According to the U.S Bureau of Statistics, the unemployment rate as at April 2012 was 8.1%. Although it is an improvement on the 10% figure of October 2009 (the highest since June 1983), it is still far above the heady days of May 2007 when it was at just 4.4%. In a nutshell, employment is still hard to find so those of you looking for jobs need to create a killer online resume. This is also the case for people currently employed but looking to either move up the ladder in their existing industry or change to another one completely.
Online resume sites claim to help jobseekers by helping them create a portfolio of work and a job history rich in detail. They allow individuals to create far more impressive resumes than the traditional paper equivalent as the site can be improved by adding different colors, templates and fonts. But what are the very best online resume sites? Which websites enable you to stand out and grab that much needed job? We look at three of the best below.
Visualise.Me
This online resume website enables you to create infographics which look fantastic on a page and makes a nice change from the traditional bland contents of a resume. There is no download required and it takes about five minutes to create an account and begin building your resume. The array of graphics, colors and other options are so dazzling that you may just want to add a link to it from your website rather than sending them to LinkedIn! The layout is quite simple and offers plenty of room for your skills, education and work experience with many more options, none of which needs more than a handful of clicks to utilize. The main downside is that employers are still looking for traditional resumes but Visualise.Me is a fantastic change from the norm.
ResumUP
This is yet another online resume site that goes a different route. Again, you can take your data and make a startling presentation out of it using charts, graphs and more. The site’s main strength could arguably be perceived as its main weakness however. When you log in for the first time, you are greeted by a resume that can be customized to suit your needs. The only problem is that there are almost too many options. There are so many things happening at once that it can be confusing. However, once you sort this out, you will love ResumUP as you can show your profile on social networking sites like Facebook and include your work details in a unique format.
About.Me
This is far less ostentatious than the other online resume sites mentioned but this site uses this relative simplicity to its advantage. All you really need on this site is a nice background picture and text. The layout tools on the site are extremely easy to use and can be utilized to create a fantastic profile. You can even choose what to share with people who visit your page. Therefore, you can ignore Facebook and concentrate on LinkedIn and Google+ if you’re only interested in attracting potential employers. When a visitor clicks on these links, the content pops up which is very clever. All in all, this is an excellent resume online site and you can put everything together in a matter of minutes.
There are dozens of other online resume sites worth using. Do some research to find out the site that suits your needs best and start creating your website resume today.
Saturday, June 30, 2012
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Do Resume Blasting, Resume Distribution Services Work?
It’s important to note that resume blasting and resume posting is not the same thing. Resume posting involves a site sending your resume to the top resume services such as Monster and Career Builder. There are services that post your resume to over 50 career sites. They will provide you with login information for each site and allow you to update your resume as and when you see fit. Resume blasting on the other hand involves sending your resume to hundreds or even thousands of recruiters and employers. Many of these services send resumes to companies with jobs you’re not even qualified for though the best sites target suitable employers.
Pros
The most obvious benefit of resume blasting and resume distribution services is the fact that your resume is sent to potentially thousands of employers and recruiters. It is also rather inexpensive on the face of it with many services performing the necessary steps for less than $100. Most services will also send your cover letter with a handful of different ‘disciplines’ targeted. If you were to post the resumes to individual sites yourself, it would take several days of constant work. With resume blasting services, you can sit back and relax as thousands of resumes are sent in no time. As such a huge number of resumes are sent, it’s almost certain that you’ll receive replies.
Cons
You need to ask yourself if it really is inexpensive and good value for money. It’s normal for the response rate to be in the region of 0.5%. So if you sent 3,000 resumes for $100 and received 15 replies, that’s $6.66 a reply. Bear in mind that resume website services such as Monster are free to use.
Your resume probably won’t even be read by a huge percentage of recipients. These companies receive junk mail all the time and are likely to see your resume as just another unwanted burden. When you send resumes yourself to individual companies, you do so in the knowledge that they are looking for employees. With resume blasting, your resume is being sent to thousands of companies who many not even be looking for staff at this time. This could damage your chances of getting a job with these businesses in the future.
Overall
When you use resume blasting, you’re not sending applications that are tailor made for 99.9% of the jobs you will be applying for. The low response rate suggests that this is really a case of throwing mud to the wall and hoping that some sticks. Resume website services such as 4Jobs.com are a much better bet as you can filter job openings yourself and tailor your resume to each specific vacancy thus improving the response rate. The best way to get a job is by building relationships so start networking as well as using resume services. The more people you know in your chosen industry, the more likely it is that someone will inform you of a job opening that is not known by 99% of people. Resume blasting may have some success but it’s relatively limited.
