Once you’re unemployed, it can be tempting to go for that easy job that has nothing to do with your field. But maybe you should not be looking for just any job because the right one could be just around the corner. If you are trained in a certain field, it may be hard to find a position in this economy, but that doesn’t mean there are not advantages to focusing on a specific industry. In fact, you can make a case that if you position yourself correctly, you can find the right job quickly.

So what are the advantages of focusing on a specific type of position?

1. Serious job searches are time consuming. If you are unemployed, you should spend at least 30 to 40 hours a week looking for a position. Some people who are not focused put a lot of time and energy into their job search and end up feeling as though they are doing everything in their power. But, their energy is actually focused in other areas, so they are not putting forth the full effort. Focusing on a specific career will give you a leg up on the competition who are looking into different job options.

2. The more contacts you make in your search, the more likely you are to find a desirable position. The more you concentrate on these contacts, the better it will be for your job search. Putting a concerted effort will give you a better chance of something positive happening. The likelihood will be decreased if you focus on several different career paths.

3. Jobs often appear to those who use most of their energy in a specific direction. It will be difficult for people who are all over the map in their job search. HR managers look at the different careers job prospects have had and weigh that carefully when comparing candidates. Job seekers who are not focused rarely make any significant impact or impression on HR managers in order to attract the right position.

4. A productive job search requires that you present yourself convincingly to your prospective employer. Employers are not impressed by statements like, “I do not care what type of job I do” or “I’ll do anything as long as there’s a paycheck in it.” If you present yourself as professional and are focused in both written and verbal communications, you will give them more of a reason to believe in your skills. It’s important to find the right fit for both you and the company, and if you’re just doing a job for a job, you may be shortchanging yourself and the company.

5. Look at it this way–it may be hard to be enthusiastic and extremely well qualified for a 20 different jobs. So stick with what works for you and find the position that makes you happy and pays you well.

Oh no, the dreaded pre-interview jitters. Everyone has been nervous before– you know the sweaty palms, the sense of lightheadedness and the jumpy speech – none of these outward expressions will make a good impression at a job interview.

The stressful nature of a job interview is enough to shake just about anyone to their core. But you don’t want have to worry about having clammy hands or stuttering speech if you follow a few simple tips to help calm your nerves.

• Arrive early enough to relax

Most people know to arrive to a job interview a few minutes early, but if you’re easily stressed out by interviews, you should arrive a little earlier. 30 minutes is a good time to arrive, it will give you time to sit and relax, have a glass of water and find your center. Make sure you check your appearance before the interview; the more confident you feel,  the more composed you will appear in the interview.

• A smile goes a long way

Smiling makes you happy and relaxes people around you, even if you don’t feel happy. Studies have shown that if you fake a smile, it will actually make you a bit happier and when you portray this in an interview it relaxes everyone. If you show confidence in the interview, the interviewer will treat you with respect, so remember to smile confidently during your interview.

• Breathe for a moment before you answer

Before you answer any questions, just take a moment or two to inhale a breath and give the question some consideration. You may think you’re taking forever to answer the question, but in reality it’s only one or two seconds. The pause will also appear to be a part of your natural thought process, so it appears as if you’re giving the question serious consideration. Also, breathing deep will help to calm you down, and prepping the question in your mind gives you time to formulate an answer and speak when you are not nervous.

• Look your interviewer in the eye

One thing interviewees often do is fidget around during an interview, especially if they are nervous during the interview. To make and keep eye contact with the interviewer, focus on a spot right between their eyes. Just don’t stare at their nose or mouth. They are below their eyes and most people can tell when someone is looking at their mouths and not making eye contact.

• Relax your body

If there is a pause in the conversation, use this as an opportunity to review your body. Are you tight and rigid, are your muscles clinched or are you fidgeting with your hands? If you are stressed, try to relax your muscles as much as possible. You will feel and appear more comfortable to the interviewer.

It’s not unusual to feel some apprehension during a job interview, but by following some simple stress-relieving exercises, you can maintain your composure and succeed in the interview.

