Employment Digest

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

While career setbacks are often unavoidable, they are not insurmountable or irreparable: with a good mix of planning, networking and optimism, you can find yourself a new position or find a way to circumvent obstacles to growth in your current role.


In order to regain your momentum (and earning potential), you will need to think strategically and assess your situation objectively. Below, we outline some things you should think about if you are currently facing employment problems, or just want to be prepared.

UNDERSTAND YOUR SKILLS

The first crucial step when planning a career change or pursuing new employment is to take stock of what you know and what weaknesses you have. For example, if you are a great analyst but a poor communicator, then look for a role where you can utilize your analytical skills but won’t have to give many presentations. At the same time, if you know your presentation and writing skills need work, start looking for opportunities to speak more. Informal meet-ups of peers and professional organization events are both great ways to build your speaking skills (and network).

We all have areas that we excel in and those that, despite training and experience, we still struggle with. Understanding both sides of your skill set lets you focus your efforts on roles where you will achieve the best results.

GET TALKING

Perhaps the most important and most poorly utilized asset any professional has is their network. When you are looking for a change or need new employment, it’s the people you know that will be your best source of insight and leads. If you think about your relationships friends, family, and colleagues and make the effort to touch base with them, you will be amazed how many new opportunities can appear. Of course, this assumes that you have remained in contact and have been a resource to them in the past (whether personal or professional).

Many times, our pride stops us from asking for an introduction or a recommendation, but the truth is that the people around you want to help you. Not only will it make them feel good to lend a hand, but its also good business: while you may be in need now; who can say when the positions may be reversed? By helping you out now, they strengthen their own network and create new possibilities for their own advancement. It’s a win-win situation.

BE AWARE

Even the most conservative industries experience change: maybe it’s a tool that streamlines processes and makes people redundant, or, a new initiative that brings specialized-skills into demand. Either way, there will be winners and losers from the changes.

The trick to being a winner is knowing what’s coming. Of course, you are not psychic and often company decisions are opaque; but you should always be looking for information about your industry, company, and clients:

1. Perhaps you’ve noticed that more and more customer service is being shipped offshore?

2. Perhaps a previously non-critical business division is suddenly a major revenue generator?

3. Perhaps one of your peers has been recruited by another firm due to skills and experience you also possess?

4. Perhaps a client is looking for additional services that your company provides, but no one has put together a clean proposal to capture the additional business?

These are just some of the scenarios that occur in every industry. If you are paying attention, you may be able to capitalize on any of them.

1. If off-shoring is occurring, look for the niches that are less transferable or start preparing for a job search.

2. If a division is getting mentioned more, see if you can work on a joint project that will gain you visibility or see if they could use your skill set.

3. If you have transferable skills and experience, then why not look at other industries. Getting outside your comfort zone can offer a huge benefit especially, if your skills are in short supply in a younger industry (or an older one experiencing a shift).

4. Don’t assume someone else will make the pitch. Maybe you aren’t the one to close the deal, but if you put the idea in front of the client you can gain a new contact and pickup some recognition for ‘going beyond the call of duty’. Taking initiative is crucial to your success.

CONCLUSION

Your job might depend on a company, but your career is your responsibility. Hopefully, you will take some of the ideas discussed above and incorporate them into your career strategy. If you are in a dead-end job, then now is the time to take stock and find a way out. If you are currently looking for a job, then make sure you are searching efficiently and looking at the right opportunities.

Either way, you will need to keep your eyes on your skills, your voice in conversations, and your ear to the ground.

Good luck.

Diversified Recruitment, Inc. (DRI) is an online resource for MBAs and other professionals. The Staff Writers have created a collection of hundreds of articles on a wide range of business and career topics. Visit www.dricareers.com for more great articles.

Ideally, the mutually-accepted final salary structure will be the outcome of a successful interview process. However, your expectations must be realistic. A little research on deciding upon the expected salary will be helpful.

A realistic assessment should be done to calculate your worth as an employee, which should be tested against the present market or industry standards. Several factors such as type of industry, kind of work, geographic location, supply and demand, or simply the growing need for a professional workforce in a specific industry play an important part in salary considerations.

After preparing yourself in these areas, it will be helpful to follow a three-point formula for the actual salary negotiations during the interview.

Never Be the First to Bring Up the Topic of Salary

Do not rush to bring up the matter of salary in your interview. First, let the employer decide whether you are suitable for the position. Eventually, the topic will come up in the interview - but avoid starting it if possible.

