• Resume Software – The Hidden Pitfalls
    Disadvantages of Resume Software

    Format
    A large majority of software requires the use of their format; most commonly using the chronological resume style. While the chronological style is certainly the most traditional manner to write a resume, it is not always advantageous for everyone. The chronological style resume focuses on work history. Individuals who are changing jobs may prefer to emphasize their skills instead, which a chronological resume format will not allow.

    Limited Options
    Resume software provides limited options and does not allow the user the freedom to exp ...
    Author: Roger Clark
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  • Resume Software – Advantages Revealed
    The various resume software offered, particularly on the internet, can seem very attractive to job seekers; especially to those not comfortable writing resumes. At first glance resume writing software can provide a number of perks and can appear to be the perfect solution to many job seekers.

    There are some disadvantages to using software, however; and before utilizing it to create a resume, a wise job seeker will take a few moments to compare both the advantages and the disadvantages of resume software.

    Software for writing resumes is also commonly known as resume writers, resum ...
    Author: Roger Clark
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  • Resume Layouts – The Hidden Pitfalls
    Options for Resume Layouts

    There are many options of available to today's job seeker. With a quick change of graphical elements such as fonts and style, the feel of a resume can change from traditional and conservative to creative and modern.

    Printed Resumes

    A print version of your resume refers to the version of your resume that is ready to print; either for mailing for job leads or for hand delivering to potential contacts.

    This version may contain bold print, italicized text, bulleted lists and less well known fonts, however these should be used sparingly.

    Author: Roger Clark
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  • Resume Formats – The Hidden Pitfalls
    Deciding on a resume format is the first major decision to be made when creating your resume. The overall look of your resume depends on the resume format, font and outline you choose.

    The two main types of format in use are the chronological and functional formats.

    When to Use the Chronological Resume Format

    A Chronological resume is the easiest to create and it is also the most widely used format. Chronological resume format allows you to list your job experiences starting with the most recent and moving back in time.

    This allows employers to see your progression ...
    Author: Roger Clark
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  • Discuss Your Accomplishments During the Interview
    When preparing for your interview, you need to be ready to discuss your accomplishments. Surprisingly, many people are reluctant to talk about their accomplishments. But this is exactly what the interviewer wants to hear from you.

    Discussing your accomplishments separates you from the rest of the people applying for the job. It helps you stand out and show that you are more qualified than the others. Remember, the whole point of an interview is to sell yourself to the interviewer. He or she needs to know that you are the right person for the position.

    Below are some of the subjec ...
    Author: Michelle Roebuck
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  • Federal Government Jobs—7 Important Tips to Help Your Federal Job Search
    Despite constant calls by politicians and policy makers to reign in government spending, the federal government remains the largest employer in the United States. According to the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, there are currently more than 2,700,000 employees working for the federal government in civil service positions. For nearly every federal job vacancy, the number of applicants exceeds the number of available positions by at least tenfold.

    Why do so many Americans aspire to a federal job? The answers are diverse. Some consider it a patriotic duty, while for others it’s an a ...
    Author: Sean Dunagan
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  • Avoid Mistakes and Gaffes in Your Resume
    Having mistakes and gaffes in your job resume spell disaster for your job search. The last thing an employer needs is to look at a poorly written resume. The employer is looking at possibly dozens of resumes a day, and if yours is not up to par, don’t expect to hear from him/her.

    Make sure you proofread your resume for spelling errors. If you’re not sure about the spelling of a particular word, make sure the spell check function is on while you are writing your resume.

    One of the first things that an employer will look for are your qualifications for the job. Don’t waste the empl ...
    Author: Michelle Roebuck
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  • Pair Your Powerful Resume with a Great Cover Letter

    Every great resume deserves a great cover letter.

    A cover letter is crucial because it’s the first thing the hiring manager sees. And you only have seconds to grab his or her attention. So, you have to make sure the cover letter stands out from the dozens--or maybe even hundreds--of others that cross the hiring manager’s desk each week.

    You might ask, why bother at all with a cover letter? If I only have a few seconds to grab a recruiter’s attention, why not do it with a resume? The answer is, that even the best resume is a rather dry listing of accomplishments and abilities. By ...
    Author: Kathleen MacNaughton
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  • Top 10 Resume Writing Tips to Get You the Interview

    There are many reasons why you could be in the market for a new job right now. Perhaps...

