New Grad Life

Seven Strategies That'll Make Your Resume Stand Out Online

noreply@blogger.com (Angela Astley) — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 12:05:00 PST

Write a resume that sticks out

Sourcing is a term used for recruiters to find and uncover candidates and recruiters are getting more and more creative with their sourcing techniques. One creative sourcing technique being used today is going to Google or other search engines and putting in search strings filled with keywords and terms to generate resumes from all over the internet.

Since recruiters are getting creative with their sourcing techniques, job seekers should start getting creative with online exposure techniques.

1. Create a career blog

Start a blog that focuses on your career industry and include tips, articles, news, and industry related topics. You don’t have to be a writer to create a blog. You can link to other articles and news about that industry topic and add comments showing your industry knowledge. Also, set up a page on the blog for your resume, where you are highlighting your industry knowledge, experience, and expertise. You can easily set up a blog for free using programs such as blogger.com or wordpress.com

2. Use free document sharing websites

There are a number of free file sharing websites that can help you gain more resume exposure online. Save your document in different forms such as DOC and PDF so your resume shows up under those search terms. Yes, recruiters will search for resumes using words such as pdf, rtf, doc, and cv. You can even save your resume as a powerpoint presentation! Here are few free sites to check out: keepandshare.com, slideshare.net, Google docs

3. Set up a resume web page

A one page website for your resume is great exposure and a great way to link others to your resume. You can add your website url to your resume, to other online profiles, and at the end of your signature in emails and posts. You can find free resume website builders such as: Emurse.com and VisualCV.com.

4. Social and professional networking websites

It’s no secret that social and professional networking websites are becoming hubs for job seekers and recruiters. I use LinkedIn all the time when I’m recruiting and I’m searching keywords to pull up profiles of potential candidates. If you aren’t on these networking websites, you are missing out on a ton of exposure. You can utilize these websites by putting in your professional profile or resume and links to your resume websites or blog posts. There are so many of these sites out there, but the majority of recruiters utilize LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and Myspace.

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6 Things Not To Say During A Job Interview (And The Right Answers)

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin Cormac) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 00:05:00 PST

A job interview going boom or bust

Reprinted with permission from FabJob.com .

1. Why are you looking for a new job?

Bad Answer: My boss is a jerk and the customers are hard to deal with.

Tip: Keep the answer positive, in terms of where you want to go, not what you want to get away from.

Better Answer: I have been promoted as far as I can go with my current employer. I'm looking for a new challenge that will give me the opportunity to use my skills to help my employer's business grow.

2. Why do you want to work for us?

Bad Answer: I'm desperate and no one else will hire me.

Tip: Before the interview, visit the employer's website to learn as much as you can about the company. When answering this question, focus on one or two flattering items to explain why you want to join this particular company.

Better Answer: When I read the mission statement on your website about giving back to the community, I felt really inspired. I was also impressed with the facts about your growth in the past three years three new locations, and a 40% sales increase. That's really something to be proud of. I think it would be rewarding to be a part of a company that is such a leader in their industry and in the community.

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How To Get The Best Recommendations

noreply@blogger.com (New Grad Life) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 00:03:00 PST

A job seeker's secret weapon

This post was written by Susanna Cha, a Content Writer and MSc. International Marketing Graduate, currently writing about graduate jobs on behalf of Guardian Jobs.

So your university years are behind you and you've finally got that degree that you've worked so hard for. Now you find yourself in a competitive graduate jobs market. It's not impossible to get a job in the current tough climate, but it is tougher than usual. That doesn't mean you should give up, it just means that you need to be savvy about how you can give yourself competitive edge and know how to get the best recommendations.

1. Have you got some work experience?

Having a degree is great. But do you have any work experience? Hopefully you've been working during your university time and you can put that work experience to good use in looking for a graduate job. Think laterally, your part-time job might have been burger flipping or warehouse unloading. But think carefully about the practical skills you've demonstrated during your time there. For example, you've shown that you can work as part of a team. You've worked under pressure to meet tight deadlines. You have a good understanding of customer service. Analyse everything you've done and distil the skills from it. If you haven't had any work experience, don't despair, it's not too late. While you're job hunting, there's time to cram in some experience.

2. Have you considered volunteering or an intern opportunity?

If you're short on work experience (and even if you're not), then it might be worthwhile doing some volunteering. This will not only give you valuable experience, it will impress future employers. There's a possible added bonus that you might find yourself an opportunity in the field that you want to work in.

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10 Uncommon Job Hunt Tactics that Work

noreply@blogger.com (Terrance Williams) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 00:05:00 PST

Getting a job through unconventional means

Before you can get a job, you need to know which job search strategies work and which do not. Take a look at these tips to find out how to make your job hunt more effective.

