure and simple. You have a product to promote (yourself), and you must create a strategic marketing campaign to sell that product. It is an active process to which you must commit your time, energy, and financial resources. No product is ever sold if it sits quietly on the shelf. It’s all about market visibility - in the right places at the right times.

It’s also about having a clear mindset as to your value in the marketplace. With each passing day, the market becomes more competitive, and the candidates who manage their campaigns well are the candidates who receive the offers and opportunities. It is not necessarily the most qualified candidate who gets the position; it may be the individual who most effectively manages his or her search campaign. Therefore, your value must be clearly and concisely communicated, for it is the foundation for your entire campaign and your market success. It is what prospective employers and recruiters will want to buy, so be clear to communicate what you are selling.

MERCHANDISING - Designing and writing powerful job search communications (e.g., resumes, cover letters, executive career profiles) requires a strong focus on merchandising your qualifications, achievements, successes, skills, and knowledge. In theory, you want to lay ALL of your experience on the table; then pick, choose, and merchandise those items that are most related to your current career objectives. Communicate who you "want to be" and NOT "who you have been."

Consider the following example of merchandising your resume. Assume you’re a Chief Marketing Officer with three different objectives. Objective #1 is another CMO position; objective #2 is a COO/CEO position; objective #3 is an International Business Development position. How you merchandise your qualifications and expertise will vary significantly between the three versions so that you are able to bring to the forefront the core skills and experience you have that are most related to those three different objectives.

It is also critical that you appropriately merchandise your letters. Remember, you’re taking your entire career, consolidating it into a 1-3 page executive resume focused on your current objectives, and then consolidating it even further into a 2-3 paragraph executive cover letter. Yet, despite the consolidation, you must still focus on merchandising the same core qualifications.

MULTICHANNEL - An integrated approach that uses multiple channels of distribution is what typifies a winning job search campaign. Use each and every channel that is appropriate for your search objectives. This should include networking, ad responses, targeted direct mail and email campaigns, Internet resume postings, Internet job postings (ChiefMonster.com is the #1 source), and executive job lead reports. Think of your multichannel campaign as a wheel with many spokes, each of which is vital and each of which contributes to your overall ability to move your campaign forward.

Consider the 3 M’s to job search success as your new mantra and repeat the words over and over - Mindset, Merchandising, and Multichannel. If you can effectively build your campaign around these concepts, you will be one of the fortunate ones whose search campaign is quick, efficient, and successful.

Article by Wendy S. Enelow, Master Resume Writer & Credentialed Career Master, Author, Trainer & Career Consultant. To read more from Wendy, visit www.wendyenelow.com/bookstore.php.

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on December 12, 2007 at 4:57 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

I held out for a long time before signing up for TiVo / Digital Video Recording (DVR), but now I don’t think I can live without it. I save a lot of time fast-forwarding through commercials and stupid parts of TV shows.

The ability to skip segments that don’t interest me is similar to a hiring manager’s ability to skip resume sections — or bypass a resume completely. Here are a six tips to avoid this fate:

1. Be relevant. If the employer is looking to fill a specific job opening and your resume is all over the place with no clear objective, you will be skipped.

2. Avoid fluff. If you’re fluffing up your resume with clichés or bad lingo that doesn’t tell the hiring manager much about your abilities, you will be skipped.

3. Tell the truth. Hiring managers are on to the more than 50% of people who lie on their resumes. If you’re jacking up your qualifications and seem too good to be true, there’s a good chance you will be skipped.

4. Be brief. Monumental resumes that go on and on can be cumbersome to read. Avoid being skipped by keeping your resume short and to the point.

5. Engage your reader. Is your resume stuck in a bygone era with a self-centered objective, a focus on job duties, and a “references available upon request” line to end with a bang? If so, modernize your resume or you will be skipped.

6. Proofread. Typo after typo will get your resume skipped faster than anything. “Next!”

Attention spans are short, and resumes are plentiful. If you take the time to polish your resume, you will increase your chance of landing in the “save” pile.

By Kim Isaacs and courtesy of ResumePower blog.

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on December 11, 2007 at 8:34 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Provided By: Associated Content, Inc.