    ==> You just graduated from high school--or even better, college--and you’re ready to strike out on a quest for your first "real" job.

    ==> Your worst fears finally manifested and you’ve been downsized.

    ==> You’re bored with the career path you’ve been on for the past few years, and you’re ready to strike out in a new direction.

    ==> You want to change jobs (within your field) for better salary, benefits, or chance at promotion.

    Whatever your motivation, a powerf ...
    Author: Kathleen MacNaughton
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  • Resume Objectives: How Do You Know if Resume Objectives Are Right for You?

    Some experts say NEVER bother with resume objectives. While others say they should be an essential element on every resume.

    So, how do you know who is right?

    The simple answer is... no one is absolutely right. Your decision on whether to use resume objectives will depend on your circumstances, job search goals, and—in some cases—the person who reviews your resume.

    We can make recommendations, but you’ll have to make your own choice, based on your individual situation and preferences. But first, let’s try to get a better understanding of the 2 different schools of thought o ...
    Author: Kathleen MacNaughton
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  • Top 5 FAQs about Job Hunting Online
    Looking for work online is an efficient way to search but it's not always the perfect solution to find a job. Chris Russell, President & Founder of the local job site FairfieldCountyJobs.com discusses the most commonly asked questions he hears from jobseekers.

    1. I submitted my resume online but how do I know it was received?

    Chances are you won't. This is perhaps the biggest gripe jobseekers have today about applying online. If a person emails his/her resume the company might have an email auto responder set up to reply back that it was received. But the majority of companies ...
    Author: C.M. Russell
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  • Answering the Weakness Question
    "Tell me about your weaknesses."

    This interview question comes up in just about every job interview you will have. When asked this question, some job seekers will list their weaknesses and that‘s it, but they don’t turn this question into an advantage for them.

    When a potential employer asks you this question, they are trying to find out what are your shortcomings and if they will be liabilities if you’re hired. Your job is to reassure the interviewer that your weaknesses are not detrimental to the job your applying for.

    The best way to handle this question is to talk abou ...
    Author: Michelle Roebuck
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  • Effective Communitcation Skills For The Job Interview
    Your communication skills are one of the areas that an employer is looking at on the job interview. Many people will go into a job interview and say to the employer, “I have excellent communication skills.” But, if your interview suggests otherwise, then you’re just blowing hot air.

    The interview gives you an opportunity to show off your communication skills. Communicating is more than just talking someone to death or listening to yourself talk. Communicating is a two part process. In an interview situation, you have to use active listening. Active listening basically means paying atten ...
    Author: Michelle Roebuck
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  • 5 Steps To A Successful Resume
    1. Choose Your Format Correctly - There are two main resume formats - chronological and functional. If you are seeking a job in a field in which you already have work experience, you will probably want to choose a chronological format where you will be able to showcase your job history. If, however, you want to transition into a different field, you definitely need to use a functional format. This will allow you to focus on your strengths and transferable skills and not box yourself into a certain field.

    2. Be Specific - Too often, I see resumes with experience stated this way, "Sold u ...
    Author: Jonathan R Taylor
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  • Resume Outline - Add Structure & Flow to Your Resume
    Building your resume, based on a resume outline will give it structure and flow... it provides an outline of all the things you should include in your resume.

    A resume is one of the most important documents you will ever create

    First you have to decide on a particular format for your resume. The two main formats in use today are chronological and functional format. Which one is best to use will depend greatly on your situation.

    To build your resume you can use free resume forms located on the web. This can provide you with directions if you are ha ...
    Author: Roger Clark
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  • Resume Objectives ... The Hidden Pitfalls
    Why Use Resume Objectives

    Before we can discuss the pitfalls you first need to understand the reasons for including your resume objectives and how they relate to your resume and interview selection process.

    Including an objectives section at the beginning of your resume provides a brief introduction to the purpose of the resume, highlighting your career objectives and the type of job you are seeking.

    It is very common for job-seekers to include a brief objectives section at the beginning of their resume
    The objectives section can be an important part of a resum ...
    Author: Roger Clark
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  • How Beneficial is a Sample Cover Letter ?
    You can benefit from sample cover letters as they can help you learn about the constructs of a high quality cover letter.

    However, there are some dangers in doing this ...

    If you have been sending out tons of resumes and cover letters and are not getting interviews you are probably wondering why. After all, you have the requisite education and work experience required in the job posting.

    You are sending in both a resume and cover letter as requested, so why aren't you getting any calls for interviews?

