If you are applying for jobs but aren’t being successful, then it is time to look at where you could be going wrong. The job market is tough so if you aren’t doing what you can to beat the competition, then you are really ruining your chances of being successful.

There are several things that can help or hinder your job application success rates and if you are having problems in getting your dream job, then you need to look at these and how they can be improved.

One of the main things you need to look at is your resume and making sure that it does you justice. There are several ways that you can get hints and tips on how to have the perfect resume and the changes you can make to ensure that your resume is doing the best possible job for you.

However, when you are simply reading other people’s advice and trying to put that into place with your resume, it can be difficult. Knowing what your resume should be like and how to improve it is hard, but it is a vital step to job success.

If this is something that concerns you or you feel like you could do with help improving your resume, then why not get a professional on board? By getting someone who knows what they are doing to read over your resume and make any improvements that are needed, you are giving yourself the best chance of job success.

Searching for a rewarding job can be stressful, frustrating and more demanding than running a multi-million dollar corporation. A few simple rules of the game is just about all it takes to make sure you land the job you want.

These rules should be followed ALL the time with no exceptions. Know your strengths and accept your weaknesses. Not everyone can run a global empire, just as not everyone has the talent to build a house. Recognize your skills and talents and build upon them. Will you truly be happy managing a lumber mill when you would rather be in the woods cutting the trees? For the love of money?

Set your priorities before you apply for the position that will double your salary but will leave you no time for your family or outside interests. Do not let a large increase in salary cloud your perception of what will be expected of you. Know what you are willing to sacrifice for what amount of money. Remember, some jobs as well as a large raise may not always be the best option.

If you are presently employed and looking for a job, do not use your work email address when searching for job offers on the Internet because your present employer may have access to your email files. Establish a new email account at one of the many free email services such as yahoo or gmail. But do not create a user name such “hot_for_you” or “studmuffin.” Be as professional as possible when choosing your username.

Be honest during a job interview. Don’t oversell yourself. It is important to highlight your talents, but skilled interviewers can tell when you are lying.

Be realistic. Will two years of experience be enough to get you the position of CEO at IBM? Of course not. No one has ever been the president of a company just starting out.

Be committed. Look at any successful person and you will see in them the drive and determination to succeed. The most successful people have had failures, but they have learned from them and continued on their journey. You have to keep trying and pushing harder and harder.

 

A lot of people have probably already done this, but it is important to make sure your executive resume is customized, tailored, and geared toward you in a good light. The best way to know if your resume is working is this: Have you been called in for a job interview? If the answer is no, then it’s time to customize your resume and try something different.

Of course, you want your resume to be a professional piece and it will be, but think about something. How quickly does someone scan over your resume? Interviewers are looking at your skills and experience, which will alert them to the needs that they are hoping you will fulfill. That takes maybe 20 seconds, tops.

So, what do you need to do? Make it pop! Bold certain words throughout your resume so they pop off the page at someone. You’ve got their attention now, right? An example would be: “have 10 years experience as a Project Manager”. OK, that sentence is just sitting there. But if you use “have 10 years experience as a Project Manager“. Much better, right?

Also, be sure to use the same phrases and job descriptions that the potential employer is using. This makes them feel as if you have really read the job requirements and understand the position. It’s only a matter of critiquing your resume so that when viewed it takes on a whole new life.

There are a number of ways of customizing your executive resume. Find the ones that work best for you. You can always find suggestions and help online; it’s just a matter of where to look.

It’s a dog eat dog world out there when it comes to job hunting in today’s job market. There are way too many applicants and not enough jobs to go around. That makes the competition really tough. But, you could be hindering yourself by your attitude.

It is hard to keep morale up lately, but if you are the type of person who has resigned themselves to not getting a job because you keep getting the brush off, then you may be making it worse.

Even if you are not aware of it, low morale and negativity can be felt by others. So, if you have a feeling of resignation and just going through the emotions, the prospective employer may sense that you are really just not interested in the job and pass you over.

It’s better to give yourself a pep talk before any interview. Maybe get a friend to role play with you to see how you are coming across to others.