If you ever had to sift through a stack of resumes for potential candidates seeking a position you needed to fill yesterday, you've probably winced at cliché resume objectives like the following: "Seeking a challenging career with a progressive organization which will utilize my skills, abilities and education and allow for my professional growth within the company."

Although well written, it tells a busy recruiter nothing about you, your skills, specific goals or your potential value to the organization.

Posted by CandiceArnold on December 11, 2007 at 10:55 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Provided By: Associated Content, Inc.

During the past six months, a new practice adopted by many companies when considering college students and recent college graduates for jobs and internships has received increasing press coverage: screening of applicant profiles on popular social networking sites like Myspace, Facebook, and Friendster.

So for all of the members of the x and y generations recently initiated into the job market or who soon will be, I have a question: have you ever "Googled" yourself to see what might come up?

Posted by CandiceArnold on December 10, 2007 at 2:59 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Reprinted courtesy of TheCareerNews.com

LONG ISLAND, NY -- Fluff. That is what most job seekers believe keywords are on a resume - something that takes up white space. The reality is, however, that keywords are an integral part of the resume process for the following reasons:

1) Most resumes today aren't initially read by human eyes, but rather by a scanning system. This is how this works: a clerk at the hiring organization scans resumes into a computer. When a position becomes available, a Human Resources Representative goes into the computer system and punches in the appropriate keywords. The resumes that are retrieved by the computer dictate who is called in for interviews. This means that you can conceivably qualify for a position but your resume may never be reviewed because it lacked the right keywords.

2) When searching online job boards, decision-makers search for prime candidates using keywords. To help you visualize how the process works, consider how you search on the Internet. You search for what you are looking for using a specific keyword, and the websites that most closely match your specific requirements will appear on the first page. It's no different when hiring managers search for qualified candidates on online job boards.

Article by Linda Mitias, CareerStrides.com, and reprinted from TheCareerNews.com. Get the latest breaking News, Tips and Tools for your job search, Free!

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on December 10, 2007 at 12:47 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Bulleted lists are often used on resumes to highlight specific talking points and areas of achievement. But too frequently bullets are misused and they end up diminishing the impact of the talking points rather than enhancing them. Here are a few common mistakes candidates make when using bullet points on their resume.

Too Many Bullets
When job seekers create a list of more than five bullets in a row, nothing stands out and the text starts to look like one big paragraph. A better strategy is to create functional headings such as Business Development, Marketing, Financial Analysis, etc. This allows you to group your bullet points in sub-sections and quickly differentiate the types of value-add statements you are including in the resume.

Mixed Purpose Bullets
Frequently job seekers mix information about job tasks with information regarding accomplishments. This waters down the value of the accomplishment statement and makes it harder to spot amongst a sea of task-oriented statements. A better strategy is to report job tasks in a brief paragraph format and identify accomplishments in a bulleted list to differentiate the two and make it easier for the reader to quickly spot the accomplishments.

Unique Bullets
Sometimes candidates use unusual symbols for their bullets that can be quite distracting for the reader. It's better to stick with traditional circles and squares when creating bullet points. You want your resume to be memorable based on its accomplishments, rather than unusual formatting.

Article by Barbara Safani and courtesy of Career Solvers. Barbara Safani is the owner of Career Solvers, has over ten years of experience in career management, recruiting, executive coaching, and organizational development. She is a triple certified resume writer and frequent contributor to numerous career-related publications

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on December 7, 2007 at 5:32 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

A cover letter is recommended when sending a resume to a hiring manager or recruiter. The letter allows the job seeker to tailor their resume to the open position and start a dialogue with the hiring authority. Here are ten tips for more powerful cover letters.