Pros
The most obvious benefit of resume blasting and resume distribution services is the fact that your resume is sent to potentially thousands of employers and recruiters. It is also rather inexpensive on the face of it with many services performing the necessary steps for less than $100. Most services will also send your cover letter with a handful of different ‘disciplines’ targeted. If you were to post the resumes to individual sites yourself, it would take several days of constant work. With resume blasting services, you can sit back and relax as thousands of resumes are sent in no time. As such a huge number of resumes are sent, it’s almost certain that you’ll receive replies.
Cons
You need to ask yourself if it really is inexpensive and good value for money. It’s normal for the response rate to be in the region of 0.5%. So if you sent 3,000 resumes for $100 and received 15 replies, that’s $6.66 a reply. Bear in mind that resume website services such as Monster are free to use.
Your resume probably won’t even be read by a huge percentage of recipients. These companies receive junk mail all the time and are likely to see your resume as just another unwanted burden. When you send resumes yourself to individual companies, you do so in the knowledge that they are looking for employees. With resume blasting, your resume is being sent to thousands of companies who many not even be looking for staff at this time. This could damage your chances of getting a job with these businesses in the future.
Overall
When you use resume blasting, you’re not sending applications that are tailor made for 99.9% of the jobs you will be applying for. The low response rate suggests that this is really a case of throwing mud to the wall and hoping that some sticks. Resume website services such as 4Jobs.com are a much better bet as you can filter job openings yourself and tailor your resume to each specific vacancy thus improving the response rate. The best way to get a job is by building relationships so start networking as well as using resume services. The more people you know in your chosen industry, the more likely it is that someone will inform you of a job opening that is not known by 99% of people. Resume blasting may have some success but it’s relatively limited.
Saturday, June 16, 2012
Top 3 Job Search Sites
A job search engine is a massive aid to both employer and employee. Employees can seek jobs best suited to their abilities while employers can find exceptionally talented individuals to help take their company forward. Traditional methods of job advertising such as newspaper classified are being replaced by resume website services. The power of the internet ensures that more job openings than ever are being posted online. Instead of waiting months for the right job, ideal openings could come along on a daily basis. Below are the top 3 job search websites. This award is based on the ease of use, number of visitors, features and other criteria.
3 - Career Builder
As far as employers are concerned, Career Builder supplies free screening questions for companies, helps businesses reach candidates located within 30 miles of the posted job location and allow the organization unlimited edits on each posting for a whole month. The resume search engine page provides immediate access to the resumes of the most suitable candidates.
Job seekers can post resumes and look for jobs with international jobs also listed. Posting a resume is free and each job can be filtered according to location, keywords, experience and whether it’s full-time or part-time. Career Builder also provides job seekers with a resume writing service which is extremely useful.
2 - 4Jobs.com
This is a site custom built for the needs of employers. Services for the employer include a free corporate career site, free job postings to this site, resume submission tracking and the receipt of targeted resumes for free. With 4Jobs.com, you can post/remove a job in minutes, market to an estimated 25 million professionals via email and enjoy center stage with a company spotlight.
As well as the basic resume services, 4Jobs.com is filled with an incredible number of articles and information about employment for job seekers. Like Career Builder, there are filters which enable you to narrow down your search from thousands of jobs to a handful that meet your specific criteria. Tools for prospective employees include continuing education, background checks, featured resumes, career advice articles, certifications and much more. Once you register with the site, you receive a free Salary Finder report which allows you to discover your current market value when compared to professionals of similar skills and experience.
1 - Monster
This is known as the granddaddy of resume website services with employers having access to over 17 million adults in the United States per month. Employers can attract targeted local traffic to job listings, create screening questions and browse resumes within a 100 mile radius with the site’s patented 6Sense search technology which makes it easy to prioritize and compare candidates.
Job seekers can look through jobs in 25 different categories and over 50 industries. The level of content contained within the site is impressive with advice ranging from finding jobs to overall career guidance. It’s possible to quickly post your resume on the site and with Monster’s unique service, you’re very likely to receive interviews provided you have optimized your resume with the requisite keywords as employers will find you on their resume search.
These are the top 3 job search services but there are dozens more that could help you either find the ideal candidate or the job of your dreams. We advise you to post your resume/job on as many sites as possible for best results.
