Your Job Search

Finding employment immediately after graduating from college is getting more and more difficult than it was some years back. No wonder a recent survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers actually revealed that just about 20% of college grads of 2009 got a job immediately after completing school. Now this translates into something like only one in every five college grads getting a job immediately after finishing college. That certainly is not some cheering piece of news for college students, but more especially for college seniors who will be entering the job market sooner than otherwise.     So how then can a college student whether senior or not prepare for the task ahead? In other words, what do students need to do now to increase their chances of getting employed soon after graduation? Okay below are some of the issues that college students need to grapple with, in order to ensure they get prepared for the job market out of college. The Time-Related Factor One … [Read more...] about How to Prepare Yourself for the Job Market While in College

Whether you are newly entering the job market, or if you are looking to switch companies to further your career, you will find that competition is fierce out there today. If you have already sat through countless interviews, this is something you are already well aware of. Years ago, professionals with degrees were in demand in nearly every field. As the population has grown and flexible scheduling has allowed a broader spectrum of people to get an education in their spare time, suddenly golden positions are hard to find. If you are feeling discouraged, or you think that maybe you should just be satisfied with your current job, understand that you can land the career of your dreams; you simply need to do something to stand out from the three dozen other people interviewing for the same position. Business cards and flyers are the answer! Why Use Business Cards? The right business card will say a lot about you. This is something you should have on you at all times, even if you are not … [Read more...] about Job Hunting? Stand Out With These Products

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are currently 5.3 million people unemployed long-term. I’ll give you a minute to let that sink in. That’s more people than the entire population of Singapore.  The hunt for a job has turned into survival of the fittest —and no we aren’t talking about The Hunger Games. This is a real problem, and unfortunately we aren’t living in a fictitious world where we come out on top. Looking for a job is no easy feat. You have to be the best and impress during the interview-- competing sometimes with hundreds of other qualified applicants. So how do spammers of the hottest social media site have to do with job hunting? Check out the lessons below to find out. It’s a Numbers Game No matter the site, spamming is a numbers game. The more emails, tweets, pins they push out the more likely it is they will make revenue. If it didn’t work they wouldn’t do it. The same thinking can be applied when applying to jobs—just on a smaller scale. You don’t … [Read more...] about On the Job Hunt? 5 Lessons You Can Learn from the Pinterest Spammers

You don't need me to tell you that the internet has brought changes to almost every aspect of life for the average western world civilian, and work and careers are no different. We have email, social networks, upload and download sites and more. The internet has made thousands of traditional jobs faster and in a lot of ways easier. We'll always need the mailman and the trucker to keep the world of work ticking, but so much can be done online in the 21st century that is revolutionising the world of work. One thing that we haven't seen a lot of since the internet became so accessible is an online career. Not something that just utilises the internet to good effect, something that can be almost 100% done online. No boss looking over your shoulder, no stale office smell, no drive to work, just flick up your laptop or start up your PC and you're effectively at work, you can even travel and justify it as working. For many people, this is the holy grail. Too good to be true, right? Well, for … [Read more...] about Online Careers – They're Real, You Know!

As an employer, when we hire someone new it’s vital that we find someone who can get the job done. Whilst we of course understand that it takes time for someone to learn the job, often having some experience in a related field means that the candidate in question is much more likely to pick up the ropes at a faster pace compared to someone else. When comparing this with looking at someone’s education, we usually check their qualifications to see how well rounded someone might be. However, in the forefront of our minds is ‘how quick can said person pick the job up?’ Many job hunters get frustrated with the fact that employers often require a certain amount of experience, especially when they are fresh out of college and haven’t yet had the chance to work. It’s important to note that the word ‘experience’ doesn’t always mean several years in a similar job. ‘Experience’ could come down to plenty of things such as people working on side projects or volunteering on a part time basis. If … [Read more...] about Is Experience More Important Than Education?

Picture this trend: there are more and more people wanting the same jobs, who can do what you can, just as well as you can and there aren’t enough jobs to satisfy everybody. However you can distinguish yourself and elevate your perceived value beyond others. In order to do this I want to show you how creating an online biography can be hugely beneficial in making you stand out from other people. The preferred service that I would recommend for creating an online biography is about.me however there are similar services that exist which have their own unique spin on the online bio including favlors.me, follr.com, and Path.to. However About Dot Me plays very nicely off the about pages listed in the menus of almost every professional website out there. I think other services can be vague in communicating what their purpose is or even come across as a little immature. Remember you are ultimately going to want to link your new biography from other places. First things first, ensure you … [Read more...] about Jobs: How Creating an Online Biography Will Help Get You Hired

You have completed your application and are delighted to be invited for an interview and think it has gone really well. Everything is looking good, and then you find out… you didn’t get the job! If you are not successful at an interview it is worth asking for feedback from the employer. Turn a failed interview into a learning experience and plan for your next interview. This will increase your chances of a successful interview and getting the job you want. Rather than trying to guess the reasons why you didn’t get the job, being proactive and asking could give you valuable information that could make all the difference to your job search. Why Didn’t I Get The Job? Contact the employer and let them know that you would like to improve your interviewing skills and would appreciate their feedback. Keep it short and to the point and explain the reason you are asking for their feedback. Explaining that you want to learn from this experience will ward … [Read more...] about Questions to Ask the Employer If You Don't Get the Job

Most people get so wrapped up in what they should be putting on their resume that they don’t think about the things that should be left off. This is similar to preparing for an interview. You may have answers thought out that you have recited in your head, but they may be turning an employer off. Things that you think are hot buttons are not necessarily what employers are looking for. Updating Your Resume It is always a good time to update your resume. Most people wait until they are in a position that demands applying for a new job to even think about making changes. Unfortunately, when you are in a situation like this, you will likely spruce up a few words, add new experience and that’s about it, because you are in a hurry to get it out there. Ideally, you will take the time to update your resume on a regular basis. Look for Missing Skills – You may find that by looking over your resume, you will notice that something is missing. This could be a skill that you neglected to add, … [Read more...] about Things to Leave Off a Resume

Your cover letter is the first thing potential employers see and, therefore, it greatly impacts potential employers' opinions of you. A perfect cover letter will entice the reader to continue on to your resume. A poorly written cover letter may mean your resume doesn't get read at all. The following are five tips to help you write the perfect cover letter: Personalize your cover letter. Although it may be tempting to simply use a standard cover letter format that will work for most positions to which you'll be applying, this will not get you noticed. Instead, include details about the position and the company that show you've done your research. State a specific reason you'd like to work for that company or congratulate them on a recent accomplishment. This shows the hiring manager that you've done your homework and are truly interested in the job. Hit the hot points. Be sure to touch upon the hot points the employer has listed in their job description. You don't have to … [Read more...] about 5 Tips to Help You Write the Perfect Cover Letter