Saturday, September 7, 2013

Ways to sabotage your job search and Other Job Hunting Types

Abridged: Forbes
CHICAGO, IL -- To help you avoid a costly faux pas, here's a list of the six missteps that will sabotage your job search: 
1) Failing to proofread job-hunting materials. We all make mistakes. Make sure your resume and cover letter are error free or it could lose you a job opportunity. 
2) Ignoring your online footprint. If you don't show up online somewhere, the hiring manager will either conclude that you're a technological dinosaur or have little to offer. Limit the damage of a weak online presence by being proactive. 
3) Sounding wishy-washy about your job objective. When networking to find employment, you'll probably be asked, "What type of job are you looking for?" The more confident and clear you are, the likelier others can and will help you. 
4) Playing the pity game. Yes, it's a tough economy. Yes, age discrimination is real. Yes, it's increasingly difficult for the long-term unemployed to find jobs. But interviewers don't want to hear it. Focus on the positive and keep your emotions in check and try to convey an upbeat attitude.
5) Not preparing a list of questions for your interview. Nothing spoils a job interview faster. Spend time compiling great questions for the interviewer. 
6) Forgetting to say "thank you" Don't be a networking nitwit. Make it a point to thank everyone who takes the time to speak with you.

Try a different approach to your job search
Staff Writer, The Career News
SAN DIEGO, CA -- With a new job search engine called MyJobHunter, you can search all top career sites at once & apply to all matching jobs with one click. Just enter your search criteria, review the matching jobs and select the ones you want. Then, click a single button and you'll instantly apply to all selected jobs with your resume and cover letter (without having to log into each job site separately).

Click another button and you can automate the whole process! MyJobHunter can remember what you searched for, search for it again each day, and AUTOMATICALLY APPLY FOR YOU to new jobs matching your criteria. Review jobs in advance or put searching & applying on auto-pilot. The choice is yours.

You'll also get an application history report that makes follow-up a breeze! It shows the jobs you were applied to, full job descriptions, employer contact info, and application dates. You can even add personal notes to each job! This service is proven to reduce hours of job searching and resume submitting to just minutes. Simply upload your resume, enter your job search criteria and let MyJobHunter take it from there. Try a new approach this year when searching for a job online with MyJobHunter.
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A personal website should be a part of your search
Abridged: CareerBliss
ATLANTA, GA -- These days, a job seeker has to stand out. And in a difficult job market, a strong resume may not be enough. One option for getting an edge on the competition is to build a personal website or online portfolio. Here's how having your own website can help your job search:

1) Helps employers come to you. Recruiters can't reach out to you if they can't find you. Building a website or online portfolio makes it easier to be found by a wider array of potential employers. 2) A personal website allows you to show instead of tell. Resumes and job applications tell potential employers about your experience and skill-sets. A personal website allows you to show your talents instead of simply listing them. An online portfolio can let your work speak for itself.

3) Adds to your existing resume. Using a personal website allows you to supplement your resume without leaving anything out. 4) Builds your personal brand. You want to showcase who you are and what you do in a clear and consistent manner. Building your personal brand can help you control how you are seen by others. 5) A personal website grows with you and your accomplishments. It lets you keep an up-to-date listing of every new career achievement. You can highlight a success immediately without having to rework your entire resume around it.
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Things employers look for in an interview
Abridged: Wet Feet
INDIANAPOLIS, IN -- When interviewing, hiring managers are hoping to explore these basic areas: Do we want to work with you? You might enter an interview prepared to recite a litany of skills and work experience, but interviewers aren't looking for a walking, talking resume. They're already intrigued by your skills--that's why they're interviewing you in the first place. The reason they need to meet with you in person is to gauge your personal qualities, to see if you'll be an asset to the workplace.

Will you mesh with the team? The corporate workplace is increasingly a team-driven environment. Because of this, organizations are especially eager to hire people whom they think will fit within a team. This might mean a tough adjustment for academic high achievers who are used to working on their own. But as much as interviewers might be gauging your individual strengths, they are also evaluating your ability to be a team player.

What's your EQ? Interviewers are probably less interested in your IQ than your EQ--your emotional intelligence. You can have a high IQ and still lack common sense and empathy. Employers are learning that intelligence isn't always the most desired attribute for prospective employees, especially when it comes at the expense of good sense. Although you'll want to impress your prospective employer with your smarts, you also must convey you are a thoughtful, collegial coworker with a sense of personal responsibility.
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Why aren't you getting more interviews?
Staff Writer, The Career News
LOS ANGELES, CA -- According to the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) 66% of organizations are having difficulty recruiting for specific job openings. If you think these are highly technical positions that only apply to a very limited few, think again. In their poll of 2,286 HR professionals, the job categories listed as being difficult to fill ranged in expertise from the highly skilled to day laborers.

