Career Related Tips newsletter

CAREER RELATED TIPS

Bryan Thorby Publisher webmaster@career-related.com http://career-related.com

Date: May 18, 2005

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In This Issue:

Thoughts of the Day

Article : Job Search Strategies that Work! By Don Goodman

Article : Reinventing Yourself for Multiple Careers By Mary Carroll

Article : Tips To Survive A Layoff By Nathan Newberger

Disclaimer & Privacy Statement

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Hi there, I hope all is well with your career plans.

Your resume is an important tool that communicates all about YOU. When it does the job right, you win an interview.

Your resume doesn't simply provide a prospective employer with your work history. It speaks loud and clear that you have the credentials needed to be a complete success in this new position or career.

Your resume will attract immediate attention. The reader will want to pick it up and read it top to bottom. Interest will be stimulated. An interview will be arranged.

An employer can have hundreds of boring resumes to pour through. This means when something catches the eye, it must really pop out!

Your resume must impress within the first important seconds or it will not impress at all. Employers will quickly scan all resumes and then grab for those that catch their eye best.

I hope you regularly review your resume and that it is really up to impressing those people you need to impress.

All the very best,

Bryan

Sponsor

Want to learn more about writing impressive Resumes and Cover Letters? Check out http://career-related.com/resume

Want to learn more about job interviews? http://career-related.com/interview

Thoughts of the Day

"To solve a problem or to reach a goal, you ... don't need to know all the answers in advance. But you must have a clear idea of the problem or the goal you want to reach." -- W. Clement Stone

"The best portion of a good man's life - his little nameless, unremembered acts of kindness and love." -- William Wordsworth

Article

Job Search Strategies that Work!

By Don Goodman, President About Jobs

So you took your resume and posted it on the job boards. You also spent hours searching for the jobs that fit your background and career goals, and you responded to a few dozen jobs. Then you waited for the phone to ring. But it didn’t. What went wrong?

Did you know that the job boards have an effectiveness rate of less than 3% in getting people jobs? Some of the larger boards are even worse, with less than a 1% effectiveness rate. If you think about it, everyone is using the boards to find jobs, so you have thrown your resume into the pile of 600-1500 resumes employers are getting for every job posted. Not a particularly effective way to get noticed, is it?

Consider too that approximately 87% of the open jobs are not even advertised! The first thing that a company does when it has an open position is ask their employees if they know anyone, internally or externally, who can fill the job. Employers would much rather have a referral from someone they know than go out to the open market and hire a stranger. Many companies even offer fairly large referral bonuses if an employee’s recommendation is hired.

Typically, companies will post a position internally for 30 days before looking to the outside. All this means is that by the time you see the job, if they even advertise it, they are already interviewing recommended internal and outside candidates. This doesn’t produce very good odds for getting a job through advertised positions on the web or in the paper.

So how do you get to the 87% of those open jobs that are not advertised. There are 3 ways: networking, headhunters and direct contact.

First of all you need to get organized so when you get that call from the resumes you sent out, you know all about the company that’s calling. So keep a log detailing the name of the company, the position advertised and the dates you contacted them along with any notes. (Readers may request a free log by emailing success@gotthejob.com).

Networking is still the best way to get a job with an effectiveness rate up to 64%. Hiring managers love people who are recommended to them since it lowers the risk of the person not working out on the job. Aggressive networking is the key here. For everyone you call in your inner network, you should try to get 2-3 names of additional people you can call. Go to trade shows, join associations and attend their meetings. Make sure you know your "elevator pitch" ­ the 30-second statement about yourself that you would make to Bill Gates if you were with him on an elevator.

Headhunters are a favorite for many people and this route has an effectiveness rate of 3-28% depending on the level of position you are seeking. The higher up in the organization you are, the better the chances that a company will be willing to pay a fee to find you. The average headhunter fee is 20% which translates to a $10,000 fee for every $50,000 of salary. So if you are a staff professional, you might wonder if a company is willing to pay $10,000 to get you, especially if they can get hundreds of resumes through a simple ad. Some resume writing professionals can e-mail your resume to a quality list of headhunters that fit your criteria for as little as $97, and this could be well worth it.

