“By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” – Benjamin Franklin

Author Byline: Matthew Warzel
Author Website: http://www.mjwcareers.com

• Know your resume inside and out, line item by line item. Know your cover letter too. Be prepared to explain each item.

• Call ahead the day before the interview to confirm your appointment.

• Know the exact address of where you are going. Know the directions of how to get there and how long it takes (including traffic time).

• Know everything you can about the person you are interviewing with (their name, job title, responsibilities, needs, history with the company, anything you might have in common with them like previous workplaces, alma maters, etc.).

• Find out where they are in the hiring process.

• Think like a consultant when preparing for an interview, so you can present your true value and worth.

• Try to think ahead to the interview. If there is a possibility you will be required to perform a task, be prepared. For instance, if you are applying for a job as a welder, you may be asked to demonstrate your skills on the spot. Have your work clothes and tools available at the interview.

• Research to be more informed about the general job market and the job market of the industry for which you are applying.

• Look up company information on their website and find out about the company and its industry and the backgrounds of executives. Check them out on Yahoo Finance. Look up their most recent news, general industry trends and their place within those trends, industry ranking, products, customer base, and basic financial information. A few hours of research prior to an interview is worth landing a job that can turn into a career! If possible, you can bring up this information during the interview to impress the hiring managers.

• Figure out how you can tie your past experiences to job, particularly in terms of what the company is doing.

• Research challenges the company or department faces so you can discuss how you can help tackle them.

• Know who your competition is, then figure out where you fit in and how you can bring value to the company to outshine and outlast the competition.

• Know difficult interview questions and possible answers before starting to interview.

• Make a list of questions to ask during the interview.

• Know the interviewing skills you possess that make you stand out. Capitalize on these during the interview.

• Be sure to have rehearsed, so that your comfort level is high.

• Print and take extra resumes with you.

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.

Additional Interview Resources:

• Get it Right the First Time – Interviews
• Job Search Marketing Toolkit – Your Elevator Speech
• Job Search Marketing Toolkit – Interviews
• Great Job Interview, Have You Said Thank You?
• The Interview – Always be Prepared, are You?

Good luck in your search.

“In a time of drastic change it is the learner who will inherit the future.” – Eric Hoffer

Author Byline: Frank B. Leibold, PhD.

Today new job entrants will have over 10-12 jobs and five-seven distinct careers. This new “boundaryless” career with a “protean” orientation places the primary responsibility for career management on the employee not the company. These factors will require all employees to more effectively manage their career transitions while developing the required competencies needed for success. Here are several suggestions:

1. Career changes are the norm today!

—So expect them, prepare for them by developing the lifelong transferable competencies (LTCs) required for success in the new knowledge economy.

2. Career changes are occurring later in one’s life and often involve a move from a larger company to a smaller one and perhaps even a new occupation. If you were downsized like displaced textile workers in Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina you should be trained for the new knowledge economy. And the Census Bureau just reported 35 percent of seniors over 65 have been forced back to work to meet their basic needs.

— You have to take charge of your own career and acquire the needed training and/or education that will provide you with the skill-sets that will allow you to achieve smooth career transitions even at an advanced age.

3. Research on recent college graduates finds that many react negatively to early experiences in the workplace by becoming defensive about their abilities. Because they shun feedback in the aftermath of a setback at work they have trouble adapting their outlook and habits to help them succeed.
— You should request early feedback, both positive and negative, and then seek training or additional education to turn your weaknesses into strengths. Richard Bolles’ book, What Color Is Your Parachute, and Edgar Schein’s Career Anchors are the best and most used guides for new graduates.

4. For those in the workforce your ability to accept personal responsibility for work outcomes and to thrive under individual scrutiny improves your chances of successfully making a transition from working for a traditional large company to a job at a small firm or as a consultant. I can personally attest to this in my career transitions from Corning Incorporated to starting my own small consulting company and finally becoming a college professor.

— If you move to a smaller company expect that you will be doing more things with fewer resources
so your adaptability skills and tolerance for ambiguity are important. Seek out a mentor who can help
you with the transition. Also concentrate on your abilities to do the job not the new unfamiliar
environment for it will become familiar and always stress a positive mental attitude.

