As the economy has worsened and millions of job seekers are chasing after fewer and fewer jobs, what you put on your resume has become more important than ever. Before you send your resume anywhere, run it through this quick five-point checklist to determine if it needs a tune-up or a complete overhaul.
Success in job search is easy to deal with. A job offer feels good, it validates us and allows us to move forward in life. It’s what we all want and strive for. But for most job seekers, our successes are infrequent. They’re sandwiched between boatloads of indifference, rejection and apparent failure. If you’ve been hunting for a job very long, you know what I’m talking about. Job search is one big exercise in rejection until you win that job you’ve been pursuing.
There are over 14 million people out of work with unemployment is at it’s highest in 34 years. Competition for jobs in this recession has never been more fierce.
I speak with candidates every week during my resume writing workshops. Too often I encounter a defensive, apologetic attitude among my listeners. Many spend too much time worrying about finding a job and not enough about their true place in this newly evolving economy.
There are a number of ways that you can acquire the job you want. You can go the traditional route of finding an ad and applying for the job, or going through the temp agency where you can get your feet wet in certain fields.
There isn’t any room for guesswork in applying for jobs online. It’s really simple. Follow the instructions in the job posting. Companies think less (or will ignore) applicants who don’t follow the instructions. If the listing says send a cover letter, write one. If the listing says apply online at JobDig, do so. When the help wanted ad says send a PDF, don’t send a Word document.
Modesto Job Fair by HIREvents
Tuesday, August 25th
12pm – 4pm
Modesto Centre Plaza
10th & K Streets
Free Admission
It’s not just the weather that’s got temperatures on the rise. It’s the hundreds of hot job opportunities at Modesto’s HIREvent on Tuesday, August 25th from noon to 4pm at the Modesto Centre Plaza at 10th and K Streets.
Jobseekers will find a wide variety of employment prospects with organizations looking to fill immediate openings in a wide variety of fields, including public safety, insurance, education, administration, and information technology.
Applicants should arrive early, dress professionally, bring plenty of resumes, and allow some extra time to take advantage of the free resume evaluation service provided by a team of employment specialists.
This event is sponsored by KCRA 3, KQCA My58, Citadel Broadcasting, and California Job Journal. For more information, please visit www.JobJournal.com or call 1-888-THE JOBS.
Job seekers are bombarded with daily advice from well meaning friends, relatives, and professionals covering every topic from résumés and cover letters, to online networking, job boards, and visual CVs. As a professional résumé writer and job search coach, even I get overwhelmed – feeling like I am running as fast as I can to keep up with the latest and greatest tools and techniques, and then discovering the next week that I may have been chasing the wrong bus!
So, you’ve answered all the interviewer’s gut wrenching questions, and now s/he says, “Do you have any questions for me?” Uh-Oh! Now what do you do? Do you just squirm around and say, “Oh nothing.” Or do you make something up on the spot?
Here’s an idea! What do you think you should want to know about the company and your future job? Instead of just winging it, why not find out some valuable insights. Such as:
A savvy job seeker knows careful preparation is the key to a successful interview. To become the number one candidate, you must:
If you’re pursuing a new job, you’ll want to stand out from your fellow job seekers. While researching companies, targeting resumes and preparing for an insightful interview are crucial to landing the right job, there’s one more step you dare not neglect.