In addition, social networking is also a great confidence builder. Ask several of your Facebook friends to look at your resume to see where you could improve upon it. You may not can see any flaws but others can.

And, above all, go into any business with your resume in hand, dressed for success, shoulders squared, a big smile on your face and be confident. This very first impression will be the one to get your resume to the next level.

Everyone knows about job related stress. But few know how to resolve it or to reduce it. Job related stress can make your life absolutely miserable and it’s important to get rid of it altogether, or at least get it reduced so it doesn’t affect your everyday life.

It is estimated that a whopping 62% of Americans feel their work is the major cause of stress in their lives. Yikes! At the same time, stress levels have increased 50% since 2007. These are very significant numbers.

Some of the things that induce job related stress are impending layoffs, problems with co-workers or superiors, overtime, no time off, and simply not being in the right job position.

Any number of these things can cause physical problems such as things upset stomachs, frequent headaches, sleep issues and even grinding your teeth. More serious health issues are increased blood pressure, diabetes, weight gain and psychological problems.

No one wants any of the above mentioned problems. Therefore, it’s important to make a change. Possible changes include taking time off from work, working out any differences between co-workers and superiors, making sure you are prepared in case there are layoffs, and if you are just unhappy in your position, start searching for another position. Remember, nothing in this world is more important than your health and your well being. A vacation or a job change will affect your income, but it’s important to understand that it’s better to make adjustments and rearrange a couple of bills in order to make things easier on you.

You don’t want to have problems with family or have psychological problems over job stress. If necessary, find a new job.

Make the new year count by reducing the stress levels in your life. It is never too late to make changes so that you can live a more balanced, calm life.

You have accepted a job offer knowing that the salary is not as much as you were hoping or needing. But you need the job, thinking that you will get raises. What if you don’t? And to top it off, the next person they hire for the same type of work just a few weeks later is making quite a bit more. What happened?

• You need to negotiate in the beginning to get the salary you want, or else you just may be stuck, just like you are. It’s not as hard once you get the hang of it. If the company just will not negotiate, you still have a shot and at least know you tried.

• One important thing to remember is that the company is going to try to go with a wage or salary as low as possible. You want more and they want less. This is the basis of negotiation. Be confident in what you bring to the table and how your expertise will help the company. That will be your focus in negotiations.

• Remember that it is give and take. It’s almost like bartering for an item (garage sales, eBay!). You eventually meet in the middle. So, recognize that you may have to agree to something that is still less than you want but more than was originally offered. This will be a positive bargain for you.

• Make sure you are flexible. If the company thinks you are being too constrictive, they will back out. Be sure to watch the body language and you will be able to tell if they are listening to you or are backing up.

The first couple of times may be nerve wracking but once you get used to the process, you will be able to negotiate like the pros. You never know, you just might get what you want.

Some people get a rise in blood pressure simply by visiting the doctor (me included!). This is called white coat syndrome. For lack of a better term, interview syndrome is when you get extremely nervous before a job interview. Relax! You can do it, you got this. Be confident above anything else.

It’s important to understand that if you exhibit extreme jitters and can’t form your sentences correctly, it’s going to show during the interview and really hurt your chances of landing the job. Prospective employers are going to wonder why you are so nervous in the first place.

Now, you’re asking how to calm yourself before an interview. First of all, don’t rush yourself and be late at the same time. If your interview is in the morning, get up earlier than normal. Keep your mind occupied and try not to think about the upcoming interview. About an hour before the interview, start forming your thoughts and think about what your demeanor should be. And, by all means, NEVER be late for an interview. That tells them straight out that you could possibly be a late arrival for work. Already a ding on your part.

Dress professionally, even if it for a casual atmosphere. Remember, this is their first visual of you. You certainly don’t want to go in to an interview with baggy pants and a sweatshirt. Make yourself presentable. Square your shoulders, hold your head up and have a confident demeanor. Be sure to address yourself, look the interviewer in the eye and shake their hand. Do not sit down before the interviewer does.

These tips may seem silly to some. However, you need to consider that you are selling yourself. Don’t you want to be proud of yourself? Don’t you want to come across as clean cut, professional, friendly and prompt? If yes is the answer to any of these questions, relax! You got this.

