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These days, many companies anticipate you to send an electronic resume and cover letter instead of mailing them. It's faster and easier for both the employer and the employee. While this is done for several reasons, the main reason is that the number of resumes, especially for virtual positions, is usually very high. In order to cut down on the time it takes to process each applicant's resume, companies have resorted to using on the web resume databases or instructing applicants to email resumes to one person in the office in order to save time and find the right person for the position as quickly as possible.

Creating a Virtual Resume

Creating a virtual resume is similar to creating a traditional resume. While you should include all the basic sections in an electronic resume, you might need to format it differently so the document isn't a jumbled mess when the hiring manager receives it. When creating your resume, you should create four different versions of it - a standard print version, an e-mail version, a scan-friendly version, and a plain text version. By creating different formats all at once, you will save yourself a lot of time when applying for virtual positions.

The standard print version can be used when companies specifically ask you to send one to their offices, or when you’re turning in an application in person. An e-mail resume is a easy version that does not include bold or italicized headings. It is more straight-forward with simple headings that indicate a new section. If sending an email resume, always check it first before sending it. If duplicating it from a word processing program like MS Word, you might need to modify it to fit the email program you're using. Changing the font size, style, and making sentences shorter are common ways to make an email resume more appealing.

A scan-friendly version of your resume is also less complex than a standard print version. You should remove bold or italicized headings because those can appear blurry or faint to the reader. Plain text versions should be composed in MS Word or other word processing program so you can check for grammar and spelling errors. You can easily cut and paste your completed resume into MS notepad or other plain text program. You can use this version when uploading your resume into a company database.

Sending Your Virtual Resume

Always follow the company's instructions when it comes to sending a resume. If the company wants you to send the resume in an email instead of an attachment to the email, make sure you do so. As a potential virtual employee, you need to show employers that you can follow directions.

Always include a cover letter in your email. This should be your standard cover letter. It is considered unprofessional not to send a cover letter.

Before sending the email, check to make sure you're using the correct email address. If the company asks you to use specific words in the subject line, do so. If not, use the job title in the subject line.

When uploading your resume into a company's database, make sure that you include keywords that are relevant to the job position within the body of the resume. Use words from the ad, the title of the position, or other words you feel are applicable. Don't grant your resume to become lost in the system, take the time to find keywords that'll make your resume stand out.

Keep in mind that electronic resumes are much easier to discard if they’re not formatter properly. Depending on the number of responses a hiring manager receives, they might discard all resumes that are formatted incorrectly before reading them just to make their job easier. Make your resume stand out by sending a professional document that has been edited and formatted correctly.

Melissa Brewer is the author of The Little White Ebook of Homeshoring Jobs, a complete guide to work-at-home call center employment.

8 Signs It's Time to Look for a New Job

Short of being handed your walking papers, there are often telltale signs that it's time to look for a new job. You haven't been promoted since the Clinton administration. The most exciting assignments are routinely handed to your peers or underlings. Your desk keeps moving farther and farther from where the action is.

But some indicators are less obvious, such as subtle shifts in an IT organization's structure that can result in career stagnation. A variety of career experts, headhunters, recruiters, CIOs and IT staffers shared their takes on when it's time to move on.

1.Your role has become marginalized.

If you're being bypassed for promotions or interesting assignments or they're consistently being offered instead to IT workers in subordinate positions, “that would be an obvious sign,” says Robert Rosen, CIO at the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases in Bethesda, Md., and a past president of Share, an IBM user group in Chicago.

Often the handwriting is on the wall. You just need to cease, step back and read it. “If you feel like you're no longer contributing, there's a good chance you might not be,” says Frank Hood, CIO at Quiznos in Denver, Colo.

2. You've stopped growing.

“If you're not learning each day, if you're not doing new things, and if you're not improving” it's time to move on states Sara Garrison, senior vice president of product and solutions development at Sabre Holdings Corp. in Southlake, Texas.