5. Career analysts find that most of mid-career professionals believe chance has played a significant role in their ultimate career path and that they highly value staying open for unexpected opportunities. People who rate themselves as intelligent have a higher need for change in their professional world. They regularly see possibilities and opportunities around them but must be wary of allowing boredom to encourage them to seek change just for the sake of change.

— There are two important messages here: don’t discount an opportunity because it’s in a different function or occupation—compare your competencies with what’s required before you dismiss it—and never take a new job just for the sake of change! I have interviewed for new jobs and although I didn’t accept them I always felt better for being considered…and who knows it might be a good fit.

6. Efforts at self-change characterized by an unrealistically high payoff in an unrealistically short time actually reduce satisfaction with your life.

— Make sure your career expectations are realistic and if you decide to make a change follow through on it after discussing it with a trusted and candid friend and your family. Imagine new challenges as opportunities, not as obstacles, and make sure your expectations have a “reality” check.

7. Further research on employees who experienced layoffs that had nothing to do with their performance found that flexibility, a willingness to try new tasks and learn new skills, was the single best predictor of how long people stayed unemployed—especially important with today’s over nine million people out of work and six job seekers for every available job.

— If you are confident in your abilities decide what you would really like to do and seize the opportunity but make sure you are being motivated for the right reasons! For example if status and perks are what you are really seeking they can quickly become drowned in a sea of managerial responsibilities and tough decisions. I have seen too many accept their first managerial job, which they soon become weary of, and long for their previous individual contributor status only to feel trapped and miserable with their decision.

8. Nearly everyone feels some anxiety when starting a new job. However people who focus their attention on their identity rather than their uncertain surroundings feel less stress and report becoming comfortable in their new position in half as much time. Those managers should adeptly assess their staff’s abilities.

— If you do make a change focus on the confidence of your ability to do the job and the surroundings will become more familiar over time. And some anxiety is normal! Quickly make an assessment of your organization’s talent—weaknesses and strengths—and make any changes required for you’ll find that there is no substitute for an outstanding staff—it makes your job a lot easier. I always found that great managers have enough confidence in their abilities to surround themselves with people with potential abilities that are better than theirs.

9. If you are contemplating a change take an inventory of your strengths and weaknesses as well as your skills. Then think about what you would really like to do—a passion for your work will increase your odds of success and overall satisfaction and happiness. Then develop transferable skills that will allow for a more confident transition from one career to another and from one function, occupation or industry to another.

— In order to do this effectively you should understand what your “career anchor” is. For example, are you more interested in things or people? MIT Professor Edgar Schein’s lifetime of research on careers has shown that we are all motivated by a single “career anchor.” There are seven such anchors (see Schein’s book: Career Anchors). Ask yourself the question: What would I really like to do? If it’s realistic start to prepare for your passion.

10. You should also understand how a career change will affect your relationship with your spouse and children. In order for you to perform at 100 percent you need to have a satisfying family life- many people don’t consider this. There is nothing worse than going to a job everyday with an unhappy family.

— Life is too short so take control of yours! But make sure you and your family understand the implications. For example leaving Corning Incorporated after 20 years to start a new company was a family decision for me. You’ll need their support!

Author Bio: Frank Leibold after a distinguished 30-year business career with three multinational corporations and nine jobs-culminating in the position of Group President-re-tooled himself and obtained his PhD.. Frank then became a nationally recognized university professor of marketing while founding his own global management consulting company. He and his wife reside in South Carolina and spend time traveling to visit and spoil their nine grand-children–two in Australia. His new book: The Key To Job Success In Any Career will be published in October 2010

Good luck in your search.

