Job Hunting Forum

Thursday, December 30, 2010

New Year, New Job Hunt

As the new year prepares to roll in, it seems that a little hope is coming in with it. Hiring is up; jobless claims are slightly down. If you're unemployed, now is the time to start thinking positive and start rethinking your job search, particularly if your current methods have yielded not so much as an interview. Here's some quick tips on how to reinvent your job search just in time for your resolution.

Reconsider the Companies You're Going After and the Jobs You're Applying for
Ask yourself if you really even want some of the jobs you're applying for, and then think about the companies and positions you really want. Chances are, if you find something you really have a passion in obtaining, you're going to approach your job search with a renewed passion and interest and employers will note that! Just because they're not advertising doesn't mean you can't start sending out resumes, making contact and networking. 

Review Your Resume, and Start Using More Than One
Probably the best card you've got in your bag of tricks, your resume is your handshake, your presentation, your hello, your everything to that first introduction with a potential employer. You have to make it count, and if you think the one you drew up years ago using a Microsoft Word template is going to cut it, you're about as flat wrong as the design that thing is based on. Instead, rethink the way you're approaching your resume. It isn't so much about a comprehensive history of what you've done, but the good things you're capable of doing in the future. Put your skills up at the top, and make multiple resumes for multiple scenarios. Make a short resume for introductions and answering ads, a longer one for interviews and an electronic one loaded with keywords for sending out via email. 

Rethink the Interview, and Redirect the Control of It Back in Your Favor
Your alley-cat charm has gotten you pretty far in life, sure. But don't rely on it alone when walking into an interview. Be confident, not just in yourself and in your abilities, but also in your knowledge and research. Commit yourself to really looking up as much information as you can before walking into an interview. Get serious about spending at least an hour (minimum!) on every company you interview with. Not only will it impress the interviewer, but when they ask if you have any questions, you won't just sit there doe-eyed. Another important technique is to write down and commit to memory stories about how you improved a situation, process or result with your contribution in your last job. Make the stories interesting and tell them like a story you'd like to hear. People forget resumes and what tie or dress you wore (unless they're really hideous), but they remember a clever story or anecdote.

Recognize Your Values and Strengths, and Know the Value of Patience
When you're looking for a job, especially for an extended length of time, it's easy to get down on yourself and fail to recognize all your talents and worth. But know that you have great abilities and skills that a lot of employers would love to have. Oftentimes it's not about not having the right skills and experience -- it's about finding the right fit. Remember a job hunt is a numbers game and one that sometimes takes a bit of time.

Thursday, December 16, 2010

Dead Language: What Words and Terms You Shouldn't Be Using on Your Resume

Team player. Exceeds expectations. Goal oriented. Yawn.

We've seen, read and heard about all these terms a thousand times before, and we'll probably hear all of them a thousand times again. And for employers viewing hundreds of resumes day in and day out, it's a sobering thought to think how often they see certain terms over and over again.

The crew over at Lifehacker (a fantastically resourceful site with stuff about technology, everyday fixes to problems and more) recently compiled a list of words to avoid so it doesn't look like everyone else's.

The words listed were:
  • Results-oriented professional
  • Cross-functional teams
  • More than [x] years of progressively responsible experience
  • Superior (or excellent) communication skills
  • Strong work ethic
  • Met or exceeded expectations
  • Proven track record of success
  • Works well with all levels of staff
  • Team player
  • Bottom-line orientation
 Reading the list you might immediately phrases you've heard and probably use. It might be time to give your resume another once over because with more than 30 million resumes in circulation, according to job expert Bob J. Gerberg, you can't afford to be lost in the shuffle.

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

To Give Your Time and Honest Effort Is to Receive a Job This Holiday Season

With the economy both difficult and picking up, a lot of people are looking for some extra work to make it through this holiday season. The Los Angeles Times recently reported that this season employers could pick up extra temporary workers by as much as 30 percent. Good news for those looking.

In keeping with that, why not share some good tips for those looking for work this time of year.

Make an Impression
It doesn't matter if you're day job is chief executive officer; if you're interested in moonlighting for a coffee shop or a cafe, dress for success and make sure you look and act professional.

You Know What They Say About the Early Bird...
It's never too early to start your search, so the sooner the better. If you haven't started already, do it now. Not tomorrow, not next week. Start right now. It only increases your odds of landing a job.


Location, Location, Location
Look around you, and consider whether or not there's any businesses near your current job or house that would be a good fit for you. It'll make working there even more convenient for you, and it enables you to have a little bit more in terms of hours.


Do What You Know
You'll have a much better chance of getting in the door if you find something related to your experience, interests or even hobbies. While it doesn't have to be exactly what you do for the rest of the 40 hours a week or the same industry, it'll help if you can bring some ideas to the table. And if you're interested in the work you're doing, it'll make working there go from unbearable to unbeatable.


Bring a Resume
OK, so you're resume might show that you're maybe a little overqualified. But temp work isn't about that. Bringing a resume and pointing to your experience and abilities only shows that you really do want the job and have credentials and stability to back it up.


In the End, It All Comes Down to Attitude
Never act like you're doing them a favor working for them or that you're looking for holiday work just because you have to. Always be enthusiastic and positive. Smile a lot. They're looking for someone to perk up the holidays, not the Grinch. 

Thursday, December 2, 2010

How to Answer the Toughest Interview Questions


 Expect some difficult and almost out-of-place questions when interviewing these days. Being prepared and knowing what some of them are ahead of time gives you an edge over the competition. Here's a list of some tough interview questions and how best to answer them.

What’s your biggest weakness?
Don’t admit anything that’s a major weakness if you have one, but be honest, nonetheless. Saying that you are impatient about getting things done is an example of something that the employer could view favorably.

Why are you leaving your current job?
Here it’s best to emphasize that you are looking for new challenges, more responsibility and expanded knowledge in your field. Never talk trash about your old company – it’s just bad form. Say you enjoyed working there.

How long will you stay with us?
Stressing that you’re looking for a career is the best way to answer this question, but also say you’re a relist and if you aren’t doing the job they expect of you, then you understand going separate ways.

What are your short-term objectives?
Keep your answers focused on the job for which you’re interviewing, catering them around objectives specific to that company.

Why have you been unemployed so long?
Simply pointing to the economy and tough market may not be enough. Instead say that you’re selectively looking for the right opportunity and company that fit your skills and have not yet found it.

What’s your major accomplishment in your last job?
Pick those that seem to line up well with the major elements of the open position. The goal is to always show the interviewer your accomplishments line up with the company’s needs.

Why do you want to work for us?
In this instance, point out that from what you’ve learned from your research of the firm and based on what you’ve heard you think you could be a valuable addition to the company and a good fit for the position.