Cover Letter Tips: Making Yourself Irresistible Part II

By interviewmastermind .com

Here are cover letter tips to keep your resume from ending up in the trash can:

>> Don’t just parrot your resume.

Your cover letter, though short and simple, is an asset that will pave the way for your future income, and a lot of prospective employees make the mistake of writing exactly what is on the resume.  Don’t do this—it shows a lack of creativity.  Your cover letter should expand and serve as a bridge to your resume.  Since it’s the first thing they see, make it count.  This goes back to the previous point- it’s one of the crucial cover letter tips.  Brag and talk about how great you are but don’t just summarize your resume.

>> Don’t come across as a Harvard prude, even if you are one.

Professionalism is nice, but no one wants to work with a pompous ass.  If that’s not how you talk on a daily basis, tone it down.  If that is how you talk, you’ve got bigger problems than I can solve.  Write like a kindergartner.  Okay, I don’t mean write sentences like “Jane likes jobs.  Jane wants money.”  I mean be clear and simple, and sound out your words while you write to make sure they aren’t too sophisticated.  And definitely don’t talk about how this is one of the awesome cover letter tips you found here.  You don’t have to spill the beans like a kindergartener would either, just be clear, concise and readable.

>> Email letters should be short and sweet, like a one-night stand.

Long emails waste time that could be better spent on Facebook.  Once they open your resume they’ve decided to invest some time in you, so they are psychologically prepared for more information.  Einstein once said, “Everything should be as simple as it is, but not simpler.”  Anything more will make you seem like a possible future headache.

>> Attack them from all angles.

If you don’t have submission guidelines, send the resume as an attachment and an email.  Then point it out.  “I’m such a great fella I sent this as an email AND an attachment.”  The message is you are the type of person who will make their life easier.

>> The most crucial of the cover letter tips- Don’t be weak.

“My professional resume is included if you would like to look at it.”   Subconsciously, you just told them you aren’t even sure if your resume is worth their time.  Grow a pair.  Say something direct and casual like, “As you can see in my resume, I’ve worked in the midget porn industry for forty-three years.”  EXPECT them to read it, and they are much more likely to do so.  Ok, so that actual line is not one of the cover letter tips you should utilize, but you get what I mean.

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Cover Letter Tips : Making Yourself Irresistible Part I

By interviewmastermind .com

Most employers could go their whole lives without reading another resume  if it was up to them, so that’s when truly helpful cover letter tips come in handy.  If they are not in a hurry to hire, the last thing they want to do with their time is pick through anonymous resumes.  A cover letter gives you a quick chance to tell them why they should take a closer look at you.

Here are cover letter tips to keep your resume from ending up in the trash can:

>> If you’ve got connections, use them.cover letter tips

Name-dropping works.  For one, an employer feels a subconscious obligation to give you a solid chance if you have a mutual contact.  In fact, they will probably have to find a good reason not to hire you if it might affect their social life or business.  Also, human beings are ethnocentric creatures — which means they’re hesitant to let anyone into their world that they don’t know.  This is one of the oldest cover letter tips ever used, but it still works.   Establish a connection and they’re more likely to take a chance.

>> Never address “To Whom it May Concern.”

This is one of the cover letter tips you need to keep at the forefront of your mind.  Even if they know you don’t know them, saying their name gets their attention, as if the letter is truly to them.  It makes it more personal.  Besides, if you don’t have the brains to research a name, they don’t want you.  It shows you care about the position and are willing to do some homework.  Otherwise you’re like that shameless spammer on Facebook who is always promoting his band that no one likes—“Be my friend!  Be my friend!”  No one likes that guy, so don’t act like him.
 

>> Keep it Conversational.

Keeping the cover letter conversational is one of the best cover letter tips out there.  Show some personality and the reader is less likely to crumple it up and shoot a basket.  This type of language makes people feel like you have rapport even if you’ve never met.

>> Brag about yourself.

While your dedication to telling the world how awesome you are hasn’t scored you many friends in the past, here is your chance to put it out there without everyone leaving the room talking about what a douche bag your are.  Finally.  Tell them why you’re the man or woman for the job.  Having the confidence to state it straight up sends the signal that you really are qualified.

The more specific, tangible, and measurable the better because it tells them you’re not just winging it.

>> Always talk about your achievements.

They don’t just want another employee—they want the best, and achievements mark you as a high-value individual.  Use bullet points to cover more space, creating the illusion there is more information than there actually is.  Most cover letter tips will tell you not to list your accomplishments, but this is where you want to brag away.

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Job Fair Tips -> Anyone Can Use

by  job- search- adviser. net

> Job Fair Tips

Local job fairs are a great place to meet nearly every large business in the area.

Many businesses will travel from up to one hundred miles away to showcase their company to you.

They want to show you what benefits they have so you will apply to their company.

Now you need to show them why your benefits will help their company and why they should interview you. Let’s look at some job fair tips that will get you started. 

> Before the Job Fair

First you want to make sure that you have a lot of fresh resumes. This may be the only time that I say that a ‘generic’ resume is OK. You will want to take anywhere between 20-50 depending on the size of the job fair. You should carry them in a professional looking portfolio so they cannot become dented, folded or bent. It would also be smart to have a few references sheets available for employers who ask for them.

Make sure that you are dressed appropriately in a professional manner in navy blue or black. This outfit should be pressed, and have no pattern. You will want to avoid any perfumes since there are many who have allergies and asthma. Dressing professionally comes in handy since you never know when an employer may be interested in having an interview on the spot at a job fair. Make sure to wear comfortable shoes; you will be on your feet for quite a while.

Have a few pens or pencils with you so you can fill out applications. Some employers will want you to fill them out immediately at their booths, and some will allow you to take them home with you to fill out and return at your leisure. But always be prepared for the possibility.
 

