Keep up to date on articles and news and subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!

The term New Year New Career has become a cliche, with so many of us wanting new jobs planning major advertising campaigns for January is usual amongst recruitment agencies. An alarmingly high percentage of workers change are dissatisfied with their current jobs and the New Year is one of the times when this dissatisfaction comes to the fore. If you're thinking about career change, it's important not to just rush into applying for a new position because you made a decision to change on 31st December.

Making the decision to change careers is just the first step and it could be months or even years before the reach your goal. So congratulate yourself on having made the decision, but don't beat yourself up because you haven't reached your goal by 31st January.

Now it's time to create your career plan. It is important to set realistic career goals, both for the long and the short term. this will help you to stay focused and motivated. Long term goals on their own may seem so distant that you disregard them as impossible, when in fact, if they are broken down into manageable steps, they are very achievable.

Let's say you your dream career is working in complementary medicine and your long-term goal is to qualify in acupuncture, osteopathy or homoeopathy, all of which require degree level study. At the moment this seems like an impossible dream. But if you break down the steps, you'll find that there are two main themes: time to do the course and money to pay the fees and support yourself and any dependants whilst you gain your qualification. These steps apply to any new career - simply alternative your own ideal job for the example given here.

If you look into both of these areas, you will see that there are a number of possibilities open to you. For example, you can study part-time at some colleges, or do some of your degree by distance learning. You can finance your studies by using savings, student loans or loans from family members, or by getting a scholarship or allow.

As far as studying is concerned, you may be able to take individual modules now and use these credits in a couple of years' time to do a shorter full-time course. Alternatively, you could decide to begin out in a branch of complementary medicine which requires less training, examples being Reiki and massage. Learning these disciplines involves attending shorter intensive courses and even though these are not cheap, they’ve the ability to usually be done whilst working full-time. You can then establish yourself in the area in which you’re qualified and if you still want to follow your original idea, you can think about a degree a little later, when you've the advantages of having personal experience in the field of complementary medicine and in setting up a business.

So your first step is to look at the huge picture and think about all the possible ways of reaching your goal. Then map out the route which is most suitable for your circumstances.

Short-term goals would include doing background research into available courses and funding options. Depending on your schedule, these could both be done this month or one this month and one next month. You might contact local practitioners and ask if they would be prepared to speak to you, perhaps over lunch, which you pay for, so that you can get an insider's view into the career. This could also give you a great deal of insight into how you might achieve your goal and provide you with additional steps which could speed up the process.

Next, you might think about a short course, say an introduction to anatomy and physiology or setting up a business. These options would provide valuable career information, helping you decide if it's right for you before you invest big amounts of time and money.

Once you know you're on the right track, you can make longer term career goals.

Starting out with your end goal and moving backwards to identify the steps you need to take will enable you to create both short and long term goals and a career change plan which is workable and can be acted on immediately. When it comes to changing jobs, planning is an essential ingredient if you want to accomplish long term success.

Courtesy Waller Jamison

The first item of business for an interviewer to determine is if you've the qualifications to perform the duties of the job. That's the basic part of interviewing - to determine if the qualifications and experiences fit the stipulations of the position.

“DO WE LIKE HIM?” “WILL HE FIT IN?”

The next item of business is to find out if this person is a good “fit” for the job. In other words, will he fit into the team and the company culture? Even though this is the more subjective part of the interview, it can make or break your chances of getting the job.

The way you answer a question could be sending the wrong message. Are you describing yourself in the ideal light?

QUESTION: HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONALITY?

On the surface this appears to be a straightforward question, but if you answer too hastily you might end up sounding like each other candidate. What makes you one-of-a-kind? How can you make yourself stand out and be remembered?

Interviewers ask this question for a couple of reasons; to hear where you place the emphasis in your description, and to see how swiftly and creatively you can think on the spot. SPICE UP YOUR ANSWERS

Don't give the interviewer with the same old answers everybody else gives. Think about new ways to get your message across and sell yourself. “I am a high energy person.” This answer needs more detail and energy.

“I am a person who is energized by challenges and problems.”

“I'm a hard worker.” The most common phrase used. No imagination.

“I do whatever it takes to get the job done; sometimes working 10 hour days.”

“I am a swift learner.” An overused phrase which has lost its effectiveness.

“I can hit the ground running and come up to speed faster than anyone I know.