Finally, consider the direct contact method. This is where you conduct a direct mail campaign to targeted hiring managers in companies you have identified. A properly prepared campaign can find the unadvertised jobs and has an effectiveness rate as high as 50% depending on exactly how you do it. For example, sending an unsolicited resume and cover letter has a 2-8% effectiveness rate while better developed programs provide an effectiveness rate over 40%. First, you need to make sure your resume is great. These programs are probably best handled in collaboration with a professional firm that has the database and the expertise to put the right letters and resume together for you. Note that these programs do not have to cost the thousands charged by some of the firms out there. Do your shopping carefully and you can find a cost effective program that has the highest rate of success.

Even though today’s job market is tight, companies are hiring. Follow the steps outlined to develop an aggressive and focused job search, and you can be in your dream job.

About the author: Don Goodman is a nationally known career expert and President of About Jobs (www.gotthejob.com) a Resume Writing and Job Search Assistance firm. Contact him at 800-909-0109 or by e-mail at success@gotthejob.com.

Article

Reinventing Yourself for Multiple Careers

By Mary Carroll

In many countries around the globe, people are born into their station in life and hence their professions. It is unnecessary for them to plan a career as they are expected to perform one specific job their entire lives. These cultures do not consider personal growth or the possibility of choosing one’s profession.

America, on the other hand, was built on self-reinvention, and today’s economy demands it. Those born before 1946 are less likely to have changed careers or even worked for more than one employer during their lifetimes.

Today, many employees outlive the lifespan of the companies they work for, and the average worker can now expect to have at least three or more careers, with up to six different positions within each of those careers.

Hardly a week goes by without hearing of corporate takeovers, mergers and corporate downsizing. As a result, thousands of seasoned employees are facing burnout from increased responsibilities or being laid-off and replaced with younger, lower-paid employees. Many are looking for a different means of earning a livelihood.

For the first time in history, employees must learn to manage themselves and take responsibility for their own employment. Even the word "career" is taking on new meaning, as a new generation of employees is moving in and out of multiple careers during their lifetimes.

Keep in mind that a career change is not the same as job advancement within a specific career. Most are either lateral or a step down in income until you gain experience and expertise in your new career. Be prepared to downsize your lifestyle.

Think of choosing a new career as an opportunity to bring a fresh outlook and revitalization to your life, as new experiences will stimulate your thought processes.

The most importance part of selecting a new career is also the most obvious, . . . deciding on what you want to do. Often this is a natural offshoot of a previous occupation(s). Reinventing yourself often involves a unique merging of your old talents with your new skill set.

Begin by making an honest assessment of your skills, interests and experiences and ask yourself: -What would I do if money were no object? -What did I love to do as a child? -What activity do I do so intently that I don't notice time passing? -What do I feel passionately about? -What do I value the most? -What are my strengths? -What are my transferable skills? -What kind and how much education will I need to make this change?

Most people find fulfillment by doing what they’re good at. By evaluating your skills, interests, strengths and desires you will be able to see a connection between what it is that you value and what you excel at. These are the building blocks that you can turn into a new career.

While your new career is still in the planning stages, you can gain valuable information by: -Attending professional meetings and informal gatherings. -Networking. -Joining an online career discussion group. -Asking questions.

You are likely to need some additional education in order to begin a successful new career, start by improving the skills you already have. Sometimes, learning a few new software programs is simply all it will require. Should you choose to return to college, learning new skills is much easier when you are motivated to begin a new life.

Once you have chosen the kind of work you wish to pursue and acquired the necessary education, be sure to edit your resume to reflect your strengths and skills in this area.

Don’t be surprised if your job search lasts a little longer than usual. Concentrate on companies that are seeking people with your reworked skill set and eventually you’ll find an employer who will value the knowledge and experience you gained from your previous career(s).

It is vital today, more than ever, to remain versatile to stay employed. A successful career will evolve over a lifetime if you are continuously open to new possibilities. You must constantly seek opportunities for self-improvement and professional growth in order to be prepared for your next reinvention.

Copyright 2005, <a href=http://www.videoprofessor.com>Video Professor Inc.</a> All Rights Reserved.

About the author: Mary Carroll at the beginning her fourth career. Hers career has progressed from photojournalist to catalog graphic designer to photo stylist. Mary is currently employed at http://www.videoprofessor.com the leader in self-paced software learning tutorials as a customer advocate.

Article

Tips To Survive A Layoff

By Nathan Newberger

This http://www.WorkTree.com career article will quickly give you eight MUST know tips on effectively surviving a layoff.