Red lights should be flashing if you've effectively been in the same role for two or three years and haven't taken on any significant new challenges during that time, says Umesh Ramakrishnan, vice chairman of CTPartners, an executive recruiting firm in New York.

3. You're missing from the massive picture.

Most CIOs assemble a road map of where they intend to take their organizations over the next 12 to 60 months, including the top IT/business projects they plan to work on, notes Joe Trentacosta, CIO at the Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative in Hughesville, Md. So, if there are a lot of upcoming projects that don't include your area of expertise or in which you figure to play a minor role at best, “that's a warning sign,” he says.

Further, if you've been relegated to a commodity-type IT function that offers tiny value to the organization or can easily be outsourced, “it's time to move on to a new opportunity,” says Hans Keller, chief technology officer at the National Aquarium in Baltimore.

4. You're being excluded.

If you're a CIO or other senior IT manager, the warning signs can include not being asked to participate in new business decisions or being excluded from formal or informal executive committee meetings, says Craig Urrizola, CIO at Saladino's Inc., a Fresno, Calif.-based food distributor.

The view is equally bleak if you're an IT staffer whose input on new projects is no longer requested or is sought out on just a limited basis.

5. Your level of influence is waning.

A CIO certainly has more clout within an organization than a network engineer. But all IT professionals possess some level of influence within their work teams or at least among their own peer group. If you see your powers of persuasion shrinking, it's time to move on, Keller suggests.

6. You no longer enjoy the work.

“Someone once told me that we're not here for a long time, we're here for a good time,” states Michael Nieset, managing partner for the technology practice in the Cleveland office of Heidrick & Struggles, a Chicago-based executive search and leadership consulting firm. “Sometimes people stay in suboptimal situations because it's comfortable for them. You've to take control.

“If you're not excited about the projects you're working on, fix it,” he states. “If you're wholly engaged, passionate about what you're doing and doing what you're good at, you'll be fulfilled and rewarded accordingly. “

7. Continuous improvement isn't part of the mantra.

Sometimes there are organizational changes — or lack thereof — that you should regard as career alerts. These include stagnation within a corporation or an IT department. If your IT organization has been using the same application development techniques for 15 years and has made no effort to update its approach, “then something's wrong,” states David Van De Voort, principal consultant at Mercer LLC in Chicago. If your company is unwilling to invest in continuous improvement processes such as CMMI, ITIL or Six Sigma, it might be time to seek a company that's, he adds.

8. Greener pastures truly are greener.

If you've reached a crossroads where you've become disenchanted with your employer for one reason or another (long hours, infrequent promotions, career malaise, etc.) and you've received a job offer from another company, it might be the right time to jump ship. “In situations where things don't fix themselves — if you hate what you're doing or you're not proud of what you're doing or there's an issue you need to talk to your boss about but you don't because you know it won't do any good — that's when it's time to look for a new job,” says Joel Reiter, an application analyst at U.S. Bancorp in St. Paul, Minn.

In this situation, however, be certain that you're not jumping out of the frying pan into the fire. Make sure you're moving toward a good opportunity and not just moving away from one that's gone bad.

On the web job services were meant to automate the job search process, getting jobseekers in front of prospective new employers faster. How well is it working for you? If you've sent out dozens of resumes and gotten tiny or no response, it probably feels like you're sending your resume into a vast black hole. Do you feel like shouting “Hey, is anyone out there?”

To better the odds that your resume is being seen by a real person who can offer you a real job, here are three guidelines to make your resume more effective.

1. Include Key Words

With paper resumes a thing of the past, employers use candidate tracking databases to store resumes. Recruiters and hiring managers use key words to query and find the candidate resumes that match the job. If you aren't using the right words to describe your employment experiences, then your resume might be rejected before it's ever seen. Review the key words your resume uses to:

* Describe your current career objective. Do your qualifications match the job description? Look closely at areas listing your technical skills, job responsibilities, and core competencies.