1. Hire a cold caller.

Cold calling to get a job really works–if you're good at it. Your ability to sell yourself on the phone shows exceptional sales skills, self-confidence, drive, and commitment. But most cold calls are executed poorly for the job hunt.

Debra Feldman is a professional cold caller at Job Whiz; you hire her to get you a job, and she can do it. By cold calling CEOs. What's the catch? She costs thousands of dollars. So consider teaching yourself the skill well enough to talk your way into a job where you can afford Feldman. You can definitely learn how to get a job from this as confidence on the phone will often help you with your career development.

2. Use proactive recommendations.

Instead of waiting for a hiring manager to ask for job references, have your job reference call immediately. This works well if you have a heavy-weight reference, like a well-known CEO or someone who knows the hiring manager. But it also works well if you have little career experience. In fact, if you are just starting out with your job search it's a great tool.

"The good employers have relationships with professors and they forward students who seem exceptional," says Joel Spolsky, chief executive of Fog Creek Software and author of the blog Joel on Software.

Also tap your job coaches. They tend to know students well after meeting daily for practice over the course of a few years. "A coach has extended knowledge of the students' personalities," says Tom Carmean, head lacrosse coach at Amherst University, who has given many references to employers. To start your job hunt off on a good start, this is one tip to consider for sure.

3. Stay organized with job hunt software.

How many times have you put the wrong name on a cover letter? Forgotten where you applied? Forgotten what the job was? You need to be organized right off the bat – maintain an Excel spreadsheet with all your contacts. This essential for the job hunt.

For a serious job hunter who recognizes that a hunt never ends, you could try JibberJobber, which not only helps you organize your information, but can bug you about the things you should be doing but might not be, such as following-up with a phone call. So to be successful in your job search, consider this technique.

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20 Common LinkedIn Mistakes Online Job Seekers Make

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin Cormac) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 00:05:00 PST

Online job hunting made simple

You probably know by now that LinkedIn is a powerful networking tool for personal branding and job search. In fact for job seekers it's one of the best online tools to land a job right now.

In case you don’t know about LinkedIn, get busy immediately building your branded profile, connecting with people, expressing your executive brand, and leveraging LinkedIn to full advantage.

But don’t make these 20 mistakes:

BUILDING YOUR PROFILE

1. Not personalizing your LinkedIn public profile URL.

Many people leave the default mess of letters and numbers at the end of the URL. Change that to “yourname” or as close to it as you can come, as I did with mine – http://www.linkedin.com/in/megguiseppi

2. Not including a photo.

Branding and career marketing are about creating emotional connections. People believe content more when it’s accompanied by the author’s photo. An online profile with no photo is a missed opportunity to reinforce your brand and engage people.

Click here to read the article "Personal Branding for College Graduates"

3. Not adding links to websites or web pages.

Include links to your website, blog, VisualCV, Twitter or other online profiles, so people can get more on-brand information about you and see what else you’re up to.

4. Not having a searchable professional headline that brands your unique promise of value and resonates with your target audience.

Make sure your relevant key word phrases show up in your headline so that recruiters and hiring decision makers sourcing top candidates by searching LinkedIn will find you.

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10 Signs Your Resume Needs Updating

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly Aldridge) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 00:05:00 PST

A resume tune-up

Reprinted with permission from http://theundercoverrecruiter.com

The dynamic job market of today keeps changing and what was required on a resume a few years ago could be the show stopper today. To roll with the punches the clever job seeker has to be flexible and prepared to adapt, this goes especially for your resume. Resumes are living documents and will change over time, just like you should. The devil is most often in the detail and are you confident that your resume will do you justice?

Signs that tell you it’s time for a little resume makeover:

1. The title is... Resume

Even if you use the fancy spelling and call it résumé, it's not going to do you any favors as recruiters and HR people look at 100s of resumes per day and yours won't stand out. In fact, in can be rather annoying for them as they have to change the titles themselves sometimes. Make the title your name and make sure the file name is your name as well.

2. It's one page only

Not sure who came up with this recommendation in the first place, I have friends who had a one page document for years. Your resume should obviously be concise and to the point but one page does make it look like there is a page missing and probably left in the printer. The rule of thumb is, the longer the career, the longer the resume so go ahead and fill out what you have done and if it lands at 2 full pages that is fine (as long as it’s relevant information).

3. You have included age, height, weight, and marital status

These personal details have no place in your resume, if it’s on your profile you might be accused of ageism and other unpleasant things. Make sure to remove.

4. You have a photo

A photo on a resume is a bit weird somehow, it comes across as the person is using their looks to secure a job. And most often the photo will not be great and therefore do more harm than good to an applicant. There are of course exceptions to this rule, in case you are in TV, modeling, entertainment etc you can get away with it. You will be told when a photo is required on a resume and by default it is not.