HR Managers like to develop relationships with potential executive candidates long before the candidate is even considering another job. But, you still have to find the right HR Manager who will help you on your job hunt. Human Resource professionals know all the tricks of the trade when it comes to recruiting executive level talent. That’s why you need to know their tricks so that you can put yourself out there and find the career for you.

Experiences vary Incredibly

Executive level recruiters know which streams of information to tap into. Companies are looking for executives with a strong cost/value relationship, so they want great return on their investment. You’re their investment and they want to see results, so focus your attention on ways that you’ve improved your previous employer’s sales or goals.

Recruitment Strategies

Word of mouth is often a great recruitment strategy for executives. If one executive knows that a recruiter will find them a position with more money and better benefits, then they should hop on it. HR Managers are looking for executive talent that can recruit themselves based on their own experience within their field. If they want to choose another field, then the HR Manager will need to focus on showcasing how their talents would translate.

They Collect Data on the Executive Recruit

Collecting data about an executive level recruit is one way that HR Managers look for talent. They want to find the candidate that has the best experience working with close competitors on the same type of position or something similar. HR Managers often find that this is the easiest and most hassle-free way of looking for talent. It’s not easy trying to find the most competitive positions within large companies, but thats what recruiters do, they find the cracks, get the right data and position their client as the best candidate.

Recruiters get Specific

With the amount of people looking for employment, HR Managers have had to get very specific with who they recruit. They advise those who do not meet the requirements for a position, to not apply for that position. HR personnel have to organize and interview those who meet their specific requirements, which is usually done through a phone screen and then a face-to-face. Make sure that you are comfortable during the face-to-face with your recruiter, but your recruiter should also make you comfortable. Often they will offer you something to drink, so take that into consideration, does this person have your best interest at heart? Recruiters will often select people with good listening skills and they pay close attention whether a candidate is listening to them or not. They will not base their choices on looks because clients are not focused on that. Companies are looking for people who are going to make an impact based on their past experiences, not their appearance. That’s not to say that you should not be dressed in business attire.

It might sound like a lot but if you’re going to work with a recruiter on your executive level placement, then you need to follow their instructions and choose the right one. Take it easy, you’ll do fine.

A lot of people will browse a company’s website and see if they have open jobs available, nothing wrong with that and some people will even apply to more than one job while on the page. Nothing wrong with that either. It’s when you get to the interview phase that things can become tricky. Job interviews never seem to get any easier – even if you have gone on more interviews than you can begin to count. You keep meeting new people, talking about yourself and what you offer, and sometimes getting the third degree from employers. But, what if you go into an interview for one job, but you know the company has something that would be a better fit for you?

No one is going to go into an interview and start talking up the merits of one job versus another, but if you interview with a HR representative first it does give you the ability to mention other jobs you might be interested in. So, what can you do to show your interest for another job while interviewing?

Practice makes Perfect

During a usual interview, you may be sweating bullets about the questions or how you appear, but if you took the time to learn about the company and the open positions you are qualified for, you can converse intelligently about the open positions. Think of actual examples that you have used in the past that works well with the job you want. Providing evidence of past work in that field is a great way to shift focus towards other positions.

Prepare for all Contingencies

Prepare a response so that when you ask about other positions you have a quick response to why you are interested in that position. Make sure that you know about the company and the positions that are available. Try and relate your past experience with the skills needed for the other position, sometimes interviewers will know that you are not qualified for one position and will offer you others.

Watch and Learn

Look at what others have done to find a way to bring up other positions lightly. You do not want to go into the interview proclaiming how you are right for another position, the interviewer will not respect that position and it will damage your chances at either job.

Get yourself Ready

Make sure that you are dressed the part, no matter what part it is you’re applying for. Try and look neat, tidy and appropriate for any situation. Bring clean copies of your resume that highlight the relatable experience you have and bring a pen and pad for notes.

Staying Calm

During the job interview try to relax and stay calm, if you need a moment before the interview, take it. Now is the time to get your mind right for dominating the conversation and letting your desires be known.
It may not work every time but if you can get yourself in an interview; you may be able to transition away from one position into interviewing for the one that is right for you.

Your resume is your marketing tool for success. You need to be able to advertise your skills and ability to succeed with your prospective employer. The format and feel of your resume can either open doors or close them, often this feeling can make people question why they didn’t get the interview or thinking they are not qualified.

