When you receive a gift, you send a thank you letter. So why wouldn’t you send a thank you letter during a job search? Sending a thank you letter is a particularly important part of your job search, so you need to take the time to write a nice letter. Because you don’t need to send a thank you for every job prospect you look into, we offer the following guidelines to help you decipher when you should send a thank you letter and when you don’t need to.
If you have already gotten the job, you do not need to send a letter. You will be seeing the employer in person and you will be able to thank them then, which will mean more to your employer than a letter.
If you have given the company your resume but never heard back (even after following up), then you do not need to send a thank you letter. If the employer didn’t bother to contact you, then why would you take time to thank them for something they didn’t even do?
If you have been contacted, but not given an interview, then you should definitely send a thank you letter. They made the effort to contact you even though you were not the right fit. You should thank them for their consideration.
If you have been given an interview but have not received a job offer, then you should absolutely send a thank you letter. They have put just as much effort in as you have at this point, and you should thank them for their consideration and effort.
Sending an appropriate thank you letter will help to ensure that employers remember you and hopefully think of you if future positions open up. There is nothing bad that can come from sending a sincere thank you letter.
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.
How To Negotiate The Salary You Want During A Job Interview
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.
