Open Source Resume

The Two Column Resume

2012-01-25T07:59:00.000-07:00

The most common resume format used is the chronological resume. This consists of a linear progression of jobs throughout an individual's career. The style is a logical and straightforward approach that is widely recognized by many employers.

Another style that is gaining popularity is the two column resume. Also known as the vertical or newsletter format, it consists of information set up in columns in its presentation. The end product is meant to be visually appealing by breaking up sections of texts. This approach can work well with certain occupations.

When To Use It. The vertical format can be great to use for professions requiring creativity and thinking outside the box. Jobs that require an innovative approach to problems such as website designers and internet marketers can benefit from this format. The style can show the artistic side of a candidate that the chronological type lacks.

Appearance. The design of the resume depends on the personal taste and target goals for the job seeker. The resume can mimic the way information is presented in the chronological format but text is broken up in columns to make it more noticeable. Another technique is to leave a one inch column on the side and use that space to display artistic work of the applicant or quotes from previous employers and references. Permission should be sought before using these on a resume.

Writing The Resume. One of the drawbacks for this resume is that it is time consuming and requires much detail. It requires in depth knowledge of the word processing system being and knowing how to use the tools to set it up. Some job seekers may seek the assistance of a professional resume writing service to construct the resume. Many Professional Resume Writers have the experience in setting up and writing resumes in this format.

Personal Touch. This type of format allows the job seeker to approach their resume with a more individualistic feel. After reviewing several chronological resumes that start to look alike, it can be monotonous for a hiring authority. A different approach reflected in the newsletter format highlighted by the unique accomplishments of the applicant can make an applicant stand out.

Converting The Paper Resume To Electronic Format

2012-01-18T21:35:00.001-07:00

The traditional paper resume is meant to capture the attention of a real person. Most authorities involved in hiring for a company take a few seconds to read a resume put on paper. Candidates strive to show something compelling that makes an impression with a company representative. An electronic resume or resume designed to be viewed online is set up differently. People read things differently on a computer screen than a paper item. The use of online searches also affect how the resume is prepared.

1. Use More White Space. A paper resume with much white space can make the resume less interesting. A real paper resume uses well written content broken up with boldfaced terms to make them visually appealing. For electronic resumes, white space improves readability and breaks spaces up to make reading them on screen less straining.

2. Change Text Shorten blocks of text to cature the attention of the reader. Place the most important information at the beginning as people pay less attention to information as they scroll down a computer screen. Format headings on the left margin to make the information noticeable.

3. From Verbs To Keywords A common practice with paper resumes is to use verbs to describe accomplishments. Electronic resumes should use keywords and nouns. When an internet search is conducted by a hiring authority or recruiter, nouns are used such as job titles. To get the resume noticed on the internet, keywords consisting of nouns give better results.

4. Getting The Resume Out The resume is only as good as the ability to distribute it to the right parties. An effective resume distribution service can take a resume and send it to recruiters and job boards for the most effective results. A targeted resume distribution service can send resumes to employers that the applicant is especially interested in.

Focus On Employer Needs With The Resume

2012-01-08T17:49:00.001-07:00

Many times job seekers will construct a resume based on what they perceive are the employer's expectations. They look at a job description and craft their resume on it beleiving it is what the employer seeks. The basic experience and education information is listed as well as some acheivements that seem relevant to the position. In many cases this only scratches the surface of what an employer is looking for.

Hiring a new employee is a period of uncertainty for employers. They do not want someone with just the qualifications to do the job but a candidate that can benefit them the most. Employers want people that can produce revenue, protect assets, and minimize costs. Often it is not the best qualified candidate that gets hired but the one that shows a hiring authority they can bring the best results.

A resume may need to be reworked in order to address an employers needs. A professional resume editing service can provide this. Professional resume writers know the trends and movements in different industries. They act as a third party able to take the skills and abilities of an applicant and connect them to the necessities of the hiring organization. A resume editing service can provide the following benefits:

1. Communication. The resume effectively shows why the employer should hire you.

2. Clarity. The resume shows proven results with tangible information from previous employment.

3. Convincing. The resume distinguishes you from other candidates and makes you stand out.

Resume Trends For 2012

2011-12-29T20:34:00.003-07:00

Employment numbers for November of 2011 showed great improvements in the numbers of jobs created that exceeded expectations. The job market did so well that unemployment dropped from around 9 percent to 8.6 percent. These figures gave analysts optimism for economic growth and improved employment for 2012. If conditions remain positive, job seekers will need to use updated practices for their resumes to compete for openings in the coming year.

Be Specific. Gone are the days of using generic self-promoting terms like "motivated", "team player" and "detail oriented". This is the era of transparency where employers are seeking employees that will help them generate revenue, save money and protect assets. Time is becoming the most valuable commodity in business and hiring authorities want to see numbers and achievements where candidates helped productivity and improved efficiency. Resumes can also be customized to the position being sought to show how well the job seeker matches the employer's needs.

Use video. The ability to produce videos online has become so easy that about 48 hours of video is uploaded to the website youtube every minute. Job seekers are taking advantage of this by making video resumes to show off their achievements and personality to employers. Video resumes allow job seekers the opportunity to show their presentation skills and demeanor. Video resumes make an impact to employers and help job seekers stand out.

Employing social media. In 2011 social media helped organize mass social protests and brought down heads of state. Social media is becoming a common way for candidates to promote themselves. Job seekers need to use all means available to grab the attention of recruiters. Sites like Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn can help update career highlights and connect with professionals. These help augment the résumé by making you a more memorable candidate. It is important to maintain online presence to reflect professionalism as companies increasingly use social media to screen applicants.

Incorporate Your Brand In The Resume

2011-12-19T01:33:00.000-07:00

One of the features that has been prominent in the last few years for job seekers is defining themselves though a professional brand. The brand refers to the skills and values that an applicant brings to the workplace as an individual. Much like products seen at a grocery store the brand is used to distinguish a job seeker from other candidates. It shows employers what you can bring to them to ensure success as an employee. The professional brand should not only reflect what you can bring that makes an immediate impact but also what long term features you can contribute to the hiring authority's productivity. There are ways that your personal brand can be inserted into a resume that conveys the message and gets you noticed.

1. Make A Statement. In a targeted resume, the job title being sought is listed first. This should be folowed by a statement of the benefits you bring to the company and why. It is started with an action verb and uses career related statements. For example if seeking a job as a media salesperson, the position sought would be followed with a statement like:"Poised to bring exceptional sales and revenue through relationship building and persistent record of acheivement".

2. Support Your Brand. Your initial statement sets the tone for your brand. You can sustain this through consistent messaging in your resume. A Career Highlights or Performace Profile section should contain references to acheivements with previous employers that add value to you. This could be activities that helped bring in revenue or mitigated losses for previous employersthat are tangible and easily identifiable. Job desriptions should also be written to reflect your branding statement.

3. Consistent References Your references may or may not be included in the resume. However, they should be individuals that will support your acheivements and help identify who you are as an individual. Make sure you select references that speak well of you and can recognize what you did for their organization. Utilize people who know your standards and principles and how these can be brought to benefit potential employers.

Developing a professional brand may not happen immediately. It may be a continual process of seeing what works and what does not to make it clear and consistent. Just as we develop in our professions, our brand will progress in relation to it.

How to Find the Best Resume Service

2011-12-10T15:13:00.000-07:00

Interviews, high salaries, great careers – it all just seems a click away. But there’s one document that holds the key to all these: the resume. In today’s competitive job market, it is important to stand out. There are many qualified candidates out there; what makes you stand out? It is important to realize that thousands of qualified candidates are rejected on a daily basis because of the simple fact that their resume is not up to standards.

Tip the scales in your favor by looking for the best resume service. Below, we’ll look into the factors you need to consider before hiring a professional resume writing company. In addition, this article will also include some advice on the “aftersales” process. That is, what you can do if you’re not satisfied with the results.

Tips in Finding the Best Resume Service

There are literally hundreds of resume writing companies out there. Follow these simple tips to help you find the right one.
• Start asking around – there are people who had been on the same boat as you. If they took advantage of professional help, ask them about the company and their experience. Get honest opinions from several people before making the decision.
• Read reviews – online resume service reviews can give you a better idea about which company provides great service. Take note though that some companies hire staff to write good reviews about their services. So make sure to dig deeper and check different websites to find the real deal.
• Browse the company website – this can tell you a lot about how the firm treats customers. For example, do they accommodate rewrite request or offer refunds if the work is unsatisfactory? You’ll also know about their payment terms and rates.

Things to Check after Receiving the Resume

Once you’ve chosen a resume service company, the task should ideally be finished. However, there are cases that even a reputable firm doesn’t deliver on client expectations. This can occur if the writer they assigned doesn’t understand the industry you’re in or didn’t outline your qualifications properly. Here are some factors you need to look into after receiving the resume:
• Grammar – in getting professional resume service, grammatical errors shouldn’t be a problem. But it can still happen because errors like misspellings, typos, bad sentence structure, and grammar mistakes can be easy to miss. Proofread everything and ask for revisions or even a refund if you see these types of mistakes.
• Cover Letter – if you’re using the resume for a specific position, then it might be a good idea to hire a professional to write the cover letter as well. Determine whether it conveys what you want to say to the employer.

Finally, after hiring the resume service company and checking the quality of the output, the next step is to add the finishing touches.
Remember, no matter how good the resume looks, it should still retain a touch of your personality. If you think it’s already perfect as it is, then the resume writer did a great job. You can submit it to the employer with confidence.

Boosting Your Job Search with a Resume Website

2011-12-09T12:54:00.000-07:00

Millions of people are struggling to find work again. If you’re tired of being one of the statistics, it’s time to do something about it. A job offer won’t magically arrive at your doorstep. In fact, even if you submit your resume to hundreds of companies, it is possible that you may not even hear back. There are just so many applicants who want the same job. What can you do to differentiate yourself from the rest? Creating a “resume website” may be the answer.

So what exactly is the resume website? It is basically a site that showcases your background, credentials, and portfolio. It makes you stand out by giving the recruiter a deeper glimpse of what you’re capable of. For example, if you’re applying as a landscaper, a graphic designer, or even a writer, there is a world of difference between saying that you worked as this so-and-so company from actually giving the recruiter a chance to see the actual output.

Of course, the resume website can also contain interesting tidbits about you, if relevant. Be sure to include your educational qualifications as this information generally makes the site look more professional. Aside from showcasing your talents, creating the website will also show the recruiter or prospective employer that you are proactive, technically knowledgeable, and are willing to go the extra mile. If you’re still not sure what to include on the website, read on below for some suggestions:

• Home Page – the home page generally contains an overview of the purpose of the site, links to other pages, and even your picture. If you’re running a blog, it’s possible to integrate it into the main page so that it’s constantly updated.
• About Me Page – this page should contain your location, an overview of your educational history and work experience, and even the reason why you’ve created the website. Ideally, the “About Me” page is the section where entertaining things about your life should be placed.
• Resume Page – the “Resume Page” is the serious-stuff page. There are a number of individuals who place their resume (whether it is in chronological or functional format) as it is on this web page. On the other hand, there are also individuals that make their CV easier to scan and read. It is recommended for you to opt to use the latter to keep reader attention focused.
• Portfolio – the portfolio page increases your chance to land a job significantly. Make sure to take advantage of this opportunity. Showcase the best pieces you’ve ever created. Whether you’re a web developer, 3D artist, or a model, the portfolio page shows off what you’re capable of.
• Contact Me Page – then of course, there’s the “Contact Me” page. This is important because you should remove the address and even personal telephone number from the “Resume Page” for privacy purposes. This page is the best way for recruiters and possible employers to contact you.

By following the guidelines above, you can create an effective and compelling resume website that will let you land the job of your dreams.

Using a Resume Builder to Make an Affordable, Professional Resume

2011-12-02T15:33:00.000-07:00

In today’s tough job market, it is more difficult than ever to land any job, let alone a great job. That’s why applicants are finding creative ways to stand out. If you don’t want to lose out, then it’s time to ramp up your game as well. Many people would recommend that you hire a professional resume and cover letter writer to leave a good impression. But these services tend to be expensive. What if you can’t afford it? Here’s where resume builders come into the picture.

The resume builder basically contains a set of processes that will guide you in building the resume. Depending on the tool you use, it may simply require you to enter your name, address, contact number, work history, skill set, educational attainment, and other relevant details in selected fields. The resume builder will then format the resume according to the template you choose.

There are both free and paid resume builders that are easily available on the internet. Some of the major job sites have a resume builder integrated within their interface. These sites will display your resume in their selected format to employers. On the other hand, if you decide to use a paid resume builder, there are important features you need to look for. You may find the following features beneficial:
• High-quality resume templates – first impression lasts and the template of your resume plays a great part in letting it stand out.
• Real time preview – this helps you save a lot of time. Instead of going back and forth when you’re editing the resume, the real-time preview lets you see the change as you make it.
• Resume website with hosting – there are some resume builders that lets you set-up a resume site. This is particularly beneficial if you work as a freelancer or independent contractor.
• Ability to share your resume on Facebook and Twitter – don’t miss out on the opportunities offered by social media sites. There are resume builders that can promote your resume automatically on Facebook and Twitter.
• Downloadable formats – most builders let you download the resume in various formats including Word, PDF, Html, ODT, and text files among others.
• Custom adjustments – adjust the fonts and margins as you see fit with this feature.
• Multiple resume capabilities – manage multiple resumes quickly and easily if you’re using a sophisticated resume builder. It can let you create customized resumes for every job you apply for.

These are just some of the available features you can expect from high-quality resume builders. Some resume building tools may offer better features while free or basic plans may contain less.

Overall, it makes sense to use a resume builder to help you with writing. But it is also important to remember that the resume builder is still just a tool. It is up to you to cinch the interview to land that job. Make sure to proofread the resume that has been generated prior to sending it out. The format should look professional and everything should be properly aligned.

Reviews of Top Resume Software

2011-03-30T17:22:00.002-07:00

Resume Software has become very popular among the large number of job-seekers in today’s society. People are willing to spend money on software that will give them the competitive edge over their fellow job-seekers. There are many different companies that sell their own resume software. Here are our thoughts about the following resume software programs.

Pongo Resume

Pongo is one of the leading resume software programs you can buy. Users and reviewers alike have rated it 5 stars across the board, including the following categories: ease of use, navigation, turnaround time, navigation, value and technical support. Users love Pongo because of the way the software asks personal information and then creates the best resume layout in regards to the information provided. Another outstanding feature of Pongo is the database of cover letters available to users. Users are able to slightly tweak these cover letters in minutes and send them in with their resumes. Pongo offers a free trial period and a year’s subscription will cost you $59.95.

Resume Maker Professional

Resume Make Professional is another resume software program that gets great reviews by its users. One of the most valuable features that this program offers is the ability for more than one person (user) to use the same program. This means that the whole household can use it for the same price as one user. This software also gives users the ability to upload their finished resume to the internet and publish it as its own website. This comes in handy because you can direct potential employers to your “website”. Professionally formatted e-mails are also made possible by Resume Maker Professional, which are sure to impress any future employer. This software costs $29.95 and an additional $19.95 for the upgrade.

Resume Works Pro

Resume Works Pro is another decent resume building program. It lacks some of the specialized features that the programs mentioned above come with. Nonetheless, Resume Works Pro is equipped with over 1000 sample cover letters and resumes to help its users. It has a feature that allows users to burn their resume along with their portfolio to a CD/DVD. There is also a database of pre-formatted response letters that can be used when contacting a potential employer. Taking all of these features into consideration, the Resume Works Pro is a useful program that only costs $19.95.

Resume Power (Resumepower.com)

This resume software is different from all the others because it allows users to collaborate with resume experts. In other words, someone takes the information that has been entered into the software are creates a unique resume and/or cover letter for you. The software gives users access to all the features of the other software programs, plus more. They can form resumes for different uses (i.e. networking, etc.) and create a blog with your resume. Resume Power guarantees you will be satisfied with your package and will revise it if you are not. With all this, it is no surprise that Resume Power software comes with a very large price tag. Their packages are all customized but the most basic package starts out around $279.

Resume Builders That Work

2011-03-27T12:27:00.002-07:00

When hunting for the right resume builder, it can be difficult to determine which one is going to be right for you. There are a lot of different things that you may want to take into consideration. Not only your current needs, such as focus industry, but also potential future uses. You also need to consider how effective it will be at creating a useful, productive resume that can land you those first interviews. Fortunately, there are is a set of criteria that is used on a fairly consistent basis. Here is a closer look at some of the basic elements that you need to pay attention to in order to find resume builders that work.

Features

Features is a fairly broad category, however there are certain things that you should look for in your resume builder to ensure that it has everything that you will need and can do whatever you want it to do. For example, you probably want a word processor along with templates (both resume and cover letter) in order to ensure that your resume builder is easy to work with, especially if you plan on making a number of edits to the resume once the builder has created your first draft. You may also want to use a resume builder with functions like: interview simulations, social networking integration, automatic phrase generator, video resume creator, and many more.

Ease of Use

It doesn't matter how great a piece of software can be if you don't know how to utilize it. Plus, learning a new piece of software shouldn't be your primary focus. Your primary focus should simply be creating a resume and getting into those interviews. There are several different ways that you look at the ease of use. One of the most common way is with the general navigation. The more intuitive the resume builder is, the easier it will be to use. If you are not someone who naturally learns or understands software, then you may also want to look into resume builders with pop-up tips and/or audio tips.

Support

In the perfect world, you would purchase a resume builder and automatically know how to get the most out of it. Unfortunately, this isn't always the case. While support will rarely be your primary decision factor, it can definitely be used to separate your short-list when everything else seems to be pretty even. In terms of support, there are a variety of different things that you may want. This includes; call center, email, online forums, live chat, tutorials, etc

How to Spot Resume Builders That Work

In order to spot resume builders that work, it will normally end up being a combination of three factors: features, ease of use, and support. Normally, these three factors will be weighed in that order. If it doesn't have the features that you want, then you won't be satisfied with it. If it isn't easy to use, then it doesn't matter what features there are. Finally, if there is no support, then if a problem does arise, you will have no way to resolve it.

How to Write Your First Resume

2011-03-27T12:22:00.002-07:00

Figuring out exactly what to say on a resume is often a difficult task for even the most experienced person. When it’s your very first resume it all seems very daunting. You can rest easy in knowing that from the entry level receptionist all the way up to the president of the company – everyone has at one point in their career had to construct their “first” resume.

Perhaps the most difficult aspect of creating your first resume is the fact that you may not have a whole lot of experience to begin with. After all, you’re creating this resume so that you can land a great job. Yet, employers are expecting you to have substantial experience on your resume before they want to hire you. So which comes first, the great job or the great resume? In most cases, it all starts with a great resume. You may use a resume software for assistance since it is quite difficult to do this the first time around.

Before you start on your resume, it’s important to sit down and do a quick assessment of yourself. On a blank sheet of paper write down every accomplishment or credential you can think of that applies to the type of position you’re looking for. Some of these things might include volunteer experience, educational degrees and awards, school club leadership, and extracurricular activities. Now that you have a starting point to draw from as you construct your resume.

In addition to your name and personal contact info, every good resume includes five basic sections: objective, summary of qualifications, experience, education, and skills.

Objective

This section is intended to state the type of position you want. This section can be changed to fit whatever position for which you’re applying. Your objective statement can be broad, but it should never be vague. An example of a good objective is: “To obtain a customer service position in a team environment.” An example of a bad objective is: “To obtain a job at a great company.” Your objective statement shouldn’t state the obvious. Rather, it should state that you have some sort of focus around your job search. The objective statement goes at the beginning of a resume.

Summary of Qualifications

This section is where you should summarize the key points of your qualifications that you want to highlight. This is where you should mention things like how many years of experience you have in certain areas of expertise or your expert skills. If someone was looking for a position as a receptionist, for example, they might write something like, “Two years of experience with multi-line phone systems.” The summary of qualifications should be brief, bulleted, and comes directly after the objective.

Experience

Of all the sections in your resume, this is the most important. Potential employers want to know what you’ve done in the past. They want to see if you have previous experience that matches or would prepare you for the position for which you are applying. No matter how irrelevant you may think your previous experience is it’s important to list something in this section. You want to look like you’ve been productive up until this point.

This section should include your past employment history, including dates, location, company names, your position(s) held, and your responsibilities in each position. If you don’t have a lot of previous work experience you can also list volunteer experience in this section. Just because you weren’t paid doesn’t discount the experience. When listing accomplishments or responsibilities of your previous positions, always use past tense. For example, “Recruited and managed a team of three volunteers.” The experience section should make up the bulk of your resume and should be directly after the summary of qualifications.

Education

This section should highlight any formal education you have. Formal education generally includes college, university, vocational training, and accredited certificate programs. If you are still in college or haven’t attended college, you can also include high school information. Each school or degree should be listed separately along with the type of degree or diploma, date of completion (graduation), and major or minor if appropriate. Sometimes it’s also beneficial to list your grade point average. If your gpa is particularly low, you may want to omit that information.

If you are lacking experience, the education portion of your resume becomes more important. Those with less work experience may want to also highlight certain courses completed. The education section of a resume doesn’t have a set location. Generally, it comes after the experience section, but it can also be at the top of a resume, just after the objective statement. New graduates in particular may want to highlight their education by listing it higher up in their resume.

Skills

This section should highlight any special skills that would interest employers. This isn’t the place to mention that you’re a black belt in Tae kwon do (unless of course, that pertains to the job). You should, however, list things like what types of computer platforms and programs you know, typing speed, programming languages, and spoken languages. These are just a few examples of the types of things to be included in this section. The skills section should be toward the bottom of your resume.

The great thing about structuring your first resume is that once you’ve done it, you can always tweak it as needed along the path of your career and never have to start from scratch again.

How to Explain a Layoff on Your Resume

2011-02-08T22:49:00.001-07:00

If you are on the hunt for a new job thanks to a layoff you may be wondering how you should explain that layoff on your resume. While layoffs are never a good thing when they happen to individuals, in the turbulent world of business, they are somewhat the norm. Therefore, most potential employers will not view your layoff as a negative when they are considering hiring you.

Keep in mind that there is a big difference between being part of a layoff, which is typically due to a financial reason, and being fired, which can result for a number of reasons. However, in either case, this can cause an employment gap in your resume which may not look so good. While you should try to shore up any gaps as quickly as you can, you may or may not want to include the reasons that you left any job on your resume.

If you do decide to explain on your resume that you were in fact laid off then you should do so in the following manner:

· Truthfully: Never lie on any portion of your resume, including any explanations you give for a layoff. You never know who knows who in today’s tight knit business world and if you lie about the circumstances of your layoff, you are likely to be caught. In the end, lying looks much worse than being laid off.

· Concisely: If you feel that you want to explain your layoff, so in a clear and concise manner. Don’t write a book, just a sentence or two to explain the circumstances.

· Accurately: Be sure that you give accurate dates and details if you choose to explain your layoff. As with any other information on your resume, it is important to get all the details right. This will avoid you looking like a fool due to inaccuracies on your resume.

· Professionally: Save the ‘woe is me’ and simply state what happened. If you try to make it seem like the world is against you, a likely result will be a potential employer who is turned off.

You can also take the approach of explaining the employment gap in your resume. Instead of just explaining the reasons behind your layoff, explain what you have done in the meantime. Maybe you went back to school or maybe you increased your volunteer work. By putting down what you have done since the layoff, the potential employer can see that you have not simply been sitting around stagnant while awaiting another job opportunity to pop up. You can ask a resume writer his opinion on this as well.

What is most important is to be able to explain thoroughly what happened in regards to the layoff when you do in fact go in for a job interview. Therefore, you need to be sure that whatever you write down as far as an explanation goes on your resume, that your story inside the interview matches it. Keep in mind though, potential employers understand that layoffs are part of the business world game and as long as you explain yourself in a professional manner, everything will likely be fine.

How to Create a Resume that gets Noticed

2011-01-30T22:16:00.002-07:00

Hunting for a job can be a daunting task, especially when it comes creating the perfect resume. It is hard to believe that employers even look at your resume when they are receiving hundreds of resumes for one job opportunity. Researchers state that over 95% of resumes are looked over for a few seconds and then trashed. If you haven’t received a few calls after submitting your resume to different employers, your resume probably needs something. You might want to consider using a resume builder. Here are a few tips on how to create a resume that gets noticed.

1. Tailor Your Cover Letter to Fit Each Job Opportunity

This might sound like a lot of work at first, but then again, you are trying to land a job. Many employers cringe at the sight of generic resumes and cover letters because it shows them that the applicant is putting forth much effort to impress them. Remember the old saying “A first impression is a lasting impression?” Well, it rings true in the resume world as well. Look at the requirements listed in the job posting or consider what might be a requirement for the particular job. In your cover letter address these requirements with an explanation of why you would be the perfect candidate for the job.

2. Spend Time Creating a Top-Notch Employment History Section

One thing that irritates employers or hiring managers most is a resume that has a non-informative and poorly written job history section. This is your section to list your accomplishments, in regards to employment, from the last few years (or more) of your life. Spend time on this section and include more details than you think are required. Don’t rewrite the job description for your past jobs, but rather include your accomplishments from the job. Did you move up the ladder three times in one year? Did you receive employee of the month? It is details like this that will make you stand out in the eyes of an employer of hiring manager.

3. Skills, Skills and More Skills

Employers want to know how you plan to be an asset to their company or business. One method of relaying your experience within the industry is to create a highly marketable skill section on your resume. Resume writing experts suggest that you include three different types of skills: job-related, transferable and adaptive. Job-related skills are obviously skills that you possess which will help you execute industry-related tasks (i.e. web development, QuickBooks, etc.). Transferable skills are broader and can be used across different industries, like critical thinking and problem solving. Adaptive skills are characteristics about you, such as, determined and social. Include a few of each type of skill within you job skill section.

These are just a few strategies that can be used to make your resume more noticeable during a job hunt. Remember, your resume represents you. If you submit a weak resume then you aren’t giving yourself a fair chance in regards to landing job. Whatever you do, be patient and persistent. Your next job is only a resume away!

How to Choose the Right Resume Writing Service

2011-01-25T03:46:00.002-07:00

If you are looking for a job you should already be aware of the fact that a resume can be the most effective tool in landing the job of your dreams, or any job for that matter. Resumes can be hard to write for a variety of reasons. You must know how to put complete thoughts down on paper, have a decent command of the English language and be able to convince the potential employer that you are the best candidate for the job.