“Always remember that you are absolutely unique. Just like everyone else.” – Margaret Mead

Summertime in New York. Hot, humid and lots of tourists. You know how it is, everyone is in a hurry to get somewhere on very crowded sidewalks. But when you throw in the “wandering texter” to the mix, it’s almost impossible to get to where you are going. So what is a “wandering texter”? This is someone who is walking on the street with their head down typing either emails on a Blackberry or texting on a smartphone. Somehow they think they are saving time doing two things at once (like walking and texting), but what they are really doing is slowing down traffic on the sidewalk. Sooner or later they will walk into some obstacle (or person). I’d like to yell MOVE OVER (but of course I don’t). This is a somewhat perfect segue to today’s topic – leveraging the latest websites in your job search (okay, so maybe not so perfect a segue). Thanks to my Twitter friends for today’s links.

• Vsoid.com – “Your virtual social identity on the Web” is their tag line. So exactly what is “Vsoid”? Well for one, you can “look for a suitable job that matches your skills and potential”. There are lots of other things you can do on the site, but we are going to focus on the job piece. Click the “find job” box on the left hand side of the page (or click the link center page). The click leads to a very simple job search page (just enter your career type) and the search engine returns a listing of jobs. Click on “Apply for this job” and off you go.

• Talenopoly.com – This website is in beta, but don’t let that stop you. The main page has links for Resumes (top left hand side) or login / create an account on the top right hand side of the page. Center page is the job search function (enter the job type and your location). Further down on the page is additional information on the site (free resume database, personalized resume link – take a look).

• Emurse.com – Another site where you can create, store and share your resume. Top of the page starts with a job search tool (enter your search terms and then use the filter on the next page). They have a job search specific page as well (with lots more options). Create an account to get started. Once you’ve signed up, you can create a private or public listing of your resume. Once you’ve signed up, you are ready to go. The site guides you through the steps.

• Work From Home Jobs and Companies – Everybody’s dream is to work from home and make lots of money doing it. This article, from About.com, provides a list of work from home jobs with links. Additional links are given to the “work from home” section of existing sites. Take a look at the topics at the top left hand side of the page. There are links for listings, types of jobs, companies that specialize this and let’s not forget the work from home scams (there is a link for that to).

• TEXT, TWEET, BLOG AND SURF YOUR WAY TO A NEW JOB – Okay, so this link is really for the “wandering texters” I mentioned at the beginning of the post. But seriously, we all know that so much of job search is done over the web. This article, posted on Youngmoney.com, provides some background on all of the required ingredients (LinkedIn, Twitter, etc.).  Additionally, there are some pointers on finding recruiters and searching your connections.

Good luck in your search.

“An expert is a man who tells you a simple thing in a confused way in such a fashion as to make you think the confusion is your own fault.“  William Castle

Author Byline: Matthew Warzel

Author Website: http://www.mjwcareers.com

Here is a list of the ways to market you on the Internet. We discuss each topic in more detail throughout this handout.

• Setting up profiles on company portals and job boards to showcase your resume and skills.

• Creating a personal resume website that is tailored towards your skills and resume. Although it can be expensive, the chances on being found increase due to the Internet being used a main search tool for recruiters. Post projects you have worked on and a portfolio of your services you can offer to a prospective employer.

• Posting your availability as a job seeker and a brief summary to free classified-based websites including Craigslist, MySpace and Backpage.

• Joining social networking sites including LinkedIn and Facebook. Set up profiles/blogs on those sites and post your resume and credentials, divulge industry knowledge, share activities you are engaged in, provide your own networking tips or tips on advancing in a given career.

• Starting a blog on well-known sites such as Twitter, Blogger, TypePad or WordPress to share your professional knowledge and get information from other bloggers. This lets you be proactive, forward-thinking and draws people to you.

• Joining discussion groups on social networking sites such as LinkedIn, Facebook, Myspace, Yahoo Groups and Google Groups to create an Internet presence that you can use to market yourself. Discussion and networking groups exist for different industries, companies, interests, etc.

• Making connections (building your network) on these networking sites. Get advice and give advice. Search company names, co-workers, etc. to see with whom you have connections.

Personal Resume Website and Blog

You may also consider creating your own website for your skills and resume. Although it can be expensive, the chances on being found increase due to the Internet being used a main search tool for recruiters. Post projects you have worked on, and a portfolio of the services you can offer to a prospective employer. When sending out emails, include a link to your personal marketing website; it makes you stand out from everyone else as someone who is serious about their job search!