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Is My Job Search Doomed if I Don’t Have a Network?

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer Montez) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 00:05:00 PST

Job search fact or fiction?

Your job search is not doomed, but without networking you are doomed to suffer a longer more difficult one.

Although networking is important, it is only one piece in a multiple-channel job search marketing strategy. You help yourself best by working all your channels. Some other channels are:

- Online networking portholes such as LinkedIn, Facebook and MySpace

- Recruiters and Search Firms

- Job sites such as Indeed, LocalJobNetwork, Ladders and CareerBuilder

- Targeted mailing and Informational Interviewing

- Career Fairs, Trade Associations, and Community Organizations

Nevertheless, many jobs are found by being at the right place at the right time and that means a lot of deliberate networking. Some may say, “Being at the right place at the right time is all luck.” I don’t. I say it is resultant of “preparation” meeting “opportunity.” If you are not prepared, you may have opportunities looking you in the face and never know it; or you may recognize an opportunity and not be prepared to take advantage. It is only when preparation and opportunity meet you are likely to win a job.

The caveat: Opportunity is actually a compound-variable in the equation. The other piece to “opportunity” is “time.” In other words, you can be in a lot of right places (potential opportunities) and be prepared for each, but without a crystal ball you will not know it’s the right time until you get there. So, you must be in a lot of right places at ONE time. Implementing a strategy using multiple channels simultaneously will virtually have you in many places at one time. Equation solved! Of course everyone will say, “You were lucky.” I’ll say, “You were prepared.”

As for the networking piece of the simultaneous multiple-channel marketing strategy…

I will tell you what I tell those who have substantial networks and still suffer hard times: Make it easy for others to help you and they will. Whether you are looking to build a network or jump-starting a stalled (existing) network, here are several tips that can help:

1. Start building permanent relationships while you are still employed.

2. Become known in professional associations.

3. Reacquaint yourself with peers in other companies.

4. Push out emails to update friends and acquaintance.

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Job Interview Questions: "Where do you see yourself in 5 years?"

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer Montez) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 00:05:00 PST

One job interview question you can't mess up

This video is originally from TheJobShopper.com from their 'Job Seekers Success Series.'

Job interview questions can be difficult for some, but one interview question that definitely gets people frustrated is "Where do you see yourself in 5 years?" If the job seeker is too vague or even too specific in their answer they can easily fail this interview question. Watch this video to learn how to give a clear, compelling, and confident answer and ace the job interview!

Done watching the video? Why not subscribe to our free newsletter to get more resources?

Are you reading this from our daily Newsletter? Then click here to watch the video!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCGbE_xBNYc

Hey Grads! No Experience? No Problem! (Sort of)

noreply@blogger.com (Terrance Williams) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 00:03:00 PST

Advice from a fellow college graduate

This post was written by Brianna Raymond, a Content Writer and Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) at PongoResume.com. It originally appeared on The Pongo Blog on May 12, 2010.

I graduated from college two years ago (four now!) with the notion that having a college degree would serve in place of experience and pretty much guarantee a decent starting salary in a first job. And finding that first job was going to be a piece of cake with a degree to boast. Knowing what I know now, I couldn't have been more foolish.

What I Learned about Experience, from Experience

1. You have it, but it's not the right kind.

The "Experience" section of my pre-graduation resume looked a little something like this: Pizza Place, 3 years; Some Pharmacy, 2 years; This Gym, 5 months. In my mind, this kind of work record showed a prospective employer that I'm a good, loyal worker. But if the jobs and skills are irrelevant to the field of work you're looking to enter, your resume will appear weak and incomplete. And that's where point #2 comes in ...

2. Your free time in college counts for more than you think.

College meant the freedom to schedule my own day. To be done with classes by noon or to not even start until 4 p.m. Oh, and the parties? Yeah, those were really something. But what about student activities and clubs? Or the internships advertised around campus? Not only did my contributions to the campus newspaper and my summer internship at a publishing house give me valuable experience for the workforce, they also gave me a stronger resume that secured interview after interview.

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KA-BOOM! A Dozen Dynamite Online Job Hunting Tips!

noreply@blogger.com (New Grad Life) — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 00:05:00 PST

From the job hunt to the resume, here's some tips to keep in mind

Twenty years ago, if you wanted a job you spent days perfecting and typing your resume on heavy-weight business paper. You either mailed a cover letter and resume to employers or dressed your best and walked right in their front door. If it worked and the employer was interested, you’d get a call for an interview. And the interview was everything. In fact, two or three interviews wasn’t unheard of. Your interview was what got you the job.