With this being said, sometimes it is more effective to hire a writing service to create a powerful resume for you. Choosing a resume writing service can also be a difficult task. How are you supposed to know which company will write you the best resume possible? Here are a few strategies to keep in mind when evaluating different resume writing services.

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1. Consider the Company’s Experience

Proven experience accompanied by effective results is a good indicator that a resume writing service is legitimate. Question the company about their history and experience. Ask questions like “How many resumes have you written for clients?” and “What kind of results can a person expect after purchasing your company’s services?” A reputable company should show you their accomplishments, testimonies and achievements before you have to ask.

2. 2. Check Actual Capabilities and Services

Ask yourself, “How is this company going to go about creating the best resume possible for me?" If that question is difficult to answer then the company most likely isn’t the right one for you. Look for things like customer support and how the resume experts will communicate with you. Do they allow you to collaborate with a resume expert when forming your resume or do they simply have you fill out a worksheet and spit a resume back out at you? These are all very good questions to consider. A top-notch resume writing service should provide things like interactive worksheets, examples of past clients and resumes and an action plan to help you build the perfect resume.

3. 3. Cost is Always a Consideration

The cost of resume writing services can vary greatly, depending on the company or the individual providing the services. Large companies will obviously have to charge more because of the operating costs they incur on a daily basis. On the other hand, larger companies might provide you with a better resume because of the large amount of experience they have. Everyone has a different budget and that means that there is a resume writing service that is a perfect fit for anyone. Remember, sometimes you get what you pay for. If you find a company that offers extremely low rates for their services you might not get the quality resume you are looking for.

These are just a few tips to keep in mind when looking for resume writing services. Remember, a resume is one of the most effective tools you can use to land a job. Make your first impression a lasting one by choosing the right resume writing service.

6 Quick Resume Tips That Can Make a Big Difference

2010-10-19T13:21:00.000-07:00

The job market is as competitive today as ever, which makes creating an effective resume more important than ever. While a resume alone will not get you a job, it is essential for getting your foot in the door and invited to an interview. Here are 6 quick resume tips that can make a big difference.

1. Identify Keywords

Many companies, even smaller ones, use a digital database to filter resumes. The HR department will do a search based upon a specific set of keywords and if your resume does not have these keywords, then it will never be seen. Normally, these keywords will be nouns although some may be verbs as well. By taking a closer look at the job description, there is a good chance that you will be able to identify a number of keywords that you might be able to include in your resume.

2. Start Strong

Employers will normally make a quick judgment about you within the first 5 seconds of scanning your resume. This means that you must make sure that your resume makes an excellent impression right off the bat. By formatting your resume to center around several strong titles and sub-titles, you will likely get a much better reaction.

3. Proofread, Proofread, Proofread

It is almost impossible to determine how important proofreading your resume a few times can actually be. If your resume states that you are detail oriented, then a resume full of spelling errors implies that this may not be true. If you plan on being treated like a professional, then act like a professional. Proofread your resume at least 2 times.

4. The Most Important Information Must Be First

Employers will rarely read your entire resume, word for word. This means that the most important information needs to be placed first. This is true for your overall resume structure as well as within your sections. The most important sections should be first and the most important information within those sections should be at the top of the list.

5. Use Concrete Examples – Not Statements

It is important that when backing up your skill set or experience that you use concrete examples, not just statements. For example, do not say that you “increased overall profits”, but rather that you “increased overall sales by $25,000 while decreases expenses $10,000”. This gives an employer a firmer grasp on what exactly you did.

6. The Shorter the Better

It has been up for a lot of debate over the years whether or not a resume should be 1 page, 2 pages, or even more. However, a general consensus is that you should keep your resume as short as possible, while still including all relevant and important information. If this means you need a few pages, then use a few pages. However, the more information you include, the higher the likelihood that some of it isn't actually that important.

There are literally hundreds of different resume tips that people can use to craft the perfect resume, however these 6 are more than enough to get you pointed in the right direction. To ensure that your resume is as effective as possible, identify and include keywords, start strong, proofread several times, prioritize your information, use example-not statements, and always keep your resume as short as possible, while still including all of the important information that you need to share.

Compare the best resume builders all in one place.

Never Put This On Your Resume

2010-08-25T09:46:00.000-07:00

Your resume is the first and sometime the only chance that you will have to impress an employer before an interview. This means that it is vital that you utilize your resume to put your best foot forward. Fortunately, there are a number of ways that you can improve your resume and make it stand out from the crowd. Here are a few do's and dont's that can greatly improve the impression that your resume creates.

5 Resume Writing Do's

1. Put Your Best Material First

Since many employers will not read your entire resume without first being interested in it, it is essential that you place your most impactful information within the first few inches of the top of your resume. This is sometimes referred to as the “prime-time” space. It is will where the reader will first focus their attention.

2. Focus on Recent Experience

Your employers are going to place most of their interest in your most recent experiences. This means that your resume should focus primarily on your recent experiences as well. While you can list a long history of experiences, you should include the more information about more recent work experiences.

3. Design is as Important as Content

Many people get so focused on creating the best content that they forget to look at how the resume appears as a whole. Make sure that you use a standard, readable sized font such as 12 or 11 as well as use at least 1 inch margins. Additionally, bullet points and insert rules and help your resume look more professional.

4. Emphasize Work Experience Before Your Education

While your education is important, once you have been in the workforce for a few years, it becomes a secondary focus for potential employers. This means that you need to emphasize your work-related accomplishments much more than your educational background.

5. Proofread

Aside from a poor design, there is no faster way to look unprofessional than to have misspelled words. It is vital that you always proofread your resume before sending it out. For the best results, try to proofread it more than once.

5 Resume Writing Dont's

1. Don't Lie

This seems like an obvious piece of advice, however more and more people are lying on their resume to get ahead. Employers can fact-check your background faster and more accurately than ever before and to think that they will not check your background before hiring you is a big mistake.

2. Don't Include an Objective Statement Automatically

Many people will automatically feel the need to add an objective statement to the top of their resume, however unless the objective statement is extremely well-written and applicable, it isn't always the best choice. Generally, objective statements are too general and since they are at the top of your resume, they are taking up the “prime-time” real estate, which should be reserved for the best information possible.

3. Using Adjectives Over Examples

Saying that you are a “self-starter” or “detail-oriented” isn't enough because everyone is saying the same thing. A better idea is to include specific examples of how you have been a self-starter or detail-oriented in the past..

4. Don't Include Too Much Detail

Having detail in your resume is important, but it shouldn't be an autobiography. Limit every thought to only one or two sentences If you add too much detail, your resume will become difficult to read.

5. Don't Include Personal Data

Although employers cannot discriminate based upon certain criteria, that doesn't mean that they don't do it. Only include the minimum amount of personal information. Information to exclude includes: marital status, birth date (age), race, height, weight, photos, etc.

Writing an excellent resume doesn't have to be difficult. The key is knowing what to do and what not to do. These 5 resume writing tips can go a long way in improving your resume.

How to Use a Resume Builder to Create a Great Looking Resume

2010-08-07T08:16:00.000-07:00

A resume builder is a wonderful tool to take advantage of if you suddenly find yourself on the hunt for a job. With a resume builder you can successfully build a great looking resume in no time at all and as long as you choose a quality resume builder, the process couldn’t be much simpler.

Really using a resume builder is a simple one, two, and three process. While you may have to go back after you are finished and tweak a few things here and there, for the most part using a resume builder to create a great looking resume is accomplished as follows:

1. Select Your Template: The first step in using a resume builder is to select the template you want to use. Most resume builders have thousands of templates to choose from so finding one that is appealing to you should not be a problem. Simply find a template that you like in the sector in which you are trying to get work in and move on to the next step.

2. Fill-In-The-Blanks: Once you have selected your template, your resume is ready to be completed. The resume template you selected will have all the information you need and to take that template from prototype to actual running model. It is as easy as filling in the blanks at this point. The great part about using a resume builder is that many of the resume builder programs come with information as to what should and shouldn’t be filled into those blanks. This ensures that you are including all the information potential employers are looking for and not including what they don’t need to or want to see.

3. Check and Print: The final step in using a resume builder to help you build the perfect resume is to check everything over and then print out the resume if you like what you have. If you are not pleased then you simply have to make any adjustments you desire until the finished product is exactly what you feel a potential employer will want to see. You should also save a copy of your completed resume to a file on your computer at this point.

Using a resume builder to help you build your resume is really a no brainer. These days there are so many resume builder programs on the market that it is very easy to find a program that has everything you are looking for, including a large number of templates, great customer service, and a price tag that won’t leave you in shock.

Easy to use and very effective, resume builders are now making it possible for anyone, regardless of technical skill level, to create a great looking resume. Your dream job is out there, but in order to land it your resume has to really shine. If you are not 100 percent confident in your abilities to create the perfect resume then you too may want to consider using a quality resume builder to help you achieve all of your employment goals.

Is Resume Software any Good?

2010-07-20T21:31:00.000-07:00

When you are looking for a new job the most important thing you can do to increase your chances of getting a great position is to have a well written resume. But some people are better than others at writing resumes and perhaps this just isn’t your strong point. If that is the case there is nothing to worry about as there are plenty of ways that you can get help in writing your resume. One way is to use resume software, but how do you know if it is any good or not?

Resume software is really like anything else these days, there are a good number of programs that you can buy and each will have its pros and its cons. Good resume writing software should have all of the following:

• Phrases to use: Pre written phrases that you can use regardless of what type of job you are after.
• Resume Wizard: Most resume software comes with some type of resume wizard where you fill in some answers and the wizard creates a resume draft for you.
• Space saving tools: Templates and tools that will help you to fit your resume onto one single page.
• Variety: You want to find resume software with many different font styles to choose from.
• Error proofing: Good resume software will have spelling and grammar checking devices built in.

These are the bare minimum requirements that should be included in any resume software that is worth its salt. There are many other features that you will be able to find with resume software but as the features begin to rise up so too do the prices.

Resume software can be very useful for those who have no idea of where to start and just don’t want to go the route of a professional resume writing service. If you decide that you want to go with resume software, be sure that you get:

• Easy installation: Keep in mind that some resume software is easy to install on your PC and others are near impossible. Of course you will want to go with the type that installs with ease. If you opt for software that takes you a day to install you are being counterproductive and not really saving any time at all.
• Customer service: Go with resume software that has a good customer service department by way of the web and the phones. This will come in handy if you get stuck on installation or have a question about the software in general.

Resume software is indeed a great tool and can help you to create a wonderful looking resume which will ensure that you get the highest chance of getting that job you are after. But beware of what you are buying and never go for the cheapest resume software available. Not to say that you need the most expensive, but be sure that the software you purchase has all the little extra that you will need to create a great looking resume.

Resume Writing Tips – Four that are Important and Often Overlooked

2010-06-04T10:19:00.000-07:00

Writing your own resume is something to take to heart as your resume will be the single most important weapon in your job-getting arsenal and knowing some easy resume writing tips can help turn your resume into a lethal weapon that is all but guaranteed to get you wonderful results. Many people simply overlook the little things when it comes to their resumes, but it is the little things that often mean the difference between many resume views and your resume ending up in a dumpster.

While proper structure and good keywords are always a must when you are constructing your resume you also need to remember these little and often overlooked tips:

1. Proofread: When your resume is done and you feel as though it is where you want it to be you need to be sure to proof read it. Then you should proof read it again. Then give it to your friend and have them proof read it. The point is that you need to be sure that your resume is not littered with many little misspellings or grammatical errors as there is nothing that says, “Hey, I am careless and don’t check my work,” more than bad grammar.

2. Don’t Over-Style: Using bullet points to emphasize a point in your resume and using bold to indicate a title are great ways to jazz up you resume. However, using all sorts of fancy fonts, different font colors, using bold too much, and using italics too much is a sure way to annoy a reader and have your resume thrown away quickly. Some style is good, but if you spend too much time on style you will end up with a confusing and agitating resume.

3. Supply Contact Info: This sure seems like a no-brainier doesn’t it? The fact is that many people only put one form of contact on their resumes. If your resume really speaks to a potential employer then you want that potential employer to be able to reach you with the greatest of ease. You should include your address, your phone numbers with times that you can be reached at each number, and you should also include your e-mail address. The more ways and employer has to get a hold of you the better. If you are too hard to reach, then they may go on to the next applicant.

4. Sound Professional: Avoid using slang like the plague. Just because you know what the cool phrase of the month is, doesn’t mean that a potential employer will. You should also be sure that your e-mail is professional sounding. If you have an e-mail that is partyguy@xyz.com then how professional do you think you are going to come off? E-mail addresses are free with many different services so if you have an e-mail address that is unprofessional sounding then get one that sounds professional such as workhardguy@xyz.com.

Writing the perfect resume doesn’t have to be a challenge, you just have to be sure to look at everything; including the little things. By taking your time and following these easy resume writing tips you too can have a knock out resume that you will truly be proud of.

Are Job Blogs Useful?

2010-06-04T10:18:00.000-07:00

It seems that everywhere you look online these days there are blogs about almost every topic you can think of and the with the job market so hotly contested now there are many job blogs are well. Because it is so easy to be a blogger and there are many free sites that allow anyone to blog about anything that means the number of job blogs online is simply astounding.

With so many to choose from there are obviously going to be some that are better than others, but overall are job blogs useful? The answer all depends on which job blogs you are looking at and also what type of information you are trying to find.

The main differences that you will find with most job blogs are that they are either maintained by an individual person or by a corporation. Some individual maintained job blogs can be very useful as many are maintained by people who used to be in the business of job recruiting or some other form of employment finding. These kind of job blogs can be handy is you are looking for advice on what to say in an interview and how to dress and so on.

While the blogs that are maintained by the individuals are somewhat useful from time to time, it is more often than not the corporate job blogs that really offer you a great source of free information. The nice thing about job blogs that are maintained by corporations is that they often give valuable insights to their companies and if you are attempting to get a job at one of these places then the corporate run job blogs are a must see. Many times they will offer you an insight to the company itself and flat out tell you what to expect if you want to work for them.

However, the best run and most valuable job blogs that you will find in relation to the job market as a whole will be attached to job websites. Websites such as Monster.com and HotJobs.com have their own dedicated blogs and these job blogs will be filled with all sorts of tips, tricks, and general information in regards to finding a job. Additionally you can get advice on post interview tips, follow up tips, and the like all for free. Their job blogs are generally free to view and if you are a member of their site you can even make a comment on a posting if you so desire.

So the answer to the question is yes, job blog can be very useful only at different degrees. However, when you are in the hunt for the perfect job then every bit of free information that you can gather up will only be to your benefit. While you may have to spend some time searching through the different job blogs that are online today, it may be well worth it if you land your dream job as a result of the free information that you uncover.

How Well Does Free Resume Distribution Work?

2010-06-04T10:17:00.000-07:00

When it comes to life nothing beats getting something for free, but does that apply to free resume distribution? There are many places on the web where you can sign up for free resume distribution, but how effective is it really?

Free resume distribution is more times than not just a hook to get you to go to a specific website where they will really want to sell you on a whole host of other pay options. While they may in fact allow you to submit your resume and then have it distributed to a few hundred potential employers for free, their true motive is to have you sign up for a pay service where your resume will be distributed to thousands of potential employers instead of only a handful.

The problem with only using these companies free resume distribution services is that they may not take the time to see where your resume should be sent. So if you are in business management and your resume is distributed to several hundred fast food restaurants for free are you really going to get any value out of that? Besides, do you actually think that they will be sending your resume to the same places for free that they are charging other people money for?

Another way that you can get free resume distribution is by having a resume writing service create your resume for you. Free resume distribution is a perk that many resume writing services offer to their clients as a motivational tool to use their service. This is a great way to get something for nothing, but while you are not paying for the distribution of your resume you are in fact paying for your resume to be created. Bottom line; either way you pay.

So to answer the question, free resume distribution has its advantages and its disadvantages. Its overall effectiveness really depends on the means by which it came to you for free. Certainly a free resume distribution service that you are receiving because you spent money in some other capacity will be better than a freebie where you don’t drop a single dime.

Perhaps a better way to look at free resume distribution is as a supplement. Instead of relying totally on free resume distribution use it in conjunction with other traditional methods of resume distribution. Along with the freebie sites, use resume posting boards such as the ones that can be found on job websites such as Moster.com and the like. Combine those efforts with some good old fashioned beating of the pavement and before you know it the perfect opportunity will present itself to you.

As for relying totally on free resume distribution to find you a job, forget it. Free is indeed a great price to pay for anything, but when it comes to your career success you have to be proactive and you may need to spend a bit of money as well. Getting your resume out to as many potential employers is indeed paramount, but it is only going to be useful if the potential employers that are receiving your resume can actually use the services that you have to offer.

The Importance of Resume Distribution

2010-06-03T18:45:00.000-07:00

Having a great looking and professionally written resume is only the first step in obtaining a good job and often people underscore the importance of resume distribution. Resume distribution is a must if you are going to land that dream job that you have had your eyes for so long.

The old saying, “Good things come to those who wait,” does not apply when it comes to finding a job. You have to take the initiative to get your resume in the hands of as many potential employers as possible. This goes well beyond merely looking though the newspaper and seeing what jobs you are interested in and then mailing or faxing those potential employers your resume.

Resume distribution is a numbers game. That means the more you pass out, or distribute your resume the better. It is true that it only take that one person to see your resume and you are hired, but what if that one person never gets to see your resume because you are lacking in your resume distribution efforts? The bottom line is that the more your name is out there via your resume, the better your odds are at finding employment.

In today’s high tech world it is easier than ever to accomplish a huge amount of resume distribution with minimal efforts. This is thanks to resume distribution services. Now you will have to pay the majority of these services, but they get your resume in the hands of thousands of potential employers. If you were to beat the pavement it would take you months on end to get the results they can achieve in just one day.

Buyers beware though as all resume services are not created equally. Don’t go for the resume distribution service that offers the most amount of distribution. You need to be sure that you work with a resume distribution service that will be distributing your resume to those who will be interested in your services.

For example, if you are a chef and your resume is being distributed to all the office buildings in the area, what good will that do you? As important as it is to have your resume get to as many destinations as possible, it is equally important to ensure that your resume is going to quality and relevant destinations as well.

While your actual resume will still be the key to getting your foot in the door as far as an interview goes, remember that potential employers need to see your resume first before they can call you. Think of your resume like a brand new business that you open and it has everything in it state of the art and offers every possible solution for your customers. Now imagine how effective that business would be if nobody ever knew about it. The same holds true for your resume.

In today’s job market it is all about resume distribution. While you still want to do your part and get your resume out to as many potential employers as possible, you should strongly consider the use of a professional resume distribution service that can help you expedite your career goals in a short amount of time.

Top Three Resume Writers

2010-06-03T18:44:00.000-07:00

When you set out to hire a resume writer you want to be sure that you are in fact getting the best of the best. Working with a top of the line resume writer will give a great looking resume that will help to set you apart from the thousands of others that are on a similar mission of finding a great job. However, finding a great resume writer can be somewhat time consuming and a bit stressful as it seems there are now more resume writers than ever before that is available for you to choose from. So who do you go with?

The correct resume writer for you will ultimately depend on you and your needs and you can search online and offline all day for several days and sift through the thousands of resume writers that now exist. However, you will not find any resume writers that have more experience, knowledge, and overall great reputations as the following three:

1. Resume Planet: If you are looking for speed then look no further. Resume Planet has not only been in the business of writing resumes for many years now, but they also offer 24 hour resume turnaround time. While this will cost you extra, if you need a quality resume now, there I no better place to go. Their website is full of sample resumes that you can view to see the kind of work they do and they offer an unmatched 24 hours a day, seven days a week customer support service. Top it all off with a 100 percent satisfaction guarantee and you really can’t go wrong.

2. ResumeEdge: Online for over 11 years and in the resume writing business for even longer, ResumeEdge is one of the most notable resume writers you will find. Their writers have all passed extensive training and testing and they have many distinguished certified resume writers on their staff. They cover almost any type of resume you could possibly need help with from business to Government and everything else in-between. They proudly boast an overall customer satisfaction rating of 98 percent which mean that if you decide to work with them you are more than likely going to love the results.

3. ResumeWriters.com: Once featured in Time Magazine, ResumeWriters.com has a long and proud tradition of writing resumes. They too offer a 100 percent satisfaction guarantee to back their over decade long service record. On staff they also have many certified resume writers and their dedication to customer satisfaction is a true plus.

Best of all, all three of these top resume writing services offer a wide range of service so you are sure to find what you need at a price you can afford. While there are many other resume writers you can look into, it will be hard for you to find any others that match the quality, the experience, and the overall customer satisfaction of these three. Working with any of them will no doubt give you the edge you need in a job market that can be cut throat at times.

Read reviews of these and other professional resume writers at JobGoRound.com.

Three Growing Career Fields to Get Into Now

2010-04-20T14:16:00.000-07:00

It seems that each and every decade the career fields tide sway and this decade is sure to be no different. Some career fields are expanding faster than others and one of the main reasons is the way that the world is headed as a whole.

While your options for career fields are increasing by the year, there are three career fields in particular that you should be looking to get into now. These career fields will continue to expand as the job market is in hot pursuit of people who can fill the needs of these three specific spaces. These hot career fields include:

• Software Engineering: Software is always being developed and is constantly evolving as the world is by large a technology happy place. Even though there may not always be a need for the technology that the world has now, a safe wager is that new technology will continue to be developed moving forward. Therefore, there will always be a need for those who can successfully create and work with the software that will be needed in order to drive that technology that exists today and the technology that will be developed tomorrow.

• Nursing: The medical industry as a whole is growing by leaps and bounds where the job market is concerned. This is mainly due to the fact that the population is extremely large and is aging as well. Nursing careers will continue to expand as a good nurse is on the front lines of virtually everything medical. Nurses can do a variety of jobs including admitting, taking vitals, administering medication, and much more. If there is something medical, you can bet there are nurses nearby.
• Law Enforcement: Thanks to a world that has been experiencing an increase in crime and shows such as CSI Miami and Law and Order, law enforcement is growing as a career field in a big way. Unfortunately for many, the world of crime has spilled over to the online community as well, but this is more good news for those who are seeking a career in law enforcement. The need for people to become ‘online police’ as well as ‘street police’ will continue to grow as the years go on and as long as there are criminals always trying to get one over on people, there will always be a need for quality law enforcement as a result.

Again, there are a number of career fields or you to choose from these days, but there are few that will continue to expand with the ferocity of these three. What is often overlooked when getting into a career is how much expansion that career path will have and how much need the world will have for it going forward. Technology, medical, and law enforcement are three fields that will not only be around in a strong way this year but they are also career fields that will stand the test of time and always offer opportunities for those who are qualified.

Get more career advice at JobGoRound.com.

Government Resume Writers

2010-04-20T14:15:00.000-07:00

In order to be competitive in your pursuit of a Federal Government job your Government resume has to be perfect and if you lack the confidence and experience to write a top notch resume on your own you may want to consider using one of the numerous Government resume writers that are now abundantly available. Thanks in large part to the internet it is easier than ever to find these types of services and the help they provide could be the difference between landing your dream Government job or not. Although hiring a Government resume writer will mean that you have to come out of pocket and spend some money, if it lands you a Federal Government job then the money you spend on the resume will not seem like all that much.

Most Government jobs will require you to build your resume around the job announcement and doing this in the proper manner is a work of art in itself and is a task that is not easily accomplished. Government resume writers are those who have been working on the specific process that goes into crafting a good Government resume, some for many years. Because they are around Government works all the time, they will be abreast of all the changes that may be taking place and will be able to include or exclude something from your Government resume that you may have never even though of looking at.

It is extremely important that your Government resume be top notch because it is your resume that will effectively open up the door for your review and possible interview. There are also a number of items that will have to accompany your Government Resume such as your KSAs and this will all depend on the specific job in which you are applying for. Government resume writers will not only know how to tell if the job posting requires such additions, but they will also be able to help you create those items as well.

When you are trying to determine which Government resume writer you want to hire, don’t make the mistake of looking at the cost only. Prices will vary and so too will the skill level but a lower price will do you no good if your resume never gets a second glance. Make sure that the Government resume writer you are considering has a good reputation and has been around for a while.

The job market as a whole is a comparative place, but that competitiveness is greatly intensified when you venture into the Federal Government job market. These jobs are for the best of the best and in order to stand out from the crowd you have to have a top notch Government resume and all the extras that need to go along with it. You also need to be sure that everything is done according to Government preferences and in the correct format. While you may be able to figure this out on your own, why take the chance? To be sure you have the best opportunity possible simply do your homework, ask questions, and find the best Government resume writer you can.

Ways to Boost Your Resume Without Lying

2010-04-07T19:05:00.000-07:00

With the job market as competitive as ever, it is very tempting to lie on your resume. However, this should never be considered an option. With so many qualified applicants, businesses are more likely do a more comprehensive background check. Fortunately, there are ways to boost your resume without lying. Remember, the goal of your resume is to get you an interview, not get you a job. With this in mind, there are simple solutions to solve even the biggest resume problems without lying.

1. Gaps in Employment

Large gaps in your employment history is one of the biggest potential turnoffs for a potential employer. Instead of lying and filling in gaps with experiences that you didn't have, justify the gaps that do exist. For example, one of the most common reasons for gaps in employment for women is that they took a few years off to take care of young children. Instead of saying that you took some time off for you kids, say that you took a break from the private sector to become more involved in the community. With kids, there is a large chance that you have done some volunteer work, so don't be afraid to use it to your advantage. Remember, everything that you do serves a purpose.

2. Education

Lying about your education has become a surprisingly common tactic. Unfortunately, schools have made it very easy for your employer to check you out. For example, lets say that you have completed 3 or 3+ years of college, but never graduated. Don't lie, instead tell employers why you didn't finish. For example, you took a full-time job that didn't allow you to finish your education. Additionally, always state you are currently pursuing to finish your degree online or through additional schooling.

3. Experience

While it may seem like a risk that you willing to take, if you lie about your previous experience it can get you in trouble. If you are asked to do XYZ, because you said that you could on your application, it will become obvious that you lied and you will likely get fired. The key is to focus on the highlights of your experience. If you were the lead server at a restaurant, you could say that you trained and managed a sales staff to ensure daily productivity. The importance is what you did, not where you did it.