You will blow your credibility if you start the discussion by asking for a particular figure. This gives the impression that salary is your major consideration in applying for the job.

Just as in a card game, it is always best to hold your trump card until it’s time to play it. Announcing your anticipated salary early in an interview may very well eliminate your chances of getting the job, especially if the figure turns out to be too high. If you have set your limit low, it eliminates the opportunity of getting a higher figure if the employer is already thinking of one.

Therefore, it is best not to include salary expectations in your resume unless salary has been specified in the job-opening announcement.

Do Your Homework

Some research is needed before you go on the interview. Explore details such as average salary for that position in the job market, and evaluate your experience, expertise and educational qualifications. Other factors to take into account are the reputation of the company, the hierarchical status of the position offered, and the geographic location.

The perks that come with the salary, if any, should also be considered. Feedback from friends working in that company or colleagues working in the same industry is helpful in getting such details.

Don’t overlook websites that deal with employment and job opportunities.

Do Not Jump At the First Salary Offered

Don’t grab the first offer instantly. Take time, a couple of days perhaps, to consider the offer. Consider some hitches that might go unnoticed. Review the offer; consider all the possible aspects as well as your chances of getting ahead in the position before accepting it.

If you find it doesn’t meet your expectations, let the employer know the salary you anticipate and justify it by pointing out the requirements of the position and your experience and expertise for earning it.

This may not always result in getting you your asking salary; it’s entirely likely that you may need to negotiate and come down a bit. Even if that happens, you will come into the position with your own self-worth established.

Like marketing, successful closing is important in an interview. If you are marketing your worth in an interview, make sure to successfully close the deal and negotiate your salary.

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

Branding Your Resume - Three Tips to Brand Your Resume the Right Way

Have you heard all the buzz about branding yourself? Are you wondering how to make sure your resume is reflecting your brand? Here are three quick tips to brand your resume so it really reflects you at your very best.

Tip Number One: Understand Your Brand

What is your brand? I believe your brand is simply the promise of an experience that a company will have by hiring you. That promise shows itself through the tone and content of your resume - which your reader garners their impressions of you from.

Tip Number Two: Define Your Brand

A couple ways to define your unique brand is first to think about what you are doing when you are at your best. Brainstorm on keywords and phrases. You are going to want these in your resume!

Another powerful technique is to ask three different people (let’s say your spouse, your co-worker and a friend) to describe you using only three words. As them to be boldly honest and say the first three words that come into their mind!

Tip Number Three: Sell Your Brand

Your brand should weave throughout your resume in words and phrases that best reflect you “doing what you love.” Are you struggling with what information to include in your resume? If you are having trouble with a particular area, just compare it to your branding statements. Does it illustrate you in action using your branding keywords? Is it an important component to the position you are seeking? If the answer is no, delete it!

As you build your brand here’s one additional tip: always track your accomplishments. It’s really hard to go back and remember the goals you’ve reached and the challenges you have overcome, especially if it’s been over a twelve month span of time. Make an effort to track your accomplishments as they occur.

Follow these three tips and you will be on your way to a crystal clear, compelling and unique brand.

Would you like to learn how to quickly and easily get more interviews, shorten your job search and increase your salary? Check out my website: http://www.maryelizabethbradford.com, for free articles, free resources and to sign up for my free audio mini-seminar “5 Simple Steps To Find, Focus On and WIN Your Dream Job - Starting Today!” Career marketing expert and nationally certified advanced resume writer Mary Elizabeth Bradford is “The Career Artisan.”

In this ever-growing competitive job market, applicants need every competitive advantage to put their resume and or application on employers’ short list. The majority of people are focused on presenting a spectacular resume with impressive details about themselves. The big questions are, does the employer believe it and does the employer know more about them than they know about themselves?

Employers go through a process of elimination. They might not know the applicant personally so the only information they have to go on is what they are presented with in an application, resume and background check. We are in the information age and squeaking by with inaccurate information on a resume or application for employment is not as easy as it use to be. There are two types of information on resumes and applications, which are verifiable and unverifiable information. Verifiable information is information easily accessible like employment dates, previous income and information obtained from background checks. Unverifiable information might be those extra spins one might add to appeal to an employer’s need to be impressed, which can’t be substantiated. If the verifiable information is inaccurate or doesn’t match, how is an employer supposed to believe the accuracy of the unverifiable information? This dilemma is where many good applicants who might have been the perfect candidate might get eliminated.

