Many college students join the Greek systems on their campus for housing, a meal plan and a place to socialize. Some also realize that it is a great way to build a professional network before they have to start the job search process at the end of their college years. Even if you are long out of school and in what career development theorists call the “maintenance stage” of your career, you should still put your Greek affiliation on your resume.

Fraternity and sorority membership benefits go way beyond building a professional network. Your affiliation helps reach out to hiring managers who have either been a member themselves or who know the value of participation in the Greek system. This could be the tipping point in your favor for getting that first interview. The Greek bond of fraternity brothers or sorority sisters may be enough to get a hiring manager to want to help you.

Greek system participation on your resume is a plus because it demonstrates that you know about teamwork. Many Greek organizations also participate in public service projects or what is known as philanthropic work. This shows your willingness to volunteer and give back to your community.

Get involved with the alumni group associated with your Greek chapter. Look for all of the places your alumni group may have networks set-up-your alumni association, Facebook or even on  LinkedIn.  People often feel uncomfortable networking with friends and colleagues with whom they have not spoken in many years. However, these types of alumni groups are set up to make networking easy. They also give an opportunity to help the active student chapters on campus, giving you more public service points on your resume.

If you are serious about job hunting, then you need to make sure that you approach it from every direction. It is all well and good checking job websites and applying for vacancies, but this isn’t always enough when it comes to finding your perfect job position and resume distribution might be able to help!

When firms are looking for people to join their team they don’t always go via job vacancy websites and newspaper adverts. They are often in a rush to find someone or feel that they need someone with the right skills so they tend to go via agencies to find who they need.

Of course, if you are out of work then being head hunted probably won’t happen, which is why you need to make the job vacancy opportunities come to you!

There are companies that specialize in getting your resume out there to the relevant people. This means that when big companies are searching for people, you can ensure that you are at the top of the list. When you contact a company about resume distribution they can usually make sure that your resume gets out there to the right people at the right time. This means that your resume goes to the right industry people and therefore you have the best possible chance of being successful when it comes to your ongoing job hunt.

Inquire about targeted distributions, not just distributing to anyone. Our resume distribution process asks for specific industries, desired positions and salary ranges so we can get the most targeted distribution possible. We don’t want to waste your time OR the recruiters time.

Just make sure that the resume distribution service you sign up for has the resources to get your resume out to the right places so that your skills are showcased to the right people!

I really like doing my work on a Mac, and if you are lucky enough to be able to choose your computer platform, showcasing your computer skills on your resume is an easy task. Whether you have a professional writer help you build your resume, or you choose to do it yourself,  getting familiar with how your word processing program works, quirks and all, on both platforms will make your life easier.

More employers operate on a PC platform than on a Mac platform. So if you are a Mac fan like me and looking for a job, getting to know both platforms will be a big plus. Unfortunately, Windows Vista was such a buggy system that many PC users like myself bailed out and bought a Mac. Fast forward to now. Windows 7 has been a relatively stable environment, and if you have been away for awhile, learning Windows 7 won’t be all that difficult. It builds on computer skills that you used when you were working in Windows XP. There are also apps that will allow you to run a stable Windows environment on a Mac if you really want to stick with your Mac computer. Don’t let an employer catch you unaware, however, if you are a diehard PC fan. Some employers do work exclusively on Macs, especially in design fields such as graphic design and packaging.

Knowing both platforms will help you in your job search. Be sure to list both on your resume if you are up-to-date on MAC and PC systems. If not, look online for free workshops. Windows has gotten much better at providing online training.  Apple recognizes that not everyone lives close enough to an Apple store to attend their free workshops, so much of that information is also online. Add any computer workshops you attended to your resume, as well as any computer certifications completed.

Make potential employers aware of your computer proficiencies by  listing programs and applications you use on a regular basis on your resume. Most position ads will tell you which programs are required or desired. Check the ad carefully, and make sure you list every program and app required with which you have experience.

We all recognize how important it is to make a good first impression when applying for a job. The way your resume looks, the content that it contains, and the way that it is presented to a potential employer could be the difference between getting your resume read, or tossed into the trash. If you are serious about changing careers or finding a new job, then it is vital that you have a resume that represents the best you have to offer.

While it is possible for you to write your own resume, it’s not always as easy as it sounds. It is hard to get a resume that is completely perfect, especially if you don’t have the skills or expertise to know what should be on your resume, or how your it should be formatted to truly market your achievements and career history.

Consider hiring a professional resume writer. Although people may be put off having a resume written for them because of the price, in today’s competitive job market,  a quality, professionally-written resume is may be your best bet in scoring an interview.

Most professional resume writing services offer a complete resume package for the price. Not only will the service craft a great resume for you, they will also take care of things such as the cover letter, the thank you letter. Furthermore, a professional resume writer will also provide all of these documents in different formats so you can use them whether you want to apply for a job online or through other channels.

Presenting a high-quality resume to a potential employer gives you the best chance of achieving success in your job search!

Ask most employers which type of resume they like to see and you’ll get a lot of them telling you they prefer to see a chronological resume format. Do you know why?

The chronological resume is the preferred type because it shows how your career history has progressed from the beginning to present day. Employers want to be able to quickly see how many jobs you’ve had, as well as your tenure at each company. Employers want stable employees-after all, they are investing in you.

If a stable work history is important to the company interviewing you for your next job, then presenting a chronological resume will put you in the running for the position. Hiring managers want to see how you’ve advanced in your career, as well as the new skills acquired and accomplishments achieved in each position to see if your credentials are a good match for their company.

The chronological resume is a great format to use to show promotions and a steady career progression, whether within the same company or a new one. It’s the preferred resume format among the majority of the employers around the world.