4. Use Keywords

Make sure that you look through the job posting and company description and try to use the same keywords in your resume that you found in the ad. This will achieve two goals at once. First, it will get your resume past the scanners that many businesses are using to pre-qualify resumes. Second, your resume will look good to your potential employer because you have the exact skill set that they are looking for.

It is always tempting to lie on your resume, however it should be avoided at all costs. Businesses have more potential employees to choose from, which means more thorough background searches. Employ these 4 ways to boost your resume without lying.

Tip: read resume writing service reviews before choosing a resume writing service.

How to Practice Interviewing

2010-03-31T11:42:00.000-07:00

You have your resumes out and the phone is starting to ring with potential employers wanting you to come in for a job interview. While the interview is the next logical step in obtaining a great paying job perhaps you are caught off guard just a bit and maybe you though that you had a little more time before the offers would come in.

Don’t panic! Just take a few deep breathes and conduct some good old fashioned practice before you go to the actual interview and you will be all set. While there are many methods for practicing for a job interview there are some that are more effective than others such as:

• Self Interview: Stand in front of a mirror and interview yourself. Play out the role of the interviewer and yourself of course. Ask yourself all the questions that you think the interviewer might ask you and then really pay attention to how you answer yourself and how your body language is. Be sure to ask yourself the question, ‘How would you describe yourself,’ as that question almost always pops up in an interview and is an easy on to stumble on. After you have completed the interview of yourself ask, ‘Would I hire me?’ If the answer is no then you need to continue this exercise.
• Friend Interview: While the first exercise is a great way to prepare for an interview, some people simply cannot effectively self-evaluate. If this describes you then you can always turn to those who are usually more than thrilled to point out your flaws for you; your closest friends. Write a list of questions down for a friend to ask you and then conduct a ‘mock’ interview. Go through the whole process from walking in and shaking hands to answering all the questions asked of you. At the end you can be sure that your friend will give you an honest opinion and you should not take what they are saying to be mean, but rather view it as constructive criticism that will allow you to fix any flaws before the actual interview. Besides it is better to hear your friend say that they wouldn’t hire you rather than the actual interviewer.
• Ask and Answer Out Loud: Another great way to practice for an interview is by writing down about 20 to 25 questions that you think you may be asked, read them out loud one by one, and answers them out loud one by one. The idea with this exercise is to have your answers sounding natural and not scripted. Also, by practicing the most commonly asked questions you will already have an idea of what to say if asked and will avoid the job killing words such as ummm and ahhh.

No matter how you decide to practice for your interview you do in fact need to practice. Don’t have the attitude of, ‘I’ll just wing it,’ as there are bound to be numerous candidates for the job you are seeking. By being prepared for your interview and speaking in a clear and concise manner you will automatically be one step ahead of the pack. Besides, as the old saying goes, ‘Practice makes perfect.’

Read the latest career advice articles on the web's premiere Employment magazine.

Why Resume Appearance Matters

2010-03-31T11:40:00.002-07:00

The way that your resume is written is one of the most important factors in whether or not you will get any job interviews, but equally as important is the appearance of your resume. In order for your resume to get any eyeballs on it has to also be pleasing to those eyeballs.

So just what is in the ‘appearance’ of a resume? The appearance of a resume is the overall way that the resume is laid out. This layout includes:

• Font: What style font are you using? Don’t go too fancy, but don’t go too plain. Avoid a lot of bold and italics unless you are using the effects to help separate the sections of the resume.
• Spacing: If your resume is not properly spaced it will be too jumbled. If it is too jumbled then it can be difficult to read and will simply lead the person reviewing it to move on to the next resume.
• Grammar and Spelling: Nothing kills the appearance of a resume faster than bad grammar and spelling. Don’t just use spell check, but really go over your resume and be sure that it is properly edited before you give it to potential employers.
• Paper Quality: If you are physically giving your resume to someone don’t give it to them on low quality copy machine paper. Instead spend a little bit of money and get some higher quality paper that you use only for your resumes.
• Neatness: Are there any ink smudges on your resume? Did you accidentally drip something on the cover page? Always check to make sure that your resume is in perfect condition and nice and neat as submitting a messy one will likely see it hit the bottom of a trash can.

Having the appearance of your resume be the best it can be is extremely important, especially in a tougher job market. What you need to remember is that there will be multiple applicants for the job in which you are going after. Knowing that, you have to have every advantage you can muster in order to stand out. A great way to stand out from the get go is by turning in a resume that has a perfect appearance.

Put yourself in the shoes of the potential employer. If you were handed a resume that was nice and neat that read perfectly and looked great and then you were handed a sloppy looking error laden resume that appeared as though it was thrown together in a matter of five minutes, which applicant would you think about interviewing? As far as the potential employer is concerned, your resume is the only thing that they will know about you until they interview you. So your resume acts as your representative and you will of course want to be represented in the best possible manner.

In a sense there is nothing more important than having you resume appearance be flawless. While you may be able to dazzle anyone face to face, if your resume appearance is awful, you may never get that face to face chance.

Compare the top online resume services.

Simply Fired – What to do When You’ve Been Let Go

2010-03-20T15:21:00.000-07:00

Getting fired or let go from your job is never an easy pill to swallow. However, with the economy the way it is and businesses cutting back instead of expanding, being let go has unfortunately become a way of life. So what the heck do you do when you’ve been let go?

First things first; take a day and just relax and get your thoughts together. Losing your job may be a big deal, but it is not the end of your working life. After you have taken a day you need to then formulate a plan to get back into the work place as fast as you can. Here are some of the things you should do once you have been let go:

• Seek Unemployment: Depending on the circumstances of your lay off you may be eligible to receive unemployment benefits. This is no doubt a humbling experience but the benefits are there for a reason and though you will not receive nearly what you were making at your former job, at least the benefits will provide you with something while you look for a new job.
• Get Your Resume Ready: Take some time and brush up your resume. Really give it a good going over as it may have been some time since you last used it. Make sure that everything is up to date and that the resume reads as well as possible and above all else, don’t forget to proof read it. If you need help, hire a professional resume service - the expense will be worth it.
• Distribute Your Resume: Once you feel your resume is up to par you then need to distribute it. You can post it on job boards such as Monster.com and Hotjobs.com but you also want to begin to fax it or e-mail it to potential employers that are looking to hire.
• Network: Let everyone in your social and work circles know that you are actively looking for a new job. All it takes is one person knowing the right opportunity exists and you will be back to the daily grind before you know it.
• Attend Job Fairs: If you look you will find an abundance of job fairs that go on right in your own back yard. These are wonderful opportunities for you to network, pass out some resumes, and even possibly discover a job that you may not have ever thought about but would certainly enjoy doing.
• Practice Interviewing: You will eventually get interviews for different positions and you may need to brush up on your interviewing skills. The perfect way to do this is to look in the mirror and interview yourself. Ask yourself questions and then answer them honestly. Would you hire yourself? If the answer is no then the potential employer would probably say the same thing. Keep at it as practice makes perfect.

Getting the pink slip, getting the axe, being let go, getting fired; however you say the words it is no fun. But with some dedicated work and a lot of tenacity on your part you can get back in the workplace in no time at all. Just remember to keep a positive attitude and an open mind and then get out there and find your new job.

How to Find Engineering Jobs

2010-03-17T08:13:00.000-07:00

While it is true that the world is undergoing an economic crises, it can still be said that there is a need for people who are going to rebuild the world market from the ground up, and one such group of people are the engineers.

Engineering jobs may be a little difficult to come by these days but they’re the kind of industry that will never go out of style and will never be done without. So for those who are looking out for jobs in engineering, here are a few ways in which you can find a job that suits your particular area of engineering.

How the Bigwigs do it

Most of the big multinational companies find their engineers by going directly to educational institutions. They do this by going on campus tours and visiting different universities to entice qualified engineering students to apply for the career opportunities that they are offering. Some firms deal directly or have tie-ups with specific engineering departments or course their offers through faculty members. Other ways of recruiting through universities include posting notices on public bulletin boards or online notice boards, while others attend on campus recruitment fairs and giving talks that promote their company to potential applicants.

This is particularly helpful to those who are still studying or are about to graduate. Since most of the big companies bring their career openings to schools, graduating students headed for careers in engineering should take advantage of this great opportunity.

Another route that engineering students can take is through internships. Often, on-the-job training is one way to get your foot through the door and be able to show your potential employer how valuable you are as an engineering asset to the company. Internships also help you make connections with people in the same industry that will be able to help you find work in the future.

The Media is your friend

Because not everyone can benefit from attending on campus job fairs and not all jobs can be found within the ranks of the big multinationals, jobseekers must expand their means for job hunting by looking at other ways in which they can find jobs.

One such way is by looking through different forms of media, of which the Internet may be emerging as one of the most powerful and effective. Jobseekers can hit a gold mine of engineering jobs by checking daily with general job boards as well as niche job boards.

General job boards include such popular web sites as Careerbuilder.com and Monster.com. These are big websites where engineering companies as well as employers from different industries can post their job openings and where jobseekers can apply for the open posts. Niche job boards on the other hand are more specialized since they focus either on specific skills like engineering, or specific areas, like the different cities in the USA. Niche job boards may not hold as many jobs as the major job sites but they are more tailored to a specific criterion like industry and locality.

Another useful medium for seeking engineering jobs is print advertisement in newspapers. Most small companies and government departments looking for employees with an engineering background post their job openings in newspapers. Checking your local paper daily will give you an idea of which companies are looking to hire.

Find Solidworks jobs near you. Compare the top online resume writers.

Cheap Resume Services – Are They Worth the Risk?

2010-02-23T18:06:00.000-07:00

The time you went and offered your self out on a chance to grab a job, did you bother thinking that if you had paid for cheap resume services that you could’ve still been unemployed till you actually make a real resume? Well that seems to be the problem when it comes to understanding what a resume signifies, a resume is a document bearing all your achievement, talents, and accomplishments in your past occupations as well as the place of where you studied your skill and so on and so forth, it should be handled and made with consideration and care since it is as important as the diploma you photocopied and stapled right on it.

How damaging can cheap resume services be to your chances of getting employment when you are at that stage where the newspaper is your best friend and your eyes are skimming through the wanted ads every single day while you eat up into your savings? It is severely damaging. You think to your self you’ve saved yourself the huge cost of actually availing a decent resume service by forking up $50s and leaving it in their hands. Unfortunately, you didn’t know that as your resume keeps getting pushed aside or off the company boss’s table, you eat away into your saved up left over cash you had put away just in case of emergency and as the days turn to weeks and so forth, you are just exhausting that fail-safe cash relying on a resume made by a factory which did not know all your qualities and talents, merely placing the robotic answers of your name, your age, your place of birth, etc.

Company bosses who wish to hire employees want to see people with potential in their companies and if your resume was made by cheap resume services, they can’t see that potential in you. Your resume must have artistic hints of your uniqueness and quality, it reflects on you as a human being and if it’s as plain as a help wanted poster, what could draw the company boss to even consider your resume as something he can acknowledge in respect. If you don’t have time to make a good resume, the company boss doesn’t have time to look at it either. Don’t be lazy and give some serious effort into making an appropriate resume because if it lands you a job, it can finally end your worries of if you might be eating next week or not.

Unemployment is hard to deal with, it is a flat lined moment in your life where hope looked bleak and depended on who would want your ability or skill. It all relies on your resume and if you had availed cheap resume services to deal with that important document, you might as well had shredded it because it won’t land you one decent look from the boss’ eyes onto your paper. There are good resume services out there but though the prices are sometimes beyond understanding, it’s the quality that counts. You need a good resume to get a job that suits your salary bracket and if it takes a little monetary sacrifice on your part to get it then all you can do is risk it. You are unemployed, you have nothing to lose. Cheap resume services are mostly factory-made resumes that don’t take into consideration what other quality resume services acknowledge, like which talents to show, which achievements to highlight, etc. You should think twice before sitting down and relaxing as a cheap resume was passing by countless tables and landing in the trashcan or floor.

Conducting a Job Search in Secret

2010-02-22T21:50:00.002-07:00

At some point in your professional life you may find that you are not quite where you want to be and you may therefore decide that you need to conduct a job search in order to find a better opportunity for yourself. The problem is that you don’t want anyone to find out about your job search for fear that you may lose the position that you currently hold. Really then you find yourself in the position of finding a new job but doing so in secret.

This may sound like it is impossible to accomplish, but if you go about just the right way it can be done. No you can’t go about looking for a new job in the traditional sense such as posting your resume online for fear that your employer might see it o look through the classifieds on your lunch break, but there a number of strategies that you can implement that should keep your name out of the boss’ office such as:

• Use Personal Contacts: Many professional jobs are found through personal contacts lending credit to the term, ‘It’s all about who you know.’ If you are seeking a new job and want to keep it on the down low then dig deep into your network. You will of course need to be sure that who you are contacting is not going to let your current employer know that you are seeking employment elsewhere and if you aren’t sure if they will or not, then use someone else.
• Work with Recruiters: Working with job recruiters can take a lot of hassle and worry out of your secret job search. Because a recruiter represents certain companies they will have insights on positions that may fit your skills perfectly. Additionally you can supply the recruiter with all of your information instead of posting it online for the world, and perhaps your boss, to see. Recruiters can also do much of the leg work for you as far as finding positions and setting up interviews goes, which is good because if you are seeking a job in secret you can’t be doing this yourself while you are at work. Just be sure that the recruiter you are working with doesn’t represent the company you are trying to leave.
• Post an Ad: Instead of posting your resume with your name smattered all over it, try posting an ad instead. This may not garish as many interviews as some processes, but it does help to get the word out covertly that you are looking for a job and it lets any potential employers know exactly what you are looking for. To start you can place a ‘position wanted’ ad in your local newspaper but you shouldn’t stop there. Find a trade magazine or two within your industry and post the same ad there for increased exposure. Again, be sure that any publications that you post ads in are not in your current place of business.

While finding a job without it being a secret is hard enough, doing it stealth like is even harder. However, with a little finesses and some determination you can conduct a job search in secret and still be successful doing so.

Why Your Resume will be Thrown Away

2010-02-07T12:03:00.000-07:00

You know you need a strong resume in order to get considered for a job, but there are a number of factors that will have your resume thrown away faster then it lands on the potential employer’s desk for consideration. Knowing what not to put on your resume and what mistakes to avoid can mean the difference of the sound of your phone ringing for an interview or the sound the trash can makes when your resume hits it.

Really what you put in your resume is what will determine whether or not the potential employer will be interested enough in you to call you in for an interview, so you want your resume to be strong and filled with useful information that will allow the potential employer to get a true glimpse into that which is you.

Conversely, there are things that you want to omit and there are things that you want to be sure are right or your resume may get trashed. Here are some things that will get your resume thrown away and thus are things you want to avoid:

• Bad Grammar and Misspellings: It is not enough to simply do a spell check at the end of your resume writing day. In order to be sure that your resume is spelling and grammar perfect you have to edit, edit, and then edit some more. After you have reviewed it, give it someone you know to review it. Remember, you only get one shot at making a great impression with your resume so make it count.
• Use of Slang: No matter how hip and cool you may be, don’t use slang terms in your resume. This can turn off a potential employer rather quickly and have them filing your resume at the bottom of their trash can. Because you are trying to get a job you should be writing in a professional tone and save the slang for your personal life.
• Lack of Relevancy: When a potential employer reads your resume you want them to think of all the reasons you would be perfect for the job. If your resume is filled with all sorts of irrelevant information in regards to the job in which you are applying for then it will likely not get to see the light of day.
• Sloppiness: When you read through something you want it to be nice and neat and broken up so that it is easy and pleasant to read right? Well that is precisely what a potentials employer will be looking for as well. If you turn in a resume that has no logic or structure to it, it will not be pleasant to read and probably won’t get much attention at all.

In today’s job market there are going to be a good number of people that want the same job that you are after. A potential employer will cut to the chase as quickly as possible so that they can get to the most qualified applicants right away. If your resume is not in ship shape then you will not get a consideration and your resume along with many others will see nothing but the dumpster.

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Best Websites for Employment Articles

2010-02-07T11:58:00.000-07:00

It seems that when you are hunting for a job everyone has a piece of advice to give, but what are the best websites for gaining valuable employment advice that is free for the taking? Simply conducting a Google or Ping search for ‘employment advice’ will yield you far too many choices to weed through and you could spend the better part of a week trying to decide which websites will offer you the best advice in your quest for employment.

While the choices are vast when it comes to websites that offer quality employment advice there are several that seem to always stand out on any list that ever gets compiled. These websites are easy to use and are full of valuable information that is sure to help you find you way in the crazy employment market that is currently taking place. Here is a breakdown of the top websites for employment advice:

• Careerbuilder.com: Careerbuilder.com has a section for both people who are looking for a job as well as a section for employers who are looking to hire. Additionally, the website offers free advice on both sided of the employment gauntlet and is a very interactive and easy to use website. Because Careerbuilders.com works with some of the top employment agencies in the world the advice they give is both in depth and plentiful. Once on the home page there is an ‘advice and resources’ button that will take you to a section filled with various tid bits of information broken down by certain categories.
• Monster.com: You may already know that Monster.com is a great place to post your resume online and have it be available to thousands of potential employers, but you may not know that they have a special section with employment articles for giving job seekers advice on finding the perfect job. On the home page of the website you will see a tab that is labeled ‘advice.’ One click is all it will take and you will then be led to a smorgasbord of information, tips, tricks, and the like, all designed with one thing in mind; helping you get a job.
• HotJobs.com: HotJobs.com works in conjunction with Yahoo and they too have a special section filled with all kinds of resources that you can use to help you obtain a job. On the home page they have a button labeled ‘career tools’ which will take you to a section loaded with helpful information. Along with advice on finding a job, you will also be able to take advantage of the advice they offer on everything from preparing the perfect resume to what to expect in a job interview.

While there are a lot more websites that offer free employment articles online there will not be any others that offer the amount and quality that these three do. Because they are such big names and work with big corporations, recruiters, and a huge data base of people looking for work they are filled with an endless supply of knowledge that can be tapped whenever you want for free.

Government Resume Guidelines

2010-02-07T10:54:00.000-07:00

Because going to work for the Government is totally different then going to work in the private sector it therefore makes sense that a Government resume will be totally different as well. In order to give yourself the best possible chance at landing the Government position of your dreams you have to be sure that you are following proper guidelines with your Government resume.

Federal recruiters will grade your Government Resume using a very specific point system based on the FQS, or Federal Qualifications Standard method. Using this method the recruiters will match the most qualified applicant according to education and related work experience. Therefore it is of utmost importance that you follow the guidelines to the letter if you wish to have your resume reviewed.

Each Government resume must be structured so it will follow the Government guidelines and has to basically be custom tailored around the specific job announcement and must also include all the information that the announcement requires.

Though it is said that the standard resume should be no longer than a page unless absolutely necessary, a Government resume will contain much more needed information and will therefore be much longer. Here is what must be in every Government resume:

• Information about the Job: This will include the announcement number of the job and the job title.
• Your Information: You will be required to give your name, contact information, your social security number, and your country of citizenship.
• Government Experience: If you have any past Government experience you will be required to provide the highest grade you attained.
• Other Education: You will list all degrees you have obtained along with any training specific to the job posting.
• Your Experience: Here is the perfect opportunity for you to list anything and everything that is relevant and will show that you are the perfect candidate for the specific job posting. If you have relevant work experience in the private sector that will translate over to the Government job you are trying to get then be sure to list that.
• Everything Else: You can also list if you are a veteran. You will want to further include anything else that is relevant to the job announcement. Do not include anything that is irrelevant even if it is an outstanding award. Nothing gets a Government resume tossed faster than irrelevant information.

These days Government recruiters use a keyword searching software called Resumix in order to help weed through the sometimes hundreds of resumes that are turned in for one Government job posting. For this reason it is important that you use specific keywords that will relate to the job posting so that your resume has a better chance of standing out.

Depending on the job posting you may also need to obtain and fill out all the pertinent KSAs –Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities- and then turn those in with your Government resume. If KSAs are required, it will be listed as such in the job announcement.

While a Government resume is certainly more time consuming and much more detail oriented in comparison with a traditional resume, you must follow the guidelines for success. Failure to do so will have you disqualified at a rather fast pace and leave you to have to wait for the next time your dream Government job opens up.

Career Advice for College Graduates

2010-01-25T19:26:00.000-07:00

Nothing beats the feeling of putting in your time and studying your tail off and becoming a college graduate; that is until you realize that you now have to find a career. The good news is you have a degree and are already off to a great start in the wonderful world of work. The bad news is you are ‘wet behind the ears,’ have no experience, and are about to embark on a job hunting expedition in one of the toughest job markets in the history of the country.

While having you degree is certainly nice just remember, it does not guarantee you a job. Here are some friendly suggestions for you when you are seeking your new career path:

• Aim High but Appropriately: Don’t try to become the president of the company right out of the box. You have to realize that you may have to start as entry level. Even though you have a degree you will still need to work your way up to some extent. Once you get your foot in the door of the company you are interested in then you can use your skills and ability to quickly climb the corporate ladder if that is your desire. But nothing in life comes easy; you have to be willing to work for it.

• Create Experience: If you are trying to get into an industry that requires ‘experience’ how are you supposed to get that experience without obtaining the job? Get creative here and think outside the box. You can volunteer within the industry and this can give you some much needed experience for your resume. Another way to learn but also earn is to try to find an internship in your chosen profession. While these ways will not make you rich, they will give you the experience you need to get a better position down the road.

• Don’t Get Frustrated: Again this is one of the toughest job markets to date. If you find that you are not being considered for the jobs you want, don’t get discouraged and give up. Keep at it. Tenacity is the name of the game, especially in a weaker job market.

• Be Open Minded: While a college degree certainly looks great on your resume you should always be open to the idea of furthering your education. This can be in the way of job specific schooling or training or even in a couple of online college classes that will help you in your chosen career industry. One thing you can never have too much of when it comes to work is knowledge.

• Find your Passion: If you find yourself on a career path that is not to your liking then you may need to consider a change. Even if you think you may want to go one way, once you are there you may want to go another. There is nothing wrong with this and being happy at what you do for a living goes a long way in being happy in life.

While it may have seemed like an eternity to get to where you are now, your life has just begun. Enjoy the fact that you have accomplished your goal of obtaining a college degree, but do not revel too long. You have many other accomplishments to look forward to in your life and your chosen career path so get out there and go get them.

Read the latest career advice articles on the web's premiere Employment magazine.

Finding a Government Job – Offline is the Key

2010-01-25T19:20:00.000-07:00

Before you can polish up your Government resume and start practicing what you will say at your Government job interview you have to know where to find a Government job opportunity and many times offline is the key. This may take some getting used to terms of thinking as many people these days find anything and everything they are looking for online through the wonderful World Wide Web. While the Internet remains a great source to look for a Government job it should be complimented greatly with an offline search as well.

There are several ways to go about looking for a Government job offline and the method that best suits you will all be determined by the type of person you are. Here are some different ways in which you can work the offline angle in an effort to find a Government job:

• Network: No this doesn’t mean ‘computer network.’ This means networking with anyone and everyone you know and getting the fact that you are seeking a Government job out there. This is where you have to really rack your brain. Who do you know that might be able to help you in your Government job search? Perhaps a friend who is already working for the government at any level? This type of friend could prove to be n invaluable resource as they will know the process of getting a Government job and may be able to point you in the right direction as far to where to look and who to talk to.

• Government Buildings: If you live near a Government building then it definitely pays to take the time and visit. There you will almost always find a bulletin board that has postings of Government jobs available right in your own back yard. If you have trouble finding this ask the receptionist at the help desk where in the building it is. They will show you where to find the bulletin board and may also be able to tell you what other Government buildings in the area have the same thing. These bulletin boards are a great way to get a jump on the competition because the job postings usually go up on the bulletin board before they go live online and some never make it to the web whatsoever.

• Job Fairs: Yes the Government takes advantage of job fairs too. A job fair can be a wonderful opportunity for you to not only see what Government jobs are available, but they also allow you the opportunity to ask questions directly to the recruiters themselves. This is a golden opportunity for you to find out what a specific job will entail, what will be expected of you, and what the review board will be looking for. It also gives you yet another opportunity to network.

Going online is great and it certainly saves a huge amount of time and energy for many instances, but it has its place. If you want to find a Government job you have to pull out all the stops. Not only should you be conducting your hunt online but you should also be getting out of your cocoon and conducting your search offline as well; and offline is really the key.

Learn how to write a proper government resume before you apply for any government job.

Make Your Federal Resume Stand Out

2010-01-22T18:43:00.000-07:00

Making your Federal resume stand out is of utmost importance if you are hoping to land that Federal position you have your eye on. It is not enough to just turn in a Federal resume in the proper format any more, though that does help. In order for a Federal resume to be useful it must be concise, clear, to the point, and most of all relevant to the position you are applying for.

You have to understand that there will be many, possibly hundreds, of other applicants and without a Federal resume that really pops you probably won’t make it very far in the eyes of the reviewers. Here are some ways that you can really make your Federal resume stand out from the rest that will be on the pile:

• Be Truthful: While you never want to lie on any resume you especially don’t want to lie on a Federal resume; it is the government for crying out loud. Their resources are vast and your information will be checked so be honest with yourself and if you are not qualified for a position, then don’t apply.
• Be Relevant: You may have all sorts of great information that you can out on your Federal resume, but if it is not relevant to the job posting, then leave it out. It doesn’t matter what information you give, it needs to be relevant as irrelevant information will see your Federal resume hit the bottom of the trash can fast.
• Be Concise: Yes you certainly want to stand out but if you use too many big words and phrases you may come off as a bit of a show off or know it all. This has a tendency to annoy the reviewers and if you do that your chances of landing your dream Federal job are going to be very slim.
• Mold and Create: A Federal resume is not like a regular resume in that there is no ‘one size fits all.’ With Federal resumes you have to create and mold the resume to be all about the job posting you are applying for. Instead of thinking of your Federal resume in a cookie cutter approach, think of it in a custom made approach.
• Mention all Strengths: No matter how much relevance you may think you have included in your Federal resume, try to find some more. You have to look beyond schooling as everyone applying will have similar qualifications in this area. What makes you stand out? Perhaps some relevant volunteer work? Whenever you get the chance to mention a strength that is relevant to the posting you should take full advantage and do so.
• Use Proper Formatting: remember that this is a Federal resume and is going to require a unique format that will not be the same as your standard resume. Be sure that you are turning in your Federal resume in the proper format so that your resume has a fair chance of being viewed.