* Attract your industry. Are you using your industry's current buzzwords? Avoid obsolete terms and phases that might label you as behind the times.

* Attract your occupational field. Does your resume give the impression that you're cutting edge or over the hill? Make sure your resume shows why you're a good choice for the job.

2. Use the Correct Electronic Version

If your resume can't be opened as an attachment, then it can't be seen. Because of the threat of computer viruses, many companies only accept resumes through their own on the web forms which ask you to cut and paste (rather than attach) your resume. Make sure you’re sending your resume in a format that will work for the recipient.

* If a resume attachment is requested: Save your resume as a Word document (.doc or .rtf). This is the standard that most companies use. It should retain the formatting that you used for your resume. Avoid fancy formatting options such as columns, boxes, and tables.

* If an email or on the internet form is used: Use ASCII, plain text, or text only (.txt). This removes formatting, but the information is preserved. Be sure to review your resume before sending it so that it is still easy to read and user friendly. 3. Make Your Resume Stand Out from the Crowd

With hundreds of candidates to select from, what makes your resume shout “Pick me!”? If your qualifications are similar or equal to the vast majority of other candidates, employers will need a compelling reason to select you out of the crowd. You need a differentiating edge, or you'll be ignored.

The ideal way to differentiate your resume from others is with accomplishments. And those accomplishments really stand out when:

* They're quantified or measurable. Can you define how much you accomplished in dollars saved, contracts won, or percent changed?

* They highlight your transferable skills. Can your skills be used by this company, even if your job experience is in a different industry? Transferable skills help employers visualize you in their organization.

* They show corporate impact. How can you help them save time, save money, increase their profit margin, improve sales, or increase revenue?

While the World wide web is still a great tool to connect quickly with employers, you need to take steps to ensure your resume won't be ignored. Before you apply on the web again, use these three tips to make sure your resume gets the attention it deserves!

Deborah Walker, Certified Career Management Coach, helps jobseekers coast to coast navigate the Internet by staying abreast of the significant technical changes that affect on the internet job-search strategies. Visit Deb on the web at http://www.AlphaAdvantage.com

Helping Boomers Give Their Ideal

As millions of people in their 50s and 60s exit the corporate world, many will search for “encore careers” in the public and nonprofit sectors. This could result in the biggest transformation in the U.S. workforce since women began pouring into it some 30 years ago, states Marc Freedman, author of Encore: Finding Work That Matters in the Second Half of Life (PublicAffairs, $24.95).

Freedman, founder of San Francisco think tank Civic Ventures, discussed the trend with BusinessWeek contributor Toddi Gutner.

How do you define an encore career?

It's when someone can earn income, find new meaning, and use accumulated experience in ways that have a positive impact on society. At the same time, encore careers fill a set of talent shortages that threaten to compromise our education and health-care systems. They represent the best use of the accumulated experience of the baby-boomer population.

Why do you use the term only in the context of give-back jobs?

We know from surveys that a significant percentage of boomers is already thinking about working in an area of the social sector. Our challenge is to take all of those people and get them jobs.

Despite boomers' claims of wanting to help society, is it possible most would rather retire to a life of travel and golf?

Baby boomers could be blowing a lot of hot air. I think whether they retreat into another round of selfishness or can respond to JFK's challenge—to ask not what the country can do for me but what I have the ability to do for the country—will have to do with whether we as a society call them up to a higher purpose. We need to create the on-ramps to work that matters and embrace the talent.

Does their romanticism blind them to the trade-offs?

There's definitely a lack of realism over what it means to do this work. That's why, if you think you might be interested in a give-back career for your encore, you should get as much experience as possible before making the leap. Boomers will do these jobs if they feel they are making a genuine impact or if their time isn't wasted and their experience is put to good use. If these things aren't there, it becomes a question of grinding it out in a nonprofit for less profit versus working for a corporation. I don't think many people will make that choice unless they're masochistic.