Since we are in the information age, another dilemma that presents itself is the accuracy of the information that an employer finds. A human originally generated all of the information spinning through the Internet. Humans make mistakes and data entry personnel whether they work for a previous employer, a creditor or the state are not immune to human mistakes. So who is correct? If it doesn’t match, the red flags go up and employers must decide without telling the applicant why.

Like the current trend of people monitoring their credit through credit monitoring services, a new trend of monitoring every aspect of ones personal public information is becoming just as important. Writing a resume and gathering information to include on an application should be the process of getting ones house in order and putting together the pieces of ones life. Most employers prefer honesty and can handle the truth. It is recommended to call previous employers and request employment dates. Employers will typically require a written request by fax or mail with a copy of an I.D. so they can verify the person is who they say they are. When requesting this information it is also recommended to ask the employer to include what reason for leaving they have on record. It is also recommended to repeat this process for educational institutions as well if there is any doubt of accuracy.

Background checks are available to anyone now. In the past they were too pricey for the average person to afford. It is recommended for job seekers to run a background check on themselves to access any public records that may or may not be floating around on them in which a potential employer may find or may not find. Just doing a simple google search isn’t the answer. If discrepancies are found, it is crucial to contact governing agencies of the source to correct them. If there is an extended time period for the correction to take effect, it is recommended to request documentation stating the discrepancy and a definitive course of action by the governing agency.

Knowledge is power and when people gain this knowledge and incorporate it into their resume and or job application it brings them confidence and peace of mind. People who have just had a resume or application in the past may now have a valued document. This value is reinforced by the verifiable information and the unverifiable information gains respect and credibility.

For low cost accurate results, I recommend http://www.trusearchnow.com to start your own personal background check. There’s a world of information there. It’s easy to use and several of the search results are free. You can find long lost friends, discover who is searching for you and much more.

Online Job Hunting Hints By Penelope Trunk

No matter whether the job market is good or bad, the best jobs require talent before you walk in the door you need to know how to use the Internet effectively in your job search. Here are six tips to help you improve your online results:

1. Big job sites cater to applicants who understand the importance of keywords. Only three to five percent of jobseekers find employment through online job sites. In order to be one of this small percentage, you need to tailor your resume to keyword searches. “Sending a resume to a big company’s website is like sending your resume into a black hole,” warns John Sullivan, human resources consultant and professor of management at San Francisco State University. “In a big company, your resume is sorted by an applicant tracking system.”

High-profile companies receive thousands of resumes a month and the tracking system sorts them by skills. Sullivan tells of a study where researchers took a job opening and wrote 100 ‘perfect’ resumes for that opening. Then the researchers added 10 percent more information to the resumes. Of those resumes, only 12 percent were picked up by the tracking system as qualified. This demonstrates that even if you are the perfect candidate, if you submit your resume blindly to a large company, there is almost a 90-percent chance that no human will ever see it.

But you can increase your chances by knowing how to use keywords in your resume. “Recruiters locate individuals based on a certain skill set of the job they are looking to fill,” explains recruiting advisor Matt Millunchick. So try to imagine how someone else would use a search box to find you, and be very specific about your skills.

These rules also remain true if you post your resume to an online database. The mass of resumes on job sites is so unruly that human resources departments are paying people in India $20 an hour to sort through resumes and find the best ones, according to David Hanley, owner of Recruitn.com. So, even in this case, keywords are your best friend.

2. Don’t depend on your resume. The typical resume is linear, which makes people without linear careers look like a mess. The resume highlights work gaps in a negative way and leaves little space for achievements and experiences that did not somehow contribute to corporate life.

“The marketplace is changing and the life experience that informs the work that people do is changing,” says Anne Burdick, information designer and professor at Art Center College of Design. The static linear resume is not an effective way to convey this new experience, so don’t lead with it.

Dana Zemack, a publicist, got an agency job by abandoning the conventional resume: She wrote a letter to the agency about how she had been throwing large, elaborate, chocolate tasting parties and charging admission. Zemack explained that, at first, she publicized the parties to make sure she’d make enough money to pay for the festivities. But then she realized that she had talent as both a party planner and a publicist, so she started planning bigger and bigger parties. “I used my own endeavors as an experiment to see how far I could go as a publicist,” she wrote. On a second page, she listed the publicity she was able to generate for the parties.