Now more than ever, the Federal resume is lending a lot of weight as to who gets a Federal job and who gets left out in the cold. Be sure that your Federal resume is done right and that it really pops in order to give yourself the best possible chance of landing that Federal position that you have always wanted.

What is Resumix and how do I Use it?

2010-01-07T10:33:00.002-07:00

Agencies such as the Army, Navy, Coast Guard, Air Force, and the Department of Commerce now rely on a resume system known as Resumix to aid in the hiring process. The implementation of this system was done to help ease the recruitment process on both the recruit and the recruiter side. A Resumix resume is much different than that of a traditional resume in regards to the layout as the Resumix resume will later be scanned instead of reviewed by a person and the scanning software will only be looking for certain keywords and phrases.

Resumix resumes are submitted online and kept in a database regardless of whether or not they contain the proper information. However, if you do submit a Resumix resume that is not properly formatted it will never see the light of day or be reviewed.

To take advantage of the Resumix resume program you need to use an online resume builder to submit your information and thus create a Resumix resume. This process actually eliminates the need for KSAs to be submitted in some, but not all, circumstances. The nice thing about having your Resumix resume stored is that you can apply for multiple positions using the same resume by utilizing a self-nomination process.

Resumix will automatically match the skills you have listed with the skills that are required form a certain posting so it is of utmost importance that your Resumix resume contains all the relevant information and keywords. For this reason it is best to spell out certain skills and don’t get too simple or complex with any verbiage.

Now here’s the trick; you have to write your Resumix resume so that it will first catch the attention of the computer scanning software, but it must also be written so that a person can understand it. This is because the Resumix system only eliminates human interaction at the first level and once a resume is flagged for review, it is an actual person who will be conducting the review before an interview is granted. This can be easier said than done, but fortunately there are a number of services online today that offer Resumix resume help.

Obtaining help from a professional may be a route you want to consider as you will want to make sure that you have a well written Resumix resume that can appeal to the scanning software and the reviewer as well, but more than that there are certain rules for Resumix resumes depending on what agency you wish to apply for. For example the Navy Resumix will allow you to submit five pages, but the Army Resumix will only allow you to submit three. Here again, if you don’t do it right, you don’t stand a chance.

While it was designed to both streamline and ease the hiring process, Resumix can be somewhat confusing. Working with a professional Resumix resume writer can help you to ensure that the resume you submit will not only be accepted, but also viewed; hopefully multiple times.

Learn more government resume tips.

Government Resume Writing Tips

2010-01-07T10:32:00.002-07:00

Government resume writing needs to be clear, concise and to the point. More than that though, your government resume has to be relevant to the Federal job you are applying for. With the upcoming phasing out of the KSAs it is now more important than ever to make sure that your government resumes is a custom fit for the position you seek.

Here are some government resume writing tips to remember when preparing yours:

• Mold your government resume: Adapt your government resume to fit the position you are applying for. Nothing is a quicker death when seeking a Federal job than a resume that has no relevance to the position. This will increase in importance once the KSAs are totally phased out.

• Keep it clear: You definitely want your government resume to stand out, but don’t get carried away. Use words and phrases that are clear cut, concise, and to the point. Don’t get caught up using phrases that are too complex as this can vex a potential Federal employer.

• Condense: Instead of long drawn out paragraphs, fill your government resume with indented bullet points and focused statements. The idea is to get the potential Federal employer to read your entire resume and not to bore them.

• Highlight your strengths: Mention your relevant strengths in any way you can. This may be done by more than job experience, like with volunteer work you have done or your specific education background. If you have a chance to mention a relevant strength, do so.

• Eliminate irrelevant information: Even if the information is favorable to you, if it has absolutely no relevance to the Federal job you are applying for, don’t bother with it.

• Avoid clutter: If you are reading something you want it to be easy to read and not cluttered up right? The same goes for the individuals reviewing your government resume. Be sure to use spaces between sections and use headings to organize all of the different details on your government resume. An easy to read resume will get reviewed long before one that is cluttered.

• Don’t lie: This is a good rule of thumb for anything in life, but especially when writing your government resume. There is nothing wrong with making yourself sound good, but be careful that you don’t exaggerate the truth or flat out lie. The last thing you want is to get flagged for lying as this will no doubt lead to you looking elsewhere for employment.

• Use keywords and phrases: Use keywords and phrases that Federal employers like to see. A government resume chalk full of these keywords and phrases will get more looks and thus more of a consideration for the position.

Remember, your government resume is your story and if not told properly you will find yourself on the outside looking in. With the soon to come phasing out of the KSAs, individuals will now have to be sure that their government resumes are up to speed. Ensuring that you have a well written and good looking government resume will ensure that you get more interviews, which will lead to the Federal job that you have always longed for.

Getting a Job without Experience

2010-01-06T12:56:00.000-07:00

If you are trying to find a new job but you lack the experience that many potential employers are looking for then you may be in for a frustrating time. There are however ways to get a job without prior experience it will simply take some tenacity, imagination, and patience on your part.

Filling out a million applications and submitting them will generally not work when you have little to no experience to offer anyone especially if you are shooting too high and are expecting too much right out of the gates. But you can perform certain tasks before you ever apply for a job that will help you be more appealing in the eyes of potential employers. Here are a few tips to help you beat the ‘no experience’ conundrum:

• Volunteer: One of the easiest ways to gain valuable experience is to volunteer in a field that will teach you the skills you need to have in order to obtain a certain job. For example, if you want to become a customer service representative somewhere then volunteer at a homeless shelter to serve food. This will give you plenty of experience dealing with people and you can then use this experience to try to land the job you are after.
• Look for Internships: Ever heard of the term, ‘Climb the corporate ladder?’ Instead of going for the gusto and applying for a job in which you have zero qualifications, apply to be an intern for that position. If you want to become a radio personality, apply to be an intern at a radio station for a summer. You won’t get paid much, but what you will gain is valuable skills which will later translate into experience and possibly a great paying job in the field you are interested in.
• Start small: This goes with the last point. Instead of thinking you are going to become the president of the company in the first year, do whatever it takes to get your foot in the door. If you have to work in the mail room for a little while, do that. Once your foot is in the door you can begin to explore other opportunities at the company. Many companies like to promote within and if you show you are willing to start at the bottom and that you are a hard worker and a fast learner then you have a great chance of making it to the top one day. The business world is full of stories like this such as a regional manger of a grocery store chain starting out as a bag boy with the company and working his way to the top after years of hard work and dedication. Sometimes, it is all about loyalty.

It is possible to find a job without any experience; it just may not be the job you want for the long term. But by implementing your imagination and a little thing called patience you too can have the job of your dreams; it just might take a bit longer than you anticipated.

Read resume writer reviews to find the best service for your needs.

Job Interviewing After 50

2010-01-06T12:51:00.000-07:00

If you are over the age of 50 and are actively seeking a new job you may have noticed that it is harder than you ever remember finding a job. You may have heard terms such as you are overqualified and the like but what it all boils down to is that many 30 something year olds don’t want to hire someone who reminds them of their parents.

If you are finding it increasingly difficult to interview, fear not, there is hope for you yet to land a great job and age has nothing to do with it. Basically it is all in how you present yourself. Here is how you too can improve your chances in an interview even if you are over 50:

• Sell Yourself: When in an interviewer it is important to try to sell yourself by giving yourself a brand image. This will address the ever important question that all interviewers ask themselves, ‘What’s in it for me?’ This brand image should be summarized in a few short sentences and address the issues of who you are, what your biggest strengths are, and most importantly what you bring to the table.
• Show Passion: Never have the attitude that you are desperate for work and instead approach the interview as though this is something you have wanted to do your whole life. If you show that you are indeed passionate about learning and working it will convey your commitment as a hard worker and will likely garner more good than bad.
• Down Play the Long Term: Many employers today are looking for a quick fix to their employee problems and are not really interested in how long you plan on staying with the company. Instead of harping on the fact that you are a long term player, harp on your skills and show the potential employer how you can be the quick fix they are looking for. Worry about your longevity at the company later; just get your foot in the door first.
• Don’t Talk too Much: Because you have worked in the ‘field’ for so many generations you undoubtedly have many wonderful sorties to share, but the interview may not be the best place to do so. Stick to answering what is asked of you and save your stories for the water cooler after you get the job.
• Talk Money: There is saying that money talks; it actually screams. Money trumps everything including your age so make sure that you convey to the potential employer what you can do for the money you expect. Bottom line is, that if you offer more bang for their buck then they probably won’t care how old you are.

Finding a job at any age can be a real challenge and the challenge only gets tougher as your age progresses. But if you approach an interview with a sound strategy using the tips provided you can have the potential employer thinking more about your skills and how those skills can help the company than they are thinking about your age.

Get more job search advice at JobGoRound.com, which provides job search tips, interview advice, and resume service reviews.

Job Blogs worth Reading

2010-01-06T12:45:00.000-07:00

A great way to get a leg up on the competition when seeking out a new job is to see what the job blogs have to offer. If you conduct a Google, Yahoo, or Bing search looking for job blogs you will be bombarded with millions of returns. Some are worth reading every single day and most are quite simply a waste of your time, but how do you know which job blogs are worth reading?

While you can always go onto the bigger job sites such as Career Builder and Mosnster.com to read over their blogs, those tend to be a bit more impersonal. Here are some job blogs that will provide you with a wealth of information using some traditional methods and some not so traditional methods:

• Personal Branding: This blog is all about helping you to brand yourself and your image. These days it is not enough to have great skills and a wonderful resume. Employers are now going after those who can best ‘market’ themselves and their skills and convey why they will make the perfect fit for the position.
• CAREEREALISM: The creator of this blog states that it was created because the old methods of job searching simply don’t work anymore. The blog has many video entries and often features guest blogs by some of the top names in the job seeking industry. The blog offers cutting edge advice on first finding, then keeping a great job.
• JobGoRound: The author of this blog writes ideas and tips for those looking to shift gears in their career life. Because staying at the same job for a lifetime is a notion that is not seen much these days it is important to know when to look for other opportunities and how to go about it.
• Penelope Trunk’s Brazen Careerist: Trunk is known for her ability to use personal experiences within the blog and offers a lot of conventional wisdom about career choices. She also tells it like it is and never candy-coats anything which is a refreshing change from many of the job blogs out today.
• Punk Rock HR: The author of this blog has done time for various Fortune 500 companies and writes about those experiences in the blog. HR, which is an acronym for human resources, is often the first point of contact for someone seeking a job at a company. The author’s witty and often funny insight sheds light on the other side of the fence helping you be prepared for what is to come and what is to be expected of you.

Once again there are many other job blogs that you can view but you will be hard-pressed to find many that rival the wit, talent, and flat out accuracy of these job blogs. While a good job tip is a good job tip, a good job blog is an almost endless supply of good job tips and will help even the most novice of job seekers find a career that they can really sink their teeth into.

Learn more job search strategies on the JobGoRound.com job search blog.

Fastest Growing Career Fields

2010-01-06T12:37:00.000-07:00

Whether you are just entering the workforce or you are a seasoned pro who is looking for a change of pace, it helps to know what the fastest growing career fields are. Entering a fast growing career field means that you will have plenty of room for advancement and that your job will not be in danger of going anywhere any time soon.

While the list of fast growing career fields seems to be subject to change with every passing year, there are some fields that appear to be standing the test of time and are consistently making all the top job lists. These career fields include:

• Health Care: As the baby-boomers begin to show their age the demand for health care will be steadily increasing. Registered nurses are typically at the front of the line when it comes to top job openings in the field, but the future will bring the need for many areas of medicine. While many positions in the health care industry do require a lot of schooling, others simply require a two-year degree or less.
• Technology: Because the world of technology is always changing there will always be new career opportunities for those who are tech savvy. What is common place today such as cellular phones and lap top computers were taboo not 25 years ago. The future will inevitably always be bringing more technologies to the forefront and those who get involved early will probably be best rewarded.
• Law Enforcement: The needed increase in law enforcement is unfortunately a product of our environment. With the threat of terror attacks and crime on the rise due to poor economic conditions, many openings will be available in the law enforcement area. From homeland security, to prison guard, and everything in between each will carry a heavy weight of responsibility but will also help to keep the country and local communities safe.
• Science: Thanks in large part to technology, science will probably find its way on this list more times than not. New advances in genetics and other areas of high tech science will create a multitude of opportunities for those with an analytical mind.
• Education: As the populating seems to be making a comeback and there are now more children in daycare then in recent history then it stands to reason that once those children reach the age to attend elementary school, there will be an increased need for teachers. If you are not interested in becoming a teacher, there will be other area such as teacher’s aides, special education assistants, and physical education instructors that will also need to be addressed by the school system in America.

While each job on the list represents its own set of standards and requirements, they also represent terrific opportunities to get into a field that is rapidly advancing now and will more than likely be advancing in the future as well. As the years go on and new job markets come and go, these jobs will always have a need to be filled and can give you a great career that will not soon fade away.

Get more career advice at JobGoRound.com, which provides job search tips, interview advice, and resume service reviews.

Writing a Stay at Home Mom Resume

2009-12-12T10:36:00.000-07:00

When you are a full time mom and you are about to re-enter the workforce you will have to create a great looking resume, as does anyone these days, to ensure you will get plenty of calls from potential employers for interviews. The problem is that you will have gaps in your resume when it comes to the work history portion of the resume and you may be a bit apprehensive as to how to fill in those gaps.

While no employer likes to see time gaps there is a certain way to go about filling in those gaps and there is a certain way not to fill in those gaps. Here is what you should and shouldn’t do in relation to the time gaps on your resume:

• Don’t get cute: Don’t get cute and use terms like, ‘mom’s taxi’ or ‘housekeeping specialist’ as these terms may not go over so well with some potential employers. There is no doubt that deciding to stay home with your kids in the first several years of their lives is an admirable thing to do but not everyone will think this way. Many potential employers may not like the fact that you got to stay at home with your kids because perhaps they did not and when you use cute terms to highlight the fact that you did get to stay at home it may be taken as a face rubbing of sorts.

• Try to find relevance: Use your noggin; did you do anything during your time out of the workforce that could be construed as work related? Maybe you were on the board of the PTA in which case you could cite the countless hours of volunteer work that you did and put that down. Maybe you took an online class in which case you can tell about how you took the time to further your education. Get creative in this instance but remember to always tell the truth.

• Don’t leave it blank: However you decide to go about writing your mom resume don’t leave the time that you stayed at home with the kids blank. While time gaps can be tough as it is to explain, a potential employer will not want to see a huge gap and may think that you simply didn’t want to work or maybe even that you have something to hide when they see a huge time gap left blank. It is always better to put down something over nothing.

When being a full time mom there were probably many instances where you had to get creative and improvise. Well filling out your mom resume is no different. Use your head and think before you write and there is bound to be something that you can put down to fill in the gaps. If you raised kids full time for several years this should not be any more challenging than that was for you. Make it sound good and professional and then explain your case once you have the interview locked up.

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Requirements for SES Positions

2009-12-04T10:21:00.000-07:00

Senior Executive Service, or SES, is a group of people who are responsible for administering public programs at the top levels of Federal government. Because these jobs are so limited and so well compensated they are highly sought after positions. Though there is only one hire per job posting, there may be many who will apply. So what exactly are the requirements to obtain an SES position?

All SES candidates must meet two distinct types of requirements before being considered for any SES position. Every SES position requires candidates to meet Executive Core Qualifications, or ECQs, and each individual job posting must be met with qualifications that are specific to that particular job. Here is a further breakdown:

• ECQs: The ECQs are made up of five core components that all candidates must possess in order to qualify for an SES position. These components are:

1. Leading Change: This is the ability to organize thoughts and execute the visions during an ever changing environment.
2. Leading People: This means that the candidate must display that they can not only lead people in a work environment but also have the ability to help develop others, incorporate teamwork amongst co-workers, and settle disputes quickly.
3. Results Driven: This is the ability to analyze risk and problems and be able to come up with a decision that will produce high quality results.
4. Business Acumen: This is the ability to be able to strategically handle human resources, financial resources, and information resources all at the same time.
5. Building Coalitions: This is the ability to work with different levels of the government at the Federal, state, and even local levels and get all to work in unison towards the same goals.

• Job Specific: Depending on what the job is there may be some specific qualifications that must be met in order to qualify for that job. The requirements may be technical, educational, or professional. If there are specific requirements that must be met for a specific SES position then those requirements will be listed on the job posting which is found at different agencies vacancy announcements. It is recommended that if you do not have the specific qualifications that are being asked for on a particular job posting that you don’t even apply for the position. Again, there will be many who apply and only those that meet all the qualifications will be considered.

A review board will take all the completed applications and review the ECQs and job specific qualification to help determine who is best suited for the position that is being filled. If you are in consideration for one of these positions then you will know that you are among the best of the best.

If you are considering applying for an SES position and you posses all the ECQs and can meet job specific qualifications then go ahead and apply for the spot. Just be sure that you are filling out the application the right way and that you have all the proper paperwork accompanying your application as another qualification to getting an SES position is following all the red tape procedures to the letter.

Consider using a professional SES resume service to assist you with applying for SES positions.

How to Find the Best Resume Writer

2009-12-04T10:12:00.000-07:00

Your resume is the window to yourself and a well written resume will ensure that you have the best possible chance of getting the job that you are after. While you may be the best at what you do you may not be the best at writing a resume and there is no shame in that fact, but fear not because there are plenty of well qualified professional resume writers who can write your resume for you in such an eloquent way and leave you with what you need to stand out from the rest of the crowd in the eyes of potential employers. So how do you find the best resume writer?

Simply executing an online search for resume writer will leave you with thousands of options to choose from and you need to know what to look for in order to ensure you are getting a quality resume writer. Here are some things to consider when deciding on the best resume writer for you:

• Do they have samples: A good resume writer will have plenty of samples of work they have done in the past for you to look at. Be sure that you are happy with the style and tone of the resume writers writing before you hire them for the job.

• Can they write in the style of your profession: It should be noted that a government resume is different from a managerial resume and they are both different from a medical resume. The point is that many resumes call for many resume writing styles. Be sure that the resume writer you are considering has plenty of experience in writing resumes for your field.

• How long have they been around: Because of the Internet and the ease of creating a website, many resume writing companies are popping up but are nothing more than a flash in the pan. You want to go with a reputable resume writer who has been in the business for a number of years. If you find a resume writer that has been in the game for many years then you will know that they are able to adapt to the ever changing standards of how resumes are to be written and keep up to date with their chosen profession.

• Are they accredited: There are a number of different designations that a resume writer can obtain and if you see one or more of these credentials then you can feel good knowing that the resume writer had to pass many standards and be in the business for several years before they could get the designation. With so many resume writers out there these days, it is silly not to go with an accredited one.

Lastly you should consider the price of the resume writer’s services. But before you consider price, know what you are getting for that price. Many times in life you get what you pay for and a resume writer is a classic example of that. Working with a good resume writer will give you a leg up on the competition and a great shot at career success.

How to Annoy Hiring Managers

2009-11-29T13:45:00.000-07:00

In today’s job market it is more important than ever to know the types of things that will annoy hiring managers so that you can avoid them at all costs. It’s hard enough to get your foot in the door at a company that you may be interested in let alone to give the kind of interview that sweeps the hiring manager off of their feet and the last thing you want to do is express a certain body language or mannerism that will annoy the heck out a hiring manager and have them counting the seconds down until you leave.

As far as what you need to say and how you need to say it, that is something you will have to perfect on your own, but if you want to annoy a hiring manager and almost ensure that you will not get the job here is what to do:

• Show up late: If you can’t be on time to an interview do you really think that the hiring manager is going to believe that you are going to show up on time for work? Always show up a few minutes early for an interview unless you want to get off on the immediate wrong foot with the hiring manager.
• Chew gum: If you really want to get on someone’s nerves march right into the interview and chew your gum like a cow chews on its cud. Gum can be a great idea on the way to the interview to keep your breath fresh, but get rid of it out before you even walk in the door to the place you are applying. No one wants to hear the sound of gum smacking while they are trying to conduct an interview.
• Check your watch frequently: If you have a habit of checking your watch frequently and you do so in an interview you will give the impression that you have some other place you would rather be. Even if you do have some place better to be, you certainly don’t want to convey that in the interview. If you are a watch checker then it is best to leave that watch at home.
• Rest your chin on your hands: This says to the hiring manager, ‘Hey this is really boring and I’d rather be anywhere else other than here listening to you.’ If this is what you want to convey then go for it but if you do the hiring manager is likely to grant your wish and send you packing very early.
• Slouch in your chair: A sure way to tick off a hiring manager is to slouch down on your chair and get all cozy. Remember, you are there trying to get a job not to take a nap. Sit up straight and be attentive.

The bottom line is to get a leg up on all the applicants that will be interviewed you have to come off as special. Avoid annoying the hiring manager and act your best and success is sure to follow. Of course if annoying a hiring manager is your ultimate goal you can always just light up a cigarette; that’ll have them seeing red.

Get more career advice on the JobGoRound.com job search blog.

When to Break Resume Writing Rules

2009-11-29T13:34:00.000-07:00

Everything that you traditionally learn about writing resumes has you following a certain set of rules, but as with many rules of the world, resume rules were made to be broken; sometimes. Though it is not suggested that you go off on a tangent and totally retro-fit your resume in some new cosmic way there are certain times when it is okay to bend the rules just a bit.

Bending resume rules is done all the time though most of the time not on purpose. There are some hard and fast resume rules that simply should not be broken such as having typos and bad grammar, but here are a few examples of resume rules and when it is acceptable to bend them:

• RULE; Don’t apply for a position that you are not qualified for: Even if you don’t have the experience that may be required for a job, you may have something even better in the eyes of an employer; personality and charisma. Employers know that there are certain things that can and cannot be taught in the workplace. If you possess all the skills that can’t be taught such as being a team player, showing leadership, having a great attitude, and so on you may get the position over someone who has the experience but lacks the social skills. When translating this on your resume, don’t focus on writing about your lack of skill, but rather hone in on all the reasons you would be a perfect fit for the company.

• RULE; Avoid fancy formatting on your resume: While it is a standard rule that you should not write a resume that is cluttered or confusing and instead stay plain and simple, sometimes that just won’t cut the mustard. If you are applying for a creative position such as in design you may need to get a little creative in order to stand out from the rest of the crowd. This can be as simple as a sprinkling of font here and there on your resume that is inspired by the company’s website in which you are applying for.

• RULE; Keep your resume to one page: This is another general rule that can indeed be broken. If you are just starting out in your work life then you will not have much to put down on your resume and so it is not necessary to fill two or three pages full of fluff that is not relevant or interesting. But if you have a lot of experience and accomplishments that have been gathered in your 20 plus years in the workforce then you may have to give more than one page for your resume. Just be sure that your resume content is relevant to the job in which you are applying for or the industry that the job is in and avoid being too boastful. Never leave out a relevant accomplishment that may set your resume on the top of the pile –even if it is a bit longer than the rest.-

Play within the guidelines of resume writing rules for your best shot at getting the interviews you desire, but don’t be afraid to play in those grey areas from time to time. Remember, your resume is your foot in the door so to speak, so you have to be sure it will sizzle and pop; even if a rule or two must be broken.

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What Kinds of Design Jobs are There?

2009-11-29T13:14:00.000-07:00

If you are a graphic design student or have just graduated with a fresh degree and are wondering what kind of jobs are available in the world of design you may be in for a surprise. There are a number of different design jobs that can be acquired by people with the right set of skills and proper motivation but finding them can be a whole different ball game. However it does help to know what you are looking for before you begin your search.

Asking what kind of design jobs is available is sort of like asking someone to say how many colors exist. There are a number of different job opportunities in the design industry and many jobs are simply ‘shades’ of another. Here are some of the more common jobs that can be found in the design industry:

• Graphic Designers: As the name would imply a graphic designer will of course design stuff, but there are a number of different jobs within the sector that can be found. These include junior designers, middleweight designers, senior designers, art directors, creative directors, and web designers. Each position represents a different level of designer and you can gather from the names which designers will carry more weight –and salary- over the others.

• Artworkers: This is the job that started out years ago as what was known as graphic artists and these people are the ones who do a lot of the less creative work in a design studio. Nowadays these types of people may be referred to as ‘Mac Operators’ as with the advent of the computer, these jobs are usually accomplished easier and more efficiently with a Mac laptop at the ready.

• Design Management: These types of design jobs can range anywhere from creative hands on to hands off managing of accounts and everything in between. Job titles in this category usually are found in the way of production managers, project managers, studio managers, producers, and design managers. Again, each title will carry a different responsibility and a different rate of pay.

Of course there a ton of other jobs that are available in the design industry but many of them simply carry a different title but the work is the same as one of the jobs listed above.

Not sure what area to go into? Do some research online about what each of these jobs entails and more importantly, what they pay, and how much room for advancement there is. A great way to get your feet wet with all that the design industry has to offer is to intern at a studio if you are still in school. If you are already out of school then maybe make a visit to a few studios and check things out for yourself and above all else ask questions.

The world of design is certainly one that is filled with a multitude of opportunities. All you have to do is figure out which opportunities you want to peruse and then go for it.

Find engineering, design, CAD, and other Solidworks jobs.

Social Media and Job Search

2009-11-18T19:09:00.000-07:00

Everywhere you look online there is some sort of social media. From FaceBook to LinkedIn to YouTube, everywhere you search you see examples of the latest online craze that is social media. While utilizing social media and social networking sites are a great way to connect with people and that have like interests, it can also be a great way to go about finding yourself a new job.

Social media offers a variety of ways that have never before been available to help people just like you who are looking for a job; you simply have to use your imagination to do so. Here are some ways to use social media to find a job:

• Create a video resume: You can create a video resume of yourself and upload it to social media sites such as YouTube. This can be a great way to have hundreds of people view it and really it only takes the one right person to see it in order to have you finding yourself with a job offer.