What policy changes need to be made to promote encore careers?

We need to remove all barriers and disincentives that keep people from pursuing work later in life. Those policies are vestiges of the past, when we tried to push people out of the workforce.

Allowing workers over 65 to get their health coverage through Medicare would cut employers' costs and create an incentive for hiring them. We could also grant these workers to opt out of Social Security payroll deductions.

We need to replicate programs that are already out there. One example: Troops to Teachers, where you train retiring Army personnel to be teachers. It addresses two problems at once: helping people who have served their country and solving the teacher shortage. We also have to build new programs where there are no models. We could offer a reverse G.I. Bill that sends older workers to school to get retrained and back into the workforce swiftly. Finally, we could create a gap year to provide boomers with “Encore Fellowships,” similar to the internships and fellowships college grads get when they start to try on professions.

Will boomers take direction from bosses their kids' ages?

They’ll if the learning process is a two-way street. Many of the people I interviewed said the greatest benefit of doing this kind of work is the interaction they've with young people who are idealistic, energetic, and passionate about the same issues they're. They all appreciated the chance to see that goals they hold so dear are being carried on. If the young managers can appreciate what the older generation has to offer, the boomers will be willing to give up control.

Coaching can aid in changing jobs, growing business

For many middle-aged workers, the desire or the need to change jobs is commonplace. Whether brought about by downsizing or a growing dissatisfaction with the trajectory of their careers or industries, many baby boomers have made a job switch or want to.

That has led to a boom in the number of career and life coaches, whose mission is to help those unsure of their next career step analyze their aptitudes and get back on a career track.

But not all of them possess all the skills to be effective.

Intimate-apparel executive Nancy Fox hired a career coach after she left the bra business almost 10 years ago. After meeting with her coach and taking some training courses herself, Fox decided to start her own home-based coaching business, Fox Coaching Associates in Mamaroneck.

After some early struggles, Fox learned she had a talent for bringing people together, introducing her clients and colleagues to one another.

“I found a way that makes it enjoyable and painless,” says Fox, who works with attorneys, accountants and other professional-service providers who, she states, don't like to sell. “They hate it, and so do I,” Fox states.

Accountant Barbara Lane, a partner at the White Plains office of Citrin Cooperman & Co., states one way Fox has helped her is in presenting herself to potential clients.

Rather than simply telling them that she's a tax accountant, Lane may, for example, explain how she recently helped a client.

That can help spur a deeper and more robust conversation, whereas simply telling someone that you're a tax accountant can be a conversation killer, she states.

“It kind of turns them off,” Lane says. “It's like telling somebody you work for the IRS.”

As a Citrin Cooperman partner, Lane pays Fox about $500 a month for her coaching services.

“But it was very useful,” Lane states.

Coaches in the United Says earn an average of $52,478 a year and account for slightly more than half the $1.5 billion in revenue generated worldwide by coaching, according to the International Coach Federation, a trade organization.

The ICF has about 7,000 members in the United Says and more than 13,000 worldwide. Record-keeping firm PricewaterhouseCoopers estimates there are 30,000 coaches worldwide.

Typically, coaching is a second or third career for many people, ICF states. Workers might have been an executive, consultant, trainer or teacher, or in counseling or a health-related field, with the majority, 53 percent, holding a master's degree.

One critic of career coaches states they often miss the mark when it comes to providing realistic career-transition services.

“In other words, they're very pie in the sky,” states Barry Miller, manager of alumni career programs and services at Pace University, which has campuses in Manhattan, Pleasantville and White Plains.

“You have to translate it into people's financial needs; what is available in the marketplace; and how accessible that marketplace is to that transition,” says Miller, who is also a private career consultant.

He states many coaches go into coaching because they've expertise in a given field.