Be prepared to answer questions from the recruiter. They may have simple interview type questions for you. This is to see if you are going to be someone that they would like to see more of. If you want to come in for a more detailed interview, have these answers prepared in advance and you can’t go wrong.

> The Time Has Come

Arrive early! You will want to make sure that you register, get your nametag and map your most desired stops out first. If you are able to stop by the booths you want first you won’t have to worry about fighting them later with 10 other people around and not being seen for the talented individual that you are. Arrive early and you can have their attention and you can showcase your resume to them firsthand.

Ask questions of the recruiters. Make sure that they know you are interested in what they have to offer. You want to make sure that you have a few questions, like you would have in an interview, ready for them. This will open the doors of communication and let them know you are the right person for the job.

Never interrupt someone else speaking. This shows a lack of concern and may prove to be a down fall for you. You will want to be firm and get your thoughts in, but you don’t want to be pushy.

> After the Fair

Take business cards from each booth that you visit. This will enable you to send thank you cards to each of the people that you visited. Most of the other participants will not think to do so, and you will have a heads up. Etiquette only calls that you do this after an interview, so this will be the icing on the cupcake for you. Thank them for the time, let them know that you were interested in their company and you hope to hear from them soon.

> Points to keep In Mind:

• Take business cards
• Send thank you notes
• Don’t interrupt
• Ask questions
• Be prepared to answer interview questions
• Arrive early
• Have pens and/or pencils
• Have extra resumes
• Dress professionally
• Wear comfortable shoes

 

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Transformational Effectiveness Leadership Solution

By Doreen Mcgunagle

With the help of this type of leadership, considerable positive changes take place among the followers. The transformational leader boosts the morale, performance and motivation with various mechanisms, such as connecting the sense of identity and self of the followers with the mission and identity of the organization, inspiring the followers as a role model, challenging followers to take up the responsibility of their work, determining the strengths and weaknesses of the followers for aligning them with tasks according to their performance.

The elements that are provided by transformational leadership are individualized consideration, wherein the leader attends to each follower's needs and communicates with them individually; intellectual stimulation, wherein the leader encourages creativity and independence in the followers; inspirational motivation, wherein the leader creates an appealing and inspiring vision for the followers; and idealized influence, wherein the leader acts as a role model instilling highly ethical behavior, pride, respect and trust.

In transformational leadership, the leader chases success along with you while motivating your passion and energy towards the given task. A vision or so-called "dream" is created by the leader to encourage the followers to pursue their goals. The leader sets an example for his followers by acting appropriately to achieve the goals. He inspires his followers to sustain commitment and not drift away from their goals while creating a balance of attention between the progress and mental state of the followers.

The followers also become the product of transformation while the leader attempts to transform the organization. Transformational leadership is carried out with charisma that motivates positively with enthusiasm. The leader is basically concerned with the individual success of his followers.

Transformational leadership is another form of leadership, apart from charismatic leadership, that gathers their followers through style and personality. As it is used to move a group in a new direction, it was initially based as business leadership. Such leaders not only inspire but they also stimulate individuals to think differently, think out-of-the-box while their needs are taken care of by the leader. You need to be more energetic and enthusiastic as a transformational leader, in order to avoid people falling asleep while you preach. With good content and integrity, you can present change to your people while imparting inspiring speeches that may improve the communication gap between the follow and the leader.

Interaction is important as the transformational leader may apply ideas of the followers themselves while chasing a goal. Transformational leadership comes through awareness of what is good, bad or unimportant for enhancing the needs of the people with motivation. You can succeed as a transformational leader when you influence the idea, conviction, example and extraordinary ability to mobilize your followers to make things work accordingly.

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Emotions - Leadership Secret Weapon

By Patsi Krakoff, Psy. D.

"Leadership isn't something you do writing memos; you've got to appeal to people's emotions. They've got to buy in with their hearts and bellies, not just their minds." ~ Lou Gerstner, IBM's former CEO

Emotions are critical to business success because they drive behaviors. Companies that achieve an emotional buy-in from consumers and employees will have a competitive advantage in a world of increasing commoditization.

Business has a long tradition of ignoring emotions in favor of rationality. But a growing body of scientific evidence reveals that subconscious feelings drive decisions, up to 95% of which are made through the brain's emotion centers and only then filtered into its cognitive parts.

Psychologists, neuroscientists and behavioral economists now agree that leaders who fail to understand how emotions drive actions will ultimately fail.

Emotionally astute leaders leverage feelings to gain employee commitment, engagement and performance, according to Dan Hill, CEO of Sensory Logic and author of Emotionomics: Leveraging Emotions for Business Success (Kogan Page, 2008). However, there are two barriers that create a trust gap between leaders and their staffs:

1. The financial chasm that results from large pay disparities
2. A disconnect between verbal and nonverbal communication

While there is an inherent desire to identify and bond with one's leader, people exercise caution before committing their careers and livelihoods to anyone. No one wants to commit to the wrong cause or person, thus the importance of leaders' honesty and authenticity.

Evolution gave us feeling before thinking. Leaders must quell fears before expecting employees to embrace the cold, hard facts. Facts are malleable, but our gut instincts are unyielding.

• The human side of business consumes most of a company's operating costs. Failure to be emotionally adept is counterproductive-perhaps even suicidal.
• Employees are the players who turn their CEO's dreams of progress from a nuts-and-bolts strategic plan into reality-an outcome that requires emotional commitment.

Emotions Matter: An Action Plan The following action steps can help you achieve your desired results:

1. Create faith in a "greater we" by establishing yourself as a leader who's a real person-not the heir apparent to a big title, office and salary.
2. Be more personable in your communications. Only then can you generate the emotional momentum necessary to push through change.
3. Communicate a vision that inspires pride. Negative feelings can undo a company during a period of change, and they're highly contagious. Become a student of nonverbal expressions and body language.
4. Meet with employees in person, and use face time to connect with them and solicit or accept advice. Greater familiarity leads to sound relationships.