With the advent of the internet, emails, texting and online applications, some consider the thank you note after an interview to be over. Those of you who know me, or are used to my ranting about this, know how I feel.

Not by a long shot it’s not. It is never and will never be proper etiquette to ignore a simple thank you.

By not showing proper etiquette and respect for the employer who is interviewing you, it is telling that person that you really just aren’t concerned with trivialities. This sends the wrong message to a prospective employer, who may very well put your resume to the side simply because you didn’t seem to be that interested if you couldn’t even send a thank you.

In today’s world, it is proper to send a thank you email. You don’t have to mail it and you certainly don’t want to text it. Texting can cause way too many spelling errors. It is also proper to send that email very soon after the interview, while it is still fresh in your mind.

Some things to include in the email is the thank you, followed by what you found interesting about the company and how your particular skills would be an asset to that company. You do not want to speak in a laid back fashion as if you are talking to someone on Facebook. That is totally unprofessional.

We may be living in a new technological world but old world manners are still more important even in the employment field. Manners and simple respect toward another will return to you in the same fashion. Think about if you were the hiring manager and you didn’t say thank you for the interview, you just might be a little put off by that.

As your mother probably used to say to you, “mind your manners,” and send those thank you emails so that you will be one step ahead toward landing that job.

I’m sure most people remember the song “Working 9 to 5″ by Dolly Parton (that song is in your head now, isn’t it?). Not too long ago, that was the perfect job position, to work nine to five with weekends off. Everyone wanted to work those hours. But today, can you even find many positions like that? Are work environments changing? How, and is it for the better?

With the advancing use of the internet, more jobs are offering telecommuting and work from home positions. Some of the older generation does not understand this concept because they can’t walk by and see an employee at work. They feel that it will hurt business by working from home. In fact, studies show that the opposite is true. More work is actually getting accomplished and at all hours of the night and day. The eight hour shift is not the norm any longer.

The companies who are embracing new technology are seeing more loyalty out of their employees. There is less absenteeism as people can schedule their day to have time with family and still work. There is not a log of turnover in employees who can telecommute or have the freedom at a workplace to stay in contact with family while at work.

In a word, yes. Work environments are changing, for the better for everyone involved. If you are looking for work, now would be a good time to overhaul your resume to reflect the flexibility and work ethic that you can bring to the table. Even if it doesn’t mean telecommuting, but flexibility in a managerial position that you would do what it takes to keep employees happy and willing to work.

Expert resume writers will help you fine tune your executive resume so that you will be reflected in a more powerful light for the new workplaces.

Beginning a career, or changing careers might not come as easily to you as it did to your friend/colleague. Having the education for a career, or even the skills needed is one thing—but getting out there and using them is another. Many people know they want a change, but just aren’t sure doing what.

This is the point where knowing how to find a career coach will help you to find the best job for you, period. Finding a career coach is not as hard as it is made out to be.

There are career coaches for all different stages in your life: high school, college, career transition, executive level, and more. On the other hand, there are people who are out of high school and college, or who have never attended school at all and need help analyzing the skills they already have. These folks need to know how to find a career coach in order to have an equal chance at succeeding. People whose education hasn’t progressed to finishing high school, or they have just finished, will need to go to the local employment office in their respective state. Each state employment office will give out the basics that are needed in terms of how to begin the search for a career coach. However, once the state employment office has gotten you started, they will help you find a career coach. This career coach may be someone who simply gets you on the path to a good job, and stays around to help for a while.

Once that career coach is gone, and moving on is something that you want to do, look around through various means to find one. Ask around—people that you know that might currently be using one should be able to guide you. Look on the Internet. Take some time to do a search—and use the term career advisor as well. There are plenty of career coaches—even executive career coaches—available.

Determining the cost that you may pay will be dependent on the materials that you find. Most career coaches now have websites. Look at their website.

Learning how to find a career coach is really not difficult. It simply takes a little bit of thought, and planning. So take the time to do your research, and ask for the help that you need. The effort will be worth it—you will have a better job, and a career that you really want.