Many job seekers assume that if they follow online templates that you can easily put together your own resume and that it will be good enough for you to be able to land the perfect job. However, if you are new to the job market, or, getting ready to make a career change, you need to understand that resumes aren’t just a piece of paper you cut and paste your career history on.

Rather than trying to get by with a substandard resume, you are much better off hiring a professional. When you hire a company to write your resume, you will get a writers who can use their expertise to make sure that everything is perfect. Experienced resume writers are skilled in knowing what employers look for in a resume, as well as can tell you the best format to represent your career history and objective. Professional resume writers know the information that needs to be included on your resume, as well as information that should be left off.

With so many resume writing services available online, it is easy to think that you can just select any one of them to create your resume. Be careful. Your resume is your first step in getting you in the door to a new career. Before you pay for their services, always ask for the writer’s credentials, as well as for references from former clients.  You want a service with writers who will understand your goals, optimize your career highlights, and commit to writing you a resume that will market your value and generate interviews.

 

We all know the importance of a decent cover letter and why we need to use it to sell yourself when applying for a job. However, if you aren’t careful, you could make some of the most common mistakes made and that is going to harm your chances of being successful when applying for a job.

One of the biggest mistakes that people make when writing their own cover letter is giving away too much information and being too truthful. Although no one is suggesting that you should lie on your cover letter there is a possibility that you can give too much away and put them off of hiring you.

For example, writing something like “I know I don’t have much experience, but I am a quick learner” is going to do you no favors. The whole point of your resume and cover letter is to sell yourself, not to give them a reason to move you off of the “to hire/to interview” list. Another example is telling the reader (who you don’t know) the reason why you left every job, OR what has been happening in your personal life. If you have a major job gap, it’s a good idea to touch on it briefly i.e. “After taking time off to raise a family…” or “After taking a year-long personal sabbatical…” You don’t ‘need to tell the reader that you were going through a messy divorce or needed to take time off work to decompress. Some things are better left unsaid. What you say could work against you.

Rather than concentrate on the negatives, turn it into something positive – so, for example, “Based on my unique experiences, I know I would be a valuable asset to your team,” or something similar will work for you. You are telling them that you feel you would fit in and that you are already considering the team that you are likely to work with.

Remain positive and show them why you would are the right choice for the position. Including these assets in the cover letter will help you be as successful as possible when it comes to finding your perfect job.

Resume distribution is paramount to landing the job you want. If you don’t get your resume out there, then you won’t get hired. It’s that simple.

Here are 5 ways to distribute your resume without having to beat the pavement and hand-carry it to every single potential employer:

1. Networking – Whether networking online or off, one thing rings true: Everyone you know knows someone you don’t. Ask everyone within your circle of friends to carry your resume with them and pass it around when they bump into a potential employer. In fact, you should carry your resume with you too. You never know who you’re going to meet.
2. Job fairs – If you don’t go to job fairs, you should. Job fairs are a one-stop-shopping experience for candidates searching for the perfect job. Always bring plenty of copies of your resume with you to a job fair, as well as your professional references, in the event you are lucky enough to score an on-site interview with a potential employer.
3. Post it online – There are a ton of resume posting websites online. Find a few that target your specific industry as we as some of the more popular sites.
4. Recruiters – Job recruiters specialize in one thing: Matching candidates with employers. Send your resume to a handful of recruiters and see what happens.
5. Targeted database blasting – Another way to distribute your resume is to a targeted list of employers who are actively seeking new recruits. Many professional resume writers have such a list available.

Resume distribution is essential to landing the job you want. Get your resume out there and get it out there fast. The more widely you circulate your skills and experience, the more likely you are to land the job of your dreams.

With all of the new ways people are looking for jobs (online job boards, social networking sites, etc.), many people forget that job fairs are just as popular as ever in today’s employment market.

Job fairs normally offer employment opportunities at companies in your local community. They are full of small companies and large corporations looking to recruit new candidates. Thinking about relocating to a new area? Larger corporations may also be willing to discuss opportunities at other locations, as well.

Job seekers are just as likely to be able to secure an interview at a job fair as they are posting their resume online. Better yet, some job fairs offer on-site interviews during the job fair. A good candidate is a prepared candidate. Research in advance which companies are at the job fair and decide which ones you need to spend time with. Have plenty of copies of your resume with you and dress in professional attire. If you have business cards, pass those out as well. Networking is key in any job search!

The next time you see a job fair advertised in your area, take the time to attend. Being active in your job search does not mean just sitting by your computer or phone waiting for someone to reach out to you. Check your local news stations, newspapers, and professional organizations to find job fairs in your area. You never know where your next employment opportunity may come from.

Many people feel that consulting job hunting resources and looking for a new job are things that only people who are unemployed should be doing. It is often assumed that the only time you need to be aware of what jobs are on the market and the opportunities that are available for you when you don’t already have a job.

Quite the contrary. Experts agree that it is a good practice to always keep an eye out for job opportunities, as well as the average rate of pay for jobs you may be interested in. Of course this isn’t something that you’ll want to do every day, but staying in the loop with jobs and salary changes in your industry could eventually help you move up the corporate ladder.

By keeping apprised of trends in job openings and salaries in your industry, you can ensure that you’re getting the best salary for your value, and that you are aware of changes in skills and experience needed for certain jobs. In addition, this knowledge could also give you great bargaining power when the time comes to negotiate your next salary increase!

While you may be happily employed today, we all know that with our country’s current economic situation, people are still continuing to lose their jobs everyday and are finding themselves actively searching for a new job. Job hunting doesn’t have to consume a lot of time, you just need to keep your resume current with your most recent employment history and achievements, know the best job search resources for your industry, and be willing to network with colleagues and friends in other companies who may know of opportunities for someone with your skills and expertise.

Being prepared for your job search will result in a a more effective, targeted search, and ultimately success!