It worked. She got the job. Which leads to tip number three:

3. Go local. Smaller companies posting on smaller job sites don’t care whether prospective employees have a resume optimized for computer screening. This is how Zemack found her job.

Another way to go small is to join professional groups on MySpace.com. These are people who will know where jobs are. Also, Millunchick says recruiters search for marketing and technical people through these groups.

4. Focus on the referral. Eighty percent of available jobs are not posted on job boards. But people who work at companies with hiring needs know what positions are available. And employers love referrals, because referral employees have such low turnover.

In fact, many companies pay employees tens of thousands of dollars for a successful referral. Pander to that carrot system by offering yourself up to an employee at one of those companies.

Find people to refer you by looking on sites such as MySpace, Friendster and Linkedin. Do keyword searches to see if your friends of friends have jobs at companies that interest you.

Offline networking works, too. It’s just slower. There’s no keyword search when you walk into a party. But once you’ve made an acquaintance, you can Google the person to find their connections.

5. Stalk your dream job. If you know your dream job but you have no connections, identify a key person to talk to, and use the Internet to get in touch with them: Find an email address, phone number, a conference your target is speaking at. Then ask for an informational interview.

You are far more likely to get a job from an informational interview than from blindly sending resumes. Most people will be flattered by your request and will give you some of their time. Remember, though, that an informational interview is not the time to ask for a job. But often, if you make a good impression, the person will help you get hired.

6. Make your own job. Zemack’s career really took off when she created a job for herself throwing chocolate tasting parties. She is still genuinely touched by each person who turned out for those early parties where she bet her credit rating on herself. And in the end, she discovered something that is not a new rule at all: That believing in yourself and creating avenues for your own success attracts a magnificent network of supporters.

Penelope Trunk writes the Brazen Careerist blog. Her new book, Brazen Careerist: The New Rules for Success (Warner Business Books, 2007), is available at Amazon.com. E-mail her at penelope@penelopetrunk.com.

6 steps for making your best impression on job interview

Congratulations, your job application has opened the door for an interview.

The interviewer will be looking for clues as to your attitude, skills and experience that match both the job and work environment. Your time together will be limited. How can you prepare to make the most of the opportunity and get invited back?

Step 1: Learn about the company.

Visit the company Web site to get a sense of the vision, values, history and culture. Find out about the company’s products, services, locations and customers. If the company has a public location, stop by and observe how business gets done. Think about how the job that you are seeking helps the company achieve its goals.

Step 2: Know how you fit.

Make a list of the job requirements and qualifications. For each item, jot down your strengths, weaknesses and examples from your prior experience that would demonstrate your ability to perform that function well. Even if a job requirement would be new for you, think of your experience in another area that you could apply to be successful.

Step 3: Decide what to say.

Develop a few points that will help you convey who you are and what you bring to the job. Turn your list of job requirements and related experiences into a series of questions that you answer aloud. Practice until you feel comfortable in responding to questions about your attributes and background. That way, you will be able to focus on what the interviewer is asking, rather than being distracted with worry about your answers.

Step 4: Make a positive impression.

First impressions have a significant impact on interview outcomes. Your words take on different meanings through nonverbal signals appearance, attitude, tone of voice, eye contact, gestures, postureall of which the interviewer uses to interpret the messages that you are trying to convey.

Your demeanor on the outside begins from within. Look forward to the interview; view it as a learning experience, no matter what the outcome. Know your qualifications and have confidence in your ability to do the job. Plan ahead to ensure that you are appropriately attired and groomed, arrive in the parking lot 15 minutes early, and have your resume and other information with you.

During the interview, stay engaged and focused, maintain good eye contact and match your energy level to that of the interviewer. Be calm, courteous, positive and professional. Speak clearly, truthfully and with enthusiasm. Think before you speak, and use examples that will highlight your strengths. Avoid making negative comments or volunteering negative information about yourself or others. Let your personality come through; you want the interviewer to make a hiring decision based on the real you.

Step 5: Ask good questions.

Interviewers also learn about you through the questions that you ask. To prepare in advance, draft a few questions: Where do you see the company going in the next five years? What are the key goals of this department? What do you consider to be the most important aspects of this job?

Use questions selectively and appropriately. As the interview closes, thank the interviewer and ask about the timing and next steps in the screening process.

Step 6: Follow up.