But that doesn't always mean that they are aware of all the resources available to jobseekers or those professionals looking to build their business or careers.

One example, Miller notes, was one female information-technology professional who began coaching IT clients but wasn't aware that there was an organization known as Women in Technology International.

A good coach needs more than empathy, Miller states.

Though not as critical as Miller, Fox knows that some coaches don't have all the requisite skills necessary to be effective.

That's one reason, she says, there's been a “huge shakeout” within the industry.

“A good coach knows not only what's going to aid a client in terms of what they're looking for,” Fox says, “but also put them on the right path to find structures to help them fulfill their goals.”

Do you need an interview coach?

“Tell me about a time you had a conflict with a peer.”

How would you handle this question during a two-hour, high-pressure interview for a job you passionately, desperately want? Not sure? Perhaps it's time to call in a professional interview coach. The good news: From teaching clients how to tackle tough questions, to persuading them to believe in their own hype, interview coaches boost clients' confidence and offer sage advice. The bad news: Coaches can't fix everything - or everybody.

Out of the loop

A few years ago, Catherine Brohman of Kitchener, Ont., found herself out of law school and headlong into resumes and interviews. Having been a law clerk for the previous 11 years, Ms. Brohman knew her job-hunting skills were rusty. She searched the Web and found Ross Macpherson, president of Career Quest in Whitby, Ont., a career consultancy firm.

At first she only wanted Mr. Macpherson's help writing a killer resume, but soon realized her interviewing skills could use a pick-me-up too, especially after a mock interview over the phone where she stumbled over her answers.
“At that point I realized how ill-prepared I would have been for an interview if I hadn't had a dry run with somebody. It really opened my eyes,” she says.

Mr. Macpherson isn't surprised most clients put 30 hours into developing their resume but a scant 30-minutes preparing for an interview.

“The incredible thing is, interviews are where the final decisions are made. That's where they pick the winner so that's where you really need to invest your time,” he says.

Who sees the light?

Enlightened clients fall into a few categories, says Carole Martin, a career coach and author of Boost Your Interview IQ.

“A lot of them are the working wounded,” she states. “They've been beat up, injured, or on 20 interviews with no job offers.”

Others stumble across their dream job and they hope an interview coach will give them an edge.

Then there are clients like Ms. Brohman, who have been out of the job market and realize the rules have changed.

Have your stories

Take the kind of questions human resources people ask these days. State goodbye to queries like, “What are your strengths and weaknesses?” This day, questions focus on behaviour and begin with, “Tell me about a time when…” or “Give me an example when,” says Sharon Graham, president of Toronto-based Graham Management Group, which offers interview training.

These questions should be answered in a specific, structured way. She coaches customers to use the SAR technique - “situation, action, result.” Set up the story, describe the action you took - which is really all they want to hear about - and end the story with a bang.

Ms. Graham suggests examining the job listing and coming up with a story that describes how you've handled a similar situation.

“I always tell people to have at least 20 stories in their back pocket,” she says.

An answer for everything

Coming up with answers to behavioural questions takes thought, but not almost as much as what's required for the dreaded inquiry: “Tell me about yourself.”

“Most people are under the misguided impression it's an icebreaker. It's not,” Mr. Macpherson states. “The interview is on, you've sat down, the door is shut and they're listening.”

Instead of rambling on about your dogs or offering a boring career chronology, have a well-rehearsed, interesting and relevant 30-second pitch ready.

Those touchy questions

But what if you've been fired? An interview coach can help craft an answer for that possibly embarrassing situation too. Without going into too much gory detail, explain why you got the boot, what you've learned - then move on. And resolve your own feelings about the firing before, or the baggage will come with you, Ms. Graham states. If you're open and sincere, people comprehend.

More than words

Interview coaches don't just focus on what clients say, but what they're doing when they say it. Ms. Martin audiotapes or videotapes her clients' mock interviews and plays them back later. Most are appalled by their nervous ticks, she states.