“I'm analytical.” A lack luster answer, that doesn't reveal much information.

“I'm a whiz at analyzing data and transforming it into useful information.”

“I'm very organized.” This is a very understated answer.

“I am a person who can bring order to chaos.”

“I'm reliable.” This answer needs more information to get the point across. “I pride myself on my record of never missing deadlines.”

“I'm good with customers.” The answer needs clarification - good in what way?

“I build great relationships with customers - they always ask for me.”

SCRIPTING EXERCISE

Describing your personality is like writing ads for a product. What makes you very special? Are you the type of person who would fit into this organization? Your job is to convince your interviewer that you are that person. Make a list of personality traits that describe you. The qualities you would like the interviewer to remember after the interview. Use some of the same words in the job posting. Requirement: “Must have five or more years experience, managing a diverse population of employees.”

Your Answer: “I work well with all types of people.”

This is a rather flat statement and not specific. Try a new slant using more powerful words.

“I am a person who values other's qualities and contributions. My employees would tell you that I am a very fair manager who listens when they’ve something to say.”

The more specific you are with your answer, the better your chances of leaving a lasting impression. Interviewers speak to several candidates in a single day. What will make you a memorable candidate?

In today's competitive job market it is worth taking some time to take into account how you can describe your personality in a way that'll make you stand out. The buyer needs to be sold on your uniqueness and abilities. When you sound like everybody else, you look like everybody else. Distinguishing yourself from the pack will give you an edge. A little work before the interview will put some zip in your pitch.

Carole Martin, America's #1 Interview Expert and Coach, can give you interviewing tips like no one else can.

How to Write a Cover Letter

You could write the best resume in the world and be highly qualified for a job, but if your cover letter is poorly written, generic, or misguided, you can pretty much throw your chances out the window. The cover letter is your first, and sometimes your only opportunity to grab an employer's attention and let them know why your resume is worth reading. Since there are several different ways to write a cover letter, depending on the employer and the method of transmission, for example, here are some ways to make yours stand out along with some examples you can tweak to your liking.� Steps Before Writing the Letter

1. Update your resume. If you don't already have a resume, then write one. Ideally, the experiences and skills you list on your resume should be tailored to the particular position you're applying for, reflecting strengths that'll be desirable by your potential employer.

2. Research the target organization or business so you can include information or facts relating to your desired job or industry. This won't only help you in writing a relevant cover letter but it will also be useful if you get an interview. Some key items you should become familiar with:

* What’s the employer's mission? What do they promote as setting themselves apart from competitors?
* What kind of customer base does the employer cater to? What kinds of people are in their target market?
* What are the company or organization's values? Innovation? Service? Diversity? Sustainability?
* What’s the history of the employer? Who was the founder? How has the business or organization evolved?

3. Examine the job. Read the job description carefully. Check for the noted and assumed needs and determine the most important skills, qualifications and experience the employer is looking for. Write them down, and put a check mark next to the ones you’ve.

4. Find the name of the manager in charge of the department you want to work in. Use your network. Do you know someone who is in the company or industry? Can they help you? If not, call the HR department.

While Writing the Letter

1. Format the heading elements correctly. Line spacing and address conventions mainly apply for a paper cover letter. For an on the internet version that's not likely to be printed out, the date alone may be adequate, or not even required.

* Include your address at the top (in the right hand corner - approximately 1 inch down from the top of the page).
* Skip down 4 lines and enter the date.
* Skip down 4 more lines and enter the Contact Person, then the name and address of the company. Write to a specific person, not “To whom it might concern”, or “Dear Sir/Madam”, whenever possible.

2. Write the body of your letter with three or four paragraphs.

* In the first paragraph, tell the employer why you're writing to them in two or three sentences. Say the position you are applying for. Avoid the standard openings like “I wish to apply for the position of ___ advertised in ___”. Design your opening to get the reader to sit up and pay attention to what you can do. It's unnecessary to specify how you became aware of the position unless it's through a mutual contact or recruiting program. If you're writing a letter of interest (also known as a prospecting or inquiry letter), in which you're asking about positions that might be available, specify why you’re interested in working for the employer.
* In the next one or two paragraphs, outline your qualifications and match them to the requirements of the position. Show enthusiasm and a desire to help the company reach its goals. Show the employer what you can contribute to their bottom line, not what you want to get out of the deal. Use what you've researched about the employer's background and history. Try to make two or three solid points, backed up by specific examples. Relate some relevant details about the company so the employer knows you did some research ahead of time.
* In the final paragraph, include a positive statement or question that’ll cause the employer to want to take action. Make this closing paragraph between 2-4 sentences. Direct the employer to the enclosed resume, make your availability known for an interview, and if you want to be assertive, state when you'll contact them to set up a meeting time to discuss the opportunity in further detail. Provide your own contact information (phone number, e-mail address) and welcome them to get in touch. It's very important to complete off by thanking the employer for their time and consideration.