****** FACT ****** Losing a job is one of the most stressful life events. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. With this in mind, you will need a good action plan in order to recover as quickly as possible from a job loss.

The following eight tips will help make sure that recover from a layoff sooner than you think.

=========================================== Tips You Must Know To Survive A Layoff ===========================================

#1 - DON'T PANIC: You may have lost your job but you have not lost everything. You are a skilled individual and will work again. Do not ever lose sight of these two simple sentences. Do not let yourself fall into a spiral of negative thinking. Think back to all the other people that you know of that have lost jobs in the past and are now successfully employed.

#2 - REFLECT AND RECOVER: Step back and clear your head. Anger and fear are two of the most common emotions experienced after a job-loss. Neither is conducive to clear thinking or good decision-making. Take some time to talk through your feelings of loss with friends and family members. If this does not help, consider the services of a professional counselor. Sort through your emotional baggage or else risk dragging it with you on your job-search.

#3 - ORGANIZE YOUR FINANCES: Take a serious look at your spending habits. List out your monthly expenses into 2 groups- absolutely necessary and optional. If you have already been laid off you should limit your spending to the first category. If you are still employed but fearing what the future may hold, start cutting back in the second category. A general rule of thumb is to keep the enough cash to cover at least two months worth of expenses in the bank for emergencies. If you have not had a chance to do so as of the time of termination, you still have options. Don’t forget that most companies offer a severance package to laid off employees. In addition you can also contact your local un-employment agency regarding unemployment benefits.

#4 - INSURANCE: Just because you have lost your job does not mean that you and your family have immediately lost all insurance coverage that you had while you were employed. It just means that now you are responsible for paying for it all by yourself. Under COBRA (Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act) generally you can remain on your former employer’s plan for up to 18 months as long as you pay the premiums. Remember that there are time limits for signing up for COBRA. You can get more COBRA information from the human resources department of your former employer.

#5 - UPDATE YOUR RESUME: Take account of all the skills and responsibilities that you acquired on your last job. Make sure that you include these on your updated resume. And remember this is not the time to be modest; be proud of your accomplishments. If you are unsure on how to lay out or word your resume, then you can find many examples of successful resumes on the Internet or in your local bookstore. Definitely have a friend or family member review your resume. Remember that a good resume can often make the difference between being granted an interview or not. Take the time to make your resume shine.

#6 - ACTIVATE YOUR NETWORK: Do not be ashamed that you have been laid off. Tell everyone that you think can help that you are looking for work. This does not mean that you should cry on the shoulder of anyone that will listen. What this does mean is that you should be prepared to tell friends, family and even acquaintances that you are looking for work, what types of skills you have and the types of jobs that you would be interested in.

#7 - CONSIDER USING A RECRUITER: Consider using a recruiter. Recruiters a.k.a. headhunters can help you to better manage and improve the results of your job search. Using a recruiter has many advantages. These advantages include their having already established relationships with many employers and their having access to hidden job opportunities. In addition many recruiters will offer tips on how to improve your resume and interviewing skills. Best of all most recruiters are completely free to the job seeker. They collect their fees directly from the employer.

#8 - GO BACK TO SCHOOL: Take advantage of the time provided by being laid off to better yourself both professionally and personally. Some people choose to go back to school and pursue an entirely different trade. Others will attend a few classes at the local community college to sharpen their skills in their chosen profession. Still others will pursue 6 or 12 month programs in a trade school. And don’t think that your study must be directly career related. This may be the perfect opportunity to study a foreign language or learn to roller blade. Layoffs provide people who are used to being busy with a lot of free time. Make the most of this time by improving yourself.

In conclusion, remember that getting laid off is not the end of the world.

Whether you are recently unemployed or are just feeling a bit uncertain about your job security in these tough economic times, the eight survival tips above can help you to get back on your feet quickly in the event of a layoff.

This article can be read online at: http://www.worktree.com/newsletter/surviving-a-layoff.html

Sincerely, Nathan Newberger Managing Editor <a href="http://www.WorkTree.com">http://www.WorkTree.com</a> "Helping You Find More Jobs Faster"

About the author: Nathan Newberger is the job and career expert at http://www.WorkTree.com Nathan has over 10 years experience in staffing and human resources. He has worked both as a recruiter and career counselor. Mr. Newberger has been the Managing Editor at http://www.WorkTree.com for the past 5 years and his articles have helped thousands of job seekers.

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