Marketing and Packaging
Being out of work during the holiday season can be especially difficult. To job seekers, it sometimes feels as though everyone else is working, shopping for gifts and attending rounds of parties. It's easy for job seekers to feel left out and to withdraw until the New Year before restarting their job search campaigns. However, there are some positive steps you can...
A big question for many job seekers focuses on: How do you craft a state-of-the-art electronic document that will not only survive e-mail and resume scanners, but will also provide a professional presentation that will impress hiring managers? Unfortunately, a large number of job seekers are tackling the Internet with a resume that is not compatible for Internet...
The next time you submit your resume to a company, imagine two piles of paper on the hiring manager's desk. The tall stack has hundreds of resumes, for which their authors will receive carefully worded rejections (if acknowledged at all). The short stack, perhaps less than an inch high, has resumes that will ultimately lead to interviews. What gets your resume...
Confusion over cover letter styles is rampant. Most surveys clearly show that no one style stands out as the "best" or "most effective" to use. For this reason, do not get hung up on style -- focus on content. Does the text make the reader want to continue past the initial 30-second screening? With that in mind, an effective cover letter should adhere to the...
Your resume is the first impression many potential employers will get of you. Make it count, as your resume is clearly linked to your job search success.
A successful resume allows the reader to truly understand you and your experience. It sells, you even when you are not there, giving you a competitive edge over other candidates. The right resume helps open more...
You could do that job. You just know it. But, on paper, your resume won't show that you have the necessary experience and skills because your career has been in one industry and the job you want is in another. So how do you convince the hiring company that you're the one they want, considering you lack the experience or skills they say they want?
Fear not! Almost...
In today's frenzied job market, job seekers have more opportunities than ever to shine in front of recruiters. When individuals decide to move on with their careers, rewriting the resume becomes a top priority. Content has specific mandates, such as clear, action-oriented language, problem-solving descriptions and positive accomplishment assessment. But in...
Whether you like it or not, the average job these days lasts five years (plus or minus a couple of years). With that in mind, it's important to note that networking can play a crucial role in obtaining your new position. Approximately 80% of a job search normally consists of networking, with the other 20% spent researching and sending out letters. So if you think...
There is a dangerous belief among consultants these days that their hourly rate is intricately tied not only to their capabilities as consultants, but to their value as human beings. As such, the passion with which they hold on to that rate borders on religious fervor. Is this a pattern that describes your approach to your consulting career? If so, it might not only...
Once you have completed your resume, the next step in your job search is developing a cover letter that will entice an employer to look at it. Succinctly written and targeted cover letters are the keys that open doors to prospective employers and set you apart from other applicants. Tailor your cover letters to each specific job you apply for, keeping them to one...
Regardless of how exceptional your resume is, it says nothing of your personality, creativity or personal work style. It seldom describes any strong traits that make you a sterling or interesting interview prospect. A well-crafted cover letter, on the other hand, can reveal all of this and more.
A Word of Caution
When it comes to writing cover letters, you can't be...
Time to move on, you think to yourself. I'd really like to work at IPO_of_next_week.com. My current employer, IPO_of_last_week.com, just isn't very appealing now that I've cashed in my options.
What's a Spoiled, Silicon Valley Rich Kid to Do?
Blow the dust off your resume and start translating. Yep, translating. You need to download your job description in a way...
Several years ago, a Pulitzer Prize winner employed by a major national newspaper was found to have falsified her educational and work credentials. The resulting embarrassment to the individual and her employer was quite extensive. Since that time, most companies have been more conscientious in checking the references of potential hires.
Selecting Your References
The...
For those with technical skills and experience, this is a time of tremendous opportunity in the job market. After searching job listings and finding the perfect opening, the next step is to set your qualifications apart with a well-crafted resume.
The Right Presentation
Although it may have been easy to list your experience when you finished college, experienced...
Here is a job search truth: The higher the position, the higher the compensation level, the more your cover letter can help or hurt your chances of being invited to an interview. You can dramatically improve your chances of being viewed in a positive way -- provided you know how to write effective cover letters.
Review these seven tips and consider structuring your...