    The answer to this probably lies in the ...
    Author: Roger Clark
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  • Giving Yourself An Edge During The Interview Process
    There’s more to successful interviewing than writing a resume and showing up, but most people either don’t know or can’t be bothered to do those extras that may set you apart from the hundreds of applicants competing for your dream job.

    One of the first things you should do is to make sure your resume is clear, concise and easy to read. As a hiring manager, I preferred to look at resumes that were in chronological order with the most recent accomplishments and job duties first. It’s best to keep the resume to 2 pages and write more about your latest jobs, but only a few bullet items abo ...
    Author: Lee Dobbins
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  • 5 Ways to Make Your Resume Shine On-Line
    The internet makes it possible to point and click your way into your dream position or a gig just to pay the bills. On-line job boards such as Hotjobs.com receives over 7.5 million visitors each month making it easy to get lost in the mayhem of the point and click stampede toward employment. Have no fear, there a few things you can do to get in the groove of this fast-paced job shuffle.

    1.)Craft an eye-catching header.
    That single line in the header of your e-mail is valuable advertising space, it separates you from thousands of other job seekers, make it count.

    2.)Use keyword ...
    Author: Sibylla Nash
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  • The Recruiting Truth...Time Is Not On Your Side
    In today's marketplace things are constantly changing and so are the needs of just about each and every organization. Whether your company is growing organically or inorganically, whether your company is growing domestically or internationally or for one reason or another you just have pain, your organization must be in a position to attract top talent and attract it quickly! But attracting it is only the first part of the equation. The bigger problem is what you do once you attract talent to your organization.

    Stop for one second and think about what you have going on, how crazy your ...
    Author: Mike Magnotta
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  • Beat the Crowd with Winning Resume Cover Letters
    Far too many people underestimate the importance of resume cover letters. In a sense, a well written cover letter works like an agent on your behalf. It tosses a sales pitch for you to the employer, explaining why you should be at the top of the list for interview calls. Taking the time to write a cover letter tells the employer you are willing to go above and beyond; not just simply slap a resume in an envelope and mail it.

    Not All Resume Cover Letters Are Created Equal

    No two resume cover letters should ever be the same; each one should be uniquely tailored to the job f ...
    Author: Roger G Clark (BSc)
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  • Job Hunting Tips: Time Management
    There is an old adage that "Looking for a job is harder than working." How true! The rigors of job search are magnified by the turmoil we experience: lack of self-confidence, humiliation, financial pressure, and the undercurrent of emotions that color all we do: fear, anger, depression, anxiety, loss. One practical step we can take to lower the stress and conserve our energy for finding work, not feeding our bloated worries, is to manage our time effectively. Have you ever noticed that you get more chores done when you're busy? If time is limited, we squeeze in those extra demands because we k ...
    Author: Virginia Bola, PsyD
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  • Age-Proof Your Resume
    Older job hunters fear interviews where their age cannot be concealed and where an initial response of dismay on an interviewer's face, quickly hidden, confirms their anticipation of discrimination. The mature job seeker often prefers the anonymity of mailed resumes, e-mailed inquiries, internet applications, and telephone contacts.

    Interviews, however, are the goal of everyone who wants to work. There is so much pre-selection and screening before an interview is granted that simply getting that far in the process provides at least some expectation of an offer being made. It is when int ...
    Author: Virginia Bola, PsyD
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  • How to get a job offer from every interview
    About four years ago a friend told me one night that she had an interview the next week and was looking for some comfort as she was extremely nervous, as most people are about interviews. I thought back on my my carreer and realized that in the nine year of my career I had been to thirteen interviews and, more importantly, that I had received a job offer from every one of those interviews. I did not accept all the offers, but the point is that I had not once been to an interview without getting a job offer from it. In the past four years, I have been to another 6 interviews, of which I did not ...
    Author: Dirk Wessels
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  • How to Dress for an Interview

    The dress code in most organizations is as different as the organization itself, so it is impossible to find an outfit that will work well in all interviews. What should you do? Do some investigating and find out how the employees dress and follow their lead but dress just slightly better.

    Wear business-like attire, avoiding flashy colours, bold prints, logos and keep jewelry to a minimum. Wear clothes in which you feel comfortable and don't wear skirts that will ride up when you sit. Carry a nice attaché case or folder to hold your resume and examples of your work.

    Before you l ...
    Author: Sheila Dicks
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