3. Conclude with “Yours sincerely,” (if you've addressed the letter to a named person), “Yours faithfully,” (if you’ve used a “Dear Sir” approach) or “Regards,” and leave four blank lines to sign your name in blue ink. If you use black ink, they may think it is a copy. If this is online, leave only one or two blank lines.

4. Proofread. This is essential. Some things to look out for are:

* Be sure you've spelled everything correctly.
* Avoid using the passive voice (e.g. “This experience gave me the chance to…”). You don't want to sound like everything happened to you. Make yourself the active subject of each sentence (e.g. In this experience, I developed/reinforced/learned/etc.”). But that doesn't mean each single sentence should begin with “I…” so vary your syntax accordingly.
* Break down any contractions (e.g. “I've” to “I have”).
* Avoid colloquial (informal) writing. You want to sound professional, objective, and educated.
* Check the punctuation use carefully.
* Keep the letter to one page — the purpose of the cover letter is to get the hiring manager to read your resume! If the letter is spilling onto a second page, it's time to tighten your points and edit the fluff.
* Your tone should be upbeat, professional and informative. The employer wants to know what you can do for them, so sell yourself and your skills in a positive way. Keep that in mind as you write and proofread each paragraph.

Cover Letter Exercise

Answer the following questions, then use each answer in the corresponding spot of the sample cover letter:

1. Name of person you are addressing the contact letter to.
2. Your role or current job.
* “graduate student in environmental science”
* “customer service professional”
3. A general description of your accomplishments/experiences in the field to which you’re applying.
* “fifteen years of customer service”
* “an outstanding background in scientific research and discovery”
* “a solid history of dependability in the automotive industry”
4. A positive description of the employer.
* “what many consider to be the most progressive medical institution in the state of Rhode Island”
* “a well-established company with a long history of gourmet creativity”
5. Assets you can offer to the company. List one to three.
* “extensive experience with start-ups”
* “demonstrated ability to solve problems”
* “refined capability to manage teams”
6. Key skill/experience/accomplishment, and how it can help the company achieve its mission. List two to three of these. Be specific.
Dear (1):

As a (2) with (3), I'm eager to contribute my abilities and experience to (4). Given my (5), I believe I have the ability to help (employer name) achieve its mission and goals as a (position). (6) I would like to continue contributing my capabilities and experiences to (employer name) and would be happy to discuss in further detail how I accomplish this. My resume is enclosed for your convenience. Feel free to contact me at (phone number and/or e-mail address). I look forward to hearing from you. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Regards,

(Your name)

Tips

* A good cover letter should not sound like a re-hash of your resume. It should pull highlights from your resume and tie it gracefully with the job description. Consider it a bridge between your resume and the position you're seeking.
* Make your cover letter visually appealing and coordinated with your resume. Use the same personal information block in the heading of your cover letter and your resume. A cohesive resume package is a very attractive selling point. If using paper (i.e., not online), use the same high quality paper for the cover letter as for your resume. At the same time, don't overdo the style elements. One type font is never wrong (unless you're in the arts).
* Be concise. Never use two words when one will do (avoid verbosity).
* The more unconventional the employer, the more leeway for creativity you’ve in writing a cover letter.
* You don't have to explain everything. You might leave the employer wishing to learn more about you.

Courtesy wikiHow - the Hot-to Manual That You Can Edit

Many job applicants think the only thing left to do after an interview is to send a thank you letter. While sending an interview thank you letter is important, don't get complacent and think that's all you have to do at the end of your interview.

First and last impressions are the strongest, so you want to end the interview gracefully and do the proper follow-up. As a hiring manager, here are three things I want you to eep in mind.

1. At the end of the interview, I'll nearly always ask you if you've anything else to say. Most candidates stumble a bit with this one and end awkwardly. The best way to end the interview is to thank me for my time, summarize your qualifications and reiterate your interest in the position.

