February 23, 2012

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Keep Your Job Network Alive

February 4, 2012 By

;city; job seekers – Check out this article, which emphasizes the importance of networking!

Keep Your Job Network Alive

By Kurt A Allan

Many years ago I worked for a large national company in Minnesota. I had been at this company for over 10 years, as had many of my co-workers. One day, we came to work and learned that our company had been purchased by an out of state (Washington) employer. Over the course of a year they started consolidating many positions back at their home office. Several Minnesota employees were given the option of moving from Minnesota to Washington keep their jobs. Most declined since the distance was so great and we all had roots in Minnesota.

We had all gone from securely employed to the soon-to-be unemployed. What we soon learned is that because many of us had been at this single company for so long, we had lost contact with past employers, co-workers, and bosses. We had neglected to maintain relationships we had had in the past that would be ideal towards helping us in our current predicament.

Quality networking is a key aspect of any job search. It’s often the relationships we’ve had in the past, in particular with previous co-workers, which is the avenue towards our next job. Your past co-workers know you, and know what type of work you enjoy (or don’t enjoy), what you know, and the type of management you like to work under. They are often also employed at organizations that may do the exact type of work you’re looking for (or in the same industry). When opportunities arise that may be a fit, they might contact you – if they know how to get a hold of you.

With the popularity of online social networking websites, setting up and maintaing your network has truly never been easier. Sites like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn are designed and function with the purpose of facilitating networking between people. These sites are so much more than just reconnecting with old high school friends (though that can help to). Maintaining contact with people from college, past employers, volunteering, and old neighbors can all help you find a new job. You really do never know where your next job may come from.

Eventually, we all found work, though for many it was tougher and took longer than it would have if we had kept up our contacts. We had to rebuild our networks and that just takes time. The moral of the story is simple. Keep you networks alive. Just some quick, regular contacts with people you know can make all the difference in finding a job. Good luck!

Kurt Allan publishes the Minnesota Job Bank HQ, and MN Unemployment to help you in your Minnesota job search.

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The Hidden Job Market and Strategies for Finding a New Job

January 8, 2012 By

Hey Buffalo job seekers – Here are some strategies to consider!

The Hidden Job Market and Strategies for Finding a New Job
By Paul Hedges

When searching for a new job most people just look in newspapers or at online job sites. They are certainly a good starting point but not all jobs are advertised on them. There is a huge hidden job market and by taking a more multi pronged strategy to finding a new job it is amazing what opportunities you can find.

What is the hidden job market I hear you ask? Simply it refers to jobs that are currently available but are not directly advertised. So how do you find these jobs? Listed below are some simple strategies to help you find the hidden job market.

Preparation

Before trying any of the methods listed it is important to make sure your CV is looking good. A typical employer will spend less than two minutes looking at a CV. Any hard work in finding a hidden job can be wasted if you send a CV that lets you down.

A CV is like an advert for you. If it contains little relevant information, is poorly presented or full of spelling mistakes then that reflects badly on you. Before sending your CV make sure all contact details are updated, do a spell check, and get someone to proof read it for you. Not every one is good at writing CV’s so if you are struggling you can find lots of help online or may want to use a CV writing Service like CV Made Better.

Canvassing for a job

Marketing yourself to prospective employers can be on of the best strategies for finding a hidden job. If you speak with them directly you will be amazed how you can quickly find yourself a new job. Even if they are not hiring at that time a lot of companies keep peoples details on file which could lead to a job later down the line.

Canvassing can be done over the phone, face to face or email. Start by getting a copy of your local yellow pages and compile a list of companies your skills might be suited to. For example if you are a mechanic then a list of local garages. Once you have a list of say ten try to find out the name and contact details of the person who deals with recruitment / hiring for the business, which you can usually get by a quick call / email to the company.

Now you have your list and name you can move onto the second stage contact. Depending upon the type of business you can either do this face to face or via phone. Before contacting the company rehearse what you are going to say a couple of time or if via phone maybe have it written in front of you. It does not need to be a speech below is an example

Hello my name is… I wanted to speak with… who I understand deals with your recruitment?

If the person is not available ask when they will be around or if they can call you back if you leave a number. At this point you may get asked to just hand over or send your CV / to the company representative you are speaking with. Do not do this unless you have to. This is a common fob off and may result in your details never getting to their intended target.