• Begin your cover letter with a compelling statement. Rather than starting your cover letter with a reference to the position you are applying for, write a statement that aligns your candidacy with the organization, industry, or job function you are targeting.
• Minimize the use of the word "I". Vary your sentences to keep the reader engaged.
• Ask for the interview. Create a strong call to action in your letter by expressing your interest in the company and requesting an in-person interview.
• Match your qualifications to the requirements of the job. Create a cover letter that addresses each job requirement point by point. The stronger the match you can make between the two, the greater the likelihood of securing the interview.
• Build rapport with your audience. Discuss relevant business issues and ask thought provoking questions to show your reader that you recognize their needs.
• Include a famous quote to make your point. Incorporating quotes that are relevant to the topics discussed in your letter is a great way to create an interesting and memorable document.
• Keep the letter to one page. Keep your cover letters short and use short paragraphs and bulleted lists to keep the reader's attention and make it easy for them to determine the match between your qualifications and their open job.
• Address the hiring authority by name. The likelihood of building rapport with the reader and validating your interest in the job is increased when the inside cover address refers to the specific person rather than "Dear Sir". Whenever possible, sleuth around for additional information on the hiring manager so you can personalize your letter.
• Reference the position you are applying for. Be sure to mention the job title and job number in the body of your letter as well as in your email subject line. Many hiring authorities request this information and your inability to follow their instructions could jeopardize your candidacy.
• Sign your name. In this age of email, sometimes people forget to do this. If you are sending a letter regular mail, include your handwritten signature. If your correspondence is via email, create an electronic signature.

Article by Barbara Safani and courtesy of Career Solvers. Barbara Safani is the owner of Career Solvers, has over ten years of experience in career management, recruiting, executive coaching, and organizational development. She is a triple certified resume writer and frequent contributor to numerous career-related publications

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on December 7, 2007 at 4:16 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Writing powerful, executive-level thank-you letters is not just a formality anymore; not just a quick, "Thanks for the interview - can't wait to hear from you." Thank-you letters (which I refer to as second-tier marketing tools) can have tremendous value in moving your candidacy forward and positioning you above the competition. Although much of what you include in your thank-you letter may have already been communicated during your interview, there is nothing more effective than the written word to etch those thoughts into your interviewer's mind. You can use your thank-you letters to:

1. Overcome objections. If, during an interview, there was a specific objection raised as to your appropriateness as a candidate, use your thank-you letter to respond to, and overcome, those concerns. Demonstrate that it's not an obstacle, but rather an opportunity, and that you're fully prepared to meet the challenge. Example: You're interviewing as CEO for a well-established company in the Midwest. Although you're extremely well-qualified, they're concerned that you've never lived in the area and have no network of local contacts. Eliminate their concerns by explaining that your network of professional contacts is nationwide and, in fact, you know John Doe of the XXX Company, have a long-standing relationship with an economic development director in the area, etc. These contacts will only serve to expand the company's already-established network.
2. Reiterate your specific expertise as it relates to a company's specific challenges.
   If, during an interview, the company communicated their specific needs, issues, and/or challenges, use your thank-you letter to demonstrate how you can meet those needs and eliminate those challenges. Example: You've interviewed as CFO for a distressed company in need of immediate action if it is to survive. They need a candidate with proven success in fast-track turnarounds and revitalizations. Consider presenting your experience in a format such as:
   
   
   • In 2000, led the turnaround and return to profitability of a $75 million apparel manufacturer, rebuilt customer credibility, and launched a new pipeline of marketing and development activity.
   
   
   • Between 1998 and 2000, restored profitability to a $200 million consumer products manufacturer who had multi-million dollar losses for the past six years. Today, the company boasts profits at more than 18% annually (4% over industry average).
   
   
   • In 1997, consulted with a Fortune 50 company to create a strategic turnaround program for all 290 of their production facilities worldwide. To date, the company has implemented two of my programs and generated cost savings in excess of $100 million.