A personal Website is one of the best ways to promote and let the world read all about the benefits of your career brand. Your portfolio should include all important brand artifacts: resume(s), mission statement, detailed accomplishments list, samples of work, articles and working papers, speech transcripts, awards and honors, testimonials, and more.

Even better, publish content-rich articles, and other keyword-rich materials that lead prospective employers looking for someone with your qualifications directly to your site.

If you are a decent writer and can commit to writing regularly, creating a professional blog is a great tool for building your career brand. A blog is a specialized Website that focuses on a particular subject (person, industry, profession) that can include news, analysis, commentary, and links in a variety of formats (including print, audio, images, and video). Your blog showcases your expertise and knowledge of your industry or profession and is an excellent way to build your career brand. In your professional blog (or anywhere a hiring manager might see) never mention anything about sex, religion or politics. This handout talks more about blogs, including Twitter, later on.

Setting Up Your Website in 5 Easy Steps

1. Create a www.godaddy.com account.
2. Search domain names via the domain search tool. (We suggest using your name and try to stick with a “.com” or “.net” domain). Once you have established an exclusive domain, click Add and Proceed to Checkout.
3. Upon approval and receipt, go back to the GoDaddy homepage (make sure you are still logged in) and select Website Tonight under “My Products”. (If you cannot see the Website Tonight button, click Show All of My Products and it is listed there.)
4. In the Website Tonight section, click Use Credit in the yellow box. On the right-hand side, select your website and click Continue. It guides you through the remainder of the process.
5. Once you have a Website Tonight domain established, go back into the Website Tonight section and check the box next to your domain and click Launch. It guides you through a tutorial step-by-step process on developing your website.

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.

Good luck in your search.

“I know that you believe you understand what you think I said, but I’m not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant.” – Robert McCloskey

It doesn’t always have to be about me, sometimes it can be about you too. I get lots of emails suggesting links that many of you think will appeal to CareerAlley readers. I generally collect these until I have enough that is worth a dedicated post and today is your lucky day. So thanks to all of you who have submitted your ideas and please keep them coming!

• 10 Worst Work-Study Jobs in College – Obviously with the college student in mind and, at first glance you might not think there is any relevance, but think again. Having jobs while you are in college has an impact on how easy it will be for you to find a job when you get out. If you must work (and most of us must), try to avoid the worst jobs. This article, posted on Bestcollegesonline.net, provides a fairly extensive list of which jobs to avoid.

• Different Jobs in a Fire Department – Another article for those considering careers, this one is all about working in a Fire Department. There are lots of jobs you can consider – from Search and Rescue to Disaster Management, this article is worth a read if this is one of your career choices. There are additional resources on the left hand side of the page.

• 3 (Loving) Ways to Get Your Kids Out of the Basement – Okay, not really sure this is just for parents. It really wouldn’t hurt if you are a recent grad (with out a job yet) to read this as well. Why? The article is all about transition and, in case you haven’t noticed, that is exactly what recent grads go through as they transition to the job world. So, not only is this great advice for you, but you might want to forward the link to your parents as well. Don’t forget the Job Search tab at the top of the page.

• Ten Top Secret Job Search Tips – Not sure I exactly agree, but like I said, it is not always about me. Some of these are good tips, but I’m not sure these tips by themselves will help you find a job. Nevertheless, this article, posted on Jobs.AOL.com, takes a slightly different approach. Tips like Write and Exercise are an interesting slant. As interesting as the article are the comments to the article (which did make me think twice about this review).

• 3 Steps to Using LinkedIn to Find a New Job – This article, from Collegerecruiter.com’s blog, provide the basic steps for leveraging LinkedIn. It’s not just about registering, it’s about leveraging your connections and LinkedIn’s functionality. In addition to the three steps, there is a short video as well. Also take a look at The Top 10 LinkedIn Groups for Job Seekers.

Good luck in your search.

“In order to succeed, your desire for success should be greater than your fear of failure.” – Bill Cosby

I often get asked “what’s the best job search board” or “who are the best recruiters”. There are so many resources for job search, literally, tens of thousands. And, as with everything in life, what is considered the “best” is sometimes a matter of opinion. But generally speaking, “best lists” are a good indication of where to focus your time. Today’s post focuses on some of the “Best of” lists.