Once you manage to speak to the correct person be polite / friendly and aware this may not be the best time for them. Start by explaining you are currently looking for a new job and feel that your skills / experience may be off interest (have some examples to hand eg I have worked as a mechanic for the last five years). Ask if they are currently hiring and if not when jobs maybe coming up in the future. Try and build a rapport with the person you are speaking with but don’t be too pushy. Most people will be empathetic to your situation and generally like to help, you just have to be nice. The goal of the conversation is to find out about any current jobs and get yourself into a position where you might be considered or they will at least keep a copy of your details on file for future jobs. Make records of the people / companies you speak with. If you are asked for a copy of your CV / resume make sure you follow up within a week to find out what the person thought etc.

Repeat this for all the companies in your list and as previously stated keep a record of who you spoke to, what happened, and if you need to follow up about a job coming up in the future. The results of this process will lead you to have not only got your CV out to ten companies who may come back to you in the future, but increased your network and hopefully found some of those hidden jobs.

Register with recruitment agencies

Recruitment agencies handle a lot of vacancies exclusively for their clients. A lot of vacancies don’t get advertised and are filled via people registered with them on their databases. As recruitment agencies work across a multitude of industry sectors there are hundreds of hidden jobs that you could be missing out on. Register with five recruitment agencies that deal with the type of work you are looking for. This will increase your chances of finding a job massively by allowing you access to jobs that you didn’t have previously. Make sure you keep in touch with the agencies and give them a call once a week to enquire about new jobs that they have.

Networking

If you are looking for a job one of the best tools you have at your disposal is your own social network. The expression “It is not what you know but who you know” can be so true when looking for work. Lots of companies have employee referral schemes and are more likely to look at your application if it comes from someone that already works there. Speak with friends, family and other people you know. Ask them to keep an eye out for you or whether they know of anyone who is hiring. This is a great method of finding a job and again will help you to discover hidden jobs that may not be advertised.

The Internet / Social media

The internet can be a great tool to marketing your skills to potential employers. Firstly you can register your details with job site like Monster and Jobsite. They have huge CV databases which you can have your CV placed into. These databases are being used more and more by employers /recruitment agencies prior to placing an advert to find new staff.

Social networks like Facebook can be very helpful as well. Send a message to your friends letting them know you are looking for work. You can also try changing your status to “looking for a job please contact me if you hear of anything” just make sure your boss or colleagues are not friends.

One other thing to try is by placing your own job advert in the work wanted section on sites like Gumtree, Facebook and various jobsites. When writing your advert just put the types of jobs you are looking for and any relevant experience / qualifications.

For more help with your CV check my site http://www.cvmadebetter.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Paul_Hedges
http://EzineArticles.com/?The-Hidden-Job-Market-and-Strategies-for-Finding-a-New-Job&id=6781566

 


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4 Ways to Charm an Interviewer

January 8, 2012 By

An interesting article on interview preparation.


4 Ways to Charm an Interviewer
By Ken Sundheim

If someone were to ask me, “What are some things that interviewers want to see or hear from interviewees?”, then I could probably go on all day.

In the interest of brevity and not overwhelming you, here are four.

1. Passion – Passion cannot be faked. Any good interviewer is not only going to want to see interest in their company, but interest in their industry from this person they are interviewing.

For instance, and this may seem like a no-brainer, if you are interviewing for a sales job at a television network, don’t tell your interviewer about your lifelong ambition to be a news anchor.

You should be there auditioning for an on-air role, in that case, not interviewing for a sales position, and the interviewer is completely without fault not to offer you the job, even if you have great sales credentials.

2. Never Be Complacent – This is a crucial one. You must never be complacent, and never allow yourself to be okay with some negative status quo, even if you feel powerless against it.

A good current example is the unemployment level. It is true that the unemployment rate is sky-high right now, and that a lot of good employees are out of work.

But interviewing and getting a job is a fight; however, the more educated and the more prepared you are, the better you are going to do in battle, so to speak. You can never allow yourself to get complacent or dragged down by external forces (e.g., the unemployment level).

3. Guide Your Interviewer – Your resume should serve as your interviewer’s road map. What you have in a resume is an anticipation of questions that will be asked of you in an interview.

Now, you can’t anticipate all questions, but if you write your resume properly, you can essentially prepare for the questions that are going to be asked of you, and set them up to where you look good.

You don’t always have to tell someone you went to community college if you went on to graduate from a 4-year college, for instance. If you know you are going in to interview at a firm that prizes the cache of higher education, thinking about that fact can help put you one step closer to a successful interview.

4. People Are People – Understand that the person you are interviewing with is only a human being. They’re not perfect, they’re not magical, but a lot of people go in and put interviewers on such a pedestal that they end up getting an offer that’s so bad they’re not treated well once they get the job – if they get the job at all.

You want to analyze how interviewers think, how HR professionals think, and use that analysis to get the job you want, the job you’re passionate about, and not the job you’re willing to settle for.