3 - Career Builder
As far as employers are concerned, Career Builder supplies free screening questions for companies, helps businesses reach candidates located within 30 miles of the posted job location and allow the organization unlimited edits on each posting for a whole month. The resume search engine page provides immediate access to the resumes of the most suitable candidates.
Job seekers can post resumes and look for jobs with international jobs also listed. Posting a resume is free and each job can be filtered according to location, keywords, experience and whether it’s full-time or part-time. Career Builder also provides job seekers with a resume writing service which is extremely useful.
2 - 4Jobs.com
This is a site custom built for the needs of employers. Services for the employer include a free corporate career site, free job postings to this site, resume submission tracking and the receipt of targeted resumes for free. With 4Jobs.com, you can post/remove a job in minutes, market to an estimated 25 million professionals via email and enjoy center stage with a company spotlight.
As well as the basic resume services, 4Jobs.com is filled with an incredible number of articles and information about employment for job seekers. Like Career Builder, there are filters which enable you to narrow down your search from thousands of jobs to a handful that meet your specific criteria. Tools for prospective employees include continuing education, background checks, featured resumes, career advice articles, certifications and much more. Once you register with the site, you receive a free Salary Finder report which allows you to discover your current market value when compared to professionals of similar skills and experience.
1 - Monster
This is known as the granddaddy of resume website services with employers having access to over 17 million adults in the United States per month. Employers can attract targeted local traffic to job listings, create screening questions and browse resumes within a 100 mile radius with the site’s patented 6Sense search technology which makes it easy to prioritize and compare candidates.
Job seekers can look through jobs in 25 different categories and over 50 industries. The level of content contained within the site is impressive with advice ranging from finding jobs to overall career guidance. It’s possible to quickly post your resume on the site and with Monster’s unique service, you’re very likely to receive interviews provided you have optimized your resume with the requisite keywords as employers will find you on their resume search.
These are the top 3 job search services but there are dozens more that could help you either find the ideal candidate or the job of your dreams. We advise you to post your resume/job on as many sites as possible for best results.
Saturday, March 17, 2012
Developing The Video Resume Part 1
The well written resume is a great tool to showcase an applicants skills and abilities. The use of a professional resume writing service can help to improve the resume. However the written resume only shows what an applicant has done and not the applicant themselves. For this reason the video resume can be a great complement to a written resume.
The video resume is video downloaded by the applicant to demonstrate their ability to do a job. It provides the applicant the opportunity to present themselves with visual and narrative aspects. The ease of downloading videos and availability of technology has helped to fuel this trend. Employers have had to wait until an interview to see an applicant. The video resume helps busy hiring managers screen applicants by showing how they present themselves.
The concept is not entirely new. People who have aspired to get into broadcast journalism on television traditionally submit a demo tape of themselves to prospective employers. The video resume can be a great way to highlight an applicants qualifications in fields where interaction is important such as sales or positions involving public speaking. Video resumes are also good for careers that involve a creative process as the applicant can show off their creativity in the video.
Many of the same resume writing tips for written resumes apply to the making of a video resume:
Communication Errors. Any written resume with spelling or grammatical errors are discarded. The same rule applies to video resumes. Not speaking clearly, stumbling over words and lang pauses can take an applicant out of consideration. Maintain posture and avoid too much body language.
First Impressions. When a wriiten resume is scanned by a hiring authority, they take a few seconds to determine if they want to hire the individual. The came is true for video resumes. The presentation made in the first 20 seconds is what gets noticed.
Keep It Simple. One of the things some applicants consider when writing a resume is to use one or two pages. The answer is to use what fits best without tiring the reviewer. Video resumes should be confined to three or four minutes to keep the reviewer interested.
Presentation. A written resume must be well presented with proper format, uniform fonts, and well designed features. The video resume must be preseted in an area that prevents glare and where the speaker has proper distance from the camera. If the video is not appealing to the viewer, it will not be noticed.
The video resume is video downloaded by the applicant to demonstrate their ability to do a job. It provides the applicant the opportunity to present themselves with visual and narrative aspects. The ease of downloading videos and availability of technology has helped to fuel this trend. Employers have had to wait until an interview to see an applicant. The video resume helps busy hiring managers screen applicants by showing how they present themselves.
