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Resume Tools and Secrets

The internet is becoming a bigger force all the time in the job hunting game. However, there is a down side to posting your resume for all the world to look at that you should bear in mind. To get the most out of posting your resume on the internet be sure to take the following factors into account.

Here are five key factors to consider before you post your resume online:

1. Secure a unique email address for your resume. If you do not get the separate email address your primary email account can be get tied up with spam spiders as they harvest your email address from the resume.

Get additional email accounts from your current provider or find a free provider. You might consider getting a separate email account for each type of career you are applying for.

2. Add a keyword professional summary. Your resume is being scanned by a software program which is looking for word combinations and text that show you have the desired experience. These key words are critical to getting your resume read by a human.

So harvest the key words from the job announcement and begin your resume with a professional summary about your job qualifications. Keep the summary short, about three or four sentences, with key words appropriate to the job you are applying for. Do not place keywords in you resume out of context-the software will penalize you.

3. Keep to the facts. Inflating your skills to inaccurately qualify for a potential job could end up hurting you in two or more ways. One, you may get the interview, spend a lot of time preparing and then not get selected. Or two, you somehow get the job, you are found out and get fired or you don’t have the skills to do the job and are also fired. You then have to start your job hunt all over.

Be truthful in your resume. That doesn’t mean, if it is not in you favor you can something out. But just work hard to promote your skills and qualifications. Lying in your resume will eventually come back to cause you pain, usually when you can least afford it. Stick to the facts.

4. Key the resume content to the specific job opening. In properly responding to an ad or job announcement you want to match the language in the ad in your resume as closely as possible. If the job requires, as a recent ad for a Business Development Officer stated, “includes making presentations to high net worth individuals and institutions,” your include in your resume if appropriate, “made presentations to high net worth individuals and institutions.”

You see the pattern required.

5. Creative use of job titles. If a job you held could be described with several job titles include them in the resume. If at all possible list the job title that matches what the prospective employer is looking for. Project manager and team leader could mean the same thing, so make the adjustment.

It’s been estimated that about 20% of job seekers find jobs through the internet. So you should roughly spend about that amount of time in searching in the internet. Too many job hunters become comfortable with the internet job hunting approach and ignore other more important job hunting sources.

With this approach your internet resume postings should give you an edge in the machine review of your resume.

By: John Groth

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Cover letter examples can be a very good benchmark for a person who wants to know which cover letter is effective and which cover letter is ineffective. An effective cover letter will help any job applicant get that once in a lifetime chance to be called for an interview for a dream job.

Getting a good paying job is rare these days considering that companies have already hired very good people a long time ago or they are in the process of scaling down their operations due to economic reasons. It is thus very important to grab the opportunity for a good paying job when it presents itself.

Every job applicant should learn the value of a very convincing cover letter to be incorporated in his job application. The cover letter is actually the introduction to his application and the other attachments like his resume, work portfolio and other credentials are just secondary documents.

The cover letter is considered the primary document because it is the very first thing that the employer sees. In the same manner it is the very first information document that the employer reads. It is thus pertinent that the cover letter is written in a brief, concise and very convincing manner so that the employer will be encouraged either to read more about the applicant or to call him for an interview.

A sales letter is a very important part of selling goods and services. A cover letter works in the same way that a sales letter does. It gives an aura of marketability to the job applicant and this characteristic can get him that opportunity to be interviewed.

A cover letter is not a mere letter informing the employer that the applicant read of the job vacancy in a certain publication or bulletin board. It is not just a letter merely informing the employer that the applicant is hereby submitting his application for such vacancy.

A cover letter may be brief but it contains all there is to know about the applicant. It is really a creative way of summarizing what the applicant can do, what he has achieved and what he can do for the company if he is hired for the vacant position.

Through a cover letter a job applicant should make the employer realize that this person is the one we are looking for. This person possesses all the qualifications of the job. By reading the cover letter the employer should be encouraged to make a decision to meet with the applicant because he wants to know more about what he can offer the company.

Writing a cover is always a very big challenge even to people who already know how to write well. A winning cover letter is something that is achieved only after hours of reading cover letter examples from people who were there before and who knew how important cover letters are.

A person who wants to get inspired in writing a very good cover letter should look at the cover letter examples of people who used to be like him, eyeing a very good position and yet not knowing how to even get an interview. He should get his cue from cover letter samples of people who were once applicants but are now company managers, executives and even owners.