Send a letter within a day of the interview, thanking the interviewer and expressing continued interest in the job. If you do not hear from the company within a reasonable amount of time, make a followup call. In hiring situations with many applicants, an employer may take longer to decide on the right person. Remaining in contact may help to keep you in the running.

Cheryl Moore is executive director of the Workforce Investment Board of Ventura County, which administers federal funds that support eight Job & Career Centers in the county. These centers provide employment assistance, career training and education services to job seekers, and employee recruitment, customized training and business consulting to local employers. For information, call 800-500-7705 or visit http://www.wib.ventura.org/.

Job seekers turn to blogging

A unique approach to the job search that’s showing promise is the blog.

Ask John Lynk on Patriot Drive in Salisbury. The land development project manager has raked in more solid leads to a new career in the two weeks he launched “The Ultimate Job Search” than all the nine months he’s been out of work and job hunted the traditional resume-submission route.

“It definitely has reaped some success,” Lynk says of his Internet site that landed over 300 hits in about 14 days. “I spend a great number of hours on the Internet. I’ve taken inferences and apply to leads I get. It’s a lot of effort and time, but I make contacts and you cut your search in half by having contacts.”

Not even Careerbuilder and Monster.com Web sites have brought Lynk as many prospective opportunities, and a serious job searcher with little to no luck so far could hit pay dirt with the tool trending upward as an out-of-the-box route to landing employment, says Bonnie Burke, a human resources expert. She’s noticed the trend toward self-promotion by prospective employees who are spreading their name, desire to work and skills across the World Wide Web.

Self-promotion through technology is growing more popular, replacing the traditional scouring of classified ads and other listings, then forwarding the typical cover letter and resume by postal or electronic mail.

“I’m seeing people do various things like this to get a job — the market is bizarre. They don’t know what to do,” said Burke, whose Marion Station-based Shore Staffing employment agency matches health care professionals, including nurses and therapists, with employers for both part-time and permanent placement. “I have 25 years in the human resources field– I’ve been a recruiter since the early ’80s — and there is a trend toward creativity in looking for a job.”

Much of the credit in Lynk’s case is owed to his wife, Marly, who trained as a psychologist. “She set up the blog. We told people a little bit about myself: My plight, being out of work nine months,” he said. “I had taken the normal channels, attended job fairs, connected with recruiters. But since the blog started, I’ve been invited to interview for a job next week.” Blogging to work

Lynk stays linked in to job search sites on the Internet, including for-fee Upladders.com that for a $35 payment connects job seekers with employers willing to dole out six-figure salaries, he said.

Months ago, Lynk stumbled upon an interesting opportunity through the employment site Monster. And it was off to Arkansas recently where he touted his 22-year experience. Truth be told, the Phoenix, N.Y., native favored the lifestyle on the Lower Shore and said, ‘Thanks, but no.’

“So many people with experience in housing, construction, are looking for a job because of the construction slump as a whole,” Lynk said. “I had experience with housing residential, commercial and heavy highway, but I didn’t think it was a good fit.”

He’s also interviewed with firms in Pennsylvania, Virginia and New York, but nothing panned out.

Lynk gets another shot to sell his skills on a job interview later this week with a firm he did not want to name. He thinks the blog was the attraction with the employer.

“I’m interviewing Thursday,” he said. “I applied for it two months ago and it’s coming to fruition. I don’t know if the interview is a direct result of the blog, but since the blog started, I’m interviewing.”

Trained professionals in industries tied to the now-slumped housing market are being hit hard by corporate downsizing that factored in his job loss in January at Greenvest, a land development company, Lynk said. Before then, he worked for developer Syntex Homes in Gaithersburg, then was transferred to the Dagsboro office where he worked until a layoff.

“They have gone from 125 employees to two,” he said. “I left there in September 2006. They are not going to put up homes if nobody was buying them.”

Lynk devotes much of his spare time to his 20-month-old son, John Henry Jr., or J.J. And he checks his blog for leads. “I had two, three suggestions regarding factory work in Pennsylvania,” he says. “There’s a gamut of information (in responses.)”

With construction-related jobs running scarce, a blog could be an avenue, said Burke, who has lived on the Shore since 1993. “The market is bizarre. Health care is even kind of whacky, now.”

She also recommends Craig’s List, another alternative site on the Internet, although some sites are difficult to navigate and sometimes less specific about a particular job or skill level, Burke said.

Blogging, though, is a creative approach and alternative use of the Internet, she said.