The concept is not entirely new. People who have aspired to get into broadcast journalism on television traditionally submit a demo tape of themselves to prospective employers. The video resume can be a great way to highlight an applicants qualifications in fields where interaction is important such as sales or positions involving public speaking. Video resumes are also good for careers that involve a creative process as the applicant can show off their creativity in the video.
Many of the same resume writing tips for written resumes apply to the making of a video resume:
Communication Errors. Any written resume with spelling or grammatical errors are discarded. The same rule applies to video resumes. Not speaking clearly, stumbling over words and lang pauses can take an applicant out of consideration. Maintain posture and avoid too much body language.
First Impressions. When a wriiten resume is scanned by a hiring authority, they take a few seconds to determine if they want to hire the individual. The came is true for video resumes. The presentation made in the first 20 seconds is what gets noticed.
Keep It Simple. One of the things some applicants consider when writing a resume is to use one or two pages. The answer is to use what fits best without tiring the reviewer. Video resumes should be confined to three or four minutes to keep the reviewer interested.
Presentation. A written resume must be well presented with proper format, uniform fonts, and well designed features. The video resume must be preseted in an area that prevents glare and where the speaker has proper distance from the camera. If the video is not appealing to the viewer, it will not be noticed.
Saturday, March 10, 2012
Cover Letters Help Boost The Resume
Last year NASA discontinued the space shuttle program. For thirty years the small fleet of space shuttles serviced the programs and missions of the United States space program. These vehicles in conjunction with their booster rockets revolutionized space programs. Images of the shuttles blasting up into space, maintaining orbit, and landing at airfields were images people watched for nearly two generations.
In some ways your resume and cover letter are like the space shuttle and its booster engines. Think of the resume like the space shuttle. This is the workhorse of your job search that everyone notices. Success is partly determined by it. The cover letter is like the booster rockets. It may not be of use after some time but initially it can set the tone of how your job search may develop.
The purpose of the cover is to get the resume noticed. It is the method used to introduce yourself to the employer and give a sneak preview of your accomplishments. There are several good cover letter writing tips that can be followed. However it is important to focus the cover letter on the employer and their requirements. There are different ways this can be accomplished.
What does the employer need. State the position or area you are applying for. Mention if this in resopnse to an advertisement or a general inquiry. Explain your interest and reasons for the position. Research information about the organization and insert this in the letter.
How can you help with this need. Explainn your education and work history and how this qualifies for the position. Mention degrees you have and most recent position and how this relates to the job opening.
Prove your worth. Give brief examples of some accomplishments. Mention promotions you have had and improvements you have done for present and previous employers. Employers want to know what applicants can do for them. The cover letter can be the vehicle to accomplish this.
In some ways your resume and cover letter are like the space shuttle and its booster engines. Think of the resume like the space shuttle. This is the workhorse of your job search that everyone notices. Success is partly determined by it. The cover letter is like the booster rockets. It may not be of use after some time but initially it can set the tone of how your job search may develop.
The purpose of the cover is to get the resume noticed. It is the method used to introduce yourself to the employer and give a sneak preview of your accomplishments. There are several good cover letter writing tips that can be followed. However it is important to focus the cover letter on the employer and their requirements. There are different ways this can be accomplished.
What does the employer need. State the position or area you are applying for. Mention if this in resopnse to an advertisement or a general inquiry. Explain your interest and reasons for the position. Research information about the organization and insert this in the letter.
How can you help with this need. Explainn your education and work history and how this qualifies for the position. Mention degrees you have and most recent position and how this relates to the job opening.
Prove your worth. Give brief examples of some accomplishments. Mention promotions you have had and improvements you have done for present and previous employers. Employers want to know what applicants can do for them. The cover letter can be the vehicle to accomplish this.
Saturday, March 3, 2012
Combination Format For Older Workers
One of the worst aspects of the weak economy has been the number of people out of work. A weak labor market has meant some of the highest levels of unemployment in years. A lack of jobs has resulted in people out of work for longer periods of time. For many people it has meant starting over again with a job search process.
One segment that has been hit hard by this has been older workers, particularly those age 50 and older. After years of working and getting close to retirement age, they now face the prospect of having to find a new job. They find themselves in contention with workers much younger in a job market that is already the most competitive in years.
The one advantage these workers have is the years of employment under their belts and the accomplishments they have made in their careers. For these individuals, the combination format for resumes can be their best option. The combination resume combines the elements of the chronoligical resume with the functional format.
The combination resume condenses years of experience with acheivements. A good resume writing service can help make a resume that emphasizes these facets. When making this type of resume there are several features to keep in mind.