2. After the interview, do a personal debriefing. Write down the names and titles of everyone you met, your view of how you thought the interview went, questions you were asked that you found difficult, and any other information you learned about the company and the job. Even if you don't get this job, it will help you on future interviews.

3. Follow up the interview with an interview thank you letter to the Hiring Manager and anyone else who may have interviewed you. This shows you understand basic business etiquette and have good attention to detail.

The Ideal Question of All to Ask the Hiring Manager

Early in my career, a very experienced Hiring Manager shared with me the best question ever to ask at the end of your interview. Here it is: “I'm convinced this is the job I want. What do I need to do to convince you that I'm the ideal person for the job?”

This is a great question. It shows your interest in the job and it flatters the Hiring Manager's selling skills (yes, if you're a good candidate I'll want to sell you on the job). It also gives you one last opportunity to sell yourself by addressing any specific recommendations I might have about how to “convince” me you're the best candidate.

If you feel the interview went well, try using this question. I asked this question myself once when I was interviewing and, to my surprise, the Hiring Manager replied, “Well, I'm pretty well convinced already.” I was offered the job the next day.

You're selling yourself at the interview, so you've to be certain you ask for the sale!

Good luck at your next interview.

Tom McBroom has been a Hiring Manager for over 25 years and manages the website http://www.job-search-steps.com, which is dedicated to helping you find a job swiftly.

The phone rings just as you are about to sit down for dinner, but this time it's not a pesky telemarketer - it's a company recruiter calling. You've been caught off-guard! The telephone “screen call” can come at any time - day or night. Some interviewers find evenings the best time to catch people at home, where they’ll be able to talk more candidly. Therefore, you should be on-call and prepared to receive a telephone interview at any time.

Telephone interviews, typically conducted by a human resources staff member or a hired recruiter, are used as screening tools. By asking key questions, the interviewer determines whether or not it is worthwhile to pursue you further as a candidate. The screenings might consist of a few quick questions or as much as a one-hour grilling.

Some general questions you might expect in a telephone screening are:

1. Why are you leaving your current job?

2. What kind of salary/job are you looking for?

3. Tell me three adjectives that describe you.

4. Tell me about a time when you had to solve a problem using creativity.

5. Do you have any questions for me?

If there is some particular skill that qualifies you for a job, for example technical skills or languages, there may be some qualifying questions about the “tools of the trade.”

Although you cannot control the timing of these calls, there are some steps that you can take to not be caught off-guard.

1. Get organized. Set aside your materials as though you were going to a face-to-face interview. Have a folder with job postings or ads you've answered, along with company information. If you've several versions of your resume, attach the one relevant to the particular job posting. Keep this folder in a specific place so you can get to it in less than a minute. Tell the caller to hold and then grab your folder.

2. Be prepared. This is key to any interview, but for the telephone interview it is essential. Practice with a tape recorder to hear the level of enthusiasm in your voice. The key to telephone interviews is projecting an upbeat image through the sound of your voice and the words you use.

3. Know what they’re looking for. Look over the job description to see what the company is seeking in a candidate. If you don't have a good description, look at other postings of similar positions to see what's being asked for. Compare what you’ve to offer against what they're looking for. Be ready to let the interviewer know what a good match you're for the position.

4. Alert the household. Be sure everyone in your household
- kids, roommates, etc., are aware that you’ll be receiving calls from recruiters and companies. The phone should be answered in a polite, professional manner. While you're at it, make sure your voice mail message is also professional and upbeat.

Getting through this screening is critical for advancing to the next step: the face-to-face interview. This puts added pressure on you to present yourself in a positive, focused manner. If you attempt to wing this call, you may reach a dead end in the process. By organizing and preparing you'll feel less stress when these calls do come.

�Carole Martin is America's #1 Interview Coach. Celebrated author, trainer, and mentor, Carole can give you interviewing tips like no one else can.

8 New Weapons to Fight the Talent Wars in '08

The current uptick in skirmishes over IT talent might indicate that a full-scale war is heating up for '08. If so, the weapons this time will be different from those used in the last large dust-ups of the dot-com era. “We are seeing a war for talent, and it's been building up for the past three years,” states Dan Reynolds, CEO of The Brokers Group LLC, a Princeton, N.J.-based IT staffing firm.