The resume that lands you the job interview isn’t a simple listing of your past duties or work experience. It has to convince readers that you have the required skills and abilities to exceed the expectations of the position, so your resume should be structured in a way that arouses employers interest in you and gives them reasons as to why you are more qualified than others, while encouraging the employer to get in touch with you for an interview.

Most people do not realize that employers will do a quick scan of a resume, it typically lasts only a few seconds. They’re looking for key skills and accomplishments that the perfect candidate will have. So capturing the employers attention is critical or else you’re information can get lost in the shuffle.

To prevent your resume from ending up in the “Trash” file, here are some helpful resume tips that will set you apart from the rest.

1. Review the job posting and description carefully

A lot of the time, job-hunters will write one generic resume and send the same generic resume to every employer. This is one of the biggest mistakes facing job seekers because it produces so-so resumes that don’t necessarily match the employers requirements.

You need to highlight your appropriate skills for that job. Reviewing the job requirements is a great way to tailor-make your resume contents to the employers needs.

2. Know the difference in resumes

There are two main types of resumes: chronological resumes and functional resumes. Chronological resumes coordinate your past job experience and place emphasis on your experiences that apply to that field.

Functional resumes are good when you have little to zero work experience (or new grads). This type of resume allows you to showcase skills that fit in with the job requirements. Fair warning:  most recruiters and hiring managers don’t like this format and feel as though you may be “hiding” something.

If you have a chronological resume, you do not want to have one part chronological and one part functional, because it will throw off the entire formatting and may confuse the employer about your skill set.

3. Focusing on accomplishments

Focusing on what you have accomplished will help to set you apart from your peers. You should highlight the value you’ve brought to companies and the success that they have seen while you are there. Companies are looking for game-changers, they want 5 star recruits, not 2 star players who are not up to the challenge. You have to make yourself into a 5-star recruit, you cannot rest on your laurels and hope for the best. Spotlighting your success will show potential employers that you are capable of outperforming your peers.

**I am a member of the Career Collective, a group of resume writers and career coaches.  Each month, all members discuss a certain topic.  This month, we are talking about trends for 2011. Please follow our tweets on Twitter #careercollective.  You can also view the other member’s interesting posts at the end of the article.

It may not seem like it but the recession seems to be tailing off. More people are willing to spend money, so lending has returned to a degree. But that doesn’t mean anything if you’re one of the ones without a job. 2011 is shaping up to be a great year for job seekers, especially if you are filling a critical need job. Sure there is high unemployment still but that does not mean that you cannot make something happen in the New Year. Having a positive attitude and staying abreast of the trends will put you in the running to find that job you want.

But, what are some of the trends for job seekers in 2011? There are a few different things to pay attention to, that are just over the horizon.

The Outlook:

Job growth is expected to be faster than average, thanks to growing demand for service sector jobs, the looming retirement of aging baby boomers, and broad efforts to create job growth. The volume of jobs is expected to increase throughout 2011, and rates are expected to continue through 2018, which are some of the fastest occupational growth rates being projected by the Labor Department.

Money:

Lending is expected to follow along current levels with some increase in lending to well-qualified applicants. But, lending can be a good thing in this economy, with more money changing hands there are more opportunities for job growth. Keep an eye out to see how the market affects your potential career field choice.

Upward Mobility:

If you want you can choose to go for additional schooling. Some jobs offer postgraduate programs for specialties in certain fields. It helps to be able to showcase strong educational history on your resume. As more people enter the workforce, employers can have the cream of the crop, so it creates incentives for potential employees to build their resume. Postgraduate work is a great thing to showcase on a resume and it can help set you apart from other potential job seekers.

Hiring Tools:

Employers are worried about salaries and specifically new salaries. In 2011 the trend is to develop talent from within, instead of spending the time to evaluate and train an outside employee. More employers are looking to promote from within. This is obviously not something that job seekers want to hear in 2011, but just focus on showcasing your skills and building your resume, and you will be on to your future job.

Job Types:

Expect a lot of graveyard shifts, weekend work and holiday work. Employers know that they have their employees in a tight spot and they are going to work their employees into the ground. Do not expect much help in the way of increased pay for this type of work. Profits are high for the top, not for the people doing the actual work.