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Job Tips -> Top Ten Tips for Attending Career and Job Fairs

by Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D.

1. Have a pen/pencil and paper available for notes.
2. Bring resumes and a folder or portfolio to hold your materials.
3. Take the time to find out what companies will be represented before the day of the career fair.
4. Research information about the participating companies and organizations prior to approaching the recruiters. Use the Internet, news sources and career fair materials to learn about the companies' booths you plan to visit. You can impress a recruiter by knowing about his or her company and can discuss its current situation.
5. Use time wisely. Determine where employers are located and in what order to visit them. Focus on three companies that you are truly interested in.
6. Broaden your focus and include many types of employers. For instance, you may not have considered working for a hospital, but hospitals recruit and hire professionals in many different fields (e.g., management, information systems, or health care).
7. Be aware of time demands on employers. Do not monopolize an employer's time. Ask specific questions and offer to follow up after the fair, as appropriate.
8. Be direct. Introduce yourself, including your name and career interests. If you are job-seeking, state the type of position in which you are interested. If you are gathering information, let employers know that you are only interested in materials and information. Remember to use good eye contact and a firm handshake. Career fairs are the perfect place to use your elevator speech.
9. Make sure you learn from the recruiter employment and/or hiring trends, skills necessary for different jobs, current openings, salary, benefits, training, and other information about the organization. Also make sure you know whom to contact for follow-up discussions.
10. Ask the employer for the next steps in the recruitment process and try to obtain the recruiter's business card for follow-up discussions/correspondence.

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Job Fair Tips > Career Fair Success Strategies

by Maureen Crawford Hentz

 

Career Fairs can occasionally be intimidating. As a job-seeker, you must distinguish yourself from hundreds or even thousands of other job applicants. The following are a few simple strategies to help you stand out from the crowd.

• Find a Fair. Many career fairs are free, but some require a registration and/or fee. The first place to look for a career fair is your alma mater. Colleges and universities routinely hold career fairs for students and alumni. Call your college's career service office and find out if you need to register and what the general format of the fair will be.

Professional organizations also often sponsor large career fairs at their national and regional conferences. Many organizations require membership for admission to the conference and career fair, but some sell day-long "placement-only" admission. Unsure about which professional associations would be best for you and which career fairs will have what you want? Query the Internet for professional associations in your field (for example, Interior + Design + Association) and see if the resulting Web sites indicate career-fair participants.

Finally, look in the Help-Wanted section of your local newspaper. Many career fairs are listed in their own column. Also look for employers with large ads to see if any indicate "We will be at the ElectroMechanical Job Expo next week!"

• Choose the Right Fair. You probably don't want to waste your time at a medical-technology fair if you are looking for a position in education. Do your research. If possible, get the names of companies that will be recruiting at the fair. Hosting agencies often post an abridged list to attract job-seekers like you.
• Arrive Early. As a career-fair recruiting veteran, I can confidently attest that my ability to remember names, faces, and details of candidates waned as the day went on. Rolling my materials into each career fair, I set up my table in eager anticipation of the fabulous candidates I would find. As the fair picked up, while my eagerness never diminished, my ability to remember candidate details did. Go early to ensure quality time with the recruiters.
• Do a Reconnaissance Circuit First. When you get to the fair, don't go into a frenzy of resume dropping-off. Sit down with the program and decide on the order in which you will talk to recruiters. Many career fair veterans agree that beginning in the back of the room and working your way to the front is the way to go – you are seeing recruiters fresh, while people who started in the front may be starting to lose energy. While you are getting the lay of the land, pick up information from the tables. Information, as well as freebies such as pens, magnets, and stress balls, are there for the taking. Gather information on companies of particular interest and sit down in the candidate lounge. Information may include company annual reports, brochures, and a list of open positions. Review the materials so that you have a starting point for conversation with each recruiter.
• Have a Booth Speech. Too many times I would see candidates going down a row of tables asking the dreaded question "Can you tell me a little bit about your company?" As a recruiter, no matter how much you like to talk to people, this question becomes old quickly. Better to have a booth speech that you give to the recruiter. "Hello Aurora, I wanted to introduce myself to you. My name is Janet Ridge. I am an Asian-studies trainer with six years of experience, and I wanted to talk to you about the Training Specialist vacancy at XYZ Company." [Editor's note: See our article, The Elevator Speech is the Swiss Army Knife of Job-Search Tools.]
• Hone In. As you begin talking, the recruiter then may ask you questions about yourself or tell you about the position. Ensure that you make eye contact and listen carefully for tidbits that are not mentioned in the written materials. If you are interested in the company or a position therein, ask for the recruiter's business card and leave a resume.

In addition, go back to the candidate lounge and write a short note to the employer. Attach it to your resume and redeposit into the employer's resume box. Your note should be brief and professional and reference your conversation. "Dear Aurora, thank you for spending time with me today at the AsiaAlive! Recruiting Fair. I appreciate your making time to explain the detailed requirements of the Training Specialist position, as well as the history of the position. Please do feel free to contact me directly if you need additional information." This note can be handwritten but should be stapled directly to your resume. At the end of the fair (or sometimes during it), recruiters go through the resumes making notes on impressive candidates. Attaching a note to the resume is a way to distinguish yourself from other candidates who don't bother with this step.

• Don't be a Booth Buffoon. Recruiters are there to find many good candidates – not just one. Don't monopolize a recruiter by taking all his/her time. If a line develops behind you, be sensitive to that. Say something like "Thank you so much for speaking with me. I see you have quite a line, and I don't want to monopolize your time." Then, get out of the way. If you are particularly interested in making another contact, it is fine to come back again when the line has died down.