Today, while interviews are an important part of the hiring process, it’s the portion of the job hunt before the interview that has completely evolved: the introduction. Walking in the front door with a resume in your hand is actually one of the biggest no-no’s in present day job hunting. Today’s game begins right where you are now: online.

Searching for jobs online is a time-consuming, tedious, and often discouraging process. There are thousands of job listings – everything from the typical newspaper site listings to “Employment” or “Careers” links on the employers’ own Web sites. There are massive, all-industry search engines and career-specific sites. Where to begin? My advice is to decide what you’re looking for, very specifically, before you even turn on the computer. The more narrow your search, the easier it will be to pinpoint where to look. I was a “professional” internet job searcher for three years after college – I was continually employed, but constantly looking online for something better. Here’s what I found:

Tips for Online Job Hunting

1. Begin by searching your chosen location for employment. Use Google to find the Web sites of the local newspapers, which almost always have an employment section that you can search by category. Next, search for regional or state-specific search engines – most cities and states have a Web site dedicated to local job listings.

2. Organize your findings. As you discover Web sites that you would like to continue checking, make a folder in your browser’s Bookmarks, so that you can easily get back to any site.

3. Search by your career field. Next, you’ll want to look for Web sites that are specific to your chosen career. Again, use Google to search: “jobs in information technology” or “IT job listings” for example. Vary your keyword searches to find a variety of different sites. Browse through them, and bookmark the ones that seem the most relevant or populated.

4. Watch out for the top placements in Google. I’ve found that often the worst job search engines come up first in Google, surprisingly. Usually, the larger the site, the less useful its content. Many times gigantic search engines become bloated with get-rich-quick or pyramid schemes, military listings, or national listings, where competition is obscene. While I still chose to bookmark and check major search engines, I often found jobs to apply for on smaller, more specific job search Web sites.

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5 Hard Job Interview Questions

noreply@blogger.com (New Grad Life) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 00:05:00 PST

The job interview questions you need to pay attention to

This post was written by Brianna Raymond, a Content Writer and Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) at PongoResume.com.

Job interviews are tough, and so are the questions. Learn how to answer five of the toughest interview questions here:

1. "Tell me about yourself."

This is not the time to share your life story. What they're looking for is a brief overview of the aspects of your experience and background that relate to the position. Talk about some accomplishments or strengths you felt really good about, and how you think they prepared you for the position you're interviewing for.

Example: "I have six years of advertising experience, and spent the past three years as the Assistant Production Manager at This Company, overseeing production schedules, hiring, and deadlines. In that time, I streamlined the workflow so that we were able to meet the deadline for every monthly print project, and in many cases we went to print well before the actual deadlines. I saved the company two weeks worth of staff overtime and expenses. Time management is one of my greatest skills, and I'm sure it would easily transfer to the Production Manager position you're offering here."

2. "What do you think is your greatest weakness?"

The best way to answer this question is honestly—mention a real weakness that won't affect your ability to do the job, or address a skill you're just learning and want to develop. Avoid calling attention to any weakness that's one of the critical qualities the hiring manager is looking for. And don't try the old "I'm a workaholic," or "I'm a perfectionist" approach.

Example: "I'm not as strong as I'd like to be on social media, so I'm spending about three hours a week blogging on topics I'm interested in, and reading some perspectives on the business-to-business value of social media. I'm already learning some things I can bring here, and hope to find more ideas on how to use social media as a customer relationship tool."

3. "What did you like least about your last (or current) job?"

Don't vent or focus on the negative with brutally honest answers such as "My boss was a jerk," or "They just weren't giving me the opportunity to take my career to the next level." Instead, keep the emphasis on the positive, even though there are sure to be things you weren't happy about.

Example: "That's a tough question to answer. I've had lots of opportunity at This Company, and I work with some outstanding people. I guess if I had to pick one thing, it would be the occasional meeting that goes an hour longer than scheduled. I like to tackle a certain number of tasks each day and that extra hour could have let me to get back to a client more quickly."

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Obama Says College Costs Must Be Cut

noreply@blogger.com (New Grad Life) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 00:04:00 PST

College debt is getting unreal

This article was reprinted with permission from thesouthend.wayne.edu.

In just over half an hour, President Barack Obama laid out aspects of his plan to make higher education more affordable while speaking to 3,000 students at the University of Michigan Jan. 27.

For those perseverant enough to get tickets, the wait was worth it.

“I didn’t think I’d get a chance to do this again,” said U-M mechanical engineering student Kyle Taylor, who stood 10 hours in line overnight outside the Student Union for tickets to see the president speak.

Deleise Cole Wilson, a recent college graduate, had the same mindset.

“This is a once-in-a-lifetime for me,” she said.

She said she wanted to hear Obama’s plan for dealing with student debt, but just to get the chance to see the president, whom she voted for in the 2008 election and plans to do so again in the upcoming election, was enough.