Recently, a lawyer came for interview coaching. He watched the videotape - during which he swung back and forth regularly, something he hadn't realized he was doing.

“He was like a pendulum. But I'll tell you, the next time I videotaped him, he kept rod-straight,” Ms. Martin says.

Keep it natural

But how does someone sound spontaneous after spending five hours nailing the perfect messages and eliminating all physical manifestations of shot nerves? No one wants to sound like a robot giving canned answers, Mr. Macpherson states. He suggests writing down the messages you want to make in point form, but practice your answers using different wording each time. Sound genuine. Not perfect.

Never memorize your answers, Ms. Graham cautions.

“It's awful being stuck in the middle of a sentence and not remembering the rest of what you want to say,” she states.

What they can't fix

Obviously, coaches can't fix what you look like, which might be unfortunate since some candidates are dismissed for physical appearance, consciously or not.

There's one other trait that can't be helped: Those who won't help themselves, says Dora Vell, owner of Vell & Associates Executive Search in Waltham, Mass., which works with U.S. and Canadian clients.

Last year, a senior executive with a massive Canadian IT firm hired Ms. Vell to coach him for an interview where he needed to show he could be hands-on. His mock interview took 2 � hours. When she mentioned his long-winded ways, he thanked her and hung up.

Ms. Vell says the candidate later called to say the interview went well and that he’d ample time.

“Basically he was saying, 'You don't know what you're speaking about, lady,' ” she says.

He didn't get the job. The interviewers told her they felt he took so long to make his point, he'd never get any work done.

“You can't fix personality,” Ms. Vell says.

The upside

Of course, you want to look impressive on paper, but it's the subtle nuances about how you're conducting yourself that'll give you the edge over someone else. I really think the service was worth each cent I paid.

Catherine Brohman, a corporate commercial and real estate lawyer in Kitchener, Ont.

The downside

Anyone can say they're an interview coach. They should have some training and expertise, so don't forget to ask for proof.

Carole Martin, author of Boost Your Interview IQ and founder of InterviewCoach.com

Phone interviews are becoming more and more common as companies gain greater access to candidates and as more recruiters and hiring managers work from virtual office locations. On the positive side, with a phone interview you don't have to worry about having your suit pressed and you can have your notes in front of you. On the flip side, it is much more difficult to establish rapport and get a read on the hiring manager during a phone conversation. Below are some tips for getting the most out of your phone interviews.

Schedule the meeting during a time when you won't be distracted.

A phone interview should be scheduled like any other interview. At the designated appointment time, make sure the dog is in the backyard and someone else is watching the kids. If a recruiter or hiring manager calls you without advance notice and wants to interview you on the spot, use caution. If the interview “conditions” are not optimal at the time of the call, it is best to tell the interviewer that you're very interested in the position, but need to schedule another time to have a conversation. That time can be as soon as ten minutes later, just make sure that you can take the call without being distracted.

Conduct interviews from a landline.

Cell phones are a boon to modern communication, but the quality is still not the same as that from a land line. You don't want to frustrate the recruiter or the hiring manager with a bad connection. Plan your interview from a reliable phone line.

Create an office space.

Dedicate an area as your office. This could be as simple as a card table with a phone and your documents. Conduct your interviews from your “office”. Being seated at a desk or table allows you to create an environment similar to an in-person interview.

Put a mirror in front of you.

This helps you focus and it anchors your conversation to the visual representation of a person. Monitoring your facial expressions helps you see if you are communicating your enthusiasm to the recruiter.

Have a glass of water nearby.

If your throat is dry or you get a tickle you can take care of it before it turns into a cough and disrupts the flow of the interview.

Have your notes in front of you.

A phone interview is like an open book test. You can have your company research and answers to potential interview questions right in front of you. Try putting key information on colored index cards and organize by category.

Vary Your Voice.