The current demand for IT talent is being driven by a number of factors, including investments in new projects, a dramatic reduction in the number of IT grads from U.S. colleges and the first of the baby boomer retirements, he states. Whatever the causes, experts note that savvy CIOs, recruiters, headhunters and other hiring managers are trying out new or updated weapons to fight for IT talent. Here are eight that you might want to wield in the coming year.

1. Social Networks. Although recruiters and hiring managers continue to use job sites such as Monster.com and Yahoo HotJobs to advertise for open positions, the use of social networking sites such as LinkedIn is providing employers with “a superior quality pool of applicants,” says William Gomes, director of human resources at Intermedia Inc., a New York-based provider of hosted business e-mail services.

More '08 predictions By using social networks to identify potential employees, Intermedia is “getting a better ratio of qualified applicants” than it would from the throngs of resumes it might otherwise receive from job sites that don't hit the mark, states Gomes.

2. Wikis, Blogs and Forums. Companies are increasingly turning to on the internet communication tools to help engage potential IT employees and generate discussions with prospective new hires. The tools also help to “harmonize” values between employers and would-be employees, says JP Rangaswami, a managing director at BT Group PLC in London. BT Group has at least 70 bloggers, including Rangaswami, who says the company has found that, thanks to the blogs, IT workers “come to us because they've heard of us more and they know what we're doing,” he says.

3. Trying Before Buying. Instead of posting job ads in newspapers or through on the internet jobs services, employers are increasingly turning to other recruitment techniques, such as right-to-hire agreements. In these, an employer hires a professional contracting firm to do the recruiting for it. The employer concurs to hire qualified candidates for a few months with the option of offering them full-time employment later. “I've done this a few times with programmer/analysts,” says Joe Trentacosta, CIO at Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative in Hughesville, Md. The lure of health care and other benefits for permanent workers “plays a key role” in tipping the scales, he states.

4. Global Thinking. “Those who believe the search for [IT] talent is limited to the U.S. are badly mistaken,” says Bob Worrall, CIO at Sun Microsystems Inc. Smart companies think beyond national borders. For example, roughly half of Intermedia's 170-plus IT professionals work in its St. Petersburg, Russia, offices, says Gomes, and the company also finds employees in India and other non-U.S. locations.

5. The Anywhere Workplace. The concept of going to the office certainly hasn't disappeared altogether, but the “where” and “when” of IT work are undergoing some fundamental changes. “It used to be that you 'went' to work everyday, coded away and then went home,” states Worrall.

But today's twentysomethings expect to be able “to connect to work from a laptop on a train or at the beach,” he states. And employers are more prone to accommodate them — to a degree.

“We provide [IT] staff with flexible work hours and laptops, BlackBerries and other devices to help them do their jobs remotely,” says M. Lewis Temares, vice president and CIO at the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Fla. “But we still need them to be on campus at various times to support the university's services.”

6. Business Vision. “The tenor of the job announcement has changed,” states Robert Rosen, immediate past president of Share, a Chicago-based IBM users group, and CIO at the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases in Bethesda, Md. “There's much less emphasis on technical skills and more demand for people who can help add value to the business.” Of course, IT hiring managers remain hungry for people with strong technical capabilities, particularly hot development skills such as .Net, PHP and J2EE expertise. But it's even tougher to find IT professionals with business savvy or experience managing relationships with business units, says Craig Urrizola, CIO at Saladino's Inc., a Fresno, Calif.-based food distributor.

7. Pumped Up Paychecks. OK, this one isn't new. But as part of the whole supply-and-demand continuum, it's an old weapon that's back.

With fewer qualified IT professionals available, particularly in hot markets such as Silicon Valley, companies are doling out larger offers. For example, Intermedia's offers to new employees in the San Francisco Bay Area are 20% higher than they were a year ago, says Gomes.

8. Imagination. Compensation continues to be the biggest factor in the recruitment and retention of IT professionals, but perks such as the option of telecommuting, flexible work hours and opportunities to work for socially-conscious organizations are top-of-mind for many younger IT workers. And sometimes an imaginative approach can make the difference between snagging top talent and losing it to the massive bucks.

For instance, IT professionals who work at the National Aquarium in Baltimore typically earn 15% to 30% less than peers who work elsewhere in the city, states Hans Keller, chief technology officer at the aquarium. But he tries to offset that with other perks. One of his network engineers spent two weeks on a research trip on the Amazon River last January. Other perks are closer to home. “I have two people on my staff who dive into the tanks and feed stingrays each other month,” Keller says. “That's not a typical assignment for a systems developer.”