“I sort of think that’s not a bad idea, making your own blog,” Burke said. “Creativity in looking for a job is a trend, and putting a resume on Careerbuilder and Monster are great ways to start. Then build your own Web site.

“Somebody might pick up that information,” she said.

Unless you learn how to make a resume, it will cost you lots of money for a skill that you really need to know first-hand. With the right reference materials, the essentials of resume writing can be learned in an hour or two. I offer an excellent book on this topic at my website, if I may say so myself. Of course, as you know, you can also visit almost any bookstore to find several other books that will bring you up to speed.

In the end, you should expect to pay between $100 and a few hundred dollars for an experienced resume writer to write a resume for you. You can find advertisements that post a lower price, but the saying “you get what you pay for” applies here, too. After all, the professional resume writer wants to make a good living, too. If the cost to you is exceptionally low, chances are it will be farmed out to a less experienced writer.

Reason 2: It Will Cost You Even More Money Later

Let’s say that you pay someone to prepare your resume for you. A bit painful to your pocketbook, but maybe not so bad depending on your budget. The problem is, in today’s highly competitive job market, you will need to do everything you can to increase your odds at landing a job favorable to your career. That includes tweaking and tuning your resume as the situation dictates.

As an example, let’s say at your current job you have been called on to handle a wide range of tasks - and you have carried them out exceptionally well. The problem is, you may not want to list all of those responsibilities in a single resume. That might give the impression that you are not focused on any particular expertise and that may put you at a disadvantage. Better to research what skill sets and what role the company you are interested in is looking to fill. Then, tune your resume accordingly. Takes more time? Yes. Gets better results? Absolutely.

If you paid to have someone write your resume the first time, you will no doubt lack the confidence to make significant changes to fit each situation. Sometimes you may just need a tweak - and you will handle that. Other times, it may take some serious changes to put your background and capabilities in the most favorable light. Going back to the professional writer to get this done each time is going to cost you!

Also, don’t forget cover letters. This the single best way to showcase how you would fit each job opportunity. Even if you decide to stick with one version of your resume, each cover letter must be customized to be effective. Here again, you will start to feel pain in your bank account if you don’t master the skills to tailor your own resume and cover letters accordingly.

Reason 3: You Will Have To Do Most Of The Work Anyway

Even the best professional resume writer is not a mind reader. He or she cannot assemble the raw materials - the details of your background - without significant input from you. What you will soon discover is that this can be the most time consuming task of all. In other words, you are going to be put to work by the resume writer. And among the resume writing stages and tasks, this fact collection process can be the most time consuming.

So, let’s see…you will wind up doing the grunt work of collecting and organizing the “raw materials” for writing your resume. Then, you are going to pay someone else the big bucks to turn it into a concise summary. Not that great of a trade-off, if you ask me.

Reason 4: You Know Yourself - The Resume Write Does Not

Speaking of mind readers, who knows you better than you know yourself? You will have to convey your career aspirations, your likes and dislikes, your motivations, etc. This may take some deep thinking and reflection on your part. So here again, the burden is on you to shape this into your career objectives…all so the resume writer can simply summarize this critical information in a few bullet points.

Reason 5: You Need To Know Exactly What Is On Your Resume And Why

Obviously, you know what is on your resume, right? Not necessarily if you had someone else write it and you don’t review it very carefully. Keep in mind that many facts large and small went into the shaping of your winning resume. When the time comes to sit in front of a hiring manager for a face-to-face interview, you should not be hesitant about which facts made it onto your resume and which ones did not. Chances are your words will not be in sync with your written resume if you are not thoroughly familiar with exactly what your resume says. The best way to be on top of those details is to write your resume for yourself.

Don’t put yourself at a disadvantage, learn the art of writing a good resume now!

Worried about a recession? You are not alone. Now is not the time to send out a weak “me too” resume. Learn to turn your resume into a crisp, hard-working personal representative of your talents here.

Did you know that there are many different job interview tips to help wow your interviewer and land the job that you desire? Yes, that’s right! There is a secret formula of success that every potential job interview candidate should know and understand prior to the first interview.

Now, I am about to share these secret job interview tips with you! Remember, the job market is slim these days. In order to make the mark and land the position that you want and need, you have to have a competitive edge. The following is a list of what I consider to be the top five job interview tips to help you put the “WOW!” into your interview!