If a recruiter is speaking generally to another candidate, it is perfectly acceptable to join the conversation, make eye contact, and ask questions. It is not necessary to wait in a line for individual one-on-one attention, particularly if you plan to ask a similar question.

• After the Fair. Follow-up is extremely important. Recruiters will collect hundreds or thousands of resumes at a large career fair. If you are interested in applying for a specific position, go to the company Web site and apply directly using the company's preferred format. Open your cover letter by indicating that you discovered the position at theAsiaAlive! Career Fair and in speaking with recruiter Aurora Crawford, you became convinced that this was the position for you. You may also want to follow up with an email to the recruiter directly, if that information is on the business card.

In the future, if other positions are advertised for that company, use your inside connection with the recruiter. Apply using the company's preferred process and then send an email along with your resume to the recruiter you met at the career fair. That recruiter may or may not be working with the new position but could be provide the foot in the door that you need. Your email would say something like "Dear Ms. Crawford, I met you last March at the AsiaAlive! Recruiting Fair. At that time we discussed XYZ Company and the Training Specialist position. I see you now have a Country Specialist position available in the Tokyo office, and I wanted to contact you directly to express my interest. My resume and cover letter are attached. Of course, I have also applied through your company Web site."

Final Thoughts
Career Fairs don't have to be intimidating. Remember that the recruiters are there to find you. Recruiters' success is determined by sourcing appropriate candidates and funneling them toward the company. Remember that you are what they are looking for. Employing these success strategies is sure to make a difference in the kind, quantity and quality of your career-fair interactions.

Source : www .quintcareers. com

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Career Tips > 9 Job Search Tips for New Graduates

By Kathy Kristof

College graduation season is set to launch millions of youthful job seekers into an already depressed employment market. If you’re among the masses, realize that preparation is key. Here’s what you need to do to get hired.

1) Edit your profile. Those drunken party photos might have impressed your Facebook friends, but now they could dissuade a prospective employer from hiring you, says Stephen Miles, vice chairman of executive search firm Heidrick & Struggles and co-author of Your Career Game. Recruiters do extensive web searches on people they intend to hire, including checking social media sites like Facebook, MySpace and Twitter. If you’ve posted compromising photos or a stupid status update (i.e. Nice day. I think I’ll call in sick and go to the beach…) it could cost you a job. Get rid of it.

2) Do your homework. Don’t just figure that you can post a resume on monster.com and find work, says Janice Bryant Howroyd, CEO of staffing company AppleOne. You ought to study all aspects of your chosen field and seek information about the companies doing business in that area. Go to the company web sites and see if they’re posting open positions, too. If you send a resume, tailor it specifically to the job you’re seeking, Howroyd suggests.

3. Prepare to relocate. Live in a city where the job prospects are bleak? You can vastly increase your chance of getting work by seeking employment in other zip codes. The folks at job search site Indeed.com recently came up with a list of the best and worst cities to find work.

4) Think small. Many graduates focus on big, brand-name companies, but it’s the smaller and mid-sized companies that are doing most of the hiring now, Howroyd says. Taking jobs that “no one wants” is often an opportunity that no one else sees, adds Nathan Bennett, professor of management at Georgia Tech and the other co-author of Your Career Game. A first job is an opportunity to get experience. The smaller the company, the thinner the staff, the more likely you are to learn a wide array of skills.

5) Set targets. Set goals every day for either sending out a set number of resumes; filling out a set number of applications or finding a set number of new opportunities. Don’t hit the beach until you’ve hit your goal. You can’t change the job market, but you can determine how hard you try. Trying harder than your peers makes you the one most likely to get work.

6) Be persistent. If you go to an interview and don’t hear from the employer, follow up with a phone call. If they gave the job to another person, don’t be angry — be interested. Politely ask the hiring manager if he or she can tell you whether there was something that the other person did that particularly impressed them or something that you did wrong. If your approach is respectful and aimed at learning (rather than second-guessing their actions), they’re likely to help you better position yourself for the next interview. And if they tell you that you were fine, the other person was just more qualified, don’t be shy about asking them to keep you in mind for the next opportunity. If you don’t have a job in three or four months, call again and see if anything has opened up.

7) Work your network. Ask your friends, your parents, your parents’ friends, if they know of anything that would suit you. Check in with your college career office and attend their alumni functions. When there are hundreds of people applying for a given job, a personal referral can make your application stand out.

8) Be a temp. Some companies may not be willing to hire permanent full-time staff, but need help. You can sign up with a temporary company, like AppleOne, that will send you out on a daily basis to these companies. The benefits: You earn money; you get to know employers and employers get to know you.

9) Don’t despair. It’s a rotten job market, so it could take time to get work. And when you do get work, it may not be the ‘perfect job’ that you envisioned. Keep a good attitude and don’t let it get to you. Every job — even a nightmare job — is experience on your resume and a potential reference for a new employer. Do you best no matter where you end up working, and chances are good that you’ll get a better job in no time.

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When They Require Experience and You Have None

How to overcome a catch-22 that almost every new college grad faces

by Tara Weiss, Forbes.com

Lack of experience is often the biggest obstacle college graduates must overcome when entering the job market. Prospective employers can sound like a broken record, saying over and over, "You don't have enough experience"--followed by the devastating "We'll call you" (especially last year, when only 19.7 percent of graduates had a job lined up after graduating). So how do you get your foot in the door--how do you gain experience if you don't have any already?

Many new grads already have what recruiters are looking for. They just need to recognize it and package it properly in their resumes and cover letters. To begin with, think of experience you gained before you entered "the real world" that could apply. Consider including all the things you did during college, even those you wouldn't have considered job experience at the time.

"Off-the-job" training
Bill Warner, director of sales and recruiting at the pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca, oversees all the hiring of interns and recent graduates for sales and operations positions there. He says one of the best resume/cover letters he's seen recently came from a woman who described how her position as rush chair at her sorority had given her the leadership and project-management skills she needed to work at AstraZeneca. She told of the unique challenges of dealing with rush rules that were changed that year, as well as how she managed the process, calculated how many new members to bring in, and got all the other parts of the job done as well.