Do you have what these recruiters are looking for? If so, then why aren't you getting more interviews? It may be hard to believe, but there's a good chance your resume is the culprit. Even the most carefully crafted resume and cover letter can be overlooked if you're not tailoring it to a specific job posting. When your qualifications are not opening the doors for an interview, consider enlisting the assistance of a professional resume writer to help you stand out and get recruiters to take action.

The Career News recommends having your resume written or revised by the resume experts at GuaranteedResumes. Your new resume is--guaranteed to grab an employers attention--while emphasizing your work experience, skills, abilities and achievements. Their expert resume writers know how to strategically apply keywords to your resume and effectively market you for the job you want. Whether seeking a new job or climbing the career ladder--you need a resume that sets you apart from other qualified applicants. It's easy to get started and they even back their work with a 60 day interview-guarantee. To get a superior resume that gets you noticed, get started now.
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When to say 'No' on interviews
Abridged: What's For Work
DANVILLE, CA -- Keep your principles and priorities in check. Any time intent and motive come into question on an interview, say "no" even if it means losing out on the job. Intuitive warning signs are also something to which you should give serious consideration. Recalling a past experience, I was asked to meet a traveling recruiter in the lobby of a luxury hotel. Upon arriving, I asked the front desk to let the recruiter know I had arrived. The front desk manager relayed the recruiter wanted me to meet him in his room.

Without hesitation, I said, "no" but that I would wait until he came down to the lobby. Taking the lead on interactions puts you in a position of professionalism. The recruiter came down to the lobby and profusely apologized. From there the interview deteriorated. He conducted a one-way conversation, grilling me, as if I were his prisoner not allowed to offer input or ask questions. Only at the end of a 45 minute discourse was I allowed to ask a question or two and as it turned out, the answers were less than truthful.

Needless to say, this job was not even close to my ideal and one from which I walked away. We all could use extra cash but the question is, to what lengths are you willing to go to get some? Your answer will dictate the right job for you!
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The ultimate guide to job interview answers
Staff Writer, The Career News
LOS ANGLES, CA -- The interview is extremely critical given employers and recruiters use your presentation to make their final decision. When you enter an interview armed with a wealth of information on the company and a solid understanding of how you can make a valuable contribution, you're automatically put at the front of the pack. Imagine what life would be like if you could ace any job interview you take, blowing the competition out of the water and giving the interviewers no other option but to hire you!

If you really want to land the job of your dreams you must give yourself an advantage over your competitors. What too many people fail to understand is that it doesn't matter what it says on your resume, you only really have one chance to impress your prospective employer and it all boils down to 'how well you perform in your job interview' and the answers you provide to their tough interview questions.

With 'The Ultimate Guide to Job Interview Answers' you can arm yourself with the answers they want to hear to some of the toughest questions any interviewer could possibly throw at you. This guide is "so much more than a list of questions and answers". With a bit of practice you'll be able to adapt to the mind-set of the interviewer and know exactly how they want you to respond based on the types of questions they ask. You will lose any nerves you once had, increase your interview confidence and the job interview will become a game you will win! To ace your next interview and beat the competition, get The Ultimate Guide To Job Interview Answers today.
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Tips to get your resume past scanners and screeners
Abridged: Feisty Side of Fifty
DENVER, CO -- In order to ensure your resume gets passed along, you'll need to "learn the rules of the game." Applicant tracking systems are programmed to allow only those resumes that match the search criteria (i.e. keywords) to make it through the screening process and eventually wind up on the recruiter's computer screen. If yours does not reflect what they're looking for, it will disappear into the black hole of cyberspace.

Give them what they want. You'll need to match your skill sets to the skills advertised in the posting. Whatever you put on your resume needs to be 100% truthful, however it's your decision as to which skills you choose to emphasize. Remember, software cannot make assumptions, your resume needs to duplicate the advertised skills as closely as possible.

Placement is Important. If your resume makes it through the screening process of the applicant tracking software, it will eventually be viewed by a human screener/recruiter. Most reviewers claim to give resumes only a 30-second scan. Therefore your key skills and experience need to be readily visible and placed at the top of your resume. Ask yourself the "so what" question. Although keywords and skills are critical, you'll need to sell the reviewer on your abilities by stressing your accomplishments. Asking yourself "so what" after each bulleted statement on your resume will help you focus on the positive results you've achieved.

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