1. Now, we have all heard the whole spill about “presentation” and “first impressions”. While I would love to say “hey, take all that and throw it out the door”, I can’t. The truth is presentation IS everything! First impressions DO count! Keep this in mind as you’re preparing for your interview. This is a process where you get to urge an interviewer to “buy-in”. It is much like a sales presentation. In this case, however, YOU are the product. You should ensure that you carry a copy of a professionally written resume, as well as any other valuable paperwork that can display how you can be an asset to the company in which you are applying. Practice the sales pitch, work on the objections, and above all - push for the final purchase!
2. You’ve got your eye on a particular company. You want a certain position. If you want to WOW! your interviewer, learn that company and the description of the position that you are seeking inside AND out! This is an essential job interview tip! Not only does this tell the interviewer that you are quite serious when it comes to the position that you seek, this company will develop the same respect for you that you have for them! Be in the “know” - now!
3. The next step to ensuring the overall WOW! factor of your interview is to ensure that you practice questions that may be asked of you and consider good interview questions to ask the interviewer. This will BLOW the interviewer AWAY! The “average” interviewee comes in with their nerves tied in a knot, fear blatantly etched in their faces. This is common. Most of these individuals do not have the nerves to ask questions. Then, here you come with all this confidence and start asking away! This is impressive! By the time you get done with the interview, you will find that the person interviewing you is actually SELLING YOU the job! Pretty amazing how this works, but I have personally experienced it more than once - successfully!
4. Now, we all know looks are not everything - and, truly, they aren’t! However, a professional image IS everything if you are looking to WOW! your interviewer. Make sure that your interview clothes are appropriate, that you are well kept and that you display a visible level of confidence! By taking the time to focus on these areas, you are sure to be pleased - in the end - when it comes to the overall results of your interview!
5. Last, but not least, WOW! your interviewer by ensuring that you remain confident, act truly interested in every word that they say and interact with them! They will gain a comfort level with you, and you will do the same with them. This, above all, is sure to convince them that they absolutely MUST hire you!

That’s IT! Everything you need to know to WOW! your interviewer and land the job of your dreams in here in these job interview tips! Apply these measures, and you will quickly and comfortably travel down the road to success!

Read more about preparing for interview as well as advice on interview clothes

Catherine Jones is a leading authority on recruitment and, with 3 colleagues, has written a how to snag a job website in which she shares her secrets on getting hired.

Catherine works as a senior manager for a large financial services organisation and recruits new employees on a regular basis. Learn from the experts and snag the job you want - your dream job!

How to find a new job in trying times

Things aren’t going as well on your current job as you’d hoped. But with bills to pay and the economy as it is, should you even be thinking about looking for something new? After all, you have a job, even if it’s not the job you dream about.

According to business communications and etiquette expert Barbara Pachter, you shouldn’t let a disheartening job market discourage you from finding the right job.

Pachter, author of “When The Little Things Count … And They Always Count,” says that tough times mean job searchers need to be more focused, and need to be persistent.

1. Approach your job search as if it was your job. If you are unemployed, work every day at your search. If you are still employed, set aside time. Prepare your resume. Set a number of connections to make each week.

2. Find a coach. Have someone with whom you check in periodically. Let him or her know how your search is progressing.

3. Google yourself. Many executives Google candidates to see what kind of information appears. Checks of Facebook, blogs or YouTube are also likely.

4. Use the old-fashioned approach, too. Yes, it’s worth it to post your resume on Web sites like Monster.com and to visit company Web sites to find job openings, but don’t forget offline methods. People still find jobs from the want ads in newspapers and at job fairs. Also, don’t forget to check your alma mater’s career center.

5. Think about who you know. People often get jobs through people they know, so let friends and relatives know you are looking. Build a network. If you aren’t already, - get involved in professional and civic organizations.

6. Never assume you’re a good interviewee. If you can, get professional help for interviewing. At the very least, role play and record yourself.

7. Thank the people who have helped. In person or with a card, thank those who have assisted you in your search.

8. Help others. What goes around really comes around, so help others. When you can, be a resource. If you hear of an opening that is appropriate for someone, let the person know.

9. Have hope. Looking for a job is a stressful experience even in the best of economic times, and if you’re unemployed, it’s even more stressful. But remember, if you’re qualified and are a good worker, you will find a job. It may take awhile, but it will happen.

Dawn Anfuso is a South Bay-based business writer and former managing editor of Workforce magazine. If you have workplace or job-search questions, e-mail Dawn at dawnanfuso@yahoo.com. Writers will remain anonymous.