“He could sing, he could talk, he could do whatever,” she said. “He has a free pass with me.”

Before the speech, Sen.Debbie Stabenow, D-Lansing, stressed the importance of higher education and the need for a federal plan to address its rising costs.

“We can’t have students coming out of college owing more on their tuition debt than if they bought a house,” she said. “We’ve got to continue to focus on bringing down the cost of college.”

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College Seniors Speak Out - are schools helpful for job hunting?

noreply@blogger.com (New Grad Life) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 00:03:00 PST

New grads weight in on how much Universities have helped

New Grad Life recently traveled to a few Universities in San Diego. We picked the most interesting responses and want to share them with you. Due to the nature of the questions most students asked to for us to leave their last names out and schools they were affiliated with. Read on to see what College seniors are thinking!

NGL: “Let’s talk about the various services your University offers. What do you think about the career fairs?”

Ashley: “Useless….I mean it’s usually a bunch of companies that have all these entry-level sales positions. Then there’s like, agencies; the police, highway patrol, sometimes I really don’t get what they’re doing here. I think it’s even worse for our University – it makes our school look bad, you know?”
Omar: “A lot of the job fairs I’ve been to on campus are great. I’m not saying I got a job offer or anything on the spot, of course not, but I did get a few contacts and leads. You just need to weed out those ones that are not useful to you.”
Sonia: “I think it depends on what school you go to, because better schools have better companies who visit. I’ve been to a few other career fairs, and some were worse, some were better.”

NGL: “What about career centers? Are they a helpful resource for students you think?”

Ashley: “I think the career advisors are helpful, but as far as the resources go, they just tell you what to do and not how to do it. You go in, and it's like you have hundreds of binders with articles, books, job listings around you. There's no direction - and besides I can get all this info on the Internet so I don't get the big deal.”
Omar: “They definitely need more hands-on tools like workshops. Their web sites have hundreds of links to great career resources but they are more often than not generic in their advice. Maybe they should better pick such links and make sure they are referencing to the best career articles they possibly can.”
Sonia: “Career centers don’t have a good rep usually, you know. Students don’t believe they can really help – but people don’t get they’re not there to place you in a job, that’s what a staffing agency is for. They are there to help guide you through possible careers and improve your skills."

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6 Tips to Shorten a Job Search

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer Montez) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 00:05:00 PST

Is your job search efficient?

By Megan Marie Sullivan

The economic outlook has been looking very grim, and can be disheartening to those of us who are trying to enter the job force for the first time. However, a savvy seeker can get into the game quickly if he or she keeps a few simple rules and tips in mind:

1. Your full-time job is to find a full-time job:

Every workplace has its standards, and so should your job search. In a competitive market, a job seeker should apply for 10-15 positions a day, and plan to follow-up with a phone call after a week. Keep an organized list of companies, positions, and contact names, as well as a calendar of appointments and interviews. Remember that time is still money (now it’s just money you are not making) so use it wisely.

2. Friends and family want to help

Often this is the key source of job leads. Human resource personnel often look for potential job candidates through their current employees, as it saves them the time of scouting and money incurred in posting job ads. One important thing to remember, however, is that they do not always do a perfect job. Sometimes family members will recommend you for a position without a clear understanding of your skills, or friends will ask you to contact a company that you do not think is a good fit. It is important to consider all leads that arrive through your primary resources, as they might stop being your job advocate if you turn down what they think is a good offer!

3. Use the Internet wisely

Specifically, take your search beyond Craigslist.org! Indeed.com and linkedin.com are great sources for job leads. Careerbuilder.com and Monster.com now allow you to create profiles so that you can apply without re-uploading your resume. Npo.net and idealist.org feature non-for-profit postings. For highly-focused searches, do a search on Google Maps for the type of company you want to work for within your desired geographic zone. From here you can find a list of websites for companies that you want to work for, and can check their career pages for job openings, or send your resume for consideration.

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5 Reasons Employers Are Reluctant to Hire You

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin Cormac) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 00:05:00 PST

Was it my resume? Maybe the interview?

Job search can be frustrating, no doubt about that. Often times we hear job seekers talking how they never hear back from the employer after a job interview. We agree that employers should contact each job applicant even if they are not hired, but when you have thousands of job applicants for two openings, it might be a little too hard for the company too.

There are many reasons why an employer may reject a job candidate. We explore five reasons below which shows why the employers aren’t too keen on hiring you.

1. Your Resume Sucks

Online job search is highly effective and using Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, etc. can help you land a job. However, a resume will always be required. Online resume or offline, without a resume that can highlight your experience and one that is effective, landing a job is next to impossible. Having a resume alone isn’t enough. It needs to be effective. Too often we see people using their LinkedIn profile as an online resume but everything on it seems unprofessional. If your profile image on LinkedIn shows you holding a beer can, good luck getting prospective employers interested in you. The first and foremost thing that you need to make sure is the fact that your resume doesn’t suck.