• Use LinkedIn: LinkedIn is really gaining momentum and recruiters love the site because it is free to use and seems to be filled with all the best and brightest that the job market has to offer. To fully take advantage of LinkedIn be sure that you complete the profile section 100 percent.

• Twitter your way to a new job: If you have a Twitter account you can follow job recruiters and by utilizing the ‘@’ symbol you can directly communicate with them. This will allow you to stay up to date with all possible job openings that may be coming about. In order to follow anyone on Twitter you have to have a completed profile, so be sure that you take the time to do so.

• Network with FaceBook: FaceBook is not any a great place to recommend with past friends and school mates, it is also a great way to network yourself. Post a resume on your wall inside of FaceBook and then send a message to everyone in your friend’s list letting them know that you are looking for a job. You never know who knows who and if the right person sees your resume you could be hooked up with the job of your dreams in no time at all.

• Find job opening blogs: Just as there are a number of blogs that you can subscribe to that will keep you up to date with your favorite NFL team, there are also job blogs that will keep you up to date on job openings in your area. Use these blogs to their fullest potential and always be on the lookout for more job opening blogs to subscribe too.

While finding a job is not easy these days, you can increase your odds by using different avenues of social media. With the advent of the Internet, the job hunting game has changed and there are now, more than ever, many ways to utilize cyberspace in order to find the job of your dreams.

Visit JobGoRound.com, which provides job search tips, interview advice, and resume service reviews.

5 Phases of the Job Search Cycle

2009-11-12T11:11:00.000-07:00

When searching for a job it helps to think of the process as a cycle rather than a series of steps. This will allow you to constantly evolve the actions you take while performing the job search cycle as you need to due to going after different opportunities. Approaching your job hunt in the job search cycle way will make the sometimes daunting task of finding a job just a bit easier on you.

Basically there are five phases of the job search cycle. These five phases are broken down further below:

1. Get prepared: In this first phase you will need to first asses yourself and your goals. You need to figure out exactly what your skills are and what you want to do for a living. Once you have decided on what type of career you would like to peruse then you need to find out what employers in that field are looking for and what the current job market for that career filed is.

2. Get job leads: Phase two in the job search cycle is finding qualified job leads to go after. This phase requires you pulling out all the stops. You will need to network, look online at sites such as Monster.com and CareerBuilder.com, and you will also need to look in the newspaper. The more job leads you drum up the higher your chances of landing a job.

3. Apply for jobs: Phase three is the one that requires a good amount of time an effort on your part. Here is where you will be applying for all of the job leads you found. This phase requires you to create great looking cover letters, revamp your resume, and take the time to fill out any applications or online forms that may need to be completed.

4. Prepare for interviews: The fourth phase of the job search cycle is getting ready for all of the interviews that you will hopefully have coming your way. To do this you will need to practice what you will say and how you will say it. Interviewing yourself in front of a mirror is always a great exercise. You also need to prepare your reference list and your thank you letter ahead of any and all interviews.

5. Follow up and decide: Once you have gone through the first four phases of the job search cycle you will need to finish with the fifth phase, which is following up and deciding. Never wait too long after you have been interviewed to follow up as you may be forgotten. On the other hand, don’t call every ten minutes as you may come off as a bit annoying or pushy. Once you get a job offer it will then be up to you to either accept the job that a potential employer wants to give to you, or begin at the first phase of the job search cycle and keep going until you find what you are after.

Following the five phases of the job search cycle will not only make your job quest easier, it will also keep you better prepared no matter what comes your way.

Cover Letter Writing Guide – Where to Start and What to Say

2009-11-11T16:46:00.000-07:00

When you turn in your resume to a potential employer the first thing that they will see is your cover letter. Because your cover letter will be the first words read by the person deciding the fate of your dream job, you have to make sure that it sounds just as good as your resume. But where do you start and what do you say?

Your cover letter should be written in the typical business letter format and should address three general issues. The issues you will touch on are why you are writing via the first paragraph, what you have to offer via the second paragraph, and finally how you will follow up via the third and closing paragraph. These are broken down as follows:

• Why you are writing: In this first paragraph you need to convey to the reader why you are writing this cover letter and do it in such a way that you grab their attention. There are three different ways to go about writing this paragraph and they are:
1. Response to a posting: If you are responding to a posting that the company made be sure to indicate this in the first paragraph. You will also want to convey to them how you feel that you will be the perfect match for their position.
2. Prospecting Letter: This is an unsolicited response so you have to be even clearer as to why you are writing. Be sure to state your specific job objective in this section.
3. Networking letter: This type of cover letter will be written if you plan on approaching people for a job opportunity, so be sure your objective is clearly stated.
While it may be tempting to write a blanket cover letter and use it for all of the resumes you pass out, this is a big mistake. Be sure that the cover letter is tailored to a specific type of job and situation in which you are trying to get that job.
• What you have to offer: In the second paragraph of the cover letter you will want to convey to the potential employer exactly what it is you have to offer them. Key in on your accomplishments and abilities to solve potential problems and also be sure to show how your past work skills and education are transferable to the job in which you are applying.
• How you will follow up: Finish off the letter by telling the potential employer once more how enthusiastic you are about the job. You can either give them an e-mail address and phone number to reach you with or you can go bold and simply declare that you will call them at a specific time and date to set up an interview at a mutually convenient time. If you do that however, be sure you call when you say you will.

You can also put on the cover letter that references are available upon request, just be sure that you have your reference list ready if it is asked for. While the cover letter isn’t all that long, it needs to be written in a strong manner in order to get the potential employer to first look at your resume and then call you for an interview.

Tip: Start by using a sample cover letter. Your writing will be faster, easier, and more professional as a result.

Translating Your Military Skills into a Civilian Resume

2009-11-11T16:43:00.000-07:00

For many service men and women once they leave the military and head off to the private sector they have trouble translating military skills into civilian skills on their resumes. This can be especially troubling if you have served many long years in the military and are used to the acronyms and terms that are associated with military life. In some instances, you may not even know the civilian equivalent. But filling your resume with a lot of military jargon will be as complicated for a potential employer to understand as a resume handed in that is written in another language. So what do you do?

First of all, don’t panic. For every position and job in the military there are ways to translate those into civilian life, you just have to know how to speak the language. Here are some ways to go from a military mindset to a civilian tone:

• Don’t use acronyms: When including your military skills in your resume, don’t use acronyms. You may know that an E-5 means that you have direct command over five others, but to the laymen it is just a letter and a number. Instead of writing an acronym, say what it means and describe how you accomplished the feat.
• Translate terms: There are many terms that are simply military terms and the general public, including the person reading your resume, will have no idea what those terms mean. If you were in charge of the mess hall on a submarine and you put that down you may have someone thinking you were in charge of keeping a messy place in order. Instead write that you where the head chief in the dining hall as this will translate better in civilian terms. Another example would be translating battalion into 250 personnel.
• Translate rank: Rank can be very confusing when it comes to the military. A captain in one branch is going to be higher that another. Instead of stating your rank in military terms, try translating it into civilian terms. For example, instead of Commander use Supervisor, or instead of Lt. Colonel, use Executive Vice President.
• Match up your skills: Many times the job title that you were handed in the military will need to be translated and matched to civilian skills in order for the reviewer of your resume to understand what it is you did. For example if you were to say on your resume that you were a tank and weapons operator that dug ditches, you probably won’t get too far. However, if you dig deeper and list all those that you may have been in charge of training and how many people –troops- you supported in various countries and how your personal skills include logistics and operations, you are now not only sounding a lot better on the resume, but you are accurately describing your skills to the potential employer in civilian terms.

While you may never quite get used to civilian terms it is very important that you use them on your resume to help you be sure that you get the best possible job that you deserve once it is time for you to live a civilian life.

Learn more about how to write a military transition resume.

What Not to Say on Your Resume

2009-10-30T16:08:00.000-07:00

Sometimes writing a good resume is not about what you say, but more about what you do not say. Really writing a good resume is a delicate balance of both but there are certainly things that you will want to omit and should never be included on your resume.

Here are some things you should never put on your resume:

• Lies: The most important thing to remember with your resume is that you will want to be completely honest. It may be tempting to lie on your resume but keep in mind that it is getting easier and easier for potential employers to check what you say so be careful. If you have a criminal record you need to put it down as hiding the fact will only hurt you if you are caught. Likewise with your education, you need to be honest about your level of education as a simple check can uncover your dishonesty and cost you the potential job.
• Big embellishments: This is otherwise known as ‘stretching the truth.’ While not technically a lie, big embellishments can cost you a potential job as well. Never say something on your resume like, ‘Got along excellent with Bob Smith,’ if you really didn’t because the world of business is often a small one and you never know who knows who.
• Grammatical errors: Nothing says, ‘Don’t hire me,’ like grammatical errors. If you are not good at catching these then have someone else proof read your resume for you. Grammatical errors happen more often than you think so be sure that your resume is checked and rechecked.
• Unprofessional e-mail address: A great thing to have on your resume is an e-mail address where your contact information goes. Here is what the bad idea is; a non-professional e-mail address. If your e-mail address is something like love2party@whatever.com, a potential employer probably won’t view that as a clever e-mail, but simply as an unprofessional e-mail and your resume is likely to land at the bottom of the waste basket. If you do not have a normal e-mail address you can get a free e-mail account form Yahoo, Google, Msn, or a host of others. Create one only for your resumes and be sure it sounds professional like love2work@whatever.com.
• Phrases that don’t make sense: Be sure that the phrases you use on your resume make sense. Avoid words such as lurnt, ya’ll, and other slang words that will make a sentence sound off. Instead of ‘I lurnt how to program computers,’ use ‘I learned how to program computers.’
• Cute phrases: Many times people put cute phrases in their resumes in an attempt to cover up a gap of time that they were not employed due to being at home with a child. While putting ‘CEO of the home and taxi for the kids,’ may look cute to you, the potential employer may not agree with you. Some may be bitter that you had the opportunity to stay at home with your kids when they didn’t. It is better to put down that you were a volunteer if it applies or just leave the timeline blank and explain at a later date.

A good resume is what is going to get your foot in the door at the job of your dreams. Making sure that your resume is not only filled with all the right things, but none of the wrong things will give you a better shot at securing the job you are after.

Read resume writer reviews to find the best service for your needs.

Why it’s Essential to use Keywords in your Resume

2009-10-30T16:06:00.000-07:00

You may have heard that it is essential to use keywords in your resume but not know why. Have you ever wondered how potential employers sift through the hundred and possibly thousands of resumes that they get and come up with those they want to interview? What sets one person apart from the next? In a nut shell, it’s the keywords.

Many companies today now rely on keywords to help them determine who should get the interview and who should be skipped over. This is done thanks in large part to the every expanding technological world in which we live. Many employers will now take the resumes that are handed in for a certain position and use a special type of keyword recognition software that can sort the numerous amounts of resumes in a matter of minutes and give the potential employer a list of qualified candidates in accordance with the keywords they input into the program. In addition, these same employers will often use the same software to search resumes on different third party sites such as Monster.com and HotJobs.com. The point is that if you are applying to one of these companies and you are not using keywords in your resume then your chances of getting an interview are nil.

Now you will never know which companies employ this tactic, though some estimates have the number of large companies doing this at about 80 percent, and you will also never know the exact keywords they are looking for, but usually the keywords are nouns. With the advent of the internet now you can do some searching for keyword ideas related to your job sector and come up with some ideas relatively easily. So now how do you use them?

A lot of people will tell you to use the keywords liberally in the first 100 words or so in the resume as this are likely where the databases search, but that theory is quickly giving way to new thoughts and procedures. Now experts are suggesting that you not only use your keywords on a heavy basis towards the beginning, you need to also lightly sprinkle them throughout the entire resume. This will accomplish two things. The first is that the resume will not look compacted towards the top and the second is that it will read in a more fluid fashion if the keywords are spread out properly. While this may not be important if a computer program is searching the resume, your resume may actually fall into the hands of a real person at some point and you want it to read naturally. If your resume reads like a plugged up copy of several words, you may get it looked at, but you won’t get that phone call about the interview.

Using keywords are essential when writing your resume because they can quickly set you apart from the rest of the crowd. Just remember that using keywords in your resume and not committing ‘keyword overkill’ is a delicate balance that needs to be met in order to give yourself the best possible shot at landing the job of your dreams.

See a list of popular resume buzz words.

Why Writing Your Own Resume Doesn’t Work

2009-10-30T16:04:00.000-07:00

Writing your own resume is a daunting task that can take up many valuable hours of your time and the most frustrating fact of it all is that writing your own resume doesn’t work. These days it is far better to hire a professional resume writing service to accomplish the task of writing your resume for you as these professionals will be able to work with you to create the perfect resume regardless of the area of expertise you may have.

Just as you have an area of expertise, the resume writer’s area of expertise is in writing resumes. That said here are some reasons writing your own resume just doesn’t work:

• Employer’s expectations change: There is never a time in the job market where employers are not constantly changing the way they want to see resumes written. If you write your resume by yourself and do it in a format that is not to the liking of a certain employer, your resume may not even get a second glance. Resume writers only job is writing resumes and so they are always going to be in the loop and abreast to the ever changing job market.
• Different sectors require different resumes: Maybe you are coming out of a management job and want to go into a marketing job. Even if your resume for that management job was perfect, it doesn’t mean that it will work for the marketing job you are going after. And if you are considering a Government job then there a whole host of other consideration to factor in. If you do not know the different nuances that are associated with each and every job sector then you could be easily wasting your time trying to write your own resume. A good resume writing service will have the ability and the knowhow to write resumes in any sector and will never have to second guess anything.
• Your ability to sell yourself: A resume is more than just personal information about yourself; it is a sales pitch to your potential employer. You may be the best salesperson in the world when it comes to certain products, but if you can’t sell yourself on a resume then you do yourself no good. Resumes often have to be molded and conformed to fit a specific job application and by doing so you are creating your sales pitch. Failure to do so will result in a boring resume that will end up getting a pitch of its own; into the employers trash can. A professional resume writer has the ability to take your information and evolve it into a strong sales pitch that employers will love.
• No guarantees: When you write your own resume you don’t give yourself any guarantees. Having a professional write it for you will usually guarantee that you will get interviews or the resume writer will generally revamp it until you do. Now what you do in the interview is a different story, but at least they can guarantee a foot in the door.

There are many affordable resume writing services available today so there is no need in wasting your time and writing your own resume that will be ineffective. Face it, writing your own resume doesn’t work, but hiring a professional resume writer to do it for you will.

Why you Should Read Resume Service Reviews

2009-10-30T16:02:00.000-07:00

A resume service can be the perfect solution for you if you are not able or wanting to write your own resume. There is nothing wrong with admitting that you need help with your resume and by taking the initiative to hire a resume service you will ensure that your resume is the best quality it can be. But how do you know you are going to get a good service? One sure way to look into the windows of the resume service you are considering is to read their reviews.

Reading through the different reviews that are on a resume service’s website will give you an opportunity to see what others have to say and will also provide benefits such as:

• Seeing customer satisfaction: Knowing that the resume service you are about to hire has serviced and pleased other customers is a great feeling. When you read through the reviews you should try to find those that have been helped in the field that you are trying to go into. This way you will see that not only does the resume service do a good job in general, but that they also do a good job in your particular area of expertise.
• Seeing the experience: If you are visiting the website of a resume service and you find only a handful of reviews, or even worse no reviews at all, then you can bet that they haven’t been in business all that long. This shows a lack of experience. On the other hand, if you are visiting the website of a resume service that has dozens or even hundreds of reviews then chances are they have been around the block a time or two. Knowing that a resume service has a vast level of experience is a welcomed feeling when making your decision.
• Find little nuances: By carefully reading through the reviews you may be able to find some little nuances that may otherwise be overlooked. For example, it may not be spelled out clearly on the resume service’s website that distributing your resume will cost extra. But you may find that information embedded in a review or two and will know that you then need to address the issue before you hire the company.
• Direct comparison: By viewing several different resume services’ reviews you can do a direct comparison with the feedback they each received. Again, look for reviews in your area of expertise and see what each one has by way of reviews and decide which reviews you think sound the best.
• Seeing turn-around time: You may need to have your resume created in a very short amount of time. This is known as turn-around time. A resume service may claim that they can do this in about two days, but how do you know for sure? Instead of taking the resume service at their word, see what the reviews say.

Your resume is the single most important piece of the job getting puzzle. If you are going to go through the process of hiring a resume service to write yours for you then you need to take the time to go through the reviews and be sure that you will be happy with the company you hire.

Dream Job Wish List

2009-10-26T10:16:00.000-07:00

If you are like most people you work because you have bills that need to get paid, but are you working at your dream job? The answer may not be so cut and dry because you may not even know what your dream job is. While working is simply a fact of life for most everyone on the planet, if you find your dream job and love what you do for work, it will be like you aren’t even working at all.

So how do you figure out what your dream job is? The best way is to create a dream job wish list. There are four things that you need to consider in order to formulate your dream job wish list:

1. What do you like doing in your spare time: Many times, the things you enjoy doing the most may be what you are best suited for career wise. Now this doesn’t meant that you can get a job watching football games on the weekends, but you should consider what you like to do when you are not working. Consider everything from sports you like to entertainment you like and then write it all down.
2. What job related things are you looking for: No matter what you do there are certain things you want to get out of a job besides a paycheck. Consider things that are important to you in this area like commute time, benefits, and hours worked. Again write down your results.
3. What type of work environment do you like: Do you want to work for a huge corporate giant or do you want to work in an environment that is a little less daunting? Do you like to be around a lot of people or a select few? Do you like high pressure or do you want to feel more laid back? Once again write down what you feel.
4. What do you like about your current job: What do you like about the job you have now or ones you have had in the past? Consider things such as did you like to lead, be part of a team, contribute independently, things of that nature. Whatever your thoughts are, you guessed it, write them down.

What you will now have is a piece of paper with all of your thoughts from the four questions above. This is your dream job wish list. Now you need to study your wish list and begin to put together the information to help you determine what it is you really want out of your working life. This may take some time and the answer will probably not leap off the page at you. But what you will begin to see is that careers you may have never before even thought of might start to sound good to you because they fit many of the parameters of your dream job wish list.

So take the time and try the exercise. Who knows, your dream job may be closer than you think.

Learn more career advice and information at JobGoRound.com. Read customer reviews of resume services, get interviewing tips, and more.

Resume Writing Checklist

2009-10-26T09:49:00.000-07:00

Resume writing takes a good bit of dedication and time on your part if you want to write a good one. Your resume is your key to getting your foot in the door at the job of your dreams. A well crafted resume will all but ensure that you will get a phone call asking you to come in for an interview.

Knowing how important it is to have a nice resume there is a checklist of things that should be addressed before you can call your resume complete. Here is what you should look at when tackling your resume writing:

• Complete work history: Be sure that you fill in the complete timeline of your work history. Employers don’t like to see gaps in this area. If you were a stay at home mom or a student you can think of something clever to put down or simply state the fact that you were not employed and why.
• Plenty of contact info: Give a potential employer a chance to reach you by providing them with a multitude of ways to contact you on your resume. Try to leave at least two phone numbers and state at what times each one should be called. You can also leave an e-mail address as well. Try to have a professional sounding e-mail like johnworkshard@whatever.com instead or johnpartyshard@whatever.com. A clever e-mail may make your friends chuckle, but it won’t have many employers smiling.
• Relevancy: When you are writing your resume you want to try to tailor it to the job you are trying to get. Be sure that you include anything that is relevant to that job and leave out things that have no bearing on the job whatsoever. You also want to avoid putting in too much ‘fluff’ as this too can turn an employer off.
• Structure: Do you know the proper format to write your resume in. Some jobs require a special way to write the resume and if you do not deliver in that way you will not even get a first glance. Don’t wait until it is too late to find out that there was a special format you should have used.
• Be truthful: this goes without saying really. Don’t lie about your past work history, your education, or anything else for that matter. A quick reference check can expose your lie and your resume will then be tossed in the trash.
• Avoid clutter: If someone gave you a piece of paper that was messy and cluttered and asked you to read it over if you wanted to, would you? Well neither will a potential employer. Be sure that your resume doesn’t look cluttered and hand it in neat.
• Have proof readers ready: Once your resume is completed you will need to have someone proof read it. While you can hit spell-check for the misspellings, spell-check does not catch typos like typing meat when you meant to type meet. Your resume should be proof read at least two or three times when done.

Remember the first step to you landing your dream job is your resume. You have to make the most of your resume writing to ensure that you produce a resume that stands out from the rest.

Compare the top resume services at JobGoRound.com.

Things to Hate About Finding a New Job

2009-10-26T09:35:00.000-07:00

As exciting as it can be to start a new job the actual process of finding a new job can be something of a nightmare. Finding a new job is much more than just opening the paper and circling a few want ads and it is the many things that can go with finding a new job that can have many people feeling a bit of hate in their hearts.

Here are some things to hate about finding a new job:

• Putting up with your current job: A lot of times the whole reason you want to find a new job is because your current job is not all that great. But you do have bills to pay and until you secure a new job you can’t go anywhere. That means you are pretty much stuck putting up with a boss, or a co-worker, or both that you don’t get along with and your days can just seem endless. Then to top it all off, once you do find a new job you still need to give your current employer two weeks notice.
• Writing your resume: Then there is the time consuming chore of writing your resume. You have to ensure that not only is your resume fresh but that it is relevant to the job you are trying to get. If you are applying for several different positions then that task becomes even more daunting.
• Distributing your resume: After you craft the perfect resume you then have to spend even more time uploading your resume to potential employers online, or faxing out tons of resumes to the businesses themselves. What a hassle. The absolute worst is when you go through the process of uploading your resume online and go through about twenty different steps only to find that the resume can’t be uploaded for some technical reason. Is your face red yet?
• Interviews: Once you actually have some employers look at your resume you now find yourself with the challenge of going in for an interview. What will they ask you? What will you say? How do you stop the butterflies in your stomach? This is enough to make even the most well grounded person stress out and can have you literally seeing stars.
• The waiting game: You interview for your dream job and you think you nail it. The interviewer seems very impressed and your confidence couldn’t be higher. Then you hear those dreaded words, ‘We’ll let you know.’ Now you leave feeling deflated but still want to hold on to hope but how long do you wait? Do you take more interviews that come available ort urn them away hoping for the best? This is enough to make you rip your hair out of your head and scream.

When you look at the facts it is little wonder why so many people simply put up with the jobs they have. While there may be some stress at their current jobs, it usually pales in comparison to the stress and hate that is felt when attempting to find a new one.

Resume Distribution Secrets

2009-10-25T14:22:00.000-07:00

Once you have written the perfect resume you are then faced with the daunting task of resume distribution. After all, only by getting your resume out in front of potential employers will you begin to see the fruits of your labor and begin to get interviews. Obviously getting a new job is a numbers game. What that means is the more times your resume is viewed, the better your chances are of getting new job. So what are the best ways to go about resume distributions and what are the secrets of the trade?

Once again, the key in getting a new job is getting your resume in front of as many potential employers as possible. Here are a few secrets that may help you in your resume distribution quest:

• Post your resume online: These days there are many job sites online that allow you to post your resume. This service is typically free and is a wonderful opportunity to have thousands of potential views. Sites like Career Builder and Monster.com both allow you to not only upload your resume but also allow you to create a personal profile as well. It all adds up to increasing your chances of landing a new job.

• Hunt the classifieds: Yes there are still a good number of employers that prefer to hire out of the newspaper. Take time each day and scour the classifieds for potential jobs. Once you have found them either copy down the fax number that they supply in the advertisement or call the company and ask them for their fax number. Once you get ten fax numbers distribute ten resumes. Repeat as necessary for eventual success.

• E-Mail resume: Another cost free way to get your resume distributed is by e-mail. Not only do many companies have an e-mail address specifically for resumes these days but this also allows you the opportunity to network with your friends and colleagues using cyberspace. You may not know who to give your resume to, but what if your friend does, or their friend does, etc. Sending your resume to a handful of friends through e-mail could have a ripple effect and have you landing a job in no time.

• Social network: It seems these days that everyone has some sort of connection to the world of social networking. MySpace, FaceBook, and Twitter are among the more popular and if you are perking up reading this then you are in luck. You can post your resume on your personal page and you can even share it with your group of friends within the network. Again, this could have a ripple effect and your dream job may come from a source that you certainly were not expecting.

• Beat the streets: You can also take at least 10 resumes every day and simply do the old fashion method of going door to door. Yes it is time consuming and not the most fun thing to do but distributing your resume in this manner allows a potential employer to actually get to see you even if it is only briefly. That said be sure that you dress to impress with this type of resume distribution.

As far as effectiveness goes you never really know. It only takes your resume being viewed one time by the right potential employer and you are on your way to a great new job. The trick is to simply execute your resume distribution with great vigor and sooner or later success will come your way.

How to Find Resume Distribution Reviews

2009-10-25T13:51:00.000-07:00

If you've ever been in the job market before, you know how important effectively distributing your resume is to the success of your job search. Regardless of how well written your resume is, if nobody see it, you won't get the job.

Resume distribution seems fairly easy to accomplish. You upload your resume to company websites, post it on craigslist, and maybe create a profile on Monster.com. Surely that's good enough for employers to find you, right? But the truth of the matter is that resume distribution is an art and a science. Many job opportunities are never posted to the public, instead employers prefer to let recruiters do the work of screening applicants. The employers workload is greatly reduced, since only the best candidates will be delivered by the recruiter. Resume distribution services send your resume, among other places, to recruiters specializing in your field

If you're serious about finding a job - and a good one, hiring a resume distribution service is a great way to go. The potential of landing that dream job in a competitive market is well worth the investment. But how do you know if you're working with a truly great resume distribution service and not just a scam website designed to lighten your wallet?

Finding a good resume distribution service is easier than you think. There are many resume distribution services out there and with the help of the internet, email, and fax, you aren't limited to working with resume distribution services in your area. But how do you know which ones are the best? Customer reviews are the way to go.