By: Mario J. Churchill

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Your resume got you in the door for an interview, where you were a smash hit with the hiring manager, and just as impressive with a group of would-be coworkers in the second interview. And today they offered you the job!

But before you yell out in ecstasy and prepare a well earned celebration, stay even-tempered until you know everything you’re getting into, whether you’ll even accept the offer, and how you’ll execute this important transition. Here are a few things to keep in mind:

EVALUATE THE TERMS

Relax and Buy Some Time. You’re in a great position. This job vacancy has been costing the employer a lot of money, including interviewing time and lost productivity. They’re not doing you a favor by offering you the job; they see you as the solution to their problem! You need to give them an answer, but not immediately. Tell them you’re very pleased to receive the offer, and that you will get back to them with your response within, say, 48 hours.

Review the Offer. “Get it in writing” may be a cliché, but it’s really good advice. Many companies will detail the job offer in a formal letter. If you don’t get a written offer, it’s a good idea to ask for one. Or, consider writing your own letter, outlining your understanding of the offer. A standard offer letter will cover the following:

* Your job title;

* Your starting date;

* Whom you will report to;

* Compensation (wages or salary, bonuses, commissions);

* Benefits; and

* Vacation time and paid holidays.

Verify the Details. Does everything in the letter match what you and the company discussed during the interviews? Is the salary where you thought it would be? Is there a waiting period before your benefits kick in, or until you can begin using your vacation time? (Both are standard in many companies.) Know before you sign.

Negotiate the Terms. This may be your only opportunity to negotiate employment terms. Money may or may not be negotiable; the larger the company, the more rigid the salary structure tends to be. But either way, there are other things you can consider asking for, such as:

* A shorter waiting period for benefits;

* Additional vacation time;

* Shares of company stock or stock options;

* Flexibility in your work hours; or

* Company-paid career development training.

Don’t be unreasonable, but go ahead and inquire. (And now would also be a good time to let your boss-to-be know about that tropical vacation you’ve booked for next month.)

Trust Your Gut. Accepting a job offer should not be a knee-jerk reaction. It’s difficult, especially if you haven’t had a paycheck for awhile, but think hard about whether this is the right move for you to make at this stage of your career. Does this position – at this company – help you take your career in the direction you want to go? Is it the right cultural fit? Does it encourage work-life balance? Do people seem to enjoy working with each other? Does the company mission mesh with your values?

If anything doesn’t feel right, it may be wise to decline the offer. On the other hand, if you can answer those questions in the affirmative, go ahead and sign!

GIVE YOUR NOTICE

Once you’re sure you’re going to take the new job, let your current boss know and give the proper notice period (usually two weeks). In most cases, the company will ask for a resignation letter.

Resign Formally. Your resignation letter should not be an elaborate explanation of “why” you’re leaving. It should just state that you will be resigning your position, indicating the effective date (your last day on the job), and adding a polite “thank you” for the opportunities you had while working there.

Don’t be alarmed or take it personally if the company asks you to leave immediately, especially if you’re going to work for a competitor. In some companies, policy dictates that terminated employees be escorted off company property immediately. If your company has such a policy, be sure to purge your computer of personal files beforehand, as you will not have access to them once you resign.

Talk to HR. Review your benefits with a Human Resources representative at the company you’re leaving, especially about your health insurance coverage. Make sure you won’t be uninsured as you wait for your new benefits to kick in. In most cases, you will be dropped from the old company’s plan on the day of your departure, but you will be eligible for COBRA coverage, which provides for temporary continuation of health coverage at group rates as long as you pay the full cost of the premium yourself. Inquire also about how you will receive your final paycheck, and how the company handles compensation for time off you didn’t take.

Outline an Exit Strategy. Talk with your manager about what you need to accomplish before your last day. Are there any projects that must be completed? Do you need to transfer information, project deadlines, and other work details to your manager or the person who will assume your duties? Do it in a professional manner without expressing any glee that you’re leaving. You never know when your career path will cross again with those of former co-workers, so don’t give them a reason to resent you.

START THE NEW JOB

Don’t “Diss” Your Old Boss. It’s important to maintain your self-discipline and avoid complaining about your former company after you take a new job. Such griping will make your new employer skeptical about whether you are truly committed to the new job, or just wanted to get away from the old one. And they’ll probably wonder what you’ll be saying about them the next time you change jobs. Keep your focus positive and forward-looking once you’ve made a career move.

By: Rick Saia

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