Since the other person can't see you, it is critical that you vary the tone and cadence of your voice to communicate interest and develop rapport.

Use pauses effectively.

Pauses in an interview situation are always difficult and they can be especially awkward during a phone interview. Rather than wondering what the person on the other end is doing or if they're still there, use the silence to ask a question. For example, if the interviewer has just asked you about your strengths and your response is met with silence, make that an opportunity to ask a question like “What are the key strengths of your ideal candidate?” This takes care of the silence and allows you to learn more about the position.

Don't multi-task.

We’ve grown so accustomed to multi-tasking, however it can be counterproductive during a phone interview. Don't check your email or stick a casserole in the oven while you're engaged in a phone interview. Act the same way you would for an in-office interview and maintain your focus.

Practice.

Record some of your answers to prospective interview questions. Play them back and critique. Are you simple to comprehend? Is your presentation riddled with long pauses and ums? Do you communicate interest and enthusiasm? If necessary, rework your answers and your presentation.

Barbara Safani, owner of Career Solvers, (http://www.careersolvers.com) has over 12 years of experience in career management, recruiting, executive coaching, and organizational development. Ms. Safani partners with both Fortune 100 companies and individuals to deliver targeted programs focusing on resume development, job search strategies, networking, interviewing, and salary negotiation skills.

Hot jobs of the future cater to boomers and technology

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics is out with its list of hot jobs for the next decade.

Topping the list careers related to technology and caring for the elderly, jobs already in great demand.

87 year old Millie Decker is so thankful have a caregiver help in her home twice a week.

Millie Decker states, “I love it. I love it. I wish I had her each day.”

Ester Rogers cooks, cleans and provide personal care that's kept Millie out of assisted living and gives Ester a steady paycheck. She says, “A lot of personal satisfaction, I get a lot of pats on the back.”

In the next decade the number of home care and home health jobs like this are expected to double.

Career councilor, Jessica Alvarado at Lane Community College states most jobs related to aging and health are growing.

“I think its really nice with health careers is you've the options of gaining some kind of entry level experience and then working your way up the professional ladder.”

However Jessica encourages people to find a career they love, not because its in demand.

“If you don't feel like it represents you you are then you're not going to be very happy for very long.”

The demand for home senior aides is already so high that “Home Instead Senior Care” is always hiring to care for their 400+ clients in lane county.

Nancy NesSmith states ,”We are constantly looking for people who want to make a difference and feel good about going to work and who are reliable.” NesSmith states about 25% of all adults are caring for an elderly or ill loved one, a trend expected only to grow.

Back at Millie's home, Ester states her goodbyes, “You have a good weekend, see you at nine.”

For people like Millie, home care is nothing short of a godsend. Millie's says of Ester, “She's such a nice lady.”

Some of the other hot future careers: personal and network systems, veterinary medicine, personal finance, and get this makeup and skin care sound like baby boomers will also want to look good.

Now social networking sites might shape your career

Beware. Those of you who have posted personal information on the web might be under surveillance. Job candidates who maintain profiles on social networking sites, may want to reconsider its content. Employers are now increasingly using social networks to assess job applicants, verify CVs or even find best candidates based on on the internet profile. As is true with any other domain, recruiting is forced to acknowledge the area, which has the highest footfalls or coming together of professionals outside their normal work spheres. The trend that started a few years back in the tech industry is fast spreading.

To understand this concept, recruiters state, one has to begin by understanding the psychology of job seekers. Recruiters broadly classify candidates into two types - active and passive job seekers. At any given time, only a small percentage of the workforce is actively looking for a job. That’s, they’re posting their resume on job sites, or actively checking jobs boards. However, a larger and potentially better pool of candidates are those people who are gainfully employed at the moment, and maybe not actively looking , but who would be open to relevant offers.