We’ve covered resume tips in the past. Below are some links that will help you guide in the right path when it comes to making sure your resume doesn’t suck :

1. If you are looking for jobs in a industry that demands you be creative, these creative resumes might be something you could draw inspiration from.
2. Writing an effective resume requires use of effective words. Take a look at these words that will help make your resume stand out.

3. If your resume looks like the resume of the future that we created a while back, it’s obvious you won’t get called for a job interview.
4. Ever think of lying in your resume? If you have, these are the resume lies employers usually don’t catch on to.
5. Before you throw away the junk mails, make sure you learn how to create outstanding resume using tactics used in junk mails.
6. And finally, here are a few tips on how you can write a killer resume by making the best out of your biggest screwups.

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7 Resume Writing Mistakes to Avoid

noreply@blogger.com (Brenda Mitchell) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 00:05:00 PST

Resume blunders that cost job seekers dearly

Most people view resumes as a necessary evil and I can completely understand why. A good resume takes thought, some creativity, an ability to “sell yourself” and some basic marketing principles. Yet, the resume is so vitally important. As I have said before, the resume must evoke an emotion in the eyes of the reader and compel them to pick up the phone an give you a call. Your resume really is a marketing piece at a very basic level.

I want to share with you what I believe are the top 7 resume blunders. Trust me, I have seen them all over the last eight years as an Executive Recruiter. In fact, I have a “running” Word document that I add to on a weekly basis anytime I come across a funny, unusual, or bizarre item on a resume. One day I will share it with the world and you will not believe what I have seen on resumes.

Anyways, back to the purpose of the blog post. If I were to take all of the blunders I have seen I could place them into 7 basic categories. I would encourage you to take time to measure your resume up against these blunders and be sure that these are not true about your resume.

TOP 7 RESUME BLUNDERS

1. Lack of Focus – If anything bugs me more it is seeing a resume that has no focus. I have seen great candidates with bad resumes and a lack of focus on their resume is what is keeping them from getting in the door for an interview.

SOLUTION: Have a solid summary statement at the beginning of the resume. Personally, I am not a big fan of “Objective Statements.” I just don’t think they are very useful. However, a nice summary statement or qualifications summary at the beginning can work well. The idea is to have a paragraph at the beginning of the resume that “sells you” into the position.

Now, you may need to tailor this to specific positions before you submit it but the idea is to have compelling statements that are clear as to what you are trying to accomplish and what you are all about.

2. Too Wordy – There are some people who want to put “everything” on their resume. Their philosophy is that if it isn’t on the resume then they will think I don’t have the experience. The problem is that your “presentation” on a resume is just as important. The reader is judging your overall presentation based on how the resume looks and if you are able to say things concisely.

SOLUTION: If you are under 5 years of experience try to stick with a one page resume. If you are a 5-15 year person then you have earned a two-page resume. If you have more than 15 years of experience then you can go to a three-page resume. However, I would normally recommend that you stay to two pages if at all possible.

Another tip that is becoming common practice is to list at the bottom of the resume “Additional Professional Experience Available Upon Request.” This can help those who have a 20+ year career and are struggling with keeping their resume short. It can also help you if you feel like your age is becoming a factor in your job search (although, it is not supossed to!).

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You Can Build Credit on an Entry-Level Income

noreply@blogger.com (Brenda Mitchell) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 00:01:00 PST

Credit-building tips for new graduates

This guest post was written by Go Banking Rates, bringing you informative personal finance content and helpful tools, as well as the best interest rates on financial services nationwide.

If you are a recent college grad, you're probably sick of hearing about how important it is to start building good credit. You know you need a decent credit history so you can one day buy a house, get a new car and obtain the lowest credit card rates. Unfortunately, you don't know how to get that good credit in the first place.

After all, you're just starting out in the job market. Even if you were lucky enough to graduate without much student loan debt, you're probably not earning the most impressive salary (yet). How are you supposed to establish your credit when you certainly aren't ready to take out a mortgage loan and you are perfectly happy with the used car you're driving around now?

Don't worry! Building credit doesn't require you to pull in a substantial income to fund giant loan payments. There are a couple of easy and budget-friendly ways to get your credit going and prepare your finances for the future without taking on much debt.

Option #1: Become an Authorized User

A lot of people are told to go out and get a credit card when they need to build credit. Just charge a small amount every month and then pay it back on time. Simple, right?

Well, it would be if anyone would actually issue you a card to begin with. This frustrating vicious circle of needing a credit card to get credit, but needing credit to get a card is often overlooked as the first hurdle young adults face when attempting to establish a credit history.