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Read below for more tidbits and wisdom from some of our industry’s top career professionals:

Social Media Recruiting to Grow Further in 2011, @debrawheatman

Another Year, Another Job Search Begins, @GayleHoward

In 2011, Increase Your Prospects With Better Differentiation, @WalterAkana

4 Lessons Learned From Job Search in 2010, @Careersherpa

Your Career Action Plan for the New Year, @KatCareerGal

Trends Job Seekers Should Look For in 2011, @erinkennedycprw

Things Every Job Seeker Should be Thinking About in 2011, @expatcoachmegan

Let your presence be known or send out a red flag, @MartinBuckland @EliteResumes

How to find a job in 2011: Pay attention to emotional intelligence, @Keppie_Careers

2011 Employment Trends Supercharged with Twitter, @KCCareerCoach

3 Traits for Facing Weather, Employment and Chronic Illness, @WorkWithIllness

Everything old is new again @DawnBugni

Career Trend 2011: Accountability + Possibility = Sustainability, @ValueIntoWords

Career Tools to Check Out in 2011, @barbarasafani

What Was in 2010, What To Expect in 2011, @chandlee

The Future of Job Search: 3 Predictions and 2 Wishes, @JobHuntOrg

Contrary to the occasional rant about them, cover letters never go out of style. In fact, they should be considered one of the most important elements of the job seeking process. Unlike the resume, a rather cut and dried dissertation on your experience and training, the cover letter is your chance to convey more than simple experience. Understanding the important areas that need to be covered in a cover letter and the importance of creating unique letters for specific positions will allow you to take advantage of the strengths of the cover letter.

Length Matters

First, recognize the importance of appropriate formatting.  Cover letters that are too long will quickly loose the interest of the reader while those that are too short will not convey the necessary information.  Instead, be cognizant of the length and format of each cover letter.  Each cover letter should be no less than three paragraphs long and no more than one page long.  Not only is this length considered correct, it will allow you to appropriately address important areas adequately.

It Isn’t Your Resume

It is a mistake to simply use the cover letter to restate the facts that appear on a resume. Instead, the cover letter should be used to build interest–telling a little more about yourself and what you bring to the reader. An effective way to build interest is by expounding on an accomplishment that can be found in your resume. Instead of simply restating the accomplishment, give the prospective employer more details – details that will build interest in you.

Be Specific

Many make the mistake of creating a generalized cover letter.  Addressing a cover letter to the HR Department, utilizing generic job names and including general examples is a patently bad idea. Instead, take the time and do some research.  Even if you are sending a resume and cover letter to be filed for a later position, it is critical that it be addressed to the specific person in charge of hiring for that position.  Each resume that is sent out should include a cover letter that is specific for a particular job offering.

What’s Next

When concluding your cover letter, be sure to include your next step. You may want to inform the reader that you will call to confirm receipt in a week or let them know you will call to ensure they have all the information they need. Including a follow up action is the best way to ensure that your resume will be flagged for follow-up by the reader.

Cover letters are a good idea almost any time you are submitting your resume for review. There are a few distinct cases when a cover letter is not required.

1. When the potential employer requests no cover letter be sent.
2. When working with a headhunter.
3. When using resumes at a job fair.

It is important that each cover letter be written with a specific job in mind. Carefully read and review not only job postings, but also any information that is available regarding the company to which you are applying. Doing so will allow you to craft a more effective cover letter – one that is more likely to generate a call back. You can tweak your main cover letter for different positions. Be sure and save each version with a different title so you can easily pull it up when a similar job position opens up.

How many times have you found yourself in this situation: several days prior, you had an interview.  It seemed to go well and the interviewer informed you that they would ‘get back to you.’  You went home, excited, but as the days passed with no call, you begin to question every aspect of the interviewing, wondering where you went wrong.

This happens more often than many HR professionals would like. Relax. Sometimes a busy schedule of interviews and work sometimes gets in the way of them calling you back.  Learning techniques aimed at discovering how to make employers call you back is an easy and beneficial addition to any job seekers trunk of tricks.