3. Highlight your core professional competencies and successes directly related to that company's needs. If, during an interview, the company communicated their ideal qualifications for a candidate, use your thank-you letter to outline how you meet and/or exceed each of those qualifications. Example: You've interviewed as EVP of Technology & Product Development with a high-tech venture and the company has clearly communicated its four essential candidate qualifications. Let them "see" immediately that you have those four qualifications with a format and structure to your letter like this: New Product Development Include 2-3 sentence paragraph with a strong overview of your total experience in new product development, and then include a list of 3-5 bullets highlighting specific projects, achievements, operations, etc. Technology Commercialization Include 2-3 sentence paragraph with a strong overview of your total experience in technology commercialization, and then include a list of 3-5 bullets highlighting specific projects, achievements, operations, etc. Include 2-3 sentence paragraph with a strong overview of your total experience in technology commercialization, and then include a list of 3-5 bullets highlighting specific projects, achievements, operations, etc. Team Building & Leadership Include 2-3 sentence paragraph with a strong overview of your total experience in team building and leadership, and then include a list of 3-5 bullets highlighting specific projects, achievements, operations, etc. Global Business Development Include 2-3 sentence paragraph with a strong overview of your total experience in global business development, and then include a list of 3-5 bullets highlighting specific projects, achievements, operations, etc. Include 2-3 sentence paragraph with a strong overview of your total experience in global business development, and then include a list of 3-5 bullets highlighting specific projects, achievements, operations, etc.

And, finally, the all-important "how long should a thank-you letter be" question! Of course, as with anything else in job search, there is no definitive answer, but 1-2 pages is the norm depending on the amount of information you want to communicate. They certainly DO NOT have to only be one page! Remind yourself that you already have the company's interest or you would not have been interviewing, and use your thank-you letter as a tool to communicate valuable information. Remember, the entire process of job search is marketing and merchandising your product - YOU. There is no reason why writing thank-you letters should be any different than any other of your job search activities!

Article by Wendy S. Enelow, Master Resume Writer & Credentialed Career Master, Author, Trainer & Career Consultant. To read more from Wendy, visit www.wendyenelow.com/bookstore.php.

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on December 7, 2007 at 2:34 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Most professional writers share a common love for language - for words, their meanings, their patterns and their uses. I can remember studying Latin two hours each day in 10th grade (I won't tell you what year that was!) and then taking a Greek and Latin word roots class in college. Fun, very informative and an easy A! Since those days, I find myself reading business dictionaries, searching out new words, experimenting with the alternative use of existing words and so much more. Yes, I'm a word addict and proud of it!

One of my favorite word categories is verbs. I simply love them! Verbs give us power - power to write documents that are well-positioned and that communicate a vast amount of information with just the use of a simple verb or two. A recently coined new phrase, "key verb," is an excellent description of how these verbs can be used to your advantage when writing resumes, cover letters, branding statements, leadership profiles and other job-search communications.

Now, let's explore the use and meaning of some of my favorite verbs.

Accelerated the rate at which Kodak was able to bring new products to market by redesigning the entire product development and engineering process, eliminating roadblocks and streamlining documentation requirements. (Meaning: Communicates the message that you were able to speed up the rate at which a certain activity or process happened and, in turn, deliver positive results.)

Architected the business plan, strategy, mission, vision and organizational design for a new offshore financial services firm targeting private equity investors worldwide. (Meaning: Communicates the message that you created, designed, developed and built all of the "pieces" for a new company, division, market or other entity.)

Catapulted the RQ-21 Therapeutic Spinal Device to #1 market share in the nation following a coast-to-coast media and advertising campaign. (Meaning: Communicates the message that you were able to launch a product, service, technology or company to the very forefront of the market/industry.)

Championed the development of a new line of cosmetics targeted to the affluent Hispanic market and delivered $2.8 million in first year sales. (Meaning: Communicates the message that you were the driving force behind an idea, a product, a technology, a service or any one of a number of other "inventions.")

Dominated the East Coast market and eliminated the competition following the introduction of a fully integrated home security system for under $1000. (Meaning: Communicates the message that you obliterated the competition and ruled the "universe.")

Honored with the 2006 "Sales Manager of the Year" award from Dow Chemical (from a group of more than 300 eligible sales management professionals in the company). (Meaning: Communicates the message that YOU were chosen for special recognition because you excelled at your job, a special project, revenue growth or any one of a number of other achievements.)

Imagined the possibilities for Dow to expand into emerging African markets, authored business plan, staffed new organization and transitioned from concept into full-scale operation with 22% net annual profit within first year. (Meaning: Communicates the message that you were able to conceive something new and revolutionary that brought about positive change and results.)

