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.
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.
Who is the first person to see your resume when searching for a new job? It is usually the Human Resources Manager. That person probably will see dozens of resumes for a new job posting. It is imperative that you grab their attention with the cover letter to make them pause and look at your resume.
You don’t want your resume to be tossed to the side because of a sloppy cover letter or because you left out pertinent details. That is the quickest way to lose the prospect of a top executive position. Or any position for that matter.
The cover letter needs to be as well thought out as your resume. It needs to enhance your resume by highlighting the qualifications you have for the job you are applying for. Things to consider are:
- Research well the position you are applying for. Highlight your qualifications for that position. Make sure you include any achievements in that area of expertise.
- Introduce yourself in the first paragraph. Tell them about yourself (briefly) and why you would be the perfect person for the job.
- Keep the cover letter to one page and make sure all spelling, punctuation and grammar are correct. HR managers will quickly toss you aside if the cover letter is illegible.
- If sending via snail mail, don’t forget to sign the cover letter.
Make sure your resume and cover letter are on good quality paper. I prefer ‘White’. ‘Ivory’ tends to look dingy or dirty when compared with another candidate’s white resume. You don’t have to list all of your jobs for the past 20 years. But, make sure your qualifications and other skills are included in a positive way.
A strong, confident resume will go a long way in getting you in the door. You then have to carry that same confidence with a face-to-face interview. There are still a lot of executive positions in the job market, but qualifications alone won’t get you there. Be sure to explain your problem solving skills, how you have helped any previous companies save money, or if you have experience with managing multiple people.
Take a second look at your resume. If you think it needs improvement, consider using a resume writing service that will make your resume shine. Let the professionals help you stand out from the rest so you won’t get tossed in the corner.
With so many people out of working and vying for all the available positions, many are tweaking their resumes, executives included. For some, cleaning up an old resume is easy to do. For others, they prefer to have professional resume writers do the work for them. So, how do you know which company to go with? What do you look for in a professional resume service?
The first thing to look for is if the person or company you are considering is certified. Did you know that for the past twenty years, there has been an organization for Professional Resume Writers? The Professional Association Of Resume Writers (PARW) is an organization for certified resume writers, career coaches and interview professionals. Another fantastic one is Career Directors International (CDI). CDI stays current on all the hot trends and offer you choices in resume writing companies. The reputable ones will be a member of these organizations. There are actually a number of organizations that good resume writers will be a part of.
The next thing to consider is how long that person or company has been in business. There are many questionable websites that advertise professional resume services. Check the site out, read testimonials and see how long they have been doing business.
A professional resume writer will know how to make your resume reflect you in the best possible light. They know the right keywords to add to your resume for targeted job positions and can coach you for the interview process.
Take the rest of this year to research professional resume consultants so that you can find one that will make 2012 a success for you and your career.
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.
It seems there are employees in today’s market that think getting to work on time is not/should not be an issue. More and more workers in the workplace are getting to work late more times than not. If you want to keep your job, it is absolutely imperative to arrive at work on time. Punctuality is one of the most important work ethics there is.
Not only should you get in the habit of getting to work on time as it is considered a good work ethic to be prompt, but the current job market will hurt you if you have this bad habit. There are thousands of people out of work who are willing and able to get to work on time. They would love to be in your shoes.
If you are late once in a while, it is probably not a big deal as long as you explain why to your manager. They are probably going to understand. But, if you are late 3 out of 5 days a week, that is a problem. The manager will not like it and neither will your co-workers. Remember, they are getting to work on time and will expect you to do so as well.
If you can’t get to work on time, consider re-setting your alarm clock so you can get up earlier. If you are typically 30 minutes late to work, re-set your clock for 45 minutes earlier. Make adjustments so that you can get to work on time.
After all, the job you have supports you. You don’t want to be part of the thousands who do not have a job. If you take care of your job, your job will take care of you.
You have just seen a posting for a job that you really, really want. Your resume is ready to be emailed, you just need to fine-tune your cover letter and hit “send”. One thing is holding you up…this job is asking YOU to communicate your salary requirements. Exactly how are you going to do that? No need to worry-we offer a few tips to get you on the right track.
• Look at the job title and description of qualifications/requirements. First, do you meet all of the requirements they are asking for? Even if you only have a portion of the qualifications listed in the job description, as long as you have the majority of them, you should still apply for the job.
• Research similar positions that are out there and see what salary ranges are being offered. There are hundreds of job sites (glassdoor.com is a good one) on the internet that post salary ranges for specific positions, and some will even show what those positions make in different geographic areas. If you are able to get compensation information, that would help you as well.
• What are you making at your current job? If you are making $55,000 per year now, it wouldn’t look good to demand $85,000 for the same type of position (unless the new position has more requirements and/or is a managerial role). Yes, you will want to up the ante from what you are making, but you still need to be realistic.
• If the salary range is not listed on the job posting, contact the employer and ask what the range is. If you have a lot of experience, put your salary requirements toward the top of the range. If you are basically new to the field or only have a few years of experience, go mid-range or a little lower. You can always move up the scale once you get your foot in the door and show them what you can do.
• Never list your salary requirements at the beginning of your cover letter! Draw them in with your qualifications and achievements, then end with your salary requirements.
• Once you have done all of your research and have established the salary requirements you’re going to ask for, list those requirements, as well as the compensation package in your current position toward the bottom of your cover letter. You can even let them know that you are willing to negotiate based on your qualifications, benefit structure, job responsibilities, and advancement opportunities.
If you do land an interview, revisit your facts and research and be prepared to discuss your salary requirements during the interview. While communicating your salary requirements may seem awkward at first, presenting your information in a professional manner based on facts and research will impress the employer and hopefully get you the job you are trying for.
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.