1. Don’t Expect It: Don’t ever assume that you will get a call back.  Instead, make it a point to discuss the point of next contact before finishing the interview, meeting or phone call.  This can be as simple as asking when an appropriate time would be for you to follow up.  Many job seekers are leery of this, feeling that it will make them appear pushy; however, politely asking for a follow up isn’t being pushy.  I think it shows motivation and Always ask for a follow up.  Never leave it to chance.
2. You Are Responsible: At the end of the day, you, as the job seeker, are the one responsible for the follow up, after all, it is you that wants the position.  Take responsibility for the part you play in follow up meetings and calls by asking for them, being polite is subsequent contact and following through on any promises you make.
3. “I’ll Get Back To You” isn’t enough: “I’ll get back to you’ may be the five most dreaded words in the job seeking business.  Don’t ever leave a meeting or interview on this note. If a potential employer uses this line, ask them when!  If they cannot provide you with a specific time frame for a follow up, ask when it would be appropriate to follow up yourself.  Again, don’t be afraid to schedule your follow up.
4. Keep Calling: If you were unable, or afraid, to schedule a follow-up, wait three days and follow-up yourself. Again, many job seekers shy away from this tactic, but remember that the interviewer or HR manager is busy as well and a gentle reminder is not harmful.  Be respectful whenever leaving a message and always be consistent.

Getting that all-important call back can be difficult and waiting for it can be even worse. Instead of leaving it up to fate, take matters into your own hands.  Be proactive by scheduling follow-ups.  Be polite, but assertive, when asking for a follow-up call or meeting.  Don’t ever be afraid to follow-up yourself.

Waiting is an unfortunate part of finding employment. If you are like me, waiting for anything can be excruciating. You can make this waiting a bit easier to endure by learning how to make an employer call you back.  The peace of mind a scheduled follow-up can give you will make the waiting game much easier.

**I am a member of the Career Collective, a group of resume writers and career coaches.  Each month, all members discuss a certain topic.  This month, we are talking about “scary” career or resume mistakes. Please follow our tweets on Twitter #careercollective.  You can also view the other member’s interesting posts at the end of the article.

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Executive or senior level positions are a different animal when compared to others. More than a simple experience, those applying for senior or executive positions have to be better, faster and more creative than the competition. Even the smallest of errors can quickly become roadblocks to future success. Understanding how to avoid scary resume mistakes is critical for those that hope to land a plum position.

Luckily, the scariest of these mistakes are also the easiest to avoid…if you simply know what you are looking for.

1. Grammar: Sounds simple, but grammar and spelling errors can be the worst resume mistake. Poorly written resumes do not advertise the applicant as a qualified individual; instead, they advertise you as lazy, unobservant and possibly illiterate. This mistake is the easiest of all to avoid. Do not rely on spell check alone; instead ask a qualified friend or professional to review the resume for you as well.
2. Poorly written objectives/career summaries: The career summary portion of a resume is often easy to overlook. Job seekers erroneously assume that those reading the resumes often ignore the section. Instead, the summary is your first and best chance to not only state your objective, but to add a sense of whom you are. Avoiding a poorly written career summary starts with putting in the appropriate amount of time writing it. Remain clear and focused on what you want to do, what you excel at, and what you can do for the reader. It is also a good idea to personalize summaries for specific jobs or positions.
3. Hiding crucial information: Functional resumes sometimes seem like they are hiding information about the job seeker’s accomplishments and skill sets by ignoring the standard chronological format. If functional is still your choice, consider creating a hybrid functional/chronological resume that will please all types of readers.
4. Being too general: Creating a generalized resume to use for every new opportunity is a mistake. Today, a general resume isn’t enough. Instead, develop a well written, grammatically correct base resume and personalize it for each new position. Carefully tweaking skills, highlighting different accomplishments and other critical areas more maximum impact is the best way to optimize your exposure to specific potential employers.
5. Honest and Accuracy: “Everyone embellishes their resumes a little bit – right?”  While that may be true for some people, inaccurate statements or outright wrong information is a mistake and not smart to do. Today’s employers are choosing from a pool of potential employees that is bigger than ever. Be sure that the information contained in your resume is accurate. Be honest and forthright in your answers. Honesty does matter. Don’t be one of the fools who use embellishment to make their resume stand out—and then get caught later.