You want to analyze how interviewers think, how HR professionals think, and use that analysis to get the job you want, the job you’re passionate about, and not the job you’re willing to settle for.

Ken Sundheim runs KAS Placement, an executive staffing firm that Ken started in 2005.

KAS Placement Reviews Media Internship

Ken’s articles have appeared in, among many others Forbes, NYTimes, USA Today and more.

Ken Sundheim KAS Placement Blog

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http://EzineArticles.com/?4-Ways-to-Charm-an-Interviewer&id=6784946

 


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3 Things to Consider Before Quitting Your Job

January 8, 2012 By

Buffalo Job Seekers – Considering quitting your job? Read this one…

3 Things to Consider Before Quitting Your Job

By Clay Andrews

These days there are a lot of people unsatisfied with their line of work. It’s not uncommon to feel a soul-sucking feeling as you head in to work at something that just isn’t rewarding for you.

Is this what you were meant to do with your life? Is this all that there is? Just do this day-in-and-day-out and live for those magical 48 hours we call the weekend?

Thoughts like this can lead to feelings of creeping dread as you stare down a depressing path that you may just end up calling “the rest of your life.”

But things don’t have to necessarily be this way. There are quite a few people who have quit their jobs and found meaningful employment or started their own businesses.

However, before you take the plunge and hand your letter of resignation to your boss, it is important to think things out a bit.

First, ask yourself if this is a chronic problem or if this is just something you’re feeling in the heat of the moment after getting chewed out at a recent meeting. If this is a long term problem that has haunted you for a long time, on the other hand, then perhaps this is something you might want to do.

Second, understand the situation better. What specifically don’t you like about your job? Is it the fact that you aren’t in control of certain things? Is it that you don’t feel respected for what you do? Is it that what you do isn’t aligned with your strengths?

Don’t just identify what you’re moving away from though. Understand what you want to move toward. Moving away from what you don’t want doesn’t guarantee you that you’ll get where you want to go, it only pushes you out of your current situation. Do you want more free time? Do you want more responsibility? Less responsibility? An outlet for your creativity? Something more logical? Get specific about what you truly enjoy doing with your life.

Finally, develop a plan for leaving your job. Yes, action is important, but blind action can be dangerous. Once you figure out what you’d rather be doing than working at your job, get a realistic roadmap to taking you from point A to point B. If you can, get the foundation laid before actually quitting your job. Start that blog, get the business license, find the perfect retail space, or whatever you need to do.

Then once you have a reasonable plan and maybe even a little bit of cash-flow, then consider handing in your resignation so you can strike out on your own and peruse the living that your truly want.

If you want to learn more on quitting your job, stop by my lifestyle design blog for advice and tips on how to start your own business and make it profitable.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Clay_Andrews
http://EzineArticles.com/?3-Things-to-Consider-Before-Quitting-Your-Job&id=6783730

 


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How To Really Move Forward In Your Career

January 7, 2012 By

Buffalo Jobs Seekers – Here is an excellent article on preparing to take on career change!


How To Really Move Forward In Your Career
By Deborah Brown-Volkman

People come to me all the time because they are unhappy in their careers and are not sure what to do about it. They tell me the reasons they don’t have what they want; the economy, their company; some are even honest enough to blame themselves. They are all facing tough challenges, either internal or external.

When you have an unresolved challenge in your career, it affects your whole life. You think about your challenge all the time, and in many cases, it consumes and defines you. You want more and are willing to do the work; you just don’t believe it’s possible. Or, you don’t how to get there.

I believe that people do not move forward in their careers for 2 reasons. Once you overcome and push past these 2 items, you are ready to go.

So what are these 2 items? See them below.

1) FEAR

Everyone is afraid of something and fear is normal. Actually, fear can be a good thing, because it protects you from harm or getting into damaging situations. But, fear is negative when it paralyzes you and keeps you from taking action. For example, fear of making a mistake will keep you from trying something new. Fear of looking bad in front of friends and family will keep you from expressing your true career wishes to the people in your life. Fear of failing will keep you from succeeding.

It’s important to recognize fear for what it is; a scary thought that turns into an emotion, that in turn, stops you. If you can remember that a thought is just a thought, without judging it, then your thought does not have to keep you from moving forward anymore.

Many people believe they will act when fear goes away, but fear doesn’t disappear on its own. You eliminate fear by talking yourself through it. That’s how you push past fear, you become your own savior and tell yourself that it’s ok to be afraid, but it’s not ok to stay where you are. Fear goes away when you switch your mindset to pro-active, rather than re-active.

2) LOGISTICS

While fear covers the thinking portion of your problem, logistics is the set of steps you take to move your career forward.