Leveraged relationships with key accounts to facilitate Triton's successful launch of its new dedicated logistics services, increasing annual sales by better than 22% within one year. (Meaning: Communicates the message that you were able to favorably "exploit" existing relationships, partnerships and activities to support, strengthen or expand other business operations.)

Orchestrated the start-up, funding, development and market launch of a new technology venture to capture emerging opportunities in e-commerce and other e-based revenue streams. (Meaning: Communicates the message that you put together numerous different components to create a complete whole, just as you would put together all of the instruments in a symphony to create a complete orchestral piece.)

Pioneered the initial concept that led to the development of new technology for the distribution of electrical services nationwide. (Meaning: Communicates the message that you conceived, conceptualized or created some new and revolutionary.)

Revitalized dormant market, introduced new sales call program targeting key accounts, and increased regional sales revenues by 31% within 12 months. (Meaning: Communicates the message that you were able to re-energize and bring something back to life.)

The next time you sit down to write a cover letter, update your resume, create a leadership profile or craft any other type of job search or business document, remember how powerful "key verbs" can be and use them to your advantage!

Article by Wendy S. Enelow, Master Resume Writer & Credentialed Career Master, Author, Trainer & Career Consultant. To read more from Wendy, visit www.wendyenelow.com/bookstore.php.

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on December 6, 2007 at 1:27 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Reprinted courtesy of TheCareerNews.com

CLEVELAND, OH -- Specialty sites focus on a particular industry, skill set or other limiting criteria. For example, there are several websites that connect recent post-graduates with entry-level positions in research, academics, government and industry. Some of these specialty sites are sponsored by professional associations - CPAs, pharmaceutical representatives, real estate agents - if you fall into a specialty work category like one of these, the competition for the good jobs will be less, meaning you're more likely to get noticed.

Most states have job listings posted. Some post them as part of the main site for the state, while others have separate websites for employment listings. These sites are useful for finding local and regional openings, especially important to job seekers who don't want to uproot their families and move across country.

Many of the listings on state job sites are for positions in state government. If you've had experience in this area, check out postings on your state's site, or the sites of states to which you'd be willing to move. Also, you can post your resume on these government-sponsored sites, always a good idea. The viewer may be looking for someone just like you.

Article abridged from ResumeByCPRW.com, and reprinted from TheCareerNews.com. Get the latest breaking News, Tips and Tools for your job search, Free!

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on December 6, 2007 at 11:25 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

It's been said that time isn't everything, it's the only thing.

That applies to your job hunt, especially. Because every day spent in the wrong job (or in no job) can seem like an eternity to you and your family.

As we get ready to begin a new year, here are four tips to help you save time and get more done every day, so you can find your next job faster ...

#1: Plan Every Day

"A lifetime is composed of days, strung together into weeks, months, and years," wrote Earl Nightingale. "A successful life is nothing more than a lot of successful days put together. As such, every day counts."

To make every day count in your job search -- and in your life -- it's best to plan ahead, so you're doing the right things, at the right time, in the right order.

Most folks don't, unfortunately.

If you ask any 10 people to show you their daily to-do list, only one or two could produce one. And it's no coincidence that only about 10-20% of people ever achieve real career success.

So, to join the top 20% in your field, whether you're employed now or not, the first thing to do is to plan every day in advance. It need take only 10 minutes, but it could easily save you one or two hours a day.

Start by jotting down the five career-related things you must do tomorrow. Be specific. Don't write, "Find job leads." Write, "Find 3 job leads."

Then ...

#2: Prioritize Your Tasks

Once you determine the five things to do tomorrow, rank them in order of importance to your job search. This should take no more than a few minutes.

It doesn't matter whether you use a Day Planner, a sheet of paper or a PDA, just jot down and number the five things you need to do tomorrow, in order of importance.

Tip: It's a good idea to plan and prioritize your tasks the night before, so you can "sleep on it." About one hour before bed, take a few minutes to review your plans for tomorrow, then put the list away and do other things. When you wake up the next morning, you may find, as I have many times, that your subconscious mind has worked out the answer to a problem while you were sleeping. Try it tonight!

#3: Work on Top Priorities First

First thing tomorrow morning, take out your to-do list and look at item #1. Start working on it and keep at it until you finish. Then work on #2, and so on, until it's time to stop for the day.