Recruiters:

• Students and College Grads – List of top recruiters,email addresses and other contact information – This is an amazing list for students and college provided by Askstudent.com. This list includes companies with contacts (so these are “internal” recruiters), email addresses and links to the companies recruiting website. There is a short overview, followed by the list. There is a second list at the bottom of the page which provides additional company career site links.

• Executive Search Firms and Job Recruiters – Another list, but this one of “external recruiters”, Careeroverview.com provides a brief overview followed by a list of the top recruiters. In addition to this, there are links to additional resources directly above the list of recruiters. While you are there, you can explore some of the other resources on this site (tabs at the top of the page as well as popular career links to the left).

Job Search Boards:

• The Top 10 Other Job Web Sites for Job-Seekers – Quintcareers.com’s list of the top 10 job search boards. 10 is probably a good number to start, but you will most likely want to make a smaller list if you are to have any time to use some of the other job search resources. There are embedded links to each of the sites. Another great job search site, there are tons of resources on Quintcareers and definitely worth your time reviewing these as well.

• Top job search engines – the list – A much bigger list provided by Internetinc.com, but don’t worry, it starts with the top 10. If you feel the need to expand beyond the top 10 (or you need to search in other areas), there is an additional list for the Americas followed by a list for Europe and the Middle East. Don’t forget to take a look at the right hand side of the page for other related links.

Can’t have the best without at least what not to do:

• The 7 Bad Habits of Ineffective Job Seekers – Just not finding a job? Well maybe you have some of the bad habits on this list (posted on weddles.com). As the title indicates, there are 7 bad habits listed here. Each habit has a brief paragraph explaining what not to do. If that is not enough, go to the top of the page where you will find links to additional related links for your job search.

Good luck in your search.

“Elitism – It’s lonely at the top. But it’s comforting to look down upon everyone at the bottom.” – Larry Kersten

Most of us start out our careers with one goal in mind – working our way to the top. Now we all know that there is only room for one and, should you make it to the top, it can be very lonely. For one, once you’ve reached the top there is only one way to go. On the other hand, there is nothing like calling all of the shots. Of course, the vast majority of us will never make it, but you will never know if you don’t try. Speaking of the top, Fortune’s new list for the Best Companies is out and we get to start from the bottom of the list. Why the bottom you say? To work our way to the top of course.

• Colgate-Palmolive – On the list at #100, Colgate is known best for toothpaste but they make tons of products that most of us have heard of. Colgate is a true global company, and just about anywhere you live, they are likely to have a location in your company. Their careers page is very well done. Top of the page has tabs for Job Search, Careers, Student Opportunities and more. Center page provides background on “why Colgate” as well as links to the same topics included in the tabs at the top. Click Job Search to get started and either create your profile or simply click “Begin your Search”.

• Winchester Hospital – Not on the list last year, this community hospital is ranked at 99. They have a basic careers page, with Job Search, opportunities for Physicians and how to apply. Center page has similar links with a brief overview. Clicking on job search revealed 65 job opportunities.

• Intel -Ranked 98 on this year’s list, is know for computer chips. Their careers page is well put together. The left hand side of the page is filled with relevant links (like Job Search, Intern/Grad Opportunities, a Jobs Blog and so much more). The center of the page starts with a brief overview, followed by a quick Jobs Search box (below which are links for advanced search and recent grad/student searches). Bottom center page has a few targeted searches. The right hand side of the page has an enhanced applicant tool with an additional job search link. There were 1,396 job opportunities when I checked the site.

• Herman Miller -Office furniture is what Herman Miller is best know for. Ranked 97 on the list, Herman Miller has over 5,100 employees in the US. Their main careers page has a Why Work Here section in middle of the page with additional informational links on the left). There is a “How to Apply” link on the top left or the bottom right side of the page, click this link to bring up the meat of their careers section with “Search Jobs Now” and “Create Your Profile” (if you want to post your resume) links center page. There were 22 job opportunities when I checked the site.