Say to yourself, “here are the steps that I’m going to take” and then take them. If you take these steps on a regular basis, you will reach your career goals. If you don’t take these steps, you won’t. If you take these steps here and there, you may reach your goals, or you may not. And, if you do, it will take a long time.

Some people stop at logistics because they don’t know what steps to take. Again, this is normal. Write down what you do know and begin there. Put these steps in your calendar and start moving forward. What you don’t know turn into a question. For example, “I don’t know who to call” becomes “who can I call that will point me in the right direction?” You are not supposed to have all the answers, so expect that you will be reaching out to people who do.

Logistics also is about taking one step a time. Small piece by small piece. You may want to rush to the finish line, but slow and steady wins the race.

***Deborah Brown-Volkman, PCC, is the President of Surpass Your Dreams, Inc. a successful career, life, and mentor coaching programs for those who want a new job, new career, or a new way to flourish in today’s hectic workplace. She is the author of “Coach Yourself To A New Career”, “Don’t Blow It! The Right Words For The Right Job” and “How To Feel Great At Work Everyday.” Deborah can be reached at http://www.surpassyourdreams.com or at (631) 874-2877.***

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Deborah_Brown-Volkman

http://EzineArticles.com/?How-To-Really-Move-Forward-In-Your-Career&id=6790879


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5 Tips to Draft an Impressive Resume

January 7, 2012 By


 

 

5 Tips to Draft an Impressive Resume
By Jennifer Joe Parker

Paper resumes gave way to online applications in the last decade. The new trend settling in this decade is to create your own resume website. One thing remains constant throughout the years in all forms of job applications – resume. You are free to adopt any method of job application as long as you are equipped with an impressive resume. Here are the 5 tips to draft an impressive resume and use it to present hard copy or add it to the resume website.

1) Use titles and sub headings

Organize the content under suitable titles. It is important to sort data and club relevant information under one heading. This helps to present a well structured resume that makes it easy for the reader to find out required information. Also, it breaks the monotony of reading vital chunks of information in one go.

For example: Common titles used in resume are career objective, work summary, experience details, educational qualifications, achievements, personal details, references etc

2) Professional Format

Whether you send a hard or soft copy, make sure the resume is designed professionally. Use white for background and black for the wordings. Using Times New Roman, Calibri or Arial of 12 font size is considered ideal for resume writing. Most resumes should be limited to 2 pages to keep the interest of the recruiter intact. However, executive resumes can go up to 3 pages. Do not use any pictures within the resume. Those planning for a resume website are allowed to be creative and use pictures or colorful backgrounds as long as it is professional.

3) Keywords Usage

Using keywords is essential to make your resume noticeable. Most recruiters adopt the practice of searching candidates based on the certain keywords. The computerized systems select only those profiles that contain the buzzwords. Hence, make sure the words are well placed within the objective and responsibilities segments.

For example: The buzzwords for an accounting profile would be accountant, bookkeeper, accounts receivable, accounts payable, benefits specialist, and payroll specialist

4) Quantified Terms + Action Words

Quantify your achievements to give an exact idea of the work performed to the recruiters. Instead of putting a generic description, mention the actual quantities of work performed. Make use of action words to present the facts. Common examples are implemented, improved, practiced, formatted, devised, trained, conducted, etc.

For example: One may say… ‘Improved the quarterly sale turnover significantly’. A better form of expression would be to say…. ‘Implemented policies that increased the quarterly sales turnover by 10% from the past quarter’.

5) Targeted Resume

Update your resume every few days and add details of the advancements of your career to the resume. Tweak the resume contents to match the job requirements. Drafting a resume relevant to the recruiter’s expectations will certainly improve your job prospects. You can alter your career objective and role as per the requirements. Tweaking a resume is about emphasizing certain details of your career more prominently than rest of the information. It does not include providing false information.

For example: As per the recruiter’s requirement, you can name your profile as customer service executive, customer attendant, client coordinator, retail management officer, etc to describe your profile.

We hope these resume tips help you draft an impressive resume.

Read Jenny on resume website and top resume website

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jennifer_Joe_Parker

http://EzineArticles.com/?5-Tips-to-Draft-an-Impressive-Resume&id=6791989

 


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Standing Out From The Crowd As A Student Or Graduate

January 7, 2012 By

Students and new grads in Buffalo – Check out this article!

Standing Out From The Crowd As A Student Or Graduate

By Gavin F Redelman

When you dedicate the vast majority of the first quarter of your life to schooling (plus the costs involved in getting an education) it is imperative to ensure that you make the most of your education and begin to set yourself up for the “real world”. In order to take advantage of the skills that you have learned, there are a various extra-curricular activities you can do to ensure that you get the most out of what you have paid for. Internships, part-time jobs and volunteer work are the best ways to not only benefit yourself long term but you cannot go wrong with having a little extra “coin” in the pocket right now.