So how do you find reviews of resume distribution services? Here are a few tips:

1. Google it. The internet is used for everything these days, and finding a reputable resume distribution service is much easier now as a result . Type ‘resume distribution reviews' into Google and you'll get thousands of results. It can be a little overwhelming. But a good resume posting service should clearly state on their website what their qualifications are, how the process works, what it costs, and the results you can expect. Better yet, look for a resume posting service that has testimonials from satisfied customers proudly displayed on their website. Customer satisfaction is always a good thing.
2. Forums. On the ubiquitous World Wide Web, there are forums where users discuss just about everything under the sun. Look around for job search forums in which resume distribution services are the topic to see which firms come up the most and what experiences others have had with that firm.
3. Word of Mouth. Depending on the industry you're in, you probably have friends and colleagues that have used a resume posting service before. Ask around to see which services your friends and colleagues have used before and what their experiences have been. Get contact information for promising services so that you can explore them further.
4. Social Media. Social media websites are so much more than virtual high school reunions these days. They've become business tools for many companies and industries. Look around on Facebook or other popular social media websites to see which resume posting services have ‘fan' pages or groups associated with their business. Clients and customers of those businesses often have the opportunity to leave feedback and testimonials on their page. If one firm has had glowing reviews from its clients, give them a call and get the process started.

Obviously, a resume distribution service can't guarantee that you'll get the job. But they know all of the inside tips and tricks of getting your resume into the hands of people that matter. A great resume posting service is one that has a track record of getting people interviews. When looking for resume distribution reviews, go with the one that can help you close the deal.

Is Resume Service Worth the Cost?

2009-10-25T13:39:00.000-07:00

You need a new resume. Whether you’re a victim of the economy or employed somewhere that isn’t an ideal fit, you know that a top-notch resume can help you secure a new job. Chances are pretty good that you aren’t a resume pro, but will a professional resume writing service really give you a return on your investment that makes it worth the cost? Below are some points to consider:

• Is there a doctor in the house? You’d never try to treat a broken arm yourself just to save a few hundred bucks, would you? When it comes to resume writing, it helps to think of professional services as just that—a professional service that you pay for, rather than trying to bumble your way through on your own. While resumes aren’t typically a life-and-death endeavor, the results have the potential to drastically alter your way of life for better or worse. The key, of course, is hunting down a stellar company.

• Check the process. If you’re going to hand over your hard-earned money for something that, quite frankly, you’re not sure about in the first place, you need to know that you’ll be getting your money’s worth. Ask the company about their process: how do they collect your information? How do they ensure that your strengths will be showcased to your best advantage? Most companies take a two-pronged approach—a questionnaire for you to fill out and then access to a “live” person via telephone. When you’re scanning the list of questions to fill out or talking to your preparer, you want to have an “oh” moment. As in, “Oh, I never thought of that.”

• Get certified. The person who sets your broken arm should have an MD behind her name. The person who produces your resume should have a CRW (certified resume writer) or a CERW (certified expert resume writer) behind her name. These certifications ensure that a resume service hasn’t just plucked someone off the street and called him a professional. It demonstrates that the person who will build your new resume has been thoroughly trained in the best, most effective ways to highlight your skills and experience.

• Investigate fair costs. Now we’re down to the nuts and bolts: money. Every service is different, of course, but a price tag of around $300 is normal for most resumes. Executive or extremely niched resumes may be a bit higher. Don’t go bargain-basement on a resume service because, after all, you get what you pay for. You probably don’t want to spend the money in the first place to have someone else write your resume, but you really don’t want to spend $100 to get a piece of garbage that a fifth grader could have put together. It’s much better to spend a few hundred dollars on a quality resume that will get the job done. Even better: many times job-seeking activities are tax deductible, so consult your financial professional to determine whether you can write off the cost of a resume service.

• Sample before you buy. There’s no need to go on blind faith where resume services are concerned. They should be willing to show you samples of resumes and cover letters that they’ve written—and “before and after” resumes are even better. That way you can see how the firm has transformed something that’s probably similar to what you have right now into something that you’ll be proud to send out.

• Judge fairly. Too many job seekers think that a writing service has failed if they don’t immediately land a job as a result of the new resume. The truth is that a great resume is an essential tool in your arsenal, but it’s not infallible. A thousand candidates for one job opening, a bad candidate-job fit, and poor interviewing skills are just a few of the reasons the perfect job may not materialize even with a new resume. The true test should be whether you’re confident that the new-and-improved version will eventually lead to the right position.

• Read reviews. Nothing guides you towards a quality resume writing service like positive customer feedback. Read reviews of the best resume services and relax, you can't go wrong.

Resume Writing For College Students

2009-10-25T13:36:00.000-07:00

It’s exciting and scary at the same time. If you’re creating your first resume, it probably means that you’re finishing up your education and ready to enter the “real world.” It’s natural to feel some anxiety about putting together a resume; after all, the only job experience you may have is at your local pizza joint. But by following the tips below, you can produce a post-college resume that gets results.

• Include an objective. One of the most common complaints hiring managers have about entry-level resumes is the absence of an objective. An objective tells potential employers which job you’re after, and it’s especially crucial on a student resume because students typically lack the real-world job experience that can point HR in the right direction. Know this: employers aren’t going to take the time to figure out what your goal is. So, right at the top underneath your name and contact information, include your objective. Make sure it conveys what you plan to bring to the company, rather than the other way around. “Objective: To secure an entry-level reporter job where I can use my writing skills to enhance the Daily Star” is much better than “Objective: To secure a challenging and rewarding reporting job.” Consider starting with a sample resume objective to make your writing faster and better.

• Determine a focus. Unlike professionals who’ve been climbing the corporate ladder for a few years, you probably don’t have a lot of relevant work experience under your belt. So while more experienced workers might start a resume with a work history section, you need an alternative, and it’s likely to be one of these three: academic achievement and honors, academics plus volunteerism and extra-curricular leadership, or a type of work history that highlights an applicable internship. Only you know which area is your strongest. Start there.

• Don’t embellish. Some recent grads are tempted to fudge the truth a bit in order to make their resumes stand out—perhaps “improve” some duties or the title you held at a part-time job. Don’t. Sure, you want to put the best spin on your experience and communicate the skills that you’ve gleaned, but outright lying on a resume will get you fired if you’re ever found out.

• Keep it short. Similar to the “not enough” fear that drives people to embellish their resumes is the temptation to add fluff to a resume in order to make it longer and, presumably, more impressive. The truth is that employers see tons of resumes every day and are adept at sniffing out the fluff. Stick to applicable skills, experiences, and honors. And unless you’ve had quite a college career, most student resumes should be only one page.

• Highlight your tech savviness. No matter your field of interest, you can’t go wrong by drawing attention to your knowledge of everything technology and computer related. Be sure to include on your resume the programs you’ve used, programming experience, and any other technologies that you’re familiar with (gaming consoles don’t count). One of the huge benefits of being right out of college is that you probably have computer skills that outpace more experienced professionals.

• Proof and proof some more. When your experience is thin, the last thing you want is to blow your chances because of spelling or grammar errors. You want to do everything you can to demonstrate your professionalism, and misspelling (or misusing) words won’t help. Ask your parents, a friend who aced English class, or even a professor to look over your resume.

• Ask for help. Most colleges and universities have a career center that can assist you in putting together an entry-level resume. It’s easiest to take advantage of these services while you’re still on campus, though most schools allow alums to use the career center. If you really want a slam-dunk resume, plan ahead and sign up for a Professional Writing course during your senior year. These classes are designed to help students master the fine art of corporate communication—including resume writing.

Find and compare resume services.

Top 3 Resume Editing Tips

2009-10-25T13:32:00.000-07:00

It can be daunting to write a killer resume. It’s the first impression a hiring manager will have of you and your only chance to compel that person to invite you in for an interview. Too many people focus solely on resume structure and buzz words, allowing sloppy editing to curtail their chances of scoring an interview. You can have all of the right ingredients—experience, skills, education—and still not hear back from companies because your resume isn’t edited well. We all make mistakes, but in a tight job market when employers can afford to be choosy, they’re not going to green light a resume with two spelling errors over one with zero. The resume editing tips below can help you put the finishing touches on your resume and give you a leg up in the hiring process.

Tip #1: Read it Out Loud
Not because the hiring manager will, but because reading a document aloud—word for word—is one of the best ways to spot common grammatical errors. It forces you to really pay attention to everything on the page, helping bring to light mistakes like subject-verb agreement, which will hopefully sound “off” to your ear; words that were left out or mistakenly inserted during rounds of revisions; or any inconsistencies with dates or job descriptions.
It’s also a great way to hunt for mistakes that aren’t caught by your computer’s spell check. You would be amazed at how many human resource professionals receive resumes from experienced “mangers” (rather than managers).
Lastly, reading your resume out loud can help you get a feel for whether your resume is too long, which is much more common than one that’s too short. Many people think that longer equals better, but it simply tells readers that you don’t know what’s important or how to write concisely—not exactly a great introduction. If you get to the end and think, “That took longer than I thought it would,” you might want to think about tightening it up a bit.

Tip #2: Don’t Leave Room For Doubt
Your resume needs to be concise, but it shouldn’t be so bare that you leave questions in the mind of the hiring manager—or worse yet, a bad taste in her mouth. When it comes to abbreviations or acronyms, the rule of thumb is “when in doubt, spell it out.” Extremely common business-related terms like CEO or HR are fine, but anything that gives you even a moment’s hesitation should be spelled out—especially in a job title. One hiring professional recently complained about the number of resumes she sees with “ass. manager” as a job title. It’s pretty clear that writing out “assistant” is a classier move.
Worse than that, however, is the possibility that someone on the receiving end of your resume isn’t familiar with the acronyms or abbreviations you use. Even if you assume correctly that everyone in your industry knows what TSR means, the human resources professional who first looks at your resume may not. And if he doesn’t know that producing a high Total Shareholder Return is a good thing, he might move on to someone who takes the additional three seconds to spell it out for him.

Tip #3: Wait a Day
This tip is similar to the advice given to jilted lovers who want to mail an angry letter to their ex: sleep on it. No matter how many times you review your resume the day you finish it, it’s wise to take another look at it the following day. After you’ve read the same material over and over, you begin to lose the ability to pick out flaws, but when your eyes are fresh, you may be amazed at what you find. Similarly, always ask a trusted friend to look over your resume before sending it. No matter how firm your grasp of grammar, there’s always someone you know who has a firmer grasp. That’s the person you want to review it.

Compare the best resume services on the internet.

Common Resume Blunders

2009-10-23T10:38:00.000-07:00

It seems pretty straightforward: list your job history, education, and maybe some awards. Voila—you have a resume. Unfortunately, writing a great resume is an art form rather than a cut-and-paste job, which is why so many resumes are, well, pretty awful. The bad news is that people often make the very same mistakes; the good news is that you can avoid these common resume blunders if you know what they are.

• Substituting duties for accomplishments. It’s easy to simply list the tasks that you performed within a particular position, but it’s not as effective as demonstrating the results you achieved. Instead of, “Trained volunteers,” make it mean something by adding, “Trained volunteers to perform critical duties, saving the organization 10% in payroll costs.”

• Leaving doubt about the position you’re applying for. Whether an objective is outdated or not is a hotly debated topic, but everyone agrees that a resume doesn’t do any good if the hiring team can’t decipher the position you’re after. An objective or summary at the top helps the company successfully route your resume to a decision-maker. Most companies have enough resumes coming in that there’s no reason for them to spend 10 minutes trying to figure out if you’re applying for a sales job or an accounting position. They’ll just toss it.

• Using “I” language rather than “you” language. Look at resumes you’ve used in the past. Chances are you’ll find statements that are far more about you than they are about what you’ll do for the lucky company that hires you. Most start out with something like, “I want to use my experience to secure a challenging job with a thriving company.” Yeah, so does everybody. Problem-solve for potential employers: tell them what you can provide that others can’t: 10 years of design experience that will elevate the graphic department and attract new clients, for example, or a desire to increase their same-store sales by 15% the first year by providing advanced training to regional managers.

• Dazzling with your vocabulary rather than your skills. It’s tempting to pepper your resume with three-dollar words to demonstrate how smart you are, but here’s the kicker: employers expect you to be smart. Most aren’t in the habit of hiring dumb-as-rocks employees. So rather than trying to weave in every word you learned in your high school English class, focus on concise, error-free language that demonstrates what you’ll bring to the organization, rather than your amazing resemblance to a dictionary.

• Don’t throw the kitchen sink at them. If you’ve been in the workforce for 40 years, you undoubtedly have skills and experience that any employer would be lucky to have. But what you did in 1965—with a few rare exceptions—doesn’t hold a lot of sway with employers and may, in fact, open you up to age discrimination. Most resume experts hold to a “Rule of 15” even for the most senior executives. Don’t go farther back than 15 years in your job history, though you can list essential accomplishments outside that timeframe in another section.

• Choose the right words. Everyone knows that proofreading a resume is a must, but too many people count spellcheck as a thorough editing. The problem is that spellcheck doesn’t flag words that are spelled correctly but used improperly. “There” and “their,” “affect” and “effect,” “its” and “it’s—those are just the tip of the iceberg. Did you start your “won” (own) company last year? Or perhaps your former boss counted on you to be “discrete” (meaning separate), rather than “discreet,” which is the marvelous character trait you’re hoping to convey. If you have any doubt about your own ability to detect these subtleties, get help from a knowledgeable friend or professional editor.

Compare the best professional resume services.

Three Professional Resume Services

2009-10-23T10:37:00.000-07:00

If you’re one of the millions who are unemployed or under-employed, the prospect of writing a resume can be paralyzing and may even cost you previous time in the job search process. To the rescue are professional resume services like the ones below that create top-notch resumes for people across all industries.

ResumeWriters
From college seniors embarking on the work world for the first time to military veterans transitioning to civilian jobs to C-level executives looking for the next big challenge, ResumeWriters matches customers with a professional resume writer with a similar background and real experience in the necessary field. This service offers four main categories: professional resumes, executive resumes, student resumes, and IT resumes. It also specializes in military-to-civilian resumes, CVs, and cover letters. Within each category, customers can choose a package that best suits their needs—from resume-only selections to resume-plus-cover-letter packages to a full arsenal that includes electronic and scannable resumes and follow-up letters. Prices range from $169.95 for a student resume to $389.95 for an executive service platinum or a complete CV arsenal. Returning customers can get a resume update for $90. And if you’re in hurry, you can even request a 24-hour turnaround time.

The difference: ResumeWriters boasts the largest network of resume professionals on the Internet.

ResumeEdge
This company has churned out over 100,000 resumes since its inception in 1998 and reports a 98% satisfaction rating from customers. ResumeEdge offers four different services: resume editing, from-scratch resumes, reviews/critiques of existing resumes, and cover letter creation. All resumes are targeted based on your level of experience or particular niche—anything from entry-level to executives to military—and the costs reflect these different elements as well. Prices start at $79.95 for a review or cover letter for a student or entry-level professional and range up to $259.95 for a completely new executive resume.
If you want something a little more hands-on (or less expensive), ResumeEdge also offers a resume builder option that takes job-seekers through guided questions, provides templates and samples, offers industry-specific phrases, and even includes salary and interviewing advice. Whether you use the resume builder or the services of their professionals, ResumeEdge can also distribute your resume to the most popular job banks and search engines. This service also allows you to keep tabs on where your resume was sent and any new opportunities that arise.

The difference: Only one in 100 applicants makes it through the company’s ultra-selective hiring process.

ResumesPlanet
ResumesPlanet provides a full range of writing and editing services for resumes and curriculum vitas (CV), as well as cover letters and resume reviews. Prices start at $10 for a review, $39.95 for a cover letter, and a range of $89.95 to 104.95 for resume writing and $129.94 to $149.95 for CV writing. ResumesPlanet also offers specialty services such as resume distribution to employment agencies; thank you letters; KSAs (knowledge, skills, abilities); and references verification, which takes the worry out of what former employers might say about you to potential new employers. Clients can also customize a discounted package with mix-and-match elements tailored for individual needs.
It’s the people behind a resume service that can make or break your experience and the results you see. Each of the professionals at ResumesPlanet is a Certified Professional Resume Writer, and each client is matched with a writer who specializes in your given field. And to accommodate customers’ busy schedules, you can reach experts in the U.S. and the UK around the clock.

The difference: ResumesPlanet offers a satisfaction guarantee wherein customers get a free revision if they don’t see results in 30 days.

Learn more about these and other professional resume services at JobGoRound.com.

Are Cover Letters Still Necessary?

2009-10-23T10:34:00.000-07:00

The short answer is that, yes, cover letters are most definitely needed in today’s market. A cover letter is your opportunity to introduce yourself to a potential employer and get them excited about reading your resume. While a well-crafted resume describes your experience, education, skills, and accomplishments, a cover letter describes you: who you are, what you can bring to the table, and how eager you are to interview for the job. Cover letters should be approximately three paragraphs—never more than one page—so get the most out of your cover letter by incorporating these elements:

• Be specific. Start off with an actual person’s name, rather than a general title or, worse, a department. Instead of “Dear HR Department,” address it to “Ms. Adams.” This may require a bit of research on your part, but it’s well worth it. Similarly, be sure to convey your interest in a specific job—not just a job anywhere in the company. Even if you’re sending a prospecting resume (for a job not currently open or advertised), the hiring manager needs to know where to keep your resume in case something opens up: in the IT file or the graphic design file.

• Build interest. Too many people make the mistake of simply recopying their resume into paragraph form and calling it a cover letter. Cover letters should complement, rather than regurgitate, your resume. Add in something that gives it a “wow” factor and compels employers to read the attached resume. Expound on an impressive fact in your resume by adding an interesting side note: not only did you accomplish XYZ (the fact on your resume), but you were the youngest person in your company’s history to do so.

• Tell them you’re qualified. Don’t assume that the company can figure out that you’re qualified for the job—tell them. If the company needs an experienced marketer, describe your 10 years as marketing director for a non-profit agency. If they need someone with a master’s degree, talk up your degree and one or two things you gleaned from your master’s program that you look forward to applying in your new role.

• Say thank you. Everyone is busy, so don’t forget to thank readers for taking their precious time to review your cover letter and resume.

• Describe your next steps. In the last paragraph, tell potential employers that you’ll call within a week to make sure they received your resume and that they have everything they need to fully consider your candidacy. Then do it!

There are a few occasions when cover letters typically aren’t necessary. Feel free to skip them when:

• A potential employer asks for your resume directly. If you’re in an interview, for example, and are asked for a copy of your resume, a cover letter isn’t necessary.

• You’re at a job fair. You’ll be handing your resume out to many people that likely cover a variety of industries, and it’s difficult to craft an effective cover letter in that situation. However, if you want to stand out from the hundreds of resumes that employers will receive, you may want to think about a cover letter that provides a general introduction.

• You’re meeting with a recruiter. They need the nuts and bolts of a resume to determine whether you’re a good fit for jobs that they’ve been hired to fill. You can use the interview process to fill in any softer areas that a cover letter might touch on.

• A company tells you to. Rarely, a company will specifically make a “no cover letter” request. Take them at their word.

Tip: Start with a sample cover letter to make your writing easier, faster, and better.

Writing Your First Resume: Where to Start

2009-10-22T17:46:00.000-07:00

Have you managed to avoid writing a resume until now? Well, there’s no time like the present to dig in and create a fantastic piece that will land you all kinds of interviews. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, know that the most important thing about writing a resume—whether it’s your first or four hundredth—is that they’re all about marketing, no matter what field you’re in. Lots of people likely have a comparable degree and work experience that’s similar to yours. The trick is in effectively marketing your greatness.

• Design it well. How your resume is laid out can have more of an impact than just about anything that’s on it. Here’s why: if it’s too chaotic or unfocused, hiring managers won’t spend more than two seconds trying to decipher it before tossing it. Organize the sections in ways that make sense; that may mean a traditional format where all of your education and work experience is grouped, or it could be a functional format where similar skills are grouped. Above all, make sure that your resume is consistent in design—don’t use bullets in one section and numbers in another, for example—and clutter-free.

• Start with an objective. Besides your name and contact information, the first portion at the top of a resume should be an objective or summary. This lets potential employers know which job you’re applying for, allowing them to route your resume effectively. If you’re creating your first resume because of limited work experience, you’ll likely want to choose an objective (a one-sentence goal) over a summary (a rehash of your career highlights). Tip: Use a sample resume objective to get off to a good start.

• Emphasize the right things. Whether you’re a student who’s new to the nine-to-five world or someone who’s been with the same company for 40 years (and, hence, has never needed a resume), you may have similar fears: no experience in the first case and not enough diverse experience in the second. As a jumping off point, brainstorm all of the skills you’ve gleaned through your job(s) and community service. If you don’t have much in the way of relevant job experience, it makes sense to showcase the skills you can bring to an organization.

• Eliminate irrelevant information. Some people who feel like they lack sufficient work experience will “fill out” their resume with things that shouldn’t be there. An academic award you received is perfectly acceptable, but listing your top honors in the 4-H fair doesn’t exactly scream “professional.” And as tempting as it may be, including a section on your hobbies is a definite no-no.

• Target a position. Writing a resume is much easier—not to mention more effective—when it’s geared toward a specific job. When you find a job ad that’s attractive, go over their “wants” and integrate these requirements into your resume. Researching help wanted ads will also help you determine what employers in your field are looking for in general.

• Resist the urge to be negative. Don’t include things like, “While I don’t have much experience…” or “Other people are probably more qualified for this position, but…” Your job is to sell yourself as the best candidate for a job, period. Don’t give employers any reason to think, “Well, even he thinks he’s under-qualified.”

Find and compare top resume services at JobGoRound.com.

Job Search Myths

2009-10-22T17:44:00.000-07:00

Think you know everything there is to know about getting a job? Not so fast. There are lots of myths floating around that people have come to accept as fact. Check out some of the most common myths below, and get one step closer to scoring a job you’ll love.

• Help wanted ads are the best place to hunt for a job. The first places people look when they want or need a new job is online job boards and newspaper classifieds. Why? Because it’s easy and requires virtually no effort on the job-seeker’s part—which is why everybody does it. That’s a huge problem in a tight job market. You might be very good at what you do, but are you better than all 50,000 people looking at the same ad that you are? By all means, use help wanted ads as a jumping off point for your search, but if you stop there, you’ll be looking for work for a long, long time. Contact the career center at your alma mater, call placement agencies (what used to be known as “temp agencies”), and talk to people you know about job leads.

• I don’t have anyone to network with. Networking is often the most difficult avenue for job-seekers, but it can offer the best results. No one wants to feel like a charity case by asking friends and family members to hook them up with a job, but the trick to networking is to think of it as a relationship-building process. Go outside of your immediate circle and chat up everyone from people at your church to other parents at your kid’s fundraiser to your fellow gym-goers. Ask them about their career, their company, and what they like and dislike about both. Everyone likes talking about themselves, and before you know it, you’ll have built a rapport. Eventually, these new friends will be happy to share job leads and contacts.

• There’s no need to resend a resume. You sent your resume to Company X two years ago when they posted a job you were interested in, so they probably still have it on file, right? Wrong. Most organizations keep resumes for a year (at the outside), so unless you sent one a few weeks ago, send it again. Besides, if it’s been a while since they looked at your resume, you’ve probably—hopefully!—racked up more accomplishments that they should be aware of.

• You can’t overcome a resume gap. If you’re currently between jobs, you may think that employers will send your resume straight to the circular file once they detect that gap in work history. Because of this myth, some job seekers are tempted to blur the lines of truth in order to cover it up. Don’t. Especially in today’s tough economy where thousands of talented people have been downsized through no fault of their own, employers are very willing to accept some out-of-work time as a norm.

• Your resume should demonstrate your mastery over everything in the work world. True, you want to come off as an expert in your field, but employers don’t care—and may not believe—that you can design a high-rise building, have memorized all one million tax laws, and can perform brain surgery if the need arises. You need to focus on a couple of areas that match the job for which you’re applying. If you’re an outstanding salesperson as well as an intensive care nurse, you need two resumes tailored to best display your strengths and accomplishments in each field. Dual careers make interesting water cooler talk after you’re hired, but they’re just confusing—and unnecessary—on your resume.

• Your salary requirements should be next to nothing. When jobs are tough to come by, it’s tempting to tell potential employers that you’ll work for a pittance—heck, you’ll pay them to work there. But unless you’re changing careers entirely or just starting out in the work world, that’s a mistake. It’s not unusual for someone from HR to call and conduct a brief screening before bringing you in for an interview, and part of that typically involves asking about your salary requirements. Give them a range if you don’t feel comfortable with an exact figure, but be sure that you’ll be satisfied with a salary anywhere in that range. Firms really don’t like to be given one salary during the screening and another (higher) salary during negotiations.

Get more job search and resume writing tips from JobGoRound.com.

Resumes For Older Workers

2009-10-22T17:42:00.000-07:00

You’re well established in your career and can bring years of experience to any company lucky enough to hire you. So why do older workers often have trouble landing a job? Part of the reason is that age discrimination—though illegal—happens every day, often before a candidate even has the opportunity to interview. To combat this, it’s essential to create a resume that spotlights all of your wonderful experience and downplays potential objections.

• Choose the best format. People right out of college often choose a traditional resume format that starts with education, goes into work experience, and ends with a skills section. This isn’t the best format for more experienced workers, however. Instead, use a functional resume (where your skills are front and center) or a combination resume (which merges the skills-focused functional resume with a reverse chronological format). If you’ve jumped around a lot career-wise, a functional resume may be right for you. If your career has more or less stayed within one industry, you can choose either a functional or a combination format.

• Stay away from dates. This is especially important when it comes to college dates. It’s still a good idea to list your education, but you can note your degree(s) and the college you attended without the associated dates. This applies even if you went back to school later in your career; it’ll confuse employers who expect a 30-year-old to show up for an interview and then meet a 60-year-old. Some resume experts also advise excluding dates related to previous jobs; instead, you can simply state the number of years you were employed at each company or within each position.

• Stick to the rule of 15. The general rule of thumb is to only include positions you’ve held within the last 15 years, but you can be a little more flexible if you’ve been in the same position with the same company for that period of time. This doesn’t mean that you’re out of luck if you have impressive accomplishments that date back more than 15 years. You can create a separate section for successes and list your achievements there.

• Emphasize continual learning. Yes, you have decades of experience, but you’ve probably also been removed from formal education for decades as well. This can be a concern for potential employers who want to be sure that you’ve kept up with changes in your field over the years. To help ease this fear, make sure to prominently list all of the classes and continuing education you’ve participated in. Similarly, it’s essential to broadcast your computer skills.