That's why you should be added as an authorized user on another person's credit card if you can. Authorized users don't actually have to use the card at all, though they can, but automatically share the credit rating of the cardholder. If the cardholder has great credit, congratulations. You do, too.

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Tricky interview questions to prepare for

A job interview is no easy task. In fact many job seekers have trouble with the same set of questions. To ease the process of interviewing, we've listed the Top 10 Hardest Job Interview Questions. Focus on these job interview questions, study them, learn them, research them, and ace your next job interview!

1. Why did you get fired/ terminated? - This question is tricky yet needs to be answered with full honesty. The interviewer would want to hear your honesty and your side of the story. Support your answer with a very good explanation. In case you get fired due to legal issues, explain that you were currently working on it and that it does not have anything to do with your performance. Your explanation in your answer is very important; it should be direct and should not contain intersections.

2. Tell me about problems you encountered with Supervisors- Another tricky question that will test how you worked with your superiors. I suggest not to be too honest in answering this question. For example, common observations such as being bossy, opinionated, authoritarian, or being a keen observer are the common traits of a Supervisor that are incorrectly used. Instead, cite a personal experience that you had encounter with a supervisor so that the interviewer would understand why it became your problem.

3. What Qualities do you look for in a boss? - Do not answer with the most common traits that a boss should possess like "being nice to employees" or a good leader. You should relate your answer with your work. For example “My ideal boss is someone who can make time to hear employees' opinions or ideas, and a boss who cares to listen and give fair his/her opinion with my work.”

4. As a professional, do you have any disappointments? - Cite the experience that really disappoints you, as you relay the story behind it make sure that you state something that you have learned after.

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Weekly Poll: How long does your online job search take in a given day?

noreply@blogger.com (New Grad Life) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 00:02:00 PST

How long does your online job search take in a given day?

Sometimes it's good to just sit back and reflect upon your job search - what is your routine? How long does it take? What's working? What isn't working? Comment below and discuss the steps you take on a given day!

10 Ways to Use Social Media to Get a Job

noreply@blogger.com (Chad Bauer) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 00:05:00 PST

How to use social media to land that dream job

Traditionally it was employers who had to make themselves visible when looking to fill vacancies – posting adverts in the press, then choosing a pool of candidates from a veritable tsunami of applicants. But not any more.

There's mounting evidence that personnel specialists are now scouring social media sites and job boards for potential employees.

If you're wondering how to draw attention to yourself in the right way on social-media sites, help is at hand. We've put together a comprehensive action plan for you to follow:

10 expert tips on using social media to get the job you want:

Step 1: Set up multiple accounts

The first rule of successful professional networking is to keep business and pleasure strictly separate. Multiple social networking accounts will help you to present your best face to recruiters.

The first and easiest strategy is to use business oriented networks like LinkedIn, BrightFuse and Naymz for work while reserving MySpace and LiveJournal for mates.

FRIENDFEED: You can update and manage multiple social media accounts via FriendFeed

However, with Facebook and Twitter accounting for the lion's share of media attention and internet traffic, that approach will exclude access to a lot of influential contacts. Setting up two separate accounts for friends and business on these networks will enable you to compartmentalise your image.

To stop all these accounts getting out of control, use tools that are capable of managing more than one account. Both TweetDeck and Twhirl let you post to more than one Twitter account without the need to continuously log in and out.

Seesmic Desktop does the same job, and it handily also allows you to update your Facebook status at the same time.

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Your Student Loans Will Affect Your Credit Score

noreply@blogger.com (Terrance Williams) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 00:03:00 PST

A financial lesson to for new graduates

This guest post was written by Go Banking Rates, bringing you informative personal finance content and helpful tools, as well as the best interest rates on financial services nationwide. Visit them online to read more student loan articles.

Student loans are a form of debt, which means having one will affect your credit score. Of course, it's pretty hard to get through school without one.

If you're worried about the impact a student loan could have on your credit, know that how you handle it will determine whether that effect is positive or negative.

How a Credit Score is Calculated

Your credit score is an extremely important number. As a soon-to-be or recent college grad, your credit score will play a huge role in your financial future. Basically, it gives lenders and creditors an idea of how financially responsible you are--how heavily you rely on credit and whether you pay bills on time, for example--and helps them judge the level of risk you present as a borrower.

Your credit score will play into how easily you can obtain credit cards, loans and even an apartment, so taking care of it now will save you a lot of grief in the future. Here's a breakdown of how your score is calculated:

Payment History: Your ability to consistently pay bills on time makes up 35 percent of your score.
Amount Owed: Coming in at a close second, the amount of debt you owe is 30 percent.
Credit History: At 15 percent, the length of time you've been using credit is also considered.
New Credit: 10 percent of your credit score is reliant upon how often you open up new lines of credit.
Types of Credit: Also at 10 percent, the varied types of credit you possess (credit card, student loan, auto loan, etc.) will affect your score.