“Experience has shown that the active job seeker isn't the right person to target, specifically for middle and senior level positions. This is because the right candidate who will fit the job does not even apply or has his bio-data in a job site or even thinks of applying. How do we reach such passive candidates, or potential candidates is a million dollar question which is always haunting Executive Recruiters around the globe?,” states Kris Lakshmikanth, founder CEO and MD, Headhunters India. “We call these “passive candidates” and it's hard to find them outside of sites like LinkedIn,” says Elizabeth O'Donnell , director international , LinkedIn.

With the emergence of the concept of blogs and social networks such as MySpace, Orkut, Facebook, Linkedin, a growing number of people are leaving significant on the web footprints. “As the cliched 'war for talent' hots up talent managers are being forced to resort to taking unconventional and 'out of the box' measures to cope with this shortage. An on the web social networking site provides an unbiased , unmotivated and easily accessible source of checking out a potential employee without compromising his or her privacy,” says Shiv Agrawal, ABC Consultant's CEO.

A major plus in the case of such sites is that people often share their personal details such as mobile numbers, addresses and designations on such sites. This becomes an invaluable source for talent hunters to track down otherwise elusive top managers.

India isn’t very far behind in catching up with the trend that started in the West. Social networking websites are the hottest additions to the Indian 'web-space'. India is catching up very far, very fast with this trend. “For LinkedIn, India is our fastest-growing country in terms of membership and it's also one of our largest markets.

Since Indian professionals are very well versed in technology, in general, technology-based trends can take off very fast. And when it comes to employment issues, culturally speaking, India is more similar to the US mentality of job m o b i l i t y, rather than a country like Japan or even some European countries, where there is still the concept of having a single employer for life,” states O'Donnell .

These networking sites have changed everything as recruiters can access entire personal networks, before interviewing a candidate in person. A survey conducted by Viadeo, an on the web business social network , found that one in five employers have searched web for for personal information on candidates and 59% stated this information influenced their decision.
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Resume Posting Service

This is a service that allows job seekers to post their resumes to an on the internet job search site, which is used by employers and recruiters. Using a resume database of an online job site makes it easier for employers and recruiters to identify you. When posting your resume, always use key words, as this increases the chances of your resume being found easily by an employer for an interview. This service is usually free for job seekers.

Advanced Word Processing Programs

Use MS word as it includes both, basic and advanced tools that help you to create and format your resume. Don't forget to keep a back up of your Ms Word-based resume in some other application like Notepad or Wordpad. These applications convert your resume into ASCII text that allows your resume to be read properly in email format.

Mention keywords that are closely associated with the job for that you are applying for.

Advantage Of Posting On the web

As soon as you post your resume on the web, your resume and skills are made available to numerous employers and recruiters. Ultimately, you gain access to a large number of opportunities. The same can’t be reached by viewing employment advertisements, company web sites, employment web sites or newspapers.

Disadvantage

As each coin has two sides, so does posting on the internet. The biggest advantage of posting a resume on the internet is that it also makes all your personal information visible to everyone. You might be troubled by a number of phone calls from various agencies, employment consultants, headhunters and even telemarketers. In order to avoid this, don't provide too much personal information and be careful with what you chose to disclose.

Resume Bank

You need to be very alert when choosing to use a resume bank, as some offer free service, while others might charge a monthly fee. Besides the service cost, what’s more important is the scope of the service. A few offer national exposure and at the same time, some are attached to professional associations or a network of businesses. Rather then regretting it later, be careful before when submitting your resume. Always weigh the pros and cons carefully.

Key Reminders

It is always useful to post your resume on the internet as it provides a wide network of job opportunities. For a specific job, you need to go to the best resume bank available, create a strong resume and post your electronic resume. Be confident when you meet an employer and make each possible effort to present yourself professionally.

Tony Jacowski is a quality analyst for The MBA Journal. Aveta Solutions - Six Sigma Online - http://www.sixsigmaonline.org offers on the web six sigma training and certification classes for lean six sigma, black belts, green belts, and yellow belts.