Warner, impressed, offered her a job even though she had never worked in pharmaceutical sales. "They do have experience, but they struggle with the bridge from what they've done in college, how to link it to the position they're interested in," he says.

Build bridges
To identify that bridge, look at the skills you displayed and tasks you pulled off in your college exploits. One applicant hurt his chances by failing to emphasize being editor in chief of his university's newspaper, Warner says. That activity involved numerous duties employers consider valuable experience, such as managing a staff, working with outside vendors, and balancing the newspaper and schoolwork.

When you interview with potential employers and the issue of experience comes up, be prepared with an answer that doesn't dwell on past jobs (or lack thereof)."Don't stress your work experience as much as your skill set," says Tarek Pertew, cofounder and director of marketing at the career website MyWorkster.

Educate yourself
When college experiences and your skill set aren't enough, try brushing up on a job's specific requirements, Pertew says. If you repeatedly hear that you lack a specific technical skill for the jobs you want, take classes to gain that competency. Add those classes to your resume as you continue your job search. "It shows that you have ambition," she says.

Volunteering pays
Another way to gain technical competence is by volunteering your professional skills in the service of a nonprofit. The monetary perks might not be there, but the equally important networking perks will be. For instance, if you're looking for a position in public relations or marketing, volunteer to help an organization in those areas. You'll expand your circle of networking contacts, gain valuable experience, and learn the trade. Ask the professionals you work with if they know of any opportunities in your field or anyone you should meet, and try to add to your skill set while you're at it.

Volunteering anywhere improves your resume, but if you can work with a nonprofit that has connections to a company you want to work for, that's even better. It shows you've done your homework about the firm, and it's a way to network your way to employees already there.

Consider temp work
Also, apply for temp work at staffing agencies that place people in your intended field. That way, you can gain experience and meet professionals to further add to your networking circle, and a temp job can sometimes lead to full-time work.

"Temp agencies are still hiring, because companies are still waiting to see how things will unfold in the third and fourth quarters," says Joanie Ruge, senior vice president of Adecco Group North America, a human resources services firm. "They may have openings for which they can't bring someone on full time. Temp workers give companies flexibility as they wait to see supply and demand. As the market turns, they'll look at the temps first when they're ready to hire permanently."

Always be networking
Meanwhile, join your industry's professional association, and attend its monthly meetings and conferences. Also, join a committee in the association, and take a leadership position, since that way you can meet some of your field's most active professionals. That's another good way to network with people who know of job openings. Don't be intimidated because you're younger than them all. They'll be impressed with your eagerness to break in to the field. "It shows you've got initiative and leadership abilities," says Joe Ruffolo, a career coach at 360jobinterview.com.

In short, networking is the most effective way to find a job in this economy, particularly if you don't have much professional experience. Whether you're volunteering, temping, or attending a summer barbecue, have a 30-second elevator pitch ready to share with people who ask what you'd like to be doing professionally. That's a brief explanation of what you'd like your next job to look like and what you've done in the past, whether it's school, internships, or full-time work.

Sometimes you just have to take any job. If there's a position you can get as a manager at the Gap or as an executive assistant, go for it. The trick will be to successfully market the skills you learned on that job when you meet a hiring manager for the job you really want.

Job Info , Jobs Sources , Career

What Employers Want from Job References

by Yahoo! HotJobs staff

A great resume and solid interview skills may place job seekers in the running for a position, but a new survey conducted by OfficeTeam, a leading staffing service, finds that the results of a reference check can really be what makes--or breaks--a job search. Hiring managers interviewed for the survey said they remove about 21 percent of candidates from consideration after speaking to their professional contacts.

Managers also were asked, "When speaking to an applicant's job references, what is the most important information you hope to receive?" Their responses:

• Description of past job duties and experience: 36 percent
• A view into the applicant's strengths and weaknesses: 31 percent
• Confirmation of job title and dates of employment: 11 percent
• Description of workplace accomplishments: 8 percent
• A sense of the applicant's preferred work culture: 7 percent
• Other/don't know: 7 percent

"When hiring managers narrow the field to a few potential candidates, the reference check often becomes the deciding factor," says OfficeTeam executive director Robert Hosking. "To distinguish themselves from the competition, job seekers should assemble a solid list of contacts who can persuasively communicate their qualifications and professional attributes."

OfficeTeam offers five tips for creating a reference list that works in your favor:

1. Choose wisely. Select people who can discuss your abilities and experience that directly relate to the position, not just those with the most impressive job titles. Offer a mix of contacts who can address different aspects of your background; for example, a former peer may be able to describe your interpersonal skills, while a past direct report can talk about your management style.

2. Check in beforehand. Always call potential references first to get their permission and evaluate their eagerness to talk to hiring managers. Be sure to give all references a copy of your resume, the job description, and the name of the person who will likely call.

3. Be prepared. Provide clear contact information for your references, including their names, titles, daytime phone numbers, and email addresses. Also, offer a brief explanation of the nature of your relationship with each individual. Consider supplying more references than are requested, so you won't miss out on the job offer if the hiring manager can't get in touch with one of your contacts.

4. Think outside the box. It's common for employers to seek out additional references for new hires--either online or through their own networks. Since you never know whom a hiring manager might reach out to, you should not only remain on good terms with your past supervisors and colleagues (if possible), but also be selective about who's in your online network, on sites such as LinkedIn.

5. Give thanks. Express your gratitude to people who agree to serve as references, even if they aren't contacted by employers. Keep them updated on your job-search progress and offer to return the favor by providing a recommendation should they need one.