Job Profile Of A Career Coach

The duties of a career coach include assisting people in their selection of the right job opportunities and managing their careers. You could either be a career management coach or a career marketing coach. The latter is responsible for building influential contacts, posting resumes and suggesting ways to secure high placement. The main aim as a coach is to market the client effectively in the career market.

Investment

Before you establish your business, you need to take into account the costs that you'll have to incur as a career coach. Initially, you'll be required to make major investments such as website hosting to gain publicity, a Computer for processing relevant information and storing your client's data and other promotional and advertising material.

Equipment Required

In addition to a Computer with the necessary programming software, you also need to have complete access to the Internet, so that you can research conveniently. Besides this, a telephone, printer and fax machine is also helpful.

Financial Resources

If you don’t have the required capital for the initial investment, you can easily get financing from numerous sources. Business loans from banks and governments should be given highest priority. There are other business organizations as well that could help you financially and aid you in setting up your own business as a career coach by providing you with begin up loans.

Getting loans from self-employment programs sponsored by the government is also a good idea. Applying for loans from business capitalists and angel investors is another option available, if you fall short of the necessary finances. However, keep in mind that they both charge a high rate of interest.

Offering Your Services For A Fee

In today's fast paced and competitive world, you have to be careful about how you price your services. You need to effectively price your competent services or else the business might not perform as anticipated.

Scope Of Income

Irrespective of whether you are a career management coach or a career marketing coach, established career coaches charge on an hourly basis. The average billing rate prevailing in the industry currently is $100 per hour.

Marketing Strategies

You can choose from a variety of methods to effectively promote your business, depending on your budget and need. Advertising in the newspapers is the most effective marketing strategy. You could even post ads or distribute pamphlets in colleges and other educational organizations. Circulate your business cards at social gatherings and events. Promoting career coaching by writing relevant articles in newspapers and on the World wide web, featuring ideas and suggestions for people who encounter problems in their careers are other great options.

Large Market

The main targets for career coaching are youngsters and people who are unable to identify the right job opportunities. Many new graduates and other people find themselves confused or at crossroads in their careers due to several reasons. People tend to make wrong career decisions when they're influenced negatively by their peers or sometimes out of dire financial need. As a career coach, you'll be serving this growing market.

Tony Jacowski is a quality analyst for The MBA Journal.

Objective: To write a compelling article to help resume writers capture the attention of potential employers using a great resume objective.

The objective is the first thing people will see when they read your resume. A good objective will be concise, upbeat, and grab the reader's attention.

Also, it needs to be tailored to each position you apply for. You need to tell the reader exactly why you want to work for them. If you want to write the perfect objective, here are some tips:

This is the place to describe the kind of job you're seeking. Keep the objective neutral. Don't talk about your own desires, but instead state what you can do for the company.

So instead of writing a statement like, “A position where I have the ability to use my skills and grow, etc.”, be more specific about the job itself. Instead, write something like, “A position as an administrative assistant in a professional office environment. When you write your objective, focus on the company and the position. Keep this in mind: What would the manager want in a new employee?

One title per resume! Don't write a laundry list of all the things you're willing to do. The resume objective is a place to answer a very specific question: “What kind of job do you want?”

Keep it short. The objective should be no more than one sentence. You might use two sentences as long as both are short and get straight to the point. However, a long objective will not be getting a lot of attention.

This isn't the place to angle for a promotion before you've already gotten this job! Everyone wants opportunities to advance, and everyone knows it. Don't say the obvious here. Telling them in your objective that you're hard-working and responsible in those words should be redundant. Hopefully this will show up in your skill and experience!

So if you write your resume objective from the point of view of an employer, and if you keep all these tips in mind, you'll be that much closer to the perfect job!

Trying to Write the Perfect Resume? Visit Make a Resume. We cover everything from How to Make a Resume to Free Resume Samples for Dental Jobs and each other position you can think of.

Great! You have gotten through the initial telephone conversation. The head-hunter thinks you might be right for the job and you’re open to explore. How can you proceed to ace the interview?

Remember firstly that the job is NEVER yours until you've signed the employment offer and started work! The face to face interview is just one of the many steps before you reach that stage. However, this could be possibly one of the most important stages.