According to Earl Nightingale: "Don't worry if you've only finished one or two; the others can wait. If you can't finish them all by this method, you could not have finished them with any other method. And without some system, you'd probably take 10 times as long to finish them and might not even have them in the order of their importance."

Sounds simple, doesn't it? The best ideas usually are.

(Here's where I might lose readers. You may think, "This is too simple. I've heard this before." Have you? Fine. But ... are you doing this? Unless you have a better system, why not?)

#4: Plan for the Long Haul

It's not enough to plan the days and weeks that make up your job search. You should also plan for the months and years that make up your career.

One way is to set up a system to collect and manage the information that accumulates over the course of your working life. "You want to plan not just for this job search, but for the ones that will certainly happen in the future," says Jason Alba, creator of JibberJobber.com.

While it might be nice to remember the names of everyone in your sixth grade class, it would be really, REALLY nice to remember the names of everyone you networked with, say, two years ago, when you last looked for a job.

Contact management software can help "connect the dots between people you've met and things you've done," says Alba, who designed JibberJobber.com to solve the problem of lost opportunities that plagues most job seekers at some point.

"I tried managing my job search in a single spreadsheet that grew until it became unmanageable, and then I started missing appointments and losing details," says Alba.

If an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, surely a bottle of planning is worth a keg of time. (A mangled analogy, yes, but you get the idea.)

To get the most out of the minutes, hours and days that make up your job search, take a few minutes tonight to plan for tomorrow and the long haul after that. You can then string together enough good days, weeks and months to create a truly successful career.

Kevin Donlin is President of Guaranteed Resumes and the 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. His latest product, The Instant Job Search System, is available at http://www.collegerecruiter.com/guaranteed-resumes.php
copyright (c) 2007 by Kevin Donlin

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on December 6, 2007 at 10:10 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Reprinted courtesy of TheCareerNews.com

MILWAUKEE, WI - You never know what can happen at holiday parties, who's going to attend, who works for what company, and what the employment scoop may be, so buck up. It could be a gift waiting to be opened by you, and that gift could be a job.

The Don'ts: Don't over indulge. No whining about your current jobless situation. It's a turnoff. No begging either. Oliver Twist's "more food please" doesn't work when job hunting.

The Do's: Listen for opportunities, problems, or situations in a guest's conversation. It could be a golden opportunity for you. One of my clients, an electrical engineer, was visiting a friend during Thanksgiving. My client's friend, who was sharing the story about recently being hired at a software company, invited him for a tour. While on the tour, my client met the owners and was interviewing for a job the day after Thanksgiving! He landed the job. Good thing he went to that holiday party. You could be next.

Article by Wendy Terwelp, Resume Writer, Career Coach, and reprinted from TheCareerNews.com. Get the latest breaking News, Tips and Tools for your job search, Free!

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on December 5, 2007 at 3:15 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

We received a call this morning from someone looking for a sample resume for a recreational coordinator. She was aggravated because she searched all of our resume samples and couldn't find one for her career. Our client services director told her that the samples are meant to illustrate our work and shouldn't be copied. She responded with, "I see, so if I were a technology or an admin person I would have a sample to copy." She thought it was unfair that her field wasn't represented in our samples gallery.

I'm writing about this not because I'm surprised by her attitude, but because I'm not surprised at all. We frequently get calls and emails asking for free samples. If you are looking for free resume samples on the internet or have a document adapted from a sample you found online, here are a few problems:

• Chances are the sample is copyright protected and copying excerpts would be considered copyright infringement.
• The sample reflects the job seeker's credentials and was strategically developed for that person, and you would need a different strategy to best portray your unique qualifications.
• There's a good chance that many others copied the same sample you did. I can't tell you how many resumes I've reviewed and I've thought, "This is familiar, wait a second...I wrote this!" I've heard many resumes writers express the same frustration. If resume writers are noticing the similarities, then employers are, too. Not a good way to stand out from the crowd.

By Kim Isaacs and courtesy of ResumePower blog.

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on December 3, 2007 at 5:19 PM | Leave a Comment (1)