The survey referenced in this article was developed by OfficeTeam, a leading staffing service specializing in the placement of highly skilled administrative professionals. It was conducted by an independent research firm and involved telephone interviews with more than 1,000 senior managers at companies with 20 or more employees.

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Endangered Careers and How to Survive Them

by Stephanie Powers, Investopedia.com

Move from laid-off to in-demand by choosing the right career. Here are some occupations hit hard by the "Great Recession," but take heart: workers can still prosper by transferring skills to fast-growing occupations. Below we'll look at some jobs that are on their way out, and how they can lead to in-demand occupations in growing fields.

1. School-district employees
The recession deeply impacted K-12 education employees. School districts across the U.S. experienced steep budget deficits, forcing many to cut their payroll. According to Education Secretary Arne Duncan, 100,000 to 300,000 education jobs could be lost due to declining revenues. While there are talks of additional federal monies to help bail out struggling school districts, the ongoing economic crisis has already caused the layoff of administrators, teachers, counselors and coaches.

Career Transitions
Administrators can apply organizational skills to project-management positions in the private sector. Most industries use the titles project manager, management analyst, or project coordinator for these roles. There is a high demand for the positions in consulting firms specializing in process improvements, and IT departments implementing large-scale software installations. Add a Project Management Professional (PMP) certificate to your credentials and show your ability to successfully maneuver through complex problems. Short-term certification programs are available at local colleges and include hands-on projects, an exam, and ongoing continuing-education requirements. Management analyst positions are expected to grow 24 percent through 2018, with median salaries of $73,570.

Teachers may find work switching from K-12 to adult education in corporate training and development departments where there is a high demand for knowledgeable instructors. Courses in adult education, curriculum design, and online education techniques will bolster your resume. Visit your local chapter of The American Society for Training and Development and become certified. Training and development specialists earn approximately $60,000, with many earning in the $80,000 range.
A more radical career change for a teacher would be to transfer his or her unique combination of skills (communication, audience analysis, motivation techniques) into sales positions. Sales jobs often have a competitive environment, but organizations are always looking for fresh sales talent. Select a topic you enjoy, leverage personal contacts, and be prepared for a fast-paced lifestyle. Compensation varies depending on the industry and type of sales (for example retail sales vs. insurance sales), but it is most often commission based.

State and municipal employees
State and local municipalities are struggling with decreased revenues, translating into massive cost reductions, including laying off workers. As state and local governments find ways to become more efficient with a smaller staff, the outlook for lost jobs is uncertain. Residents are paying close attention to state and local budgets as taxes increase while municipal services decrease.

Career transition
Management and technical consulting jobs are plentiful for former government workers. Experience coordinating projects through complex rules and regulations is a valuable skill to the many organizations that do business with government agencies. Whether your background is in information technology, occupational safety, grant writing, or security, private-sector firms large and small may have a place for you. Depending on your background, you may also consider becoming an entrepreneur specializing in government liaison consulting for your area of expertise. Consulting is expected to grow a whopping 83 percent with salaries ranging from $40,000 to $100,000 depending upon your experience and job level.

Nonprofit organization staff
The recession continues to plague nonprofit organizations. Charitable donations are down and endowment funds are still recovering from the stock market turbulence. Foundations lost 30 percent of their value in 2008 while some endowment funds lost even more throughout the recession. There is less money to spend on staff, and it couldn't come at a worse time as charitable organizations are receiving more requests for assistance from their constituents.

Career transition
If you can coax cash out of donors, manage limited resources with a skeleton staff, and wade through bureaucracy, consider a career in health care management. Office and administrative jobs in the health care industry are expected to grow 19 to 25 percent. Community colleges and vocational schools offer certificate courses and sometimes internships in health administration.

The bottom line
Modern career management includes assessing your skills and talents to recognize new opportunities. Being flexible enough to transition to a new career can mean the difference between being unemployed and rising quickly in a satisfying job. Some career transitions may require additional training, but the payoff is worth it.

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How to Behave at Your First Job

You're lucky you got one in this economy. Don't mess it up.

by Tara Weiss, Forbes.com

You've landed your first job out of college. That wasn't easy, in this tough time. Now you've got to make sure you keep it and succeed at it.

How? You can start even before you arrive at work. Set up a Web news-alert account that emails you news stories relevant to your new employer, says Danielle Leyland, a recruiter in the information technology department at Sherwin-Williams, the paint company. That will help prepare you to engage your coworkers when you get there, especially if there's big news--and it's also a way to find out about potential opportunities. Even if it's bad news--a round of layoffs or company downsizing, for example--it will affect the entire company and will be important to know about.

To take it a step further, stay up-to-date on competitors and the industry as a whole, too. That will give you perspective on where your employer is heading and why certain decisions get made. Your colleagues will take you more seriously when they see how dedicated you are to the profession.

Good first impressions
When your first day on the job arrives, show up at least 10 minutes early, and don't leave as soon as the clock strikes 5 p.m. That could come off as doing the bare minimum, which is not the first impression any employer wants to receive.

Also, dress professionally, even if you're sure most people dress casually. Men should wear slacks and a button-down shirt; women, either slacks or a skirt with a top that covers their shoulders. "You can assess what everyone is wearing during the first few days and then tone it down," advises Kathryn Santers, a staffing manager for the higher-education division of the educational publishing firm Pearson.

The right questions
Once you settle in and are given projects to work on, be sure you've got a clear understanding of what's expected. If you're not completely sure about something, ask. "It's better to ask a question and be cautious than to do it wrong," says Santers. And when you ask, have pen and paper with you to write down the details so you don't have to ask more than once. If you don't agree with an assignment you're given, don't say so until after you've completed it. Even then, do so tactfully, suggesting alternatives or slight tweaks without antagonizing your manager.