• LifeBridge Health – Over 6,300 employees and ranked 96 on the list with 262 jobs created last year. Center page of their careers site provides an overview with a “Click here to Search Jobs” located at the top right hand side of the page. There were 270 job opportunities when I checked the site.

Good luck in your search.

“A word to the wise ain’t necessary, it’s the stupid ones who need the advice.” – Bill Cosby

Sometimes we are so focused on the details that we forget about the basics. You know, Resumes, Cover Letter and Interviews (and you won’t get to the third if you don’t get the first two right). But the most important tool in your Job Search Marketing Toolkit is of course your Resume. If you don’t have a great resume you will not get a second look. Imagine you are a hiring manager and you post a job on one of the Job Search Boards. Before you know it you are getting tons of resumes. You remain diligent reading through the first twenty or so, but now you realize that if you read every resume it will take you days to get through them all. So you know what comes next, you start ruling out resumes that “don’t make the cut”. Spelling and grammatical errors are the first to go, but you don’t stop there. Before you know it you are ruling out resumes if you don’t like the font (okay, maybe I’m exaggerating). But, no joking, I do remember the time that someone gave me a copy of a handwritten resume. Not only was it handwritten, but I didn’t even get the original. Okay,  you get the picture. Your resume is you key to the job search kingdom.

• JobStar Resumes – JobStar – “Job Search Guide from your local public library” (according to the website), their resume page has great resources – Resume Samples, Resume Resources from the Web, Cover letters and more. The right hand side of the page has resume types (chrono, functional, etc.) as well as links to resume tips and electronic resume banks. A great place to start for your resume research.

• Employment Empire – Great new website where you can create a visual resume (and if you don’t know what this is, try the link to the left). Center page – “Just Imagine Your Resume, Only Better!”. On this site, you can build and manage your visual resume. There is a great introduction to what you can do (center page) on this site and it is a must read. Top of the page – Links for My Portfolio, Members, Groups, Photos, Forum, Videos and Blog. Sign up is located on the upper right hand of the page. Don’t forget Career Builders on the right hand side of the page. Get your visual resume started today.

• Resume Writing, Sample Resumes, Resume Builders – No career topic would be complete without a visit to About.com. Excellent site with tons of resources. Front and center links to – Resume Builders, resume tips, sample resumes, video resumes and more. Below this is links to a Resume Guide and Resume Samples. Not enough? Further down the page are additional links to related resources, including formats, objectives, types, explaining gaps on our resume and so much more.

• Job Search Marketing Toolkit – Building Your Resume – Don’t forget to take a look at CareerAlley’s Job Search Marketing Toolkit Resume post. Additional links to How to build your resume, Resume Example links, Templates, Action and Keywords (don’t forget those) and Free Resume Help.

• Writing Your First Resume – First time (resume that is)? No problem. This article, from Alison Doyle,  provides all of the basic ingredients you need to get started. From researching job postings to what to include on your first resume, the advice is great. Below this are links for resources, special links for students and tons of related links and articles.

• 150 Funniest Resume Mistakes, Bloopers and Blunders Ever – One of my favorite posts from Jobmob, this is definitely worth a read. Funny to read, not so funny if it happens to you. Have a laugh, then check your resume so you don’t become number 151.

Good luck in your search.

“The secret of getting ahead is getting started. The secret of getting started is breaking your complex overwhelming tasks into small manageable tasks, and then starting on the first one.” – Mark Twain

Author Byline: Jessica Holbrook Hernandez is an expert resume writer, career and personal branding strategist, author, and presenter.
Author Website: http://www.greatresumesfast.com

Over the last few years, I’ve heard a lot of very intelligent job seekers casually remark that they had sent out hundreds of resumes while looking for a job. These people firmly believed that job searching was entirely a numbers game, so the more resumes they sent out, the more likely they were to be hired.