Do take note that you’re meeting the head-hunter to further explore the opportunity in detail, to get as much information as you can about the role and to also gauge your comfort level with the headhunter. On the headhunter's side, their role is straightforward. Find people who can do the job with the right personality and cultural fit for their client whom they’ve the ability to present as a shortlist to their client. You’ll NEVER be the only one that the head-hunter presents. Be humble, but yet toot your own horn appropriately.

1) Be positive and friendly at the meeting. Smile, be energetic and give a positive impression. Even if you do not intend to move to the next stage, remember that its always good to leave a positive impression.

2) During the face to face meeting, it is important to “sell” yourself with respect to the role. Clarify your knowledge of the role first of all. Then show the relevant experience and track record you've in relation to the role. Be specific and give quantifiable numbers as much as possible. All these will assist in evaluating your suitability for the job.

3) Be friends with the head-hunter. It does not ALL have to be talk about work. You can have a informal chat, find out how more about the personal life about the head-hunter. Remember that you're using this face to face chance to build a relationship too with the headhunter. You could ask him more about the market, his view, views and find out more about your competitors through him.

4) Lastly, don't assume that you already know everything about the job from the headhunter. If it sounds interesting enough, go for the interview with the client if the head-hunter would consider you for his shortlist.

Great! Remember to stay in close communication thereafter, especially when moving on to interviews and final negotiations. Be straightforward, honest and keep the head-hunter updated on any issues which might crop out along the process.

The head-hunter is there to assist both their clients and yourself, so work together hand in hand with them.

Andy Tay - Your Insider ex-Headhunter has been headhunting middle and senior management for more than 4 years in Asia Pacific.

Can't Find Job on Web? What You're Doing Wrong Some Helpful Tips for Finding that Perfect Job in 2008

Do your New Year's resolutions include finding a new job? The World wide web is a great resource for job seekers. But far too many people don't use it effectively.

According to Nielsen On the internet, CareerBuilder, Monster and Yahoo HotJobs are the most visited job sites. These general job sites attract a wide variety of employers. There are literally hundreds of thousands of job listings on these sites.

However, many of these jobs won't appeal to mid- or upper-level professionals. If you're at that level, you might wade through many jobs below your experience level. Some of the better jobs might not be listed on these sites.

So look beyond the general employment sites when looking for your dream job. Here are some tips for using the Internet for your job search.

Try Specialized Sites

No matter what your field, you're likely to find a specialized site listing jobs related to your industry.

Specialized sites won't have the same volume of listings as general sites, but don't let this deter you. The listings will superior suit your skills.

There's another advantage, too. You won't be competing against so many other job seekers. However, the competition will be better qualified than on other sites.

If you're a tech worker, try Dice. For government jobs, visit USAJOBS. EFinancialCareers specializes in financial positions, while SalesJobs lists sales positions.

There are several specialized job sites. Search the Web for those in your field. Look for more massive sites with plenty of listings.

Find Associations On the internet

Industry associations and clubs are invaluable tools for job seekers. Most national organizations have websites. Visit the sites to learn more about local chapters.

By joining an industry organization, you'll meet other professionals in your field. Some of the people you meet might have hiring authority. At the least, you'll learn about new job openings. Some might not even be listed online.

Also, industry associations often have job boards on their sites. These boards will help you find hidden job opportunities.

Visit Employers' Sites

Companies often list career opportunities on their websites. Smaller businesses might have relatively few listings. Bigger companies will have hundreds.

Larger companies will have tools to help you narrow your search. Some even have notification systems. New listings matching your search will be sent to you.

Of course, an employer's site offers more than listings. Use it to find out more about the company and its clients.

Other Resources

When you're job searching, you'll be asked for your salary stipulations. For this, visit Salary.com, PayScale or PaycheckCity. These sites list salary ranges specific to your region for a given position. They're also helpful for salary negotiation.

A career change is more difficult than a move within your current field. It pays to learn as much as possible about your newly chosen field.

In addition to joining an industry association, visit the Bureau of Labor Statistics. You can learn about the occupational outlook for countless industries and find job descriptions, working conditions and general requirements for specific professions.

Kim Komando hosts the nation's largest speak radio show about personal and the Internet. To get the podcast or find the station nearest you, visit: www.komando.com/listen. To subscribe to Kim's free e-mail newsletters, sign up at: www.komando.com/newsletters. Contact her at gnstech@gns.gannett.com.