• Consider downplaying titles. Unfortunately, many hiring managers see titles like “vice president” and assume that you’re out of their price range. This may or may not be true, but you want the chance to find out during the interview process rather than being unilaterally dismissed based on an assumption. Depending on how anxious you are to secure a job, you may want to consider softening lofty job titles a bit—senior manager instead of vice president, for example.

• Slip in your work ethic. Again, right or wrong, it’s assumed that younger professionals don’t have as strong a work ethic or as much loyalty as older generations. This prejudice can actually work to your benefit. Whether in your resume summary or cover letter, subtly incorporate language that conveys your reliability, responsibility, and desire to find a company where you can contribute for years to come.

Get more resume writing help by using a professional resume writer.

Are Resume Distribution Services a Rip-off?

2009-10-03T20:12:00.000-07:00

When you are looking for a job the last thing you want to be doing is going to all the different job posting boards that you can find and entering in your personal information again and again followed by posting your resume and because of that many people are now choosing to go with a resume distribution service. The purpose of a resume service is to distribute your resume to as many potential employers as possible saving you time, but are resume services worth their salt or are they just a big rip-off?

Resume distribution services can be a blessing or a rip-off and the answer really depends on the resume distribution service you are going with. There are so many to choose from that the task of finding a good resume service versus one that wants to just take your money can be daunting at times. Here are some ways to help you decide if the company is a rip-off or legit:

• Where they post: Many resume distribution services will claim to post your resume to thousands of employers that are ready to hire now. The problem is that many of these employers are getting so bombarded with resumes from bunk services like these that they never even open the resume and you never even get seen. Also, these types of companies typically blast out your resume to thousands of jobs that are not even relevant to your work history. Look for companies that offer you a choice of where to have your resume sent or at least what business sectors to have it sent out to.
• Are they accredited: Look for signs of accreditation such as the Better Business Bureau, or BBB, and if you want to be sure that they are on the up and up you can check with the BBB to see if any complaints have ever been filed.
• Beware the price trap: The old saying is that you get what you pay for. Many resume distribution services will charge you just a little bit of money and do very little to no work. If something is not effective does it really matter how cheap it is? While it is not necessary to go with the most expensive service you should stay away from the rock bottom priced ones as well. Remember, if it sounds too good to be true, that is probably because it is.
• Multiple levels of service: They are only supposed to be distributing your resume so why the different price levels? Stay far away from the services that offer you a great deal at one price, but an even better deal at a higher price. These companies are simply out to rip you off.
• How often they post: This can only be found out by asking, but you need to know how often they post. Is it a one shot deal or do they constantly keep getting your resume in the hands of potential employers?

While posting your resume to multiple job boards does take time and is easier accomplished by hiring a resume distribution service, if you have a bad one you are doing yourself no good. Don’t let these rip-off companies waste your time, instead look for one that is reputable and will get you the results you are after.

How to Negotiate Salary

2009-10-03T20:04:00.000-07:00

Your dream employer is interested in hiring you and all that lies in the way now is to negotiate your salary. You want to be sure that you get what you are worth, but at the same time you don’t want to lose this huge job opportunity. So how so you go about successfully negotiating your salary?

Getting what your worth is not an impossibility if you do a little homework ahead of time and know what you are doing going into the negotiations. Here are some vital tips on how to successfully negotiate your salary:

• Research the company: This is a step all too often overlooked. You need to know going into negotiations the financial state that the company is in. If they are in great shape financially you probably have more room to work as far as salary goes.
• Research your industry: Find out what other companies in the industry you are going for are paying for your particular position. Of course some will be higher and some will be lower, but this will give you a great average and a great place to start.
• Ask about benefits: Benefits should also be factored into how much you are willing to take. The dollar amount may be off of what you are expecting, but if you get perks such as a company car, an expense account, health insurance, and a 401 K plan, you may actually be able to take less as the perks will make up for the lesser dollar amount. Be sure to discuss perks so that they know that you are going to require more money if the perks are too few.
• Avoid salary talk beforehand: Make sure that the company is seriously interested in hiring you before you spit out any solid numbers for salary. If the company really wants you this plays to your advantage. If asked about it before hand, counter with a question of your own, such as ‘What is the salary range here?’ This will avoid the numbers talk too early and give you some sort of indication on where you should try to aim for.
• Don’t lie: Never lie about your past salary. A quick reference check can return the fact that you lied about it and that will do you absolutely no good. Be honest about what you made in the past if asked and remember, you are either worth what you asking or you are not.
• Throw a high ball: Always ask for more that you will settle for. By doing so you leave room for negotiating to actually take place. If you come in at the number you actually want then the company needs only counter your offer once and you are already under what you want. A word of caution here, don’t get too crazy. If you high ball a number that is too ‘out of the ballpark’ you may not get a counter offer at all and you will thus blow the whole deal.

Finally, you have to try to control the situation. Be firm but don’t be demanding and remember that if you don’t ask for what you are worth then chances are you probably won’t get it.

Get more career advice at JobGoRound.com, which provides job search tips, interview advice, and resume service reviews.

Painless Cover Letter Writing

2009-10-03T19:59:00.000-07:00

Writing a great looking cover letter is the first step to you getting an interview at the company of your dreams. Yes it is the resume that actually tells all about your work history and qualifications, but the cover letter is the first thing that the potential employer looks at before they view your resume and a cover letter offers more flexibility when it comes to selling yourself. Along with your personal information, a basic cover letter contains the following:

1. The position in which you are applying for.
2. Your reasons for wanting the job.
3. Any skills you have that relate to that job.
4. Your knowledge of the company in which you are trying to get into.

Writing a cover letter doesn’t have to be rocket science and if you follow these tips you will be on your way to painless cover letter writing that will have you knocking the socks of the potential employer before your resume is every viewed:

• Think before you write: Map out on paper what you want to say on your cover letter. This will allow you time to organize your thoughts so that you can better write your cover letter.
• Short and sweet: Your cover letter should be short, concise, and to the point and should be kept to one page if possible. You want it to be professional sounding, but if you drag it on too long, you may lose the interest of the reader. Keep them wanting more because that more is your resume.
• Make it a custom fit: When writing the cover letter make it a custom fit for the particular job you are going after. If you are going after a managerial job then make your cover letter relevant to that job. If you have managerial experience tell the potential employer that you would be the perfect candidate for the job because of it and if you do not, explain why you think you would be perfect to become a manger. Bottom line is custom fit it.
• Draft, draft, draft: While your cover letter needs to be a masterpiece, it’s not a painting and you don’t have to get it on the first shot. Be prepared to do a draft or two, or three, whatever it takes. This is going to allow you to add new ideas and subtract rambling that don’t need to be included.
• Proof read: Nothing say, ‘Please go on to the next resume,’ like a cover letter that is full of spelling and grammatical errors. Check it several times and make sure it is perfect when done.
• Would you hire yourself: Once you have completed your cover letter, read it over as though you where the potential employer. Did you find it so intriguing that you feel like you want to know more? If not, then chances are that the potential employer won’t either. If you find this happening, go back and add and subtract until you are satisfied.

Often times you only get one shot at a job you are going after so make it a good one. Take your time and create your masterpiece cover letter and doors will fly open like you never saw before.

Get more cover letter tips. Consider starting with a sample cover letter to make your writing faster and more professional.

Easy Resume Fixes – Increase your Resume’s Power

2009-09-22T13:43:00.000-07:00

Whether you realize it or not there may be many mistakes on your resume that need to be fixed and you may not even know it. While some of the mistakes may be outdated information, there are also other less obvious mistakes that still require attention. Fixing small mistakes on your resume will help you to increase the power of your resume. Knowing if these mistakes exist and how to fix them could mean the difference between your career life and death.

Here are some of the more common mistakes that need to be fixed on a resume:

• Personal e-mail: If your e-mail inbox is empty take a look at your e-mail address. No, not is it spelled right, but what does it say? A potential employer is much more likely to respond to an e-mail address such as johnsmith@someplace.com rather than ladysmanjohn@someplace.com. While a cute, clever e-mail address may be fun for you and your friends, remember you are trying to get a job so you must look professional. If you don’t already have a regular looking e-mail address, get one. They are free and could mean more interviews in your future.

• Personal information: You need to not only make sure that your personal information is correct but you need to also watch what you put down. Don’t get into race and religion on your resume as this may turn some employers off. Though they cannot legally discriminate, they can pass over your resume if they do not like what they see. Besides, it is nobody’s business but your own who you do or don’t pray too.

• Hobbies: Again, be careful of what you are putting down. You may think it is great that you enjoy mountain climbing and surfing, but a potential employer may view you as a risk taker and be turned off. The idea behind your resume is to make the employer want you, not to scare them away.

• Check the basics: Double and triple check all of your contact information. It may sound redundant but if you have just one number wrong in your telephone number due to a typo you will obviously not be receiving any calls. This is an easier mistake to make than you might think and no, spell check is not going to catch the fact that your phone number is wrong. What good is a sparkling resume if the prospective employer can’t get a hold of you?

• K.I.S.S.: That stands for keep it simple stupid and is a great acronym for your resume. Don’t get too caught up making your resume so flashy that it then becomes busy and cluttered. If your resume looks too cluttered to a potential employer, they may think that is the type of person you are and once again they will be turned off. Keep your resume easy to read and easy to follow and above all else, keep it neat.

Your resume is your sales pitch to landing an interview so you have to make the most of it. By constantly checking your resume and performing these easy fixes you will increase the power of your resume and thus increase your chances of landing the job of your dreams.

Compare the best resume services.

The Best Three Professional Resume Writers

2009-09-22T13:41:00.000-07:00

Hiring a professional resume writer to create your resume can be the best thing you ever decided to do when it comes to helping you land more interviews. The problem lies in finding a good professional resume writing service that can accomplish this and doing a search online will have you sifting through hundreds, if not thousands, of possible candidates.

A good resume writer has to have knowledge, experience, and above all great work which may leave you wondering where the heck you are going to find all that. Well wonder no more as there are three professional resume writers that standout from the rest and offer outstanding service and support and a great bang for your buck. The best three professional resume writers are:

1. ResumeWriters.com: ResumeWriters.com’s resume writers have over ten years of experience in every type of resume you can imagine. They were featured in a Time Magazine article and have hundreds of thousands of satisfied customers. They also belong to the Professional Association of Resume Writers as well as the Career Directors International so you known their writers are tip top. Their writers can handle any type of resume from student to government to professional, you name it, and their customer satisfaction rate is an outstanding 98 percent. Best of all, their service is backed with a 100 percent satisfaction guarantee which leads to a spot in the top three.

2. ResumeEdge: ResumeEdge has been writing resumes for many years now and has been in operation online for the past 11 years. There writers are some of the most well versed and professional writers that the resume writing business has to offer. All of the writers they have on staff have to pass rigorous training and they are members of the Better Business Bureau, the Professional Association of Resume Writers, and the Certified Professional Resume Writers. Just like ResumeWriters.com, ResumeEdge has many different samples that you can peruse to determine if you will like their style of writing or not. Add all that to the fact that they have plenty of sample resumes for you to view and it all adds up to ResumeEdge making the grade and landing in the top three.

3. Resumes Planet: Resumes Planet offers a wide range of resume writing services and has been doing the business of resume writing for many years now. They too offer 100 percent satisfaction guaranteed and even give you free interview tips with their service. On their website you will find many different sample resumes that you can view that will help you feel better about using them. Their biggest perk is that they do offer a 24 hour turnaround time if you need it and their customer support is 24/7 which safely lands them in the top three resume writers.

All three professional resume writer services offer a wide range of services so do your homework and check into each one thoroughly before you make your decision. But you will be hard pressed to find any other resume writers out there today that offer the service and support of these top three and by the way, their prices are very reasonable and among the best in the industry.

What does a resume editing service do?

2009-09-21T15:30:00.000-07:00

There’s been a lot of talk lately about resume editing services. It wasn’t so long ago when to most people editing a resume meant having a spouse or friend look over the document. But, in today’s competitive market it can be a good idea to turn to the professionals for resume editing. Resume editing services have a lot to offer and you can benefit tremendously from their services.

With over 3.5 million Americans sending out resumes every month, it is essential that you have a top-notch resume. Many companies specializing in resume writing also offer a resume editing service as well. And edit of your existing resume may be a more affordable way to ensure your resume stands out among the competition.

Resume editing services employ professional resume writers that have a good understanding of what makes a good resume. They are up to date with the current trends. Just as in the fashion world, resume styles can go out of fashion. Your resume may be overlooked by a hiring manager just based on an outdated template. Professional resume writers also know the current buzz words in each industry. They know what’s hot with hiring managers.

We often have a hard time selling ourselves. It can be hard to brag about ourselves to a stranger. Plus, we often sell ourselves short on our skills and accomplishments. A professional rewrite of your resume can transform it from a piece of paper listing your experiences to an attractive document highlighting your accomplishments.

There are some key areas that will be addressed in an edit of any resume:

• Proofreading & Editing. They will start with the basics – spelling, grammatical errors, and punctuation. An error of this nature can send your resume straight to the trash.
• Formatting. Potential employers may interpret your ability to organize information on how well it is presented in your resume. Professional writers employ the most advanced organization techniques to your resume.
• Structural Coherence. Your experience and accomplishments need to be presented in an orderly manner, so as to convey a natural professional evolution.
• Theme. Professionals will apply a theme to your resume based on your career objectives.
• Information. With a fresh perspective of your resume, professionals will be able to weed out information that lacks detail and replace it information that presents more meaning.
• Voice. It’s important that your resume be presented in a uniform, active voice.
• Keywords. Professionals know the popular keywords that need to be present on your resume.

You may think your resume is ok, and it may well be ok, but in today’s market you’ve got to make sure your resume stands out. Your resume may be the only way to get the attention of a hiring manager. By utilizing a professional resume editing service, you can ensure that your resume gets noticed.

There are several companies that offer resume editing. If you are on a budget, but searching for a way to jump start your job search, a professional edit of your resume could be the answer. Remember, these professionals deal with resumes all day. They know what works, what’s popular, and how to turn your resume into a marketing tool to advertise you and your experiences.

Job Search Tax Deductions

2009-09-14T14:34:00.000-07:00

With so many Americans out of work or looking for a better job to make it these days, it’s important to note that some job search costs are tax deductible. In the IRS Publication 529, there is an entire section devoted to “Job Search Expenses”. Even if your job search doesn’t yield results, you can still claim the expenses on your taxes.

As with most things in life, there is a catch. The IRS has three major exclusions – so don’t go saving all those receipts quite yet.
1. You must be looking for a job in your current occupation. If you are looking to shift careers you will not be able to deduct your expenses.
2. Another deal breaker – if it’s there has been a “substantial” break since the end of your last job and the current search. The IRS doesn’t define substantial, so be sure to check out this detail with a tax advisor.
3. If you are looking for a first job, say fresh out of college, you do not qualify for this deduction.

If you are looking for a new position in your current field and there hasn’t been a substantial time lapse since your last job you’ll want to track all your expenses. You will be able to itemize your expenses on Schedule A on your next tax return. Here are some examples of job search related expenses:

• Resumes. If you are looking for a new job in your present occupation, all the money you spend on preparing and mailing out your resume is deductible. This includes if you pay to for a professional resume writing service or resume distribution service. Even though most applications are done online, if you choose to mail in your resume you can deduct the paper, envelopes, and even postage.
• Employment and outplacement agency fees. Again, if you are looking in your present occupation, you can deduct employment and outplacement agency fees – if you pay them yourself. If your employers reimburses you for these fees, you’ll have to add that to your gross income.
• Travel and transportation expenses. Be careful on this one, but if your job search, again in your present occupation, requires you to travel you may be able to deduct your expenses to and from the area. You need to be able to demonstrate that primary reason for the travel is to look for a new job and not personal. Even if you are looking for a new job in your present area you may be able to the mileage incurred during your search.

When in doubt, just save the receipt for every job search related expense. When you are ready to file your taxes, be sure to read the details regarding the deductions on Schedule A. You can find details on these deductions in Publication 529. If you have financially contributed quite a bit to your job search, it is probably worth consulting with a tax advisor regarding your qualifying deductions. Keep in mind the fees incurred in the cost of tax preparation software programs, tax publications, or tax advisors are deductible as well.

Don’t Lie on your Resume – but do Spin

2009-09-12T17:54:00.000-07:00

Honesty is always the best policy and the same holds true when writing our resume and you should never flat out lie; but there are times when you should spin. You hear the term spin from the politicians that can take any situation and ‘spin’ it to become something totally different. While you may view a Governor drinking a beer at a bar as a bad thing, you may not feel that way, once a spin doctor gets a hold of the story and tells you that the Governor was simply out in an attempt to re-connect with the local blue collared workers of America. Same situation, different spin.

It is this art of spinning that can be used to help you at times on your resume. Here are some places on your resume where you never want to lie, but you may want to spin:

• Education: If you only completed three and a half years of college, put that down. It may be tempting to say that you did graduate, but these days it is very easy for potential employer to check. But you also don’t want to simply put that you didn’t graduate. Here is a perfect place to spin. Tell why you didn’t complete college. For example, ‘I left school early to take a position with XYZ corporation and am currently seeking information about online coursed that will help me to complete my schooling and obtain my degree.’ Same situation, just worded differently.

• Time gaps: This is especially for the former stay at home moms. It is very bad to leave large time gaps in your resume, but you never want to lie and say you worked when you really didn’t. At the same time you don’t want to just say you stayed at home to take care of your child; spin it. For example, ‘I took some time out of the private sector and devoted much of my time to volunteer work.’ This can be especially true as most stay at home moms do find themselves volunteering a great deal for the schools in which their children attend. This is a wonderful skill and when spun properly it can not only look good on a resume, but it will also fill that nasty time gap.

• Experience: Never lie about what you can and cannot do for an employer because the time may come when you are asked to perform what you said you could do and then you are stuck staring like a deer in the headlights. You should however, spin your work experience to be relevant to the job in which you are applying. If you are applying for a management position at a financial firm and you have managed before at a fast food restaurant, key in on the fact that you did mange others before, not necessarily who. For example, instead of saying you managed the fry section of your local greasy spoon, say, ‘At XYZ I was in charge of a four member team and oversaw their day to day activities to ensure proper productivity was taking place.’ Beats the heck out of saying you yelled at four guys to drop more baskets of fries.

Again, being honest is the best way to get a job and if you lie you are taking a big risk that you will get caught. Instead of telling outright lies on your resume, think like the politicians do and make sure that you are spinning your story in a way that will come off pleasing to anyone who reads it.

Read reviews of the best resume services.

Resume Writing Tips for the Stay at Home Moms Re-entering the Workforce

2009-09-10T09:23:00.000-07:00

Advise for Moms who want to get back to Work

Resume writing for women who are stay at home moms and are looking to re-enter the workforce can be a tricky deal. Being a stay at home mom is a wonderful thing and all women who decide to do that should be commended, but now comes the challenge of writing a solid resume so that you can get back to working on a full time basis. The main problem for all you stay at home moms is that now when you prepare your resume you will have a gap in employment. This does not look good but there are some things you can do that will help you fill in those gaps and be more likely to get an interview and eventually a job.

Here are some simple tips for preparing your stay at home mom resume:

• Don’t get cute: It may sound cute to put ‘Household CEO’ or ‘Professional kid taxi’ on your resume, but the fact is it may actually hurt you. This is contrary to a lot of opinions and there is no doubt that being a stay at home mom is indeed a full time job, but there are those who will not agree with your decision or wished they could have stayed at home like you did. What you may inadvertently do by getting cute is turn of the individual going over your resume. If that happens, you will never get an interview and obviously you won’t get the job you are after either.

• Look past your home life: Most stay at home moms don’t have much idle time on their hands, but when they do it is generally put it to good use. This can be done in the form of volunteering, continued education, or even some freelance part-time work. By highlighting this on your resume you show the potential employer that you were committed to using and maybe even sharpening your skills while you were not in the workforce full time. Volunteer work is especially great here as many volunteer jobs are more demanding than the jobs you will be applying for.

• Highlight past experience: If you worked before you decided to stay at home with the kids, then you should of course highlight that. You will naturally be putting on your resume anyway, but perhaps there was some way in which you stayed somewhat involved with your former profession. If so be sure to include it.

• Don’t leave the time gap blank: Whatever you do, don’t leave the time that you were at home blank on your resume. You may be the best stay at home mom ever, but the potential employer doesn’t know that, so do your best and make sure something goes down.

Remember, the entire point of a resume is to make it appealing enough to get the potential employer to call you in for an interview. Once you get your foot in the door, you can explain the time you spent at home however you see fit.

Tip: Get help with your resume by consulting with a professional resume service.

Compare Resume Writers to Find the Best

2009-09-10T09:21:00.000-07:00

Writing a resume is sometimes easier said than done and many times individuals finds themselves comparing resume writers in an attempt to find the best one for their situation. This is an extremely smart move as a solid resume is the key to winning the position you desire in today’s job market. So how do you ensure that you are getting the best bang for your buck and more importantly for your situation?

There are many things to consider when you compare resume writers and price should not be the first thing. Here are some of the considerations:

• Experience: First and foremost when choosing a resume writer you should consider their experience. A good resume writer will have many samples for you to view so that you are sure you will be happy with their service. If you find a resume writer that does not have many or any samples to show you then you should be wary as they are probably not the most experienced.

• Personal touch: Many resume services are online only. What this means is that you will not correspond with an actual person let alone the person that is writing your resume other than via e-mail. A good resume writer should not only provide you with their e-mail address, but there should also be a way for you to call and talk to the writer. It is after all, your resume and you should be allowed to have as much input as you like. Talking to the resume writer beforehand is also a good way to get a feel for how the writer will perform and allow you the opportunity to ask some questions. Think of it as the resume writer interviewing for you.

• Experience in your field: As there are many different types of jobs today, there is the need for many different types of resumes. A government resume is going to differ severely from that of a management resume. Make sure that when you are comparing resume writers that you are looking at how much experience they have in writing resumes for your particular field of expertise.

• Price: Last but certainly not least you should consider the price. With the advent of the Internet it will be very easy for you to search and find a number of good resume writers to compare. If you find several that offer everything you are looking for then of course it is in your best interest to go with the cheapest. A word of caution here; make sure you know what is included in the price. Many resume writers charge a base price and then charge you all sorts of ala carte services that you may have assumed were included; that is until you get the bill.

A good solid resume is the key to getting the job you desire. If you can’t write a solid resume yourself there is nothing to be ashamed of. Just as you have your professional skills, a resume writer has theirs. Knowing what to look for when comparing resume writers will not only save you some unwanted headaches, but will help you land the job of your dreams.

SES Resume Writing – An Overview

2009-09-09T09:10:00.000-07:00

What you need to know about Senior Executive Services Resumes

SES resume writing is an undertaking like no other. SES stands for Senior Executive Service and represents some of the top government jobs that are available. Requirements for obtaining an SES position are extremely strict and that being said, if your SES resume is not perfect you may not even get the chance to go up for review.

An SES resume has to be extremely well written but it should be noted that it also must be accompanied with certain documents. Along with your SES resume each SES position will also require an ECQ, or Executive Core Qualification and a PTQ, or Professional Technical Qualification to be filled out as well. These two additional documents along with your SES resume are going to be what sells you as the perfect candidate for the job. Again, if not written properly, you will crush your chances of getting reviewed.

When preparing to write your SES resume you should consider the following:

• Relevance: The SES position you are after will have certain qualifications that must be met in order for you to be considered. While many of your accomplishments may be of great stature, if they are not relevant to the position, leave them out. Only include relevant information that pertains to the SES position you are trying to get.

• Give more: This goes with the first point. Even if you think something is insignificant, if it is relevant to the SES position, put it down. Remember you are going after a very high profile job and simply writing a cookie cutter resume will not do you any good. With an SES resume you must be ready and willing to give more.

• Provide ALL information requested: Don’t deviate from the mean. Whatever the guidelines are for the specific SES position you are after, follow them to the letter. When it comes to an SES position you do not want to try to get creative and go off subject because this will end up costing you in the end.

• Admit defeat: Writing an SES resume is probably going to be the hardest thing you will ever do. If you think you can do it yourself and do it effectively then by all means have at it. If you find though that the process is not going along the way you would like then it is imperative that you seek the help of a professional SES resume writer. There is no shame in admitting this defeat. Just because you can’t write an SES resume doesn’t mean you are any less smart than the next person, in fact quite the contrary. You are only going to get one shot at the potential interview of a lifetime and you owe it to yourself to do whatever it takes to make that happen.

Just as with any other type of job an SES position requires a resume. This resume however is not like the ones you have written in the past or the one you learned to write in college. Again, make sure you have a firm grasp on the process of writing your SES resume and if not, find someone to help you so that your dream of obtaining an SES position doesn’t slip away.

Successful ECQ Writing

2009-09-09T09:08:00.000-07:00

If you are trying to land a Senior Executive Service, or SES job with the federal government, a vital part of that process is the need for successful ECQ writing. ECQ stands for Executive Core Qualifications and consist of five parts. These ECQs must be filled out and turned in with your SES application.

The ECQs give the federal hiring recruiters a better idea of whether or not an applicant has the competencies and characteristics that they are looking for. In other words, ECQs that are well written can give you an advantage over other applicants. If your ECQs stand out from the crowd, you will have a better chance of landing the job, but on the flip side, if not prepared correctly, your application may wind up on the bottom of the pile.

The five main ECQs are as follows:

• ECQ 1: Leading Change
• ECQ 2: Leading People
• ECQ 3: Results Driven
• ECQ 4: Business Acumen
• ECQ 5: Building Coalitions

Theses ECQs should be one to one and a half pages in length and should be clear, concise, and contain specific examples of your abilities in each one. When preparing your ECQs it is not only important to come off sounding professional but also to come off sounding like the statements are coming from your own voice. As obvious as it may seem, it is imperative that your ECQs be both grammatically correct and contain no spelling errors.

The approach to use in successful ECQ writing is called CCAR. This stands for Challenge, Context Action, and Result and is broken down as follows:

• Challenge: Here is where you can describe a specific challenge, problem, or goal.
• Context: Describe who you worked with and the environment of that work when taking on the challenge.
• Action: Go into the specific actions you took when taking on the challenge you described.
• Result: Give the exact outcome of your actions with the challenge you described. This will show how effectively you can accomplish tasks and what your leadership ability is.