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How New Grads Can Find Jobs Through LinkedIn

noreply@blogger.com (Angela Astley) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 00:05:00 PST

Jobs on LinkedIn are easier to find than you think

LinkedIn is a great resource to find jobs online if used effectively. However, many people do not know how to use it - especially new college graduates! Watch this video to find out how to network effectively, create an attention-grabbing profile, search for relevant jobs, and use LinkedIn as a job-hunting resource the way it is meant to be used.

Done watching the video? Why not subscribe to our free newsletter to get more resources?

What did you think of the advice given here? Comment below!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1eTDnSnDMgE

Photo courtesy of Creative Commons
http://www.flickr.com/photos/smi23le/4613342990/

The Best Ways to Make Contact with an Employer (Video)

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly Aldridge) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 00:05:00 PST

How job seekers can get through to employers

Sure you might have the education, skills, experience, and go-getter attitude, but this all means nothing if you can't actually get in CONTACT with an employer. In fact this is a huge obstacle to many job seekers looking for work - but it shouldn't be! Watch this video and learn some inside tips on how to make contact with employers successfuly.

Done watching the video? Why not subscribe to our free newsletter to get more great videos & articles?

Are you using our daily Newsletter? Then click here to watch the video!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5QpSRhvCIE

7 Phrases to Leave Off Your Resume

noreply@blogger.com (Whitney Austin) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 00:05:00 PST

Resume writing - less is more

This post was written by Rick Saia, a Content Writer and Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) at PongoResume.com.

So you're writing your resume and figure the structure is fine, but what about the content? With more and more resumes being sent to fewer positions, employers see the same phrases come up over and over again. In order to write a resume that stands out, job seekers should avoid using the following seven phrases:

1. "Effective Communicator"

This phrase on resumes doesn't distinguish you from other job applicants, but that's exactly what you need to do today to be called in for an interview. Hiring managers assume you can communicate well, so, if you don't know how — either by e-mail or with your voice — you have about as much chance of getting hired as a tree.

2. "Detail-Oriented"

Every job requires a certain level of attention to detail. So, again, this won't help your resume — or your chance at landing an interview. The best thing to do here — if you know the job you're applying for calls for this trait in particular — is to be ready to explain in an interview how your high level of attention to detail resulted in a key accomplishment in your current or previous job.

3. "Highly Skilled"

This is a nothing phrase. You have skills, and you can use some or all of those skills in some kind of job that calls for them. The only way you don't have skills is if you've been doing — here it comes — nothing. Do you believe you have more skills than the average applicant? Show, don't tell.

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5 Subliminal Tricks That Make an Employer Adore You

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin Cormac) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 00:05:00 PST

Speak in a job interview physically, not just verbally

By Landon Long

Okay, we know everyone adores you anyways, but even you Brad Pitts and Angelina Jolie’s can’t get everything you want on looks alone. Sure, some of that physical attraction counts, but what counts even more is your subliminal body language. Even if people don’t realize it, this is the thing that creates the vibes people love.

Here are 5 ways to get people hooked on you in one sitting.

1. Maintain Good Eye Contact

Eye Contact is huge. Imagine talking to someone who never looked at you, not even once. Rather, they scanned the room with their eyes: the walls, the floor, the ceiling—anything but you. Would you feel like they were listening? Even an unusually long look in the other direction would throw the whole conversation off.

Good eye contact establishes rapport. The listener should be giving more eye contact than the person speaking, as if receiving the information not simply by listening but through sight as well, which is sort of what is going on with all the body language involved.

Be careful, though, being too intense can have the opposite effect. Try to maintain good contact throughout about 70% of the conversation. Gentleman, the ladies are a lot better about making eye contact when listening, so if you’re having issues watch the way they do it. Many have it down to an art.

2. Posture: Not the Time to Practice Your Gangster Lean

A confident, able individual has good posture, and a slouch creates the impression that you are unorganized, unambitious, and undisciplined. Good posture says a lot about someone, so this is something you should work on long before you walk into an interview. Use posture exercises to learn how to master this skill.

Also, a good listener leans towards the speaker, as if trying to get closer. This is a temporary submissive gesture to ease the exchange of ideas. Don’t get so far up in their grill that they can diagnose your halitosis; just lean forward a bit as if making a conscious effort to hear their words.

When its your turn to speak, remain in a more neutral position. Don’t lean back as if you own the place or you might seem unnecessarily arrogant. Sit up straight and save the leaning for when you’re listening.

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