Internships:

Professional internships are often one of the best ways to further educate yourself about your specific field and to gather an abundance of reputable networks for potential future jobs. It goes without saying that having internship will look good on your resume and instantly impress potential employers. Internships are also a great way to get a shoe in the door into a particular company. Going forward, as you have already gained first-hand experience of the business and its culture, you will have a huge advantage over your competitor’s when the time comes to hire new graduates. Which would you prefer – blindly applying for the role with potentially hundreds of other candidates or being able to reach out to one of your contacts within the business?

Part-Time/ Casual Jobs:

Generally speaking most university students will aim to work part-time during their studies. Not only will you learn real life experiences and grow your networking contacts, it is also possible to make a reasonable income which will help in creating a more balanced approach to your university life. It goes without saying that if you can get a job in your chosen field, this can certainly benefit you going forward. However, any type of job will still be considered as work experience to future prospective employers.

Volunteer Work

Volunteer work is extremely popular amongst graduates. It can be a way of making a difference in the world whilst accumulating experience. It also looks impressive on a resume. Performing volunteer work can teach you an abundance of life skills and provide you with the opportunity to help those in need or to raise funds for a cause that you feel strongly about. In the cut throat world of job seeking, having volunteer work on your resume is always a positive and portrays a positive image and good first impression to the hiring manager.

Does Your Resume Stand Out?

When applying for graduate positions the more value added experience you can include on the resume the greater your chance of finding success. By performing extra-curricular activities, working part time or volunteering your time, will give you an edge over other job candidates who only share similar educational backgrounds to yourself. Remember that as a graduate you need to distinguish yourself from the crowd and brand yourself as a well-rounded job candidate.

Resume Writing – During the last decade, RedStarResume has successfully written hundreds of professional resumes for candidates across the globe. From the student or entry level position to the CEO, our unique, custom-made resumes are written specifically to match the goals and desires of our clients and to help them land jobs.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gavin_F_Redelman
http://EzineArticles.com/?Standing-Out-From-The-Crowd-As-A-Student-Or-Graduate&id=6799180


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Overlooked Job Interview Tips

December 28, 2011 By

Buffalo Job Seekers – An excellent article on tips for interviewing!

 

Overlooked Job Interview Tips
By Kurt A Allan

The job interview is often your first chance to meet and make an impression on a potential new employer. Though many people have been through these in the past, they often forget some key elements that are easy to overlook. In today’s job market you need to pay attention to every detail to compete for jobs.

One of the easiest things to do before an interview is do some research on the employer. Though it seems obvious, many people overlook this step and show up to an interview without any knowledge about the employer besides what was posted in the original job opening. When you interview with a company you are demonstrating what kind of employee you’ll be if hired. Do you want to show that you’ll be disorganized and uninformed or that you’ll be prepared and competent?

The good news is this type of research is incredibly easy! Almost every potential employer probably has an online presence with lots of readily available information including company history, management, and current news releases. Just an hour or so of reading can give you enough knowledge to give you an edge in the interview process.

Though one of the main points of the interview is for the company to learn about you, being a good listener is a crucial aspect to any job interview. You want to understand and be able to answer the question accurately and succinctly. Most interviewers are not only looking for the specific answers, but also the way that you answer a question. Extra words (or rambling) or off-topic answers are often an indicator that you don’t either know the answer or how to clearly answers the question.

Coming prepared to an interview can help you give clear and precise answers. The internet has many websites that offer some interview questions for you to practice with. Though you probably won’t get the exact same question, preparing will help give you confidence to answer a bunch of different questions and you’ll have many practice answers in your head to work from.

The last tip is to always send a follow-up thank you letter or e-mail. It’s surprising how many people forget to do this little last step int he interview process! Sending a thank you note will give you one more chance to briefly reaffirm who you are and why you’re a great match for the open position. It also demonstrates that you appreciated the interviewers time and effort, and what type of employee you’ll be if hired. One again, take every advantage you can get.

So remember, the little things count in job interviewing today. Take just a few extra minutes to show up prepared, be a good listener, and send a follow-up thank you note and you’ll help yourself get the extra edge you may need to get that job. Good luck!

Kurt Allan publishes the Minnesota Job Bank HQ, the one source MN Job Bank for your Minnesota job search.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kurt_A_Allan

http://EzineArticles.com/?Overlooked-Job-Interview-Tips&id=6776377

 


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