Get a Resume Critique or Cover Letter Critique
Posted on April 6, 2008 | Filed Under Career, Resumes, Site Updates | Leave a Comment
Our new peer review section of the Powerful-Sample-Resume-Formats.com site is a place where you can post your resume (or a part of it you’re struggling with) and/or your cover letter and get fast feedback from fellow job seekers and human resource professionals.
Think of it as a job hunting community and support group. Connect with people going through the same struggles as you. Celebrate your successes. Get helpful input on how you can improve YOUR resume and cover letter.
Check out our resume review center NOW.
Written by Kathi MacNaughtonShare Your Story So Others Can Learn (or Maybe Just Have a Laugh)
Posted on April 5, 2008 | Filed Under Career, Site Updates | Leave a Comment
I’ve just started a new section on the site where my readers can share their job hunting horror stories. If you’d like to participate, I’d love to have you! Your job hunting horror stories can both entertain and educate.We all have them… horror stories about the huge mistake we left on our resume when we sent it in for that coveted dream job… interviews that left us gasping… the human resource professional from hell… you know what I’m talking about, don’t you?
Do you have a great horror story about job hunting? It could have to do with any aspect of job hunting or career change, from figuring out “what you wanna be when you grow up”, to writing resumes & cover letters, to job interviews, to… well anything job-hunt-related.
So, if you have a story you’d be willing to share, please visit this page on job hunting horror stories and get started NOW.
Thanks in advance!
Written by Kathi MacNaughtonJob Interview Tips
Posted on April 5, 2008 | Filed Under Job Interviews, Site Updates | Leave a Comment
The job interview is the ultimate goal of a job hunt (or at least the ultimate goal on the way to the REAL ultimate goal of actually getting a job offer). You write a powerful resume that gives a great synopsis of the talents and skills you have to offer the employer; you craft a killer cover letter to go with it that grabs the attention of the recruiter, and voila! That coveted phone call arrives, demanding your presence at an inteview. Hooray! You’re on your way to the job of your dream, right?
Then, the day of the interview arrives and you choke. Or shoot yourself in the foot. Whatever… you’ve just blown your chance at the job. Sound familiar?
So how do you break this self-destructive cycle? It’s not hard when you follow the various job interview tips and advice on our site:
- 10 Power-Packed Tips for Job Interviews
- Job Interview Dos AND Don’ts
- How to Succeed With Panel Job Interviews
- Honesty Is the Best Policy on Interviews
- How to Prepare Your Answers to Job Interviews
- Enroll in Our FREE Job Interview Course
You CAN succeed… with a little time & preparation up front and the right “I can do this” attitude.
Written by Kathi MacNaughtonCurrent Hiring Trends
Posted on February 15, 2008 | Filed Under Job Search, News | 2 Comments
Hiring trends change all the time, based on what’s going on in the world, our economy, and a wide variety of other factors. And trends can vary from industry to industry too. There are always some industries that are booming, while others are declining, and so of course are the jobs within those industries.
So it will behoove you to understand the current trends affecting your particular job marketplace. Here are a few general trends at play right now…
Employers are deciding more quickly on candidates. Everyone is busy these days and hiring decisions are made in as expedient a fashion as possible. Whereas in the past, you might have to go through 2 or 3 different job interviews with different stakeholders in an organization and then wait weeks to hear whether or not you made the cut, today, you may have 1 group interview with all stakeholders in one sitting, or at least meet all players, one after the other. And then a job offer may come within days, rather than weeks. Employers found out they were losing out on qualified candidates with a long, drawn-out selection process.
The Web lets employers learn more about the “real” you. The Internet provides easy access to all sorts of information on prospective employees, and employers are tapping into it. It’s cheaper to pay for an online background check than it is to hire and train an employee who may not work out. Savvy employers also use search engines and social networking sites like MySpace and Facebook to dig for information. That fun photo of you in high drunkenness during a college party may not be image you want to portray to your future boss.
It’s a seller’s market. Have you heard of “buyers” and “sellers” markets in real estate? Well, 2008 should be a seller’s market when it comes to jobs. In other words, there aren’t enough qualified candidates to go around, which puts you in the driver’s seat… but don’t abuse that privilege. You still have to prove you’re right for the jobs you go after. However, you might be in a position to negotiate for a great salary, better benefits, and/or alternate working conditions.
Show what you can do… in a video resume. This is pretty cutting edge, but more and more candidates are beginning to videotape themselves answering interview questions, giving a short speech or performing functions of a job. Employers may not be requesting video interviews, but more and more are open to them.
Be sure you understand how to get ahead today in your job marketplace and career. Being savvy and capitalizing on the trends is the way to get the job you want!
Written by Kathi MacNaughtonChange Is Inevitable… and Good
Posted on February 4, 2008 | Filed Under Career, Job Search, Resumes | Leave a Comment
Most people these days change careers at some point in their working lives… actually, most change careers a few times. And we change jobs even more often. In fact, a recent statistic I read was that 1 in 5 employees quit their jobs every 12 months.
So what does that mean for you? Well… a couple of things.
- First, it means that if you’re planning to change jobs (or even careers), you’re definitely not alone. In fact, you are completely average — at least in that regard.
- Second, it means that there WILL be jobs available when you seek them, even if it doesn’t look right now like there are any openings in the places you’re interested in working. Wait a little bit… there will be.
So, if you’re ready to start thinking about changing things up in your work life, then your first step is to get your resume overhauled, so that it can do its best job selling you and your talents. Start with your Resume Help section on our main site and take it from there.
To your job change success,
Kathi
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My name is Kathi, and I created this website to share my expertise and knowledge about writing resumes and succeeding in career changes & job hunts. Thank you for visiting. I hope you'll take the time to explore not only this blog, but also the rest of my site. There's lots of info here! You can