Along the same lines, never behave as if some tasks are beneath you. At some point, everyone needs to file or make photocopies. Your goal is to make your boss's job easier. If doing clerical work accomplishes that, do it without complaining. "It may seem menial, but it's a part of a big picture," says Santers. "Not every day on your new job will be glamorous, but there's always a point to what you're doing."

Effective communication
Don't try to impress your manager by saying you'll finish a job quickly if it means you'll have to get too hasty. Be realistic in what you can accomplish, and keep your manager up-to-date on your progress. During your first week, discuss with your boss how he or she prefers to communicate. Not every question requires popping into her office, so ask if she prefers email or instant messages. As you work on your first assignment, check in to update her on your progress. Ask if you're approaching it right. When you've completed it, ask for feedback. Did you get it done successfully? Was there anything you could have done to improve your work?

Don't be shy about this. Your manager has a vested interest in your success, since it's much easier for her to help you as you go along than to retrain you.

This takes balance, though. Before you run to the boss with a problem, always try to find a solution on your own. You want to be solutions-oriented, says Diane Borhani, national director of campus recruiting at Deloitte & Touche, and bosses always prefer it if people who bring them questions also bring suggested answers. So try to come up with a fix, and discuss it with the boss.

When you're in a meeting, share your thoughts and opinions, albeit in a respectful way. That's why they hired you. When there's an opportunity to take on a new challenge or additional people are needed for a project, volunteer.

"The people who are happy to raise their hand and go above and beyond what they're doing are the people I want on my team," says John Campagnino, senior director for global recruitment at the consulting firm Accenture. "That's a differentiator for managers."

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Have You Gone Green? Here's How to Get a Job to Match.

by Lydia Dishman, PayScale.com

If you have a passion for the environment and want to align these values with the way you earn your paycheck, a green job could be right for you. And you may not need to spend time or money earning an advanced degree to get one--you may already have the necessary skills. Dion Lim, president and COO of Simply Hired, says, "In many ways, green-collar jobs will be about re-purposing people with good skills onto projects that are green-oriented. For example, roof installers may become solar installers, electricians may become building retrofitters, and so on."

According to recent data from Simply Hired, the availability of "green tech" jobs has increased by 233 percent since October 2008. Some of the top green jobs are:

Civil engineer: Thanks to the influx of stimulus cash, infrastructure needs are on the rise, as is the demand for qualified civil engineers to oversee projects such as the construction of roads, airports, water systems, and sewage facilities. Online salary database PayScale.com puts the median salary for civil engineers in the $67,000 range, and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) estimates that this sector will grow by 11 percent in the next few years.

Environmental engineer: The BLS estimates that the need for engineers who can work to solve issues such as water and air pollution, waste disposal, and public health issues will continue to rise--and that doesn't even include the professionals who will be needed to clean up BP's oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. According to PayScale data, environmental engineers can make more than $67,000 per year.

Water-treatment specialist: This job has been around for as long as we've had running water in our homes and businesses. But now, as tap water is being rediscovered as a sustainable alternative to bottled, and new sewage-treatment rules are being implemented, specialists will be in high demand. Even workers with just a high school diploma and five years' experience can expect to earn over $40,000 per year.

On the other hand, Dennis Cail, CEO of GreenJobs.pro, says that some jobs need only to be redefined to meet green criteria. "Employees who seek out ways to get involved with their current employer's sustainability initiatives will likely be more successful in this transition." For example, says Cail, "Every project manager should add a green component as a project deliverable."

Other "regular" jobs that can be turned green include:

Surveyor: Often called "the second-oldest profession," land surveying can be easily adapted to projects that redevelop old industrial sites or reclaim contaminated property. With a bachelor's degree and several years' experience, a surveyor can expect to earn a salary in the $50,000-per-year range.

Software developer: Applying software- and database-design skills to make solar energy more affordable is just one of the ways a developer can channel technical expertise into a green job. The median salary is $74,000 per year, but developers with special certifications or advanced degrees can expect to earn more.

Grant writer: Just like software developers, grant writers need only to turn their communication and research skills to green endeavors. With environmental advocacy on the rise, nonprofits that protect the planet need plenty of funding sources. A grant writer for such an organization can make about $48,000 per year.

Sales and human resources: Every business needs help selling its products or services and hiring qualified people. HR professionals can bring five-plus years of motivational, training, and planning skills to a variety of sustainability-minded organizations--and earn around $59,000 annually. Career salespeople will also find that their persuasive techniques will transfer easily to eco-friendly products and services.

Source: All salary data is from PayScale.com. The salaries listed are median, annual salaries for full-time workers with five to eight years of experience and include any bonuses, commissions, or profit sharing.

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Career Networking Tips: Get Started on Twitter

Using Twitter to establish an online presence is easy (and necessary)--here's how.

by Charles Purdy, Yahoo! HotJobs Senior Editor

The number of job seekers using networking sites like Twitter is rising: a recent Yahoo! HotJobs poll asked site visitors if they were using Twitter in their job search, and 12 percent of respondents said yes (up from 8 percent a year before).

But compare that with numbers from a survey (conducted by Econsultancy) called the Social Media and Online PR Report: it found that only 10 percent of companies are not engaging in social-media activity.

Now, you're not going to be conducting your next job interview in answers of 140 characters (the maximum length of a tweet) or less. We're nowhere near ready to abandon traditional job-seeking methods like a well-crafted resume, online job boards, and face-to-face networking. But in these days of "Job Search 2.0," social networking sites like Twitter are valuable tools: they keep you informed, they help you network, and they allow you to establish a credible online presence (and that's important for professionals in almost any industry: by all accounts, hiring managers and recruiters are researching many--or most--candidates online).

Not really looking for a job right now? Then now is the perfect time to get started. (If you start online networking only when you need something, you're much too late.) Here are some simple first steps:

1. Go to Twitter.com to create an account--it takes mere seconds. Choose a username that is appropriately professional and descriptive (for instance, I'm HotJobs_editor.) And be sure to add a bio (like mine, for example) that explains who you are and why people might be interested in what you have to say. If you have a new career goal in mind, express it here.