While there is no set time frame when it comes to successful ECQ writing, it should be noted that if not executed properly, the federal employer is simply going to look you over and move on to the next applicant. Many individuals that do decide to tackle this monumental task on their own will find themselves spending three or more hours on each ECQ constantly writing and editing and so on. It is for this reason that many choose to hire a professional ECQ writer. Hiring an ECQ writer will not only ensure that your ECQ writing is successful, but these individuals also know the latest trends that the federal employers are looking for.

When it comes to the federal government, only those that have successful ECQ writing skills will be considered for the position. Remember, you are going after an SES job, which is the cream of the crop, so which ever method you choose, be sure that your ECQs are prepared the right way using the CCAR format so that you can maximize your chances of landing your dream federal job.

Are Paper Resumes still needed?

2009-09-08T10:19:00.000-07:00

These days everything has gone digital including resumes, which begs the question, is a paper resume still needed? There are many sites online now that you can go to and upload a digital version of your resume and more employers than ever before will have access to it. While the digital revolution is indeed a great one, there are still times where having the old standby of a paper resume is handy indeed.

Here are some times when you will find having a paper resume to your advantage:

• Beating the streets: Yes this is the old fashion way of job hunting. The idea here is to print out a dozen or so copies of your resume in paper form and hit the road. Whatever job it is you are trying to get, like insurance sales for example, will get a resume from you and if you don’t get a job the first day out you will try handing out another dozen paper resumes the next day. Eventually you will land a job. This type of tenacity is rare indeed these days, but you should never underestimate the power of a good personal introduction.

• Faxing potential employers: There are many job opportunities that want you to do nothing more than fax them a resume and then they will contact you if they are interested. It is true that there are programs now that will digitally fax a copy of your resume to the potential employer for you, but many people don’t have this software in which case it is easier to make a paper copy and fax it over and over again.

• Networking: When you are looking for a job you should be talking to everyone about it and not just your friends and family. You never know who could be out there waiting to hire someone just like you. If you do happen to meet someone who is interested in your services what are you going to do, tell them to check out your resume online? It can never hurt you, but it may help you to have a few paper resumes handy wherever it is you are going. Print them out and put them in a folder and leave that folder in your car. If need be you can excuse yourself just long enough to fetch a paper resume.

• At an interview: If you are being interviewed for a job then chances are that the interviewer has already looked over your resume, but what if they want a copy from you? It is better to have one ready and the interviewer not ask for it then it is to not have one ready and have the interviewer want it. Taking your paper resume with you ensures that you are covered.

Having paper resumes with you is no guarantee that you will find a job, but look at it this way; it can’t hurt. When you are trying to secure the job of your dreams it is always best to be prepared, even if you are a little over-prepared.

Compare resume services at JobGoRound.com.

5 Overused Resume Phrases

2009-09-08T10:17:00.000-07:00

In your quest to find the ultimate job you have been told to keep your resume up to date and as interesting as possible, but have you ever been told that there are certain resume phrases to avoid all together? The reason is simple. If you are applying for a job that many others are applying for as well and you use phrases in your resume that are in everyone else’s resume as well, then the chances of you standing out from the crowd and thus becoming the frontrunner for the position you are after are going to be slim to none.

With the job market the way it is now and many people vying for the same job, it is more important than ever to make sure that not only is your resume up to date, but original and absent of overused resume phrases. Here are five overused resume phrase to avoid and how to re-word them:

1. Track record of success: Re-word as, ‘Consistently surpassed sales goals each and every year by more than 7 percent.’ Here you are saying the same thing only you are citing a specific example of why you are so successful.

2. Go-to person: Re-word as, ‘Selected by division manager on a consistent basis to head up special assignments.’ Again you are giving specific examples of why you are always the go-to guy instead of just stating that you are.

3. Team Player: Re-word as, ‘Strong commitment to a team environment with the ability to follow leadership directives if necessary.’ This shows that you can contribute, but that you can also follow directions if need be. Don’t use the word team player, unless you are talking about the Yankees.

4. Spoke with customers on a daily basis: Re-word as, ‘Interacted with clientele on a regular basis to create repeat business and referrals.’ You can add a specific number to that if you like but again you are getting a bit more specific. Saying it the first way is like, duh, of course you spoke to customers at your last job, that was your job.

5. Partnered with others: Re-word as, ‘Ability to work with a multitude of other from various departments in order to collaborate and implement new sales strategies and techniques.’ This shows that you not only play nice with others, but that you can be productive while doing so.

Always remember that your resume is your one and only tool to sell yourself enough to open the door to your dream job. Once you get the interview it is a different story, but you will never get that interview if you don’t know what resume phrases to avoid using. Put yourself in the interviewer shoes. Would you want to hire someone who stands out from the rest of the resumes and thus looks more like an individual who could possibly lead, or would you want to hire someone who says and acts like everyone else and reminds you of a single sheep in a massive herd? Don’t be a sheep, because sheep are followers and often times get lead to their own slaughter.

Read reviews of the top professional resume services.

How to Build a Great Reference List

2009-09-07T14:47:00.000-07:00

Knowing how to build a great reference list can literally make or break you when trying to find the job of your dreams. With a carefully crafted reference list you will not only look good to the prospective employer, but you will be letting others sell you too.

A good reference list should have the person’s full name, business they are associated with, address, phone numbers, and e-mail. More than that though you need to know how to build your reference list so that it helps you to stand out from the rest of the crowd. Here are some ways to make sure that your reference list is a great one:

• Get permission: Whoever it is you are planning on using as a reference make sure and call them first and ask them if it is alright for you to use their name. Make sure they will be comfortable with speaking on your behalf. The last thing you want to do is to surprise someone with the fact that you used them as a reference as this could lead to a less than glowing recommendation.

• Choose in a relevant manner: Be sure that the references you are putting down have some sort of relevancy to the job in which you are applying for. For example, if you are trying to get a management position, you will want to put down someone you have managed in the past as well as your previous boss. This way a prospective employer can see that you not only followed orders well, but were also able to dole out authority too.

• Tell the truth: Don’t try to use your friend’s name and fabricate a false company or title just to make yourself look bigger than you are. This can only lead to disaster. The bottom line is, you are either qualified for a position or you are not qualified for a position.

• Small world, huh: You never know who knows who these days so be sure that your references are going to tell the truth about you and their experience with you. You don’t want a reference to say that you worked well with Bob Smith when you really didn’t and then have the prospective employer say, ‘Oh, I know Bob, small world.’ If that happens, Bob will probably get a phone call and you will probably be looking elsewhere for employment.

• Make it ultra easy: Make getting a hold of your references super easy for the prospective employer. Along with all the contact info, maybe include a time of day that it is best to call that specific reference. Nothing is more agitating to a prospective employer than having to chase down your references.

• Don’t use family: Of course your mom and uncle think you would be perfect for the job you are applying for, but unless you actually worked for them in the past don’t use them as a reference. Stick to business related references as this looks much more professional.

In today’s tough job environment you need all the help you can get. When you build a great reference list you not only increase your chances of setting yourself apart for the rest of the applicants, but you increase your chances of landing the job of your dreams by having others sell you too.

Read more career advice articles at JobGoRound.com.

Do I Need a Career Coach?

2009-09-07T14:45:00.000-07:00

In such a shaky economic time when the job market is faltering and competition is at its highest, you may be asking yourself, ‘Do I need a career coach?’ A career coach is a person who has been there and done that and then some. They often come from a human resources background and have been around the corporate block a time or two. They can offer you a great insight into what the job market is looking for and more importantly can give you a great insight into yourself.

Career coaches can help you in more than just finding a new job. Many career coaches are experts in helping you to assess what needs to be done in order to further your career right where you are. This of course is going to cost you money and you may be waffling on whether or not hiring one is really worth it. So when do you know if you need one or not?

Look over the following examples and see if any apply to you. If you are finding yourself saying yes to any number of these examples then you may need to consider a career coach:

• Disharmony in the workplace: Do you hate your boss or does your boss hate you? This type of disharmony is counterproductive for all involved.
• Feeling of instability: Do fear getting that dreaded pink slip on a daily basis? Living in constant uncertainty can lead to a whole host of other problems.
• Underpaid: Are you being paid significantly less than those that are in your area of expertise? Don’t settle for less than you are worth.
• Overlooked: Have you just been overlooked for a promotion only to see it go to someone you feel is less deserving than you? What do you need to do to stand out at work?
• Lay off: Have you recently been laid off and have no clue where to go from here? This can be especially tough if you are up in age and are lacking self confidence.
• Business start-up: Do you want to start your own business but have no idea how to go about that? Before you quit your nine to five to start your business you have to consider many factors.
• Emotional distress: Does your stomach constantly hurt when you think about going into work? Are you taking out your work frustrations on your family? No amount of money is worth your health or losing your family over.
• Progress stalled: Has your progress in looking for a new job or excelling at your existing one stalled? You have to know where to look and what to do in order to be successful.

If any of these scenarios described you then you may be in need of a career coach. Do you need one? No. Plenty of people have successful careers without them, but many others find that there is nothing better to help get their lives back on track. Many people are reluctant to go with a career coach because of the cost, but you have to think about a career coach as an investment in yourself and your future. The cost can be well worth it if the career coach can help you to once again believe in yourself and can help you to succeed in a cut throat job market or excel right where you are.

List of the top online job search sites.

Resume Service Ratings

2009-09-07T14:26:00.000-07:00

If you’re thinking of using a resume service, you may feel a little uneasy about it. You send off a big chunk of money and are nervous about what you’ll get in return. If you feel your resume is in good condition, your fear is for a couple hundred dollars you get a “your resume looks great – not much we can do to improve upon it”. But, based off customer reviews of resume writing services, you may be surprised with the result.

Customers are overwhelmingly satisfied with their experiences with resume services. If you read testimonials on the website of the company, it’s not surprising to find glowing reviews. But, there are objective websites out there that compare resume services and allow customers to leave independent feedback.

If you are considering using a resume service, I highly recommend taking advantage of independent review sites. You can find them easily by googling “resume service ratings” or “resume service reviews”. There are a handful of sites that provide user feedback for you to review.

These review sites are also a valuable tool because they have already done the research to find companies offering quality resume services. This can be a real time saver for you – visit a few sites and you’ll have direct links to the top resume services. Additional information may also be presented such as costs, turn around time, and specialties, if any.

Whichever service you choose, be sure to find out if they employ certified professional resume writers (CPRW). Most review sites only list companies that use CPRWs. To be a certified professional resume writer, individuals must pass an exam to demonstrate their expertise in resume writing, proofreading, career trends, and employment issues. Certifications are issued by Professional Association of Resume Writers & Career Coaches. You can visit their website to find certified resume writers as well.

There are a few other ways to do some research on a company as well. Try googling the company name to see what comes up. Occasionally, you can find a blog describing a person’s experience with that particular company. You can also check with the Better Business Bureau. Some companies are accredited or members of the BBB. Businesses that apply to the BBB commit to abide by a set of ethical standards and have undergone a detailed review process. Even if a company is not registered with the BBB, customers may still file complaints. It’s always a good idea to do a quick check to make sure the company you’ve selected hasn’t received numerous complaints to the Better Business Bureau.

Spending a little time researching a resume writing service can help put your mind at ease and result in a high quality new resume for yourself. Most people forget to leave positive reviews of companies – we tend only to want to express our opinion when we are upset. If you are satisfied with the product you received leave a review so that future customers will feel more confident in their search for a resume service.

Reasons to Use a Resume Service

2009-09-03T08:50:00.000-07:00

With current economic conditions, it may seem wasteful to spend the money on a resume service, but in this competitive market this is exactly the time you should spring for the service. Many companies are receiving hundreds of resumes for each open position. A majority of recruiters spend less than three minutes reviewing a resume. Does your resume have what it takes to get noticed?

Your resume is not just a list of your experiences; it is a document advertising you and your accomplishments. Companies spend thousands of dollars on advertising campaigns. They do market research, conduct focus groups, and pitch several different ideas – all to get your attention. Your resume is your only way to get the attention of a hiring manager.

There are the obvious changes that can be made to your resume. If you have a simple typo or grammatical error, your resume could be tossed aside no matter how relevant your experience. But, this is something you can edit on your own. A good resume writing service offers more than just proofreading.

Resume writers do just that – they write resumes, every day. It can be easy for most individuals to find a resume format they like and stick with that format for years. A resume writer sees all different kinds of formats and styles and can transform your resume in ways that highlight your key points. Think of yourself on the receiving end of resumes – wouldn’t you be tired of seeing the same old bulleted list of job descriptions? A professional resume writer knows how to make your resume visually stand out.

Resume writers know what recruiters want, and just as important what they don’t want to see on resumes. Professionals know what keywords and buzzwords need to be present for your resume to stand out. Many recruiters search resumes online and will only find your resume if certain keywords are present. Since resume writers are always working with resumes they know the latest trends and techniques that recruiters are using. They attend conferences and participate in webinars, so their skills set is always improving.

Many people become attached to certain details on their resume. There may be some parts that should not be included, but they are so important to the individual that they have a tough time deleting them. Having a resume writer work on your resume will help it to be more objective. After talking with you about your experiences, there may be other skills that they will highlight on your resume. As individuals we tend to down play several of our best abilities.

How much money have you spent on education and training? What good is all that work if you don’t have a resume that presents all that experience in the best light? Resume writing services range anywhere from $50 up to $1000. While this may seem like a lot of money, think of it as an investment in your future income. The first step in landing that new job is getting a call for an interview and the only way that will happen is with a good resume that gets noticed.

Compare the best professional resume services at JobGoRound.com.

What is a Letter of Intent?

2009-07-20T20:27:00.000-07:00

A letter of intent or LOI can be used in many different circumstances and is an outline of an agreement between two or more parties before it is finalized. These letters of intent spell out all the particulars so that each company or party entering into the agreement has a better understanding of what is involved. Letters of intent are used in many different faucets of the business world and are similar to a written contract only not as binding. A letter of intent is exactly how it sounds; it is a letter that is stating an intended purpose.

While the purposes of letters of intent will vary from situation to situation here are a few examples of why a letter of intent is used:

• To come up with and provide safeguards for the interested parties in the case of a potential deal falling apart.
• To make clear all the points that may need to be covered so that each party has a better understanding of the potential transaction or merger.
• To make a declaration that two or more parties are in current negotiations such as in joint venture or even a merger.

In the business world letters of intent are often used to prove to potential investors that a potential deal or merger may take place. Without such proof, investors may not be so willing to loan out the much needed money. While letters of intent are common in the business world there are also other instances where letters of intent are used. Some of these instances include:

• Schools: Many times a school will require a letter of intent when a new club or group is forming.

• Expansion or downsizing: Letters of intent are sometimes used to let employees of large firms know that the company plans on either expanding or downsizing certain departments.

• Athletics: When a high school senior decides on which college he or she would like to attend and receive an athletic scholarship to do so, a letter of intent is signed. Many sports even have a national signing day to keep the playing field level.

• Academic: In the academic world a letter of intent is known as a Statements of Purpose and is part of the application process.
• Real estate: Often times there are properties that are not listed on the MLS or with a realtor. It is at these times that a letter of intent can be used to let the owner of the house know that a potential buyer exists and thus the process of buying and selling the house may begin.

• Disabled persons: When the parents of a disabled person have passed away, courts will rely on the family’s letter of intent to try to figure out what the wishes of the family are for the disabled relative.

A letter of intent is sometimes the glue that holds a potential deal together. While deals are done in the business world and other areas of life every day, usually the beginning of any deal was originally laid out in a letter of intent.

View a sample letter of intent to make it easier to write your own letter.

No More KSA Writing

2009-07-13T08:38:00.000-07:00

Earlier this year the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) announced it was moving with much vigor to scrap the part of the government hiring process that most individuals dread; the knowledge, skills and abilities, or KSAs, questionnaire. The KSAs are a series of questions that are answered in essay form by the applicant and then graded by reviewers. Obviously, the higher the grade the better your shot at landing the Federal job you are applying for.

The OPM is making the move to have individuals that are seeking Federal employment be hired in much the same way they would in the private sector, which is primarily resume based. The main reason for this is that the OPM feels that the long and drawn out KSAs are actually discouraging some to apply for Federal work. This discouragement could lead to the best possible candidate for a job to never be seen in the first place and thus never hired. While this announcement is sure to have many Federal job applicants jumping for joy, the announcement gives many mixed feeling and there are pros and cons to what this will mean both now and once it goes into effect.

The phase out of the KSAs is hoped to be completed within a one-year time frame, but the efforts have only recently begun. For now at least, the KSAs do remain in effect. This is actually good news for those that are applying for a Federal job and have the KSAs down to a science. For the many that hate the process, if you want to avoid them you will just have to be patient.

The drawback to making the announcement of the phasing out of the KSAs is that now some potential applicants may do just that and exercise their patience and wait for the hiring process to be more streamlined. Federal jobs that once had several hundred applicants at a time may now be whittled down to a smaller percentage. Again, great news if you are one of those individuals that can master the KSAs as your chances of getting that Federal position are much higher if there are less applicants. But that will all change once the KSAs have been totally phased out.

Once the KSAs are gone for good, you can bet that the number of applicants for Federal Jobs will increase in a big way. It is much easier to apply for a job by simply submitting a resume than it is to answer KSAs for hours. This influx of applicant will surely have the Human Resources departments working overtime to sift through the numerous resumes. While this process might ensure that the best person is hired for the federal job, this also means that the wait time will probably increase. Where the KSA process may have produced a candidate in a few weeks, the new process could take far longer. The increased number of applicant will also decrease your chances of getting a Federal job by percentages alone.

Perhaps though the biggest effect that the federal job seeker will experience is the shift in what is needed to land that Federal job. Now applicants for Federal work will have to make sure that their resumes are top notch and will not be able to rely on the KSAs. While many may like this idea, others may not. Some individuals are better at writing in essay form than writing a resume and vice-versa. Whatever the case may be, once the KSA phase out is complete everyone will have to have a strong and polished federal resume to increase the chances of landing Federal work.

How to Find Affordable Resume Services

2009-07-12T14:05:00.000-07:00

Finding resume services can be a tricky job, but finding affordable resume services can sometimes be darn near impossible. With so many seemingly affordable resume services to choose from it is important to know where to look and what to look for.

Ever since the advent of the Internet it has not ever been a problem to find pretty much whatever it is you are looking for online. Affordable resume services are no different, but because it is so easy to find results there are many so called affordable resume services that need to be weeded out before you can choose which affordable resume service you want to go with.

To begin your journey, go online and type in ‘affordable resume services’ into your trusty Google or Yahoo search bar. As expected you will get thousands of results and here is where you have to do some ‘shopping.’ Click on some of the different services and compare the following two factors:

1. Services offered: Before you look at anything else you must make sure that the affordable resume service you are looking at can achieve what you need them to. You should take a good amount of time here and really compare closely exactly what services you will receive when signing up. This will of course vary from service to service and obviously the more services you get the better. If you find several affordable resume services, which you more than likely will, all offering you the same benefits, then it is time to look at the next factor.

2. Price: You are after all looking for ‘affordable’ resume services. Use caution here though as the last thing you want to do is sign up with an affordable resume service just because they are the cheapest. It is also important to avoid the ones that claim to be free. Nothing in life is free and resume services that advertise as free are simply trying to rope you in and will whack you with charges later on. When viewing the prices, make sure that the price you are looking at is an all-inclusive price. Many affordable resume services are only affordable at the base price and if you want your resume to stand out, it will cost you. Make sure up front that you not only get a price that you can live with, but one that will not inflate as the process goes on. This can only be accomplished by actually dialing a number and speaking with an actual person. If an affordable resume service doesn’t offer a phone number, then chances are you won’t get very personable service and you should just look elsewhere.

While it may be a bit time consuming, finding affordable resume services that will help you accomplish your goals is not as hard as you might think. Remember, while it is nice to save a buck or two, price is second on the list for a reason. There is no point in getting affordable resume services if those services are going to ultimately prove ineffective. Taking your time and doing your homework can ultimately help you land the job you deserve.

Read resume service reviews to help you choose a resume writing service.

Four Questions to Ask a Resume Writer

2009-07-04T10:07:00.000-07:00

Writing a resume is of utmost importance if you wish to secure interviews and eventually land a great paying job. Many times when an individual doesn’t feel comfortable writing his or her own resume they hire a resume writer. A resume writer is someone who should know how to layout your specific resume and present it in the way that employers want to see it.

There are many resume writing services available to choose from and whichever companies you are considering, there are four questions you should ask each one of them. These questions are:

1. What is the cost? A good resume writing service is one that not only takes the information you provide them, but also does much of its own research as well. Because the process is by no means easy, many resume services typically charge between $200 and $500 which will depend on your career level and other factors. If you find a resume service that is significantly below this then a red flag should start waving in your mind. Sure it is great to save a buck to two, but when it comes to your resume that savings could cost you a job.

2. Are they certified? There are several different types of certified resume writers. To be certified an individual must pass an examination and submit samples of work that are scrutinized by a good number of people. If a company you are considering is claiming to be certified and you are not sure, then you can check one of the following company’s website for confirmation:

• Career Maters Institute or CMI
• Career Directors International or CDI
• National Resume Writers Association or NRWA
• Professional Association of Resume Writers and Career Coaches or PARW/CC

3. How many years experience do they have? If the resume writer you are considering does not have at least two years experience writing resumes, then you should find one that does, there are plenty out there.

4. Are they experienced in writing resumes for your field? This question is probably the most overlooked. Even if a resume writer has ten years experience in writing resumes, if they never wrote a resume that pertained to your field of work, then you are barking up the wrong tree. Make sure your resume writer not only has experience, but experience in your field as well.

It is also a good idea to speak with a few different writers before you make your decision. This will allow you to do some price comparison and you can also gauge your level of comfort, which is of utmost importance.

Remember, a resume is what a potential employer will see first. If the resume is not of good quality and does not stand out from the rest, then chances are it will end up in the trash and you will not get a call for an interview. Finding the right resume writer for you is not as hard as you think, you just need to make sure you ask them all the right questions.

Compare the top online resume writer reviews.

Where to Find Sample Resume Objectives

2009-07-04T09:52:00.000-07:00

A resume objective is an option that some individuals choose to do when applying for a job. A resume objective is exactly what it sounds like; you are putting down in writing your objective. Think of it as your chance to tell a potential employer your career plans and why you would be a perfect fit for their company. This is often times put on the cover letter of the resume, but many prefer to have it in the body of the resume instead. A resume objective is often placed before all else on the resume and is sometimes nothing more than one paragraph.

Writing a resume objective is what can make your resume stand out from the rest so it is important that your resume objective be custom tailored to fit the job you are applying for. That one paragraph can either leave the potential employer wanting to read more, or have him or her ‘filing’ your resume in the trash can. If this is new to you, fear not, there are plenty of places online that can provide you with sample resume objectives, you just have to know where to look.

If you do a Google or Yahoo search for ‘sample resume objectives’ up will pop thousands of results. While there a great number of sites that have sample resume objectives for you, there are three that are particularly helpful:

1. Bestsampleresume.com: This site is filled with all kinds of helpful and free tips and tricks when it comes to dressing up your resume. Once on the site, do a site search for resume objective and you will be re-directed to a page that not only explains the resume objective purpose, but also gives you a step by step account of what to write in one.

2. Writing-resumes.suite101.com: Another free website packed full of ways to spruce up you resume. When seeking out the resume objective samples, simply type in resume objective in the ‘find’ button and you will be presented with a number of resources all dedicated to helping you write a great resume objective.

3. Howtodothings.com: Again a simple search within the site for resume objective will yield you several resources and examples that will help guide you through the process of writing a resume objective.

There are also a number of websites that charge for templates of resume objectives, but when there is so much quality information that is available for free, why pay anything if you don’t have too?

Ensuring that your resume objective is spelled out clearly and more importantly effectively is what can lock you into your dream job. Knowing this, it is extremely important for you to take the time and do a little research as to what exactly should and shouldn’t go into your resume objective and knowing where to find some of these sample resume objectives is a great start.

Review the top resume writing services.

Proper KSA Format

2009-07-01T11:45:00.000-07:00

When you attempt to get a Federal job there is an important part of the application process that must be performed properly. This is known as the Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities or KSA. The KSA is what helps determine who is the most qualified candidate for a specific vacancy for a Federal job and the required KSAs are listed on each Federal job opening. KSA answers must be given in the proper KSA Format in order to ensure the best possible score and increase your chances of landing that Federal job you are after.

As with many different application processes there is actually a layout that should be followed to ensure the proper KSA response is given. Unless otherwise stated on the application, all answers should be one page or less and need to contain all of the following information:

1. The job title.
2. The announcement number.
3. Applicant name.
4. Of course the KSA number.

Along with being grammatically correct, it is imperative that the proper KSA response be written in a narrative, first person tone. The answers should sound personal and as if they are coming from your own voice.
KSA’s will generally have you answer three to ten questions and you will need to show in detail that you have the requirements needed to fit the job vacancy. Many factors you should use include:

• Experience: This can be experience gained from previous employment.
• Training: Any special courses you may have taken that qualify you for a particular position.
• Education: Make sure your education needs at least meet the expectations listed.
• Volunteer work: List any and all volunteer work you have done that may apply to the position you are after.
• Awards: If you have been awarded any type of merit that will make you look more qualified for the position, be sure to list it.

Just make sure that you are using relevant factors that either meet or exceed the requirements listed in the Federal job posting.
Making sure that your KSA responses are in the proper format can be somewhat challenging. It is important to remember that your KSA answers will be scored and if you re going head to head with other equally qualified candidates that these scores can make or break you.

There are many resources available online to help ensure that your KSA format is properly done. While you can find certain information for free, there are also a number of well known companies that will prepare your KSA responses for you and ensure that the format is properly done. If you find you are having trouble in preparing your KSA response properly, it may be worth looking into paying a nominal fee for help. By doing so you not only ensure that the response is proper but the format is as well. The last thing you want to have happen is spending all day on your KSA responses, only to find you submitted them in the wrong format and that they didn’t even get reviewed.

Get additional help with KSA writing at KSADoctor.com, where you can also download sample KSA answers.