Creating resumes that make an impact doesn’t have to be difficult. Spending adequate time, making use of a proofreader, being honest and carefully choosing your format and the information you present is the best way to avoid scary resume or career mistakes.

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Read below for more resume and career advice from the Career Collective!

 

Where Are the Wild Things, Anyway?, @WorkWithIllness

Is Your Job Search Making You Feel Like a Smashed Pumpkin?, @DebraWheatman

Hiding in Plain Sight, @WalterAkana,

Don’t make these frightful resume mistakes, @LaurieBerenson

How Not to Be a Spooky Job Seeker, @heathermundell

A Tombstone Resume:Eulogizing Your Experience, @GayleHoward

The Top Ten Scary Things Job Seekers Do, @barbarasafani

Oh, Job Search Isn’t Like Trick or Treating?, @careersherpa

A Most Unfortunate Resume Mistake No One Will Tell You, @chandlee

Oh no. Not the phone!, @DawnBugni

Halloween Caution: Job Seeker Horror, @resumeservice

Boo! Are you scaring away opportunities or the competition? @MartinBuckland @EliteResumes

Your Career Brand: A Scary Trick or an Appealing Treat?, @KCCareerCoach

How to avoid mistakes on your resume, @Keppie_Careers

Sc-sc-scary Resume Mistakes, @erinkennedycprw

A Flawed Resume is a Scary Prospect, @KatCareerGal

Job Search Angst: Like Clouds Mounting Before a Storm, @ValueIntoWords

Does Your Career Costume Fit You?, @expatcoachmegan

For those of you who have talked to me, you know that I unabashedly love LinkedIn. As social networking goes for professionals, it’s my favorite.  LinkedIn has a much cleaner interface than other sites such as MySpace, Plaxo or Facebook. Setting up a profile on LinkedIn can put your name at the top of the Google search rankings and can help you get connected and ‘be found’  in ways you might not have imagined.

LinkedIn is one of the best social networking sites to help you increase your online visibility. Because of its popularity among millions of people, the site has gained a significant presence in Google page rankings. Typically this means that when people search for your name specifically, they can find your LinkedIn profile as one of the first results. If you have a particularly common name, like mine, there are a couple of ways to help further boost your profile in Google searches.  Specifically, you should include your LinkedIn profile link in each signature you use from discussion boards to blogs to other social networking sites. You can also use your actual name in the URL you select for your profile. Or, you can differentiate yourself by what you do. My LinkedIn name is: erinkennedycprw. The “cprw” stands for Certified Professional Resume Writer and also sets me apart from the other 212 Erin Kennedy’s. Ideally, for SEO purposes, you really want to have just your name, but if it is already taken, like mine was, you have to figure out something else that will work for you.

Once you have built your profile and included your job history and experience, you can start networking. Chances are that you will find many of your colleagues, classmates, and former university instructors. You can even branch out to the people who are connected to those in your existing network. For example, if you live in Austin and your spouse’s job is requiring that you relocate to Denver, you might not have contacts there. In this case, you can tap into your network to see with whom they’re connected. Chances are that somewhere among your connections, you’ll find someone who lives and works in Denver to forward your resume.

The most important aspect of networking on LinkedIn is building that network well before you need it. Usually, the “pay it forward” concept works here – give out help before you need it yourself. Always make yourself available for LinkedIn recommendations as well as a good word toward HR when a contact wants to apply for a job at your company. By doing this, you highly increase your chances of getting your own recommendations when you need them.

There is another way to use LinkedIn to your advantage. If you know your interviewer’s name in advance, you can look up his or her profile to get an idea of what to talk about during the interview. If you find something that the two of you have in common, such as the same university or previous job, you can bring it up during the interview.  However, this should be done carefully. Only you can determine whether the tone of the interview is somewhat light or very strict. While talking about the things you have in common can help set a lighter tone, this tactic should be approached with caution.

Learning the basics of how to use LinkedIn for networking will help you maximize your networking potential. When you make yourself more visible in Google, make connections with your contacts’ networks and use LinkedIn for research, you can find your way to the next big opportunity.