Unfortunately, these job seekers were flawed in their thinking—and were generally not getting any hits from their resumes. While it’s true that you have to be actively applying for jobs in order to get one, it’s also true that sending a generalized resume out to dozens of openings for which you’re only peripherally qualified is a huge waste of time. Job searching is time consuming for everyone, and it can be especially challenging for those who are already working full-time. If you only have three hours per week that you can devote to job searches, chances are that you’ll fare better spending one hour each on three well-targeted applications rather than taking 15 minutes each to submit a dozen resumes.

Competition is stiff for every single job out there. Just last week I was talking to someone who had received 300 applications for an administrative position. Many of the applicants had graduate degrees but were unable to find work suitable to their advanced qualifications. Faced with that kind of odds, a general resume will almost always go directly into the discard pile. Your challenge as a job seeker is to produce a cover letter and resume that truly stand out to the hiring manager for each job you pursue. The simple truth is that doing this requires spending a significant amount of time on every application you submit.

One of the greatest advantages to hiring a professional resume writer is the amount of time it saves you in your job search. A skilled writer will spend some time learning about who you are as a person and a candidate. He will then create documents that require minimal changes each time you apply for a job. By hiring a professional, you’re better able to play the numbers game by submitting a greater number of high quality applications; as a result, you make the best use of your valuable time. It’s the quality of your job applications—not the quantity—that will ultimately get you hired.

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.

Good luck in your search.

“Mission control, we have a UFO pacing our position, request instructions.” – Astronaut Cady Coleman
NASA Transmission – Shuttle Mission STS-73

So, if you are into the UFO thing, you will know right away what an “encounter of the fourth kind” is. Relating this to job search is probably a stretch, except it has happened to me. You know how it goes, you get a call from a recruiter, they are trying to fill a specific job and, while it is something you could probably do, this is just not a job that you will ever take (assuming they actually make you an offer). But then, for some reason, you go on the interview anyway. And then, things just get out of control and you are “sucked into the moment” as if you’ve been abducted by some alien life form. You go through countless interviews not really knowing why you are there or what you are doing, wasting hours of your time. And then finally, as if you’ve just come out of a drunken haze, reality sets in, you see an opening and you bolt for the door before they can pull you back in. But wait, you think that this is the end of it (but it isn’t). Now the recruiter is calling you, emailing you, texting you and otherwise trying to track you down so that they can complete the brainwash and return your mindless body to “the interview process”. Okay, maybe a little melodramatic, but it can and does happen. So what’s the point? You know what you’re best at and if you get that “gut feeling” that something is not right, listen to yourself and wait for the right opportunity.

• The Right Job – What better place to start than therightjob.com? This site has a ton of resources for helping find, well, the right job. Top of the page starts with a quick search (just enter your key word). Directly below this is another choice, just select a category. But wait, that is not all, directly below the search section is a list of great resources. From Resume Tips  to Cover Letters and Interviews (not the fourth kind), this site delivers a wealth of information.

• Are you in the wrong job after all? – This article, posted in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, provides some pointers to help you figure it out. From “you are not doing the job right” to “the position is different from what you expected”, this article is definitely worth a read. Some interesting points, like maybe you are in the right job but in the wrong place.

• Quiz: How to Find Your Perfect Job – Another great resource from Alison Doyle, why not take a quiz to which job suits you? Select one of six categories and you are ready to take your quiz. What, you don’t know what to do? No worries, select “I don’t have a clue” and there are four quizs for you to take so that you can figure it out. Need more?  There are a bunch of additional resource links directly below the article. Related articles and job search help is a few clicks away.

• The 20 Best Job Search Web Sites – Where to start? Why not the top job search sites? Posted on PCMag.com, this article helps filter the top sites (based on their criteria). You know how it is, so many job search sites, so little time. Each site is listed with a brief overview followed by a link to the site. Definitely a place to start if you’ve not built your job search site list.

• The 100 Most Influential Headhunters – Got your list of job search sites from the last link, now to get your list of recruiters. Now 100 is probably too many to use, but this is a great list to start from. Posted by Businessweek.com, the article is like a slide show. Select the > symbol from the top right hand side to get to the next page where you will find (one at a time) profiles on the top recruiters along with their contact information. Remember, be selective and pick only those recruiters that fit your profile.

Good luck in your search