2. Find people to follow--all these people's tweets will be displayed on your main Twitter page. After you create your account, Twitter will offer you categories to browse, will offer to search your email address book for contacts already on Twitter, and will then let you conduct your own searches. Search for people you admire, leaders in your industry, companies you respect (or would like to work at), and industry publications or websites. (And look at whom they follow.) You'll be amazed at what you can find out from spending a few minutes each day reading their tweets: not only valuable industry news but also specific information about companies--info that you can employ when you craft a cover letter or meet someone for an interview.

(Yahoo! HotJobs also tweets up-to-the-minute personalized job listings to followers--sign up here to be among the first to receive listings in the areas and industries you choose.)

3. Start participating. A key to building momentum on Twitter is to participate--join (respectfully) conversations that the people you follow are having. If someone you follow says something interesting, retweet it (forward it to your followers), with or without adding your own comment; this is a great way to get a casual dialogue started.

4. Gain followers and build your reputation. There are many ways to do this: When you read something interesting online, share a link to it via Twitter. For instance, if you know that friends are looking for jobs, you may want to share links to Yahoo! HotJobs' career-advice articles. (Or if you see a HotJobs job listing a friend might be interested in, forward it via Twitter simply by clicking on the listing's Share button.)

Also share your own insights, humor, achievements, and so on. Twitter works best if it's a mix of personal and professional, and it lends itself to lightheartedness. But keep in mind that if you hope to someday use Twitter in your job search, you should avoid tweets like "Playing hooky from work and watching soaps in my pajamas." This may accurately reflect your activities on a certain day, but no employer is going to look at that and think, "This person would be a great fit for my company!" Make sure all your communications on your social networks are consistent and support your professional and personal goals.

And make sure people know you're tweeting: add your Twitter handle to your email signature for instance, and include it as a way to contact you when you comment on blogs.

5. Manage your Twitter account. There are numerous programs that add a fuller-featured dashboard to Twitter (and help you with things like shortening URLs without making you go to a separate website). I use TweetDeck and HootSuite; both are free. Test-drive a couple, and see what other people on Twitter are using, to see if one works for you.

6. Stay involved online. Keep up the momentum you've gained by staying active. Consider starting a blog related to your profession or even one of your hobbies--it'll give you something to tweet about, and it's a great way to continue establishing your online reputation.

7. Get back from Twitter. Managing a Twitter presence takes minutes a week. The preceding steps are designed to establish your good reputation and create a foundation of goodwill--when you need to reach out to your contacts for assistance, they'll be more inclined to help someone they feel connected to.

Say you decide you'd like to go for a marketing job at Company X. If you've been following the company, its CEO, and its marketing director, you'll have a good idea where the company and its marketing department are--this already gives you a tremendous advantage over the competition. Even better: if you've been retweeting the company's tweets, making helpful suggestions, adding positive comments to company and industry blogs, and sharing your own insights, important people at the company may already be aware of you.

That's the goodwill and good foundation that allow this Twitter direct message (a message you send privately to another Twitter user) to be received with interest: "I see you're making SEO marketing improvements: my area of expertise. I'd love to set up an info interview to discuss working together."

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Resume Writing Tips: Proper Way to Write a Resume

According to an old adage, "There's many a slip between the cup and the lip!" The dream job offer may be inches away from you at one moment and at the next moment, it's probably a mile away! There are various factors that may lead to such a situation. One of the reasons can be your resume format. However much we may huff and puff at the thought of talking about our accomplishments and work experience over the years, it is very important that your resume stands out from the crowd. From the recruiters point of view, a resume should be one that gives all the relevant details about the person in a precise and clear way. Due to the increasing volume in the number of resumes submitted online on job portals, it becomes a tedious task sifting through so many documents. The proper way to write a resume involves knowing about little tricks of the trade. Use these resume writing tips to make your resume distinguishable from the crowd!

Resume Writing Tips:

Decide upon the format of the resume. One of the most commonly used and proper format is the chronological order. This is very popular with employers. A chronological order simply means that you begin with your current employment details. This should be followed with your educational details. Chronological formats are useful when you are applying for a position that is on similar lines to your current profile. On the other hand, this format is not too useful when you are a fresher!

Always use action words. When you describe job details and the kind of work handled, use active words. Use adjectives where necessary to describe your work profile. This will help to make the right impression.

Even if you have the choice of using multiple fonts or colors, a word of caution here, keep it simple and readable. A font that is easy to read makes the whole format appear presentable. You don't really want to scare prospective employers with a colorful or wacky resume and make them discard the job application! A sans serif font is most recommended. This is because it generally appears clearer than fonts with serif at the time of printing a resume.

Highlight your qualities without trying to sound desperate! Prospective employers need to know your strengths and they do not really have the time to go through long sentences. Keep it simple and snappy, Use words such as creative, problem solver etc.

Use bullet format where required. An employer or a recruitment firm may not have the time to read things in detail. Having a bullet format for your educational background and core strengths will make it more readable.

Always talk about the most important points in the beginning of the resume. When one skims through the text file, one may not reach the end of the resume. You surely don't want important points to be missed! Therefore, highlight these in the beginning itself.

Always try to include your career goal. It helps employers to know about your thought process and area of interests. A career goal can be modified to suit the kind of opening available. There are many who may apply to positions in diverse fields. In that case, it should be modified accordingly, or else you might just give a wrong impression to the reader.

Always keep your resume short and simple. Lengthy resumes may tend to make the whole format appear tedious. Generally, the length of a resume should be kept between 1-3 pages. You can keep a detailed copy and provide it when there is a specific request.

Here's hoping you have a flying start to your career with these resume writing tips! Best of luck in your endeavors!

By Kashmira Lad

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