1. Summary Lead off the resume with a summary statement of previous accomplishments. This should be an overview of impact driven acheivements the applicant has meade. The summary length can vary based on previous employment and current goals.
2. Strengths Focus on strengths that would be evident from the chronoligical and functional formats. Include the skills you have from years of work experience and how these can apply to a new employer.
3. Presentation Make the resume to show what is most important to the employer. Present responsibilities in a paragraph format with each employer. Follow this with acheivements that are presented with bullet points.
One segment that has been hit hard by this has been older workers, particularly those age 50 and older. After years of working and getting close to retirement age, they now face the prospect of having to find a new job. They find themselves in contention with workers much younger in a job market that is already the most competitive in years.
The one advantage these workers have is the years of employment under their belts and the accomplishments they have made in their careers. For these individuals, the combination format for resumes can be their best option. The combination resume combines the elements of the chronoligical resume with the functional format.
The combination resume condenses years of experience with acheivements. A good resume writing service can help make a resume that emphasizes these facets. When making this type of resume there are several features to keep in mind.
1. Summary Lead off the resume with a summary statement of previous accomplishments. This should be an overview of impact driven acheivements the applicant has meade. The summary length can vary based on previous employment and current goals.
2. Strengths Focus on strengths that would be evident from the chronoligical and functional formats. Include the skills you have from years of work experience and how these can apply to a new employer.
3. Presentation Make the resume to show what is most important to the employer. Present responsibilities in a paragraph format with each employer. Follow this with acheivements that are presented with bullet points.
Saturday, February 25, 2012
Emphasize Your Achievements
In any hiring process employers are looking for candidates that can produce results. They want individuals who can help generate revenue and protect the assets of the organization. Placing past ahievements so they are noticeable on the resume is important to show a record of success.
Working with a quality resume writing service can help an applicant present a resume that clearly shows previous benchmarks with previous employment. However, a professional resume writer can only work with information the client gives them. For some clients, it can be difficult to come up with activities that can be highlighted.
Some clients may feel that they have not done much to emphasize on a resume. Some people may feel they have not made significant accomplishments in previous employment. Any sort of self-evaluation can be difficult. Applicants need to go beyond what regular job tasks were and think of previous challenges and situations where they provided change.
Immediate Problems One way to express accomplishments on the resume is to consider what problems you faced when assuming a new position. Think about what sort of issues fell on you when you accepted a new job and what you did you overcome them and the results of this.
Chronic Issues In previous jobs, think about what kinds of problems you faced on a continual basis. What kinds of issues seemed to come up and seemed to linger in different positions. Think about how you handled those problems to minimize their effects.
Constraints Peple in any job may feel constraints in their ability to do their work to the best of their ability. It may be bureaucratic constraints that cause limitations. It may also be a lack of resources that employees have to work with. Consider how you dealt with these limitations and what you accomplished despite them.
Long Term Changes Some improvements made in a job can have long term effects for the organization. What sort of projects and tasks were you involved in that still make an impression with a previous employer. Reflect on your involvement with these kinds of changes and think of how to express it on a resume.
Working with a quality resume writing service can help an applicant present a resume that clearly shows previous benchmarks with previous employment. However, a professional resume writer can only work with information the client gives them. For some clients, it can be difficult to come up with activities that can be highlighted.
Some clients may feel that they have not done much to emphasize on a resume. Some people may feel they have not made significant accomplishments in previous employment. Any sort of self-evaluation can be difficult. Applicants need to go beyond what regular job tasks were and think of previous challenges and situations where they provided change.
Immediate Problems One way to express accomplishments on the resume is to consider what problems you faced when assuming a new position. Think about what sort of issues fell on you when you accepted a new job and what you did you overcome them and the results of this.
Chronic Issues In previous jobs, think about what kinds of problems you faced on a continual basis. What kinds of issues seemed to come up and seemed to linger in different positions. Think about how you handled those problems to minimize their effects.
Constraints Peple in any job may feel constraints in their ability to do their work to the best of their ability. It may be bureaucratic constraints that cause limitations. It may also be a lack of resources that employees have to work with. Consider how you dealt with these limitations and what you accomplished despite them.
Long Term Changes Some improvements made in a job can have long term effects for the organization. What sort of projects and tasks were you involved in that still make an impression with a previous employer. Reflect on your involvement with these kinds of changes and think of how to express it on a resume.
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